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WATCH AND PRAY

Posted by David Young on November 23, 2018 at 20:50

Have you ever seen a medieval castle? Have you noticed the broken lines at the tops of the walls? A rook or castle on a Chessboard has the same cuts.

I suspect you could guess what those were if you didn't already know. They were essential to the defense of a castle. Those slots were the lookouts for soldiers on watch.

On several occasions Scripture tells us to watch and pray. Have you thought about what God is saying to you in those passages? Let's look at those Scriptures and allow God to speak to our hearts through them. The first of them that comes to my mind is when Jesus was praying with His disciples in the garden before the cross. He prayed earnestly that that cup might pass from Him. And yet He surrendered His heart to the will of God. Then He looked and saw that Peter, James, and John were asleep. He was amazed that they could not watch with Him for one hour. And in Matthew 26:41 Jesus commands us.

“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

The word translated, “watch” here is also used for soldiers, or possibly shepherds, keeping the watches of the night. On that very night while they were in the garden soldiers would come to arrest Jesus. This would be the most severe trial that the disciples would ever face. Earlier Jesus had told them they would all abandon Him. Peter and the rest swore they would never leave Him even if they had to die with Him. Their spirits were willing but their flesh was weak.

You might say they should have known this trial was coming. Jesus had told them over and over again. And it didn't take any great genius to see that the High Priests had determined to kill Him.

And it it should not surprise you that you are going to face trials and temptations. Peter himself warns us that we are going to be tried. In 1 Peter 4:12 he wrote,

“Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.”

Like soldiers on guard duty we are told to watch and pray for spiritual strength and protection.

The next place we are told to watch and pray is in Luke 21 where Jesus warns us about the trials that will come in the last days. In Luke 21:36 Jesus gives us this same command.

“Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.”

It seems to me that many of these things are already coming upon us. I am crying out to God for a great prayer movement. We need to be on guard, and pray as we have never prayed before. These things could be seen to begin when the Roman General, Titus, led his army to destroy the city of Jerusalem. As Jesus predicted, not one stone of the beautiful temple was left upon another. 2 Timothy 3:1 and other Scriptures warn us that there will be terrible times in these last days. Will we be on guard as these things come about? How seriously will we watch and pray?

We are also to watch for our hope in God during difficult times. He has made very great and precious promises to us even for the worst of times.

Another place where we are called to watch and pray is much more positive. Colossians 4:2 says,

“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.”

We not only need to watch for spiritual attack that will come. But I am afraid we are not alert enough to see God at work around us. There is great encouragement and joy in seeing the hand of God and thanking Him for working in our lives.

Finally, we need to watch and pray for others in our families and in the church where God has stationed us. Ephesians 6:18 commands us.

“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.”

In 1 Samuel 12:23 Samuel said he would be sinning against the Lord if he failed to pray for the people of Israel. Are you alert to pray for those God has commissioned you to pray for?

We need to see watching as motivation and preparation for prayer. But all four of these passages see watching as integral to prayer. As we spend extended time in prayer God shows us more and more of what we will face and what He is doing and preparing to do all around us.

http://theanchorofthesoul.blogspot.com/

http://watchinginprayer.blogspot.com/

http://thinkinginthespirit.blogspot.com/

http://writingprayerfully.blogspot.com/

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http://daveswatch.com/

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RESPONDING IN PRAISE

Posted by David Young on December 12, 2013 at 19:56

If you significantly increase your prayer life you will certainly come under spiritual attack. So if I am going to encourage you to pray more, I need to help you prepare for the onslaught of the evil one.

I believe one of the most important things you can do when you come under spiritual attack is praise God. It is true that you need to wake up to the reality of our enemy’s schemes. But you also need to connect with the reality of our God. Nothing focuses us on the power, glory and victory of our Lord in our lives and on the earth as swiftly or thoroughly as praise. Without it even our prayers can be filled with discouragement.
I write regularly in a prayer journal. This is often my best outlet for the frustration and fear of spiritual attack. But I discipline myself to begin every entry with praise. “Father, You are glorious! You are majestic! You are mighty! You are holy! You are God Almighty!” Such praise changes the entire perspective of my prayers. I challenge you to spend some significant time today simply praising God. He is worthy of our praise and worship. He will deliver you from the hand of the enemy.
”Jehoshaphat bowed with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down in worship before the Lord. Then some Levites from the Kohathites and Korahites stood up and praised the Lord, the God of Israel, with very loud voice.”
(2 Chronicles 20:18,19)
Verse 22 tells us that when they began to praise, God began to bring about their deliverance.
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EMERSE YOURSELF IN GOD'S WORD

Posted by David Young on December 19, 2013 at 12:00

It is tempting to write my blog this week and next on Christmas. I thrill with all the truth brought to us at Christmas. But I have been writing the past few weeks about facing spiritual attack that comes when we try to increase our prayer life. And along with loneliness and depression this time of year, most of us face spiritual attack.

After the glorious experience of Jesus’ baptism He was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting 40 days He was hungry. The tempter came to Him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” Jesus answered, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone.’” Again the enemy took Him to a high mountain and in an instant showed Him all the kingdoms of the world with all their splendor. “All this I will give you if you bow down and worship me.” Jesus answered, “It is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.’” Finally he too Jesus to the pinnacle of the temple. “Throw yourself down, if you are the Son of God. For it is written that he will command his angels to lift you up lest you dash your foot against a stone.’” Jesus answered, “It is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

Do you see the pattern? Each time Jesus was tempted He quoted scripture. David wrote, “Thy word have I hid in my heart that I may not sin against Thee.” I have often heard that hiding His word in our hearts is more than simply memorizing scripture. That is true, but memorizing is a great beginning. As we commit scripture to memory we allow the Holy Spirit to transform all of our thinking, praying and living.

