26/07/2020
PRAYER IS A LABOUR
Praise Jesus! ,what a privilege to share some scriptural realities with you again.
The place of prayer in the life of a believer can't be over emphasized, more especially in these last days with an increase in the activities of the devil.
Jesus made us understand that someone can enter into temptation because of lack of prayer.
“Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
— Matthew 26:41 (KJV)
To enter into temptation is to give up ,it is to suffer defeat, to yield to the pressure orchestrated by the devil to draw away our focus from Jesus.
Prayer we understand from the scriptures is a COMMUNION and a COMMUNICATION with the Holy Spirit and in the Spirit.
“For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.”
— 1 Corinthians 14:2 (KJV)
“But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,”
— Jude 1:20 (KJV)
There are a lot benefits when we commune with the Holy Ghost in prayer, one of which is strength in the inner man
Apart from prayer being a communion and a communication, i also found out from the bible that prayer is "A Labour"
How do i mean....?
Let's see a few scriptural insights and examples
Colossians 4:12
Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.
From this scripture :
1.You will notice that Epaphras was an individual. He belonged to Christ just as every born again does.
2.He is always labouring , but his labouring is described as fervently.Epaphras is always labouring fervently for these believers in Colosse in prayers, not just a one-off prayer.
Remember James said the prayer of a righteous man avails much
“Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”
— James 5:16 (KJV)
3.The content of his prayer was specific " that the believers may stand perfect and complete in all will of God.
Labour here does not necessarily mean human effort, but rather it is;
1.An intentional yielding to the promptings of the Holy Ghost for God to execute his purpose through us on earth
2.It is also an action of persistence based on the knowledge of our inheritance in Christ Jesus and our desire to experience it fully.
“But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.”
— Hebrews 6:9 (KJV)
"And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.”
— Romans 4:21 (KJV)
I think that often people yield to challenges or temptations and quit because they are not PERSUADED of better things. PERSUADED about the reality of Jesus and his accomplishments for them. If you are PERSUADED you will endure trials and pull through.
When you are PERSUADED of better things, things that accompanies or goes with our salvation in Christ ,you will keep on labouring fervently in prayers for it's reality in your life, to whom or what you are praying for.
Prayer is a continuos labour, it is not a one- off action, but this labour is best done by the supply of the Spirit.
Philippians 1:19
For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.
Did you notice that when we yield to the supply of the Spirit and labour in prayers, the situation turns to our advantage
When we labour in prayers there is profit...
Proverbs 14:23
In all labour there is profit: but the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury.
Did you see that...?..
Beloved indeed the profit of labouring in prayers is inestimable. Therefore i encourage you never to quit but to continue labouring fervently in prayers, the answers are sure because of Jesus
Watch out for part 2
Shalom!
Pst Richard Anichukwu
