Is Prayer Worth Your Time?
Last time we talked, we dug into 3 steps for improving your prayer life: 1) Identify what’s holding you back, 2) Pray about it, and 3) Reflect on what God’s done for you.
Have you had a chance to walk through those steps yet?
It’s so worthwhile to strengthen our relationships with God through the discipline of prayer. But with the distractions of everyday life, we can easily forget to set aside the time!
If each of us had a deeper understanding of just how powerful prayer can be, we’d be making it our top priority. That’s why, today, we want to show you what Jesus did to overcome an extreme situation in India. If He can do something this big, He is worth turning to for your every need!
I’m here for it!
Then allow us to introduce you to a woman named Kuvira.
By India’s standards, she and her husband, Rushil, were well off. And their lifestyle probably would have remained quite comfortable if it weren’t for a sudden change in their expenses.
What happened?
Well, that was up for debate in the beginning. All the family knew was that Kuvira looked nothing like herself anymore, and she was getting weaker day by day. Her parents concluded she had a rare blood disorder, and they suggested she get blood transfusions.
But as time went on, the truth came out: Kuvira was being attacked by evil spirits.
In today’s day and age?
Yes—this just happened last year. India is a nation where millions have never heard the name of Jesus, and in this spiritual darkness, all kinds of things take place that are completely unimaginable for many of us.
What could Kuvira do about it?
She and her family did the only thing they knew: They turned to their religious practices. Hard-earned money went to black magicians and rituals, and this got so expensive that Rushil had to start borrowing money from others just to meet the family’s daily needs.
I would be terrified…
So were Kuvira’s neighbors. Unfortunately, everyone was so scared of Kuvira’s behavior that they shunned the family. People avoided even greeting Kuvira’s family when they were out in public.
But we’re here to talk about prayer, and that’s exactly what saves this story.
A Mission India Church Planter, named Jumal, was on his way to the local worshipping group one day when he ran into Kuvira and her husband, who were walking to a temple to pay the priest, hoping it would lead to Kuvira’s deliverance.
The couple had ignored Jumal many times in the past when he spoke with them about Jesus, but this time was different. When Jumal stopped to talk—while the rest of the community shunned them—Kuvira and Rushil listened. They even accepted Jumal’s invitation to go to the worshipping group with him.
After witnessing miracles there, Kuvira asked for prayer. She recognized that praying to Jesus could be the answer she needed!
And she was right. Jumal prayed in Jesus’ name, and our Heavenly Father delivered Kuvira from evil spirits!
I’m never ignoring the power of prayer again…
Right?! Kuvira and Rushil were so moved that they received Jesus as their Savior. And despite having lots of debt to pay off after borrowing money for their past rituals, they have peace like never before. They’ve joined the local worshipping group and are seeking the Lord with a grateful heart!
So, here comes the question: Is it worth spending time in prayer?
It certainly was for Kuvira! Dive into this further using the prayer points and action steps below.
PRAY
- Pray that Kuvira and her family continue to grow in their faith, and that Kuvira’s testimony will lead many others to Christ.
- Pray that God increases your faith in the power of prayer!
TAKE ACTION
- Reflect on Kuvira’s story. What inspires you about it? How does it make you view prayer differently? Talk it over with a friend!
- Learn more about the work of Church Planters like Jumal.
