THIS IS THE TIME TO WATCH AND PRAY

1 Peter 4:7 – But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. 

We are in very sensitive times, and the devil will do anything and everything to keep us unnecessarily busy with things that make no spiritual sense to us and to the issues that affect us. He will tend to keep us busy through lust, greed, through legitimate runnings to make ends meet in what to eat and drink and what to put on – which are things the world without Jesus Christ is held down with, and kept busy with in perpetual slavery to fear and worries. The enemy will seek to keep us busy with false hope of working for the kingdom, in religious activities that will not promote righteousness, joy and peace in the Holy Ghost.

The enemy is not bothered, and as a matter of fact, he will encourage the type of busyness that gets you involved in religious activities which promote false satisfaction as long as they do not make you pray more or read the Bible more; thus keeping the busy Christian spiritually dull, while they still hope they are serving the Lord. No one is immune to these dangerous tactics of the enemy – he wants to do everything to keep us away from the place of prayers and studying and, in the place of benefiting spiritual exercises, he stays unnoticed in a corner to deliver deadly blows capable of jeopardizing the spiritual sensitivity of the believers. He knows that as long as we are spiritually dull, we won’t be sober enough to be of any spiritual help to our marriage partners or our children; and thus, in the long run, our families will be affected as well.

A praying family is a problem for hell, and there can be no praying family without at least one praying parent. Jesus foresaw this when He said in Matthew 26:41 “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” He knew the temptation to lust, to gamble, to steal and do things contrary to the faith of the Gospel, will be strong and irresistible; that when given the opportunity to run the affairs of life, the flesh will fail even when the spirit is willing. He knew that no deed of the flesh can please God. And to this Jesus strongly warned in Mark 13:33 “Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.” The time of temptation, the time the enemy is waiting to pounce on the careless believer, like a voracious beast on its prey and we know not the time of Divine visitations; so take heed, watch and pray.

Jesus said “Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man” (Luke 21:36). If we must pass the test of this age; if we must escape the dangers that walk the streets; to escape the proud and religious terrorists; the preying ritualists and kidnappers; to escape the dark realities of dark forces that rule the world without Jesus Christ and be found worthy at the Coming of the Son of God; then said Jesus to the twelve and to all believers of all ages “watch ye therefore, and pray always”. If there is anything we must learn to do better and better, as the years go by and time runs to the end, it is to watch and to pray.

It will take the eagle eyes of a praying father to recognize the spiritual dullness and insensitivity to spiritual details that goes otherwise unnoticed in his family. A spiritually sensitive wife and mother will provide spiritual cover for her children and family, giving no room for the tactics of the enemy; while the insensitive type spends precious moments scavenging for illicit information on an erring spouse, polluting the grace of God with information that has no serious bearing on the battle at hand. In as much as it is important to be informed on happenings in and around your spouse and family, information that cannot be used to help build and sustain the altar of prayer and thanksgiving, is of no immediate usefulness to those to whom it is given.

Watching and praying has never been easy, just as no spiritual exercise is friendly to the fleshly desires. It takes patience and perseverance to watch and supplicate on behalf of a loved one, especially when the expected results are not being made visible as quickly as possible. “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints” (Eph. 6:18). There are no quick fix alternatives to spiritual growth and victory – it will take perseverance, diligence and patience to secure spiritual victories. All spiritual blessings, gifts and covenants buy and sell with the same spiritual coin: with the inscriptions written on one side “pray without ceasing” and on the other side is “watch with the Word”. There can be no spiritual success unless we master the art of praying without ceasing and watching in the same, with thanksgiving through the knowledge of His Word; as it is written “Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving” (Col. 4:2).

There are too many deceptions and distractions that are meant to keep us busy with lesser things, while ignoring (to our own disadvantage) the weightier spiritual matters. The harsh economy is a distraction, the uncooperative spouse, the third party who threatens the continued existence of your family, the difficult-to-balance financial situation, the erring child, and the health challenges; among many others, are distracting forces that are meant to sweep you off your feet and make you insensitive to the very reasons you are called into that family in the first place. Inasmuch as it is important to fight the devil, who wants to steal your joy and the peace of your family; it is also very important to fight strategically, with the help of the Holy Spirit.

When Jesus met the mad man of the Gadarenes, He asked what his name was, and the response was “legion” – in order words, they are many demons manifesting in different directions and ways; causing so many internal conflicts that led to his mental breakdown. Jesus wasted no time addressing each demon and their activities one after the other, like many of us would love to do. What did Jesus do? He spoke to the chief demon, which left the man; as did all the other lesser demons, which came with him. Because it is written, “smite the shepherd and the sheep shall scatter,” that spiritual principle is also applicable in the kingdom of darkness. It doesn’t matter how many ways and directions the enemies are manifesting in a home – one Holy Spirit-guided word of prayer, addressed to the source and chief demon operating in a home (or in a life), is all that’s needed to seal a permanent victory. It is easier winning with Jesus when you watch and pray aright, than with a directionless and visionless prayer pattern that has no serious spiritual bearing on the issue at hand.

1 Peter 4:7 “But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.” As the end of the year draws near, so will activities of wickedness be on the increase; because the end of all things is at hand, and difficult and perilous times are ahead…so we must be sober and watch unto prayer. “And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins” (1Peter 4:8). In days of discouragement and distractions, love must be allowed to rule the heart. Praying for an erring spouse is love in action – moral and spiritual support when it is least expected will reduce the distractions that keep us away from watching and praying as a family. “Use hospitality one to another without grudging”  (1 Peter 4:9) because the end of all things is at hand and we must do whatever we can to keep our families together, as one united and indivisible entity under God; even when we are encompassed by many distractions.

“As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God” (1 Peter 4:10).  Esther was gifted and equally blessed with grace necessary for the challenge of the kingdom. She was unaware of the tremendous abilities in her; but was helped by an unrelenting uncle, who understood the mind of God for the kingdom at that time. We are in each of our families because we have been endowed with manifold grace of God needed for day to day challenges; and like Esther, we must arise and ward off spiritual Hamans (who are bent on destroying our marriages and the future of our children) for we are in the kingdom for such a time as this and we cannot afford to fail.

If we must succeed in the call to Christian parenting; in the ministry of praying parents; and in the task of raising a new generation of obedient children (who will thirst and hunger for God and righteousness, and who in turn will be able to teach and train their own children in a manner befitting the grace of JESUS CHRIST they have so received of us); then we must daily watch and pray, through studying of the scriptures and discipline of the spirit.

The time is perilous – satanic activities are on the increase; wickedness and injustice will be on the rise and unrighteousness will strive to prevail over righteousness; but in it all is grace sufficient enough for those whose trust and hope is The Lord – the Strength of Israel and the God of faithful men and women of all ages.

Enough of spiritual despondencies and lethargy; enough of disharmony and conflicts that tear marriages apart; and enough of learning but never coming to the spiritual understanding and spiritual stature of Jesus Christ expected of us per time and season. “If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” (1 Peter 4:11) Why? Because the end of all things is at hand and believers must rise up to watch and pray. To get committed to daily study of the scripture; to hold on to the covenant of Words; and pray with all prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, and May the Spirit of Grace keep you strong and blameless this time and always. Amen

May God bless His Word in your hearts and may the story of God’s mercy, love and compassion endure in your lineage from one generation to another; from now on and for many generations yet unborn.  And may your spiritual sensitivity never go dull as you watch and pray for you, for your spouse, for your children and for your family in Jesus Mighty Name. Amen!

Olumofin, Kehinde Benjamin writes for Praying Parents Prayer Group Christian Ministry.