FAITH CAPSULE: Is your prayer with seriousness or is it to gain the attention of man?

Daniel 6

Bishop David Oyedepo of the Winners’ Fellowship once stated that, “Prayer is like a labor room where undeniable proofs are given birth to.” Prayer is indeed a labor and, when it is actively engaged, it delivers undeniable miracles. Prayer is the antidote for suffering. The Bible confirms it by stating, “Is anyone suffering let him pray” (James 5:13). Prayer demands that it is to be engaged earnestly (serious intention, purpose or effort). The seriousness, which prayer demands is evident when the Bible stated, “Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit” (James 5:17-18). Elijah prayed earnestly (he prayed with seriousness and purpose). Is your prayer with seriousness or is it to gain the attention of man? Prayer is seeking God. Seeking God diligently must require more labor than just seeking God. The word of God confirms that those that seek God diligently get rewarded by God (Hebrews 11:6). The need for praying earnestly was evident in Jesus’ prayer engagement. It is written, “And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground” (Luke 22:44). Jesus praying and sweating like great drops of blood falling testifies to how laborious prayer is. Are you one that is expecting to engage prayer differently from God’s way and get result? Think of it, if Jesus did, we are not exempted from doing just as He did. Once, the disciples were curious why their prayer could not deliver as expected.
It is written, “As for me, I will call upon God, and the Lord shall save me. Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud, and He shall hear my voice” (Psalm 55:16-17). David’s testimony points out the labor that is in prayer. Taking time out three times a day to pray is indeed a labor that is worth the while because it is certain to deliver. Daniel is another one whose engagement to prayer three times a day set him for deliverance from the hand of his persecutors. It is written, “Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days” (Daniel 6:10). Daniel made prayer his life style by committing himself to prayer three times a day. Make prayer your constant engagement and the world will not endanger you.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace to be standing and not sleeping in praying.