REAL SPIRITUAL TRAVAIL
Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved (Romans 10:1)
Before you minister God’s Word to people, whether to an individual or to a group, I recommend that you pray fervently in intercession for them to receive the Word. Recall what the Bible says happened to seeds (theu Word) that were sown into uncultivated ground; they choked and died (read the Parable of the sower in Luke
8:5-15).
The message you bear is too precious to be handled casually. You can’t share such weighty truths without first
ploughing the ground in the Spirit. The right prayer is vital for the message to bring transformation. In Colossians
4:12, Paul said, “Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.”
The underlined phrase is from the Greek verb “agonizomai”, and it means to struggle, to contend, to fight; it’s as one contending for something. During such prayer, it’s as though you’re seizing lives out of Satan’s grip. You look at one who’s yet to know the Lord or already a Christian but doesn’t take the things of God seriously, and your spirit refuses to let them remain in that state.
Therefore, you cry out to the Lord in their behalf, praying for them to be stirred in their hearts and to set their affection on Christ and His love. You pray that they walk in the fear of the Lord, guided by His Word, with their priorities aligned with His divine will. You intercede for their establishment in righteousness, their fervency in spirit, and their fruitfulness in every good work and that their lives bring glory to the Lord in all they do.
The most beautiful part is, as you pray for them this way, something happens in your own spirit. In those moments of intercessory tears and soul travail, the Spirit of God releases more grace into your life. You obtain help in the throne room and draw grace for others. It’s how we transform lives through the ministry of the Spirit in prayer.
PRAYER
Dear Father, thank you for your grace at work in me as I labour fervently in prayer for those to whom I minister. Their hearts are prepared to receive your truth; every distraction is removed, and their affections are set on you, on things above; they are established in righteousness, fervent in spirit, and fruitful in every good work, bringing glory to you in all things, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
If you’re blessed by this devotional, believing every word you heard by faith in your heart, and would love to make Jesus the lord of your life, then speak the confessions below out loud, and mean them with your heart:
“O Lord God, I believe with all my heart in Jesus Christ, Son of the living God. I believe He died for me and God raised Him from the dead. I believe He’s alive today. I confess with my mouth that Jesus Christ is the Lord of my life from this day. Through Him and in His Name, I have eternal life; I’m born again. Thank you Lord, for saving my soul! I’m now a child of God. Hallelujah!”
If you just said the prayer of salvation, we have a gift for you, but first, kindly click on this link, so we can connect with you and help you grow in Christ.
Then click here to get your gift. Thank you, and God bless you.
Message by Rev. Chris Oyakhilome Dsc. Dsc. DD.
FURTHER STUDY:
Luke 22:44 (KJV)
44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.
Hebrews 4:16 (KJV)
16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
James 5:16–18 (AMPC)
16 Confess to one another therefore your faults (your slips, your false steps, your offenses, your sins) and pray [also] for one another, that you may be healed and restored [to a spiritual tone of mind and heart]. The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working].
17 Elijah was a human being with a nature such as we have, with feelings, affections, and a constitution like ours; and he prayed earnestly for it not to rain, and no rain fell on the earth for three years and six months.
18 And [then] he prayed again and the heavens supplied rain and the land produced its crops [as usual].
DAILY SCRIPTURE READING
1 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN:
Matthew 23 &
Exodus 24-25
2 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN:
Acts 14:19-28 &
Job 36-37
