Wednesday, July 6th 2022.
Pastor Chris Oyakhilome PhD. D.Sc DD
Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints (Ephesians 6:18).
Have you ever heard anyone complain about someone who “prays too much”? They think that spending a lot of time in prayer is doing nothing, so they deride someone who prays often and term him or her as one who “does nothing but pray.” You’re actually “doing something” when you pray.
Those who don’t understand the power in prayer and don’t understand the spirit realm are the ones who think that prayer is the lazy man’s way. John Wesley, a great minister in the 18th century, once said, “It appears God will do nothing except we pray.” He made this important statement because he observed that changes took place in his life and ministry and in the society when he and others prayed.
There’re lots of results we’ll never see except we pray. It’s God’s way of relating with us; He asked us to do it. Jesus prayed and taught us to pray. He said, “…Men ought always to pray and not to faint” (Luke 18:1). Why did He pray so much? It’s because He was living in a world of darkness and needed to effect changes in men’s lives. It’s one of the reasons He was so effective.
With so much going on in our world today, we should never think we’re helpless. There’s something we can do. Any Christian can actually effect changes. Don’t be like the person who says with a note of defeat, “All I can do is just pray.” No. We don’t just pray. In our praying, we’re definite enough to make definite changes. God never told us to “just pray” as a form of religion. He told us to pray so that things can be changed to our advantage.
Remember what Jesus said: “You shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you” (Acts 1:8). That power is the dynamic ability to cause changes and it’s in you now. So, when next you take up a matter in prayer, no matter how urgent it is, don’t for a second think you’re wasting time by praying. Instead, be conscious that you’re bringing the power of the Spirit of God to bear on that situation.
PRAYER
Dear Father, I thank you for the privilege of prayer, which gives me the opportunity to side with you and enforce your will in the earth, exercise dominion over circumstances, Satan, and his cohorts of darkness. Thank you for the blessing of praying in the Spirit, thus, praying according to your perfect will and bringing the power of the Spirit to bear in every situation, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
FURTHER STUDY:
1 Corinthians 14:14-15
For if I pray in an [unknown] tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful. 15 What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.
1 John 5:14-15
And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: 15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.
1 Timothy 2:1-2
I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, [and] giving of thanks, be made for all men; 2 For kings, and [for] all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.
DAILY SCRIPTURE READING
1-Year Bible Reading Plan
Acts 18:1-23 & Job 9-11
2-Year Bible Reading Plan
Galatians 1:1-9 & Isaiah 26
