Page 4 - 17 January 2025

PAGE 4 · THE REPORTER 17 JANUARY 2025

Jesus knows our every
weakness;
Take it to the Lord in
prayer. -
Joseph M. Scriven (1819-
1886)
'There is no more certain way space. It had been named A prayer to make: Father, I
of making Christians feel the 'VLE - Very Large Ear'. I have often gone to my knees
guilty,' said Dr Martyn Lloyd- thought to myself as I feeling defeated and have
Jones on one occasion, watched: I wonder how risen again victorious. I am
Don't be tricked. Let Jesus 'than by asking them how many of those scientists more grateful than I can say
have your voice. Exchange much time they spend in realise that a word has for the privilege of being able
fear for boldness. You have prayer.' already come to us from the to talk to You in prayer.
been equipped, so pick up heavenly realm - a Word Thank You, my Father.
the Word. Don't let the power When I examine the amount made flesh in the Person of Amen.
of Scripture be lost on you of time I give to prayer I feel God's Son.
anymore. Take off your ashamed. However, my Further study:
The power of God's Word is Glancing back at the book of muzzle. intention in concentrating But not only has God spoken Jeremiah 33:1-9;
given the impressive Genesis and the account of on this important spiritual to us in Christ; He has made
imagery of a sharp military creation, God spoke all A memory verse: 'It is exercise is not to lay on you it possible for us to speak to 2 Chronicles 7:11-16;
sword. things into being. He spoke, written: "Man shall not live on or me a 'guilt trip' but Him. One writer commen- Jeremiah 29:12-14: Then
and it was. Jesus, when He bread alone, but on every hopefully to encourage us to ting on the VLE in New you will call on me and come
Hebrews 4:12 describes the word that comes and pray to me, and I will
Word of God as: 'living and walked this earth as a man, spend more time with God in Mexico said: 'God too has a listen to you. You will seek
active. Sharper than any healed and delivered people from the mouth of God." prayer. God delights in VLE - a Very Large Ear.' And me and find me when you
double-edged sword.' This with a word, He gave (Matthew 4:4) talking to us - our text for that ear, I might add, is seek me with all your heart. I
'two-edged' idea comes commands, He quoted An action to take: If you are today makes that clear. But continually open to us. He will be found by you,'
from the Greek word Scripture, He prayed timid when it comes to how eager are we to talk to hears even the weakest and declares the Lord, 'and will
"distomos' - 'di' meaning Scripture, and, as His praying out loud, practise Him? faintest of cries. The much bring you back from
'two' and 'stomos' meaning followers, we are directed to reading Scripture aloud, and I once watched a television loved hymn 'What a Friend captivity. I will gather you
' m o u t h . S o t h e do likewise. To speak the let that turn into offering programme which reported we have in Jesus' puts it like from all the nations and
interpretation would be 'two Word of God out loud. short prayers spoken aloud. on the setting up of a large this: places where I have
mouthed', describing the This is where some of us Keep practising - fear may radio receiver in New Mexico, Can we find a friend so banished you,' declares the
two mouths of a river and the come unstuck. You see, not go completely, but it will designed to pick up any faithful Lord, 'and will bring you
two edges of a sword. This Satan, I believe, has more lose its power to keep you signals that might come Who will all our sorrows back to the place from which
makes sense of John's vision understanding than most quiet. from life forms in outer share? I carried you into exile.'
on the island of Patmos, in Christians of the power of
which he saw Jesus, and God's Word being physically A prayer to make: Lord,
'coming out of his mouth spoken. Satan knows that if give me a revelation of what
was a sharp, double-edged we grasp how to wield our You have given me in
sword' (Revelation 1:16). In swords and strike our mark, Scripture. Help me to learn An action to take: What
this case, the word Jesus he is defeated and his works from You, trust in You, and spiritual battles are you
spoke was divine judgement. are destroyed. So, he keeps realise the true power of Your currently engaged in?
Word. Amen.
In our reading today, we see us in fear and ignorance. He Search the Scriptures for
that in giving us His Word, keeps us in a place of Further study: passages which you could
God has equipped us with timidity, where we are too Ephesians 6:1-18; incorporate into your
something divinely powerful fearful to pray out loud, Proverbs 18:21: "The tongue ‘Imagine sending someone cannot see the light of the prayers.
for fighting against spiritual especially in front of others. has the power of life and into battle who has never gospel that displays the glory
principalities and powers in He plays the comparison death, and those who love it used a sword before. They've of Christ, who is the image A prayer to make: Holy
the heavenly realm. The card and convinces us that will eat its fruit". been equipped with the of God.' We can pray this Spirit, I welcome You. Help
weapons God equips us with our prayers aren't as good as 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 weapon but they've no scripture and ask God to me to read and memorise
have divine power to other people's. We think we Revelation 19:15: “Coming training in how to use it. They open a person's eyes and Scripture. Remind me of
demolish everything that don't know what we're doing, out of His mouth is a sharp are unskilled in the art of mind, take away their scriptures that will equip me
rises up against God and His so we just stay quiet and sword with which to strike defence and offence - all spiritual blindness, and give to release God’s Kingdom
children. offer a weak 'Amen'. down the nations. . . “ they can do is try not to let them understanding. Also, here on earth. Amen
go, swing the sword around, we can pray Ephesians 1:18, Further study:Luke 24:44-
and hope to survive. This is where it says: 'I pray that the 49 He said to them, 'This is
quite a dramatic analogy, I eyes of your heart may be what I told you while I was
know, but I want to compare enlightened in order that you still with you: everything
it with our revelation and use may know the hope to which must be fulfilled that is
of Scripture. He has called you, the riches written about me in the Law
of His glorious inheritance in of Moses, the Prophets and
A Christian may be praying
for someone to encounter His holy people...' the Psalms.' Then he opened
Jesus, but they don't know The more we read and their minds so they could
how to use Scripture to memorise Scripture, the understand the Scriptures.
inform their prayers. As we more the Holy Spirit can He told them, 'This is what is
have already seen, the Bible bring to our memory the written: the Messiah will
describes the Word of God words of God to pray suffer and rise from the dead
as a weapon, a double- effectively so His Word can on the third day, and
edged sword. God wants us do what we send it to do. Let r e p e n t a n c e f o r t h e
to walk through life in His full this be aided by the Holy forgiveness of sins will be
armour and weaponry so we Spirit, for the Word and the preached in His name to all
can defend ourselves and Spirit work together. Before nations, beginning at
also engage the enemy and long, you will have a whole J e r u s a l e m . Yo u a r e
be on the offence. So, when arsenal of scriptures to use witnesses of these things. I
praying for a person to as weapons in warfare am going to send you what
become a Christian, how can against the devil. my Father has promised; but
Scripture help us to do that Remember that tool belt we stay in the city until you have
effectively? been clothed with power
spoke of earlier in the week? from on high.'
Remember that God's Word Keep filling it up! When it
is living an active! An comes to battling in prayer, Ephesians 6:18: And pray in
example of a Scripture that you are equipped. Step into the Spirit on all occasions
we can use as a weapon in revelation and leave with all kinds of prayers and
prayer is 2 Corinthians 4:4: ignorance behind. Train in requests. With this in mind,
'The god of this age has the art of defence and be alert and always keep on
blinded the minds of offence with the armour and praying for all the Lord's
unbelievers, so that they weapon of Scripture. people.