Qhubeka ngomthandazo, kwaye ubukele ngokufanayo nombulelo; I-Withal Tharch nayo, ukuba uThixo uza kusivulela ucango lwentetho, Ukuthetha imfihlakalo kaKristu, Ndikwiibhombu: Ukuze ndikwenze ibonakalise, Njengoko ndifanele ukuthetha (KwabaseKolose 4:2-4)
Intsingiselo yeKolose 4:2-4
KwabaseKolose 4:2-4, Paul commanded the saints at Kolosse to continue in prayer and watch in the same with thanksgiving and also pray for them.
Giving constant attention to prayer is essential in the lives of Christians. Our lives should be a life of continuous prayer, watchfulness, and thanksgiving.
A neglected prayer life reveals itself in rebellion and ukungamthobeli uThixo and his Word, and apostasy from the faith and the commandments of Jesus Christ, and a life in sin.
Christians ought to follow the example of Jesus Christ, their Savior and Lord of their lives.
Jesus spent much time in prayer with the Father.
Jesus often withdrew Himself in silence and went out into the mountain to pray to the Father, even during the night (Owu. ULuka 6:12; 9:18-36; 21:27; UYohane 17)
The life of Jesus was a life of prayer, whereby He could endure the temptation, intshutshiso, the suffering, kwaye ukufa, and was able to fulfill the commission of the Father.
Phaphani ngoko, kwaye nithandaze rhoqo, ukuze kuthiwe nikufanele ukuzisaba zonke ezo zinto ziza kuhla, nokuma phambi koNyana woMntu
ULuka 21:36
The apostles and disciples of Jesus continued in prayer
The apostles and disciples of Jesus also knew the necessity and Amandla omthandazo and spent much time in prayer. Babesazi, that without giving attention to prayer, they and their fellow believers were not able to stand in the faith and spiritual battle.
Ngoko ke, they urged Christians to continue in prayer, in the daily interaction with the Father, and to spend time with Him and not neglect prayer.
Christians not only need to give daily attention to the interaction with the Father and Jesus Christ, but also to persevere in prayers pertaining things, which are according to the will of God and in alignment with His Word, but are not immediately answered.
Even if Christians don’t see an immediate answer to their prayers, they should not faint and become discouraged and eventually stop praying.
Khumbula, your faith is in the Almighty God, i UMdali wezulu nomhlaba kwaye konke okuphakathi, and not in an answered prayer.
We live in a microwave society, where everything needs to go fast. If Christians pray for something, they expect it to happen immediately. Because if it doesn’t happen immediately or doesn’t happen after praying 10 ukuya 15 amaxesha, bancama.
UMtyholi uyayazi le nto.
The devil knows that most Christians don’t persevere in prayer but give up
He knows that most Christians don’t persevere in prayer but give up easily. Kodwa amaKristu, who believe in Jesus Christ and the almighty God shall not give up, but persevere and continue in prayer, regardless of how long it takes. Just like the woman, who went to the unrighteous judge and didn’t give up but persevered until she received what she came for (ULuka 18:1-8).
Some prayers are answered immediately, others not. But regardless the length of time, have faith in God and stand in the victory.
During your time in prayer with the Father, He will show you through His Spirit what to pray and what not to pray.
Khumbula, prayer is not finishing a wishlist, but it’s the time you spend together with the Father. Prayer is part of your relation in -and with Christ and the Father through the Holy Spirit. (Funda kwakhona: Ubomi obuyimfihlo bomthandazo wekholwa).
Bukela
In addition, Christians should watch in the same. They should be and stay watchful and be on their guard of what is happening in the spiritual realm, before it manifests in the physical realm.
Christians should pray preventively, instead of praying when the damage has been done and only pray to God to clean up the mess.
UMtyholi ujikeleza njengengonyama egqumayo, Ukufuna, whom he can devour.
The devil constantly deceives. He constantly seeks for openings in the lives of people and which churches he can infiltrate kwaye utshabalalise.
AmaKristu enyama, who focus on the natural and the things of this world and have a neglected or no prayer life, won’t notice the devil and his demons and their infiltration.
Ngokusebenzisa kwabo (ngokomoya) blindness, they shall not recognize them, whereby the devil and his demons can continue their destructive work.
Kodwa amaKristu, who walk after the Spirit and daily spent time in prayer, are sober and watchful and see the methods and works of the devil, who comes as an angel of light and through worldly humanitarianism and false love, deceives many believers and causes them to fall away from the faith and God’s Word. (Funda kwakhona: Asizi nto, asizixhobo zikaSathana?).
The Holy Spirit reveals the truth and exposes the hidden things
Ngoko ke, the Holy Spirit and the discernment of spirits are needed in the lives of believers. The Holy Spirit reveals whether something is as good as it seems in the natural and whether someone is truly sincere as it seems in the natural.
Sometimes a situation can look so wonderful and seems like it’s coming from God or a person can seem so religious and genuine, while the Holy Spirit says the opposite and warns.
Then it’s up to the believers, whether they hear the voice of the Holy Spirit and believe and obey His words or reject His words, because they believe what they see with their own natural eyes and what they hear with their own natural ears.
Thanksgiving is part of prayer
In addition to the continuous prayer and watchfulness, Christians should give thanks.
In all things under all circumstances, Christians should give thanks to God the Father and Jesus Christ, Unyana.
Be thankful and make it an habit to give thanks to the Lord for Who He is and What He has done and for the things in your life several times a day.
Name them out loud instead of murmuring and complaining about things in the past or things that don’t go the way you wanted to or what’s lacking in your life. But thank the Lord God and give Him the glory!
When you thank the Lord, you will be joyful!
Nangona kunjalo… don’t thank the Lord to become joyful. But thank the Lord, kuba you love God with your whole heart and you are truly thankful.
Pray for the saints
Pray also for your fellow believing brothers and sisters in Christ. Remember all Christians in your prayers, including the leaders and servants in the Church, that they persevere in the faith and in the truth and stand in the world and that God will open a door for them, so that they can boldly preach the word of God and the mystery of Christ to the people.
Paul made this request to the saints, whereby he indicated how important and necessary it is to pray for fellow believers and to pray for open doors to bring the gospel of Christ to the people.
ngako konke ukuthandaza nokukhunga, nithandaza amaxesha onke nikuye uMoya, niyiphaphamele loo nto ngako konke ukuzingisa nokukhunga, ngenxa yabo bonke abangcwele; 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, Njengoko ndifanele ukuthetha
Kwabase-Efese 6:18-20
Qhubeka ngomthandazo, and watch in the same with thanksgiving and pray for fellow believers
Abangcwele, who belong to the Church of Christ ought to continue in prayer, kwaye ubukele ngokufanayo nombulelo, and pray for fellow believers that God opens a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ as they ought to speak.
‘Yibani yityuwa yehlabathi’
