CONTINUING STEADFASTLY IN PRAYER
By Pastor Paulus Budiono
Lemah Putro, Sunday, June 9, 2019
Shalom,
This morning we are celebrating the Pentecost Day, and churches celebrate it on own their ways in their services. For us, last week we, as wives, husbands, fathers, children, servants and masters have been rebuked by the word of God that is written by the inspiration from the Holy Spirit. The word of God reprimands us so that all of us will do the Lord’s commands according to our position in households or jobs. Furthermore, what exactly does the Lord want us to do? Written in Colossians 4:2-4, “Continue earnestly (continue on/pass along avidly) in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving; meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains that I may make it manifest as I ought to speak.”
As Christians we must have prayer routine like morning prayer to ask for the protection and strength from the Lord, before having meal and before sleeping to thank Him for His guidance throughout the day. However, The Lord wants us to upgrade our prayers and do them steadfastly.
In reality, mostly members of prayer teams/prayer warriors/prayer groups in church are women and the men are making excuses by saying that they don’t have any time for this kind of meeting because they are busy working. While actually, praying is a personal matter. Nobody can hitchhike on somebody else’s prayer.
The Apostle Paul reminded the Colossians (and us as well) to be steadfast in prayer and he also asked to be prayed for so that the Gospel about the mystery of Christ can be brought to all nations. Here, it is clear that the purpose of praying is not for one own sake, but for the Gospel to be spread out to the end of the earth just as what Jesus longs for that He said it right before He ascended to heaven (Acts 1:8).
All of us, men and women, young and old, small and big, rich and poor and many others are required to be steadfast in prayer not only in times of trouble but also in times of joy. For if not so, when our problems end and our prayers have been answered (cf. Matthew 7:7), we will not pray steadfastly anymore.
What kind of steadfast prayer did the Apostle Paul mean? The continuous prayer focusing on one vison and mission not the one focused on various life aspects. Don’t missuse the promise of the Lord for our own sake that isn’t related to salvation.
Steadfast is "proskartereo": adhere to = stick on; to be constantly diligent. Often, we have experiences being free from all struggles of life because God answers our constant prayers.
The Bible records some events in which prayers are done steadfastly, namely:
- After the ascension of Jesus, the Apostles went back to Jerusalem from Mount Olives. They, with some women and Mary, Jesus’ mom, and His brothers, went up to a room to steadfastly pray together (Acts 1:12-14). They had not yet been filled with the Holy Spirit at that time, but they knew to steadfastly pray and be united in their hearts as they remembered the Word of God that they had specially received not to depart from Jerusalem (cf. Acts 1:4). They prayed steadfastly as they remembered the promise from Jesus who would anoint them with power to be His witnesses (through the Gospel sharing) if they had been filled with the Holy Spirit (v. 8).
The Apostle Paul requested the congregation of Colosse (a Gentile) to pray steadfastly for him so that he could continue the work to spread the Gospel that caused imprisonment for him.
Introspection: What does a pastor usually share in the pulpit? Is the focus on the news of Jesus’ cross though facing risks of being captured and imprisoned? Remember, we receive the Holy Spirit with a purpose to become witnesses of Christ. Beware of the false doctrine that says the Holy Spirit is not a very person but merely a kind of active invisible power like the wind.
Actually, if we truly long for and earnestly ask for the Holy Spirit, it won’t be hard to receive Him. If the evil father (earthly father) will not give rock to his child when he asks for bread, nor serpent when he asks for fish, then, surely the heavenly Father will do much more (Matthew 7:9-11). Then, there is no way He will not give the Holy Spirit to His children who have asked for it.
The problem is, do we ask for the Holy Spirit in our prayer? Do we feel sufficient when we have received the Holy Spirit without a need to be filled every time? Please pay attention, the Heavenly Father gives the best for His children, that is the Holy Spirit who cheers and helps us. If the Holy Spirit is in us, we gain all things as He talks about that great Christ.
Besides giving the Holy Spirit, the Heavenly Father also gives the best, namely His only begotten Son to bear all of our curses and sins on the cross.
Sadly, we often do not feel convinced that the Holy Spirit is part of the Triune God and perceive Him as a wedge/side person while He is actually a Very Person who can get angry, feel sad, grieve and so on. For example: Ananias and Sapphira lied to the Holy Spirit and the consequence is that they are punished with death (Acts 5:1-10).
