The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing,
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Philippians 1:18-19,
"Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, for I know that through your
prayers and God's provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has
happened to me will turn out for my deliverance."
There appears to me a connection between God's provision of the Spirit
and the prayers of believers. At least here, for Paul, he seems to tie
the two together. This letter speaks of the fellowship and
participation of the church in Philippi with Paul's ministry. Paul
connects the prayers of these Philippian believers with the provision
of the Spirit that his imprisonment and all it brought would result in
his deliverance.
One thing is clear, prayer makes a difference. In Philippians 4:5-7 we
read, "The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in
every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present
your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all
understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
God is listening to his people and he responds. In another place Paul
says, "And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of
prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on
praying for all the Lord's people." Ephesians 6:18.
If God responds to prayer, if God will bring the "provision of the
Spirit of Jesus Christ", I can't think of a more productive, a more
effective activity to bring about the Lord's involvement in our lives
than prayer. What is it we might miss out on if we fail to pray?
It really has me thinking...
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
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