Put on the armor of God’s word in your life.

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Waving the Wrong White Flag

Posted by Rob Griepentrog on July 8, 2014 at 11:46
"Prayer is our most formidable weapon, the thing which makes all else we do efficient." - E.M. Bounds

I've been reading a booklet titled, Praying Effectively for the Lost, by Lee E. Thomas.  The author packs many foundational biblical truths, plus personal and powerful stories of persevering prayer, into what he's written.
One of the many points he touches upon is the matter of the Church, and the Christians who make up the Church, giving up too easily in prayer.  It's as though we are often quick to wave the white flag of surrender when we fail to see immediate results to our prayers when we pray.
Yet, in addition to surrendering too quickly, could we also be waving the wrong white flag in surrender?

Instead of surrendering our ability to pray because our expectations aren't fully met in the moment (or in the way(s) we expect them to be fulfilled), shouldn't we surrender ourselves, and continually do so, to God?



Do We Think We'll Really be Satisfied with Instant Potatoes All of the Time?

 

Our American culture can get us into trouble when we yield too much to its influence.  Our microwaved instant meals save us time, but sacrifice our health and nutrition.  We have the ability to "just add water" to powdered potatoes or other dried foods to create a "meal" out of something rather unappealing when we first open the box and look into it.  But should we expect to live off of that kind of meal consistently?
There's no comparison when we taste the "instant" meal alongside of a meal of substance.  The substantive meal, made with real fruits, grains, vegetables, and meats, will always taste better, be more appealing to the eye, and provide better health in both the short and long terms.
So it is with prayer and God. 
Whether God seems to instantly answer the prayer we've asked, or He answers it in what appears to be a delayed or prolonged manner, doesn't change who He is in the slightest degree!  It also doesn't change the power or effectiveness God has placed within prayer or within our ability to pray!
A.W. Tozer, poignantly brought this problem into focus:
"What comes to our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us."

"The words, "Be still, and know that I am God," mean next to nothing to the self-confident, bustling, worshiper in this middle period of the twentieth century (our modern day)."  (paraphrase added)

"The low view of God entertained almost universally among Christians is the cause of a hundred lesser evils everywhere among us."
"Were we able to extract from any man a complete answer to the question, "What comes into your mind when you think about God?" we might predict with certainty the spiritual future of that man." - the above quotes gleaned from Tozer's book, The Knowledge of the Holy, preface and pg. 1.
God is not a formula; a boxed "just add water" god (like other gods).  He is all-mighty (meaning that all power as we know it- and even beyond what we know, comes from and is within Him).  He is perfect (in every way we can imagine, plus immeasurably more)!  He is sovereign, meaning that He does as He pleases, whenever He pleases, as it brings Him good pleasure.  He is perfectly wise.  He sees our current joys, trials, and challenges in light of everything He's done prior, everything He's currently doing, and everything He will do in the future.  In His wisdom, He has prepared all that we need for salvation, all we need in our present lives, and all we'll need throughout eternal life.  He is Redeemer.  Only God sent His perfect Son to be the perfect sacrifice to satisfy the perfect wrath and justice He requires as judgment for man's sin and rebellion.  And additional truths of the person and character of God could be written about from now throughout eternity.  He's that enormous, mighty, loving, encompassing, and more!
God is so complete and powerful, why shouldn't we continually surrender our lives, thoughts, words, and actions to Him?  Why would or should we ever surrender our ability to pray?  He's provided the means (prayer) for us to both communicate to Him and hear from Him.  Prayer is a two-lane highway of communication! 

Why would we ever want to quit?
Surrender to God the matters that bring you joy (giving thanks in and through prayer).  Worship Him (praise Him through word and deed as a prayerful act of surrender and worship).  Surrender in prayer those things that trouble you (requests and concerns), and more.

Persisting in Prayer for the Lost
Lee E. Thomas (mentioned above) writes, "Through the many vivid word pictures in the Bible concerning the plight of the lost, we can easily see why persistence in prayer becomes a necessary factor.  Isaiah 14:17 describes the lost as being prisoners whom Satan refuses to release.  Acts 26:18 tells us that they are under the authority or jurisdiction of Satan.
Persistent prayer is necessary because of Satan's reluctance to give the lost person up, not because God is unwilling to save them!!!
One of Satan's favorite tactics is to make the situation look so impossible that we get discouraged and quit praying.  The reason he does this is that he has absolutely no defense against prayer.  The old saying is true that Satan trembles when he sees the weakest saint upon his knees.  All prayer is warfare and, when you pray, Satan is being defeated even though you see no change in the circumstances.

However, if we could see what is happening in the spiritual realm when we pray, we would be greatly encouraged.  So, keep on praying for the lost whether you see results or not because your prayers are being answered!!" (emphasis added)
Be encouraged, and continually persist in prayer (in all ways)!
Matters to Continually Take Before God
Here is a short, incomplete, list of matters to continually keep before God in prayer:
*  The deepening and growth of your relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
*  God filling you with His Holy Spirit.
*  Your appetite and ability to read, take to heart, and apply the Word of God.
*  The salvation of lost friends, relatives, acquaintances, and beyond (specifically name those you know, then persistently do so until He leads them to faith). 

*  Revival (when Christians, and the Church, become saturated with God).

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