The Power of Short Prayers | Jentezen Franklin
The Power of Short Prayers | Jentezen Franklin
The Power of Prayer: When God Moves for a Possibility
When you pray, God will move. He will leave where He is and come to where prayer is. Even though He is omnipresent, He responds to the prayers of His people. Consider the minor prophet Habakkuk—he only wrote three chapters in the Bible, yet when he prayed, God moved.
A child once asked his mother, “Where did God come from?” She answered, “I can show you—He came from Teman.” Scripture says, “God came from Teman” (Habakkuk 3:3). Now, we know God is everywhere, but this passage gives us a glimpse of His divine movement.
Teman was part of a horseshoe-shaped mountain range. On one end was Teman, on the other, Mount Paran. This entire region is what the Bible refers to as Mount Sinai. It was there that God descended, met face-to-face with Moses, and gave the Ten Commandments, writing them with His fiery finger. His presence caused the mountain to tremble, and He warned the people, “Do not come up, lest you die” (Exodus 19:12).
Even though God was orchestrating His great purposes on Mount Sinai, when Habakkuk prayed a short but passionate prayer, God moved. He left Teman and came to His servant. Though He rules the universe, creates galaxies, and holds all things together, He still listens to those who seek Him in prayer.
The Power of Even a Short Prayer
Prayer moves God. Even a quick, heartfelt prayer can shift divine purpose into divine intervention. When we pray, God will leave His grand design to work in the possibilities of our lives. Why? Because He loves us.
This reminds me of a story about Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon in July 1969. When he stepped onto the lunar surface, he famously said, “One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” But later, he admitted to saying another sentence: “Good night and good luck, Mr. Gorski.”
To understand this, we must go back to Armstrong’s childhood. He grew up next door to a couple named the Gorskis. Mr. Gorski was kind, patient, and enjoyed spending time with the neighborhood kids. However, Mrs. Gorski was known for being cold and harsh, especially toward the Armstrong children.
One day, young Neil and his friends accidentally threw a baseball into the Gorskis’ yard. When he went to retrieve it, he overheard an argument through their open window. Mr. Gorski was pleading with his wife, saying, “How long will it be before you show me some affection?” Mrs. Gorski snapped back, “I’ll give you some love when that dumb Armstrong kid walks on the moon!”
Years later, as Neil Armstrong set foot on the lunar surface, he remembered that moment. With humor and nostalgia, he sent his message: “Good night and good luck, Mr. Gorski.”
The Lesson: You Never Know Who God Will Use
Why share this story? Because you never know who God is preparing for something extraordinary. You never know when someone, through prayer and faith, will step into the impossible. And you never know when you are that person.
Prayer unlocks divine possibilities. It doesn’t matter if you are young or old, a preacher or not. If you pray—sincerely, passionately, even in just a few words—God will see the potential in you.
So pray. Seek Him. Because when you do, God will leave His purpose to come to your possibility.
