Text: James 5: 16-48, Matt. 18:19; Eze. 22:30.
God since creation has consigned and assigned the earth to the children of men. All His interests on earth are to be initiated and executed through the instrumentality of men in right standing with Him on earth. He longs for men and women He can partner with for the fulfillment of His purpose on the face of the earth. He seeks friends in every generation He can unburden His heart unto and reveals His mysteries for the execution of His projects on earth. (John 15: 15-16; Abraham in Gen 18:17-19; Moses in Ex 33:11; Num 12: 5-8: Deut 34:10). Note that it is His delight not to do anything on earth (in any area or corner of it) without finding a close confidant in that place to reveal His intention to (Amos 3:7; Ps 25: 12, 14; Il King 6:8-12, 31; 7:2, 7; 8:1-6, 7-15).
The example of Elisha here was a vivid demonstration of this desire of God to partner with any man or woman on the face of the earth for the execution of His plan. Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hulda the prophetess and a host of many others from one generation to another walked with God in this way. It must be noted that even for the fulfillment of great prophecies such as the birth of the Messiah, He had to find such a man in Simeon and Anna, the prophetess (Luke 2: 25-30, 36-38). God is still at work in our age. He is still interested in the affairs of men on earth. He has not given up the earth He created for His purpose to the devil to be turned into a wilderness or a chaotic mass. His eyes ranges to and fro the earth searching men whose hearts are perfect towards Him, that He may demonstrate His power through them (II Chron. 16:19). He still raises prophets and teachers, to whom He reveals His purpose and gives them the responsibility of anchoring it on earth and teaching men to so walk.
Unto us, He has now turned His eyes seeking friends and confidants among us, who will maintain a right standing with Him and bear the responsibilty of praying down to earth what God has intended in the heavenlies. Men who pray “Thy Kingdom come, let thy will be done here on earth as it is done in heaven”
We shall examine how to stand in this crucial place for God in our own time and for our own generation. It is not an occasional activity we are speaking about, but a life relationship; a duty and an office which must be occupied now for the restoration of the Church in our time and for a divine visitation to every organization in the land where He had appointed us as watchmen.
A) THE MAN OF PRAYER
1) Must be a righteous man: (James 5:17; Heb 1; 8-9; Ps 66:18; Zec 3: 1-7)
2) Must be a friend of God (Luke 11:5-8; John 15:10-15; I John 3:22)
3) Must be passionate and earnest about the kingdom of God on earth, first in his own heart and life; and then in his home and immediate environment. (Jam 5:16-17; Matt 6:9-10; 19-33; Isa 62: 1,7; Ps 132:1-5; Rom 9:1-3; 10: 1-3)
4) Must be a burden bearer in his or her heart and not a talebearer (Prov 11:13)
a) Jeremiah Jer 4: 19; 8:18-19: 3:14-17.
b) Samuel 1Sam 12: 23; 15: 10-11, 35 ; 1Sam 16:1.
c) Epaphras Col 1:7; Phil 1: 7-11; Eph 1: 15-18; Gal 4: 19.
d) Paul-Col 1.9, Phil 1:7-11; Eph 1: 15-18; Gal 4:19.
e) Nehemiah Neh 1:4; 2:1-3.
He bears the breastplate on his heart continually before God, bearing the burdens and judgment of the people on his heart, till the Urim and Thumim has shone lights on their cases (Ex 28. 28 30).
Must be fervent and importunate at the throne till the door is opened and he has secured enough loaves for the needs of men and of God’s purpose on earth. Luke 18: 1-18.
Let us learn a pattern from Elijah’s prayer life here: 1 kings 17: 1; Jam 5: 16b-18; 1 King 18: 41-46 and again look at him in prayer at the widow’s house: 1King 17: 17 -24.
Other examples:
f) Elisha: II Kings 4: 28 -37;
g) The disciples: Act 4:23-31; 12:1-24;
h) Moses: Ex 17: 8-14.
They were importunate and desperate at the place of prayer because they could see no alternative to the power and efficacy of prayer. They knocked and knocked; they pushed until they pushed through because they saw no other way of securing help for their needs and for the responsibility they have to bear for God in their own places of duty for their own generation.
B. CONTRACTING AND CONSERVING A CONTINUAL BURDEN
Since burden is so crucial to an effectual fervent praying; just as labour travail is necessary before any pregnant woman could bring forth her baby, we shall study intently how to conserve and contract a burden on one’s life for a long time. It is not an occasional distress of mind caused by a powerful emotional speaker that we are concemed about here. It is rather a growing weight of divine concern in the heart that bulges day by day as does a pregnancy. It kicks and contracts violently in the heart, and there is a divine restlessness until it is discharged effectively in the place of prayer. Burdens can be so intense in a day or in a week and it may last for years. It may become the reservoir from which a man may speak and pray all the days of his life, till he sees God come down to execute His purpose on the face of the earth. Others could be bent all over with the burden which the Lord is so gracious to lay on them as His partner on earth. As a woman bears the seed of her husband in her wombs and it becomes a burden, and then violent labour pains, unto the birth of a baby, even so God looks for men and women on earth, into whose hearts He deposits seeds of His purpose and water it to grow into burdens or prayer and travail within them, until it is brought forth on earth “as that which is born of God”… Let us note here that “all that which is born of God” on earth usually requires a “human womb” to bear it in the place of prayer — incubation, till it is brought forth.
How do we contract this burden for effectual, fervent, responsibility praying:
Few examples in Scripture will serve us as a guide here.
1) When God speaks or shares directly with us, His heart concern:
- Abraham in Gen 18: 17-33.
- Moses Ex 2:24-25; 3:3-10; Ex 32:7-14.
- Samuel 1Sam 3:8-15,; 18-21.
- Jeremiah Jer. 1:1-9.
- Ezekiel Eze. 1: 1-4, 28; 2:1-33; 3:16-21.
Note that these men all heard God spoke to them, while they were in the place of prayer or communion. God does not speak the deep things of His heart to a man who is too busy to turn aside. He only speaks to a man who cares, whose attention He has secured. What He says to them becomes their burden of prayer and ministry.
2) Through the revelation from the written scriptures.
Daniel: Dan 9: 1-4; 20-22.
Ezekiel: Eze. 7:6, 10; Neh 8:2-6,8-9.
3) Through Dreams, visions or trances that God gives His people.
Daniel: Dan 7: 15, 28; 8:26-27; 10:1-4.
Ezekiel: Eze 1:4.
4) Through reports, secular news and other circumstances happening around.
Nehemiah: Neh 1:1-5.
Ezra: Ezr. 9:1-6.
Paul: Rom 1: 8-11; Eph 1: 15; Cot 1: 8-10.
God arrange ways and means for a man to contract a burden for His purpose on earth among men to be accomplished. All who have been given a vision or a dream or who heard a news report from the far country, or who were allowed to see the plight of others or the situation in the Church in our time, are expected to accept the responsibility of bearing the burden in their hearts until it drives them to the place of unceasing prayer and intercession.
Burdens dissipate when only discussed around as mere tales. It dissipates when it is exposed to men and women who speak carelessly about it and divert attention to human explanations of the situation as if it were a mere natural occurrence. Burdens are aborted in the heart if it is not first and foremost attached to the secret closet as an item of prayer and deliberate contemplation.
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