In Spiritual Warfare, by Prayer and Supplication
(Message delivered by Pastor at the True Life Church 10.30 am Service, Sep 4, 05)
Text: Eph. 6:10-18
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.
Paul teaches us in Eph. 6:18 that in Spiritual Warfare we should be praying always with all prayer and supplication (earnest prayer) in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints. The opposite however is true of us in that we do not pray. The Hymn, “Ere you left your room this morning, Did you think to pray? In the name of Christ our Saviour, Did you ask for loving favour, As a shield today?” admits we are a prayerless people, including the pastor. May God help us to become a praying people.
I can remember how when bombs were raining down on us during the Japanese war we all cried to the Lord for mercy. Now with peace reigning supreme there is no need, so we do not pray. Neither do we teach our children to pray before they go to bed at night and rise for the day and to give thanks for our three meals. Even we are ashamed to pray eating out at a restaurant.
We even have our own built-up reason relying on Calvin that since God knows in advance all that happens He will take care of everything. So why pray? But Paul whose theological teaching is Calvinistic rejects our erroneous thinking when he says we should be praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.
I admitted we are a prayerless people including myself. I began to repent when I realised how Paul rejects our wrong ideas about Calvin. Whether God will take care of my needs or not, it is my duty to cry out to Him. Jesus says, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you” (Lk.11:9).
The more I cry out to Him the more He blesses me. The more He blesses me the more I cry out to Him. Does not Paul in I Thessalonians 5:17 teach us “Pray without ceasing.” Now I make it a habit to pray whenever I’m in troubles such as misplacing a book. By prayer I recover the book.
From a life of prayerlessness now to a prayerful life! Not only a prayerful life but as an elder of the Church I am empowered to pray for the sick that they may be healed. James 5:14-16 says, “Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: 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. 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.” So to lead in prayer it must be by a righteous man, a man respected by the Church.
Yes, from a prayerless life to a prayerful life to becoming an elder of the Church and be empowered to pray for the sick that they be healed.
By way of testimony as pastor of Life B-P Church I was called to pray for the healing of an infant boy from leukemia. I even baptised the child at the request of the parents, one a Roman Catholic and the wife a Muslim (she was a Malay), in their desperation. They promised to become Christians. After my prayer the boy recovered from leukemia the next two days according to the surprised doctors of Singapore General Hospital. Finally the whole family of 7 more children with the Catholic father and Muslim mother were baptised. They continue to go to church to this day, especially the leukemia boy, now grown up.
A second case was a Life Church deacon’s wife who was healed instantly with the applying of olive oil when I the pastor was accompanied by Rev John Grauley, missionary from America to FEBC. The deacon’s wife came to Life Church that very week to testify how she recovered even with a rosy cheek the moment she felt healed. This was witnessed by the American missionary, Rev John Grauley, including his wife. Glory to God in the highest. Amen.
Let us repeat Paul’s teaching according to Eph. 6:18, “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.”
Let us learn to live a prayerful life and not remain in our playful life. Let us learn to live a prayerful life before our children and grandchildren that thereby they will come to Christ. Amen.
THE GOSPEL OF LIFE:Chapter XV
John 15:11-14
Jesus gives not only Peace But Joy
In Jn. 14:27 Jesus bequeaths to His Church peace, shalom in Hebrew and Ping An in Chinese. The meaning of joy from God is well expounded by J. C. Ryle as follows:
The joy thought of is that which Christ Himself possessed in the consciousness of His love towards the Father and of the Father’s love towards Him. The brightness of that joy lit up the darkest hours of His own human life, and He wills that it should light up theirs. In the consciousness of their love to God and of God’s love to them, there would be in them, a part of their true life, joy which no sorrow could overcome. They were as men with troubled hearts. He has told them of the true source of peace. His own peace He has given them. He tells them now of the source of joy, and has spoken the word that they may possess the very joy which was the light of His own heart.
The state of which He has spoken to them – the loving and being loved of God – is the ideal perfection in life. It supplies satisfaction for all the deepest desires of our being. The capacities of the whole man are filled in it, and the result is fulness of joy. They have learnt little of the true spirit of Christianity whose religion does not impart to them a joy which sheds its light over the whole of their lives.
As I have observed, the Christian joy, derived from God’s love, is seen to glow above many a troubled Christian forehead. And that joy brings also confidence, so a Christian “with Christ in the vessel can smile at the storm.” This is the Protestant faith, not the Roman Catholic religion!
John 15:14-17
By Higher Appointment
Hitherto, the lowliness of discipleship has been stressed, the prerequisites of obedience and submission. “The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his Lord” (Matt 10:24). And John 15:20, “Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his Lord.” These virtues of humble service having been learnt during the last three-and-a-half years, the Eleven (Judas the traitor is gone) are now elevated to friends. “Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his Lord doeth: but I have called you friends” (Jn. 15:15). The way to the top in God’s service is to start from the lowest rung of the ladder, one step at a time, one step at time! Calvin says the first, second and third rule in learning the things of God are humility, humility and humility.
What an honour to be promoted friends of the Lord. Wasn’t that the high title given Abraham, the friend of God? (Jas. 2:23; II Chron. 2:7; Isa. 41:8). A servant receives only orders from the Master. A friend is in mutual consultation! But let’s not forget the rules of loyalty and fidelity and of loving submission that govern friendship (v. 12-14).
From the honour of friendship conferred on the disciples our Lord leads them further to their higher appointment, “Ye have not chosen me but I have chosen you, and ordained you . . .” (v. 16). This brings us to the doctrine of election.
When He says that they had not chosen Him, it means they had no credit or merit to qualify as disciples or friends. It was by God’s sheer pleasure and purpose and for His own glory that He had chosen the Eleven to be apostles. This was a higher election above their initial election to salvation. The apostles were specially chosen out of the saved ones, entirely by God’s special grace. In so revealing to the disciples their higher appointment, Christ’s design is to stir up the disciples to do their duty actively (Calvin). This also gives them an undergirding strength for service, as they realise that it is God who works in them “to will and to do of his good pleasure” (Phil 2:13).
Are you called to be a servant, a minister of the Lord Jesus Christ? In fulltime service? Have there been moments of doubt and discouragement to your soul when the work takes you uphill, along a crooked path? The Way of the Cross! Remember you are chosen specially of God to the task He has called you. Therefore you cannot fail, and must not fail, because Christ is the main spring of your work. Let that inferiority complex be dispelled by His Higher Appointment.
