Topic: Prayerlessness Disallowed [Tuesday 31, October 2017]
Memorise: Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. – Matthew 26:41
Read: Mark 13:32-37 (KJV)
32 But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.
33 Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.
34 For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch.
35 Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:
36 Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.
37 And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.
Bible in One Year: James 1-3, Hosea 8, Hymn: Sing Hymn 2 – What A Friend We Have In Jesus
MESSAGE:
Prayerlessness is a major challenge facing contemporary believers. Many refuse to pray as they ought to because they have become overconfident and proud. The more you pray to God, the less dependent on yourself you become. As young Christians, some people pray quite often. When they became workers in God’s vineyard, they sustained their prayer tempo, but the moment they became pastors, their prayer-life nosedived. Why the decline? It’s because such people began to believe that they could now do things on their own. This is the highway to ruin. Are you praying less after God has elevated you spiritually? If your answer is yes, check yourself very well, you will discover that you now have more faith in yourself to succeed by your effort than by God’s support. This is one reason why God keeps a distance from the proud: He knows if He helps them achieve a feat, at the end, they will not think twice before taking His glory.
Besides pride, another reason for prayerlessness is carelessness. In Matthew 26:41, Jesus said:
“Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Also, in Mark 13:32-37, the Lord emphasised the need to watch. You cannot afford to be careless. You can’t afford to be cold, lukewarm or carefree in these days that we live in. Praying goes along with watching. You cannot pray effectively if you fail to watch as well. If you watch effectively, it will help to give you prayers direction. You will know what trending issues to lift before God’s throne. You will have some burdens in the place of prayer that will only be lifted after you have prayed through. Similarly, if you watch as you should, you will be able to relate events that are happening around you with the second coming of Jesus Christ. If you are keeping watch, you will be on your guard and on your toes. If you watch, you cannot be asleep. Beloved, this is not the time to sleep but the time to be spiritually awake, alert and prepared. This is the time to pray about virtually everything that crosses our path. It is a time to wholly depend on God, who knows the way, to show us the way in the midst of growing confusion and evil spreading around the world. Wake up! Pray more! Fast more! Watch more! May the Lord guide you in Jesus’ Name.
Prayer Point: Father, please silence everything in me that is working against me having an effective prayer life.
Hymn 2: What A Friend We Have In Jesus
Verse 1:
What a Friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!
Verse 2:
Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged,
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness,
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Verse 3:
Are we weak and heavy-laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge,
Take it to the Lord in prayer;
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer;
In His arms He’ll take and shield thee,
Thou wilt find a solace there.
Open Heavens Daily Devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer’s Ministries.
