You are currently browsing the tag archive for the ‘prayer’ tag.
Throwback Thursday – Post originally published March 12, 2010
A commitment to Christ is a decision to follow Him at all costs. Every activity, interaction, and thought becomes a choice for Jesus or self. With each daily decision point, you draw a line in the sand and announce, “I’m staying with Jesus.”
When we declare we are with Christ, we become an enemy of the evil one and his plans to trap us in sin. As Paul writes in Ephesians 6:12, “We are fighting against the power of this dark world.” (NIV) Some days it’s an internal struggle, other days an external fight with temptation in the world. Either way the battles are sure to come.
Paul instructs us in Ephesians 6:13 to be ready for these scuffles by putting on the full armor of God. He tells us to prepare ahead of time to “stand your ground” against the evil in this world. Paul gives us a visual picture of a soldier suiting up for battle with the weapons of the faith: the belt of God’s truth, breastplate of righteousness, gospel of readiness, shield of faith and the sword of the spirit. It’s a conscious act of protecting your decision to follow Christ.
Then there is the secret weapon that Paul writes about in Ephesians 6:18, prayer. “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.” In prayer you will feel Christ gently take your hand and say, “follow me.” His grip of truth is far stronger than the lies of the world that try to take hold of you.
It hit me the other night that darkness in this world is not static, that evil is continually on the move. That means our prayers are not a one-time event; our prayers must be constant, continually praying for the Spirit of God to drive out the darkness with His light. We must remember that if we are not vigilant in our prayers, darkness can get a toehold in our lives and the church.
I think this is what Paul is telling the church in 1 Thessalonians 5:12-20. Paul writes in verse 16-18, “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances.” This reminds us that if we lose our focus on Christ Jesus and start grumbling about our circumstances, we leave a door open for darkness to move into our lives and the church. In verses 12-15 he cautions the church to guard against things that cause division. He urges the church to “live in peace with each other” and to “be patient with everyone.”
Continual prayer helps us to focus on Jesus Christ and the blessings he gives us. Prayer helps us to turn someone’s offense into an avenue of reconciliation. Prayer helps us to stop divisive actions and gives us the courage to pursue peace-making. Continual prayer, particularly as a body of believers, helps to stop darkness from seeping into our lives and the church. That is why Paul tells the church in verses 21-22 to “hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil.” Our prayers help us to tap into the power of the Spirit of God so that the light continues to advance over darkness.
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. – John 1:5
After a year of neglect, my old garden plot was overtaken by weeds. Remnants of corn stalks and brown, brittle garden plants were barely visible in the sea of green weeds that now dominated the plot of earth.
“How did this happen?” I asked myself. It amazed me how the weeds now dominated the garden to the point where it choked out the fruitful plants. I asked “how,” but I knew the answer to my question could be found in 1Thess. 5:16-18 where Paul wrote, “Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks…”
The question is that if we are not filling our lives with praises for God, then what are we filling our lives with? The gaps presented by our inattention to God create opportunity for discourse and discontent with God. They become the small weeds in our fruitful garden that will eventually choke off the good plants if left to grow.
Praying without ceasing keeps us connected to God. It puts us in right relationship with Him. By rejoicing in all things; by giving thanks always; we are able to choke off the weeds of bitterness and anger that try to take hold when bad things happen in life. Praying without ceasing is like weeding our garden so that it will be more fruitful and filled with the joy of the Lord.
