Sermon Title: How to be strong in a lifetime of troubles.
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. (Ephesians 6:10)
Dearly Beloved,
Greetings in the Name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
In life, we are faced with an infinity of burdens; relentless burdens from the challenges and troubles that come with living in a dark world, and living with our own brokenness and sinfulness; whilst we “work out our salvation with fear and trembling” in the knowledge that “it is God who works in us to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.” (Philippians 2:12-13)
In spite of our weakness and despair, God works in us – “to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose” – what comfort this is, for us who truly believe!
The Psalmist David testifies to this reality in Psalm 23:1-4:
1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley (… He still guides me along the right paths), I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
God works in us – “to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose” – especially through all of life’s troubles.
In this precise knowledge that the Lord guides us “along the right paths for his name’s sake”, we know that we can be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.
We can be strong, and we must.
For it is impossible to be Christian – to be fully alive - without living solely in the Strength of God through the Power of the Holy Spirit upon us.
And if we would just realise this truth, our lives will never be the same again.
For in the infinite burdens of life, what we truly require – is help from God who is infinite in strength.
Let’s be honest.
Our divine Calling to “follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children” (Ephesians 5:1) is not only fraught with burdens, it makes us burdensome, despised and detested, in the eyes of a world that has consistently rejected the Loving Will and Sovereign Rule of God.
Recall that the Apostle Paul speaks to this very dark world in Ephesians 4:18-19:
“They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.
Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.”
So, in the world that we live in today; in a world that has given itself over to the schemes of the devil – rejecting every manner of God’s Loving Will and Sovereign Rule with minds that are “hostile to God” (Romans 8:7); minds – in Paul’s words – that “do not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so”, we realize that:
It is not easy to live as God’s Holy People in an unholy world.
It is not easy to “make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3); in a world bent on corporately entering into an unholy alliance with the forces of darkness.
It is not easy to “become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:13); in a world that has rejected the love and salvation of Jesus Christ.
It is not easy “to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” (Ephesians 4:22-24)
It is not easy to “live as children of light and find out what pleases the Lord.” (Ephesians 5:9-10) in a world entrenched in darkness and lives for self-pleasure.
It is not easy to “submit to one another out of reverence for Christ” (Ephesians 5:21).
It is not easy for wives to “submit yourselves to your own husbands – in everything - as you do to the Lord.” (Ephesians 5:22, 5:24)
It is not easy for husbands to “love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy…” (Ephesians 5:25-26)
It is not easy for parents to expect and ensure obedience and honor from their children. (Ref: Ephesians 6:1-3)
It is not easy to “serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people…” (Ephesians 5:7)
It is not easy the face the burdens, challenges, pains and sufferings in this world as Christians; in a world that has completely rejected the notion of God and His love.
But we can; and we must – by being “strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.”
To be strong in the Lord is to be strong in your prayer life.
For in the infinite burdens of life, we can – and we must – consistently call upon our God who is infinite in strength; and be filled with the infinite Power of the Holy Spirit.
HOW?
Through prayer.
There is no doubt.
Those who are strong in their prayer life are strong in life.
It is my challenge to each and every one of you who are either listening to this sermon, or reading the devotional, to come to the divine revelation that your prayer life is the most critical aspect of your entire life.
Understand this well and listen carefully as 1 declare this truth over you again.
Your prayer life is the most critical aspect of your entire life.
Your prayer life – which is, your discipline, posture and motive for coming before God in prayer – is something you must intentionally cultivate.
If you come to absolute terms with this divine revelation, your life will be dramatically changed, improved and fulfilled; and you will begin to actively and knowingly participate in the Spirit’s Holy Work of in-breaking the Kingdom of God in you, and through you.
Margaret Mead once said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, It’s the only thing that ever has.”
I say to you, “Never doubt that a single person kneeling down before God in earnest prayer can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has! And it was Christ who exemplified it clearly for us!”
The Biblical basis of praying on our knees.
The world has indeed been changed through the life, death and resurrection of Christ Jesus our Lord - who prayed this same prayer on His face and knees – a prayer that is recorded in three gospels, and taught in the fourth:
“And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.” (Matthew 26:39)
Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. “Abba! Father! All things are possible for You; remove this cup from Me; yet not what I will, but what You will.” (Mark 14:35-36)
“He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.” (Luke 22:41-42)
“For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me.
And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day.
