When you talk, not much happens. When God talks, power flows.

That is why prayer is more than a list of requests. It is a dialogue. It means bringing God into whatever is bigger than you, then making room to hear Him.

Look at Luke 18. Jesus told His disciples to pray always and never give up. Then He told of a widow who kept going back to a judge who feared neither God nor man. She refused to quit, and her persistence won.

Think about it. Persistence is the willingness to keep going until you reach your objective. In prayer, it means staying in the conversation until God speaks, then acting on what He says.

And He hears you even when words run out. Ephesians 3:20 puts “think” on the same level as “ask.” When your thoughts are turned toward Him, He hears you loud and clear.

Here’s the challenge: when something presses you, take it to God first.

Don’t cry. Pray.
Don’t complain. Pray.
Don’t gossip. Pray. (Philippians 4:6)

Let go of whatever is holding you down, and deal with it in the place of prayer. Elijah did, and he lived an extraordinary life through earnest prayer (James 5:13-18).

So pray, listen, then move.

This week, set a daily time to pray. Share what’s on your heart, then stay quiet and listen.

What are you taking to God right now? Share in the comments, and let’s stand in agreement with you.

An excerpt from the sermon by Pastor Sam Adeyemi on Sunday, October 18, 2026.

Watch this sermon here