Prayer Power

THURS., APR. 9, 1987, 6:05 AM
FARM, STUDY

Prayer is fundamentally mystical. It may have some psychological and social benefits, but the essence of it, in Christian tradition, is a message to Me, as God, as Jesus, or as the Holy Spirit. The message can be one of praise, of thanks, or of supplication. Praying is not your best activity, so hear, o son, as I tell you again that power is in prayer.

Lenore is involved in what Chris calls a prayer chain. This increases the power of prayer, for several people can be praying for the same person in a fairly shot time period. Just the fact that there are, let’s say, twelve prayers offered, each of these being unique, generates power. But here again when I affirm that the advantage of the power goes as much to the one praying as the one prayed for. (Naturally, I must add that one doesn’t pray to receive personal advantage, but this is a result when the intent is mostly selfless).

I hear all sorts of prayers, from spontaneous fragments that may sound much like an expletive, to long carefully composed prayers that are read so that each carefully chosen word is uttered. I hear long spontaneous prayers and short written prayers… and much in-between, from some sort of notes. Some are eloquent. Others are downright silly – My focus is on the one praying, but this leads My attention to the individuals, groups, events, or circumstances for which the prayer is offered.

The mystical part is that power is generated by the prayers offered, and even though I do not respond with My power the power of prayer has some effect on that or who for which the prayer is offered. In his Florida crisis Matthew needed the power of prayer. You offered a prayer, and it was a part of the resolution, related to but also quite apart from from I might have done. So it could be for him, even now.

You knew I would repeat my previous prescription: the main ingredient in prayer should be thanks. Thanks is your main acknowledgement of proper relationship with Me. Ultimately, all things may come from Me, directly or indirectly, and of this you should be appreciative. A real test, of course, is whether… or to what extent… you can be thankful for events and circumstances that seem not favorable to your well-being. You ponder a number of examples, and you realize that it can sound very strange to offer thanks for nuclear weapons, for toxic waste, for opportunities to help that are missed, for a stuffed up nose… I say, don’t fake it, but see if there is some aspect that deserves thanks, and then offer this, as sincerely as possible.

Just a dash of praise is appropriate. I can come to you as humble and helpful friend, but I also am the Supreme Power in the universe. I am thought from which all has come, and I have all power in My control. This is acknowledged in praise.

Now, supplication. You want to pray for someone… for the success of some event… or for some condition. Or you may pray that a person will stop some action or change some behavior… that some event will not occur in a certain way… or that something dire will not happen. I have told you many times and in many ways that I interfere very seldom in the “natural course of events”, but pray anyway, just as if I will do exactly as you petition. Why? Because I might intervene. Because the power of prayer can help any situation. And because you benefit from sincere prayer for others. That’s why.