Making Demands in Prayer 3

By Tosin Lawal

Devotional Reading: Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete. John 16:24 NIV

“Give me Scotland or I die” is a popular quote by John Knox, one of the most outstanding instruments of revival in Scotland. John Knox was said to have been a man of prayer who prayed earnestly for revival in Scotland because of his faith in God and passion for seeing people turn to God. History has it that it was the prayer of John Knox that sparked reformation in Scotland. The influence of his prayers brought great revival among the people in Scotland so much more that people began to turn to the Lord in repentance. It was such a great revival.

John Knox was born around 1514. He lived around a time when it was hazardous to declare that one is a follower of Christ publicly. History has it that the impact of John Knox prayer life was so much that even the queen of Scotland confessed that she feared the prayers of John Knox more than all the assembled armies of Europe. That’s quite interesting. John Knox was a man who knew and took advantage of making demands in the place of prayer. This time around, his demands were not mere things. It was a desire to see men turn to the Lord in true repentance.

The great commission given to us as followers of Jesus is to make disciples according to Matthew 28:19-20. This great commission cannot be effectively birthed without many prayers. We can continually make demands for God to grant a person series of indelible encounters with God, and such person will begin to have encounters with God. We can demand somebody who is not fervent to become fervent and be more zealous in his pursuit of God. The beautiful thing is that the recipient of our prayers will realize that his heart is being drawn to God.

Our prayer is a major way in which God can bring influence upon a man. This explains why Apostle Paul was always making demands in the place of prayers that the believers in Ephesus and Colosse would grow in their knowledge of God. Paul himself understood the great importance of making demands in prayers. He understood that even he, who used to be a chronic antagonist of Jesus Christ, couldn’t have been saved naturally. I believe Paul’s encounter and conversion on the road to Damascus was a product of some person’s prayers in secret. That tells you how much more God can do through us making demands in the place of prayer.

Dearly beloved, take advantage of making demands in prayers. Don’t just assume that God will cause things to work by themselves. God doesn’t move, except man moves. The move of God is the move of man. When a man moves in prayers, God will then move.

The most purposeful thing you can ever do with your life his to be an instrument of change to another person’s life. The most purposeful thing you can ever do in life is to be a part of the influence that makes another person come into the knowledge of Jesus Christ as his Lord and saviour and grow in Christ’s knowledge to become the best that God desires him to be on earth.

Making demands on behalf of people in the place of prayers is a task every Christian can do. It’s only your mouth and time that are needed. Many persons will eventually perish if you don’t rise to make demands on their behalf in prayers. Many persons will not grow in their knowledge of God if you don’t rise to make demands in prayers that will cause them to grow spiritually.

Make your life count. Take out time to make demands in the place of prayers for your own life and other people’s lives. I tell you, great fulfillment lies in seeing God change people’s lives through the instrumentality of our prayers. Amen.

Prayer and Confession
I will make my life count, Lord. Help me.

Further readings: Ephesians 1:13-23, Colossians 1: 3-12, Colossians 4: 12-13
Reading Job: Job 36-42