I urge that requests, prayers, intercessions and thanksgivings be made for everyone

We must pray for those who are perishing and for those who persecute us

Paul wrote to Timothy: “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:1-4).

Brothers, we who have known God through Jesus Christ are bound to pray for those who don’t know the truth, so that God might save them by His grace. The apostle Paul, speaking of those who were Jews by birth, said to the saints who were in Rome: “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved” (Romans 10:1 – NKJV). From these words we learn clearly that Paul’s desire for the Jews was a good desire, for he wanted the Jews to be saved. The Scripture says that “the desire of the righteous is only good” (Proverbs 11:23 – NKJV), and in fact all those who have been justified by the grace of God want sinners to be saved; they have in their heart the same desire Paul had for the Jews. However, Paul said also that he prayed to God for the Jews, so that they might be saved. Now, the Jews for whom Paul prayed were those Jews who had “the form of knowledge and truth in the law” (Romans 2:20 – NKJV), yet they had a veil on their heart that prevented them from recognizing that Jesus of Nazareth was the one of whom Moses and the prophets spoke, that is, the Christ. For those Jews who were perishing, the Gospel was veiled because the god of this age had blinded their minds; Paul knew very well all this, and since he knew also that when they would turn to the Lord that veil would be taken away, he earnestly prayed for them that God might reveal His Son to them as well. Paul left us an example so that we also should pray for unbelievers, that is, for those who are perishing, so that they might be delivered from the power of Satan. Let us lift up this prayer on behalf of those who are perishing: ‘Lord, save them!’.

Jesus Christ said: “Pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44 – NIV). Who are those who persecute us? They are all those who don’t know God and in ignorance revile us and do harm to us because of the noble name of the One to whom we belong, that is, Jesus Christ. Now, first of all I want to tell you that it is impossible for those who believe not to be persecuted by those who are perishing because Jesus said: “If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you” (John 15:20 – NKJV) and Paul said to Timothy that “all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12 – NKJV). I said before that our persecutors persecute us in ignorance for this reason: because Jesus said: “They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service. And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor Me” (John 16:2-3 – NKJV). Is it not true that Saul of Tarsus, before his conversion, persecuted the saints who lived in Jerusalem and in foreign cities because at that time he did not know the Father nor His Son? Is it not true that he shut up in prison many of the saints and when they were put to death he cast his vote against them for he thought that he was offering God service? Listen to what He himself said to Timothy: “I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief” (1 Timothy 1:13 – NKJV). This means that before the Lord appeared to him on the way to Damascus, Saul of Tarsus was an unbelieving person and thus he did not know God. Even though he was a Pharisee, who was blameless concerning the righteousness which is in the law and exceedingly zealous for the cause of God, he was blind and without life because he did not believe in the name of the Son of God; but one day it came to pass that He who had separated him from his mother’s womb called him through His grace and justified him. I am convinced that while Saul of Tarsus was still a persecutor of the Church and an insolent man, there were believers who prayed for him so that the Lord might save him. Here is the reason why I say this. Before Jesus was taken up into heaven, He said to the apostles: “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-20); therefore, the apostles had to teach the believers to pray for those who persecuted them, and since they did it, I have come to the conclusion that the believers who continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship obeyed also that order of the Lord. Now, here is what happened after Saul turned to the Lord: “They [the Churches of Judea] only heard the report: ‘The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy’. And they praised God because of me” (Galatians 1:23-24 – NIV). As you can see, the conversion of Saul overflowed in many expressions of thanks to God on the part of many believers. Likewise, today when believers pray for someone who persecutes the Church and God answers their prayer, the name of God is glorified by them; therefore let us pray for our persecutors so that the name of God may be glorified when they are converted. Jesus Christ prayed for those who persecuted Him to the death (thus He left us an example), for while He was hanging on the cross He said: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do” (Luke 23:34 – NKJV). Jesus asked God to forgive those who persecuted Him and put Him to death in ignorance (that is, without knowing what they were doing). Sometimes, some of us are tempted to think that the Jews knew what they were doing against Jesus, however we know that’s not true because Peter confirmed the words of Jesus when he said to the Jews: “But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead …. Yet now, brethren, I know that you did it in ignorance, as did also your rulers” (Acts 3:14-15,17 - NKJV). As you can see, both the words of Jesus and those of Peter confirm that our enemies persecute us because of the ignorance which is in them.

We, as sons of God, must pray to God for our enemies who persecute us so that God might give them life and not that God might put them to death. Someone may say: ‘Why then under the law were there some men (such as David) who prayed to God that He might destroy their enemies?’ Because under the law was in force the commandment which said: ‘Love your neighbour and hate your enemy’. Jesus confirmed that when He said: ‘You have heard that it was said: You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy” (Matthew 5:43 – NKJV; Leviticus 19:18). Therefore no wonder that David, even though he was a man after God’s heart, asked God to destroy his enemies, as he said to God: “May ruin overtake them by surprise …. Pour out your wrath on them ….. Let the wicked be put to shame and lie silent in the grave” (Psalms 35:8; 69:24; 31:17 - NIV).

But now, under grace, is in force the commandment which says: “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44 – NIV), therefore a son of God can’t ask God to put to death his enemies.

