Prayer serves as the greatest remedy for worry and fears. In Philippians 4:6, God’s word tells us to “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” This truth is reaffirmed in 1 Peter 5:7 where the Bible says, “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” A man can expend time and strength caring for the things of this world including the necessities of life, or he can make a conscious decision to obediently cast those same cares upon the Lord. This allows the Lord to show Himself strong toward the individual by caring for His child. According to Philippians 4:7, by choosing to pray, the cares and worries of man are replaced with “the peace of God.” The Bible describes this peace as one that keeps the believer’s heart and mind through Christ Jesus and even passes one’s ability to comprehend its depths and riches.
Imagine the vulnerabilities of a watchman who refuses to keep his eyes open to every possible angle from which danger could arise. No doubt the enemy would scout the land observing the bad habits of the watchman. If the watchman fails to examine each point of entry, the enemy will attack from the unprotected angle. In like manner, believers are to walk circumspectly. The word circumspect means to look all around. Believers are to be sober and vigilant knowing that their enemy, the Devil, “walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). God’s enemies always search for the weak spot where the hedge has been cut down or ignored. This is why there is no angle in the believer’s life that can be safely ignored.
Many Bible passages connect watchfulness and prayer. While preaching sounds the trumpet of alarm in the ears of men, prayer sounds the alarm in the ears of God. As a watchman, each believer has a responsibility to his brother or sister in Christ. While some believers are spiritually sleeping, unaware of their present danger, other believers ought to be standing upon the tower of watchfulness and calling upon the Lord. This was the point of Paul’s teaching in Ephesians 6:18 when he said, “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.”
The fact that the Bible describes the Christian life as the good “fight of faith” (1 Timothy 6:12) reveals that the believer’s warfare is spiritual and never fleshly. In like manner, the enemy lives within the spiritual realm and this battle cannot be seen with the eyes of flesh. The enemy does not simply reside in a country on the other side of the world. In fact, it is no person or people group on this earth. Believers are told that they do not wrestle “against flesh and blood.” Ultimately, the saints’ enemy is the Devil, but his minions include principalities, powers, the rulers of the darkness of this world, and spiritual wickedness in high places. This means that the saints should never look to flesh and blood (mere mortals) for the source of their frustrations or victories. The fight is one of faith; the enemy, the Devil and the Lord our spiritual Captain (Hebrews 2:10).
Every believer ought to faithfully read the word of God, but there is another command that is not to be neglected. According to 2 Timothy 2:15, believers can show themselves approved unto God by studying the scriptures. One can read through the scriptures on a daily basis without ever truly studying the scriptures. In order to study, one must delve into the words and phrases of the Bible and consider their meaning both historically and doctrinally. Few believers take time to read their Bibles, but even fewer take time to study it. In fact, the modern versions have removed the command to study from 2 Timothy 2:15. Somebody has tried to hide God’s desire for believers to study. No doubt it is the same one who walks about seeking someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8).
Should prayer be kept private or can it be done in publick? For various reasons, some believers have grown increasingly concerned about the appropriate places to call upon the Lord. In Matthew 6:5-6, the Lord rebuked the publick prayers of the hypocrites and suggested that His people should enter into their closets to pray. The Lord Himself followed this pattern by seeking a “solitary place” in which to pray (Mark 1:35). Does this mean that the Lord opposed all publick prayer? It is important to consider the whole counsel of God. Obviously the Lord was not displeased with the publick prayer meeting held by believers in the early church – He answered their prayer by freeing Peter (Acts 12:12). Furthermore, the Lord expressed His will – for men to “pray every where.”
Initially, one might think that praising others or receiving the praise of others might be a wicked act, but the Bible does not reflect this. In Acts chapter 12, Herod was smitten by the Lord when he received praise from the people. The problem was not so much the praise he received, but his failure to, in turn, give glory to God (Acts 12:22-23). Contrary to what most Christians think, the Lord allows for the praise of others. In our passage, the Lord suggests that a virtuous woman will receive praise from her husband. In Proverbs 27:2, the Lord declares that one requirement in this matter is that a man only receive praise from the lips of another. When a man begins to praise himself, he does so in direct rebellion to the words and direction of God.
The Book of Job primarily focuses on the conversations between Job and his three friends. The content of many of their speeches seems to lack the expected wisdom until a younger man named Elihu takes the opportunity to speak. His words were packed with wisdom. One of the areas he addressed concerned giving flattering titles to men. Elihu declared that it was sinful to give men flattering titles and that he knew better than to do so. Keep in mind that flattery is based upon deceit and is never favourable. By refusing to give flattering titles to men, Elihu chose not to say anything concerning others simply to gain an advantage for himself. Elihu knew that God would bring this type of flattery into judgment.
One important aspect of submission to the Lord involves submitting to one another. Grasping this important truth would solve many of the problems in the world, home, and church. The Bible tells us that the younger are supposed to submit to the elder (1 Peter 5:5). Husbands and wives are to submit to each other (Ephesians 5:21-22; Colossians 3:18). Christians are to submit to those who labour in the work of the Lord (1 Corinthians 16:16), and those who rule over them (Hebrews 13:17). Instead of fighting for authoritative positions, we should first seek opportunities to submit ourselves to others for the glory of God. A pride-filled heart remains the biggest stumblingblock in the way of full submission.
Everyone naturally wants to be in charge and do things for their own self-fulfillment. We want to set our own schedule, plan our own activities without regarding others. Life, however, is not that simple. Everyone must willingly submit to various authorities. A lack of humility is the primary reason why we find submission so difficult. Today's passage clearly conveys this important truth. The Bible says that the younger believers are to clothe themselves with humility thus enabling them to submit themselves to the elder. Yet, pride wants to rule our hearts and squash any humble spirit. Pride wants to sit on the throne of our hearts. The Devil displayed this attitude when he was lifted up with pride and many young Christians elevated too early in life fall into this same condemnation (1 Timothy 3:6). The Devil sought to make himself like the most High (Isaiah 14:12-14) and rob God of His rightful position. Those who want to please God must do so by submitting to Him and to others in authority. Humbling oneself before the Lord is the only means of submission.
