Psalm 72:15: “May he live long! May gold from Sheba be given to him. May prayer be offered for him continually, and may he be blessed all day long.” (CSB)
Psalm 72 is a prayer written by Solomon for the king of Israel—for himself and for all future kings. It’s also a psalm that points toward the Messiah.
In verse 15, Solomon makes a connection between prayers offered for him and the blessings he will receive. While the apostle Paul is no king, he makes a similar point in Philippians 1:19. Paul is in prison, yet he is confident that God’s purposes will be fulfilled through him, whether through life or death: “for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance.” Through your prayers and the help of the Spirit… Paul will be successful, he says, not merely through his own prayers and the “help of the Spirit,” but the prayers of others for him.
If this is true for Paul in his ministry, how is it not true for me in my own?
I am confident in my new season of ministry that the Spirit is going to work powerfully through me. Yet I haven’t considered until now how much my success will depend on others… especially their prayers! I rarely even think to ask for prayer. Why? Am I too proud?
If so, I repent! I will fail as a pastor if my flock doesn’t pray for me. So, please, pray!
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