Magnificent Prayer #239
Magnificent Prayer #239
His master replied, “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!”
Matthew 25:23
Prayer is simply God’s appointed means of accomplishing His work in the world. If He chose, He could act arbitrarily without regard to prayer or lack of it.
All power originates in God and belongs to Him alone. He ordained prayer not primarily as a means of getting things done for himself, but as part of the apprenticeship program for training the Church for her royal duties which will follow the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. Unless she understands this and enters into sincere cooperation with God’s plan of prayer, the power needed to overcome and bind Satan on earth will not be released.
God has the power to overcome Satan without the cooperation of His Church through prayer and faith, but if He did it without her it would deprive her of enforcement practice and rob her of the strength she would gain in overcoming. This is God’s primary reason for inaugurating the system of prayer and unequivocally binding himself to answer. Therefore, there is no authority apart from persistent believing prayer.
PAUL BILLHEIMER
Pray About It: Most Christians know that this life is training for the next. The lessons we learn about patience and goodness and authority will be useful as we undertake our duties in eternity. God gives prayer as one of the tools of training. As we practice prayer, we become better at it. We sharpen our spiritual senses in preparation for our real work. As you pray today, consider that you’re an apprentice to a higher calling.
Lord! To us You have entrusted Your work, on our prayer the coming of Your kingdom depends, in our prayer too You can glorify Your name; “Lord, teach us to pray.” Yes, us, Lord; we offer ourselves as learners; we would indeed be taught of You. “Lord, teach us to pray.”
ANDREW MURRAY
From the book
