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Written by Aileen Bonilla, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Ecuador
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. (Php. 4:6 ESV)
There is no better story to illustrate this teaching than the very situation that the apostle Paul was going through while writing this letter. He was imprisoned in Rome between about 60 and 62 A.D. However, the Philippian brothers were loyal to him and his teachings, so they constantly sent monetary aid through Epaphroditus. For this reason, Paul constantly prayed that they would maintain unity in Christ Jesus, subduing their pride so that the fruit of joy would spring up in the whole church. Paul was imprisoned, and although he was a very strong man, he did not stop being a human; he did not stop feeling. Think for a moment how distressing it must have been to be among such dangerous people and ruthless soldiers. Still, his refuge was the God of Israel.
Something similar happened to King David. Let’s look at this Psalm: "In my distress I called upon the Lord; to my God I cried for help. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears" (Ps. 18:6). There is no better refuge than Jehovah's heart. David was also being persecuted and felt that his heart was being oppressed. However, we see that he placed his trust in God in supplication because he was sure that he would be heard.
The apostle Paul expressed the same thing. I find it incredible that he tells us not to worry about anything and to remove that worry by asking God for what we need and being grateful for what we have right now, perhaps because to be grateful is to keep our minds occupied with our blessings.
I can imagine Paul on his knees, always crying out for God’s mercy. This deepened his intimate relationship with the Creator. He teaches us that, amidst our problems, approaching confidently the throne of grace through prayer strengthens our intimacy with God.
For the Philippians, it was not only a concern of everyday life; it should be added that at that time, being a Christian was almost synonymous with death. Still, they would have to learn to trust God and use prayer as the vehicle that would lead them to find peace. Commentator William Barclay said, "He who prays with perfect confidence in the love, wisdom, and power of God will find the peace of God.”
My dear reader, I know it's hard to pray and give thanks when we don't have a job, or when we're sick, or when a loved one is sick. Paul's call, however, is to keep our minds in a constant state of gratitude for what God has given us, such as the salvation of our souls and the knowledge of His Eternal Kingdom. He hears us and, like a loving Father, He will heed our requests. One thing I've learned over the past few years is that God is the only merciful being, and His love is kind. Therefore, praying constantly with all our hearts will keep us from being dependent on the volatility of human beings.
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Written by Michelle J. Goff, Founder and Executive Director of Iron Rose Sister Ministries
Jesus instructed His disciples and the crowd that gathered on the mountainside: “This, then, is how you should pray…” (Mt. 6:9a NIV). After warning them to not be like the hypocrites who pray to be seen by others, He provided guidance on the relational nature of prayer.
Our Father knows what we need, so we don’t need to babble or ramble to reach a minimum word count. Rather, the Lord’s Prayer expresses praise, request, confession, and submission to God’s will being done. In other passages, we see the vitality of thanksgiving as another essential element of prayer (Ps. 118:1; Php. 4:6).
Even as Jesus, in the Sermon on the Mount, transitions from teaching on prayer to His instructions on fasting, we see throughout the Scriptures that those two practices are presented in tandem (Mt. 6:5-18; Is. 58; Lk. 4:1-13).
John 17 is the only place in which we see the transcript of one of Jesus’ prayers. He prays for Himself, His disciples, and for all believers. Here, again, Jesus affirms the relational nature of prayer—the relationship He had with the Father, and the relationship the Son longs to foster between the Father and those who believe in Him.
Throughout the gospels, we glean from Jesus’ example the importance of prayer through His dedication to that practice. His level of commitment to this spiritual discipline is beyond question. Jesus withdraws from His disciples, takes time alone, and in Luke 6, even dedicates an entire night to communication with His Father.
One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.
(Lk. 6:12)
While living in Venezuela, I remember several all-night prayer vigils (vigilias) during which we would sing, read scripture, pray alone, pray in groups, listen to others pray aloud, praise, and enjoy fellowship with our Father and our Christian brothers and sisters.
Sadly, I have fallen out of that practice. I rejoice most in remembering what it meant to share that commitment to prayer together. Jesus Himself asked His inner circle of three (Peter, James, and John) to join Him in prayer the night before He was betrayed.
Since our beginning, Iron Rose Sister Ministries has dedicated February as our Prayer Month. We pray individually and in community. We pray aloud and silently. We pray through Scripture and inspired by the Holy Spirit. Through prayer, we deepen our relationships with God and with one another.
Committed to Christ 24/7 in 2024 means that we are committed to praying as He prayed, especially this month. We have Prayer Calendars available with Bible verses and prompts for each day in English, Spanish, and Portuguese.
This Saturday, February 3, we will have a trilingual virtual prayer event. Please sign up on our website to receive the Zoom link and coordinate the start time with your time zone (10 a.m. Central).
Finally, on February 24, we will have our 24-hour Prayer-a-thon with people around the world praying with us. We love to see where others are praying from, so please sign up for a 30-minute time slot to pray and list your local city.
…as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many. (2 Co. 1:11)