Many of those in the world perceive prayer as a crutch or a tool that shows weakness. Yet, the saint of God knows prayer to be one of the most powerful weapons during times of war. As the Lord Jesus prepared to face the mob that would soon arrest Him, He spent His remaining time in earnest prayer (Matthew 26:36-46). It was during this time that He taught the disciples saying, “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26:41). Prayer does not distract the believer from the battle at hand; rather, it strengthens him and aids him during even the fiercest parts of the battle. Prayer reminds the believer of who he is, who his enemy is, and it reminds him of the power of his God.
Most people are familiar with the phrase forgive and forget, yet likely not that familiar that its origin is the Bible. Jeremiah 31:34 refers to a condition yet to be enjoyed by the Jewish people in the kingdom established on this earth following the second coming. Some of these benefits are already enjoyed by the born-again child of God. In this verse, the Lord says that He “will forgive their iniquity, and . . . will remember their sin no more.” Notice that God said He will not only forgive but also forget. What a day that will be! True forgiveness also forgets the transgression. To claim that someone is forgiven and still remains accountable for a wrongdoing suggests that he was never actually forgiven. It is important to note that God’s forgiveness and forgetfulness is not based upon what a person deserves, but an act of God’s mercy (Hebrews 8:11-12).