- Ten days after the ascension of Jesus to heaven, the Apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit. Then, the Apostle Peter bravely preached about Jesus from Nazareth who died on the cross and raised by God to become Lord and Christ. People who received his sermon were baptized and that day about three thousand souls were added. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. They became steadfast and in one heart gathered every day in the Temple (Acts 2:41-42, 46-47). It is very clear that the Holy Spirit compelled them to keep steadfast in prayer, in the apostles’ doctrine, in fellowship and in the Lord’s communion.
Application: In every chance when we gather in a service, we should ask the Holy Spirit to burn our heart so that the Lord will send souls and we are able to speak about God’s great work, not about others especially gossips. Thus, unity will happen instead of division. The Apostle Paul reminded that the Corinthians’ fellowship resulted in a division because they did the Holy Communion wrongly (1 Corinthians 11:17-20) → related to the Body of Christ.
- The Apostle Paul rebuked the congregation in Rome (and us too) to live in love. They (and also we) must love one another without hypocrisy, diligently serve the Lord, rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation and continue steadfastly in prayer (Romans 12:9-21).
Actually, to continue steadfastly in prayer must not be put in practice only in the Pentecost day to ask for the infilling of the Holy Spirit. There are some churches that do ten days’ praying together. It’s sad if this only happens as a liturgy and based on human’s rule. These kinds of motives could cause division because one might feel more spiritual than the others.
Before admonishing the congregation in Rome (and us as well) to live in love and be steadfast in prayer, the Apostle Paul also reminded that the reasonable service is to present our bodies as a living sacrifice starting with a renewal of our mind not to be conformed to this world to be able to understand God’s will (Romans 12:1-2).
- The Apostle Paul asked the congregation in Colosse (and also us) as parts of the Body of Christ to continue steadfastly in prayer and be vigilant and pray for him so that the Gospel can be spread further (Colossians 4:2-4).
The epistle of Colossians depicts the Altar of Incense. Like the incense that was burned day and night, the prayer of the ministers also kept running like what the Apostle John saw about the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders falling down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints (Revelation 5:8). They serve Him day and night in His temple (Revelation 7:15).
Application: Prayer is not limited with time. It’s like breath in our lives and so are our service and ministry to Him. A prayer bound by the rule of man tends to be a mere ritual.
Talking about the distance, Jerusalem to Rome is ± 2200 km, and Jerusalem to Colosse is ± 800 km. In the past, it wasn’t easy for the writers (like Luke, the Apostle Peter, the Apostle Paul and the others) to write a letter or news for the congregations, especially in the time when the Apostle Paul was imprisoned. He had to ask people to deliver his letters to the Romans, Ephesians, Colossians and else. Again it’s clear that the spreading of the Word of God is not only a copy-paste message but marked with ‘blood’.
Introspection: The Apostle Paul suffered physically but his heart kept burning for the sake of sharing the Gospel. Then, how about us? Have we steadfastly testified about the Gospel of salvation to people around us (such as our husbands, wives, children, siblings, etc.)?
What is the task of the Holy Spirit in us?
- The love of God is poured in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us when we were still sinners (Romans 5:5-8). In other words, God’s love (the agape love) is not only love but also marked with a sacrifice (cross) which is in contrast to human’s love that grows colder (Matthew 24:12), and so was the first love of the Ephesians to the Lord (Revelation 2:4).
- The Holy Spirit fills us and moves us to be sent and testify about Jesus who was crucified. One day, in a prayer and fasting service, the Holy Spirit talked, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them” (Acts 13:2-3).”
Introspection: Are we sensitive enough to hear what the Holy Spirit says to us that would move us to testify about Jesus and His great works? When the Apostle Paul was filled with the Holy Spirit, he kept talking that Jesus is the Son of God and a Messiah (Acts 9:20,22).
- The Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness to pray (Romans 8:26-27).
We must admit that we are full of weaknesses and we need the Holy Spirit to be able to pray to God because He investigates our conscience. We must also understand what the Holy Spirit wants and knows His will. Don’t forget, the Holy Spirit also moves us to look forward to His second coming (v. 23).
The Lord wants us to continue steadfastly in prayer so that we will become the intercessors, spread the Gospel, understand His will and wait for His coming that is getting closer. Let’s do this steadfastly and continuously until He comes and takes us to stay with Him forever in the New Jerusalem. Amen.
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