Topic: Grace to Labour In the Word and In Prayer  [Church of God Mission International] Above Only Daily Devotional 1 September 2021

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Above Only Daily Devotional

By: Archbishop M E Benson Idahosa

WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 1

Grace to Labour In the Word and In Prayer

Colossians 3:16, Colossians 4:12 (TPT)

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord…… Epaphras, who is also from Colossae, sends his loving greetings. I can tell you that he is a true servant of Christ, who always labors and interceeds for you. His prayers are filled with requests to God that you would grow and mature, standing complete and perfect in the beauty of God’s plan for your lives.

When Jesus noted that the harvest truly was great but the labourers were few(Luke 10:2), the word used for labourers there refers to all the people that toil and work very hard, especially as teachers. To toil is to work extremely hard at something until you are literally exhausted. This is the mindset and attitude that God wants us to have towards His word and prayers. We labour in the word by both studying and filling ourselves with the revelation of Christ and also by passionately preaching the gospel of Christ to others. We labour in prayer by both praying the revelation of Christ into our lives and by praying for others.

The major reason we labour in the word and in prayer is to press into Christ, fulfill God’s will and purpose for our lives and to be a blessing to others. When 2Timothy 2:15 (KJV) implores us to “study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth,” the word ‘study’ there actually refers to working diligently. The Living Bible adds, ” Work hard so God can say to you, “Well done.” Be a good workman who does not need to be ashamed when God examines your work. Know what His word says and means.” Labouring in the word and in prayer is a major way we become workers that God is pleased with. Epaphras laboured fervently in prayers for believers to stand perfect and complete in the will of God. Apostle Paul said he travailed like someone giving birth till Christ was fully formed in believers ( Gal 4:19). The more conscious you are of the fullness of Christ that God wants you to walk in and the great harvest of souls ahead, you will labour in the word and in prayers.

Prayer Focus:

Ask God to help you labour in studying and preaching the gospel of Christ. Ask God to stir your passion to labour in prayers for others.

Bible In One Year Reading Plan

Job 40:1-42:17, 2 Corinthians 5:11-21, Psalm 45:1-17 and Proverbs 22:14