“I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; 2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty” (1 Tim.2:1-3 KJV).
God, the Father, has equipped us to pray. It is His will that you fully understand prayer. The place to obtain a good working knowledge and to understand prayer is in the Bible. That is where you will see that not only can we pray according to God’s perfect will, but He also answers those prayers.
It is our prayers that cause God to move in the earth. And then when God moves on our behalf there is nothing that can stop Him – nothing, no one, nowhere, no situation.
He said first of all that we should supplicate. Of course, you pray for the church of the Lord Jesus Christ first. Why? The sinners are going to get saved because of the preaching of the saints.
If we don’t have it together, they can’t get saved. How can they hear, Romans 10 says, without a preacher? How can they preach accept they be sent? How can they be sent unless God starts dealing with them? Somebody has to pray for them, or else nothing is going to happen.
Then intercessions must be made for the lost. Now you have to work at praying fervently for the unsaved. Therefore, anybody that comes into regular contact with you is a candidate for your prayer list. You should mention your coworkers in your daily prayer. All the people around you that are not saved, at your school, your office, and at other places you see people every day are people to pray for.
You might be ready to change jobs. But have you considered that God may not want you moving out of that job until you’ve torn up the devil in the place where you work now? We are too quick to change because of the environment, or we want more money. It is best to seek God and find out His timing for your change.
I am going to tell you about the Lord. He usually doesn’t want you to leave anywhere until after you have made a wreck of it. Do you know what I mean by that? You have torn the devil up in that place. You’ve gotten the people saved and filled with the Holy Ghost, and the place is totally changed because of you. Then God says now you can move and tear up some other place.
The Lord uses you right where you are. He has you there not just to go to work and look good. He equipped you and set you in a place where He means for you to be part of a wrecking crew. You start with prayer. That is where you begin to make a difference in people’s lives.
Scripture References: James 5:16; 2 Corinthians 4:3-4
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Keith Butler has been an ordained minister since 1974. He is a graduate of the University of Michigan and holds diplomas from Canada Christian College and Rhema Bible Training Center.
He serves in ministry with the support of his lovely wife, Pastor Deborah L. Butler, and their children: Pastor Andre Butler (granddaughters Alexis, Angela, and April), Pastor MiChelle Ferguson and husband Pastor Lee (grandson Lucas), and Minister Kristina Jenkins and husband Pastor Joel (grandsons Andrew and Austin, and granddaughter Alyssa).