Mountaintop Moments: How Prayer Transforms Our Spiritual Journey
Life can be overwhelming. We face challenges, burdens, and struggles that weigh us down. But what if the key to experiencing God's presence and power isn't found in extraordinary circumstances, but in the everyday habit of prayer?
What Are Mountaintop Moments?
Throughout Scripture, significant encounters with God often happened on mountains:
- Mount Moriah: Abraham nearly sacrificing Isaac
- Mount Sinai: Moses receiving God's law
- Mount Carmel: Elijah praying down fire from Heaven
- The Sermon on the Mount: Jesus teaching the Beatitudes
- The Mount of Transfiguration: Jesus revealed as the Messiah
- The Mount of Olives: Jesus surrendering to the Crucifixion
- The Mount of the Great Commission: Jesus calling disciples to share the Gospel
But here's the powerful truth: these mountaintop moments almost always followed a specific habit—prayer.
Can Ordinary Moments Become Extraordinary Through Prayer?
Consider Susanna Wesley, known as the "grandmother of Methodism." Her life was incredibly difficult:
- Poor health
- A dysfunctional marriage to a traveling preacher
- Lost nine children in infancy
- Raised ten children single-handedly
- Their house burned down twice
- Her husband was imprisoned twice
Despite these challenges, she educated her children daily and gave each child an hour of undivided attention every day. Two of her sons, John and Charles Wesley, went on to become founders of the Wesleyan Church.
How did she manage? Through prayer. Without a dedicated prayer space, she would simply throw her apron over her head while her children played around her, creating a makeshift sanctuary where she could commune with God.
Why Don't We Pray More Often?
According to research, 82% of people believe in the power of prayer, yet only 55% pray daily. What explains this disconnect? If we believe prayer works, why don't we do it more?
Even Jesus' disciples struggled with prayer. In Luke 9, we see them falling asleep during prayer. They also asked Jesus to teach them how to pray, showing that prayer doesn't always come naturally, even to those closest to Jesus.
What Happens When We Pray?
In Luke 9:28-29, we read: "About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John, and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning."
1. Prayer Prepares Us for a Deeper Understanding of Jesus
When we pray, we aren't just asking for things—we're positioning ourselves to see God more clearly. Prayer prepares our hearts for an encounter with Him. It's not about treating God like a "cosmic Coke machine," expecting Him to deliver exactly what we want when we want it.
2. Prayer Connects Us to God's Greater Story
In the transfiguration story, Moses and Elijah appeared with Jesus, showing that He was the fulfillment of everything God had been doing throughout history. When we pray, we step into this bigger story where God is actively working in ways we can't always see.
Ask yourself: What do your prayers reveal about what God is doing in your life and in the world around you? If God answered all your prayers with a "yes" right now, would only your world change, or would the world around you change too?
3. Prayer Awakens Us from Spiritual Sleep
Luke 9:32 says, "Peter and his companions were very sleepy, but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory." The Greek word for "sleepy" here (bareo) means "weighed down, burdened, or troubled."
Many of us are walking around in a spiritual slumber, carrying burdens Jesus never intended us to bear. We're like "the walking dead"—physically awake but spiritually asleep. Prayer awakens us from this slumber and moves us from passive faith to active awareness of God's presence.
4. Prayer Shifts Our Desires from Personal Comfort to God's Purpose
After seeing Jesus transfigured, Peter wanted to build shelters and stay on the mountain. But Jesus had a greater purpose that involved another mountain—the cross. Often, we pray for our comfort rather than God's purpose. Prayer helps align our desires with God's will.
5. Prayer Is About Listening as Much as Speaking
In the transfiguration story, God's voice came from the cloud saying, "This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him." True prayer isn't just talking to God—it's learning to hear His voice and obey His direction.
How Can We Develop a Meaningful Prayer Life?
Jesus gave us a model in the Lord's Prayer. Using the acronym PRAY can help us remember key elements:
P - Pause Before You Pray
"Be still and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10). Before you start praying, take time to be quiet and still. Put down your prayer list and surrender your personal agenda.
A study found that two-thirds of men and one-fourth of women would rather give themselves a mild electric shock than sit in silence for 15 minutes! Learning to be comfortable in the quiet is essential for prayer.
Your posture matters too. Whether kneeling (Psalm 95:6), raising hands (1 Timothy 2:8), or lying down (Matthew 26:39), find a position that is both comfortable and meaningful as you approach God.
R - Rejoice When You Pray
When Jesus begins the Lord's Prayer with "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name," He's focusing on God's greatness. Start your prayers with thanksgiving and praise for who God is and what He's done.
A - Ask in Faith When You Pray
God wants us to ask for our daily needs, but prayer is relational, not transactional. It's not a wish list or treating God like a genie in a bottle. Ask with vulnerability, expressing your deepest needs and trusting God's response.
Y - Yield to God's Will When You Pray
In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed, "Abba, Father, everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will" (Mark 14:36). Jesus models how to be honest about our desires while ultimately surrendering to God's will.
Life Application
How do we apply these principles to our daily lives? Start small—one prayer at a time. Like eating an elephant one bite at a time, develop the habit of daily prayer gradually. There will be days when you miss or struggle, but keep coming back to it.
The goal is to awaken from spiritual slumber and stop being "the walking dead." Prayer is the key to this awakening.
Questions to Consider:
- What word would you use to describe your current prayer life? (Vibrant, boring, inconsistent, etc.)
- What burdens are you carrying that you need to bring to God in prayer?
- If God answered all your prayers today, how much would the world around you change versus just your personal circumstances?
- How can you create a daily habit of prayer, even in the midst of a busy life?
- In what ways might God be calling you to yield your desires to His greater purpose?
This week, challenge yourself to set aside time each day for prayer—even if it's just a few minutes. Like Susanna Wesley with her apron, find your own way to create a sacred space in the midst of your everyday life. Remember, before every mountaintop moment, there is prayer.