"I don't fast to get something from God. I fast to change." - Pastor Carter Goolsby
God is not in the business of playing let's make a deal. Prayer is not a simple way to get what we want. While there can be hindrances to prayer, there are no secrets to it. Prayer gets its power directly from the fact that God is in relationship with His children. God's salvation from sin through Jesus and our relationship with God is what gives a prayer life its power.
Can prayer change things? Sure! Can prayer even move God to act? Absolutely. But prayer is not a means to our end. It is the way by which we commune with God and He transforms us. Many people think that if they say the right things in the right pattern, then they can get God to give them what they want. This view of prayer completely misses the point. First, life is about what God wants not what we want. Prayer should focus on things above and God's kingdom coming down to earth not us getting more stuff here or a quick fix to our problems. Secondly, God will not be manipulated into doing something against His will. We cannot conjure God's power to fulfill our desires using prayer. The spirit of witchcraft and idolatry are the influences that lead us to view prayer in a selfish and man-centered way.
Do we exist for God? Or does God exist for us? Your answer to those questions will impact how you look at and use prayer.
