Earnest Prayer

At times we say a prayer. At other times we pray earnestly. What is the difference? The Greek word is ektenēs which means…”something a person feels very strong about, something a person is willing to sacrifice time to bring about a positive change”. At times we may work or play alongside people who are just performing a basic duty. They have no enthusiasm or passion about accomplishing a goal. It is discussing to be on a team with this kind of spirit. Earnest people show great passion about helping accomplish a goal. Their enthusiasm is contagious and draws other people into greater commitment as well. Throughout the Bible we read of people on both sides of this way of relating to God. Almost always when we read about God’s supernatural intervention with people in trouble, it follows people who have prayed earnestly. The children of Israel in Egyptian bondage, Daniel in the Lion’s den, Daniel’s friends in the fiery furnace, Elijah facing 400 enemy prophets were just a few examples of God responding to people’s earnest prayers for help.. Here in Acts 12 is the story of a church praying earnestly for Peter who was locked up in prison for preaching Jesus.

⁵ So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.

⁷ Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. “Quick, get up!” he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists.

¹¹ Then Peter came to himself and said, “Now I know without a doubt that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from Herod’s clutches and from everything the Jewish people were hoping would happen.”

Acts 12:5,7,11  NIV

In 1858 John Paton was a missionary in the New Hebrides Islands located in the country of Vanuatu. This country consists of 83 islands with 100 tribal languages. The Patons were the first white residents in an island full of naked and painted wildmen, cannibals. One night a group of these natives surrounded the entire mission station, planning to burn down the buildings and kill the Patons. John and his wife were terrified and prayed all night that God would deliver them. When daylight came they were amazed to see that all their attackers had left. A year later, the chief of that tribe was converted to Christ. Remembering what had happened, Paton asked the chief what had kept them from burning down the house and killing them. The chief replied in surprise, "Because you had hundreds of big men in shining garments with drawn swords circling the mission station, so we were afraid to attack." Paton told the chief that there were no men there at that time, only his wife and himself. God had sent angels in response to their prayers for help.

Never underestimate what is happening in the spiritual realm when you are praying earnestly!!!

Over and over the Bible records how God uses angels to help his people who prayed earnestly. Psalms 34:7 teaches us… “those who honor the LORD are surrounded and rescued from danger by the angel of the LORD.”  When you pray earnestly, picture an angel of the Lord being dispatched to that person or circumstance. It is only a matter of time before we will see an obvious answer to prayer. Remember: God’s delays are not near always his denials. Our earnest prayers tug at the heart of our God.

Al

1/16/2012