Text: Matthew 6:7 NKJV
Further Reading: Matthew 6:5-13
And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.
Matthew 6:7 NKJV
MESSAGE
Prayer is essential to the Christian as air is to human. A prayerless Christian will most likely get suffocated by the demonic powers of this world. In describing the amours that believers must put on, the great apostle Paul rounded up the list by admonishing the saints to pray always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints— Ephesians 6:18 NKJV
Apart from prayer being our weapon of defense, it is also a means of receiving from God. Jesus placed huge priority on prayer and so must we. We must also follow after the steps of the early apostles who gave themselves to the ministry of prayer and the word (Acts 6:4).
Since every religion prays, we must learn why the Christian’s prayer is different from that of others. This we can learn practically from Jesus. For the saints, prayer is person, God is personal, He is our Father who is delights in the prayer of His children.
Jesus taught that when a Christian prays he can call God father because of his membership by adoption in God’s family (Matthew 6:9). The Lord also taught that prayer should not be done hypocritically for a show but from a sincere heart.
Secret prayers will be rewarded openly, silent tears will turn to joy (Psalms 30:5; 126:1, 5). Jesus also taught that those who will receive from God must be humble in prayer (Luke 18: 10-14).
In another teaching of Jesus, He encourage believers never to give up but to keep asking until they receive. We are encouraged to keep storming the gates of heaven with our prayers knowing fully well that God will not withhold good things from His children (Luke 11:1-13; Luke 18:1-8).
Beloved, you can not joke prayer, especially when it is in the will of God. The Lord further said that those who does God’s will by winning souls will have answer to what so ever they ask God (John 15:16). How often do you win souls? Those who are not actively winning souls may have very experience of answer to prayer.
The greatest lesson we can learn from Jesus’s teaching on prayer was that He Himself was given to prayer. The Bible recorded that while on earth Jesus would resort into a quiet place and pray all night (Luke 6:12). Our Master has given us the example, we must be responsible to follow it from today.
REFLECTION
Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Matthew 26:41 NKJV
The believer is not only to watch and pray, he is to pray without ceasing. Are you a praying Christian?
PRAYER
Father, please make me a man of prayer. Pour upon me the Spirit of Prayer in Jesus’ name. Amen.
