(John 5:19,20 MSG) Jesus explained himself at length. “I’m telling you this straight. The Son can’t independently do a thing, only what he sees the Father doing. What the Father does, the Son does. The Father loves the Son and includes him in everything he is doing.
This morning we continue our series entitled, “Re-Energizing Your Prayer Life.” Yesterday we took a look at this passage in John chapter 5. When answering the religious leaders who were questioning why He performed a miracle on the Sabbath Jesus clearly explained to them that He had received His marching orders directly from the Father.
How did Jesus receive His direction? Did He have some sort of special access to the Father? The answer is NO. Jesus was completely God, but He unquestionably came as a man. As a man He experienced the same limitations we have. Therefore Jesus needed to hear from the Father through the vehicle of prayer, just like we need to. Jesus made this point painstakingly clear in our text when He said, “The Son can’t independently do a thing.” Later on in this conversation Jesus said, “I can’t do a solitary thing on my own: I listen, then I decide. You can trust my decision because I’m not out to get my own way but only to carry out orders. If I were simply speaking on my own account, it would be an empty, self-serving witness. But an independent witness confirms me, the most reliable Witness of all” (see verses 30-33).
For the Father to operate in our lives He actively seeks our co-operation. Without our co-operation His operation is stifled because He will not impose His will on us. We are not puppets and our Heavenly Father is no puppeteer. The Father wants us to willingly participate in His plans and purposes in the earth, and since we can’t effectively participate in something we are not aware of, prayer becomes a critical aspect of our success in life.
What else can we learn from this?
– Prayer is a channel through which we can receive direction. Prayer is not we telling God what to do, but rather we finding out what God already wants to do and cooperating/participating with Him to bring it to pass.
– Prayer is a source of confidence: If we are able to “see” what the Father already wants to do, we can operate in complete confidence and courage, knowing that we are in line with God’s will and that He will bless what we are doing.
So what does this mean to you today? It means that prayer should be a central part of your life. In addition to the aforementioned reasons, let me give you a two more practical reasons why:
1. Prayer saves you time. Don’t put off praying thinking that you don’t have the time to spare. If you take the time to pray the Father can get involved in your agenda and help you to maximize your time.
2. Prayer opens the door to divine involvement. Prayer is earthly license for heavenly interference. Prayer gets the Father involved in your daily life and it gets you involved in His plans and purposes. After prayer you can face your day with the confidence of knowing that you don’t have to face it alone!
Closing Confession: Father, I thank You for admonishing me and then teaching me to pray. I pray daily. I realize that like Jesus, I can’t do a solitary thing on my own. Without You I am nothing. You are my source and my strength. You alone are the Lord of my life. My total trust and confidence is in You. You have graced me for such a time as this. I was born for this time and with divine purpose. I partner with You to bring to pass both my purpose and Your purposes in the earth. I receive divine direction today through prayer. Every meeting, conversation, and activity I engage in today was ordained before foundations of the world and I engage in them with the confidence that You are with me to make a difference. I get You involved in my daily life, through prayer, so I don’t ever have to face a day alone. I maximize my time and I enjoy this day! In Jesus’ name. Amen!
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper!
