A complete salvation 11: to be a saint (8): Pray, pray and again pray
Dear All:
All glories, praises and thanks be to God - the only One worthy to receive glories, praises and thanks.
"Not to us, O LORD, not to us but to your name be glory, because of your love and faithfulness." (PSALMS 115:1)
A complete salvation 11: to be a saint (8): Pray, pray and again pray
3. "your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." Pray in God's will and pray for the Kingdom of God.
"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." (MATTHEW 6:33)
Someone might wonder:" Since everything is in God's hand, will my prayers make any difference?" Yes. Because God not only grant men free will, but also give respects to men's free will. God never force one's free will. But make clear the results of the choices and let men make the choices on their own. Although God is the real One who can save souls, He let men to be the co-workers to save others while save one selves. Prayers can bring in the work of Holy Spirit. Prayers can make the difference as significant as whether ourselves, those we love and many more people can be saved or not.
(1) Pray that the Kingdom of God come to us. Pray that we will do everything in accordance with the will and command of God. Pray that Holy Spirit will guild us to be one in Jesus Christ.
"The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say,' Here it is,' or 'There it is,' because the kingdom of God is within you.'" (LUKE 17:20-21)
"'Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened." (MATTHEW 7:7-8)
"But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul." (DEUTERONOMY 4:29)
"We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express." (ROMANS 8:26)
Pray that we receive more gifts to work for preaching gospel and the great mission that LORD ask of us.
"There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. ... Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. ... All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines. ... But eagerly desire the greater gifts."" (1 CORINTHIANS 12:4-7,11,31)
"After they (the disciples) prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly." (ACTS 4:31)
Pray earnestly not because the gifts will bring one any power, honors and praises, but because one loves God and desires to do more work for the truth of God. And always keep in mind that we can do nothing apart from God and remember to give all the glories, praises and thanks to God. Otherwise, one might fall on it.
(2) Pray for the Kingdom of God come to others. We cannot work for God unless we let God do the work. We are in the age that Holy Spirit do the work same as in the age of the disciples. Earnest prayers with faith bring work of Holy Spirit with all kinds of miraculous signs and wonders. There are uncountable testimonies
about it.
"Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it." (MARK 16:20)
"'Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonders,' Jesus told him, 'you will never believe.'" (JOHN 4:48)
"With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." (MATTHEW 19:26)
"If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer." (MATTHEW 21:22)
"Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven." (MATTHEW 18:19)
"When they (Peter and John) arrived, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit,..." (ACTS 8:15)
"Paul went in to see him and, after prayer, placed his hands on him and healed him." (ACTS 28:8)
"Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." (JAMES 5:14-16)
"...we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him." (1 JOHN 3:22)
"This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us - whatever we ask - we know that we have what we asked of him." (1 JOHN 5:14-15)
"Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced ties crops." (JAMES 5:17-18)
"...apart from me (Jesus Christ) you can do nothing... If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given to you." (JOHN 15:5-7)
Prayers of we Christians are the weapons that can defeat the devil and evil spirits.
"He (Jesus Christ) replied,' This kind (evil spirit) can come out only by prayer (and fasting).'" (MARK 9:29)
"But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you." (MATTHEW 12:28)
Prayers are very important work and co-work. Since the work of preaching Gospel is in the front line of fighting against the devil and evil spirits, we need to pray for the work and also the workers to help each other. Someone might assume that those servants whom God called don't need help and prayers from others. But actually, they need more help of prayers from others to stand firm and defeat the attacks from the evil spirits. Therefore, I would also like to ask you of your prayers to help and co-operate to finish this series of messages.
"...as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many." (2 CORINTHIANS 1:11)
"Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim it the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should." (COLOSSIANS 4:2-4)
"Brothers, pray for us." (1 THESSALONIANS 5:25)
"With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God might count you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith." (2 THESSALONIANS 1:11)
"And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should." (EPHESIANS 6:18-20)
"Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance." (PHILIPPIANS 1:19)
"...We (the apostles) will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word." (ACTS 6:4)
"...we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding." (COLOSSIANS 1:9)
"He ( Epaphras ) is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured." (COLOSSIANS 4:12)
"Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith." (1 THESSALONIANS 3:10)
"They all joined together constantly in prayer," (ACTS 1:14)
(3) Pray for the Kingdom of God and great revivals come to churches and countries.
Is that a too big issue and prayer that one should care about? No, not at all. There are also many historical records about it. For example, in the beginning of the 20th century, a young man in Wales named Evan Roberts prayed for 11 years and brought in a great revivals to his country such that more than a hundred thousands of souls saved in 9 months.
We enjoy living in US - a country founded on the Christian religion and blessed by God in all kinds of ways. If we feel so lucky that we are set free in the truth of God and even want to question why the good news of Gospel haven't been widespread in Chinese. Shouldn't we pray for the Kingdom of God come to more Chinese?
4. "Give us today our daily bread."
We live on God. And we are God's children. Our heavenly Father who feed the birds of air value us much more.
The problem is not that God has not provided enough food to feed people. The problem is a problem of distribution. If we care about other's prayers and basic needs and give a hand to help, that will please God and be remembered by God. Again, as addressed in the parable of the sheep and the goats, those who help others in need will be granted the reward of eternal life; those who don't offer the help will receive the eternal punishment. (MATTHEW 25:31-46)
"Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him,' Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,' but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." (JAMES 2:15-17)
"They also will answer,' Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?' He will reply,' I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.' Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life." (MATTHEW 25:44-46)
At the same time, we must be clear that what make us alive is God's word, but not the food.
"Man does not live by bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God." (Matthew 4:4)
"It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace, not by ceremonial foods, which are of no value to those who eat them." (HEBREWS 13:9)
"For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them." (LUKE 12:30)
"You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures." (JAMES 4:2-3)
"And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him." (MATTHEW 6:7-8)
To be continued ...
All glories, praises and thanks be to God.
God bless us to pray continually for the Kingdom of God
In Jesus
servant of Christ
Warnings from the watchman:
Holy Spirit continues to call on watchmen to give warnings so that to save.
"To whom can I speak and give warning? Who will listen to me? Their ears are closed so they cannot hear. The word of the LORD is offensive to them; they find no pleasure in it. But I am full of the wrath of the LORD, and I cannot hold it in." (JEREMIAH 6:10-11)
"'From the least to the greatest, all are greedy for gain; prophets and priests alike, all practice deceit. They dress the wound of my people as thought it were not serious. 'Peace, peace,' they say, when there is no peace. Are they ashamed of their loathsome conduct? No, they have no shame at all; they do not even know how to blush. So they will fall among the fallen; they will be brought down when I punish them,' says the LORD." (JEREMIAH 6:13-15)
"This is what the LORD says:' Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But you said, 'We will not walk in it.' I appointed watchmen over you and said, ' Listen to the sound of the trumpet!' But you said,' We will not listen.'" (JEREMIAH 6:16-17)
"This is what you are saying:' Our offenses and sins weigh us down, and we are wasting away because of them. How then can we live?' Say to them,' As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways!..." (EZEKIEL 33:10-11)
