Hi there,
So this is not just a reminder, that Jesus warns He will take a candle from the lampstand of the Churches (Revelation), it is diligent look at the words of Jesus - concerning repentance in general. Those words were as follows: "Do you think that the martyrs whose blood Pilate mingled with the sacrifices, were different to all other sinners? I tell you no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish" (paraphrase). This is important, because it is not just about praying you are in the Will of God, as Jesus says elsewhere, we also need to repent of, but rather this is about being persecuted for your faith, by unscrupulous evil-doers who have authority (albeit from the Devil). The Church will continue to be persecuted unless we pray.
Now, I'm not saying persecution will just go away and we can always be more in the Will of God (an important point to remember), but I am saying that we need to make praying against it, as much of a priority as we can: the Pilates of this world, will persecute us without ceasing, if we don't first intercede against their appointment, mandate and presumption of authority, whether in the Devil or otherwise. This is something I had to learn, as a maturing Christian: sometimes death is inevitable, but more to the point, sometimes persecution is just looking for an excuse.
Do you think the martyrs would have been sacrificed, if they had been praying for Pilate? That's the point, as far as Jesus is concerned: they would not. In principle, if not in fact. And would those who the Tower of Siloam crushed have been at the foot of the tower, if they had been praying? Again, as far Jesus is concerned: they would not. This is for the good life, what I am saying here: we need to keep prayer up. The end has come and it is up to us to be praying, no matter what, whether because bad luck is coming or because those who could care less about luck have us in their sights - for evil and not for good. Sufficient is the Day for its own trouble, yes, but also in prayer, the more so.
In the end, we will know what prayers have been effective and useful, what I want to emphasise is that we should be praying first for the protection of the Faith (the Church) - that is the Order Jesus puts His Words in. We need protection on all sides and prayer is the only way we will get it, to begin with. This is What the Word of God is revealing, day by day. Don't give up hope, that circumstances will change or think that luck will just change: pray! When we reach Heaven, those we have saved, will be there to thank us and thank us in person. This is what it is to do something great by the faith.
The world will come at us from all sides, once we acknowledge that the end is here - but we will be strong, because we have been praying: we must be especially glad that they come against us, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before us. Governments will be tempted with laws that marginalise us and which make it hard to operate in faith (in China the government struggles to rule those of faith fairly, in the Middle-East even associating with the faith is a sign of sin - and there are many examples like those). This is our opportunity to be recognised for our love of the bretheren! We lay down our lives in prayer daily, that God's Word be persecuted no further!
Have hope, Jesus has no desire to perish. Though the Lord may say "I do not say I will pray for you", you can be sure His desire to conquer Death, will drive Him to pray something - even if His faith is above having to admit it. That indeed is the point: what we are called to do, as believers and members of the faith, is to be accountable to God, no one else. Those who reach Heaven, have ceased from their work, their very prayers follow after them, that their faith never be attacked again! We must take courage from this, for the time will come when our prayers meet the prayers of those who pray for us, that we not perish.
The Lord guide you, what to pray and when. Time is short, the ruler of this world, will soon lay his eyes on the hearts of men, for dominion - we must be ready for persecution to increase. What we don't have to do, is give up territory for the Devil, because we have said nothing about those who wish to do us harm. Be ready, with additional prayers. Listen, for the echo of your words, in the Lord God - He will deliver us!
So this is not just a reminder, that Jesus warns He will take a candle from the lampstand of the Churches (Revelation), it is diligent look at the words of Jesus - concerning repentance in general. Those words were as follows: "Do you think that the martyrs whose blood Pilate mingled with the sacrifices, were different to all other sinners? I tell you no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish" (paraphrase). This is important, because it is not just about praying you are in the Will of God, as Jesus says elsewhere, we also need to repent of, but rather this is about being persecuted for your faith, by unscrupulous evil-doers who have authority (albeit from the Devil). The Church will continue to be persecuted unless we pray.
Now, I'm not saying persecution will just go away and we can always be more in the Will of God (an important point to remember), but I am saying that we need to make praying against it, as much of a priority as we can: the Pilates of this world, will persecute us without ceasing, if we don't first intercede against their appointment, mandate and presumption of authority, whether in the Devil or otherwise. This is something I had to learn, as a maturing Christian: sometimes death is inevitable, but more to the point, sometimes persecution is just looking for an excuse.
Do you think the martyrs would have been sacrificed, if they had been praying for Pilate? That's the point, as far as Jesus is concerned: they would not. In principle, if not in fact. And would those who the Tower of Siloam crushed have been at the foot of the tower, if they had been praying? Again, as far Jesus is concerned: they would not. This is for the good life, what I am saying here: we need to keep prayer up. The end has come and it is up to us to be praying, no matter what, whether because bad luck is coming or because those who could care less about luck have us in their sights - for evil and not for good. Sufficient is the Day for its own trouble, yes, but also in prayer, the more so.
In the end, we will know what prayers have been effective and useful, what I want to emphasise is that we should be praying first for the protection of the Faith (the Church) - that is the Order Jesus puts His Words in. We need protection on all sides and prayer is the only way we will get it, to begin with. This is What the Word of God is revealing, day by day. Don't give up hope, that circumstances will change or think that luck will just change: pray! When we reach Heaven, those we have saved, will be there to thank us and thank us in person. This is what it is to do something great by the faith.
The world will come at us from all sides, once we acknowledge that the end is here - but we will be strong, because we have been praying: we must be especially glad that they come against us, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before us. Governments will be tempted with laws that marginalise us and which make it hard to operate in faith (in China the government struggles to rule those of faith fairly, in the Middle-East even associating with the faith is a sign of sin - and there are many examples like those). This is our opportunity to be recognised for our love of the bretheren! We lay down our lives in prayer daily, that God's Word be persecuted no further!
Have hope, Jesus has no desire to perish. Though the Lord may say "I do not say I will pray for you", you can be sure His desire to conquer Death, will drive Him to pray something - even if His faith is above having to admit it. That indeed is the point: what we are called to do, as believers and members of the faith, is to be accountable to God, no one else. Those who reach Heaven, have ceased from their work, their very prayers follow after them, that their faith never be attacked again! We must take courage from this, for the time will come when our prayers meet the prayers of those who pray for us, that we not perish.
The Lord guide you, what to pray and when. Time is short, the ruler of this world, will soon lay his eyes on the hearts of men, for dominion - we must be ready for persecution to increase. What we don't have to do, is give up territory for the Devil, because we have said nothing about those who wish to do us harm. Be ready, with additional prayers. Listen, for the echo of your words, in the Lord God - He will deliver us!