For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”” (John 6:38)
Do you look to the Son and believe in Him; that He is the Way, Truth and Life – that no man shall come to the Father except through Him? (Ref: John 14:6)
Do you look to the Son, and pray as He does?
Do you pray – and come before God - in earnest – as did our Lord?
Do you earnestly seek to fulfill the Will of God in your life – as did our Lord?
Do you fall on your knees, and honestly pray to the Lord – “not my will, but Yours be done.”
The prayer that God’s Will come to pass in our life must be a prayer made on our knees; for that is the key to being strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.
To be strong in a lifetime of troubles is to be strong in our resolve to draw close to God through a lifetime of prayers on our knees.
Never underestimate a person kneeling before God in prayer.
Never underestimate your prayers when you are on your knees seeking the Will of God to be fulfilled in your life; and in the lives of those whom the Spirit has given you a burden for.
Never doubt the power of your prayer when you come before God on your knees asking Him to intervene in your circumstance – whatever it might be; or no matter how large you perceive your challenges, or needs to be.
If you bother to come before God on your knees, and pray earnestly for Him to intervene in your situation, trust me – He will answer your prayers; for He “works in us to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.” (Philippians 2:12-13)
Question is: Are you willing “for God to work in you to will and to act in order to fulfill His good purpose?”
You need to understand: the fact that you are even praying speaks of your faith in God; a faith that came as the answer to someone’s prayer.
It is the power of God through that ‘someone’s’ prayer that you are saved in Christ and praying to God today.
Think about it.
Someone prayed that you be saved; someone prayed that you repent before God; someone prayed that you be delivered from the evil one.
You are evidence of the power of earnest prayer!
Listen up.
God always has a way of working through our life’s infinite challenges, struggles, uncertainties, pain and grief – never underestimate the power of prayer; the power of drawing closely and intimately to God, and relying on His infinite strength.
If you do not want to get intimidated by life; get intimate with God!
If you do not want the troubles of this world to overwhelm you; allow yourself to be overwhelmed by the love and the power of God.
Fall on your knees in prayer to God!
Change can come to your life, your children, your family, your community and the world – if you learn to fall on your knees in earnest and intimate prayer to God.
The power of prayer that makes us “strong in the Lord and in His mighty power” (Ephesians 6:10); and unlocks the Power of His Holy Spirit in us – the very same Power bestowed upon, and yielded by every Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor and Teacher that established the Church of Christ through supernatural signs and wonders from the Lord – all of which came to pass because they fell on their knees in earnest prayers before God.
We are weak indeed, but in the Lord – we are strong; for in Presence of God, the Power of Christ rests upon us! (Ref: 2 Corinthians 12:9-10)
If we would learn to fall on our knees solely before our God in prayer, we would learn to stand before anyone, and anything.
If we would bow down only to our God; His promises reveal that we would never have to bow down to anyone, or anything.
When we fall on our knees before our God in prayer; in Christ, we are already victorious; and in His Sovereign time, we will realise that victory! For Christ will raise us up!
We need only trust the Lord and wait upon Him; we need only “be still and know” that He is God. (Psalm 46:10)
All of this happens when we fall on our knees in prayer.
Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son and Incarnation of God – on the eve of His Crucifixion – fell on His face and His knees in prayer; how can we pray in any other way?
In the Name of Jesus, I charge you to receive this revelation deeply into your hearts, my brothers and sisters in Christ:
Your prayer life – your life praying on your knees - is the most critical aspect of your entire life.
In our subsequent sermons on Ephesian 6, we will discover that prayer is the most powerful weapon in the Christian arsenal against the forces of darkness and evil; and today, I want us to realise that it is the only constant that is found in every true disciple of Jesus Christ, in that:
It does not matter if you are utterly heart-broken, sick, weak, grieving, or suffering – as long as your heart yearns earnestly for the Lord; as long as your faith, hope and love is in Jesus Christ, you can still pray! You can still get on your knees and cry out to the Lord, Your God!
If you are a Christian who kneels and prays to God in earnest, the Holy Spirit will carry your faith in Christ and I assure you - you will experience the Presence, Peace and Power of God!
If you profess to be a ‘Christian’ but do not pray, you are carrying your own ‘faith’ and likewise, I assure you – you will struggle, and you will soon get exhausted and fatigued; and you will ultimately give up on ever overcoming the infinite burdens of life, and give in to the ways of the world.
Be a true Christian; be a kneeling, praying Christian.
People would challenge us: Do you kneel for show? When you pray, how do you know that you are not speaking to yourself, or even speaking to no one?
