Acts 1:10-14
They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. "Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? ...They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.
After I graduated from seminary and began to serve in the church fifteen years ago, I felt pretty lost at first and didn't even know where to begin. One time, I read this passage and suddenly realized that the disciples back then had the same feeling as I had. When Jesus was about to ascend to heaven and entrusted them with the Great Commission, they weren't too excited, but instead they were just "looking intensely up into the sky." Why were they looking up? Because they were lost; when Jesus was around, He could protect them from anything, but when Jesus was gone they didn't know what to do next. Also, Jesus gave them a big assignment - Go and make disciples of all nations - that made them feel even more lost. And then, angels came to remind them not to just stand there and stare at the sky, and angels reminded them that the Lord will surely return. The Lord was not only talking about His second coming, but rather the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples. Therefore, the angels also reminded them to pray and receive the Holy Spirit, and in verse 14 they were "joint together constantly in prayer."
As I began to serve in the church, the Spirit of the Lord reminded me through this passage that although I didn't know where to begin, I can always begin with prayer. Therefore, I started to promote praying in the church, and we also recorded what we prayed things. I later discovered that 94% of our prayers were answered by God, and for the rest God also told us why they weren't answered. At that time, I truly understood that what I've heard before is true: More prayer more power, less prayer less power, and no prayer no power. Before, I thought it's just a nice spiritual rhetoric, but after I experienced the power of prayer I truly believed the effectiveness of prayer. Through prayer we can take on the Lord's assignment and receive power of the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit will lead us into ministry by the spirit, not just by our own might.
Pray with Pastor Tong
Dear Lord, I thank you, and I ask that you give us the authority to pray. Uplift our spirit today and place the fire for prayer inside us. Make us a man or woman of prayer in our daily life so that we may experience your abundance and power. I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!
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