25/05/11

At times of agony, pray earnestly

Luke 22:44 - And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.


We all know that Jesus Christ was God who humbled Himself and became man. He was 100percent man and the only difference between Him and us was that He was not born from a human father so was without ancestral sin and He Himself having not committed any sin was without blemish. Another factor different between Him and us is even though we receive the Holy Spirit we receive a token of the Holy Spirit and we try to grow in the Holy Spirit but none have been able to receive Him in full because we still are somewhat carnal. In Jesus' case He had overcome the flesh and thus was full of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God and the Image of God was complete in Him. So we see excluding the Holy Spirit and sin factor He was as much human as you and I.

We need to understand there are many things in the New Testament which are not disclosed openly but can be known by referring to the Old Testament. Jesus did study scriptures like we do before He started His ministry, doing as declared through Moses. There are historic documents which confirm this.

One of the things Jesus openly declared many a times was about His death and resurrection, yet we see in the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus nearly broke down when praying even though an Angel of God was strengthening / comforting Him. The scripture says His sweat were like drops of blood. The emphasis had been made about His sweat falling so thick like drops of blood to show the sorrow that was within Him as He was walking into what He had spoken about. Before He went into the garden He was all normal but as He was communicating with God in prayer details of what He would go through was revealed to Him such that they overwhelmed Him.

The Bible does prophesy of the times we are walking into a time when natural disasters and human disaster would mount so much that nearly a part of the population of the world would cease to exist. As we have just stepped into this period the Lord is revealing the details of these disasters to His elect, and believe me they are going to be like bone crushers. These are the times we need to pray from deep with our spirits crying out to the Lord for His grace on His people specially those who are fence sitters.

We need earnestly to pray for His people including for our family and ourselves like Jesus did in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Understand without prayer whatever good we do is like a fan. At times when it is cool the fan even at slow speed gives a lot of breeze but at the time of summer when it is hot and air less dense even at full speed the fan does not have much effect. When we pray our prayers becomes like coolant like in an A/C and even the little we do starts to make effect.


[ Prayer Starter ]
Lord, we thank You for your Word. Your Word instructs and guides us through things not known to man. Your Spirit strengthen us as we are walking into these times of great activity. Your Kingdom can not wait to see You come in glory. You are shaking up man as You foretold through your messengers. Lord during this great time of shaking we pray for your people that they may be under your wings of grace. That every member of our family be protected wherever they are. You have made them for purpose and not to be victims of calamity...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.


[ Reference Scripturesr ]
Luke 22:39-44
39 And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him.
40 And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation.
41 And he was withdrawn from them about a stone痴 cast, and kneeled down, and prayed,
42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.
43 And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.
44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

James 5:15-18
15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
17 Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.
18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.

Matthew 26:36-39
36 Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.
37 And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy.
38 Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.
39 And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.

Revelation 6:7-8
7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.
8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.

The Word of God was given free to us, therefore we should also share it freely with others. (All rights are with God)