The Amazing Power of Prayer

ARE YOU PRAYING?

Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who diligently seek him” (Hebrews 11:6 NIV).

But why do some miracles not come?

Ada Nicholson Brownell’s new Book: What Prayer Can Do

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Newsmax Health says a specific amount of “prayer time” per day can help prevent memory loss, mental decline, and even dementia or Alzheimer’s.

The organization points to 47 “scientifically proven” benefits of prayer, including pain relief, reduced risk of death from heart attack or stroke, lessened anxiety or depression, and more.

But broken marriages and messed-up lives changed for the better in a moment? A blind man instantly able to see? A forest fire redirected? Rain held at bay? A child healed of leukemia? A child with an undeveloped brain and hydrocephalus suddenly normal? The meanest man in town changed into a loving person and an evangelist by an encounter with God?

I’ve heard testimonies of answers to prayer all my life, and I just mentioned some of them. I’ve known people who, like me, have experienced the miraculous. I’ve written testimonies about miracles for nearly sixty years, and most were documented.

Miracles still occur in the 21^st Century, and it’s happened in our family.

Go to church and ask people you meet, “What is the greatest answer to prayer you’ve ever received?” You’ll be amazed. I’ve had many answers to prayer in my own life and they’re still occurring.

But what about those whose prayer for a miracle isn’t answered the way the person on his knees had hoped?

By reading the Bible we learn not every hoped-for miracle happens. Despite knowing Jesus is our healer, that God is the rewarder of those who diligently seek Him, our hearts were broken when we lost our oldest daughter to cancer when she was age 31. We still miss her! 

Yet, I know God loves us. Jesus gave His life so every one of us who believes in Him will live forever, but our human bodies are destined to die some time. Yet Jesus said those who believe in Him will never die (John 11:26). Yes! Our spirits are immediately in heaven, like the thief on the cross was with Jesus that day in Paradise, and Stephen the martyr was immediately there to see our Savior at the right of the Father.

God did give us a miracle, however, in the amazing peace and comfort He gave despite our loss. How can I explain peace despite our prayer for Carolyn’s healing unanswered while many other prayers result in miracles? Here are a few things I learned from scripture.

1.  I accept the truths in the Bible by faith. Faith is a decision. Yet, we don’t know the reason why some miracles don’t happen, but we know healing is in the atonement. The stripes on Jesus’ back were for our healing. (1 Peter 2:24).
2. An atmosphere of doubt interferes with God’s Spirit working among us. Jesus Himself couldn’t do many miracles in Nazareth because of a spirit of unbelief (Matthew 13:57-58).

3.     What our mind feeds on affects our personal faith. (Romans 10:17).

4.      We have a drought of God’s power because we don’t seek the Gifts of healing, faith and miracles. God gives the Gifts to those for whom He has a specific purpose but He also tells us to ask for them (1 Corinthians 12).

5. Lack of fasting and prayer affects spiritual outcomes. (Mark 9:28,

6.     Although we know our sin doesn’t cause most sicknesses, sin could cause us to be sick or even die. (1 Corinthians 11:29--31). When, however, some people witnessed the healing of a blind man and asked who sinned, the man or his parents, Jesus said, “Neither, so that the works of God might be displayed in him” (John 9:1-3).

7.      Some people aren’t healed or delivered because of “the greater good, as the preceding scripture states. When our oldest daughter was near death from cancer she left a witness. Four people gave their lives to Christ and others recommitted themselves to God.

8. Often God uses faith and works and we should give Him credit for these miracles, because he gives wisdom and knowledge for health care. James said, “Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead” James 2:14-16).

9.  Sometimes healing doesn’t come because we’re being tested, as Job was. “These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold” (1 Peter 1:7 NKJ).

10.  God’s sovereignty means He always has the last word. God has the last word in everything, including how many days we live. We have promises all over the Bible about healing which we can grasp and believe, but we have to put the whole Bible together for correct doctrine.  It should give us comfort, and not fear, to know everything is in His hands.

How did I walk through this journey? I consumed the Word of God like a ravenous lion tears into a hunk of meat. I communicated with God many times throughout the day, went to sleep at night repeating the Word, and woke up with a prayer on my lips, thankful for the hope we have in Jesus!

God ministered to me in so many amazing ways, and He not only comforted after our loss, my faith is even stronger now. When Jesus died on the cross the veil in the temple was torn from top to bottom showing we can come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).  I combined what I knew from being a medical writer and what I learned in the Bible about eternal life and I wrote the book, Swallowed by Life: Mysteries of Death, Resurrection and the Eternal.

Now I’ve combined testimonies and articles I wrote for The Pentecostal Evangel over the years into a book that will bless your boots off. God is working miracles in our generation. He’s working miracles in our families. He works in each of our lives in answer to pray.

Buy What Prayer Can Do here:  http://ow.ly/9CEI30h4IdL

Amazon Author Page with my eight books: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B001KJ2C06

 --Copyright Ada Brownell 2018