However, even under the law there were some men who prayed for their enemies; one of them was Moses. The Scripture says that after the twelve spies sent by Moses to spy out the land of Canaan returned to the camp, when the Israelites heard ten of the spies say: “The land through which we have gone as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great stature. There we saw the giants (the descendants of Anak came from the giants); and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight ….We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we” (Numbers 13:32-33,31 – NKJV), they complained against Moses and Aaron and wanted to stone them with stones. When God heard their grumblings, He said to Moses: “I will strike them with the pestilence and disinherit them ….” (Numbers 14:12 – NKJV), but Moses prayed for them, who wanted to stone him, (as it is written: “Therefore He said that He would destroy them, had not Moses His chosen one stood before Him in the breach, to turn away His wrath, lest He destroy them” - Psalm 106:23 – NKJV); Moses prayed for the Israelites in this way: “Pardon the iniquity of this people, I pray, according to the greatness of Your mercy, just as You have forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now” (Numbers 14:19 – NKJV), and God answered the prayer of Moses for He said to Moses: “I have pardoned, according to your word” (Numbers 14:20 – NKJV). The answer of God shows the effectiveness of the prayer on behalf of those who persecute us. Those who don’t know God say: ‘What would we gain by praying to Him’, but we who know God know that it is useful to pray for those who persecute us, for it is written: “He who respects a command (in this case the command which says: “Pray for those who persecute you”) is rewarded” (Proverbs 13:13 – NIV).

We must pray for the governing authorities, who are appointed by God

Among those for whom we must pray are even the governing authorities, that are appointed by God. God said to the Israelites who had been carried away captive to Babylon: “Seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to the Lord for it; for in its peace you will have peace” (Jeremiah 29:7 – NKJV). From these words we learn that we must seek the peace of the nation in which we live by the will of God. Someone may ask: ‘How can we seek its peace?’ By submitting ourselves to the governing authorities (God has appointed in the nation where we live) and by praying to God for them. We want to live a peaceful and quite life in this nation, and we want the governing authorities to introduce good and righteous reforms in this country (from which we, even though we are strangers and pilgrims, may benefit), but in order to see this desire fulfilled we must pray for the governing authorities.

In the book of Ezra we read that king Darius commanded the governor of the region beyond the River and his companions certain things concerning their way of acting toward the elders of the Jews who were building the temple in Jerusalem. Among other things He commanded them the following things: “And whatever they need – young bulls, rams, and lambs for the burnt offerings of the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, and oil, according to the request of the priests who are in Jerusalem – let it be given them day by day without fail, that they may offer sacrifices of sweet aroma to the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king and his sons” (Ezra 6:9-10 – NKJV). As you can see, that king wanted the priests to pray for his life and the life of his sons, and I am persuaded that today the kings and all the governing authorities still need our prayers. Through our prayers we can help the governing authorities to rule righteously; therefore let us pray for them that God might save them and that He might keep them and give them wisdom to rule.

Let us pray for one another

Besides praying for those who are still slaves of sin, and for those who persecute us, and for the kings and the governing authorities, we must also pray to God for our brothers because this is the will of God for us. Someone will ask: ‘What should I ask God to do for my brothers?’ Let’s turn to the Holy Scripture, which is God-breathed, because it teaches us how to pray also for our brothers.

On the night our Lord Jesus Christ was betrayed, He prayed to God for His disciples (that is, His brothers, as it is written: “He is not ashamed to call them brethren” Hebrews 2:11). Among the words of that prayer we find the following requests: “Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are ….. I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one …. Sanctify them by Your truth” (John 17:11,15,17 – NKJV). Jesus pleaded with God to do certain things, which were according to the will of God for His brethren. Now, the above mentioned things which Jesus pleaded with God to do are still according to the will of God for His brethren, for God still wants to keep us from the evil one, He still wants to sanctify us by His truth, and He still wants to keep us through His name so that we may be one, speaking the same thing and being perfectly joined together in the same judgement. Therefore we should ask God to do these things for our brothers. The Scripture says that “if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us” (1 John 5:14 – NKJV) and the prayer for the unity of the brethren is according to the will of God and thus it is answered, and in order to confirm this I remind you that the prayer Jesus made for those who would believe in Him through the word of the apostles, so that they all might be one (as it is written: “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us” John 17:20-21 – NKJV) was answered, because in the book of the Acts of the apostles we read that “the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common” (Acts 4:32 – NKJV).

The Lord Jesus, on the night He was betrayed, said to Peter: “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren” (Luke 22:31-32). The Lord knew what would happen within a short time, He knew that when the Shepherd would be struck the sheep of the flock would be scattered, He knew that His disciples would be tested, so He prayed for Simon Peter that his faith might not fail. Was that prayer answered? Of course, it was, for even though Peter denied the Lord three times, his faith did not fail because he was converted and he was able to strengthen his brethren. We also must pray for our brothers who are tested in the furnace of affliction so that their faith should not fail.

