“Jesus replied, ‘This kind can come out only by prayer'” (Mark 9:29).

Kingdom ministry can only be done by kingdom power. Kingdom success won’t be the result of our efforts and strength.

Having said that, Kingdom ministry and success will not happen apart from the church and her saints.

How does this work?

Kingdom ministry and success is all about God. It’s his ministry. It’s his success. One of the keys to participating in God’s kingdom ministry is prayer. You cannot serve God and his kingdom without prayer.

Samuel Chadwick wrote, “The one concern of the devil is to keep Christians from praying. He fears nothing from prayer less studies, prayer less ministry, prayer-less religion. He laughs at our toil, mocks our wisdom, but trembles when we pray.”

The devil trembles when Christians pray because that’s when Christians take a back seat to the ownership and the authority of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit guides and directs. It’s not the leadership of men and women. It’s the leadership of the Holy Spirit. That’s a game changer.

Friends, are you praying for God’s ministry at the Little Church and Lakewoodgrace? If you won’t pray for the Little Church and Lakewoodgrace who on earth is?

Pray for God’s leadership. Pray that our pastors, session, board of deacons and members are submitted to the leading of the Holy Spirit.

John Bunyan wrote, “You can do more than pray after you have prayed. But you cannot do more than pray until you have prayed.”

“No weapon fashioned against you will prevail” (Isaiah 54:17).

This is a true statement. But, probably not in the way you are thinking.

This is a true statement because this has already happened. This is a true statement because this is already the reality.

When we read this statement, we hope that this is a true statement because we want our future to be successful, pain-free, trouble-free, suffering-free. We want our future to be filled with health and wealth.

But, that’s not what this verse promises. That’s not what the Bible promises.

This statement is true because of all that Jesus has already done for us on the cross. You see, the worst that could ever happen to us is not disease, failure, bankruptcy, or even death. The worst that could happen to us is eternal separation from God and his love.

But, because of what Jesus did for us on the cross, that can’t ever happen. Our status has already changed. We are no longer sinners. We are no longer separated from God and his love. We are already God’s sons and daughters. “Nothing can separate us from the love of God” (Romans 8:38).

Because this is already the reality for those who have received Jesus as Lord and Savior, nothing that happens today or in the days to come can change the truth of this statement.

God has already purchased the victory for us in his Son Jesus Christ. There is nothing the devil can do to separate us from this reality.

“No weapon fashioned against you will ever prevail.”

That is fantastic news. Thank God!

“Lord, teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1).

There’s not a single record of the disciples asking Jesus to teach them how to grow the church, to do amazing miracles, to heal people, to evangelize.

What the disciples do ask Jesus is to teach them to pray.

There was a way in which Jesus communicated with God that compelled the disciples to ask Jesus to help them communicate with God in the same way.

The first thing about prayer is that prayer recognizes that God is God, and that the world as it is, is not what God intends. Prayer recognizes two things. First, that God is the only one with power to change the world. We cannot do it in our own power. Secondly, prayer recognizes that the world is not yet what God desires for it to be.

When Christians pray, it is not because we believe in the power of prayer. We believe in the power of God to make this world as it is in heaven. It is because we believe in God that we pray.

Finally, when Christians pray, the act of prayer confesses that God is at work to transform the world, and prayer and the one who is praying confesses the desire to be a part of God’s solution to the problems of our world. You cannot pray that God bless, love, forgive, and change the world without also praying your willingness to be a part of God’s answer to that prayer.

How is your prayer life coming along? Are you intentional about praying? Are you regularly investing your time in praying for God’s transforming work in our world through our church?

God is at work. Join God in his work. Be intentional about praying.

Love what John Bunyan said about prayer: “You can do more than pray after you have prayed. But you cannot do more than pray until you have prayed.”