Prayer is essential to a growing, vibrant Christian life

If you’ve traveled by plane, then you’ve heard the pre-flight safety demonstration flight attendants give before takeoff. Every flight includes the same reminder: If the cabin loses pressure, an oxygen mask will drop down from overhead to help you breathe.

Many Christians treat prayer like an oxygen mask—they like knowing prayer is available in case of emergency, but they don’t rely on it until life gets turbulent.

Jesus said prayer is not like an oxygen mask; it’s like oxygen itself.

Prayer is essential to our spiritual well-being. 

Luke 11:1 says, “While Jesus was praying . . . , after He had finished, one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray.’” There’s no record of the disciples asking Jesus to teach them how to preach, heal, or walk on water. But they saw the relationship between Jesus’s commitment to prayer and His miraculous life.

Through prayer, Jesus tapped into God’s power. He experienced supernatural peace in the midst of turmoil, supernatural love for His enemies, and supernatural strength to speak the truth—and the same can be true for you and me.

The Holy Spirit’s power is transmitted into our lives through prayer.

That’s why prayer is critical not only for you and me personally but also for the work of advancing God’s kingdom together. I can’t emphasize enough just how important prayer is to the ministry of Pathway to Victory and to the church I pastor. In this letter, I’ve included information about Pastor’s Prayer Partners. This special church ministry organizes laymen and women to pray for and over the Senior Pastor, and it has been vital to the growth and effectiveness of First Baptist Dallas.

I encourage you to pray about starting a Pastor’s Prayer Partners ministry at your own church, and be ready for God’s Spirit to move in miraculous ways!

If you want to experience God’s supernatural power in your church and in your life just as Jesus did, then you need to treat prayer the way He did—not as an oxygen mask in case of emergency but as an integral part of your daily life.

When you make prayer a priority and begin tapping into the Holy Spirit’s power, your life will be transformed—and the people around you will notice.

One of the greatest lessons you can impart to your children and grandchildren is the importance of prayer. As they observe your life, will they see that prayer is more than just a dinnertime ritual for you? Will they see that prayer is foundational in your life? Let me share two principles for supercharging your prayer life and setting an example for your loved ones.

1. Keep it simple and sincere. One of the most effective prayers in the Bible was Peter’s simple “Lord, save me!” (Matthew 14:30). God is not impressed by fancy words or “super-spiritual” requests. Pray what’s on your heart—tell God your joys and sorrows, your praises and problems. The more you pray, the more your desires will align with His.

2. Pray in the gaps. To help you get in the habit of praying consistently, talk to God when you transition from one activity in your day to the next. Consider placing notes on your coffeemaker, TV remote, keys, and in other spaces where these transitions happen to remind yourself to pray. 

I hope you will join me in making prayer a priority in your life and in your church. May you experience God’s power like never before as you deepen your relationship with Him!

Sharing the Truth of God’s Word,

Dr. Robert Jeffress