The Miracle of Prayer

Prayer is communication between God and His people. The Bible encourages us to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). We do not need a kneeling position in order to pray. We can pray throughout every activity of our day.

When we do, we find that we are communicating with God's Spirit on the best way to perform the task at hand. We walk in the Spirit rather than in the flesh, and we find our self in the center of God's will all day long.

Miracles happen when we pray. Joshua prayed for the sun to stand still so the Israelites could win the battle, and God did just that. Gideon prayed for the animal skin to be wet and then dry, and God used that prayer to confirm His call on Gideon's life.

Daniel prayed and the angel Gabriel appeared in less than three minutes as an answer to that prayer. But another time Daniel prayed, and due to spiritual warfare, it took weeks before the angel was able to deliver his answer (Daniel 10:12). 

Satan attempts to hinder the answers to our prayers; but Matthew reminds us that everyone who asks receives, those who seek will find; and if we knock, God will open every door that we need in order to perform His will for our life (Matthew 7:8).

God always answers prayers, even if His answer is "wait" or "no"; and we can be assured that His answer has our best interest at heart. With faith in God's faithfulness, nothing can stop us from accomplishing God's will for our life.

Prayer:

Father God, remind us that when we build our life on the rock of Christ, no storm shall prevail against us. We know that even if our enemies fight against us, or if Satan turns out all the demons of hell to stop us, greater is Christ within us than the god of this world (1 John 4:4). You have a perfect plan for our life, and we flourish with success and fulfillment as we walk in Your will (Ephesians 2:10).

We may fight a formidable enemy; but You triumph in every instance by making us overcomers who enjoy the victory of a life spent in Your presence, regardless of where we live or the circumstances around us. Remind us to pray without ceasing and to stand still and wait on Your salvation (Exodus 14:13).

Thought for the Day:

Prayer is not therapy for the soul, but a connection of our spirit to the Spirit of God; prayer transcends human power, wisdom and ability and moves mountains in the spiritual world, and if necessary, in the physical world as well. 

Living in Christ

Righteousness can come from God or from our own soul. The difference is that self-righteousness is birthed from pride and Godly righteousness comes from humility and surrender to God. If we attempt to gain God’s favor by performing holy actions, we fail. All of our human righteousness is like filthy rags to God (Isaiah 64:6). We can do nothing to earn God’s favor or to work our way into heaven. Nothing less than complete surrender to God will do.

We receive God’s righteousness in exchange for our sinfulness, at the moment we repent of our sins and look to Jesus as the author and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:3). It is a gift, not something we earn (Romans 3:23). The righteous works of a Believer are simply the evidence of our faith (James 2:14-26), not an attempt to earn God’s acceptance. We only perform the works, which God intended for us to do before we were even born (Ephesians 2:10).

When the Holy Spirit governs our behavior, our works endure and we receive rewards for them on judgment day. When our human flesh directs our works, they are wasted energy and simply burned up on the day of judgment (1 Corinthians 3:15). Although we are still saved, we do not receive rewards for these works, because they are not done in obedience, but by the flesh, which is enmity against God (Romans 8:7).

God created each of us for a purpose, and only these works will survive the test of God’s consuming fire (Ephesians 2:10). When we abide in Christ, we dwell continually in His presence. The Holy Spirit gives us the character, nature and perspective of Jesus, which replaces our carnal persona (2 Corinthians 3:18). God does not give us a list of rules to adhere to, which is the law. But He gives us a whole new way of life in Christ as co-heirs and children of the King.

Prayer:

Father God, You call us to live IN Christ, not FOR Christ. You want Christ to live through us, so that we will accomplish Your will in the earth and bring forth the fulfillment of Your Kingdom. Create a new heart and renew a right spirit in us (Psalm 51:10). We acknowledge Your holiness and stand in awe of You in Your presence (Isaiah 29:23). You formed and made us from the dust of the earth, and we are created for Your glory, not our own (Isaiah 43:7).

Thought for the Day:

God chose us in Christ, holy and blameless in His sight, before the earth was ever formed. – Ephesians 1:4