Now, let’s see how the apostles prayed for the Churches, because they left us an example in this also. Paul wrote to the saints who were in Ephesus: “For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe” (Ephesians 1:15-19 – NIV). As you can see, Paul prayed that God might give the saints of that city a spirit of wisdom and revelation through which they could grow in the knowledge of God, that He might enlighten the eyes of their heart (our heart has spiritual eyes and when they are enlightened by God, our knowledge of His eternal purpose, which He accomplished in the fullness of the time, and our knowledge of the things which God has prepared for those who love Him increase) in order that they might know these three things: the hope to which God had called them, the riches of His glorious inheritance which He had prepared for them and which was kept in heaven for them also, and His incomparably great power for them who believed.

Paul wrote in the same epistle: “For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God” (Ephesians 3:14-19). As you can see, Paul prayed God that He might strengthen those saints in their inner man (besides having an outward man, each of us has an inner man), and that Christ might dwell in their hearts by faith. Why did Paul pray to God in that way? That those saints, being rooted and grounded in love, might be able to comprehend with all saints how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ and to know this love that surpasses knowledge that they might be filled with all the fullness of God. Brothers, we’d better pay attention to all these sentences beginning with ‘that,’ which are present in the prayers of Paul, because they show us the things Paul wanted the brethren to know and to do.

The desire of Paul was to present every man perfect in Christ, and that earnest desire led him to say those prayers to God on behalf of the believers. Nowadays it is a very rare thing to hear believers pray for one another in the way Paul did; the reason is that many believers prefer to read and study these prayers rather than say them; I believe that if Paul considered those prayers useful, we also must consider them useful and thus we also should pray in that way.

Paul wrote to the saints in Colosse: “For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light” (Colossians 1:9-12). Brothers, know this, that we also need to be filled with the knowledge of the will of God so that we may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord; therefore let us pray for one another in this way. Now, with regard to the knowledge of the will of God, I tell you this; Jesus Christ said: “This is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:40 – NKJV), and we, having believed in the Son of God, have done the will of God, but the will of God for us consists of many other things which we have to do in order to please God. However, in order to do them we must know them first, and to know them we need to pray to God; that’s why we must ask God to fill us and our brothers with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. Someone may ask: ‘Is it really necessary?’ Yes, brother, it is; if it were not necessary, Paul and his fellow workers would not have prayed for those brothers in that way. Someone else may ask: ‘Why should I be filled with the knowledge of the Will of God in all wisdom and spiritual understanding?’ Well, the reason is that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord and thus please Him in everything. The Scripture states that we must please God rather than men, therefore we must see that we walk as wise, that is, in a manner worthy of the Gospel of Christ, causing no offenses, so that the name of the Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified and His doctrine may be adorned. Instead, if we walk as fools – that is, if we live in a manner unworthy of the Gospel, being devoid of the knowledge of the will of God in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, the children of this age will say to us, ‘After all, you are not different from us’ or ‘You claim to be Christians, yet you are worse than us!’ and thus the name of the Lord and His doctrine will be blasphemed because of us. Therefore, in order to please God, we need to understand what His will for us is; but if we don’t understand what His will is and we are not able to distinguish between good and evil, and we have fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, how shall we be able to please God? Brothers, know this, that if you walk according to the flesh you will not be able to please God for it is written: “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God” (Romans 8:7-8 – NKJV). If we become friends of the world and lovers of the world, we can’t please God. On the contrary, if we are ready to do every good work, if we grow in the knowledge of God, if we are strong in the grace of God, if we show the meekness of Christ to all men, if we are patient in tribulation, giving always thanks to God for He has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light, then we will please God and His name will be glorified in us.

The apostle Paul wrote to the Colossians these words also: “I want you to know how much I am struggling for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally. My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:1-3 - NIV). Therefore, according to these words, when we pray for our brothers we struggle for them, and we must pray also for those brothers who have not met us personally. Why did Paul struggle for the saints in his prayers? He struggled for them so that their heart might be encouraged and comforted, in order that they might know the mystery of God (notice that in this prayer also Paul asked God to do something for the saints that they might know a certain thing).

Epaphras also, who was one of the fellow workers of Paul, prayed for the Colossians, as Paul said to the Colossians: “He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured” (Colossians 4:12 – NIV). These words confirm that when we pray for our brothers we wrestle for them. For Epaphras wrestled in his prayers that the saints in Colosse might stand firm in all the will of God. He left us an example; therefore, let us follow it wrestling in our prayers for the saints.

Paul said to the Corinthians: “Now we pray to God that you will not do anything wrong” (2 Corinthians 13:7 - NIV). What we learn from this prayer is this, that the apostle Paul and his fellow workers wanted the saints to perfect holiness and to abstain from every form (or appearance) of evil.

Here is how Paul prayed for the saints in Philippi: “And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God” (Philippians 1:9-11 - NKJV). Brothers, our love must abound in knowledge and all discernment in order to be able to discern what is best and to be pure and blameless at the coming of the Lord. Now, if we consider carefully this prayer of Paul we will come to the conclusion that we also need to pray for our brothers in this way. Why do I say this? Because, today, the love of many believers lacks knowledge and discernment. For when we speak of love with these believers, we perceive that their love doesn’t abound in knowledge nor in discernment, and consequently it is necessary for us to pray for them so that it may abound in knowledge and discernment. They think that to rebuke a brother when he sins means not to love him as one should do, or that tolerating the evil workers and their evil deeds is a manifestation of love toward them and the Church. However, the Scripture does not teach such things, for it teaches that “love …. does not rejoice in iniquity” (1 Corinthians 13:6 – NKJV) and that God, who is love, rebukes and chastens those who sin, and does not tolerate evil workers. So true love rebukes the brethren who sin against us, and does not tolerate evil workers.

