Sweeter Than Honey: The Unmistakable Power of Prayer

What if we spent a few quiet moments with God each morning? What if we were intentional about making time for it? What if we committed to doing that all year long and by the year’s end we found that we had read the entire Bible!?

How many times, on January 1, have you committed to reading the Bible from cover to cover in a year? I have made that commitment too many times to count, and I have failed too many times to admit.

​A few years ago though, I used a one-year, chronological order of book authorship, Bible Reading Itinerary.

Did you know that Genesis was not the first book of the Bible written? While plans like this vary somewhat, because it is simply impossible to put an exact date on some books of the Bible, the plan I used begins with the book of Job.

Sweeter Than Honey is a 365-day devotional journey ​that leads the reader
​through God's Word ​in chronological order of book authorship.

AVAILABLE AT AMAZON [PAPERBACK | KINDLE]

Let me introduce you to Sweeter Than Honey, friend. It is patterned after that Bible Reading Itinerary.

On Tuesdays, now through the end of the year, I would love it if you and I could take a trip through Sweeter Than Honey together! I'd also like to encourage you to Join us over at the private, Sweeter Than Honey Facebook group and share your thoughts. You'll find like-minded, Christian friends there. Let’s do this! Come join us as we move through the book and God's Word together.

We're waiting for you!

Mark 9-12: The Unmistakable Power of Prayer

I have read the account before in Mark 9 where Jesus heals a boy with an unclean spirit. What has stood out to me in the past is where the boy’s father says, “I believe; help my unbelief” (9:24)! Sometimes, we have to pray the same, don’t we? We believe, but our faith is small and we need help to have bigger faith.

“And someone from the crowd answered Him, ‘Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute. And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked Your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able.’ And He answered them, ‘O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to Me.’ And they brought the boy to Him. And when the spirit saw Him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. And Jesus asked his father, ‘How long has this been happening to him?’ And he said, ‘From childhood. And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘If you can! All things are possible for one who believes.’ Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, ‘I believe; help my unbelief!’ And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, ‘You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.’ And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, ‘He is dead.’ But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. And when He had entered the house, His disciples asked him privately, ‘Why could we not cast it out?’ And He said to them, ‘This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.’” (9:17-29)

Today though, I saw something different in this passage. It wasn’t the lack of faith that stood out to me today, it was the power of and lack of prayer. I have often said that prayer is the most powerful tool in our Christian toolbelt. Yet, it is quite often the most underutilized tool as well. That’s really sad.

Today, we see the disciples had tried and failed to cast an unclean spirit out of this child. They are confused and question why they were unable to do so. Apparently, they had done this in the past. But this unclean spirit was different.

Jesus tells His disciples that “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer” (9:29). Wow! If that does not prove to us the power behind prayer, I don’t know any other example in the Bible that would.

Prayer is powerful! More powerful than any of us realize I believe. How are you utilizing the unmistakable power of prayer in your life today? 

Tell us what tool or discipline help you most in your prayer life?

About Sweeter Than Honey

When I read God’s Word each morning, I find inspiration and insight that keeps my day on track. Join me on this journey. Let’s settle in with His Word—it’s His Love Letter to us. Did you know that? Let’s read it like a Love Letter, expecting to glean something for our walk with Him every day. Let’s look for peace in the chaos and strength for our weaknesses. Even on our busiest days we can carve out a few minutes to refocus on the important. Can’t we? We may have to get up a little earlier, when the house is still and quiet, or stay up a few minutes after the others are tucked in for the night, but we can do this! I know we can!

Let's be intentional about focusing on God’s Word and the truths found there. Let's let it inspire us to live out our faith each day in a way that causes those we come in contact with to want what we have found. God sees you. He knows you by name, He knows the number of hairs on your head, and He cares about every detail of your daily existence. He wrote you a Love Letter. Let’s dive in! ​

JOIN THE SWEETER THAN HONEY PRIVATE FACEBOOK GROUP

---

Thanks for joining the InstaEncouragements weekly Christian link-up! We would really appreciate it if you would grab this IE link-up button, place it on your blog, and link back to this post. Thanks! Have an awesome week! 

If you're new to link-ups, checkout our IE LINK-UP page for a brief explanation and a list of other link-ups to participate in.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

---

Purchase Here

​
​"When you don’t know what to pray, God’s Word provides direction and power. Praying His Word back to Him is the most effective way we can touch others and make a difference in our own lives.

While you may not consider yourself a prayer warrior, there are basic principles of powerful prayer found in the Bible. When we use the tools God has given us in His Word, we can move mountains – BIG mountains in our families and in the lives of the people we love deeply. We can also know with great certainty that we’re praying the will of God.

Prayer Made Simple is a tool that teaches and trains women to move forward in their prayer life. Praying biblical prayers for the people we love is a way to invite God’s blessings, power and grace into our lives." —Tara Furman

Sneak peek of Prayer Made Simple

---