NO SUBSTITUTE!
- Olufunmilayo Adekusibe
- 13 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Today’s Reading:
Luke 22:39-46
“Then He said to them, Why do you sleep? Rise and pray. Lest you enter into temptation.”
(Luke 22:46)
There are a lot of things in life that have substitutes. If the usable is not available, then the available becomes usable. But there is nothing that can replace prayer. Studying the bible is fantastic, evangelism is the heartbeat of God, and it is great. Fasting is a means of denying ourselves so as to concentrate, which is also beneficial. Doing good works is rewarding, but none of them should replace prayer. As highly sought after as a prophet and prophetic office are, a prayer warrior is their master. In fact, people can pray or intercede on your behalf, but nothing can replace the personal prayer life of an individual. Prayer is work, and most people are lazy at praying. We have many organisers but few agonisers. There are a lot of teachings on how to pray, but few people are really praying.
Prayer is more powerful than ballistic missiles. It travels faster than the speed of light. Prayer affects every aspect of a man’s life, be it physical, spiritual, mental and social. It must not be done on part part-time basis, but rather as full-time. That is why the scriptures say that men ought always to pray and not to faint, Luke 18:1, I Thessalonians 5:17. Prayer empowers us for the battles of life. It takes a man from the physical to the spiritual realm. When a man stops praying, he starts straying. When you are not praying, then you are playing, and there is no room for idleness in the school of the spirit. Prayer protects and preserves us from spiritual decay. Policies have been changed by the power of prayer. Battles have been stopped and won by the power of prayer. Daniel shut the mouth of a lion because he was a prayerful man. The three Hebrew boys turned the fiery furnace into an air conditioner through faith and the power of prayer. You can eat too much, but you can never pray too much. You can play too much, but you can never pray too much.
If Jesus could pray, what is stopping you and me from praying? If you are too busy to pray, then you have a misplacement of priority. You can never be busier than Jesus, yet he prayed. Even when you don’t feel like it, still pray. Prayer should not be done only when you feel like it; the nature we inherited always wants comfort, but we must deny it some comfort to get into the spirit realm. Show me a man or woman who prays, and I will show you a man or woman who is fortified against attack from the pit of hell. The Devil fears a man who prays. The power of prayer is unimaginable. Jesus told the disciples in the passage above that they should pray so that they would not fall into temptation. Prayer is the antidote to falling into temptation. How is your prayer life? Pray, pray and pray.
JAMES ALADE
To surrender your life to Christ, say this prayer aloud. “Father, I acknowledge my sin against You. I repent and ask for forgiveness, in the name of Jesus. I surrender to the Lordship of Jesus. By the power of Your Holy Spirit, take control of my heart and lead me in Your path of righteousness. Thank you, Lord.”
If you said the prayer, Congratulations! You are welcome to the body of Christ. Prayerfully seek out a living church and meet the resident reverend, pastor, or priest.
Prayer:
Oh Lord, release upon me the spirit of prayer.
Holy Spirit, keep me aglow and afresh spiritually.
I shall not faint spiritually in Jesus’ name.
May the fire upon my prayer altar not go out in Jesus’ name.
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