(For the audio version of this blog post, click here )
Have you ever wondered how it is that you can place a pill in your mouth, swallow it, and your aching back stops aching? Or you place a pill in your mouth, swallow it, and you get relief from your itching eyes and runny nose. You can even place a pill in your mouth, swallow it, and return to work freed from your upper respiratory tract infection. How do these pills all enter this one area of our body but have effects on many different parts?
Well, turns out the chemicals in the medications we take are formulated in such a way that they respond to specific conditions in our bodies. The pain pill, for example, responds to the presence of inflammation or activated pain receptors. The allergy pill responds to the release of those annoying substances that cause our eyes to water and make us sneeze. And each class of antibiotics responds to a specific type of bacteria.
All we have to do is place the pill in our mouths, swallow, and it “knows” where to act and how.
Then come the relief and comfort we desire.
In Ephesians 6:18 Paul encouraged this congregation to “. . . pray in the Spirit on all occasions . . .”
How can prayer be the one thing that falls on the ears of God and has an effect on “all [the different] occasions” in our lives?
Well, turns out prayer is the means by which we commune with, serve, and obey God. Just as we swallow pills and trust that by some unknown mechanism they will work, we can lift up prayers in Jesus’ name and trust that it will work. Our Triune God willed himself to exist in such a way that He can do all things given the multi-faceted design his character. Yes, prayer is “that one thing” formulated to generate a response specifically tailored to impact any and all occasions in our lives. God has all sorts of means to respond. For example, He responds as Jehovah Rapha when healing is needed (Exodus 15:26). He responds as Jehovah Jireh when provision is needed (Genesis 22:14). He responds as Jehovah Nissi when we need a Banner—a source of direction, a rallying place (Exodus 17).
All we need to do is pray.
He knows where to act and how.
Then come the relief and comfort we desire.
Pray. A powerful prescription. Take as prescribed by the doctor. Jesus.
And he said unto me, O Daniel, a man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak unto thee, and stand upright: for unto thee am I now sent. And when he had spoken this word unto me, I stood trembling.
Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words. Daniel 10:11-12
Our prayers are heard and God sends forth His angels to respond immediately. Sometimes in the realm of time and because of all the spiritual warfare around us, it may feel to us that the prayers are delayed. But we can be certain, they are being heard and answered immediately! It may take time for the preparation of everything else; but, the answer is already on the way.
WOW! Sometimes we forget the power of prayer but it activates so much in our lives through the power of God. The Holy Spirit is moving throughout the earth accomplishing His will through us and we need only pray and have faith to activate that power to heal the sick, raise the dead, comfort the broken-hearted, end poverty and homelessness, etc. Prayer works and this was an awesome reminder of that! Thank you for sharing this with us!