But prevailing prayer, especially in its more intense form, includes labor, effort, and perseverance. (Google image, Praying together.)
Prayer—prevailing, wrestling prayer—can be the most difficult work you can do. It demands total sincerity, intense desire, full concentration, and whole-souled determination.
It requires self-discipline to give full priority to your seeking God's answer. It does not make you a recluse but does cause you to choose between what is good and what is best.
Its holy worth and potential can separate you from the trivial, the purely secular, and the transient and momentary.
Coleridge called prayer the "highest energy of which the human heart is capable." Prayer can be the most intense form of Christian warfare. Prayer is so simple, so natural that even a child can pray.
But prevailing prayer can draw upon and avail itself of all one's spiritual experience and spiritual and physical energy, and all one's mental, emotional, and spiritual resources.
Probably one reason so few wrestle in prayer is that so few are prepared for its arduous demands. It can be very spiritually exhausting and physically demanding.
You recognize that the success of an urgent endeavor, the life of a sick one, the eternal destiny of an unsaved one, the honor of the name of God, and the welfare of the kingdom of God may be at stake.
Writes E. M. Bounds,
"The wrestling quality of importunate prayer does not spring from physical vehemence or fleshly energy. It is the intercession of the Spirit of God, in us."
You do not wrestle apart from the Holy Spirit. Only He can give you the holy boldness that is at the same time submissive to God yet bold to insist on God's promise, bold in the very face of God.
Jesus, as Son of Man, was filled with the Spirit at His baptism, returned from Jordan "full of the Holy Spirit," returned to Galilee "in the power of the Spirit," announced that the Spirit of the Lord was upon Him, and healed because "the power of the Lord was present for him to heal" (Luke 5:17).
He spoke and people were healed, spoke and demons were cast out, spoke and water was turned to wine, spoke and wind and wave obeyed Him spoke and the dead were raised to life.
But when it came to prayer, He prayed for hours—at times all night. He wrestled, agonized, and cried out with loud cries and tears. It may take more of God's power to wrestle in prayer than to perform a miracle.
In Olympic-type games in ancient Greek, each wrestler sought to throw his antagonist on the ground and put his foot upon the neck of the other wrestler. It involved mighty unrelenting agonizing until victory.
This is the term Paul used for this level of prevailing prayer, calling it both agonizing (Col. 4:12, Greek) and wrestling (Eph. 6:12). Paul reminds us of the reason—we are not just wrestling with stubborn or prejudiced human beings.
Behind them are rulers, authorities, powers, and spiritual forces of darkness from the spirit world fulfilling Satan's deceptive strategies (Eph. 6:11-12).
It is an unrelenting conflict. Satan's dark forces are ever on the offensive against the church of Christ, ever seeking to deceive, dominate, destroy and rout the forces of Christ.
Comparatively few Christians know much in personal experience about wrestling against such forces and warring through prayer.
Mighty Prevailing Prayer
##114 Wrestling Prayer is Spiritual Labor
by Dr. Wesley L. Duewel
(pp. 210 - 213) Zondervan
Prayer-
It requires self-discipline to give full priority to your seeking God's answer. It does not make you a recluse but does cause you to choose between what is good and what is best.
Its holy worth and potential can separate you from the trivial, the purely secular, and the transient and momentary.
Coleridge called prayer the "highest energy of which the human heart is capable." Prayer can be the most intense form of Christian warfare. Prayer is so simple, so natural that even a child can pray.
But prevailing prayer can draw upon and avail itself of all one's spiritual experience and spiritual and physical energy, and all one's mental, emotional, and spiritual resources.
Probably one reason so few wrestle in prayer is that so few are prepared for its arduous demands. It can be very spiritually exhausting and physically demanding.
You recognize that the success of an urgent endeavor, the life of a sick one, the eternal destiny of an unsaved one, the honor of the name of God, and the welfare of the kingdom of God may be at stake.
Writes E. M. Bounds,
"The wrestling quality of importunate prayer does not spring from physical vehemence or fleshly energy. It is the intercession of the Spirit of God, in us."
You do not wrestle apart from the Holy Spirit. Only He can give you the holy boldness that is at the same time submissive to God yet bold to insist on God's promise, bold in the very face of God.
Jesus, as Son of Man, was filled with the Spirit at His baptism, returned from Jordan "full of the Holy Spirit," returned to Galilee "in the power of the Spirit," announced that the Spirit of the Lord was upon Him, and healed because "the power of the Lord was present for him to heal" (Luke 5:17).
He spoke and people were healed, spoke and demons were cast out, spoke and water was turned to wine, spoke and wind and wave obeyed Him spoke and the dead were raised to life.