Paul wrote to the saints in Thessalonica: “Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power: That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thessalonians 1:11-12). Brothers, let us pray for our brothers so that God may fulfill every good purpose of theirs and the work of faith with power.

Paul wrote to the saints in Galatia, who were troubled by some who wanted them to be circumcised and to keep the law of Moses, the following things: “But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain. ….. My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you. I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you” (Galatians 4:9-11,19-20). The believers in Galatia had been begotten in Jesus Christ by the apostle Paul, but while Paul was absent they began to observe the days and the months and the seasons and the years of which the law of Moses speaks, which are all “a shadow of the things that were to come” (Colossians 2:17 – NIV), for some imposed these things on them saying that in order to be saved they had to be circumcised and to keep the law. When Paul heard that the Galatians had been troubled, he began to pray for them that they might come to their senses and obey the truth of the Gospel. The apostle Paul told them that he labored in birth for them again until Christ was formed in them; that is to say, he was wrestling in prayer for them that they might come to their senses and know the truth, from which they had strayed. Just as a woman is in labour before giving birth to a child, so Paul also, when he heard that the Galatians had been bewitched, was again in the pains of childbirth, and he began to pray for them with groanings which cannot be uttered (in other words, he prayed in the Holy Spirit), and his pains would end when Christ was formed in them. Brothers, Paul showed us what we must do if some of our brothers are bewitched like the Galatians.

What the apostles exhorted the saints to ask of God

Let us now look at some exhortations of the apostles concerning prayer, which show us what we must ask of God.

Paul, in speaking about the whole armor of God which we must put on in order to fight against our enemies, said: “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak” (Ephesians 6:18-20). The apostle exhorted the saints to pray always in the Holy Spirit (I remind you that to pray in the Spirit means to pray in other tongues), and to be watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints, and for him as well, that God might enable him to preach the Gospel with boldness. Paul knew how the Gospel must be preached and thus he exhorted the saints to pray for him, for he was persuaded that the saints, through their prayers, could help him to preach the Gospel as he ought to preach it. Someone will ask: ‘How should the Gospel be preached?’ The Gospel should be preached with power, with the Holy Spirit and with much assurance, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. You may say: ‘Can the cross of Christ be made of no effect then?’ Yes, it is made of no effect (because it is emptied of its power) when it is preached with words of human wisdom. Know this, that all those who have been called by God to preach need our prayers, therefore let us pray for the servants of the Lord who proclaim the way of salvation, so that God may enable them to proclaim the Word of the grace of God with all boldness.

