The Story Behind the Power Prayer
A Testimony by Evangelist Michael Voccola
Founder of Spirit Go Before Me Ministries
In July 2012, my family and I experienced a tragedy that deeply affected our lives. In the aftermath of that difficult time, I was scheduled to travel to Brazil on a ten-day mission trip. Little did I know that God was preparing to reveal something that would forever change me, and also the way I prayed.
Whenever I travel to Brazil, I witness God moving in mighty and extraordinary ways. People come to Christ, lives are changed, and the power of God is revealed in ways that are almost unbelievable. These experiences are beyond anything I could have ever imagined in my life. I never thought that God would use a man with my background so powerfully.
During this particular mission trip, something kept troubling my heart. I couldn't understand why I witnessed God moving with such incredible power while I was in Brazil, yet when I returned home to the United States, those experiences seemed to disappear. I would find myself waiting until the following year to return to Brazil to experience that same power again.
One evening, around 9:00 p.m., I was at the airport with the group I had traveled to Brazil with. We were waiting to board our flight home to Knoxville, Tennessee.
After boarding the airplane, I settled into my seat. My mind was filled with memories of the incredible things I had witnessed in Brazil. As I reflected on everything God had done during our mission trip, I began questioning the Lord.
"Lord, why can't I have this power all the time?"
Suddenly, I heard the Lord speak to me.
"Michael, call Me by My full name."
I was confused. I didn't understand what He meant.
"Lord, I don't understand," I replied.
For a few moments, there was silence.
Then I heard Him speak again.
"Michael, I am God the Father, and everything you see here, I created, so call Me by My full name!"
I was still confused. I knew the Lord was speaking to me, but I didn't fully understand what He was trying to tell me.
A few minutes passed, and I heard Him again.
"Michael, I am God the Lord Jesus Christ, and through what I have done, you may have the opportunity to see My Father one day, so call Me by My full name!"
The Baptist in me was ready to jump up and down in my seat, praising the Lord! I was so excited by what I was experiencing, but I still did not understand.
A few minutes later, He spoke again.
"Michael, I am God the Holy Spirit, and that power you are asking for COMES FROM ME! So call Me by My full name!"
Still trying to understand what was happening, I heard the Lord speak to me once more.
"Michael, write this down."
By this time, our airplane had reached approximately 30,000 feet. I grabbed a napkin from underneath my Coke can and pulled a magic marker from my bag.
And there, high above the earth, I began writing the words I believe God had placed upon my heart:
"Father God, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, with the power of the Holy Spirit You have given me, go before me....."
.jpg)
A Dove in the Sunset - Nova Iguacu, Brazil
November 4, 2019 - During another of Mike's missionary trips to Brazil, these remarkable sunset photographs were captured. The cloud formation resembles a dove, a beautiful reminder of the Holy Spirit and His presence in our lives.
.png)
The Meaning Behind the Five Dots
Even the five dots at the end of this prayer were not my idea. God specifically instructed me to include them.
Those five dots are intentional and have a purpose. They represent the personal prayer or request that you are bringing before God.
The five dots are not simply punctuation. They are a place for you to bring your own prayers before the Lord.
When you pray these words, the five dots are where you continue with whatever is on your heart.
Whether you are asking for healing, guidance, protection, wisdom, or praying for someone else, this is where you bring your request before God.
This became what we now call the Power Prayer.
I believe the Lord revealed to me that this prayer was not meant for me alone. It was meant to be shared with others.
I felt specifically directed to distribute these prayer cards everywhere I went.
As soon as I returned home, I had a friend help create the cards in English, Spanish, Chinese, and Portuguese. Since then, thousands upon thousands of people have received them all over the world.
If you are holding one of these cards in your hand today, now you know how it came about.
I believe it was a divine appointment between the Lord and me.
The Power of Prayer in Everyday Life
Please do not take this prayer lightly.
Every morning, when you walk out your door, consider who you will encounter, where you will go, and what opportunities God may place before you.
Pray for the Holy Spirit to go before you.
I have met more people, prayed with more individuals, and witnessed lives being changed through Jesus Christ in ways I never could have imagined.
It has been a wonderful experience.
The Bible reminds us of the importance of praying in the name of Jesus Christ.
John 14:13–14 (NKJV)
Jesus teaches that what we ask in His name is to glorify the Father in the Son, and that He will answer according to His promise.
We are also reminded in Zechariah 4:6 (NKJV):
"Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit"
These Scriptures remind us that our confidence is not in our own strength, but in the Lord.
Remember, the power is not in the paper card or in the words themselves.
The power belongs to God the Father, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Learn this prayer. Carry it in your heart. Share it with others. Speak it with faith and allow the Holy Spirit to lead you wherever God calls you.
A Prayer That Changed My Life
Years ago, while returning home from Brazil, I asked God why I couldn't experience His power every day.
That night, at 30,000 feet, I received an answer that would forever change the way I prayed.
Today, my prayer is that you, too, will experience the presence and power of the Holy Spirit in your everyday life.
Wherever you go, whatever you face, and whoever God places in your path, remember that you can call upon God the Father, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Let the Holy Spirit go before you—and watch how God can use your life to touch the lives of others!
Evangelist Michael Voccola
Founder, Spirit Go Before Me Ministries