Ephesians 6:18
Never stop praying, especially for others. Always pray by the power of the Spirit. Stay alert and keep praying for God's people.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
We never know where God will show up… or how He will speak to us. As we were driving home from junior-high basketball games in Conway recently, we passed a church in Guy, Arkansas. The lighted marquee on the front lawn had one simple message: Ephesians 6:18. I made a mental note to check this scripture passage when I got home. The verse fit perfectly with conversations I have been having with a few people recently about the power and effectiveness of prayer.
Someone commented to me that they had been reviewing prayer journals and discovered that their prayers for some people were for the same concerns over more than a decade… some for even twenty or thirty years or more. I’ve noticed much the same thing in my own prayer journals. The natural question to ask is… “Are my prayers going unheard? Why hasn’t God answered?”
The truth is that we have no clue how God has answered. We asked for one thing… God may have delivered another. We prayed for certain outcomes, but we have no idea how much God may have answered our prayers and protected and blessed those we lifted. And just as importantly… we do not dictate God’s timing. Our responsibility as faith-filled disciples is to never stop praying… especially for others. We are to continue to ask God to work in the lives of His children… and to trust Him to know the best way to do this.
For the record… there are plenty of entries in my prayer journals – and those of others – that God has clearly answered just as we requested. We can cite countless examples of healings, deliverance, restoration, and more. We must remember to focus on these… and to believe that in situations where we cannot physically see God’s answer, He is at also work.
In The Message, Ephesians 6:13-18 says “Be prepared. You're up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it's all over but the shouting you'll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You'll need them throughout your life. God's Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other's spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out.”
There really is nothing to add. Prayer truly is essential… and effective. Our job is to keep praying… and to trust God to know how – and when – to answer perfectly.
©2012 Debbie Robus
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