Paul wrote to the saints in Colosse: “Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving; meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains” (Colossians 4:2-3 – NKJV). Now, when the apostle wrote these words he was in prison and exhorted the saints to ask God to open a door to him and to his fellow workers for the Word; this teaches us that God can open a door for the Word even in prison, because the Word cannot be chained; the ministers of the Word can be chained, but the Word cannot be chained. As you know, the Word of God bears fruit when those who hear it understand it, but it is necessary for God to open their hearts that they may understand the Word. Remember Lydia, who was a seller of purple; Luke says that “the Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul” (Acts 16:14 – NKJV); that’s why Lydia understood the Word of God and thus she bore fruit. We still need the Lord to open the hearts of those who hear the Gospel, so that they may understand the Word of grace and be saved by it. Now let me explain to you what ‘a door open for the Word’ means according to the Scripture. While Paul was at Ephesus he wrote to the Corinthians: “But I will tarry in Ephesus until Pentecost. For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries” (1 Corinthians 16:8-9 – NKJV). To understand what that ‘great and effective open door’ was, it is necessary to tell what Luke wrote about the work of Paul in the city of Ephesus. When the apostle Paul came to Ephesus to preach the Gospel, it came to pass that he met some disciples whom he baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus and on whom he laid his hands so that they might receive the Holy Spirit and “the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied” (Acts 19:6 – NKJV). Then “he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God. But when divers were hardened, and believed not, but spake evil of that way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus. And this continued by the space of two years; so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks. And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul: So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them …. And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds. Many of them also which used curious arts [who had practiced sorcery] brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.” (Acts 19:8-12, 18-20). So all those who dwelt in Asia heard the Word of the Lord, but not all of them turned to the Lord; however, many accepted the word preached by Paul; even one of those who rejected the Word, whose name was Demetrius (a silversmith who made silver shrines of Diana), recognized this when he said to the craftsmen: “Moreover you see and hear that not only at Ephesus, but throughout almost all Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away many people, saying that they are not gods which are made with hands” (Acts 19:26 – NKJV). Therefore, at Ephesus, by the ministry of Paul, many people accepted the Gospel of the grace of God, and many of them came and openly confessed their evil deeds; there were believers who received the Holy Spirit and also the gift of prophecy, there were many who were healed and delivered from demons in the name of the Lord Jesus; that’s the reason why Paul wrote to the Corinthians from Ephesus: “A great and effective door has opened to me” (1 Corinthians 16:9 – NKJV). Obviously, not always the door which is opened for the Word is so great, however we can say that whenever in a country or in a town some people turn to the Lord, even if they are not many, the Lord has opened a door to his servants for the Word. At this point it must be said that every time the Lord opens to His servants a door for His Word, there are people who oppose the Word of God and thus believers are persecuted by their adversaries (persecution can be just a verbal persecution but also a physical persecution with imprisonments, beatings, etc). In this regard I remind you that Paul said that at Ephesus there were many adversaries, which means that the Gospel met with strong opposition in that city, and this is confirmed by the following words of Luke: “And about that time there arose a great commotion about the Way” (Acts 19:23 – NKJV), and also by the following words which Paul wrote to the Corinthians: “For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia: that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life. Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead, who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that He will still deliver us, you also helping together in prayer for us, that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the gift granted to us through many” (2 Corinthians 1:8-11 – NKJV). At this point, I would like to dwell upon the following words of Paul “you also helping together in prayer for us, that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the gift granted to us through many” (2 Corinthians 1:11), so that you may understand how much our prayers for those who preach the Gospel can avail and what they produce. First of all, you must understand that the ministers of the Gospel have many enemies, among whom there are wicked and unreasonable men who don’t have faith, therefore we must pray for the ministers of the Word that God may deliver them from these evil men. Paul exhorted the saints to pray for him and his fellow workers that the Word of God might run swiftly and be glorified (as it was at Antioch in Pisidia, as it is written: “Now when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord” Acts 13:48 – NKJV), but also that they might be delivered from the wicked, as he wrote to the saints in Thessalonica: “Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified, just as it is with you, and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; for not all have faith” (2 Thessalonians 3:1-2 – NKJV). In this regard, I remind you of these words of exhortations Paul wrote to the saints in Rome, while he was going to Jerusalem to bring a relief offering for the poor among the saints who were in Jerusalem: “Now I beg you, brethren, through the Lord Jesus Christ, and through the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in prayers to God for me, that I may be delivered from those in Judea who do not believe ….” (Romans 15:30-31 – NKJV). These exhortations of Paul show us that Paul thought that the prayers of the saints to God for him and his fellow workers were useful. Paul, too, believed that “the effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (James 5:16 – NKJV), and not only did he believe that but also saw it with his eyes on many occasions. One of the occasions in which he saw God deliver him from wicked men, in answer to the prayers of the saints, was after he returned to Jerusalem (after he wrote the above mentioned exhortation to the saints in Rome), for in Jerusalem Paul was seized by some unbelieving Jews who tried to kill him but God delivered him from their hands.

Here are some other passages of the Scripture which confirm that the apostles believed that the saints could help them through their prayers (keep in mind that the following words were written from prison):

● “For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ ….. But I trust in the Lord that I myself shall also come shortly” (Philippians 1:19; 2:24 – NKJV). Paul, while he was in prison, wrote to the Philippians that through their prayers and the supplication of the Spirit of Jesus (who helps the saints in that He makes intercession for them according to the will of God) he would be delivered from prison, and he expressed his confidence with the following words: “And being confident of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy of faith” (Philippians 1:25 – NKJV).

● “But, meanwhile, also prepare a guest room for me, for I trust that through your prayers I shall be granted to you” (Philemon 22 - NKJV). Paul, while in prison, told Philemon to prepare a guest room for him, because he was confident in the Lord that he would be granted to him in answer to his prayers (that is, the prayers of Philemon).

● “Pray for us; for we are confident that we have a good conscience, in all things desiring to live honorably. But I especially urge you to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner” (Hebrews 13:18 – NKJV). As you can see, the author of the epistle to the Hebrews told them that through their prayers they would hasten his deliverance from prison.

In addition to this, brothers, I want you to know that because of the answer of God to the prayers you make for the ministers of the Gospel, many believers will give thanks to God. Therefore your prayers on their behalf produce many expressions of thanks to the glory of God. Is it not amazing to know that we, through our prayers, cooperate in spreading the Word of God because we help the ministers of the Word to preach the Gospel with all boldness and we cause them to be delivered from wicked and unreasonable men?

It is written: “And how shall they preach unless they are sent?” (Romans 10:15 – NKJV). Brothers, that the Word of God may be spread all over the world, it is necessary for God to send some men to preach the Gospel in those places where the name of Christ has not yet been preached. Therefore we must ask God to send out labourers into His harvest. Jesus Christ commanded us to do this, for He said: “Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest” (Matthew 9:38 – NKJV).

The apostle John wrote: “If anyone sees his brother commit a sin that does not lead to death, he should pray and God will give him life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that he should pray about that” (1 John 5:16 - NIV). After a believer has sinned, he is troubled and unhappy, and it cannot be otherwise because James says that sin “when it is full-grown, brings forth death” (James 1:15 – NKJV). Notwithstanding this, if he confesses his sin to the Lord he will be forgiven and made alive. Now, if we see a brother commit a sin that does not lead to death, we must pray to God that He may give him life, and God, in His faithfulness, will give him life (granting him repentance that leads to life). However, you must understand that if a brother commits the sin that leads to death (that is, the sin which leads the person who has committed it to the second death), we must not pray for that brother, because he has committed a sin which cannot be forgiven him.

