Friday, 13 November 2020
“Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death?” – Romans 7:24 NLT
I remember when I first came to this ministry, I was backslidden and tired of always “trying” to do the right thing. Even in my sinful state, I knew that this was not the life for me. I knew because I had tasted the truth before and my inner man always hungered for the sushi I once ate. By God’s grace, I managed to claw my way back into the ancient Galilee boat and I looked forward to my new self again, I was a new creature again (2 Corinthians 5:17). I was on fire and my love for the Word was revived and I was in bliss, what more can an appendix ask for?
Then one day my old thorn that I had forgotten about resurfaced. I thought this burden had disappeared and it came as a shock when I fell. I stood on the Word (2 Corinthians 12:9) and still the thorn persisted. The more I tried to fight it the more it came back. It didn’t make sense because I’m born again and I love GOD so why is this thorn still tormenting me. I felt like Paul but it seemed like the grace that was availed didn’t seem to be enough, what a wretched man that I am. Then it came to me, it became so clear why I was failing. The answer had always been there.
“Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!”( Matthew 26:41 NLT). I then realized that I was not keeping watch and my prayer life was almost non-existent. I was using my own strength and “knowledge” of scripture to try to overcome something that can only be defeated in prayer. Jesus warned His disciples that they should pray earnestly lest they succumb to temptation. You can’t overcome temptation by will power alone, there is no mind over matter when it comes to sin (the flesh always wins). If you keep falling over the same thorn over and over again check your prayer life. If you are praying then check if you are praying the will of God. The enemy is always searching for those he may devour and the prayer-less Christians are easy prey, it’s not even fair (like a zebra with dislocated ankles).
The more we pray the more vigilant we become and the less likely the foe will devour us. Christ overcame satan because He was always in prayer. Some areas in our lives are maybe stagnant because of either our prayer deficient lives or our failure to pray the will of God. No matter how much you prophesy muscles into these dry bones, it’s all in vain if you are not steadfast in prayer. Our success starts by us flexing our knee joints and cervical spine and submitting our will to the Father.
The enemy is always searching for those he may devour and the prayer-less Christians are easy prey
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