Bible Studies

Communicatiing Christ

By Pastor Roger Redmond
o "Before the angels blow their trumpets the prayers of the saints are offered. This is not an unrelated parenthesis. John means us to see that the prayers of God's people are supremely important"Morris, L. (1987). Revelation: an introduction and commentary (Vol. 20, p. 119). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
o God stopped the sounding of the trumpets of judgment for the offering of the prayers of the saints, Rev. 8:3,4.

1:6 "communication of thy faith"…How we present our faith (or Christ) determines whether our testimony is powerful or weak!  We are to communicate Christ and the blessing of Christ.  We are not to withhold any good thing received from Christ but to distribute to the need of those in need before us. Our Christian leadership, which is our life, has to do with our daily life (our walk with Christ).  "As ye have received Christ Jesus the LORD so walk ye in him."  So live according to His desire or His will for you.  Your leadership as a Christian is not like running over someone as a Steam Engine and then tying a log chain to them and dragging down the railroad tracks.

 

A beautiful example is laid out before us here in Philemon 1:2 And to our beloved Apphia, and Archippus our fellowsoldier, and to the church in thy house:  I am going to say Apphia is his wife and Archippus is his son.  That is a family! The Church of Colossians met in their home.  Epaphras is the pastor, V 23).

Paul was writing to Philemon:  I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers, 

Hearing of thy love and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all saints; 

That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus. Phm1:4-6

 

Faith is passed in Families,

  • Acts 16:31, And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
  • Psa 103: 17  But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children;   ,
  • 2 Tim. 1:5. When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also. 

 

How it is passed, 2 Peter 1:2-4  Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,  According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 

Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. It is passed through the knowledge of Him: of the Father and of Christ.

 

Paul desired Philemon to communicate Christ to others by how he would receive Onesimus:

 

Much is accomplished through Prayer

Phm 1:4, I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers.  James 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. 

 

Let us look together at this verses for a moment for an encouragement in our prayer life.

 

  1.   We are all people of like passions: The same nature, the same fears, the same struggles. 
  • All have sinned –  Romans 3:23
  • All temptations are common, 1 Co 10:13  There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man:….."
  • We are all Children of God by Faith in Jesus Christ. 

 

2) We are to forgive people their trespasses, Mat 6:14  For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:  

3) We are to pray one for another, "…..The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."  "effectual fervent" means to be active in – to be mighty in.  If you want to sum it up in one word it would be "powerful".  In this verse, both words are used together and mean: active in – to be mighty in.  It is powerful and without ceasing.

 

There is something very wonderful here, and it is about your praying. "…..The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."

That. "…..The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. It has great input into the subject you are praying about.

 

4) I want us to consider God's Word and our prayers.  Because of what we have heard about prayer, this is the scenario in which we live:

  • God hears our prayer but He does not answer all of them.
  • God answers all of our prayer and a "No" is an answer.
  • I did not see any immediate answer to my prayer so I don't pray anymore. I prayed and nothing happened.  So we try to measure prayer in the wisdom of this world.  This verse says, "....the effectual fervent prayer of a righteousness man availeth much"

So let us examine His Word to see what is said:

A ) He has said, Psa_66:18  If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:  

  • If you are His child the first prayer He wants to answer and will answer is your prayer of confession to Him, See 1 John 2:1-2; He said let us reason together.
  • If you desire to respect Him and His Word and you set about to follow Him you will find that He will cleanse you from all sin, 1 John 1:7-10.  Read also, (Psalm 103:1-18).

B ) Christ as your forerunner has entered into the throne room for us. Heb. 6:20.  Christ has anchored us into the very throne room of God.  The following is a quote taken from one of our missionary prayer letters: "We also want them to grasp the access they have into the Throne-room of God because of the Blood that is on the Mercy Seat in Heaven. We want them to feel confident in the presence of God because of Christ. We want them to understand how effective His work was! So effective that, hopeless sinners that we are, we can stand and converse with a Holy God face-to-face with boldness! I personally believe that most "Mission Work" takes place in the presence of God as we petition Him."

 

  • So when you pray you are in the presence of the Living God. Heb. 4:15-16.  Your prayer is important: Rev_8:4  And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand.
  • "Before the angels blow their trumpets the prayers of the saints are offered. This is not an unrelated parenthesis. John means us to see that the prayers of God's people are supremely important"Morris, L. (1987). Revelation: an introduction and commentary (Vol. 20, p. 119). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.   
  • God stopped the sounding of the trumpets of judgment for the offering of the prayers of the saints, Rev. 8:3,4.

 

C )  The supplication of a righteous person avails much in its working, Phil. 1:4 Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy,  1 Tim. 5:5, Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day. Eph. 6:18, Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;  Phil. 4:6.  Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.  Your prayers/request have great input in God's working.  Eph 3:20  Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,

 

May each of us have a burden for families and for the lost and communicate Christ to them and make our supplication to the LORD, always.

 

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