To this, I say – you would not know until you have truly experience the Presence and Power of God through prayer for yourself.
And for those who think that kneeling before God is for show; they have never truly knelt before God.
To even get on our knees is a profoundly humbling experience which simply reiterates a reality that has been ignored for far too long; that even in the lies and deception that we make ourselves out to be, we are not the most superior beings in the universe – for the simple fact that we have been given the ability to even kneel down speaks to the presence of a far greater, and divine being than ourselves’ a ‘Being’ that created us!
We were created to kneel in worship and prayer.
That’s the reality, and the fact of the human anatomy.
Nothing needs to be said to these inquisitors; our lives – and our posture of prayer – is all that is required to reveal the reality of God to them – in His Sovereign Time.
My experience in praying to God.
It has always been my deepest and constant desire to enter into the Holy Presence of the Almighty God, and to hear His voice.
In one such instance in April of 2010, burdened by His promptings, I was inspired by the Holy Spirit to press into prayer regarding concluding our ministry and our work in Asia and embark on studies at Regent College, along with ministry in Canada; an endeavor that would entail huge risks as it would require us to leave behind all that we know, and wipe out our savings in living expenditure and tuition fees.
On a particular evening, hours passed as I prayed in the Spirit – on my knees - seeking His Word on the true purpose of my theological studies; as I had previously gone ten years of pastoral ministry without formal theological training – so I thought, why start now?
In the course of seeking the Lord, I found myself drifting in and out of sleep; by now, it was the early hours of the morning.
In both my conscious and unconscious moments, I realised that I was consistently asking the Lord simply to “let me hear Your voice, and I would know that You are leading us out of Singapore. Amy and I need to be sure, Lord, for we would be coming with five children. Let us know Your Will!”
I was trusting the Holy Spirit to guide my prayers and sure enough, the longer I prayed, the more I surrendered to the Will of God; the words of my prayers began to change and my prayers became more confident, more certain as I grew deeper in faith and resolve in His Sovereign Will for my family and I.
It was then the realisation struck me – after hours of prayer – it was the Lord’s Strength that kept me praying; and it was His Sovereign Will that realigned my prayer till I was articulating the heart of God, through mine.
He was leading us out of Singapore. We were coming to Canada. There would be trials and tribulations, but He would be with us every step of the way; and He alone would see us through! Amen!
The moment the realisation struck, I heard His voice saying to me, “Steven! Eternal living begins today.”
Tears filled my eyes as I literally fell on my face; I was simply overwhelmed by the Presence of God.
God knew all of my secrets and my fears – including my fear of ambivalence when it came to choosing the subject of my thesis.
God has not only assured me of His Providence and Protection over my young family as we left the land of our birth; but He personally guided me to the theological courses I needed to undertake to bring this unique message to His Church – in this Word of encouragement, equipping and empowerment that as believers – our eternal lives do not begin only after we pass from this earth; it begins the moment we believe in Christ and follow Him – and as such, our lives must be completely re-aligned, re-created and re-energized to live out the reality that for us: “eternal living begins today!”
Our lives have never been the same again.
God not only answered my prayers, He spoke to me.
Till this day, I am still overwhelmed by the sheer awe of hearing the audible voice of God.
In the beginnings of my every prayer, I would hear only one voice – my voice that is carried into the stillness of the Presence of the Holy God.
Sometimes in my human-ness, I would persist in self-centered prayers; voicing my burdens and needs to the Lord, asking for His help to overcome the troubles at hand, instead of His Will in eternity.
But I would soon tire and be left without words; and that is when the Lord would fill my heart with His Prayer, and I would begin to pray as the Spirit gives me utterance.
As I verbalise my prayers in tongues, my heart would resonate this prayer:
“Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be Your Name; Your Kingdom come, Your Will be done on earth, as it is in Heaven.”
When that phase in my prayers begin, I would experience a stark difference in that same stillness.
It is in that holy stillness that reminds me that I must cease in the persistence of my prayers, be still and know that He is God. (Ref: Psalm 46:10)
And it is in that holy stillness that God finds His way to communicate directly into our hearts
The problem with being human is that we mistakenly impose our finitude and limitations on our God, who is infinite and limitless.
Our ability to see and hear our fellow human beings is – for the most part – not required when God speaks to us; for He speaks directly to our hearts and minds; reviving us, restoring us, guiding us, forming us, empowering us – to be the person He wants us to be; and in facing up to the burdens of life in the way that He alone would ordain.
