The prayers in the New Testament have to do with a heavenly state of mind in a heavenly people while on this earth. We are continually reminded that we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers and the rulers of this world’s darkness.
The first thing to remember is to watch at the right place, the place where God has put us. Watch, that is, for God’s answer to our prayers, and not only watch, but wait. When God calls upon us to pray, when He gives the vision, when He gives an understanding of what He is going to do through us in our Sunday school class, in our church or home— watch.
How many of us have had to learn by God’s reproof, by God’s chastisement, the blunder of conferring with flesh and blood. Are you discouraged where you are? Then get on this tower with God and watch and wait. The meaning of waiting in both the Old and New Testament is “standing under,” actively enduring. It is not standing with folded arms doing nothing. It is not saying, “In God’s good time it will come to pass.” By that we often mean, “In my abominably lazy time I let God work.” Waiting means standing under, in active strength, enduring till the answer comes. We must never make the blunder of trying to forecast the way God is going to answer our prayer.
Chambers, Oswald. If You Will Ask: Reflections on the Power of Prayer (Kindle Location 444- 454). Discovery House. Kindle Edition.
I love this line from Oswald Chambers: “We must never make the blunder of trying to forecast the way God is going to answer our prayer.”
For those who lead forecasting is a danger. We are seduced by the talk of being visionaries. Our educators cry out, “Money follows vision. People follow vision. Without vision the people perish.” So quickly our leadership becomes not example, but telling — telling people what God is going to do. In fact before you know it, we are telling God what to do as well. That’s visionary idolatry.
Yes. Vision matters. Articulating a vision that truly corresponds with the kingdom of God is a humiliating experience. But of greater humiliation is waiting on God to move hearts.
Wait. What? Yes. Its of greater humiliation to wait on God to move hearts for that’s what the vision of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ requires: a vision of people touched and transformed by Jesus Christ. There’s so much here that I am not in charge of —I am not in charge of their heart. Church leaders we must be humble. To seek to dominate is contrary to ways of Jesus.
Yet, I believe we can lead with humble confidence. We can plant seeds of the Gospel. We can persuade and respect autonomy. We can create nurturing environments with a culture of grace.
And so we pray and we contend.
And so we watch and we contend.
And so we wait.
Its humiliating and necessary.
Colossians 1:24-29 (NIV)
24Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church. 25I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness— 26the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people. 27To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
28He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ. 29To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me.