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Prayer And
We Need Help! Part
1 We Need Help! Luke 11:1 A special insight into the relationship of Jesus and
His disciples is shown by how they reacted to the behaviour of Jesus. After
He prayed, they approached Him for instruction on prayer. (Lk. 11:1) They
didn’t ask Him to teach them what to pray for, or why we should pray. They
wanted teaching on prayer itself. Why? Because they saw Him pray like no one
else had prayed, His prayers were unique and the disciples saw His prayers as
the source of God’s power in fleshly form. He got up early before the sun to
pray, and was energized to work, going throughout the day to work out God’s
power, and at the end of the day He was exhausted, sometimes falling asleep
from fatigue. The next day all over again, Jesus was continuing his ministry
of prayer, teaching and miracles. Jesus summed up His teaching on prayer in
John 15:7, when He said, “If you live your life in me and my words find a
living place in your life, then you can ask whatever you will and it shall be
done”. This is a paraphrase, from the KJV. The word ‘abide’ is used rarely
and the phrase “living place” helps remind us of the need for consistent
activity in prayer, in order for us to experience the abundant life Jesus
promised in John 10:10. Many Christians today, have a continual
attitude of prayer, using prayer whenever they feel the need. They do not use
prayer strategically, with planned intent as Jesus did. Do we have a strategy
of prayer? If yes, what is it? The life of prayer, Jesus led is what we want to
follow. It is described as “living by the Spirit”, in Galatians 5:13-16. How
do we get the power to serve one another and live in the Spirit?
Prayer. Please do not misunderstand the source of this strength to
serve. Many Christians look only upon the word of God for power, because it
is the power of God, indeed, but we sometimes forget, that the power from the
word of God is to save, change, and deliver a lost soul. (Rom. 1:16)
Where do we get power to serve, after we are saved? Are we not saved in
order to serve each other and God? There are indeed two sources of power for
the Christian.
John 15:7, has an interesting
Greek word for “abide”, (to continue to be and endure so as not to perish).
In other words, if God’s words are enduring in your life, then His words are
abiding in you and your prayers will be answered positively, not negatively.
But prayers are answered negatively sometimes, or maybe most times, because
we can “ask amiss”, as James says in 4:3. Our prayers should be focused on
what God’s word says and what we believe Jesus would do. If we are unsure
about His will, then we are unsure about what to pray for. No matter what our
own mind says, we are unsure about what God’s word says, so we must seek His
counsel. If we can not find an answer right away, we must not delay prayer.
Prayer is to be constant and useful. The Holy Spirit wants us to pray even
when we are ignorant of what we should pray for, in other words, go ahead and
express your feelings of anxiety, confusion and even ignorance. Why? Because
He cares for you, 1st Peter 5:7. In God’s wisdom, and at the right time, He
will reveal His answer through His providential care. Do you believe The
Spirit can intercede for you in anxious prayers about uncertain concerns? |