Acts chapter 4 verse 13 says , “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realised that they had been with Jesus”

This is the key to revival in our towns. Prayer changes things. Peter and John were on their way to a prayer meeting, but before they even got there a lame man was healed – a man who had been lame for about forty years – all of his life. This was a miracle.

The rulers and elders of Israel did not see that Peter and John were respected rabbis, important or well educated (because they weren’t). But they realised that they had been with Jesus. Here’s a question. Do people realise that you have been with Jesus?

Psalm 91 says “He who dwells in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty” The Hebrew for shadow is “tsel”. It can also mean protection, shade or shelter”. As we spend time in prayer with Almighty God we are under His protection, but we are also set apart for a mighty work in our towns.

For the last two and a half weeks I have been teaching French and Spanish in a Muslim girls’ school in my town. I have learnt a lot of things during this time and God has spoken to me. During the form time a number of girls would put a prayer mat out at the back of the room. They would stand up and recite the Qu’ran, and then they would prostrate themselves and recite a prayer. At the beginning and end of every lesson (every hour) they were supposed to recite a prayer. My heart has burned for these girls! I drove home in tears one time. God has given me names of one or two to focus my prayers on – and I will do that. One is the most devout girl in the form.

There are about 600 Muslim girls in this school. They are the daughters of the most devout Muslims in our area. In the 2011 census of my town there were 32,400 Muslims. That’s 32,400 people (12% of the local population) who are praying four times a day to and confessing allegiance to a different god.

Brothers and sisters in Christ – what are we doing when our Muslim neighbours are praying? Are we sitting around watching the TV? Are we at work talking about Strictly or the X factor? Do we even make time in the day to acknowledge God or do we feel we are too busy?

We need to pray. God has spoken to me to pray more this year, and to have a prayer strategy; to pray specifically until I see results. I can’t always attend the evening prayer meeting at our church as I have four children and my husband often comes home late but here’s the wonderful thing about our God. He is omnipresent! He is everywhere at the same time. It is good and encouraging to meet together to pray, but we can also pray at home on our own. Matthew 6:6  says”But you,when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.”

Can I encourage you this year to pray more? God, through His Word, guarantees that you will see results.