The apostle James, the Lord’s brother, wrote: “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray” (James 5:13 – NKJV). Now, when we suffer because of righteousness we must pray, because that’s what we are commanded to do. Peter says: “Therefore, let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator” (1 Peter 4:19 – NKJV), and these words of Peter agree with those of James because when one prays to God in the midst of his tribulations he commits his soul to God. In the Scripture we have several examples of men who in the midst of their tribulations prayed to God: I will cite the example of Jeremiah, and that of our Lord Jesus. On one occasion Jeremiah prayed: “O LORD, thou knowest: remember me, and visit me, and revenge me of my persecutors; take me not away in thy longsuffering: know that for thy sake I have suffered rebuke. Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts. I sat not in the assembly of the mockers, nor rejoiced; I sat alone because of thy hand: for thou hast filled me with indignation. Why is my pain perpetual, and my wound incurable, which refuseth to be healed? wilt thou be altogether unto me as a liar, and as waters that fail?” (Jeremiah 15:15-18). Jesus, on the night He was betrayed, before He was arrested, “began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed” (Matthew 26:37 – NKJV) and said to His disciples: “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death” (Matthew 26:38 – NKJV), and while in that mood He fell on His face and prayed “that if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him” (Mark 14:35 – NKJV). Here is how Jesus prayed in the Gethsemane: “Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will” (Mark 14:36 – NKJV). Brothers, indeed, the best thing to do when we suffer is to pray, because through prayer we pour out our heart before the Lord confessing to Him our anguishes and perplexities, having confidence that He hears us and helps us with His powerful consolations.

James commanded the elders of the Church to pray over the sick, for he wrote: “Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he hath committed sins, they shall be forgiven him” (James 5:14-15). Note that it is the sick person who has to call for the elders, and not the contrary, and furthermore that the elders of the Church must pray over him anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. “And the prayer of faith shall save the sick” (James 5:15), says James. Therefore, the elders of the Church must pray over the sick in faith, with no doubting, in order to see the sick raised up by the Lord.

The Lord’s brother says also: “Pray for one another, that you may be healed” (James 5:16 – NKJV). Therefore, we must pray for those brothers who are sick, that God may heal them. When Mary, Moses’ sister, together with Aaron spoke against Moses, it came to pass that God struck her with leprosy, but Moses prayed to God for her, as it is written: “So Moses cried out to the Lord, saying: Please heal her, O God, I pray!” (Numbers 12:13 – NKJV), and God heard that prayer for after seven days, during which Mary was shut out of the camp, she was brought back because leprosy had left her. We can see how much the prayer of a righteous man for the sick avails in the story of Abraham also, for the Scripture says: “So Abraham prayed to God; and God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his female servants. Then they bore children; for the Lord had closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife” (Genesis 20:17-18 – NKJV). There is another example in the Scripture which shows us how much the prayer of a righteous man for a sick person avails, it’s the example of the son of Abraham, as it is written: “Now Isaac pleaded with the Lord for his wife, because she was barren, and the Lord granted his plea, and Rebekah his wife conceived” (Genesis 25:21 – NKJV).

Some of the circumstances on which the apostles prayed

Let us see now some of the circumstances on which the apostles prayed in order to understand how much important was prayer to them.

● The apostles, together with other brothers, prayed to God when they chose a successor to Judas Iscariot. With regard to this, Luke says that (after Peter said to the brothers that of those men who had accompanied them all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among them, beginning from the baptism of John to that day when He was taken up from them, one of them had to become a witness with them of His resurrection) they “proposed two: Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. And they prayed and said: ‘You, O Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which of these two You have chosen to take part in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place’. And they cast their lots, and the lot fell on Matthias. And he was numbered with the eleven apostles” (Acts 1:23-26 – NKJV).

● In Jerusalem, after the whole multitude of the disciples chose the seven (that is, Stephen, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas) “they presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them” (Acts 6:6 – NIV). In this case, the apostles prayed for those seven men who had been chosen to wait on tables.

● Paul and Barnabas founded some churches during their missionary journey, and “having appointed to them by vote elders in every assembly, having prayed with fastings, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed (Acts 14:23 -YLT). The apostles attached much importance to the election of the elders, for before having elders elected they prayed and fasted. (Remember that Jesus, before choosing the twelve apostles, prayed, as it is written: “Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. And when it was day, He called His disciples to Himself, and from them He chose twelve whom He also named apostles” Luke 6:12-13 – NKJV).

● Peter and John prayed for the Samaritan believers “that they might receive the Holy Spirit” (Acts 8:15 – NKJV). Therefore, it is scriptural to pray for believers that they might receive the Holy Spirit.

● Peter prayed before raising Tabitha from the dead, as it is written: “But Peter put them all out, and knelt down and prayed. And turning to the body he said: ‘Tabitha, arise’ And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up” (Acts 9:40 – NKJV).

● Paul prayed before healing the father of Publius, as it is written: “Paul went in to him and prayed, and he laid his hands on him and healed him” (Acts 28:8 – NKJV).

