Pastor Jentezen Franklin encourages Christians about the power of short prayers
Spending more time in prayer likely was on the list of New Year’s resolutions for many Christians. This resolution already have gone by the wayside because they feel they don’t have enough time to pray. In his new book, pastor and author Jentezen Franklin said much can be accomplished through short prayers.
“I also know that it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that longer prayers are better prayers,” he said. “There is a temptation to believe the more we talk, the more persuasive we are in moving the hand of God. But that is not what the Bible shows us.”
The Bible is filled with examples of short prayers that brought breakthroughs, miracles, deliverance and heavenly help. Franklin offers several reason why short prayers can be powerful.
“For one thing, short prayers often carry a sense of urgency that long prayers don’t,” he said. “I’ve watched the mother of a toddler running out into a busy street shout the name “Jesus!” and then witnessed every car miraculously swerve or come to a sudden stop. That one-word prayer is as effective as the tongues of men and angels.”
Second, short prayers are powerful because the Bible said that when we pray, even briefly, God moves. “God, in a sense, `moves’’ from where he is to where you are,” Franklin said. “Crying out to God in prayer is the best way to draw near to your heavenly father.”
God’s ears are ever and always inclined to the voices of his people. In the gospels, Jesus frequently was stopped by cries for help while on a journey to a specific place. Over and over, he stopped and brought about a miracle in response to those cries.
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“You may only see where you are right now, but God sees the glorious possibility of where you could be,” he said. “You see where your loved one is right now, but God sees what is possible for them. In other words, just as Jesus demonstrated, God will pause his purpose to bring about your possibility.”
Finally, he reminds Christians that praying shorter prayers doesn’t necessarily mean praying less.
“Please don’t misunderstand, though. I’m not suggesting that you spend less time talking to God,” he said. “Fellowship with him. Pour out your heart to him. Spend all the time you can in intimate connection with him. By all means, carve out as much time as you can to quiet your soul and listen for His voice of wisdom. Longer isn’t necessarily better. Sometimes less is more.“
–Alan Goforth
