1 Timothy 2:1-5 (NKJV) Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men,for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour,who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.
There are many different kinds of prayers mentioned in the Bible. There is the prayer of agreement between believers, the prayer of faith, the prayer of consecration, the prayer of praise, and the prayer of petition. There is also the prayer of intercession, which we, as believers, make on behalf of and for other people. We should not just pray for our own needs without also interceding for the rest of society. Christians ought to pray for the church, not only for the ones they attend but also for others in their local area and around the world. Supplications should also be made for the government and the rulers of the country. We should pray for God to give officials wisdom, prudence, and godly discretion to govern the nation in the right way, ensuring peace, order, and morality in society. Schools also benefit from our prayers. We can pray for students to be hardworking and diligent and that academic institutions instil Christlike values and attitudes within the younger generations. Finally, we can pray for the neighbourhood as a whole, petitioning God to bless the temporal and, more importantly, spiritual state of the entire community. If we want to see changes in our country, home, school, and any other situation, prayer should be our first resort.
James 5:16b (NKJV) The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
We are dealing with a fallen and broken world whose ruler is the god of this age. The devil and his cohorts influence the world at different levels of society. It is a spiritual warfare where prayer is our most powerful weapon. Praise God that we have the victory in Jesus Christ because He has disarmed principalities through His work of redemption. We can enforce His victory through prayer and the authority given to the church. However, the church needs to pray, take authority in the name of Jesus, and push back the forces of darkness. Let us therefore take all our petitions to God in prayer, especially for the needs of others.
Sermon Series: Do not lose heart, but always pray until something happens
总要为他人祷告
提摩太前书 2:1-5 我劝你,第一要为万人恳求、祷告、代求、祝谢; 为君王和一切在位的, 也该如此 ,使我们可以敬虔、端正、平安无事地度日。 这是好的,在 神我们救主面前可蒙悦纳。 他愿意万人得救,明白真道。 因为只有一位 神,在 神和人中间,只有一位中保,乃是 降世 为人的基督耶稣
圣经中提到了多种不同的祷告方式。有信徒之间的同心祷告、信心的祷告、奉献的祷告、赞美的祷告、祈求的祷告。此外,还有代祷——作为信徒,我们代表他人、为他人祈求。我们不应只为自己的需求祷告,而忽略了为整个社会代求。基督徒应当为教会祷告,不仅为自己所参与的教会,也要为本地和全球的其他教会祈祷。同时,我们要为政府和国家的执政者献上祈求,求神赐给官员智慧、谨慎和敬虔的判断力,以正确方式治理国家,确保社会的和平、秩序和道德。学校也能从我们的代祷中受益。我们可以祈祷学生勤奋努力,学术机构向年轻一代灌输基督般的价值观和态度。最后,我们可以为整个社区祈祷,请求上帝保守整个社区的和谐和稳定,更重要的是,保守整个社区的属灵状态。如果我们希望看到我们的国家、家庭、学校和任何其他情况发生变化,祷告应该是我们最先需要做的。
雅各书5:16 义人祈祷所发的力量是大有功效的。
我们正面对一个堕落破碎的世界,其统治者是这个时代的“神”。魔鬼及其同伙在社会的不同层面施加影响。这是一场属灵的争战,而祷告是我们最有力的武器。感谢神,我们在耶稣基督里已经得胜,因为祂藉着救赎的工作解除了黑暗势力的武装。我们可以通过祷告和赋予教会的权柄来确认祂的得胜。然而,教会需要祷告,奉耶稣的名行使权柄,驱退黑暗的势力。因此,让我们带着所有的祈求来到神面前,特别为他人的需要代祷。
讲章系列:不要灰心,总要祷告,直到发生改变
Image Source:pixabay.com