PRAYER: A NECESSITY (1)

“But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word” – Acts 6:4

LIGHT FOR NOW: Prayer is not an option for a believer to choose from, prayer is a necessity for every believer in Christ.

For the early church to echo in our key text that “prayer and the ministry of the word” is what they will give themselves continually to, it thus points us to the necessity of prayer. If prayer was not a necessity of prayer, the believers of the early church would not have said “But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word”. In essence, two things vitally define a ministry; it is:

1. Word – the teaching of the rightly divided word of truth.
2. Prayer!

That is the Apostle’s prescription and description of ministry. Ministry is word and prayer. The house of God is the house of prayer and the pillar and ground of truth (where God’s word is taught in its sacredness, sanctity and purity). If you remove the word and prayer from a church, that is no more a church but an entertainment center. Every other thing outside word and prayer in a ministry is extra-curricular activity. Don’t get it wrong, every other thing will come out of word and prayer. That is, evangelism will come out of word and prayer. Church planting will come out of word and prayer.

The word and prayer is the major fabric of the church. Hence, a church not given to prayer is in disobedience to God’s will and word. Also, an individual (a believer) not given to prayer is clearly living in disobedience. Prayer is not an option for believers, prayer is a necessity. A believer that thus abhors prayer hasn’t adhered to God’s word. God’s word doesn’t just show us who we are, what we have and what Christ has done; God’s word also shows us what we can do and what we must do. God’s word has verb tense that puts action on believers, tenses that demands they take responsibility. So, a believer’s irresponsibility in the ongoing work of Christ makes him a liability and not an asset to the ongoing work of Christ. Take note: The ongoing work of Christ is not for Christ to do, it is for the believer to do. Christ won’t pray for you because he has put the responsibility of prayer on you. Prayer is not an option for the believer, it is a necessity, and you must take up this responsibility so that you don’t become a liability to the ongoing work of Christ. Glory!       

INSTRUCTION: Don’t make prayer an option; make it a necessity because it is a necessity.

CONFESSION: Henceforth, prayer is not an option to me but a necessity and I declare that I am actively involved in it personally and in the church collectively, in Jesus Name.  Amen.

QUOTE: Prayer is a necessity.

DAILY BIBLE READING: MORNING: 2TIMOTHY CHAPTER 2; EVENING: COLOSSIANS CHAPTER 1