40 DAYS OF PRAYER | Intro
From the beginning of time prayer has been the vital link between God and man. Adam and Eve initially enjoyed intimate, face-to-face fellowship, but after they disobeyed God, their fellowship with Him was broken. Still, human hearts longed for fellowship with their Creator. Adam and Eve’s son Seth established the precedent and priority of prayer for all those who believe in the One True God.
This pattern continued throughout the Old Testament among men and women of faith. Noah spoke with God and “did according to all that the Lord had commanded him” (Genesis 7:5). Abraham and Isaac were men of prayer (Genesis 20:17, 25:21), and Job was so thoroughly acquainted with God that even great personal loss did not cause him to doubt nor curse God (Job 2:10).
Hannah pleaded with God for a son, and prayed with heartfelt thanksgiving when He answered her prayer (1Samuel 1:11; 2:1-10). Nehemiah was driven to give up a significant career because of his prayer relationship with God (Nehemiah 2:5), and Esther and Daniel put their very lives on the line because of prayer (Esther 4:16; Daniel 6:10). We cannot read about the saints of old without being struck by their prayerful communion with God!
This same lifestyle of prayer continued in the life of Christ (Mark 1:35; John 17; Matthew 26:36-56), the apostles (Acts 1:14), Stephen (Acts 7:60), Peter (Acts 9:40, 1 Timothy 2:1-4), James (James 5:16), John (Revelation 1:10-11), and many others.
Martin Luther once said, “To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing.” For our church to remain healthy, alive, and vibrant for the Kingdom of God, prayer is non-negotiable. So for the next 40 days, let’s search our own hearts, rebuild trust in God’s Word, honor Christ’s lordship, resolve our differences, follow Kingdom leaders, re-establish Jesus’ priorities, and patiently await transformation.
Let's pray!
Sourced From State Convention of Baptists in Ohio | scbo.org