Why do You Not?

Why Do You Not?

By David Brenneman 

"bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so must you do also." Colossians 3:13

My Friend, Dear Reader, my heart really breaks and really is dumbfounded by how little people who are supposed to be Christians do not obey this command from God's Word. 

Fears of all kinds seem to grip people when it comes to praying.  Some won't pray out loud. Some sort of do. Some proclaim their hearts for all its worth. 

Satan is a defeated foe.  All that remains is the fulfilling of the Great Commission.  When Jesus arose from the dead, Satan was done in.  We have nothing to fear in his hearing our pleas to our Savior and Lord.  There's nothing wrong with praying silently as well.  In that regard prayer is a formidable weapon in Spiritual warfare. Your requests, by way of the Spirit, go straight to Jesus.  

What gets me the most is those who tell me not to tell others about a prayer request that by all means should be shared.  People have looked at me as though my constant obedience to this verse as being a weakness.  My question to those is this: What does it say?

What does Paul say about boasting in his weaknesses?  In all ways possible Paul prayed.  He often despaired of his own life because things were that bad. He knew depression. He knew loneliness. He knew a great deal of what we go through each day.  He lived it too!  Technology and cultural advances mean nothing to Spiritual warfare. 

My challenge to you all is to rethink your own reasons for not obeying the Word of God.  Because in all reality that's what keeping things to yourself is what you are inevitably doing.  Jesus said that where two or more are gathered in His Name there He is.  So, in your prayer life, don't you WANT Jesus to be there?  Satan loves to convince people they are alone and that they should keep to themselves.  That embarrassment awaits those who open up about Spiritual matters.  How will you ever comfort others with the comfort God's given you if you don't open up? Notice clearly that isolation, Satan's weapon, prevents you from obeying God in this!

Isolation in your prayer life also prevents Spiritual discussions. It leads to lone wolf Christian people who are easy prey to having the Word of God twisted. 

Reconsider your ways today.