We need the Holy Spirit to teach us about the importance of prayer.
We need the Holy Spirit to teach us how to be diligent in prayer. Matthew says, "Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."
If you've ever wondered why it's so hard to pray, or why it's so difficult to be consistent in prayer, it's because the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.
Prayer is a spiritual matter, and the flesh does not like to engage in spiritual matters. This is precisely why the Holy Spirit is so vital in our lives.
Even though our flesh is weak, it's the Holy Spirit who will strengthen us. Even though our flesh is weak, it's the Holy Spirit who can empower us to fight and pray.
You see, God wants to win us from within. He wants to win our hearts.
And it's when we surrender our hearts to the Lord that we can truly be empowered to live a life of power.
We can truly be empowered to live a life of abundance in Christ.
The Bible in Ezekiel 36 26-27 says, "And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you, and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules."
Notice how God says, "I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh."
And then in verse 27, he says, "I will put my spirit within you."
When we yield to the Lord, when we surrender to the Holy Spirit, you will find that there will be a hunger deep within you to seek after God's presence.
And this hunger, this drive can only be birthed inside of you when you are led by the Holy Spirit.
Now, I find the book of Acts to be fascinating.
The believers in the book of Acts had wonderful encounters with the Lord, especially when they prayed.
Acts 1:14 says, "AlI these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer together with the women and Mary, the mother of Jesus, and his brothers."
Notice what the Bible says. They in one accord were devoting themselves to prayer.
And then in Acts 6:3-4, the Bible reads, "Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them, and we will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word."
Notice once again what the Bible says.
They will give their attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.
We all need to be encouraged by such scriptures.
Prayer changes things.
Prayer gives you the strength to avoid temptation.
Prayer will open the door to the Lord's presence. Prayer attracts the presence of God and it opens the door for us to be filled with the Holy Spirit.
Prayer will develop our relationship with the Lord and cause us to speak the word of God with boldness and courage.
Prayer is a weapon to fight against the enemy.
And so I simply want to encourage you to pray. l encourage you to pray for your family and pray with your family. Pray for unity within the home. All in all, devote yourself to prayer.
It's all good and well having a nice home and material things. However, we need to ensure that we pay attention to what is going on inwardly, spiritually, and it's prayer that helps you to do this. So, don't ever underestimate the importance of prayer.
Your prayer life matters. Your prayer life is important.
Your prayer life should not be treated casually. But there is something you should know.
When you pray and as you pray, always remember that your number one prayer request should be for the presence of God to be with you.
As you pray, always remember that above all else, the power and strength for a believer comes when we are filled with the Holy Spirit.
Consider what the Bible says in Acts 4:31.
After they had 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.
Note the sequence of events. They prayed and after they prayed, they were filled with the Holy Spirit.
And what was the result of them being filled by the Holy Spirit?
The result was that they spoke the word of God boldly. The result was that they began to speak the word of God with boldness and courage.
This should be our aim. This should be our desire to pray until we are filled with the Holy Spirit so that we can speak the word of God boldly.
Furthermore, Acts 4:13 says, "Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished, and they recognized that they had been with Jesus."
6:02 The last line in this verse says, "And they recognized that they had been with Jesus."
6:09 We ought to pray for the Lord's presence to be with us always.
When you are a person of prayer, when you are a believer of prayer, God's presence will be with you.
Moses was someone who realized how powerful and significant it is to have God's presence with him.
The Bible in Exodus 33:13-16 says, "Now therefore, I pray, if I have found grace in your sight, show me now your way that I may know you and that I may find grace in your sight." and consider that this nation is your people.
And he said, "My presence will go with you, and I will give you the rest."
Then he said to him, "If your presence does not go with us, do not bring us from here. For how then will it be know that your people and I have found grace in your sight, except you go with us?"
So we shall be separate, your people and I, from all the people who are upon the face of the earth.
Moses would not go anywhere until he knew God's presence was with him. He knew that God's presence brings power.
God's presence brings peace. God's presence will set you apart. And so we too ought to pray and desperately seek God's presence to be evident in our lives, in our homes, and in our families.
One of the most comforting things you'll ever hear someone say is, "I'm praying for you." And if you really think about it, some of us are still being kept by the Lord because he is answering the prayers of our parents. Some of you have the favor of the Lord on your lives because of the prayers of your grandparents.
I recently read a testimony of a missionary man who left a successful business to go and serve the Lord and preach the gospel.
Before this man was saved, however, he was a person who used to sell drugs. He was violent. He had no real love for people.
However, when he got married, he spoke of how one night he woke up and saw his wife kneeling on the edge of the bed praying for him. For him to see that, he was convicted. He knew that his wife loved him greatly because she prayed for him.
I heard another preacher speak of how as a young man, he once heard his mother praying for him. He heard everything she said as she pleaded with the Lord on behalf of her son. And the man said, "Hearing my mother's prayers crushed me."
When apostle Paul was writing to the church at Colossae, sometimes called Colosse, he begins by saying, "Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints." And then he tells the church this in Colossians 1, verse 9. And so from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding.
Apostle Paul is writing here to encourage the church by letting them know that he has not stopped praying for them. Think about what that does. It reminds you that you're not alone. You are not fighting the battle on your own.
And so, dear reader, I have two messages that I want to put across to you today.
The first is that each of us has someone or knows someone who is in need of prayer.
Someone in our lives, someone within our circle of influence. They need intercession.
They're facing a test, a challenge, a mountain, and they need to be encouraged. They need to be lifted up in prayer.
And if you think what I'm saying is not biblical, well, read Luke 22: verses 31 and 32.
And the Lord said,"Simon, Simon, indeed Satan has asked for you that he may sift you as wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith should not fail, and when you have returned to me, strengthen your brethren."
Jesus himself told Simon, "I've prayed for you." Ask yourself why.
I believe it's because Jesus knew that the test or temptation that Simon was about to face, it was too great for him to do it without the help of intercession.
So in your life, take a moment and think who in your life can you lift up before the Lord in prayer.
The second message I have for you today is one of encouragement. Reach out for prayer if you're in need.
Ask the Lord to give you discernment and wisdom when it comes to the people who can stand with you in prayer.
Now, there is a great need all around the world concerning prayer. I would like to share a few prayer requests that we have recently received.
One person wrote in saying, "I have recently been selected for a position with a facility management company in Kuwait. Currently, l am in the phase of awaiting the issuance of my work visa permit and the finalization of the job contract. It is a crucial step in the process and I kindly request your prayers and support for the swift and successful completion of these matters.
Please pray for my family to grow in the word of God and be good testimony for Jesus. May my children walk in the right path to glorify Jesus. May they be delivered from all addictions and bad habits. May they be able to work and glorify Jesus. May my spouse be a good testimony.
And the last one, please help me pray to open the eyes of my children to the evil of those they are involved with and to bring them home to me. Thank you.
Now these are just a few
