Greater Works
Prayer is the quiet work of heaven unfolding through the resting soul.
Devotional Source: My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers
Photo Credit: Unsplash
Prayer, as Oswald Chambers reminds us, is not a prelude to divine work; it is the work itself. Jesus said, “They will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father” (John 14:12). Many of us read those words and imagine great outward acts, yet Chambers gently redirects our vision inward to the hidden labor of prayer—the unseen cooperation of a believer resting in the life of the risen Lord.
In our human reasoning, prayer can seem like a pause before action, the stillness before the doing. But Jesus reveals that prayer is participation in His ongoing life and ministry. When we pray, we are not informing God of needs or persuading Him to act. We are yielding to the Spirit who already intercedes within us, drawing us into harmony with the Father’s will. Prayer is not preparation for a miracle; it is the miracle of Christ’s indwelling life expressing itself through His Body.
There is no higher work than this abiding partnership. Jesus, having gone to the Father, now lives to make intercession through His Spirit in every believer. The greater works He spoke of are not ours to accomplish by effort or inspiration; they are His to express through yielded hearts. The fruit that endures comes not from busyness, but from intimacy.
So, when the call to pray seems ordinary or unproductive, remember—this is where heaven’s labor happens. The Spirit within you communes with the Father, and eternity touches time through simple trust. Prayer is not inactivity. It is divine activity through a vessel resting in its Source.
Journal Entry – Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture
My beloved, when you pray, you are not preparing Me to act; you are entering into what I am already doing. The Son has gone to the Father, and I dwell within you to carry His intercession into every moment of your life. When you rest and speak with Me, you participate in My eternal work.
Do not measure prayer by its emotion or its visible results. The fruit of prayer ripens in the unseen, for I am shaping hearts and circumstances far beyond what you perceive. Your part is to abide in Me, to let My desires flow through you as rivers of living water. I am not moved by the strain of your effort, but by your willingness to yield.
The greater works Jesus spoke of are not yours to achieve by striving. They are Mine to accomplish through you. When you rest in My presence, I labor in love through you. When you whisper a prayer in faith, My life touches another soul. Rejoice, for in every act of surrender, heaven and earth meet.
Real-Life Analogy
Imagine standing in your kitchen, waiting for the kettle to boil. The flame beneath it works quietly, unseen, while the water slowly warms until steam begins to rise. Prayer functions in much the same way. You may not hear the boil immediately, but beneath the surface, divine energy is already at work.
As you go about your day, let this awareness shape your moments. When the urge to “do more” begins to stir, pause inwardly and say, “Lord, I rest in You as You work through me in this moment.” Trust that His Spirit is already active, warming the unseen, preparing what will soon overflow in love and fruitfulness.
Prayer of Confidence
Lord, thank You that prayer is not a duty to perform but a participation in Your divine life within me. You have already given all I need for communion and fruitfulness. I trust You to express Your intercession through me as I rest in You today. Thank You that the greater work is not mine to begin but Yours to continue through my yielded heart.
Scripture References for the Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture Section:
John 14:12, John 15:4-5, Romans 8:26-27, Philippians 2:13, Colossians 1:27, Hebrews 7:25