Prayer changes things but . . .

The Lord is our keeper. He preserves us from all evil. No weapon formed against us shall prosper. If these comforting words taken from Psalm 121 and Isaiah 54 are true then why do many Christians suffer harm?
I believe some explanations on our prayerlessness and the divine ways of preservation can resolve this conflict.
It is important to understand that God’s word is sure, abides forever and free from errors. If what is said in the word does not tally with your actual circumstances, know that the problem does not lie in the word but in you.
The first reason why we often get harmed is our prayerlessness. We are instructed by the Lord Jesus Christ to pray so that we may not enter into temptation. If we are to pray so as not to enter it means if we enter we will not come out unharmed.
I think the word temptation as used by the Lord here means something more than just a trial of faith. It is a trial of faith that has the capacity and intention of harming us if we fail to pass the test.
Temptations may be common to all people but our stamina or power of resistance is not common. That is why some yield to the temptation while others successfully resist the same temptation. Neglect of prayer results in lack of divine guidance and protection.
It is true that prayer changes things. For instance, in our scripture passage quoted above, Paul perceived that their voyage would result in loss of the ship, cargo and their lives.
How did Paul pick up the warning signals well before they had begun their voyage? It was through prayerfulness. The still, small voice warned him and he was sensitive to it because he stayed prayed up.
Paul warned the sailing professionals but they dismissed his advice. A storm dangerously tossed the ship for 14 days until an angel came in response to Paul’s prayer and showed him that only the ship and cargo would be lost but all lives will be saved. So prayer did change things! If you see that the commuter omnibus driver is behaving funny, begin to cover yourself and others with the blood of Jesus to be saved from all harm.
However, though prayer changes things there is more that is needed on our part if we are to be preserved from all evil. God preserves us in two ways either by instructing us not to venture at all or by delivering us in trouble. God desired that Paul and the other 275 people on board be spared from death by not sailing at the wrong time. But Paul who received the warning signal was a mere prisoner. Those in charge agreed with the majority that the time was right and the soft blowing south wind seemed to confirm their ingenuity. Disaster struck them only to be mitigated by Paul’s prayer. Their full divine preservation was in not sailing at the wrong time; disobedience cost them the ship and the cargo.
If you sense some uneasiness about using some certain vehicle, please obey. Your preservation is in not using that transport at that time. God allowed the three Hebrew boys to be thrown into the fiery furnace because His strategy was to deliver them in trouble. They came out unharmed.
But if they had presumed, without intimacy with God, they would have died. If God instructs you through His word or conscience not to do something or go somewhere, please obey. Or elsewhere you will have no insurance cover of God. It is recklessness, and not courage to go hunting for serpents and scorpions in order to prove you have power over them as the Bible says. Paul was not looking for a viper but for firewood. So when a viper that was in the firewood bit him he calmly exercised his divine authority and that weapon did not succeed in harming him.
Prayer is the baseline but understanding of divine ways of preservation should be added to it. Also, divine revelation should be taken into account in our desire for preservation. The ship crew got their information about the voyage from their professional knowledge and experience.
However, their source ill-prepared them for unforeseen changes in weather patterns and emergencies. Paul’s source of knowledge was not his head but heart full of revelation knowledge from God and the messenger-angel. If you feel you missed God’s timing pray intensely for preservation of your life, do not worry much about your possessions for life is better than load.
– For counsel call 0772889766 or email mairos78@yahoo.co.uk