Bathed in prayer or Following on the Way with Prayerful Intimacy?

Three hour Sunday Discipleship session on
the Chronological Teaching of Jesus
 throughout the Old Testament 

"With every prayer and petition, pray at all times in the Spirit, and to this end be alert, with all perseverance and requests for all the saints. Pray for me also, that I may be given the message when I begin to speak – that I may confidently make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may be able to speak boldly as I ought to speak."

Eph 6:18-20 talks about prayer in a way I have never experienced or thought of before our time in the unreached Chisopi area in Malawi. The Yao people live caught in dark strongholds of Animistism and Muslim influence. We were sent as ambassadors to proclaim Jesus as King, and we saw evil strike back, making war, and God victoriously bringing His Name to the lips of the people. But neither our witnessing to this happening or them proclaiming His Name were able to happen without prayer.

Two weeks ago asking me about prayer and its importance against attacks from evil during the proclamation of His Kingdom, I would have answered in a way that sounds something like the Lord's prayer - to trust that by asking for deliverance would be sufficient. Obviously enough, just as the rest of the Lord's prayer provides a guideline for our relational conversation with God, He also includes this topic as one of importance. And not merely importance to be mentioned in a prayer ritual like those practised by Muslims, but a topic of conversation with God in proclaiming His glorious victory over darkness.

God moving in these places and in such darkness does not depend on our prayers. God does not depend on us, His mission does not depend on us, His love does not depend on us. Our awareness and intimacy with God as He advances on His mission to have creation glorify His Name does depend on our relationship with God. Believing in Jesus as the all-sufficient Saviour, and proclaiming Him as the King above all Kings is not enough for intimate relationship if it doesn't change your conversations with Him.

I would like to suggest that rather in bathing your life in prayer, to walk in intimate prayerful relationship with God and be aware and busy with what He is busy with.