“That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” Hebrews 6:12
When we take a look at the events in the world around us, it is easy to see that God needs “pray-ers” doing their part in the Kingdom like never before. Particularly in the West, it can be far too easy to get caught up in our day to day lives and forget that in other places around the world, we have sisters and brothers in Christ living in true life and death situations. You may think, but I’m just so busy and have so many issues of my own to deal with, how can I possibly help another believer next door, much less on the other side of the world?
Dear friend, the Holy Spirit is prompting us today to regulate our lives and not be slothful. If we are to do what God has called us to do, it is time for us to remove any trace of slothfulness from our lives. You may say, “I’m not slothful! I’m not lazy! I work hard every day. As a matter of fact, I am working hard in the ministry. I’m preaching the Gospel; I lead prayer; I’m on the Praise Team; I usher; I clean…(and the list goes on). I am definitely not lazy. No, that’s not me!”
The truth is, we can be working every day and still be slothful. When you study the word slothful in the Greek, it is the word nothros. It describes something that is dull, monotonous, or unexciting; something that is slow and sluggish; or something that has lost its speed or momentum. This “something” is still moving, but it isn’t moving with the same speed it once had. The pace, drive or force may not be the same as it once was.
An example we can use is the gears in the vehicle you drive. P is for park. D is for drive. N is for neutral. When we place our vehicle in P, it means we want to park. Too many believers are in P for park in their prayer life. Prayerlessness is a sin before God. We can see this in the Word of God in I Samuel 12:23. The people of this nation had turned away from the plan of God for their lives and were coming to Samuel for him to pray for them. This is his response in verse 23, “Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way.” Samuel understood his responsibilities in the Kingdom regarding prayer. I Thessalonians puts it very simply – “Pray without ceasing.” This is not a suggestion for the believer, but a command. We must all pray!
D is for drive. When we place our vehicle in drive, we automatically go forward. There needs to be a pressing on in the Church today. A press forward into God and all He has for us. We cannot casually go through life and have God’s best. There should be a pressing on in our prayer life today like never before. The end of the age is upon this generation. The powers of darkness and the forces of evil are rampant as never before. They are increasing in intensity and velocity. The hour is upon us for our prayers to have the fervency that the book of James refers to and the boldness that the book of Hebrews refers to.
James 5: 16 says, “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” We need some effectual, fervent, righteous prayer – we need some hot prayin’!
Hebrews 4:16 says, “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” Bold throne room praying is the mandate of the hour! When we are bold to come into the throne room, we will come out boldly! When we come into the throne room, we come out with righteousness that has been established in our hearts. We don’t have to work anything up. There is just a presence and sense of righteousness that you have and you will be bold and courageous. It’s something that will proceed from your heart when you are talking to God.
Neutrality (N) must not be a part of our prayer vocabulary. There is no middle ground or standing still in prayer, we must move forward!
I believe that God has released a boldness and courage for this time, especially for end-time pray-ers! God said, “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit” (Joel 2:28-29). So, when the Holy Ghost is poured out on all flesh it will include a glorious side effect of boldness that’s needed for this final hour.
Take time out today to check out the spiritual temperature of your prayer life. Are you in park, neutral or drive? And if you are in drive, what’s your pace? What speed and velocity are you moving at? Determine in your heart you will not travel “pony express” in the Spirit, but that you will be flying Concord Express! We must each have a constant check on ourselves. As we have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, we must so walk and regulate our lives and conduct ourselves in union with and conformity to Him (Colossians 2:6). We need to be running tabs on ourselves all the time.
Check to see if you have lost some enthusiasm or zeal, or if you have become less interested in the things of God. Has your prayer life become sluggish, dull, boring or uninteresting with no conviction? The Holy Ghost is saying – “Stir yourself up! Charge your spirit!”
Revelations 3:15 says it best – “But you, beloved, build yourselves up on your most holy faith (make progress, rise like an edifice higher and higher), praying in the Holy Spirit. Possess the fire that once burned in your heart passionately for God, and as you are completely consumed by the fire of God, thou wilt be hot! I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.” Decide today that you are an available vessel for God to use to bring change and advance the Kingdom next door and around the world. You are needed today like never before Church – no more excuses – BE HOT FOR GOD!