14 things that happen when you pray
HOUSTON - As we wrap up 2023, this Christmas season, a local pastor has suggestions to help everyone set out on a positive path for the new year. Pastor Frankie Mazzapica is the founding and lead pastor at Celebration Church in The Woodlands. His new book, "Ignite Your Life: 14 Powerful Things That Happen When You Pray" is dropping on January 4th, and he's giving us a sneak peek now.
"There are some people that are not praying for themselves, but our prayers are so powerful that it makes a direct impact on their life, whether they're praying for themselves or not. In First Corinthians 1:11, it says, you helped us when you prayed for us.
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Another one I want to share, that's just one of the 14 things that happen when you pray, is in Psalms 56:9. It says this, the very day you call for help, the tide of the battle turns, the very day.
I'll say this, that short prayers are powerful prayers and so Smith Wigglesworth said it like this he says, 'I may not pray an hour a day, but an hour doesn't go by without me praying.' So, when we pray for our loved ones, we're making an impact in their lives. When we pray about the things that we're fighting for, the things that we believe, the very day we pray, the tide of that battle turns, and that's one of the 14 things that take place when you're praying.
And so, if you start your year off reading the book, you can read one chapter a day, and the first two weeks of the year is launched with momentum. So, I just encourage everyone, go to Amazon, and would love to send you a copy of the book. I know you'll be blessed," says Pastor Frankie.
He hopes that it cannot only be helpful for yourself, but to help your loved ones, as well. "When we pray, new opportunities are presented before us, and the trajectory of our life begins to shift. I mean the Lord says this, he says, 'I know you are very weak, but I've opened up a door for you that no man can close, and he promised us that in the Revelation,' chapter two, verse one, and so everything depends on who we depend on. So, I just encourage everyone here to pray, just keep those one sentence prayers flowing throughout the year, because short prayers are powerful prayers," encourages the pastor.
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He says it's also important to note that there doesn't have to be a specific time or location of where you pray. "Sometimes you just pray in your head. Sometimes you pray in your heart. And then oftentimes you can turn your car into a sanctuary!
You can just turn the music down and just talk to the Lord and what ends up happening is the more you talk to Him, the more aware of His presence you become, and when that happens, He becomes the closest friend than you've ever had in your entire life, and it exceeds anything you could ever imagine," states Dr. Frankie.
Again, his book will be available on Amazon, starting January 4th.