01/11/2014 - STRIVE IN PRAYER WITH FAITH AND WISDOM

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Now I beg you, brethren, through the Lord Jesus Christ, and through the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in prayers to God for me, Romans 15.30

Those who consider themselves powerful in God usually despise the help of their brothers and sisters in Christ. Some people even think that a person who is not used in the same way as they are has nothing good to contribute. It is true that the minister of the gospel needs to watch out, so that no one guides him. However, because we are talking about brothers and sisters in Christ, their prayers do have in Christ a contribution to make.

It is good to have brothers and sisters striving in prayer with us. Many times the Lord uses a person like Ananias—one of the disciples in Damascus about whom the Bible says very little—to pray for a person like Saul of Tarsus, who later became the apostle Paul, one of the greatest Christian apologists of all times (Acts 9.10,11). Ananias asked his brethren in Christ to pray for Saul. I believe Paul learned his lesson when he was blind in Damascus.

When you feel you should ask someone to pray for you, why shouldn’t you? In case you feel the desire to ask the entire church to intercede in prayer for your life, do not be shy to do so. And do the same thing if you want to intercede for another person—whether this person has asked for prayer or not. But never do this in a careless way, because we must never play around with God’s work or people’s faith.

To Paul, the apostle, striving together in prayers was so important that he begged through the Lord Jesus Christ. Shouldn’t we do the same thing? It is wonderful to see how the servants of the Lord acted in the past. Without a doubt, they knew some secrets which we also need to know and use. He who desires to grow in the Lord and to be an instrument in his hands must strive for his righteousness to exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees (Matthew 5.20).

The plea of Paul went even further: he begged through the love of the Spirit. By doing that, Paul showed that intervention through prayer is a very serious matter. Therefore, never joke around when making a prayer request. Some people use prayer requests as a manner to end a conversation or to be considered a spiritual person. He who acts in this manner cannot be blessed, even if he begs for the blessing.

The prayers of those who are saved are powerful. Elijah, who was a man with a nature like ours (James 5.17), prayed to the Lord until the dead child sneezed seven times (2Kings 4.33-35). In another case, he prayed seven times until he got  a cloud, as small as a man’s hand, rising out of the sea (1Kings 18.44). When you intercede for other people in prayer, see it as part of this ministry. Never pray because you have to or to please the person who asked for your intercession.

Paul said that they should strive together in prayers—not make a simple request. Before you say you are going to pray for someone, make sure you know the reason for the prayer. Then, if there is agreement between you, go into battle to win. If you pray to the Lord without mentioning the person for whom you are interceding and the reason, there will not be an answer from heaven.

In Christ, with love,

R. R. Soares