Prayer is the work of God.
The Early Church was a praying church. Where did they learn it from? You don’t have to look far to find out. Luke, the author of Acts, tells us more about the prayer life of Jesus and the apostles than any other New Testament writer. The Gospel of Luke alone accounts for no less than 10 episodes of Jesus at prayer:
- At His baptism, Jesus prays and the heavens open. The Father anoints Him with the Holy Spirit and confirms His identity as the Son of God (Luke 3:21-22).
- When His approval ratings soar, He retreats to the desert to pray (Luke 5:16).
- He prays all night before choosing the Twelve (Luke 6:12–13).
- After praying alone one day, He draws from Peter’s lips the confession that He (Jesus) is the Christ of God (Luke 9:18-25).
- When praying on the high mountain, His face changes, His clothes glisten and His glory manifests. Moses and Elijah appear and speak with Him about His death (Luke 9:28-36).
- When Peter is about to be tested by Satan, Jesus prays for him that his faith will not fail (Luke 22:31-32).
- After watching Jesus pray, a disciple asks Him to teach them to pray. He gives them the Lord’s Prayer and three parables on prayer (Luke 11:1–13).
- While praying at Gethsemane, His sweat flows like blood. An angel strengthens Him for the torture and death ahead (Luke 22:41–44).
- Hanging on the cross, Jesus prays for His murderers (Luke 23:34).
- Before His last breath, He commits His spirit to God (Luke 23:46).
At every critical juncture in Jesus’ public life, ministry and death, He is found praying.
Thus Jesus fulfils His mission through prayer. At every critical juncture in His public life, ministry and death, He is found praying. And Luke is not finished yet. His epic on prayer continues throughout Acts.
Prayer precipitates Pentecost (Acts 1). Prayer prevails over persecution (Acts 4, Acts 12). Prayer opens the household of Cornelius to the Gospel (Acts 10). Prayer opens Peter’s heart to bring it to them (Acts 10). Prayer launches the Gentile mission from Antioch (Acts 13). And so on. This amazing march of prayer continues to the end of Acts and the end of history.
Fast and pray
- Prayer is the work of God. Are you doing the work of God? Prayer is dependence on God. Are you depending on God? If Jesus the Son of God relied so totally on prayer to complete His work on earth, how much more should we do the same? Whatever our vocation, it is extremely arrogant to think that we can do any real and lasting good apart from prayer. Remember Hudson Taylor? No one did more to open China to the Gospel than he did. It has been said that during his 50 years in China, the sun never rose without finding him on his knees. Like Jesus, he was on-the-job praying. Are you? Examine yourself today:
– When your approval ratings soar and all speak well of you, do you withdraw to centre your life on God and Him alone? Or do you bask in human glory?
– When recruiting new staff or choosing a successor, do you pray all night? Or do you rely on human wisdom, HR criteria and personal preference?
– When temptation assails you and Satan sifts you like wheat, do you fight back in prayer like a gladiator? Or do you fall for his lies and accept defeat?
– When sweating blood and shedding tears in your Gethsemane, betrayed by friends and surrounded by enemies, do you call on the Lord? Or do you call the lawyer?
– When hanging on your cross, relinquishing your rights and dying to self, do you pray for those who nailed you? Or do you retaliate with curses?
- Prayer precipitates Pentecost. Every revival has been the child of prayer. There have been revivals without much preaching. There have been revivals with absolutely no organisation. But there has never been a mighty revival without mighty praying (RA Torrey). 2018 is the Year of Prayer. Will you personalise the call? Be the contrite soul who pursues God: As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you (Psalm 42:1). Be the mobiliser who sets the pace: Let us go at once to entreat the favour of the Lord and to seek the Lord of hosts; I myself am going (Zechariah 8:21). Be the watchman who won’t keep silent: Lord, I have heard of Your fame; I stand in awe of Your deeds … Repeat them in our day (Habakkuk 3:2 NIV). Say yes to God.
- A man prays because his soul is hungry for God (Leonard Ravenhill). Will you be the wise and hungry disciple who hears and does the Word? Always pray and not give up (Luke 18:1). I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands (1 Timothy 2:8 NIV). Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful (Colossians 4:2). Remember, the Holy Spirit is a spirit of intercession (Romans 8:26-27): Do not quench the Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:19). Pray in the Spirit on all occasions (Ephesians 6:18). Say yes to God.
- Fathers and mothers, be on-the-job praying. The family is under attack. The enemy knows that if he can destroy the family, he can destroy the nation. Will you contend for the future by restoring the family prayer altar today? Will you model a life of deep dependence on God? Lord, make my heart a house of prayer (Charles Wesley).
Read the devotional from Day 3: The Antioch environment here.
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