It's All About Prayer

Ephesians 6:18-20

18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints-- 19 and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

When it comes to our Christian duties, one duty seems to get less attention, even though it is one of the most important: prayer. We want to be “doing something,” working, making sure our efforts are being seen, that they are tangible. But in most cases, prayer can’t be seen, both doing it and witnessing its results.

My grandfather told a story about a time (several times, actually) when he was a pastor, and I have experienced this in some forms as well. As he would be studying and praying in his office prior to services, someone would knock on the door or simply walk in. Seeing nothing in front of him but a Bible, or just watching him sit at his desk, they would walk in and say, “Good, you’re not doing anything. I need . . .”

These people had no idea that he was actually engaged in the most serious activity in which any pastor can be: prayer. We have a tendency to think that prayer is something you do just in you’re in trouble, before you eat, or at various times during a worship service. But prayer is much more.

Paul is instructing us to keep praying, but not with empty words. We are to pray with purpose, and with the determination to see results. The only way this can be accomplished is to pray in the Holy Spirit, to let our prayer time be used as “private time” with just us and the Lord. And we need to be praying for all the saints. Too often we concern ourselves with only ourselves, or with our friends, with those close to us. But we need to be praying for every child of God in every part of the world. We may be going through a time when we are struggling with a brother or sister in the Lord. We must still pray for them, for in the praying, we put first what is truly important, and lay aside those things which divide us.

We also need to be praying for one another, that we would not be afraid to do what the Lord would have us do. It is very easy for even the strongest of Christians to be intimidated by their fear, by their Christian duty. Pastors are also not immune. It is not easy to confront sin, to possibly hurt feelings or even make enemies by standing up and telling the truth. But in the final analysis, standing up for the Lord and His way is more important than personal feelings, more important than us. It’s a matter of survival, eternal survival, and therefore we need boldness.

We ought to be doing this, because we do not belong to ourselves. We were bought with a price; we belong to the Lord, for Jesus purchased us on Calvary. If He made it (which we know He did), and He lives within us, then we too can make it. It may not always be easy, the road might not always be smooth, but we have a Companion with us, to help us in our boldness of word and deed.

What is it that you have not yet done for the Lord? Are you guilty of not praying faithfully enough, of not praying for others, of not standing up for what the Lord expects? It is not too late to change. Life itself is a learning and growing experience, and each day we learn more about what it means to be a child of God. Now that we have this advice, it is time to put it into practice. Use this as your next stepping-stone of growth in the Lord. We don’t now how many more opportunities we have, so make every day count. Dedicate yourself to prayer, true Spiritual prayer, and let the Lord reveal Himself in and through your life.

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