THE PREACHER MUST ALSO BE A MAN OF PRAYER: Holiness Revival Movement Worldwide.

EVERY WORD OF GOD FOR DAILY LIVING

BY PASTOR PAUL RIKA
(Int. Director Holiness Revival Movement Worldwide)

DATE:
SUNDAY, APRIL 26, 2020
 
TEXT:
Psalm 122: 6-9

Key verse:
“But we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word” (Acts 6:4).

The apostles said, “We will pray for you, we will teach you prayer and ministry because if we do not pray our ministry will not have effect.” Samuel said, “I will pray for you and I will teach you also.” There are people very good at teaching or preaching, but they do not pray. 

When you take them to prayer, it is like you have removed a fish from water to the dry land. Satan has weakened their ministry by prayerlessness. Since prayer is absent, they cannot attain to holiness and righteousness. They cannot subdue the strange thoughts that come to their mind, the temptations that come, the sight that they see in the audience that is fighting back at them. 

They are unable to because they have not generated overcoming grace and power through effectual fervent prayer in ministry. Somebody was talking about a prominent evangelist that I know, a great evangelist in his time but now backslidden. He said, “If this man had known how to pray, he would have done a great work in this life; but he wasn't the praying type.” 

Yet when he went to crusades, signs and wonders would manifest: the blind would see, the lame would rise and walk. Anointing is not holiness! There is a difference between anointing and holiness. Even in sin, Samson was still performing. Things were happening, but when it comes to prayer he is not there. He was not able to pray, and you begin to wonder! 

You are not to follow this example. Give yourself to prayer and to the ministry of the word. Learn to know that we who preach need a lot of prayers. We who lead need a lot of prayers. Paul wrote to the Colossians, “I am praying for you.” He wrote to the Thessalonians, “I am praying for you;” he wrote to the Romans, “I am praying for you;” he wrote to the Corinthians, “I am praying for you;” he wrote to the Philippians, “I am praying for you.”

Paul's preaching and letters to them was accompanied with prayers. A prayerless life is a powerless life.


Thought for the day:
Give yourself to prayer and to the ministry of the word

Song for the day:
Read your Bible, pray every day

Bible reading for the day:
2 Samuel 15-16; Luke 20:27-47