The Amazing Side Effects of Prayer

By Shaun Brooks

God has various ways of surprising individuals, and one of those is through prayer. This engaging book clasps the reader and explores some of the twists and turns on one's journey with prayer. Along the way, you will find pleasant and insightful surprises. Taking this journey into, "The Amazing Side Effects of Prayer" might just book your ticket on a lifelong journey with God!

Shaun Brooks seeks to inspire faith in others by sharing the most powerful tool with them— prayer. Though many view prayer as a way to get what you want, readers will learn the invigorating effects of prayer touch every aspect of your life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Dec 1, 2020
• ISBN: 9781098340261

Book preview

The Amazing Side Effects of Prayer

Shaun Brooks

ISBN (Print Edition): 978-1-09834-025-4

ISBN (eBook Edition): 978-1-09834-026-1

© 2020. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

CONTENTS

DEDICATION

FOREWORD

Chapter 1: Prayer May Lead to Courage

Chapter 2: Prayer May Lead to Patience

Chapter 3: Prayer May Lead to Humility

Chapter 4: Prayer May Lead to Scripture

Chapter 5: Prayer May Lead to Forgiveness

Chapter 6: Prayer May Lead to Tears

Chapter 7: Prayer May Lead to Repentance

Chapter 8: Prayer May Lead to Service

Chapter 9: Prayer May Lead to Contentment

Chapter 10: Prayer May Lead to Unity

FINAL THOUGHTS

DEDICATION

I dedicate this book to the many individuals who have made an impact on my life. To my parents, who continue to model the heart of Christ. To my wife, Stacy-Ann, who has lovingly and encouragingly supported my efforts in developing this book. To my siblings and extended family members. To my good friends, who have prodded and provided that gentle nudge to pursue this goal. To my church family, past and present, for their ongoing prayers. To my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who has been my source of joy and comfort.

Jesus never taught His disciples how to preach, only how to pray. He did not speak much of what was needed to preach well, but much of praying well. To know how to speak to God is more than knowing how to speak to man. Not power with men, but power with God is the first thing.

—Andrew Murray

FOREWORD

Thank you for taking the time to pick up this book and read. As you read, you will notice that this is not a manual on prayer, nor is it a book prescribing ten steps to improve your prayer life. I believe many other treasured resources can strengthen you in those areas. This book is intended to be an encourager for you to discover the joy and untold blessings when you connect with God in prayer. There is something personal when you encounter God on your own and take the time to pray. I will share some personal stories and highlight the Bible throughout this book, and I hope that by the time you finish reading, you will be sharing your personal story about prayer with others.

Chapter 1

Prayer May Lead to Courage

I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.

—Nelson Mandela

One of the greatest fears that many people have is that of public speaking, the fear of getting up before a crowd of friends or strangers and sharing information. Now, some of you reading this may say, That’s nothing and may have some valid reasons as to why that shouldn’t be a worry to others, but remember that it is only one of many fears.

So long as we live in this world, we will come across many events that awaken or deepen fear in us. Fear can cripple the mind’s ability to reason well and make sound judgments, as well as leave us open to possibilities of defeat. Fear impacts both old and young and rich and poor, and doesn’t discriminate between sexes. So long as you live in a world of sin, you will encounter fear, but I would like you to know that God has a powerful remedy for fear, and it comes in the form of prayer.

Jesus, the Son of God, was not immune to the emotion of fear when He took upon Himself our human nature. As Jesus approached the moment of His eventual betrayal and crucifixion, He began to show deep feelings of distress and grief, and the Bible records that He was troubled (Mark 14:33). We can only imagine what was racing through His mind during this stressful period as the fear of failure became a potential reality. Humanity’s fate was in His hands, and there was no margin for error. As the looming tide of his betrayal and arrest approached, Jesus gathered His composure and went into the garden of Gethsemane to pray. Prayer was a natural part of His ministry, and you will find many instances of Him taking the time to pray throughout the gospels. He prayed as soon as He came out of the Jordan River to mark the start of His public ministry (Luke 3:21). He prayed before choosing His disciples, and He prayed before resurrecting Lazarus near the end of His ministry on earth. Prayer was a way of life for Jesus, and now at the climax of His ministry, He once more relied upon prayer to get Him through.

On that dark, fateful night in the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus’ prayer took on a more intense appearance than had been witnessed by His disciples. The struggle became real and emotional; this was not imaginary and make-believe; this was the real deal, and the weight of the world was upon Him. Yet, we find that when Christ emerged from His time of prayer, He not only faced the guards with surreal calmness but healed the ear of one of His accusers. Something happened during His prayer time that melted away the melancholic feelings He had before and renewed a sereneness needed for the struggle ahead. Prayer did not rescue Jesus from the cross; it instead prepared Him for it; it did not remove the darkness ahead; it provided hope in the dark. Prayer did not shield Jesus from betrayal; instead, it covered Him from despair. We know that Jesus had a lot going against Him, but in prayer, a higher power was at work for Him. This power would not only make Him victorious, but banish fear from His heart as well.

If praying to God is the means whereby we can gain strength for life’s obstacles and fears, why don’t we pray to God more often? Why is it