When we pray in earnest on our knees, we immediately adopt the posture that allows us to hear God speak directly to our hearts; and that is when we must start listening, and sensing with our spirit; remaining very much in prayer.
And that has been my consistent experience.
In my resolve to remain still in His Holy Presence, at my most attentive and sensitive to His voice; is when I would receive His assurances, comfort, encouragements, instructions, strength, wisdom and visions all at once!
We must be praying Christians – each and every one of us; failing which, our lives would be lived for naught, and in vain.
Our prayer life is the most critical aspect of our entire life;
What then, do we say when we fall on our knees in prayer?
We say the Lord’s prayer.
The Lord’s prayer must frame our every prayer to God and thus, our prayers must serve to do three things for us:
(1) Our prayers must bring us to the absolute realisation of God’s Infinite Power and Sovereign Will – and that is why we start with:
“‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come,
your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:9-10);
(2) Our prayers must bring us to the absolute realisation of our sin, brokenness, weakness, and utter need of God in our lives –
“Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’ (Matthew 6:11-13)
(3) Our prayers must bring us to the absolute realisation that God is at work in our lives regardless of our circumstances or the state of our lives –
“for yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.” (Matthew 6:13)
In closing…
To be strong in the Lord and in His Mighty Power, we need to come before Him on our knees in prayer.
Indeed, in facing the infinite burdens of life, we need help from God who is infinite in strength and in power.
To be strong in the Lord and in His Mighty Power – we need to learn to be weak in our knees before Him, bowing down in earnest prayer.
We are strengthened daily “in the Lord and in his mighty power” (Ephesians 6:10) when we daily fall on our knees in prayer.
We need God everyday, especially before the challenges, the problems and the troubles arise; which is why, we need to pray everyday before our troubles overwhelm and drag us into the currents of hopelessness and death.
We have always been taught that Jesus spend most of His time praying; if that be true, and He is the Son of God, how much more must we fall down on our knees in prayer to our Heavenly Father?
Let us be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power;
Let us come daily before the Lord on your knees in prayer.
In our lifetime of troubles; let us commit to a lifetime of prayer on our knees before the Lord our God; for that is how we are made strong in the Lord and in His Mighty Power.
Shalom.
Let us pray.
Our Father in Heaven,
Hallowed be Your Name.
Your Kingdom come, Your Will be done; on earth, as it is in heaven.
God Almighty, help our resolve to pray daily on our knees – that we may each truly be strong in You and in Your Mighty Power in our lifetime of troubles.
For we truly believe and know that in the infinite burdens of life, we can – and we must - call upon You, our God, who is infinite in strength; and be filled with the infinite Power of the Holy Spirit.
May You frame our every prayer with the Lord’s prayer; and most significantly, may we seek to fulfill Your Will in our lives; in Your divine revelation that our prayers made on our knees is the key to being strong in You and in Your Mighty Power.
We desire to be strong in the face of a lifetime of troubles; Lord, help us to be strong in our resolve to draw close to you through a lifetime of prayers on our knees.
We acknowledge that our prayer life is the most critical and significant aspect of our entire life.
We believe that prayer does not lead us to the solution to our lifetime of problems, but that prayer leads us to be still before You and know that You are God.
In our tiredness and weariness, help us – O Holy Spirit – to know that we are not giving up on the situation; but rather, we are giving in, and surrendering, to the loving, perfect and sovereign Will of God.
As we grow deeper in faith, hope and love in You, change us into the image of Your Son, Christ Jesus, our Lord and Saviour.
Teach us daily – to pray on our knees.
Convict us daily – to pray on our knees.
Indeed, Lord Jesus, You are our Shepherd – and for that, we lack nothing.
Through every circumstance of our lives, thank You for guiding us along the right paths for the sake of Your Glorious and Holy Name.
Holy Spirit, thank You for the revelation of God’s infinite power and for guiding us to Your Sovereign and Loving Will for our lives.
Thank You for convicting us of our sins, and leading us to repentance in Christ; and for the revelation of our brokenness, weakness and utter need of God in our lives.
Thank you for the knowledge that You are constantly at work in our lives regardless of our circumstances or state of our lives.
We know that in the infinite burdens of life, we require help from You, O Lord, who are infinite in strength; grant us the courage and resolve to daily fall on our knees in prayer to You – and so always be found strong in You, and in Your mighty power.
