THE PLACE OF PRAYER IN SHARING THE WORD OF GOD
13 AND ON THE SABBATH DAY WE WENT OUT OF THE CITY TO THE RIVERSIDE, where prayer was customarily made; and we sat down and spoke to the women who met there.
14 NOW A CERTAIN WOMAN NAMED LYDIA HEARD US. She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshipped God. THE LORD OPENED HER HEART TO HEED THE THINGS SPOKEN BY PAUL.”
Acts 16:13,14 (NKJV)
Everyone who preaches or teaches the Word of God should always pray before they share the Word; that God should open the heart of those who will hear or read the word of God to heed it.
The Bible says if the gospel we preach, the Word of God we share, is not heeded; it means the god of this world, the devil, has blinded the minds of those who do not believe—those who do not heed the Word:
3 BUT EVEN IF OUR GOSPEL IS VEILED, IT IS VEILED TO THOSE WHO ARE PERISHING, 4 WHOSE MINDS THE god OF THIS AGE HAS BLINDED, WHO DO NOT BELIEVE, LEST THE LIGHT OF THE GOSPEL OF THE GLORY OF CHRIST, WHO IS THE IMAGE OF GOD, SHOULD SHINE ON THEM" (2 Corinthians 4:3,4 NKJV).
The devil would not want the people under his bondage to heed the word of God, lest they become free (John 8:32).
For a preacher or teacher of God’s Word, or someone who witnesses Christ, not to labour or toil without any result; such should learn to wait on God in prayer—soak the message, the Word, they wanted to share in prayer that God would open the heart of those who hear the Word (Acts 16:14).
Preaching, teaching, or witnessing the Word of God cannot be done with the arm of flesh; it has to be with prayer: “FOR BY STRENGTH NO MAN SHALL PREVAIL" (1 Samuel 2:9 NKJV).
READ: 2 Chronicles 32:8
The place of prayer in sharing the Word of God is significant. The veil that the devil has used to blind the minds of the people can be removed through prayer (2 Corinthians 4:3,4). Thus, prayer should be an integral or essential part of evangelism, preaching and teaching of God’s Word.
Even if you knew what to preach, that is, you have studied and prepared yourself on what to share; you still need God’s help for the heart of those who hear you to be opened. It was God Who opened the heart of Lydia in Thyatira to heed what was preached by Paul before she responded to the Word of God: "NOW A CERTAIN WOMAN NAMED LYDIA HEARD US. She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God. THE LORD OPENED HER HEART TO HEED THE THINGS SPOKEN BY PAUL" (Acts 16:14 NKJV).
It is all right to be diligent in studying, and be prepared through the word of God, but the place of prayer for the successful delivery of the message and for people's hearts to be opened to receive it should not be relegated or underestimated.
“BE DILIGENT TO PRESENT YOURSELF APPROVED TO GOD, A WORKER WHO DOES NOT NEED TO BE ASHAMED, RIGHTLY DIVIDING THE WORD OF TRUTH" (2 Timothy 2:15 NKJV).
Note:
God did open the heart of Lydia to heed the Word spoken by Paul, because Paul had done his own part in prayer before God in the closet, before he went out to preach to the people (Acts 16:13,14).
It is good to prepare as in studying of the Word, know and have the understanding of whatever you wanted to share; however, you still need God’s help all the same, for the hearts of the people to be opened. This is where prayer comes in, that is, where prayer is needed.
Apostle Paul said he was like going through labour pains for the Galatians in prayer: “OH, MY DEAR CHILDREN! I FEEL AS IF I’M GOING THROUGH LABOUR PAINS FOR YOU AGAIN, AND THEY WILL CONTINUE UNTIL CHRIST IS FULLY DEVELOPED IN YOUR LIVES" (Galatians 4:19 NLT).
For the hearts of the people to be opened to the Word that would be preached or shared, you need to travail in prayer.
The success you have in your preaching and teaching would by and large be determined by your prayer in the closet. In other words, how responsive the people are to your preaching and teaching is determined in your private time of place of prayer in the closet.
You should endeavour not to lean on your own understanding, acknowledge God by going to Him in prayer, asking for His help to back you up in the assignment committed to your hand:
5 TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR HEART AND LEAN NOT ON YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING; 6 IN ALL YOUR WAYS ACKNOWLEDGE HIM, AND HE SHALL DIRECT YOUR PATHS" (Proverbs 3:5,6 NKJV).
The way to acknowledge God in whatever you wanted to do is through prayer:
• When you tell God that you needed His help to do and succeed in the assignment or whatever you wanted to do.
• When you pray it shows you are not leaning on your own understanding, that is, you are not leaning on your ability to prepare a good message.
It is when this is done that you would have a good result in what you do.
If you give yourself to prayer and the Word before you go out to minister, preach, to people; God will show up to prove Himself—back up His Word that you preach (Acts 6:4).
Peter said: “BUT WE WILL GIVE OURSELVES CONTINUALLY TO PRAYER AND THE MINISTRY OF THE WORD" (Acts 6:4 NKJV).
This statement of Peter is the primary assignment of every minister of God!
You will not fail in Jesus’ name.
Peace!