The Importance of Prayer – FaithCamp East 2019
“Prayer is the breath of the soul. It is the secret of spiritual power….” –Pr. 84.4
Gem Castor, a missionary from the Philippines, led morning worship and United
Prayer each day of FaithCamp East this year. On Sunday, he shared what he has learned about the importance of prayer and connection with God.
Jesus' Example
Imagine how busy Jesus was... Gem said. He carried all the sins of the world on his shoulders. He gave healing to all who came to him. Jesus was human, as well as divine, and he suffered exhaustion just as every human does. But after all those busy days, Jesus spent time in communion with His father. Ellen White’s book Prayer shares that “He spent whole nights in prayer on behalf of the tempted ones….” –Pr.171.2
"The night seasons of prayer which the Saviour spent in the mountain or in the desert were essential to prepare Him for the trials He must meet in the days to follow. He felt the need of the refreshing and invigorating of soul and body, that He might meet the temptations of Satan; and those who are striving to live His life will feel this same need."—(Maranatha, 85.) Pr 171.3
"Prayer Rejuvenated Jesus—His days were passed in ministry to the crowds that pressed upon Him, and in unveiling the treacherous sophistry of the rabbis, and this incessant labor often left Him so utterly wearied that His mother and brothers, and even His disciples, had feared that His life would be sacrificed.
"But as [Jesus] returned from the hours of prayer that closed the toilsome day, they marked the look of peace upon his face"
"But as He returned from the hours of prayer that closed the toilsome day, they marked the look of peace upon His face, the sense of refreshment that seemed to pervade His presence. It was from hours spent with God that He came forth, morning by morning, to bring the light of heaven to men."—(Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing, 102.) Pr. 172.1
Like Jesus, we may be refreshed and empowered through prayer. Following His example, “our whole day should revolve around prayer...” Gem said. “Before we touch anything in the morning, our knees should touch the ground.” Then, “Prayer and faith will do what no power on earth can accomplish.” —(The Ministry of Healing, 509.) Pr. 83.4
Our need of God
Gem shared that as a prayer coordinator, he often has to get up long before the crack of dawn to have his personal devotions and prepare for early morning prayer sessions. No matter when he sets his alarm however, the Lord almost always wakes him up earlier, sometimes 30 minutes, sometimes an hour, sometimes two or three.
Gem does not always enjoy getting up so early. Sometimes he feels that he cannot possibly survive the day with so little sleep, but as he evaluates his thoughts, he is made aware of just how much he needs the extra time to pray. God has awakened Gem early to empty him of self, and take away the selfishness and pride that would otherwise take control, and keep Gem from effectively working for God.
The same goes for each of us. In order to do the tasks God has given us, we must seek the Lord each day and ask Him to give us the power we need to follow Him. The Lord promises in James 4:8 that if we draw near to God, He will draw near to us. By abiding in Him, we open ourselves to become more like Him, and we gain the ability to shine the light of His love to a world covered in darkness.
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