The soccer world cup is one of the most contested tournaments by different nations of the world. Spectators of over 35,000 and millions of television viewers are thrilled to highest peak of excitement. While spectators enjoy the feel of the game, the players on the field and their technical crew have just one goal in mind which is to win the cup and go home proud. The players throughout the competition run up and down the field of play sweating profusely chasing just one small oval shape object called a ball in order to gain its possession.
The journey of winning the cup starts from the technical crew of each country making the right team selection that will be called to camp. In addition, they embark on intensive training, perfecting different winning plans and strengthening the players’ fitness level. Also, instilling a high level of discipline in the players is not left out, while sponsors are also being sought for the team. All these are done in bid to position the team well for the desired results, i.e. wining the cup.
When we pray, we surely always have desired results set in our minds. Either the purpose of our prayer is to praise God, make a request, express our displeasures or grief about a situation etc; it is still specifically targeted towards something.
Though we are desirous of hitting our targets in prayer, we often forget or neglect the right path and channels to be followed. You could be sure that a step towards the south, while you intend to reach the north as a destination is a deceitful and wrong move. For example, expecting to pass an examination without sitting for that particular exam or without answering over 60% of the questions provided will result in an elated failure.
Let’s take a look at this scripture together, “You ask and don’t receive because you ask wrongly, so that you may spend it on your desires for pleasures” James 4: 3 (HSBC). Have you ever wondered why some times your prayers seem not answered? Most likely you’ve concluded wrongly that there are some people well positioned than you are, who constantly draw God’s attention. This assertion is not true, because God does not show favoritism (James 2:1). Perhaps you have prayed wrongly. Praying wrongly is like not praying at all. Once a means to an end is ignored, then the end can not be met. When at the end of the football competition a winner emerges we should not fail to remember that if they had not played according to the rules of the game, the victory would not have been clinched.
For the next couple of weeks, we shall be discussing praying according to God’s will or pattern with the topic “Praying to yield results”. I have no doubt in my mind that this serial message will challenge and provoke to go back to kneel and achieve a result oriented prayer.
adeyiga awomuti
A failure to ask ourselves some pertinent questions that are expected to challenge us into progress in life, results in age long self deceit and outright retrogression. (2Co 13:5) Be testing yourselves, if you are in the faith; be examining yourselves. You yourselves know that Jesus Christ is in you, do you not?-unless you fail to meet the test (ALT). Just as the speech of Peter gave him away to reveal his insincerity, empty boast and commitment to Jesus (Matthew 26: 73), many of our speeches in prayer, give us away in the face of our faith and trust in God.
In Acts of Apostles 12: 1-17, after Herod successfully killed James and saw that it pleased the Jews, he decided to proceed and kill the other Apostles one after the other. His next target, Peter, was arrested and locked up waiting for the day to be excommunicated. The church in their wisdom and fear (thinking that it was because they did not pray that made it possible for James to be killed) decided to gather to intercede on behalf of Peter. One would have thought that the whole of Roman empire should experience earthquake, since only Paul and Silas shook the prison yard (Acts 16: 25-26) but alas, the unbelief of those that assembled to pray was revealed, just as their speech gave them away. They said to the young maid that went to open the door for Peter “you are mad”. Both their speeches at prayer and the phrase you are mad gave them away because, out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks (Matthew 12: 34).
Deep down in their heart, it was obvious that they didn’t believe in what they were praying about, since when the miracle happened they did not believe but said the lady was mad. This implies that they were expecting something else perhaps, the news of his death.
I submit with all respect that they were playing all the while because they summarized the expectation of all they’ve been praying about in one phrase ‘you are mad’ (perhaps they never believed in the process). When Jesus finished praying at the tomb of Lazarus, (John 11: 41-43) He commanded him to come out. When Jesus finished praying on the mount (Matthew 14: 19) He broke the bread and it multiplied. When the Apostles finished praying in (Acts 4: 21-31) they preached the more with boldness. When Jesus finished praying at the garden of Gethsemane, He said nevertheless at thy will, and told the soldiers, I am he that you are looking for (Mathew 26: 39-42, John 18: 4-5). None of their speeches or actions after these prayer sessions shows betrayal of speech or unbelief, better still they acted knowing fully well that it is done.
Next time you want to pray, ask yourself if you believe God? After prayer, be desirous to know if you just finished praying or playing. Your subsequent actions and speeches will reveal what you just did.
-adeyiga awomuti
It is no news today that people always have reasons why they don’t pray regularly. Conducive environment is usually top on the list.
Come to think of it, what if you have been busy throughout the day, and you are free in the evening when fagged and tired; do you pray? Paul’s admonition re-occurs to me when I’ve not found a comfortable environment. “I will therefore that men pray EVERYWHERE, lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting.” (I Timothy 2:8)
It was said of Kathryn Kulman that, she always mutters some things anywhere she’s found, even while walking. She latter told her congregation that she had cultivated the habit of praying in the spirit always, every time.
A beloved brother relayed to me sometimes ago his experience in the University. As his manner was, he was praising God in the bathroom while having his bath, suddenly a man of another faith shouted at him in condemnation for calling upon God in an ungodly place like the bathroom.
I thought we are the circumcision that worship God in the spirit and have no confidence in the flesh. (Phillipians.3:3). Our spiritual communication and relationship with God does not respect any environment. It is purely spiritual. Next time, wherever you find yourself, at whatever time of the day, just keep praying.
-adeyiga awomuti