We thank You and pray all these – on our knees - in the Name of our King, Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. (Ephesians 6:10)
Dearly Beloved,
Greetings in the Name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
In life, we are faced with an infinity of burdens; relentless burdens from the challenges and troubles that come with living in a dark world, and living with our own brokenness and sinfulness; whilst we “work out our salvation with fear and trembling” in the knowledge that “it is God who works in us to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.” (Philippians 2:12-13)
In spite of our weakness and despair, God works in us – “to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose” – what comfort this is, for us who truly believe!
The Psalmist David testifies to this reality in Psalm 23:1-4:
1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley (… He still guides me along the right paths), I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
God works in us – “to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose” – especially through all of life’s troubles.
In this precise knowledge that the Lord guides us “along the right paths for his name’s sake”, we know that we can be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.
We can be strong, and we must.
For it is impossible to be Christian – to be fully alive - without living solely in the Strength of God through the Power of the Holy Spirit upon us.
And if we would just realise this truth, our lives will never be the same again.
For in the infinite burdens of life, what we truly require – is help from God who is infinite in strength.
Let’s be honest.
Our divine Calling to “follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children” (Ephesians 5:1) is not only fraught with burdens, it makes us burdensome, despised and detested, in the eyes of a world that has consistently rejected the Loving Will and Sovereign Rule of God.
Recall that the Apostle Paul speaks to this very dark world in Ephesians 4:18-19:
“They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.
Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.”
So, in the world that we live in today; in a world that has given itself over to the schemes of the devil – rejecting every manner of God’s Loving Will and Sovereign Rule with minds that are “hostile to God” (Romans 8:7); minds – in Paul’s words – that “do not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so”, we realize that:
It is not easy to live as God’s Holy People in an unholy world.
It is not easy to “make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3); in a world bent on corporately entering into an unholy alliance with the forces of darkness.
It is not easy to “become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:13); in a world that has rejected the love and salvation of Jesus Christ.
It is not easy “to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” (Ephesians 4:22-24)
It is not easy to “live as children of light and find out what pleases the Lord.” (Ephesians 5:9-10) in a world entrenched in darkness and lives for self-pleasure.
It is not easy to “submit to one another out of reverence for Christ” (Ephesians 5:21).
It is not easy for wives to “submit yourselves to your own husbands – in everything - as you do to the Lord.” (Ephesians 5:22, 5:24)
It is not easy for husbands to “love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy…” (Ephesians 5:25-26)
It is not easy for parents to expect and ensure obedience and honor from their children. (Ref: Ephesians 6:1-3)
It is not easy to “serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people…” (Ephesians 5:7)
It is not easy the face the burdens, challenges, pains and sufferings in this world as Christians; in a world that has completely rejected the notion of God and His love.
But we can; and we must – by being “strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.”
To be strong in the Lord is to be strong in your prayer life.
For in the infinite burdens of life, we can – and we must – consistently call upon our God who is infinite in strength; and be filled with the infinite Power of the Holy Spirit.
HOW?
Through prayer.
There is no doubt.
Those who are strong in their prayer life are strong in life.
It is my challenge to each and every one of you who are either listening to this sermon, or reading the devotional, to come to the divine revelation that your prayer life is the most critical aspect of your entire life.
Understand this well and listen carefully as 1 declare this truth over you again.
Your prayer life is the most critical aspect of your entire life.
Your prayer life – which is, your discipline, posture and motive for coming before God in prayer – is something you must intentionally cultivate.
If you come to absolute terms with this divine revelation, your life will be dramatically changed, improved and fulfilled; and you will begin to actively and knowingly participate in the Spirit’s Holy Work of in-breaking the Kingdom of God in you, and through you.
Margaret Mead once said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, It’s the only thing that ever has.”
I say to you, “Never doubt that a single person kneeling down before God in earnest prayer can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has! And it was Christ who exemplified it clearly for us!”
The Biblical basis of praying on our knees.
The world has indeed been changed through the life, death and resurrection of Christ Jesus our Lord - who prayed this same prayer on His face and knees – a prayer that is recorded in three gospels, and taught in the fourth:
“And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.” (Matthew 26:39)
Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. “Abba! Father! All things are possible for You; remove this cup from Me; yet not what I will, but what You will.” (Mark 14:35-36)
“He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.” (Luke 22:41-42)
“For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me.
And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day.
For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”” (John 6:38)
Do you look to the Son and believe in Him; that He is the Way, Truth and Life – that no man shall come to the Father except through Him? (Ref: John 14:6)
Do you look to the Son, and pray as He does?
