Understanding the Purpose and Power of Prayer, by Dr. Myles Munroe

A Review of

Munroe , M (2002 ) Understanding the Purpose and Power of Prayer : Earthly License for Heavenly Interference . New Kensington : Whitaker House , 144 pages

Introduction

Prayer is an essential part of a Christian 's life . Too often , however Christians are either unaware of what they should be doing or they do not have a good grasp of what prayer truly means for their lives as Christians in this world . Prayer is also essential in communicating and relating with Christian brothers and sisters . The phrase I 'll pray for you ' is

used very often but is rarely done . If only Christians would understand the purpose and the power of prayer , they would do what they say more often

The exploration of the purpose and power of prayer motivated Dr . Munroe to write about the and help Christians understand why they need to pray and be in touch with God

The Purpose and Priority of Prayer

The Lord Jesus Christ came to save humankind and enable the Church to become his partners in establishing His kingdom on earth . When He came to the earth , he healed the sick , He made the blind see , made the cripple walk and even raised the dead . Today , more than ever , He works through the Church to show the world His love and His compassion Christians therefore are part of His plan in bringing about the changes that he promised

Dr . Munroe said that the act of prayer is an affirmation that Christians do believe , affirm and participate in the unfolding plan of God . Prayer is a way for them to connect with God and help intercede and pray for the expansion of God 's kingdom on earth . Furthermore , as Christians , the Lord Jesus Christ has given us authority and prayer is an expression of this authority . In fact , he said that prayer is earthly license for heavenly interference

As the partners and friends of God , we , like Abraham and other persons of God before us , could communicate , ask favors , and intercede in behalf of those we love before God . With prayer , we can become intercessors and mediators before God since this is part of the authority that Christ has given us by virtue of the sacrifice He made on the cross and based on the authority He has bestowed upon us under the new covenant of grace

Preparing for Prayer

For many people , prayer seems to be the last resort in dealing with difficult situations in life . Even Christians sometimes only approach God when they need money or they need help out of difficult situations In this case , sometimes prayer becomes a one-way street that a Christian enters into because of his needs . This is the correct way of treating prayer . Instead , Dr . Munroe admonishes Christians to use prayer to enter God 's presence . Sure , God longs to bestow His blessings on His children but more than that , He also desires a close relationship with them

For Christians who feel like their prayers only bounce...