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Insight's to the Word with Pastor Teague!
Learning Obedience Through Prayer
Having tried to figure out some dreams lately has caused me to lean heavily on prayer partners. This brought me to a place of realizing that all of us, regardless of our spiritual strength – need prayer partners. All of us! One of the lies the enemy of prayer uses is that since we are going through some difficult or trying times – we cannot pray for others – either in the altar, intercessory or our personal prayer closets. He uses this lie so often that some of you have relinquished your place in praying for others. When you do that you allow the enemy to defeat you and interfere with your anointing to bring others to victory in spite of your own spiritual battles or difficult seasons.
I am reminded of Paul the apostle when under tremendous pressure still found a place of ministry to others. He never allowed his “season” to interfere with the responsibility of working his anointing. Neither should we.
Read the following scriptures: 2 Corinthians 1:8-11 (8) For we do not want you to be unaware, brethren, of our affliction which came to us in Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life; (9) indeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves so that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead; (10) who delivered us from so great a peril of death, and will deliver us, He on whom we have set our hope. And He will yet deliver us, (11) you also joining in helping us through your prayers, so that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the favor bestowed on us through the prayers of many.
What amazes me about this passage is that Paul did not have email, Twitter or FaceBook. He didn’t have internet. You have to realize that what happened on his missionary tours was communicated by word of mouth or by letter courier. Someone on a horse or riding a camel would bring the news. Days would pass before someone received notice that Paul was “in trouble.” When you realize that and then read what Paul wrote: “you also joining in helping us through your prayers, so that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the favor bestowed on us through the prayers of many” – you realize the importance of prayer for the saints. You also realize the tremendous pressure both he and the saints he ministered to were under. You can’t even imagine the difficult times he and the church faced – and they survived by praying for one another.
Paul indicates that the favor of the Lord was on him due to the prayer of “many” of the saints. We don’t have to know the mechanics of how this works – all we have to know is that it does. Regardless of the load you or I am under – it cannot interfere with our responsibility to pray for others. I urge to you rediscover your place in altar working, intercessory prayer and your personal prayer closet. Do not allow the enemy to bring the lie into your spirit you are not strong enough to pray, you are too burdened to pray or you are not spiritually where you should be due to your own spiritual barometer. He is good at it – no doubt. We just can’t buy into his lies.
One of the greatest passages of scripture we can lean on when it comes to praying while under pressure ourselves is that which points to Christ as our example: Hebrews 5:7 In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety.
Bible scholars point to this passage as being one of the most transparent passages in all Holy Writ concerning Jesus as the Son of Man. The intent of this passage is that Jesus was praying for his personal need and for protection. Yes, you read it right. The language here indicates a man who is under pressure, facing death and is asking for help. Jesus, the Son of God, prayed for help. Look at this verse closely:
When you take this verse alone and break it down you see that “human” side of Jesus who is struggling with dying for the sin of the world. He bore on his shoulders the weight of the world. It was heavy. It was agonizing. He did what any other person should do in a crisis – he prayed.
We also discover that His prayer was heard. In John 11.42 Jesus exclaimed “I know you always hear me.” What I find amazing here was the sheer faith of the Lord. He “knew” his prayer was heard – and He still faced pain, suffering, agony and eventually death. His “knowing” he was heard was the open door to perseverance unto death. That, my friend, is pure faith in the One who hears our prayers. When we can “know” our prayers have been heard and still face calamity and crisis – we are people of great faith. There were no immediate false teachers to declare that since Jesus died there must have been something wrong with his faith. God forbid!
Let me address this for a moment. A prayer heard is not necessarily the quaint little phrase of “answered prayer by our will or standard.” His prayer was heard due to his piety – His tremendous reverence for the Father and pure submission to the perfect will of the Father. Without a doubt there is lesson here for all of us. A prayer heard is a prayer answered – according to the will of the Father. Jesus had to trust the One who heard His prayer and know that whatever suffering He was enduring was the absolute will of God.
I love the verse that follows: 5:8 Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered.
Do you see what I see there? Jesus suffered. He wrestled with his own season of difficulty. He labored in prayer by asking for help and protection. He learned from his season of suffering. He did and so can we. Suffering should never move away from our calling to pray. Never. Ever.
Prayer is not easy. If it were we wouldn’t wrestle with the discipline of it. Accepting the full will of God is not easy. For many of us there is a huge gap, a colossal gorge between knowing God has heard us and how He chooses to answer our prayers. I look to Hebrews here for another remark: Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.
The word rewarder means “one who pays wages.” A simple word here from a guy who is rather simple. Wages are normally determined by the employer not the employee. God pays us for our faith at the determination of His will – not ours. Jesus learned obedience – following the will of another – through His moment of prayer.
I close with the following scriptures. Read them and then know that nothing should effect our responsibility to pray for others. Don’t let Satan lie to you and unjustly disqualify you from prayer.
Romans 15:30 Now I urge you, brethren, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God for me.
2 Corinthians 1:11 You also joining in helping us through your prayers, so that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the favor bestowed on us through the prayers of many.
Philippians 1:19 For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayers and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.
Colossians 4:12 Epaphras, who is one of your number, a bondslave of Jesus Christ, sends you his greetings, always laboring earnestly for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God.
1 Timothy 2:1 First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men.
Philemon 1:22 At the same time also prepare me a lodging, for I hope that through your prayers I will be given to you.
So much to learn about prayer and trusting the ultimate will of the Father – our spiritual employer. How about you? Are you learning obedience through your season of crisis or are you complaining, whining and pouting? Just a thought. Just a simple thought!
Pastortimteague's Blog 
This was real good Tim. i saw your post to have people check out your church facebook page so I thought I would check out your blog as well. Your doing a great work at Victory Hill. I miss seeing you guy’s at state events like we had in S. Ohio. May your family have a wonderful Thanksgiving, Christmas and added blessings in 2012. Go Buckeyes! Maybe not this year !