PRAYER IN A VACUUM: THE BELIEF IN MIRACLES PRAYER IN A VACUUM: THE BELIEF IN MIRACLES ENSLAVING MANY AND RETARDING PROGRESS

Today being Sunday, I believe this write up may be impactful to somebody. This is a practical and ordinary understanding religious faith. I am not so good at the appreciation of the Bible but a bit of philosophy, sociology and common sense will be relied on in reference to the Bible. Let me state from the beginning that, this piece is not meant to counter the work of any particular man of God, it is not also to cast doubt in the miraculous works of prayers. As a Christian with catholic orientation, I am not unaware that there is nothing God cannot do! He is the omnipotent and omnipresent God! He is the Alpha and Omega! The purpose of the write up is to inspire and guide young men and women alike to know the boundaries of prayers and hardwork. I don't know it all. I have my personal weaknesses in the face of God, I have not made it in life and may not be in a better position to counsel you but perhaps, God speaks to his people through men. Such men whose tongues speak the word do so by divine inspiration and not by the sharpness of their tongues or the purity of their lives. I therefore, admonish you to take this message and saperate it from my personality. The pen is a sword and through out the Bible, the symbol of authority is the sword. Today, my pen has become that sword.

OH LORD FORGIVE ME MY SINS. I AM AN UNGRATEFUL AND UNFAITHFUL SERVANT AND I CRUMBLE ON MY FEET, BOWING BEFORE YOU, THAT YOU TOUCH ME WITH YOUR MIGHTY HANDS, DRAW ME CLOSER TO YOUR HOLINESS AND ADD SALT IN MY WORDS.

AMEN 🙏🙏🙏

To begin with, prayer is undoubtedly the master key in the life of every Christian. It is the divine medium through which humankind communicates with God — to seek guidance, offer gratitude, ask for forgiveness, and draw spiritual strength. The Bible affirms that we should “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Indeed, prayer nourishes the soul, builds faith, and strengthens our relationship with the Creator. Yet, when prayer becomes divorced from action, it turns into a form of spiritual laziness — a vacuum that breeds stagnation rather than growth.

I have no modicum of doubt, that miracles are real. God is still in the business of doing wonders — from creation to redemption. The Scripture records countless miracles: the parting of the Red Sea (Exodus 14:21), the feeding of five thousand with five loaves and two fishes (Matthew 14:13–21), and the raising of Lazarus from the dead (John 11:43–44). However, I must state that these miracles did not occur in a vacuum. Each was tied to faith accompanied by obedience, work, and responsibility. As James wisely declared, “Faith without works is dead” (James 2:26).

Unfortunately, many young people in Ghana today have misunderstood this divine principle. Across the nation — from Accra to Tamale — countless youths crowd “miracle centres” and all-night vigils, spending endless hours in prayer, expecting breakthroughs without any corresponding effort. They desire to pass exams without studying, to travel abroad without preparation, and to become rich without diligence. This misplaced faith has become, in effect, a new form of enslavement.

The late Dr. Kwame Nkrumah once asserted that “action without thought is empty; thought without action is blind.” The same can be said of prayer without work — it is futile. Ghana’s progress, both individually and nationally, depends not merely on our spirituality but on how we translate our faith into purposeful action. As Proverbs 14:23 reminds us, “In all labor there is profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.” This is what we must all appreciate. We must walk our talk by pushing our dreams with hardwork and prayer. Prayer alone will enslave till a point you begin to doubt the existence of God!

A disturbing trend in some Ghanaian churches is the commercialization of miracles. “Men of God” promise instant prosperity in exchange for money and other material things, exploiting the desperation of the masses. Instead of empowering believers to cultivate discipline, education, and entrepreneurship, some preachers condition them to wait passively for divine intervention. This has bred dependency and weakened the creative energy of the youth while these men of God triumph in their trade, glowing in affluence. I am not sure God sanctions this kind of "prayertrade". I call it so because of the growing commercialisation of prayer by many men of God. I cannot judge and I won't attempt to judge any man of God but I must say there are few genuine men of God who do not only lead our spiritual lives, but counsel us to know the ways of life. The truth is, no one can buy prayers and it will work.

We must remember that even Jesus, though filled with divine power, worked — he healed, taught, walked long distances, and built relationships. The Apostle Paul, despite his deep spirituality, was also a tentmaker (Acts 18:3). These examples show that God blesses the work of our hands (Deuteronomy 28:12), not the idleness of our wishes. So when are you using all your energy for prayer, having sleepless nights? You must work and work and work. You must step out of your comfort zone, experience pain, work harder and add your little prayers. I am not oblivious of the timing of God. God's time they say is the best. You may still work hard and pray but if your time of float does not come, you may think your prayer and work aren't impactful. Such accumulated effort will soon turn the sweetest victory.

The time has come for Ghanaian Christians, especially the youth, to redefine the meaning of faith and prayer. True faith inspires diligence. True prayer moves one to act, to plan, and to persevere. It is when we align our hard work with God’s grace that miracles truly manifest.

In conclusion, prayer is not a substitute for effort; it is the fuel that empowers it. The belief in miracles should not enslave us into passivity but should inspire us to work harder, smarter, and faithfully. As the old Ghanaian proverb says, “The man who waits for roasted fowl to fly into his mouth will wait forever.” Let us therefore pray — but also plan, act, and persist — for God helps those who help themselves.

MAY OUR EFFORTS PAY AND MAY WE GIVE OUR TESTIMONIES AT HIS APPOINTED TIME.

Denis Andaban

The Village Boy From DBI

0549734023 MANY AND RETARDING PROGRESS