The Preacher's Mightiest Weapon
As a preacher, I'm regularly asked how long it takes me to write a sermon. My go-to answer is, "It depends on how much I've prayed." I see a direct correlation between the quality of my preparation/preaching and the quality of my praying.
For many pastors, myself included, prayer can be the easiest aspect of sermon prep to skip. This, however, is a grave error. The preacher preps the sermon, but prayer preps the preacher. Prayer is what prepares our hearts to proclaim God's Word. Prayer is what gives preaching power in the pulpit. I like what E.M. Bounds said:
"The preaching man is to be the praying man. Prayer is the preacher’s mightiest weapon. An almighty force in itself, it gives life and force to all…The real sermon is made in the closet…Prayer makes the man; prayer makes the preacher; prayer makes the pastor…Every preacher who does not make prayer a mighty factor in his own life and ministry, is weak as a factor in God’s work, and is powerless to project God’s cause in this world.”
From Power Through Prayer by E.M. Bounds.
Maybe you're not a preacher. Maybe you're a stay-at-home mom. Maybe you're a barista, or bar tender. Maybe you're a student. Maybe you build something or work in business. Maybe you're creative and design stuff. Whatever it is that God has gifted and called you to do requires prayer to fully prepare for.
I want to preach better. But more than that, I want to pray better. Set your heart to seek God's face and He will grant the power to fulfill what He's called you to.
