Praying in Faith

Praying in Faith

By Dave Dussault
Northpoint Prayer Ministries

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. … And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. — Hebrews 11:1-2, 6

Hello Church Family,

There is more power in prayer than we know. Praying in faith is not a wishlist we dangle in front of God, hoping He’ll bite. Praying in faith is how we lay hold of God and obtain what we ask for. There are things that exist that didn’t use to be because people asked and received. There are situations in place that were not there until people prayed then into being.

One vivid example is nestled in a valley in the local San Bernardino Mountains—the product of the faith and prayers of Henrietta Mears and a few Christian leaders some 80 years ago. A visionary leader in Christian Education during the last century, Ms. Mears began praying about founding a Christian camp where churches from Southern California could send people for retreats to learn from God’s Word and be equipped for Christian service.

When she and a few leaders from the Hollywood Presbyterian Church drove up Highway 38 and turned up the valley to Forest Falls, they passed the Forest Home camp, which was for sale. Seeing that is cost $350,000, a fortune in 1937, Henrietta declared, “Don’t even bother to stop … we can’t afford all this.”

Two testimonies of the camp’s role in God’s mission stand out. By the chapel at the lake, a plaque tells Billy Graham’s testimony. Near that spot, God led him to resolve difficulties he had with some things in the Bible and simply preach what it says, without any doubts. That decision marks the beginning of God’s profound blessing on his ministry, which He’s used to bring tens of thousands to faith in Christ.

Also at the camp is a prayer chapel “filled with books–literally thousands of pages of personal history where guests write out their decisions, prayers, and cries to God.” I’ve looked at those pages and read about the direct, personal impact God has had on those who have come there to look to Him in prayer.

Hebrews 11 tells us that a Christian is someone who

•  looks to an invisible God to receive things we don’t see
•  is convinced that God exists and is active, right here and right now
•  expects to receive what we don’t yet have
•  knows that God commends our faith in Him
•  believes that what God wants for us is best for us

God is on a rescue mission, reaching the lost who refuse to trust Him or even believe He exists, so He can give them life by faith in Him. All of Scripture portrays God’s mission and calls His people to take part in it, by reaching out to others in faith that He is working to make them His own.

Northpoint Church is on that same mission. Every Sunday, we gather for a purpose: to praise God, receive instruction from His Word, and to ask Him to equip us for His mission, believing that God is with us and ready to bless us with success.

To the praise of His glory.