Faith Capsule: Pouring out our soul before God is laboring in prayer
Luke 1:1-25
Where there is a closed door that needs to be opened laborious prayer is the key. Truly, the bible is written for our learning only if we study it and engage the demands of the word of God. Prayer is labor and not a fun fare. The word of Paul in his letter of greetings and appreciation for his beloved workers pointed out that prayer is labor when he wrote, “ Epaphras, who is one of you, a bondservant of Christ, greets you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.”(Colossians4:12) The bible also testified about Jesus’ prayer session stating, “He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” (Luke 22:44) Prayer is not a funfair. A closed door will answer to laborious prayer that is not filtered with doubt. It is doubt that builds up for one to become afraid on the prayer altar. Are you one that labor in prayer but partners with being afraid?
A certain priest named Zacharias was warned to do away with being afraid concerning his prayer. The bible recorded that the certain priest and his wife were righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years. (Luke 1:6-7) The priest and his wife were experiencing a close door that needed to be opened. While prayer was being rendered to God, “Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.” (Luke 1:11-13) Imagine a priest in prayer of expectation getting warned not to be afraid? The angel’s approach to Zacharias testified that to be afraid is a prayer hinderer. Prayer and being afraid cannot go together. Prayer opens heaven for the extension of God’s hand over every door (opened or closed). Absolutely, there is no door that prayer cannot open. Barrenness will succumb to laborious prayer that is, a prayer rendered to God without being afraid.
Pouring out our soul before God is laboring in prayer and it will open every door that has been closed. Barrenness represents closed door but will respond to prayer. In the life of Zacharias and Elizabeth, prayer opened door and they were blessed with fruitfulness. Are you experiencing barrenness in any area of life? Today be encouraged, in your experience, experiment with laborious prayer and see God move on your behalf.
Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace of strength on your prayer altar.