You Have No Idea How Important Your Prayers Are

"Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy." Psalm 126:5 One of the difficult things in the life of a believer is to pray for a long time and see no results. But such is the nature of prayer: the patience required is as valuable as gold. "That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perishes, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ." 1 Peter 1:7 There was a great man of God - this is a true story - who lay on his deathbed, and a nurse overheard him thanking God for the grace to continue praying all these years for those on his prayer list. But when he died, there was not one from his list who was saved. However ... before THEY died, each of them was saved! Hearing this true story was what motivated me to continue praying no matter what. What an encouragement it has been against the inevitable discouragement that whispers that it's all in vain. Brothers and sisters, we must NEVER give up, knowing that: "The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man AVAILS MUCH." James 5:16 It's wise to take one's prayers very seriously because we are laboring in and touching an unseen world. If it were granted us to see into that world, we would be greatly encouraged as we saw the stories being set up that will lead each one we're praying for to salvation. With that in mind and realizing the power of prayer, then it's very important to ask the Lord for guidance in prayer. If my prayers are going to affect eternity, then it becomes extremely important to be praying aright, and the only way to do that is to ask God to put the right prayer in one's heart for the person being prayed for. Many times the Lord's response will be a specific passage from his Word which we are to pray. So then, our prayers are not to be self-generated, but God-led. It can be heart-breaking to see our unsaved loved ones continuing on in their sin as we pray. Perhaps we've been praying for them for years. Brothers and sisters, do not become weary and discouraged. Continue praying for them and you WILL reap an abundance of answered prayer - IF… "And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap IF ...we do not lose heart." Galatians 6:9 I asked the Lord one day, "I've waited so long, how long must I wait?" He responded, "How long has my Son waited?" That answer was a shock to me as I realized that promises were given to Jesus that still have not seen their fruition. For example, when the angel announced to Mary that she would bear the Messiah, the angel made a promise concerning him: "He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give him the Throne of his father David." Luke 1:32 That promise was given more than 2,000 years ago. The promise was that Jesus will rule on the Throne of David. When this promise was given, there WAS NO Throne of David, Israel was being ruled by the Roman Empire at that time. So we see that the wait can be long. When the Lord said to me, "How long has my Son waited?" that became a huge incentive to persevere because I realized that the lack of success was not because I was praying incorrectly, it was not that I was not praying enough, it simply was that there is an appointed time for prayers to be answered and it will usually require faithfulness during a long wait as the Lord sets up each story leading to salvation. Discouragement during a long wait is perhaps the greatest reason for failure in prayer. People get discouraged and think the answer will not come, so they drop it. Oh NO! Do not drop it! Keep praying. You are effecting changes in the spiritual realm that you do not see. You must NOT let it go! Your prayers can turn the tide on someone's eternity. That man of God referred to above - continued up to the day of his death, and he saw no results at all. He had the grace to continue praying, refusing discouragement, and in the end all his prayers were answered. Take courage saints! Your prayers WILL be answered! "He who continually goes forth weeping, bearing seed for sowing, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him." Psalm 126:6 A wonderful example of this: