Friday, July 29, 2011

The Power Of Prayer

       Revelation 8:1-6 provides for us a wonderful portrayal of the power which is found in the prayers of God’s people.  As each of the seven seals are released from the scroll given to the Lamb of God (Jesus), God’s final judgments are delivered upon the wickedness of this world.  Christ’s followers are dying a martyr’s death and watching their loved ones do the same (like hundreds of thousands around the world today).  God answers their prayers with the unsealing of the scroll and the ensuing judgment of each seal.  The seventh seal unleashes the power of prayer.  Revelation 8:1 says that these events brought about a “silence in heaven for about half and hour.”  Verse 3 presents an angel with a golden censer standing at the altar before God’s throne.  His censer is filled with the prayers of the people of God and He carefully delivers these prayers before God.  The prayers of God’s children “ascend before God from the angel’s hand.” (Rev. 8:4)  The angel then took the censer and hurled it to the earth.  “And there were noises, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake.” (vs. 5) 
It is amazing that the silence of heaven is broken not by the trumpets of angels or the heavenly multitudes singing, but by the prayers of the saints.  It is a great exhortation to God’s people that the final seal of God’s judgment on their behalf is not initiated by their self-exaltation, financial holdings, nor their influence in the world.  God’s holy justice is poured out in response to the prayers of the saints.  As God casts the contents of the censer, which are the prayers of His people, to the earth in final judgment He teaches us that there is great power in prayer.  And since there is such great power in prayer, we must never neglect this divine gift of such eternal significance.  1 Thessalonians 5:16 reminds us to, “Pray without ceasing.”   

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