Prayer: The Path to Victory!

Based on 1 Chronicles 4-6, Psalm 120

If we always have a hunger & desperation for God in our prayer lives, we will never have to worry when "desperate times call for desperate measures." If this quote is known & believed by many, than it should be obvious why the church must go to the extreme right now! This world is in an extreme state of sorrows...and prayer is the only path to victory!

Take a look at the fervent prayer of Jabez mentioned in 1 Chronicles 4:10:

"10: And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested."

Bless me. Enlarge my coast. Be with me. Keep me from evil...and don't let it grieve me! God granted it all to him, but it's important to note that this desperate measure of prayer came out of desperate times:

"9: And Jabez was more honorable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow." 1 Chronicles 4:9.

Out of sorrow he came, and out of prayer, he OVERCAME! He was honorable, and we can be too. It all starts when we enter into prayer! But again-don't wait until the sorrow comes! Be victorious in prayer to get the victory! Don't wait until you're down-kneel voluntarily in prayer so you can stand for battle...because you'll already win before it starts!

"18: The sons of Reuben, and the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh, of valiant men, men able to bear buckler and sword, and to shoot with bow, and skillful in war, were four and forty thousand seven hundred and threescore, that went out to the war.

19: And they made war with the Hagarites, with Jetur, and Nephish, and Nodab.
20: And they were helped against them, and the Hagarites were delivered into their hand, and all that were with them: for they cried to God in the battle, and he was intreated of them; because they put their trust in him." 1 Chronicles 5:18-20.

God's people were very skillful in matters of war. They mastered their weaponry. But it wasn't those things which allowed them to get the victory-it was their prayerful cry out to God during battle! Their trust in God caused God to give them victory! They may have prayed before battle, they may not have, but either way, they didn't give up! When the enemy came, they didn't run from God...they ran TO Him! And even though the fight had already begun, the victory was already won through God!!

No matter what state of our problem we are in right now, or if it hasn't even hit us yet, remember-it's never too late to cry out to God. Prayer is the path to victory!!

"1: In my distress I cried unto the LORD, and he heard me." Psalm 120:1.