“But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word” – Acts 6:4
LIGHT FOR NOW: No believer was called and anointed specially into the ministry of praying while others stay and watch, every believer has the responsibility of praying.
The salvation that we have in Christ has tenses which we established in last study to be:
- The past tense of salvation which is the finished work of Christ.
- The present tense of salvation which is the ongoing work of Christ.
- The future tense of salvation which is the unfinished work of Christ. This is the redemption of the physical body; where mortality will be swallowed or subdued by immortality.
Prayer thus falls under the ongoing work of Christ. Since the ongoing work of Christ summons the believer to responsibility, it thus implies that prayer is every believer’s responsibility. Each and every believer must be actively involved in prayers; first, individually or personally and secondly, as a corporate body, that is the church or in the fellowship of the saints (believers). The present tense of salvation can be referred to as the continuous tense of salvation since it is what we must keep doing until the end of time. Little wonder Paul will say in his words in 1Thessalonians 5:17 “Pray without ceasing”. It means prayer is what we do as a believer. It thus must be the lifestyle of every believer. Our key text which is Acts 6:4 shows us what the early church was given to; they were given to prayer and the ministry of the word. Prayer is thus not something that should be on the background of Christian meetings or the church; prayer must and should be a major characteristic of the church. That’s why Jesus will say “My house shall be called the house of prayer” (Matthew 21:13; Mark 11:17; Luke 19:46). So, the house of God (the church) is a house of prayer. Prayer thus is a major fabric of the church. Prayer, therefore will not be a special calling given to certain believers, every believer is called to pray. There is no special anointing given to certain believers to pray, that anointing is for everyone. A believer therefore lives in disobedience to God; to God’s word if he doesn’t pray. It shows that the believer is not actively involved in the ongoing work of Christ, which includes prayer. Take up the responsibility of prayer. Glory!
INSTRUCTION: Be actively involved in the ongoing work of Christ.
CONFESSION: I declare that I am obedient to God’s command and I take up the responsibility, in Jesus Name. Amen.
For More Light; get the message, “The Knowledge of Christ” by Dr. John Linus
QUOTE: The believer becomes a liability to the ongoing work of Christ when he doesn’t take on the responsibility of the ongoing work of Christ.
DAILY BIBLE READING: MORNING: MATTHEW CHAPTER 21; EVENING: MARK CHAPTER 11
LIGHT FROM THE WORD 