Dynamics of Prayer (ii)

Continuing from where we left, where we built the understanding that by scripture, prayer is not limited to the passing of requests, but is actually the platform through which man gets to fellowship and commune with God at a personal level. Remember, the primary reason for the creation of men is for the pleasure of God, it is written, “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created” (Revelations 4:11). Adam and Eve did not live for long lists of requests to the Father, but they casually communed with Him daily, because their needs were not the foundation of their engagement. But even though we have been restored to that place of communion that we lost at the fall, believers today have still relegated prayer to requests, warfare and twisted ideas of intercession! Jesus taught His followers, “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?” (‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭25‬). Jesus made it clear that life is not defined by material possessions, but is instead defined by the depths of our knowledge of the Father, and Jesus whom He sent (John 17:3). He then went on to further illustrate His point, “Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin..” (Matthew 6: 26-28). One of the major lessons we can learn from the lilies is how they live a life void of the consciousness of lack; they simply cannot fathom the horrors of lack, but believers today are drowning in these fears – we are always worrying about everything we do not have. But Jesus submits to them the antidote to such worry, saying, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (v.33). Here, the Lord makes known the rightful order of our priorities, and makes it known that in getting these priorities right, we are ensuring that our needs will always be met, because of the integrity of God’s word. Our time should be spent adoring God, praising Him, worshipping Him, and loving on Him – this is the protocol to being with the King!  

Consider an example that occurred during the times of apostle Paul’s ministry. The apostle and many others had travelled into Macedonia on the basis of a vision seen by apostle Paul calling them for missions in the region (Acts 16). The apostle and the company he with travelled immediately to Macedonia, passing through Phillipi, which is where they established the first church in that area. On one of the Sabbaths, they went about preaching the gospel by the riverside, where they met Lydia, who was a worshipper of God and a trader of purple. We read from the Scriptures that “… the Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul” (Acts 16:13-14). This reveals us that while many may hear the message of the gospel, it takes the power of God to open the heart of men to receiving this message into their heart. Upon reception of the message, Lydia ministered to the missionaries, sheltering them in her home and feeding them as well; she did not need to be manipulated into doing anything, the Lord whom she received stirred her heart into all her acts of service. 

While in the same city, we read that the apostles went to the place of prayer and were followed by a slave girl operating under the spirit of divination (Acts 16:16). This girl was possessed by familiar spirits and  went about foretelling. She went about saying, “… these men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation” (v.17). You see, one can be accurate in their insight but the spirit behind their operation will always be the final stamp of validity. Paul and Silas were preaching the gospel, and this girl’s association with them could have bought her approval and gained her a platform amongst the very same people the missionaries aimed to convert, thus polluting their faith. It was on this basis that Apostle Paul turned to deal with her decisively as she kept following them for many days; we read, “But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And he came out that very hour” (v.18). The masters who were making a profit from her soothsaying were enraged, and immediately conspired to get apostle Paul and Silas arrested through false accusations. We read, “Then the multitude rose up together against them; and the magistrates tore off their clothes and commanded them to be beaten with rods. And when they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to keep them securely. Having received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks” (v.23-24)‭. These stocks that they kept their feet in pulled their skins apart, further inflicting torture on top of that which they had received on their backs and the solitary confinement they were thrown into.  Imagine how Paul and Silas were feeling, beaten up and bruised and then put in stocks to stretch their skin, being pulled from every side. This is the state they were in.

But we read something powerful about these men’s attitude: “But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them” (v.‭25‬). These men were praising the Lord and ministering unto Him, they were not pleading for their release or feeling discouraged because of the hardship they were facing whilst doing their best to walk in the will of God. They sang praises unto God, and God, who inhabits the praises of His people, showed up for them mightily. We read, “Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed”‭‭ (v.26). It continues, “And the keeper of the prison, awakening from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself” ‭‭(v.‭27‬). The Roman law was specific, and it was clear that the consequences of high security prisoners escaping in the hands of a guard meant death for the guard in question, and as a result, the guard sought to take his own life. But the power and working of the Holy Spirit, apostle Paul discerned this whilst still in the depths of the confinement and cried out to him, “Do yourself no harm, for we are all here” ‭‭(v.‭28‬). They did not immediately run out of the prison, going to show that they were not even praying for that, because if they were praying for that they would’ve quickly left. When you love the Lord, His desires become your own. The guard came out and fell at their feet, saying, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” ‭‭(v.‭30‬). There was no sermon there, it was just people who started ministering unto the Lord. The Roman guard and his entire family were saved, and when the magistrates saw what happened, they released Paul and his company in peace. This is what happens when men prioritize ministering first unto the Lord, He takes care of all their needs. 

Prayer

Father, we thank You for Your Spirit, that is our source for successfully walking in You. He leads us daily, helps us, counsels us, comforts us, intercedes for us and teaches us! Because of His coming, we all walk with the fullness of God inside of us at every moment, inseparable. We pray Father, for the grace to decisively keep our minds stayed on You, who is the essence of our life. In Jesus’ name. Amen.