● At Philippi, after Paul and Silas were beaten with rods they were thrown into prison, and there they prayed as it is written: “But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them” (Acts 16:25 – NKJV. What they did is the fulfilment of what James says in his epistle: “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray” James 5:13 – NKJV).

● At Miletus, Paul prayed with the elders of the Church of Ephesus before he left them, as it is written: “He knelt down and prayed with them all …. And they accompanied him to the ship” (Acts 20:36,38 – NKJV). The apostles prayed with the believers before departing from Tyre, as it is written: “And when we had accomplished those days, we departed and went our way; and they all brought us on our way, with wives and children, till we were out of the city: and we kneeled down on the shore, and prayed. And when we had taken our leave one of another, we took ship; and they returned home again” (Acts 21:5-6). We also do a good thing when we pray before going on a journey. Know this, that to ask God for a safe journey is scriptural for Ezra wrote: “There, by the Ahava Canal, I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our possessions” (Ezra 8:21 – NIV).

How the early Church prayed on two particular occasions

Let’s turn again to the Holy Scripture to see how the early Church prayed on two particular occasions.

Luke wrote: “And being let go, they [Peter and John] went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them. And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is: Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things? The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ. For of a truth against thy holy child [servant] Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done. And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child [servant] Jesus” (Acts 4:23-30; Psalm 2:1-2).

In this prayer we can notice that those believers first of all reminded God who He was (it is a right thing to remind God who He is, for God says: “Put me in remembrance: let us plead together” Isaiah 43:26 – so let’s follow the example of those believers), then they reminded God of what He had said through David about His Anointed One and how what He had said was fulfilled (therefore, it is correct, when we pray, to quote some passages of the Scripture). After that, they asked God to enable His servants to speak His Word with great boldness and to stretch out His hand to heal and to confirm His Word by signs and wonders. Someone will ask: ‘Was that prayer answered by God?’ Yes, it was, for it is written: “And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness” (Acts 4:31), and also: “And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people” (Acts 5:12) and again: “There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one” (Acts 5:16). Brothers, today we must ask God for the same things, for His Word still needs to be spoken with great boldness and the testimony of Christ needs to be confirmed by healings, signs and wonders. In order to see people converted to the Lord, the Word of God needs to be preached with boldness and there must be the manifestation of the Holy Spirit; therefore, let us raise our voice and pray to God that He might bear witness to His Word both with signs and wonders, and gifts of the Holy Spirit. Our desire is to see the Gospel preached with boldness as in the days of old, and also to see our great God confirm the Good News of the peace of God. Today, in this country, as well as in many others, the faith of many people is based on human wisdom and not on the power of God, for the Gospel is not preached with that power which marked the preaching of the apostles, but with words of human wisdom. This, beloved, should lead us to ask God to enable His servants to preach His Word with boldness.

I want to say another thing, which is this: the reason why many don’t fear God and don’t tremble before His Word is that they have never seen the true manifestation of the Holy Spirit. Someone may say: ‘Why do you call it the true manifestation of the Spirit?’ Because among the people of God certain things which are nothing but a counterfeit manifestation of the Spirit are passed off as the true manifestation of the Spirit in the eyes of the simple and of those who are unstable in all their ways; many mistake suggestion for the manifestation of the Spirit, and the manifestation of physical strength (displayed by some who preach the Gospel) for the power of God. Many preachers of the Gospel say to the crowds: ‘Concentrate, imagine now that you are healed and no more sick!’ as if a sick person can be healed by an intense mental concentration or the power of suggestion that they are able to exert on the simple. And many other preachers push the sick down on the floor and then they claim that it was the power of God who caused them to fall to the ground!!! And the time would fail me to speak of all those evangelistic meetings where the Gospel is preached with words only, without power and deep conviction, and where the deafening amplification gives the impression that the preacher is preaching with power. And I want to say also that there are many preachers who proclaim that God has healed many sick people (after they prayed for them), but afterwards, when one goes to talk with those who claimed that they were healed by God he finds out that most of them, or even all of them, are still sick. We are tired of hearing about healings which have never occurred, which are told by many unscrupulous preachers to attract people to their meetings and to become famous and rich. We long to see the sick healed, the blind see, the dumb speak, the deaf hear, the lame walk, the dead raised, the demon possessed delivered from the power of demons, the lepers cured, so that, seeing the mighty works of our God, sinners might believe and the faithful might fear God.

