Faith Capsule:Praying without watching is not enough; watching without praying will not prevail.

Nehemiah 4

At the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus responded to His disciples that could not stay up in praying and watching, “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Matthew 26:41) In this world of wickedness, it will take watching and praying to overcome. Praying without watching is not enough and watching without praying will not prevail. Temptation is everywhere and ready to kill, steal and destroy. Thank God that the One that came to give life abundantly has come and He gave us His Word to overcome temptation. The Word to overcome temptation for anyone who cares to assimilate it is: “WATCH and PRAY” If there was any other Word against temptation; Jesus would have given it to us. When temptation comes, it is meant to discourage, disrupt, confuse and take the place to terminate its victim. Through the pages of Bible that is written for our learning, there are situations where watching and praying has denied temptation from discouraging children of God and they could not be destroyed. Nehemiah had the hand of God to go and rebuild the wall of Jerusalem. Despite God being in the move to rebuild through Nehemiah, agents of the evil one, Sanballat, Tobiah and others, took a stand against the attempt to rebuild. Just as the work of rebuilding was to be rounded up, the agents of the evil one re-intensified their effort to terminate the project. They came up with different conspiracies to create confusion. Notwithstanding, Nehemiah responded when he claimed, “Nevertheless we made our prayer to our God, and because of them we set a watch against them day and night.”(Nehemiah 4:9) Evidently, Nehemiah’s approach was in line with the Word that calls to “WATCH and PRAY”. How did they watch and pray? Prayer is always non-stop and a continuous process. Watching demands carefully applied actions which were clear in Nehemiah’s move. Nehemiah positioned men at strategic places, he set people up in order, he looked into what called for attention by discouraging every reason to be afraid, he remembered the great works of God and he put the trumpet in place (a resounding weapon that calls for back up). (Nehemiah 4: 13-18) Are you one who prays constantly without watching? With your prayer life, begin to watch as you maintain right positioning before God and set your house in order. Be constantly encouraged in His word to deny fear. Always remember the Lord by considering the work of His hand. Above speak out (blow your trumpet) where you need to and do not compromise. With Nehemiah’s style of watching applied to your prayer life, you are set for victory just like Nehemiah was.

Prayer for today: O Lord my God I ask for Your deliverance from the evil one that I may not be a reproach of the foolish one.