Colossians 4:2-4, "Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving; Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds: That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak."
Romans 8:26, "Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered."
This morning, we are greatly looking forward (again) to be at a weekend meeting, and the hope and anticipation seems to well up with each passing moment. When thinking about the blessing that comes in public worship in the Lord's house, many times, we have past experiential knowledge that we draw strength from in that the Lord (while moving in a mysterious way) shows us time and time again His presence in the service. One of the ways that His presence is known is by the "feeling" upon entering of how many prayers have been offered up for the services to come. The minister sometimes can feel that impact when entering the pulpit, and it is a source of great comfort that the Lord is in the matter, and the Spirit's power is manifest on these occasions. But, whether minister or member, I am sure all will be familiar with the experiential knowledge that we wish to discuss based on the verses above.
Many times, ministers from different parts of the country arrive at a weekend meeting and all the messages have a central "theme" throughout the weekend. Now, should one have a placard, bulletin, or newsletter that announced this "theme," there would not be much surprise in that. But, when the ministers have not talked with each other beforehand and the messages still flow together in such a way, there is no explanation beyond the Spirit answering the prayers of the people and giving them what is needed at the time. Sometimes, I wonder what I will try to speak on if called on, and sometimes the answer is not manifest until shortly before entering the pulpit. Sadly, sometimes the answer is manifest afterwards on what I "should have" talked about.
Yet, the sheep of the Lord's pasture pray for the services and may not know exactly what they stand in need of. The minister (especially if a visitor) may have no idea what is needed at the time. But, the Spirit helpeth us with our infirmities, and while we may not know exactly what to pray for or have need of, the Spirit helps us in that He knows what we stand in need of. There have been a few times when I prayed specifically for a certain subject to be preached (as I felt in need of hearing it), and during the course of the meeting, that prayer was answered. But, many times, I pray that the Lord be with us and give us the message that is suitable for the occasion (even if I know not the message needed).
Paul goes on in the Colossian letter to encourage the church to pray for him and other ministers that labour to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ. Pray that a door of utterance would be granted. Oh, how easy is it for us to take that particular point for granted! We think sometimes that the minister is just going to be able to speak, but there are times when the power of the Spirit is absent that it would be better if the minister was dumb. We need the utterance that can only come from on High, and without it, our words are dry and dull. So, if the message is about Christ, does this automatically make it the message that is needed for the time? More pertinently, if a minister gets up and speaks about something true, does that necessarily mean that the door of utterance has been granted?
There are times, when we hear something preached that is completely true, but there did not seem to be much consolation as a result of the message. What has happened at such a time? Paul goes on to say that when prayer for a door of utterance is offered, the end result is that he would make the mystery of Christ manifest as he ought to speak. The phrase "as I ought to speak" implies that it must be the suitable message for the occasion (and of course the truth as it is in Christ Jesus). There may be a message preached that is completely true on the doctrine of election or how to raise a family, but perhaps the suitable message for that occasion is eternal security or the infallibility of the Scriptures. It is imperative, for sure, that we preach true principles and concepts, but we need to pray also that what is needed at the time will be what is doled out in the message.
This is why I am in awe and sheer amazement when blessed to be a part of a meeting that has 10 or more messages centered around one subject with no repetition or redundant points. These messages carried a subject that the congregation needed, and the consolation and comfort was abundantly manifest by all that heard and rejoiced. These experiences gives us manifest tokens that the Spirit answered the prayers even if we did not know what we needed at the time. Sometimes we need encouragement, sometimes exhortation, sometimes comfort, sometimes rebuke, sometimes we need to be reminded of the world to come or the battle that Christ fought. But, let us take solace in the fact that the Spirit knows our needs better than we ourselves. Even when praying for natural things, the Father knows them better than we ourselves. (Matthew 6:8) Let us continue in prayer and watch that the Lord would open a door of utterance to the ministers in His house that the mystery of Christ would be manifest to the things that we need by the Spirit's answer to prayer.
In Hope,
Bro Philip