Title: What the Saints Should Pray for
“This is the boldness we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.”
One of the impressions I often get at prayer meetings is that petitions usually form the main pillar of prayer, and that their primary function is to deal with life's emergencies.
Dr Forsyd cuts it this way: “Most of our prayers are not spontaneously aflamed by grace, but driven by necessity. Our prayers are cries, not hymns. It trembles more humble than the trumpet of victory. I ask not for strength, but for diligence." If you think of prayer as something that should be done only for first aid and only for petitions, you may be overlooking several very important aspects of prayer.
Prayer is not the church's ambulance called to get over the crisis after a serious injury. To use prayer only in this way is to deceive and undermine the deep meaning of prayer as taught by God through the Bible.
Prayer is the driving force and strength necessary for the saints to lead a righteous life in a harsh and difficult world. That's why the Bible also said to always pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17). The reason that the Korean church was able to grow like that in its 100-year history is because of the blood and sweat of prayers of many saints. However, there are many cases where the prayers offered by the saints today are wrong. They plead for their own personal wealth, fame, or power, or just for their own advancement. But this is wrong. This is because prayer is not a goblin's bat to pursue personal gain, but an expression of the believers' faith who truly understand God's will and want the kingdom of God to be established on this earth (Matthew 6:10). Then, let's see what the saints should ask for first through prayer.
1. We must ask to understand the truth of the Lord.
The most important thing for a person is not wealth, fame, power, or honor. It is your own life. That is why Jesus also said that if a person gains the world and loses his life, there is no benefit. (Matthew 16:26) How much more, gaining eternal life is more precious than anything in this world. However, the Bible says that the only way to gain eternal life is to know God, the Creator of life, and to understand the truth of his words (Psalm 36:9). That's right. Saints! The first thing we need to ask before God is to understand the truth of God. For whoever understands the truth of the Lord has eternal life in him. Still, do you not pray for the flesh, which will disappear like a mist (James 4:14) rather than the truth of the Lord, who is life? For your children, pray that they will come to understand the truth of God first and gain eternal life before the vain successes of the world. There are true blessings.
"Open my eyes so that I may see. Give me the understanding of the wonderful truths in your law" (Psalm 119:18).
2. We must seek God's kingdom and righteousness.
God has chosen the saints so that they may realize God's righteousness and display God's glory in a world corrupted by sin. Therefore, the life of the saints should not be lived for their own gain, but to show the kingdom of God and his righteousness. However, many believers today want to enjoy their comfortable life on this earth through God and are living a false life of faith, seeking only wealth and high authority. This is a false life of faith that has lost the true purpose of the life of a saint. That is why Jesus told us to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33). Rather, those who pursue only their own interests will receive the wrath of God and perish, but those who seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness will receive the blessing of obtaining all that they did not ask for. Saints! What are you looking for now? Aren't you making foolish supplications in which you first ask for yourself and then lose everything? Seek first the kingdom and righteousness of God. God will bless you with everything else.
3. We must pray for our neighbors.
The word saints means "holy crowd". This means that believers are not individuals, but exist together before God, and live by loving and cooperating with one another. Therefore, those who do not love and care for one another cannot be called saints. In addition, the saints who are disciples of Jesus who loved humans and gave up their body must be people of love (John 13:35). Then, the prayers of the saints should not be selfish only for themselves, but should be made with concern for others first. Today, the selfish supplications of many believers who do not look after their neighbors and pray only for themselves and their families will never be heard with pleasure by God. Saints! What is your prayer? Isn't this a selfish supplication just for yourself? If so, turn around. First, pray for your neighbor. For a neighbor who is weak in faith, take care of a neighbor who is physically ill or suffering from poverty and pray for him. God will be pleased with your prayers and God will take care of your work.
“With all prayer and supplication, praying in the Holy Spirit continually, being watchful to this end, constantly striving to ask, asking for the sake of the saints” (Ephesians 6:18).
4. We must ask for forgiveness of our sins.
The Lord is far from the wicked and hears the prayers of the righteous. (Proverbs 15:19) It is not that the Lord is deaf and cannot hear, but my iniquities have separated between me and God, and my sins have hidden his face from hearing my prayers. (Isa 59:2) Therefore, we must first ask the Lord for forgiveness of our sins.
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).
Saints! True prayer saves people and grows the kingdom of God, but false prayer hides the glory of God and destroys even oneself. Are you really praying right now? What are you really praying for? Do you not pray only for yourself, for things of the flesh that will perish? Its end is emptiness and shame. First, to understand God's truth, pray for His kingdom and righteousness. Pray for those around you. And pray for mourning for repenting of your sins. In that case, God will rather bless you with more things and lead you to live an abundant life.
I pray in the name of the Lord that today will be a beautiful day to pray according to the Lord's will and receive answers before God.
* Prayer: Heavenly Father, who knows our needs, I want you to know your will and do it with joy. First, let me seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and live truthfully and faithfully, and live with satisfaction and thanksgiving with what God has given me. I put many things before the Lord and pray, but I look back at myself because I can't bear the fruit of being filled with the Holy Spirit. Help me to seek Your will every day and lead me to a life of listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit. Remind me of those who need my prayers, and make it a day to kneel for them. I pray in Jesus name. Amen