Let’s be honest about Abraham…the man had issues. Failing to trust God for his protection, he told his wife Sarah to pretend to be his sister. His fear was that the local king would kill him if he learned that Sarah was his wife. They didn’t have buses back then, so you might say that Abraham threw Sarah under the chariot. The plan backfired when the king, Abimelech, realized he had been deceived, and a curse fell upon the royal family. But Abraham, sinful as he was, turned everything around through prayer. Despite his fear and failure, he was a man of God who faithfully interceded for strangers! He asked the Lord to heal Abimelech’s family, who had been stricken with barrenness. Abraham’s prayer did more than just get him out of a pickle; but also had an impact on future generations. Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, and also healed his wife (Genesis 20:7). They had children, whose existence God used, and was real because of Abraham’s prayer. Who knows how far your prayers will reach? Your prayers are not just for today. Do you understand what God wants, so well, that you are able to have faith in what you pray about? Jesus said, “Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him’. (Mark 11:23) So the question Jesus has for me & you is this: Do we say what God wants in our prayers? Are we praying about what God has at heart? Do we want what God wants and talk about it in prayer? The New Testament teaches us what we should pray about, here are just a few items on God’s agenda:
1. God’s Strength & Wisdom, Ephesians 3:14-16, James 1:5.
2. The Father’s name is sanctified, “hallowed” or glorified, John 12:27-28, 1st Ths. 3:11-13, Jn. 17:22-26, Mt. 6:9.
3. Our thankfulness to grow, 1st Thes. 5:18-19.
4. Laborers, sowers & reapers, to perform God’s work, His kingdom’s will be done, so that God may grant repentance, Eph. 6:19, Col. 4:3. Rom. 15:30 & 2nd Cor. 1:10-11, 2nd Tim. 2:25, Mat. 6:10,13, 9:36-38 & Jn. 4:33-35.
5. People in Government to use authority for the promotion of peace, godliness & dignity, 1st Tim. 2:1-2, Rom. 13:4, Psa. 46:9.
6. Persecuted Saints, Hebrews 13:3 & Acts 12:5.
7. Enemies of The Church, Mat. 5:44.
8. Forgiveness for our self the sinner, and the salvation of your neighbor, Rom. 10:1, Heb. 7:24-25 and also the sinning saint, Mt. 6:12, Ac.10:4, 8:21-24, Luke 23:34 & 17:1-5.
9. Personal daily necessities, Casting your care upon Him, Mt. 6:11. Matthew 27:46 & 1st Peter 5:7.
10. Physical healing, 3rd John v2, Php. 2:26-27.
Pray Hard, Life is short!
Epaggelia 