Prayer is not powerful, it is Jesus Christ Who is powerful. If we tell an unsaved person that all they must do is pray they will believe their own words have power.
We are living in a culture that thinks all they have to do is believe and say something and we will have it. They have no concept of a relationship with a Holy God who wants us to seek Him and obey Him.
Even in the churches today most people attending think as long as you say something it is the power within. They have no concept of being sorry for their sinfulness or being changed into a new creation by Christ. In their minds, it is their decision alone that gets them to heaven. I cannot say this enough, we are not saved because we decided to be Christian and join a local fellowship. A born-again person becomes born again by confessing their sinfulness and desiring to be changed into a new person by Christ.
If there is only a statement that they are a Christian because they chose it, then there is lack of understanding about the salvation message.
Devils enter the church today because they deceive those in the gathering that they are Christians. They are lying to be able to confuse those within the group about what God says in His Word.
Some have even been deceived themselves into believing they can say what they want and nothing else is necessary.
We must believe that Christ is God, that He came to die for the sins of the world and that we must choose to be cleansed by Him. Nothing of ourselves is required except the belief that He is the One Who must change us and seal us with His Spirit.
Ephesians 2:10
"10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."
Ephesians 1:13-14
"13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of the promise, 14 who is a first installment of our inheritance, in regard to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory."
Notice that all one does to be born-again is believe in Christ and what He did. But also what comes with it is the knowledge that we cannot save ourselves, He does all the work of saving us and changing us.
2 Corinthians 5:17-18 " 17Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:…'
He seals us after we believe, it's a guarantee of our salvation, He works in us to make us holy, He makes us a new creation, and He keeps us in this condition until He comes for us, either in the clouds in the rapture or at our death.
Notice our only responsibility is to believe and He does all the rest of the work in us. However, after salvation, we are responsible to obey Him. If we do not obey Him then He disciplines His children. And, ALL of His children experience training and discipline because our new Spirit is trapped in this sinful body and must be kept under the discipline of the Lord as we obey Him.
Hebrews 12:5-7 "…5 And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not take lightly the discipline of the Lord, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you. 6 For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastises every son He receives.” 7 Endure suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?…"
Those who have never admitted with brokenness their sinfulness and have no desire to be changed by Christ are not born again. They can say whatever they like but their words mean nothing. It is the fruit of the Holy Spirit that is the evidence of a person having been born-again.
Galatians 5:22-23
"22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."
If these character qualities are missing from a person who says they are a Christian, then you know they only believe in themselves and not in Christ, they were never born-again. When God changes a person they can never turn back into the old creation again.
2 Corinthians 5:17 " 17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come!"
Matthew 7:15-23 "15 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
True and False Disciples
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’"
Matthew 7:13-14 "13 Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the way that leads to life, and only a few find it."
Lastly, never follow any human being, your family, your husband, your wife, your church leaders, or anyone else who might have influence over you. When we follow Christ all those who are pretenders will fall off, family will hate you because they do not love Christ.
Matthew 10:22-23 " 22 You will be hated by everyone because of My name, but the one who perseveres to the end will be saved. 23When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next. Truly I tell you, you will not reach all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.…"
When we find ourselves being persecuted, mocked and demeaned we are told to get away from these people. They will only continually attempt to derail your walk with Christ.
And remember; Matthew 7:21-23 "21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’"
You will find yourself being hated by those who say they are Christians. You don't think like they do because you want to think with the mind of Christ and they are still very much in the world and don't want to leave the world.
Let this comfort you, All that love Christ will be persecuted and hated by the world. ALL!!! That ought to encourage us.
James 1:2-8
"2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,
3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.
4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.
7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;
8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways."