But when it came to prayer, He prayed for hours—at times all night. He wrestled, agonized, and cried out with loud cries and tears. It may take more of God's power to wrestle in prayer than to perform a miracle.
In Olympic-type games in ancient Greek, each wrestler sought to throw his antagonist on the ground and put his foot upon the neck of the other wrestler. It involved mighty unrelenting agonizing until victory.
This is the term Paul used for this level of prevailing prayer, calling it both agonizing (Col. 4:12, Greek) and wrestling (Eph. 6:12). Paul reminds us of the reason—we are not just wrestling with stubborn or prejudiced human beings.
Behind them are rulers, authorities, powers, and spiritual forces of darkness from the spirit world fulfilling Satan's deceptive strategies (Eph. 6:11-12).
It is an unrelenting conflict. Satan's dark forces are ever on the offensive against the church of Christ, ever seeking to deceive, dominate, destroy and rout the forces of Christ.
Comparatively few Christians know much in personal experience about wrestling against such forces and warring through prayer.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Used by permission of the author and Duewel Literature Trust, Inc., Greenwood, Indiana, (with Jean's impressions added)
Mighty Prevailing Prayer
##114 Wrestling Prayer is Spiritual Labor
by Dr. Wesley L. Duewel
(pp. 210 - 213) Zondervan
Prayer-
Father, we see that E. M. Bounds told that the wrestling quality of our praying does not come from our physical or fleshly efforts, but is brought about by the Spirit of God within us.
Our prevailing prayers can and will draw on all our spiritual experiences, spiritual and physical energy, and all of our mental, emotional, and spiritual resources.
Let's be some of those who are willing to wrestle against the evil forces, and to be successful through warring prayers.
Our President is in need of our prayer coverage, for much is coming against him at this time. Some are making an effort to kill him through mean words, disrespect and accusations. Others plan to take him out physically, thinking it's the right thing to do for our country.
How can that be what we need? Let's pray for God's will to be done without bloodshed. May our new President be guided to do what's right for our country, and may we pray for him daily!
Jesus, we ask for Your will to be done, and ask it in Your precious, powerful name. Amen.
Our prevailing prayers can and will draw on all our spiritual experiences, spiritual and physical energy, and all of our mental, emotional, and spiritual resources.
Let's be some of those who are willing to wrestle against the evil forces, and to be successful through warring prayers.
Our President is in need of our prayer coverage, for much is coming against him at this time. Some are making an effort to kill him through mean words, disrespect and accusations. Others plan to take him out physically, thinking it's the right thing to do for our country.
How can that be what we need? Let's pray for God's will to be done without bloodshed. May our new President be guided to do what's right for our country, and may we pray for him daily!
Jesus, we ask for Your will to be done, and ask it in Your precious, powerful name. Amen.
Today's Bible verses-
(Prov. 9:9 KJV) Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning."
(Jer. 17:7 KJV) "Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is."
(Ecc. 7:8 KJV) "Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit."
No more is there question concerning the healing of the sick one. It is in the atonement of Jesus Christ, bless God. His atonement was unto the uttermost; to the last need of man. The responsibility rests purely, solely and entirely on Man. Jesus put it there. Jesus said, "When ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and YE SHALL HAVE THEM [Mark 11:24]. (From the book about the Life, sermons and boldness of faith, JOHN G. LAKE.
Upcoming posts-
Our special link today:
Something's Wrong
27th- Saturday's post by Jolene Philo
#115 Why Do We Wrestle?
30th- Tuesday's post by Dr. Wesley L. Duewel
#116 Holy Wrestlers
6/1- Thursday's post by Dr. Wesley L. Duewel
Still Waiting
3rd- Saturday's post by Lisa Buffaloe
In all your times of trial I invite you to raise your voice with me in this prayer:
By Debbie McEwen
Below, you have an opportunity to leave a comment.
Or email me at jowildflowers@gmail.com
31-day Devotional
+ Jean's testimony
[Maybe just choose a title each
day that interests you]
A sample verse from p. 56-
It Would Be Good
to Have Some Talks
to Have Some Talks
"When on a walk you plan to go
Do let him set the pace.
If you don't step in front you'll show
That trust in him you place.
In this time as you walk with him
How you feel will come out.
It may reveal some thoughts within
Which have caused you some doubt."
Do let him set the pace.
If you don't step in front you'll show
That trust in him you place.
In this time as you walk with him
How you feel will come out.
It may reveal some thoughts within
Which have caused you some doubt."
(Published by Lighthouse Publishing
of the Carolinas. Used by permission).
A great gift for someone who may need help
to prepare for marriage, and for those in a
marriage, wanting some helpful advice.
No comments:
Post a Comment