Do you pray – and come before God - in earnest – as did our Lord?
Do you earnestly seek to fulfill the Will of God in your life – as did our Lord?
Do you fall on your knees, and honestly pray to the Lord – “not my will, but Yours be done.”
The prayer that God’s Will come to pass in our life must be a prayer made on our knees; for that is the key to being strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.
To be strong in a lifetime of troubles is to be strong in our resolve to draw close to God through a lifetime of prayers on our knees.
Never underestimate a person kneeling before God in prayer.
Never underestimate your prayers when you are on your knees seeking the Will of God to be fulfilled in your life; and in the lives of those whom the Spirit has given you a burden for.
Never doubt the power of your prayer when you come before God on your knees asking Him to intervene in your circumstance – whatever it might be; or no matter how large you perceive your challenges, or needs to be.
If you bother to come before God on your knees, and pray earnestly for Him to intervene in your situation, trust me – He will answer your prayers; for He “works in us to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.” (Philippians 2:12-13)
Question is: Are you willing “for God to work in you to will and to act in order to fulfill His good purpose?”
You need to understand: the fact that you are even praying speaks of your faith in God; a faith that came as the answer to someone’s prayer.
It is the power of God through that ‘someone’s’ prayer that you are saved in Christ and praying to God today.
Think about it.
Someone prayed that you be saved; someone prayed that you repent before God; someone prayed that you be delivered from the evil one.
You are evidence of the power of earnest prayer!
Listen up.
God always has a way of working through our life’s infinite challenges, struggles, uncertainties, pain and grief – never underestimate the power of prayer; the power of drawing closely and intimately to God, and relying on His infinite strength.
If you do not want to get intimidated by life; get intimate with God!
If you do not want the troubles of this world to overwhelm you; allow yourself to be overwhelmed by the love and the power of God.
Fall on your knees in prayer to God!
Change can come to your life, your children, your family, your community and the world – if you learn to fall on your knees in earnest and intimate prayer to God.
The power of prayer that makes us “strong in the Lord and in His mighty power” (Ephesians 6:10); and unlocks the Power of His Holy Spirit in us – the very same Power bestowed upon, and yielded by every Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor and Teacher that established the Church of Christ through supernatural signs and wonders from the Lord – all of which came to pass because they fell on their knees in earnest prayers before God.
We are weak indeed, but in the Lord – we are strong; for in Presence of God, the Power of Christ rests upon us! (Ref: 2 Corinthians 12:9-10)
If we would learn to fall on our knees solely before our God in prayer, we would learn to stand before anyone, and anything.
If we would bow down only to our God; His promises reveal that we would never have to bow down to anyone, or anything.
When we fall on our knees before our God in prayer; in Christ, we are already victorious; and in His Sovereign time, we will realise that victory! For Christ will raise us up!
We need only trust the Lord and wait upon Him; we need only “be still and know” that He is God. (Psalm 46:10)
All of this happens when we fall on our knees in prayer.
Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son and Incarnation of God – on the eve of His Crucifixion – fell on His face and His knees in prayer; how can we pray in any other way?
In the Name of Jesus, I charge you to receive this revelation deeply into your hearts, my brothers and sisters in Christ:
Your prayer life – your life praying on your knees - is the most critical aspect of your entire life.
In our subsequent sermons on Ephesian 6, we will discover that prayer is the most powerful weapon in the Christian arsenal against the forces of darkness and evil; and today, I want us to realise that it is the only constant that is found in every true disciple of Jesus Christ, in that:
It does not matter if you are utterly heart-broken, sick, weak, grieving, or suffering – as long as your heart yearns earnestly for the Lord; as long as your faith, hope and love is in Jesus Christ, you can still pray! You can still get on your knees and cry out to the Lord, Your God!
If you are a Christian who kneels and prays to God in earnest, the Holy Spirit will carry your faith in Christ and I assure you - you will experience the Presence, Peace and Power of God!
If you profess to be a ‘Christian’ but do not pray, you are carrying your own ‘faith’ and likewise, I assure you – you will struggle, and you will soon get exhausted and fatigued; and you will ultimately give up on ever overcoming the infinite burdens of life, and give in to the ways of the world.
Be a true Christian; be a kneeling, praying Christian.
People would challenge us: Do you kneel for show? When you pray, how do you know that you are not speaking to yourself, or even speaking to no one?
