THE WONDER – WORKING PRAYER – Thursday January 8th 2015

THE WONDER – WORKING PRAYER 

Memorise: But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning him to the body said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up. Acts 9:40

Read: Mark 9:20-29, Bible in one year: Isaiah 23-26, Acts 5:22-42

The Bible in Philippians 4:6 enjoins us not to be anxious for anything, but rather to make our requests known to God through prayer and supplication sandwiched with thanksgiving. The result of this spiritual exercise is found in Philippians 4:7:

“And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

This is the wonder of an effective Christian prayer life.

Our Bible text reveals that prayer can work wonders beyond our wildest imagination. It also reveals the inevitability of prayer in our lives. If Jesus could do nothing without prayer, then we should not think that an effective prayer life is optional in our Christian walk. When the apostles wondered why they could not cast out the demons in a demon-possessed boy, Jesus in Mark 9:29 simply told them that it was due to lack of prayer and fasting. James 4:2 reveals that many children of God are guilty of negligence in prayer. Some of them even became envious of those who take out time to pray to God concerning their needs. They fail to realise that it is prayer that can solve the problem of lack, and not envy. Like the elder brother of the prodigal son, they are zealous in the work of God but fail to make their requests known to God. They end up becoming envious. The elder brother of the prodigal son even falsely accused his father of partiality. But the father replied that all that he has was his (Luke 15:31). The problem with this Son was that he would not ask.

After I was commissioned as the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, I travelled to my home town. On getting there, one of the requests put forward to me was about the access road into the town; as at that time, the road was in a deplorable state. Humanly speaking, it was an expensive project for a pastor to undertake. So I looked up in prayer to the God who called me, just like the Psalmist did in Psalm 121:1-2:

“I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.”

The Lord answered my simple prayer a few weeks after my visit. He moved the government to award a contract that got the road fixed.

  

Key point: Ask and it shall be give; seek, and you shall find; knock, and the door shall be opened unto you.