(Third part)
Memory verse: (LUKE22:40) " When He came to the place, He said to them: Pray that you may not enter into temptation "
One of the greatest things the disciples ever asked Jesus was to teach them to pray (Lk11:1) And sure enough He did not turn down their request. Church leaders have the responsibility of teaching the disciples of Jesus how to pray. Spiritual leaders should model a prayerful life like Jesus did before His disciples. We lead by example like Jesus. His followers saw him praying and they learnt from him to pray. Even when He went to heaven they prayed like him because he had discipled them well. Jesus threw an eye opening statement to his slumbering disciples in the night when he was betrayed: ‘pray that you may not enter into temptation’ (Lk22:40) Temptations are always there but prayer gives victory over them.
Satan keeps throwing wrong stuff at us daily like; wrong ideas, informations, discouragement, confusion, fear, lies, diseases, demonic attacks, etc. He keeps laying traps to make us fall, he keeps digging pits before you. But God has given us a mighty weapon to overcome these schemes of the devil. Scripture says, the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but spiritual and mighty to pull down strongholds, cast down satanic imaginations (2cor10:3-6) Christian life is spiritual warfare. Overcoming the lust of the flesh, eyes, the world and the lust thereof, overcoming Satan and his demonic hosts, we need to muster the use of this mighty spiritual weapon of prayer. A prayerful believer is a victorious person. Prayer releases God’s power and strength in our lives. Isaiah said those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength (Is40:30-31) The time we spend in God’s presence in prayer, He strengthens us, fills us with the Holy Spirit, enlightens our eyes that we’re able to see all schemes of the devil, anoints us, feeds us with his daily living bread of the word and as we step out every morning into the new day, we come equipped and armed, empowered and ready to trample Satan and his demons under our feet, strong to cast every devil out of our way, firm to refuse every wrong ideas and lies from the pit of hell and we keep flying like eagles daily, joyful, peaceful. Then we can run the race God has set before us and never run dry, never grow weary.
Tomorrow we will see ‘Prayer helps us discover and fulfill our purpose in life'.
