Experience God's Power Through Prayer

Paul closes out 15:30-33 with a request for prayer. Paul knows where his strength comes from (Isaiah 41:10) and he knows how to seek God through prayer. Paul teaches that community prayer is vital in our walk with the Lord and requests it as he goes back to Jerusalem with the tithes he has collected from Macedonia and Achaia. Paul understands the importance of praying for all things and praying without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).

In Paul’s ministry we read that he has full faith and trust in the Lord. He understands the importance of listening to the Holy Spirit as he travels and is warned through the Holy Spirit of coming trouble when he does return to Jerusalem (Acts 20:22–23). As true believers, it is through our prayer that God will hear our concerns and answer our prayers. God makes a promise to true believers that He will not leave us nor forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:8).

Paul shows us that fear can and will comes to us all. He knows this because he has been physically and mentally attacked throughout his ministry work. It is through scripture that God teaches us that we should not let our fears drive us but that we should bring our fears to Him in prayer and through His power, as He hears our prayers, will replace those fears with love and joy.

We all suffer in fear at some point in our lives whether it be with a health issues, money issues, a loss of a job, relationship issues. Fear is just one element that Satan will use to get and keep us distracted from doing God’s work. It is only through God’s power that we can overcome the obstacles in life that keep us from walking with God.

As Christians we will not grow in our walk or maximize the effects of our ministry without prayer. Paul’s ministry to the Gentiles and return to Jerusalem does not go without concern for his safety. Paul understands what drives him and who protects him on his journey. We can take a play from Paul’s playbook and know that prayer keeps us centered in our walk with God. When we seek the Lord for all things and put all of our petitions before the Lord we will find peace. We will find a place where we can better navigate through life’s trials and overcome the tribulations that will most certainly find us.

It is in prayer that our relationship with Jesus will grow. It is in prayer that we will discover the confidence we need to take that step of faith each and every day to share God’s word and propagate His love to all who have ears to hear Him speaking. This can only happen when we become true believers and are filled with the Holy Spirit. In God’s plan for our lives He wants us to look to Him for our every need. He wants us to let Him lead our lives in a way that we could never imagine. God gave us the ultimate gift through His Son Jesus Christ, our salvation, and that gift costs you nothing but belief in Jesus that He died on the cross, was resurrected three days later and now sits at the right hand of God.

All things are possible with God leading the way (Matthew 19:26). When we believe this then we are truly on our way to living a more fruitful life with Christ. As we follow Christ our lives become more meaningful and representative of who Jesus is, what Jesus has done for us and what He will do in the future for you and I. The future in Heaven is the ultimate prize for us all and the only way to achieve that is to believe, receive and live for Christ for the rest of our days on this earth and then for the rest of eternity in God’s kingdom, heaven.

I pray that we would stop messing around with the life that God has given to each of us. I pray that we would put God first in all things, that our prayer life would continue to grow and our love for the Triune God will be deep and unbreakable. I pray that we will reject the temptations of the world through our faith and prayers and that our focus will be on the one who created the universe(s) and all that is in them. In Jesus Mighty Name I pray this Amen! Amen!