To this, I say – you would not know until you have truly experience the Presence and Power of God through prayer for yourself.
And for those who think that kneeling before God is for show; they have never truly knelt before God.
To even get on our knees is a profoundly humbling experience which simply reiterates a reality that has been ignored for far too long; that even in the lies and deception that we make ourselves out to be, we are not the most superior beings in the universe – for the simple fact that we have been given the ability to even kneel down speaks to the presence of a far greater, and divine being than ourselves’ a ‘Being’ that created us!
We were created to kneel in worship and prayer.
That’s the reality, and the fact of the human anatomy.
Nothing needs to be said to these inquisitors; our lives – and our posture of prayer – is all that is required to reveal the reality of God to them – in His Sovereign Time.
My experience in praying to God.
It has always been my deepest and constant desire to enter into the Holy Presence of the Almighty God, and to hear His voice.
In one such instance in April of 2010, burdened by His promptings, I was inspired by the Holy Spirit to press into prayer regarding concluding our ministry and our work in Asia and embark on studies at Regent College, along with ministry in Canada; an endeavor that would entail huge risks as it would require us to leave behind all that we know, and wipe out our savings in living expenditure and tuition fees.
On a particular evening, hours passed as I prayed in the Spirit – on my knees - seeking His Word on the true purpose of my theological studies; as I had previously gone ten years of pastoral ministry without formal theological training – so I thought, why start now?
In the course of seeking the Lord, I found myself drifting in and out of sleep; by now, it was the early hours of the morning.
In both my conscious and unconscious moments, I realised that I was consistently asking the Lord simply to “let me hear Your voice, and I would know that You are leading us out of Singapore. Amy and I need to be sure, Lord, for we would be coming with five children. Let us know Your Will!”
I was trusting the Holy Spirit to guide my prayers and sure enough, the longer I prayed, the more I surrendered to the Will of God; the words of my prayers began to change and my prayers became more confident, more certain as I grew deeper in faith and resolve in His Sovereign Will for my family and I.
It was then the realisation struck me – after hours of prayer – it was the Lord’s Strength that kept me praying; and it was His Sovereign Will that realigned my prayer till I was articulating the heart of God, through mine.
He was leading us out of Singapore. We were coming to Canada. There would be trials and tribulations, but He would be with us every step of the way; and He alone would see us through! Amen!
The moment the realisation struck, I heard His voice saying to me, “Steven! Eternal living begins today.”
Tears filled my eyes as I literally fell on my face; I was simply overwhelmed by the Presence of God.
God knew all of my secrets and my fears – including my fear of ambivalence when it came to choosing the subject of my thesis.
God has not only assured me of His Providence and Protection over my young family as we left the land of our birth; but He personally guided me to the theological courses I needed to undertake to bring this unique message to His Church – in this Word of encouragement, equipping and empowerment that as believers – our eternal lives do not begin only after we pass from this earth; it begins the moment we believe in Christ and follow Him – and as such, our lives must be completely re-aligned, re-created and re-energized to live out the reality that for us: “eternal living begins today!”
Our lives have never been the same again.
God not only answered my prayers, He spoke to me.
Till this day, I am still overwhelmed by the sheer awe of hearing the audible voice of God.
In the beginnings of my every prayer, I would hear only one voice – my voice that is carried into the stillness of the Presence of the Holy God.
Sometimes in my human-ness, I would persist in self-centered prayers; voicing my burdens and needs to the Lord, asking for His help to overcome the troubles at hand, instead of His Will in eternity.
But I would soon tire and be left without words; and that is when the Lord would fill my heart with His Prayer, and I would begin to pray as the Spirit gives me utterance.
As I verbalise my prayers in tongues, my heart would resonate this prayer:
“Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be Your Name; Your Kingdom come, Your Will be done on earth, as it is in Heaven.”
When that phase in my prayers begin, I would experience a stark difference in that same stillness.
It is in that holy stillness that reminds me that I must cease in the persistence of my prayers, be still and know that He is God. (Ref: Psalm 46:10)
And it is in that holy stillness that God finds His way to communicate directly into our hearts
The problem with being human is that we mistakenly impose our finitude and limitations on our God, who is infinite and limitless.
Our ability to see and hear our fellow human beings is – for the most part – not required when God speaks to us; for He speaks directly to our hearts and minds; reviving us, restoring us, guiding us, forming us, empowering us – to be the person He wants us to be; and in facing up to the burdens of life in the way that He alone would ordain.
