Theme: THE POWER OF PRAYER
Text: “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: and if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.” -1 John 5: 14, 15.
Comment: Unless we pray in line with the will of God, we should not expect our prayers to be answered as clearly stated in the text for today. All prayers must be directed to God ONLY through His Son, Jesus Christ, whom He made the mediator between Himself and men. This is important. Prayers through any other medium are not answered by God. – John 14:6, 13, 14; 15:16; Ephesians 5:20; 1 Timothy 2: 5:6.
It is also a matter of must that FAITH must underlie our prayers if they are meant to serve any useful purpose. Jesus said: “And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, BELIEVING, ye shall receive.” (Matthew 21:22) Saint James enjoined that whoever lacks wisdom should ask of God who gives to all men liberally and he added: “But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.” (James. l: 5-7) It was the same apostle who said: “Is any among you afflicted? let him pray…Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him and the PRAYER OF FAITH shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.” – James: 5:13-15.