Prayer and Fasting

Colossians 1: 9-12

While in Zimbabwe I spent more time in Prayer and Fasting

During the 3 weeks there we saw God do some wonderful things

People ‘came’ to Christ
People were touched by the Holy Spirit
People were blessed by the preaching of the Word

If prayer is so important – then how should we pray?

V9a ‘…we have not stopped praying for you…’

We need to pray without ceasing, pray in your own language, pray in other tongues, pray while you are working, pray while you are eating, pray while you are sleeping

V9b ‘…asking God to fill you with the knowledge of His will…’

When you pray this way, the people you are praying for will be changed forever

How are they changed?

1/ V10a ‘…that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please Him in every way…’

Zimbabwe: Many people there were living to please God

James 2: 5 ‘God has chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith’

In the ‘West’: The more we get, the more we want

Instead of living self centred lives, we live God centred lives

2/ V10b ‘…bearing fruit in every good work…’

As you live to please God, whatever you do for the glory of God will be successful

Zimbabwe: God gave us great success

3 boreholes instead of 2, great ministry in the Churches

3/ V10c‘…growing in the knowledge of God…’

Testimony: This is my 31st year ‘in the Lord’

I’m not sitting back saying, ‘Yep, I’m the man’!

As the years have gone by, I have an even greater desire to grow as a Christian

Reading ‘The Atonement’ Gordon H. Clark

4/ V11a ‘…strengthened with all power…so that you may have great endurance and patience…’

Testimony: This is my 31st year ‘in the Lord’

God wants me to be patient and endure for another 31 years!

5/ V11b ‘…giving joyful thanks to the Father…’

With how things are in the World today there is a lot you could be sad and depressed about

But when we look to the Lord, there is a lot to give joyful thanks about!

This is how prayer changes us and those whom we pray for

So, why should we pray?

= We belong to God – not to this World
Colossians 1:12-14 ‘He has made you able to have what he has promised to give all His holy people, who live in the light. God made us free from the power of darkness. And He brought us into the kingdom of His dear Son. The Son paid the price to make us free. In Him we have forgiveness of our sins’.
Remember this: Our Life in this world is so short

Zimbabwe average Life expectancy is about 40 years

Here, it’s double that (80), but there is no guarantee you will live longer than today!

Commit your remaining years in this world to the Lord and pray – you belong to Him and will give an account to Him for the Life He has given you

If there is just one worship song you learn this year – learn this one

Well,Well,Well!

The account of  the digging of the wells is very illuminating and has parallels with how the  Holy Spirit works in individual lives.

 

A place is found  to dig, the equipment is got ready and the drill starts on its way on the outer  dusty surface. Initially as it goes down it turns up dust,dry dirt, pebbles and  small rocks. As it gets deeper it gets into fractures or spaces where there  could be water but isn’t, so it carries on deeper. When a fracture is eventually  found which has water, the water gushes forth to the surface. There it is used  for replenishing the peoples need for water for drinking, cooking, washing as  well as helping plants to grow which provide food and sustenance. What was  buried beneath therefore becomes a blessing to many. many people as well s to  the land in general.

 

As the Holy  Spirit moves in an individuals life he first nibbles at the surface – a sin  covered layer  of the soul which is quite barren and without the digging  will produce very little in a persons life. As the ‘drill’ starts digging it is  resisted by the rocks of ‘so called’ logic and dirt of pride. When a fracture is  reached it is often empty because of such things as selfishness,arrogance and  self ego and will produce nothing. However eventually the drill will reach a  fracture of the soul that is deep, deep down. When it reaches this level the God  given waters of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness and goodness gush forth to  the surface. The person is then truly ‘born again’ and all the people around can  see the difference.

 

The final result  is that the person becomes a source of blessing, nourishment, encouragement to  all they come across including their families and workmates. This brings great  JOY and thankfulness, not only to the person himself, but also to whole  communities and of course the Lord Himself.

 

Well. well.  well!

 

Will you be  a bore, an empty bore, or will you gush forth with living  water?

 

Author: Robin Knight