When we pray in earnest on our knees, we immediately adopt the posture that allows us to hear God speak directly to our hearts; and that is when we must start listening, and sensing with our spirit; remaining very much in prayer.
And that has been my consistent experience.
In my resolve to remain still in His Holy Presence, at my most attentive and sensitive to His voice; is when I would receive His assurances, comfort, encouragements, instructions, strength, wisdom and visions all at once!
We must be praying Christians – each and every one of us; failing which, our lives would be lived for naught, and in vain.
Our prayer life is the most critical aspect of our entire life;
What then, do we say when we fall on our knees in prayer?
We say the Lord’s prayer.
The Lord’s prayer must frame our every prayer to God and thus, our prayers must serve to do three things for us:
(1) Our prayers must bring us to the absolute realisation of God’s Infinite Power and Sovereign Will – and that is why we start with:
“‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come,
your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:9-10);
(2) Our prayers must bring us to the absolute realisation of our sin, brokenness, weakness, and utter need of God in our lives –
“Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’ (Matthew 6:11-13)
(3) Our prayers must bring us to the absolute realisation that God is at work in our lives regardless of our circumstances or the state of our lives –
“for yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.” (Matthew 6:13)
In closing…
To be strong in the Lord and in His Mighty Power, we need to come before Him on our knees in prayer.
Indeed, in facing the infinite burdens of life, we need help from God who is infinite in strength and in power.
To be strong in the Lord and in His Mighty Power – we need to learn to be weak in our knees before Him, bowing down in earnest prayer.
We are strengthened daily “in the Lord and in his mighty power” (Ephesians 6:10) when we daily fall on our knees in prayer.
We need God everyday, especially before the challenges, the problems and the troubles arise; which is why, we need to pray everyday before our troubles overwhelm and drag us into the currents of hopelessness and death.
We have always been taught that Jesus spend most of His time praying; if that be true, and He is the Son of God, how much more must we fall down on our knees in prayer to our Heavenly Father?
Let us be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power;
Let us come daily before the Lord on your knees in prayer.
In our lifetime of troubles; let us commit to a lifetime of prayer on our knees before the Lord our God; for that is how we are made strong in the Lord and in His Mighty Power.
Shalom.
Let us pray.
Our Father in Heaven,
Hallowed be Your Name.
Your Kingdom come, Your Will be done; on earth, as it is in heaven.
God Almighty, help our resolve to pray daily on our knees – that we may each truly be strong in You and in Your Mighty Power in our lifetime of troubles.
For we truly believe and know that in the infinite burdens of life, we can – and we must - call upon You, our God, who is infinite in strength; and be filled with the infinite Power of the Holy Spirit.
May You frame our every prayer with the Lord’s prayer; and most significantly, may we seek to fulfill Your Will in our lives; in Your divine revelation that our prayers made on our knees is the key to being strong in You and in Your Mighty Power.
We desire to be strong in the face of a lifetime of troubles; Lord, help us to be strong in our resolve to draw close to you through a lifetime of prayers on our knees.
We acknowledge that our prayer life is the most critical and significant aspect of our entire life.
We believe that prayer does not lead us to the solution to our lifetime of problems, but that prayer leads us to be still before You and know that You are God.
In our tiredness and weariness, help us – O Holy Spirit – to know that we are not giving up on the situation; but rather, we are giving in, and surrendering, to the loving, perfect and sovereign Will of God.
As we grow deeper in faith, hope and love in You, change us into the image of Your Son, Christ Jesus, our Lord and Saviour.
Teach us daily – to pray on our knees.
Convict us daily – to pray on our knees.
Indeed, Lord Jesus, You are our Shepherd – and for that, we lack nothing.
Through every circumstance of our lives, thank You for guiding us along the right paths for the sake of Your Glorious and Holy Name.
Holy Spirit, thank You for the revelation of God’s infinite power and for guiding us to Your Sovereign and Loving Will for our lives.
Thank You for convicting us of our sins, and leading us to repentance in Christ; and for the revelation of our brokenness, weakness and utter need of God in our lives.
Thank you for the knowledge that You are constantly at work in our lives regardless of our circumstances or state of our lives.
We know that in the infinite burdens of life, we require help from You, O Lord, who are infinite in strength; grant us the courage and resolve to daily fall on our knees in prayer to You – and so always be found strong in You, and in Your mighty power.
We thank You and pray all these – on our knees - in the Name of our King, Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.