Meditations on Prayer
While contemplating how to address my readers today I thought it would be appropriate to comment on the importance of prayer in the ministry. Real prayer includes “asking and receiving” (Luke 11:10). Biblical praying anticipates receiving. “Faith” is sandwiched between “asking” and “receiving”. Without your prayer support, we would be in a “stalemate” with no direction. It is insightful that Acts 6:4 teaches us that the office of a deacon was instituted that the pastors might give themselves “continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the Word.” Let it be clear, the pastor has no higher calling than to the ministry of intercessions and the Word of God. It is obvious when one studies the Bible that the ministry of prayer and the ministry of the Word are inseparable. Prayer without the Word of God has no direction. The Word of God without prayer has no dynamic.
Desperation in Prayer
“And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none” (Ezekiel 22:30).
C.H. Spurgeon said, “God will bless Elijah and send rain on Israel, but Elijah must pray for it. If the chosen nation is to prosper, Samuel must plead for it. If the Jews are to be delivered, Daniel must intercede. God will bless Paul, and the nations shall be converted, but Paul must pray… Let me have your prayers, and I can do anything! Let me be without my people’s prayers, and I can do nothing!”
Prayer is Investing in Eternity
“Prayer is not only a way to commune with God and to receive help from God, it is an eternal investment!
Intercession for the salvation of others, for the building of Christ’s church, for revival among God’s people, and for the evangelization of the world all partake of the quality of the eternal. God’s holy will is eternal and such prayers are prayed in harmony with that will, commended by our great High Priest who is the Amen of our prayers (Rev. 3:14), and energized by the hunger, power, and intercession of the Holy Spirit. Such prayers cannot die until they are fulfilled to the measure of God’s holy will. All such prayers are eternal investments.
Praying parents can intercede for their children and grandchildren until, long after the death of the parents, those prayers still convey wonderful blessings. The godly intercessions of church and mission founders and leaders are answered over the decades. Every true intercessor prays many prayers which will not have their full answer before the prayer warrior joins the church in heaven.
Prayers prayed in the Spirit never died until they accomplish God’s intended purpose. His answer may not be what we expected, or when we expected it, but God often provides much more abundantly than we could think or ask. He interprets our intent and either answers or stores up our prayers (Rev. 8:2-5). Sincere prayers are never lost. Energy, time, love, and longing can be endowments that will never be wasted or go unrewarded.” (Quoted from Touch the World through Prayer by Wesley L. Duewel. ©1986)
Meditations on Prayer from
Pastor David W. Dickerson
Categorised in: Peachtree Baptist Pulpit