On Him we have set our hope, that He will continue to deliver us, as you HELP US BY YOUR PRAYERS. 2 Cor 1:11
Paul, the apostle and father to the Corinthian Church, despite their many problems, asked them to partner with him/us ‘by your prayers’. Paul began his second letter by telling them about the comfort they had received in their suffering.
We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. 2 Cor 1:8
God had delivered them… ‘and many will give thanks on our/your behalf for the gracious favour granted us in answer to the PRAYERS OF MANY. 2 Cor 1:11
Paul and his companions had faced death in their work for the Gospel. God had rescued them because of the prayers of many people. Prayer sent Heaven to their rescue.
I read a story recently about John Paul Jackson(before he went home to the Lord) who became very ill on a ministry trip. He was so unwell that he couldn’t continue the ministry, probably ill unto death. A short, brown skinned man appeared in his room and prayed for him/laid hands on him and he was healed. He later asked the Lord who the man was and where he’d come from? The Lord showed him a vision of the man on his knees in prayer in his house. He was telling the Lord he was getting older and hadn’t done much in his life for Him. He wondered if the Lord even remembered he was there, in his home in Central America? The Lord told John Paul that because of the man’s prayer he’d sent him to heal him. He also told him that he was going to credit everything that John Paul did in his life from that time forward to the man who’d saved his life. Quite a reward for a hidden believer in an obscure location, but heaven’s ways are higher than ours.
I urge you, brothers and sisters, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me. Pray that I may be rescued from the unbelievers in Judea and that my service in Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints there… Rom 15:30,31
In another letter to believers, Paul again asked for prayer to be rescued from unbelievers(some brothers and sisters are putting their lives on the line daily to speak for the Lord). He also asked for prayer that his work will be accepted by the saints in Jerusalem, a very different setting.
The main thing about prayer is that we need to do it, set aside time and begin. Is there someone or some ministry that you have a connection with, that needs your prayer support? You will draw closer to the Lord if you take time to pray and your work will be shown in eternity. An apostle of Paul’s status asked for prayer support, so there’s no doubt sincere prayer is a great blessing.
May God bless and keep you today as you remember others before the Lord.