HOW IS YOUR PRAYER LIFE LIKE?
TEXT:
"But thou hast not called upon me, O Jacob; but thou hast been weary of me, O Israel." (Isaiah chapter 43 verse 22, King James Version).
There's something that we need to know about God: He desires fellowship with man. It's very important that we know this because it's one of the reasons we were created. In the garden of Eden, God would come in the cool of the day to hold fellowship with Adam and Eve (Genesis chapter 3 verse 8).
Let's get this point straightened out. The Lord Jesus told us in Matthew chapter 6 verse 8 that your heavenly "Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him." (See also Matthew chapter 6 verse 32). The question is, if God knows what we need before we ask Him for them, what's the need for prayer? Prayer is chiefly the art of communing with God whereby we express ourselves to Him in worship, adoration, coupled with the privilege to ask what we desire from Him.
As revealed in Proverbs chapter 8 verse 3, we see God “…delighting in the sons of men.” The desire of the Spirit of God, who is the Conveyor of the blessings of God and of all that’s been given to us in Christ Jesus is to dwell in us and to have fellowship with us.
Truth is, we should not expect to experience God the way He desires that we do where we fail in prayer. It is through the altar of prayer that we ascend the throne of Grace where we find and receive Grace and Mercy to help in time of need, and there couldn't be any time of need than we have today. (Hebrews chapter 4 verse 16).
There are obvious consequences for not paying. When we don't pray, we fall short of God's glory and intentions for our lives. Hear Him lament His people's prayerlessness:
“I have made Israel for myself, and they will someday honor me before the whole world. But, dear family of Jacob, you refuse to ask for my help. You have grown tired of me, O Israel!”
(Isaiah chapter 43 verses 21 to 22 , New Living Translation).
Yes, God's desire is for us to honor Him before the whole world. That's a wonderful desire, isn't it? Indeed, has prayer not been known to be the conveyor belt through which ordinary mortals have been catapulted unto grandiose prominence before the world? Has prayer not been the secret of the prophets and servants of God of old? Talking about Elijah, the Bible records as follows:
"Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit." (James chapter 5 verses 17 to 18).
Was it not because of prayer that the Angel of God spoke of Jacob saying,
"... as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed."
According to the Bible, we are to pray always (Philippians chapter 1 verse 4) and again, we are to continue in prayer (Colossians chapter 4 verse 2), our situation in life, notwithstanding.
No doubt, where prayer is restrained, you don't see men prevail. It's a known fact that perseverance in prayer is necessary for prevalence in prayer. According to G. H Spurgeon of blessed memories, "We must pray to pray, and continue in prayer that our prayers may continue."
Friend, are you the one God is talking about in the Scripture reading for today saying,
“But thou hast not called upon me ... but thou hast been weary of me".
Is that your case with God? Do you have daily moments of fellowship with Him? Are you the type that hurries over your morning prayer in order to dash out for the day's activities, only to return too tired in the evening to pray? Could that be the reason why things have remained the same with you?
This morning message is a clarion call to return to prayer. With the terrible events of the end times staring daily at us, to neglect to pray is to agree and to be ready to become victims. May this not be so with us, in Jesus name.
PRAYER:
Lord, help me to cultivate and to be borne by the spirit of prayer, in Jesus name.