Wednesday, 19th May, 2021
By Pastor Chris Oyakhilome
"Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God" (Colossians 4:12 KJV)
Some Christians are committed to interceding for others; they just know it’s their job to do so. We all should be that way, because God needs such people. It’s possible the reason you’re able to study the Word today like you’re doing right now is the dedication of such people. It could be the reason you’re growing in the things of God and standing in the faith today.
You may not know it, but many are Christians today because of someone else who laboured in intercession, praying fervently, for their lives. The Bible says woe to that man who is alone; when he falls, he has no one to lift him up (Ecclesiastes 4:10). It’s important we support and lift others through prayer.
This doesn’t mean you become “a prayer collector,” enlisting “prayer warriors”; the local Church takes care of that. It’s the Pastor’s responsibility to train the Church to pray for one another.
Those who were around the Apostle Paul, one of whom is Epaphras, understood this message. As read in our theme verse, Epaphras interceded for the Church, God’s people in Colossi, to come to maturity. How inspiring!
When you take up the ministry of intercession, you’re siding with God as a labourer in the Kingdom. You’re working with Him to improve and impact the lives of others. Hallelujah! Jesus said, “The harvest is plenty, but the labourers are few” (Matthew 9:37). He needs those who would labour in prayer like Epaphras for the souls of men. Be that man or woman that He’s found to stand in the gap, to pray for people to come to Christ, to pray for fellow Christians who are yet to come to maturity in the things of God, and also for ministers of the Gospel to fulfill their call and destinies in the Gospel.
PRAYER
"Dear Father, your grace that brings salvation has been made available to all men. Therefore, I pray for sinners around the world, that their hearts be open to receive the Gospel. I break Satan’s hold on people’s minds, so that the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ would shine into them for salvation. And I pray that Christians around the world are strengthened with the might of the Spirit to preach the mystery of Christ, in Jesus’ Name. Amen."
FURTHER STUDY:
1 Timothy 2:1-8 NIV
1 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: John 8:48-59 & 2 Kings 1-3
2 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Mark 11:12-26 & Numbers 22