“Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.” John 11:41-42
Our text this morning teaches us to approach prayer with gratitude, trusting that God always hears us. It highlights the importance of letting our prayers be a testimony to others, helping them grow in faith. Christ in his public prayer also inject faith and confidence in the Father. By openly expressing gratitude and trust in God’s response, He encouraged others present.
We’ve all been there—spouting Bible verses and bashing everyone with the Word, but somehow, it didn’t get through! However, there are more subtle and practical ways to exercise and proclaim the victory of Jesus.
Proclaiming the victory of Christ in conversations and actions is a powerful way for Christians to exercise their authority in clever, impactful ways. Instead of focusing on defeat, hopelessness, or challenges, always inject conversations with words of faith and victory, even in the midst of difficulties. This subtly reinforces the authority and power of Christ over all situations. For example, when discussing a problem with a friend, you could say, “I know this seems tough, but I believe in the victory Christ has already won over every challenge. We can trust Him to see us through this.”
When praying in groups or with individuals, speak boldly about the authority of Christ over situations, emphasising His victory. Whether on the street or in your neighbourhood, public prayers can be a clever and bold way to both evangelise and proclaim Christ’s power. Here Jesus made His prayer public, not for His own sake, but for the benefit of those listening; injecting faith and confidence in victory already won.
Author
kay.alli@legalview.co.uk