Rhapsody of Realities TeeVo Devotional September 12th – Persist In Prayer

(You Can Change Anything Through Prayer)

TO THE BIBLE: James 5:16 NIV
“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

LET’S TALK
“Dad, why do we have to pray for such a long time sometimes? Why all these long prayers?” Roseline asked her Dad just after their morning devotion.

“That is because persistence is a primary key in prayer when you are trying to change a situation.”

The Amplified Classic version of our opening verse places much emphasis on persistent prayer: “…The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working].”

The word “continued” is a clear indication that there must be some persistence. You don’t just mutter a few words and say the issue is “done and dusted”; you keep pushing, until you have the note of victory in your spirit.

Copy Jesus’ prayerful attitude at the garden of Gethsemane: He took His three closest disciples—Peter, James and John with Him there to pray and Matthew 26:39 tells us: “He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.””

Luke, by the Spirit, relates the same event thus: “…Being in agony He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground” (Luke 22:44). Jesus was distressed, and He prayed with much intensity. This was no casual five-minute prayer!

Recall that He reprimanded the disciples for their sleepiness and inability to keep watch (pray) with Him for an hour (Matthew 26:40).

The Lord had to persist because lives were at stake. What He prayed about was beyond Himself; He had to endure a separation from His Father for the salvation of generations: past, present and future. So, He prayed and persisted in prayer.

This is what is required of us today; the stakes are much higher than ever. We must keep praying and interceding until the last soul that must be won is reached, and brought into the Kingdom before the Rapture of the Church.

Go Deeper
1 Timothy 2:8; Luke 18:1-5

Pray:
Dear Father, thank you for the ability to pray and make changes. Even now, I pray for a great and mighty haul of souls into the Kingdom; your glory covers the earth today, and the souls of the unconverted are impacted with the light of your Gospel, turning them from darkness to light.

Daily Bible Reading
ONE YEAR
2 Corinthians 11:16-33, Ecclesiastes 1-2
TWO YEAR
1 Timothy 1:1-7, Jeremiah 30

Act:
Spend some time to pray for unbelievers all around the world today, using the prayer above.