'They Did Not Prevail.'
a) Genesis 32:25. The angel against Jacob.
b) Revelation 12:8. The dragon and his angels against Michael and his angels.
c) 1 Samuel 2:9. The wicked people, by their strength.
d) 2 Chronicles 14:11: Psalm 9:19. Man against God.
e) Esther 6:13. Haman against Mordecai.
f) Psalm 65:3. Our iniquities against us.
g) Isaiah 7:1. King Rezin of Syria against Jerusalem.
h) Isaiah 16:12. Moab and his prayer.
i) Jeremiah 1:19; 15:20. The enemies of the Lord's People against them.
j) Jeremiah 20:11. Jeremiah's persecutors.
k) Matthew 16:18. The gates of Hell.
l) Matthew 27:24. Pilate, at the time of Jesus' Crucifixion.
(This QT encourages me: They Did Not Prevail!)
PRAYER: For victory in all of life's situations where we may need it.
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'Praying For His Resurrection.'
Philippians 3:10-11.
a) That I may know Him
b) And the power of His Resurrection
c) And the fellowship of His sufferings,
d) Being conformed to His Death.
e) If by any means,
f) I may attain to the resurrection
g) From the dead.
(This Second one is Paul, Praying For His Resurrection.)
PRAYER: To know the Lord better.
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Chris.
The gates of Hell cannot prevail against the Lord's Church. When a local Church is floundering, I do not see that necessarily as the Hand of the Lord, although sometimes it can be! Most of the times a floundering Church is the result of a floundering leadership. When the Church leadership pray together, and are in unity, the Church will not flounder, it will come through it's difficult time and grow. The Prayers of and for the Church are important, but also important is the condition of its leadership. We should always Pray for the Church, especially the local Church.
When the local Church is going through a difficult time, the first and most important duty for its leadership is to Pray. If the leaders Pray, how easy it is for them to encourage the congregation to Pray also, these leaders are leading by example. If the Leaders do not pray, I cannot see any future for that Church to be the Lord's Church.