Luke speaks of another circumstance on which the church prayed to God and that prayer was answered; I refer to the imprisonment of Peter. He says: “Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church. Then he killed James the brother of John with the sword. And because he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to seize Peter also. Now it was during the Days of Unleavened Bread. So when he had arrested him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of soldiers to keep him, intending to bring him before the people after Passover. Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church” (Acts 12:1-5 – NKJV). As you can see, when Peter was put in prison the Church did not forget him, rather the Church began to pray for Peter. Now, even though Luke does not say what the Church asked God to do on behalf of Peter, we can deduce it from some words Paul wrote to the saints while he was in prison, which are these: “For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the supplication of the Spirit of Jesus Christ …..” (Philippians 1:19 – NKJV); “…. I trust that through your prayers I shall be granted to you” (Philemon 22 – NKJV). Therefore, we think that the Church of Jerusalem prayed to God that He might deliver Peter from prison. Those constant prayers were heard because God sent an angel to deliver Peter from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Jewish people. I would like to underline something we read in this story, which is this: when Luke says that constant prayer was offered to God for Peter by the Church, he means that the saints prayed for Peter. This is confirmed by the Scripture which says that in the house of Mary, the mother of John whose surname was Mark, “many were gathered together praying” (Acts 12:12 – NKJV), therefore we can say that the Church which was gathered in the house of Mary was praying for Peter. Thus, the building where we gather together to worship God cannot be called ‘church’ because this is not confirmed by the Word of God. We are the house of God, as it is written: “We are his house” (Hebrews 3:6 – NIV); the place of worship or the house where we gather to pray is not the house of God.

Brothers, we are the Church of the Living God and we must pray for our brothers who are in prison (and treated as criminals) so that God may comfort them, establish them in Christ, and deliver them from prison. Of course, it is true that some of those who are put in prison because of the Gospel die in prison, however this happens because God wants them to die in prison and not because God cannot deliver them from prison. One day we will know why God did not deliver them from prison, but in the meantime (while we are waiting for the hidden things to be revealed to us) let us continue to remember the prisoners, offering constant prayers to God for them because God wants us to pray for them, as it is written: “Remember the prisoners as if chained with them ….” (Hebrews 13:3 – NKJV).

On what conditions our prayers will be answered

Our God has promised to answer our prayers on the following conditions:

● If we pray in faith. Jesus said: “If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer” (Matthew 21:22 – NIV. The NKJV reads: “And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive”). Now, “faith is being sure of what we hope for” (Hebrews 11:1 – NIV), therefore when we pray believing (or in faith) we are sure we will receive what we have asked of God. Jesus said: “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours” (Mark 11:24 – NIV); as you can see, these words also confirm that in order to be heard we must believe. What must we believe? We must believe that we have received what we asked for in prayer, for it is written first “Believe that you have received it” (Mark 11:24 - NIV) and then: “It will be yours” (Mark 11:24 - NIV) or “You will have it” (NKJV).

James, the Lord’s brother, confirmed the words of Jesus by saying: “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways” (James 1:5-8). Note that first it is written: “Let him ask of God” (James 1:5) in faith, and then: “It shall be given him” (James 1:5). As you can see, in order to receive wisdom from God, we must ask for it in faith, with no doubting. For, while on the one hand he who prays to God in faith is heard; on the other hand he who prays doubting is not heard. He who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind, and that man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord. The words of James are hard, yet true.

One day Jesus said to His disciples: “Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says” (Mark 11:22-23 – NKJV). I would like to dwell upon these words of Jesus in order to explain to you what it means to pray in faith with no doubting. Note that Jesus said: “And does not doubt in his heart” (Mark 11:23); now, out of our heart spring the issues of life, therefore we need to keep it with all diligence, because if we pray to God not believing with our heart that we will receive what we have asked of Him (because we say in our heart that what we have asked is too hard for the Lord and He can’t give it to us), we will not receive anything from the Lord, we will get nothing but reproaches. When we pray, our heart must be firm, it must trust in the Lord; then we will receive what we have asked of God. When we pray, we must believe not only that God can do what we ask Him to do, but also that He will do it, for it is written: “Believe that you have received it” (Mark 11:24 – NIV) and also: “[Whoever] Does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done” (Mark 11:23 – NKJV). To explain to you what it means to believe that those things we say will be done, I will mention an event which happened in the days of Jesus, at Capernaum. It is written: “And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him, And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented. And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him. The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour” (Matthew 8:5-13). As you can see, when that roman centurion heard about Jesus, he came to Jesus and pleaded with Him to come and heal his servant who was lying at home paralyzed, and Jesus told him that He would come and heal his servant, but the centurion answered and told Jesus not to trouble Himself because he was not worthy that He should enter under his roof. He asked Jesus to speak the word and his servant would be healed. The faith of that man was amazing, because he believed not only that Jesus could heal his servant, but also that when Jesus would speak the word his servant would be healed. Jesus saw the faith which was in that man and granted his request. Note the expression of the centurion: “But speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed” (Matthew 8:8), for it shows that he did not doubt at all in his heart, but believed that the Lord would heal his servant through the word only. But note also the answer of Jesus, for it shows that it was done for him as he had believed. Is it not written that if he “does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says” (Mark 11:23 – NKJV)? Our enemy does not like the prayer of the righteous made in faith, thus when we pray it is necessary to resist the devil, standing firm in the faith. Know this, that the devil tries to make us doubt the Lord’s promises, so that we might not see their fulfilment in our life. I assure you that when we kneel down before the Almighty God and we pray in faith our enemies don’t remain indifferent. The devil tries through them to frighten us and lead us to think that God can’t hear us, or that what we ask of God is not for us today, and other harmful things; but you, beloved, don’t be afraid, because Jesus said: “Whatever you ask in My name, that I will do” (John 14:13 – NKJV): have faith in these words spoken by our Lord and at God’s appointed time you will receive from the Lord what you have prayed