Geoffrey R. Kirkland
Christ Fellowship Bible Church
Prayer is the mightiest weapon that God has given to us as children of God. Christian wife, whatever marriage situation you find yourself in, remember that God’s glory is on display and He never withholds anything good from those who walk uprightly. So keep walking in holiness. Keep it your ambition to be pleasing to Christ in all respects. And resolve to walk in God’s ways and to obey His Word rather than to succumb to feelings and emotionalism. You may be married to Haman-like man or you may have a Holy Gentleman, Christian wife, resolve to be a woman of prayer. Mighty prayer prevails. Fervent prayer prevails. Honest prayer prevails. Hannah was a woman who knew this by experience. How can you be a Christian wife who glorifies Christ in a maximal way? Remember to give prayer a priority place and maintain it as a daily duty.
1. Pray Early. You may be a working woman with a full-time job. You may be a retired lady with grandchildren that you help provide care for. You may be a young mother raising children in the home. Whatever season of life you’re in, dear Christian wife, prioritize prayer. Rise early to meet with God. We do what we love the most and what brings great pleasure. The glorious God of the galaxies and the Lord of the ages invites you to meet with Him and commit all your ways to Him. Before you start nursing or before you drive to work or before you go to the gym or meet with those ladies, seek to remember this helpful maxim: meet with God first and find joy in Him before you begin your busy routine for the day. In a sense, we can do much after we’ve prayed but we can’t really do much till we’ve prayed. So rise early, while it’s still dark if needed, and seek the Lord of creation by calling upon His name and giving thanks to Him.
2. Pray Persistently. Jesus told a story of a persistent widow who came day after day to an unrighteous judge and pleaded her case. She persisted boldly and would not give up until her cause was heard and her cause was won. She prevailed! She persisted! And if an unrighteous judge who could care less for a helpless widow would finally give in to hear the request of a pitiful woman, how much more would the righteous and compassionate Father hear the pleas of His children and answer their requests! Godly wives, be women of prayer. Pray persistently for your children -- by name. Pray for their salvation, for their usefulness, for their holiness, for their perseverance, for their purity. Pray for your church. Pray for your neighbors. Pray for your nation. Pray for your leaders.
3. Pray Earnestly. Like Hannah, be women who pour out your souls to God in prayer. Pray as if everything in your day depended upon God hearing you and answering your specific requests. Pray with specificity. Pray with earnestness. Pray with boldness. Pray with urgency. Pray with humility and submission to the Father’s will. But pray in such a way that you believe your prayers accomplish amazing things and that your prayers reach God and affect God and prompt God to do what may be humanly impossible. So pray earnestly and desperately. Maybe you need to pray for the closing of an abortion clinic around the corner. Maybe you need to pray for an unbelieving husband who is godless and blasphemous. Maybe you need to pray for prodigal children who currently live in worldliness and sin. Maybe you need to pray for revival in your church, in your city, in your country! Pray! Pray on! Pray earnestly!
4. Pray Biblically. Mary, the mother of Jesus, had a treasury of Scripture stored up in her heart. When the angel came to her and informed her that she would bear a child who would be the fulfillment of the Scriptures and bring redemption to His people, Mary responded with a bubbling forth of Scriptural praise! She was a woman who knew the Torah, the Prophets, and the Psalms. Undoubtedly she, as a righteous woman, was one who trusted God’s Word, studied God’s Word, memorized God’s Word, and sought to pray God’s Word. May you be encouraged to do likewise.
5. Pray Specifically. Perhaps you’ve heard the story of Charles Spurgeon and how, as a young teenager, he remembered walking in his home and standing outside his mother’s bedroom door as she specifically, boldly, loudly, faithfully, and with tears, begged for God to save little Charles. Of course Spurgeon gave all glory to God in the work of Sovereign grace in his regeneration, he attributed his salvation to the prayers of his mother. She specifically prayed for him and for his salvation. And God heard her specific petitions. And he answered specifically. Do you pray specifically? What are you worried about? What are you fearful of? What gives you unrest in your heart and soul? Why are you nervous? What do you want or need to be in control of? What is it that tempts you? What is it that you want to be happy? Pray specifically to the Lord for His help, His grace, His protection, His power. And he will answer.
6. Pray Largely. God tells us to open our mouths wide and he will fill it (Ps 81.10). He tells us that he is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or even think (Eph 3.20-21). So pray big prayers. Consider: if God were to answer “YES” to your every prayer and actually give you every thing you prayed for, what would be different? Would the president be converted? Would all your neighbors be saved? Would your church be revived with swarms of new converts? Would your children all be regenerated and passionately following Christ and mightily used by Him for the advancement of His gospel? Would your church send out many new missionaries from within members of your flock? Pray big prayers! Pray largely! Pray in faith! Pray in confidence! See how God will answer your requests!
7. Pray Expectantly. When Jesus descended from the Mount of Transfiguration, the disciples attempted to cast a demon out of a young boy but they could not do it. And when the lamenting and desperate father approached Jesus, Jesus bewailed the pride of these men and told them that this can only be done in prayer (and fasting). Consider how important it is to pray and actually believe that God will hear and answer. Sometimes we pray but we aren’t alert in our praying and vigilant in expecting an answer! Paul told the Ephesians to be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints and to look for an answer. Be like Jacob who wrestled with the angel all night and expected that he would be heard and that his cause would be won. Submit to God’s sovereign decrees and at the same time, pray in humble, desperate faith knowing and expecting and anticipating that God will answer your prayers!
8. Pray Worshipfully. Like David who exemplified a man of worshipful prayer, pray as a worshiper! Be glad as a worshiper! Be mindful of God’s character and glory as you pray! Be humbled by His sovereign transcendence and His ever-present nearness as you pray! Be a worshiper and let your heart be full of awe and adoration as you exult in His great Name and gospel. Fill your heart with Scripture and respond with jubilant and prayerful praise. Christian wife, you have innumerable reasons to worship God in prayer! Consider the gospel by which you are saved! Think of the character of your triune God! Marvel at the intricate and incalculable creation God made and sustains! Glory in the church of Jesus Christ and all the myriads of saints of the ages that are saved by the blood of the Lamb! Worship! Pray! Rejoice! And give thanks!