Epaphras Prays Podcast

Throughout biblical history, the relationship between spiritual warfare and physical combat reveals a profound truth: prayer possesses greater power than any earthly weapon. The apostle Paul reminds us, "Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands, without anger or dissension." (1 Timothy 2:8). The psalmist echoes this sentiment: "So I will bless You as long as I live; in Your name I will lift my hands." (Psalm 63:4).

A brief history of swords in the Old Testament

For Israel, however, the sword's effectiveness always depended on divine blessing rather than mere craftsmanship or military strategy.

How prayer has more power than a sword

Prayer must not be neglected

Almighty God gave the victory through the combination of sword and prayer.

Conclusion

The battle against Amalek teaches us that our greatest weapon is not forged of steel, but formed through prayer. While human strength and involvement are also vital, they remain powerless without divine intervention. Moses' lifted hands accomplished what Joshua's sword could not achieve alone—they brought heaven's power to earth's battlefield.

This truth speaks in our modern struggles. Whether facing personal challenges, spiritual opposition, or seemingly insurmountable circumstances, we must remember that prayer changes everything. Like Moses, we need steadfast intercession. Like Aaron and Hur, we need faithful companions who will support us in prayer. And like Joshua, we must be prepared to act when God opens the way.

The altar Moses built is our eternal reminder that victory belongs to those who lift their hands in prayer before they lift their swords in battle. In every conflict, prayer must precede action, and God's glory must be our primary goal.

How do we know that the Lord even hears us when we pray?

Throughout the Psalms we see when they cried out to the Lord, He heard and answered:

I cried unto the LORD with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill - Psalm 3:4

In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, into his ears. Psalm 18:6

Blessed be the LORD, because he hath heard the voice of my supplications. Psalm 28:6

See also: Psalm 34:4 - Psalm 107:6 - Psalm 116:1-2 - Psalm 120:1

We can be assured when we call, He hears and answers. Unlike the prophets of the false god Baal, remember Elijah taunting them because no matter how long or loud they cried out, he did not respond to them to consume the offering on the altar. (see 1 Kings 18).

We come now and call on the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and is and ever-more will be. He is God and there is no other and we call him Abba, Father.

The Lord’s Prayer

Prayer for Grace

The Harvest and Open Doors

Praying For Fullness

God wants for us to be filled up to all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:18)

Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, [be] honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen. - 1 Timothy 1:17 KJV

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Intercession for the Church should be anchored in Scripture, using the very prayers Jesus and the Apostles prayed. When we pray biblical verses back to the Lord, we align our hearts with His revealed will and tap into promises He has already committed to fulfill.

The bottom line: Scripture-based prayer for the Church is both powerful and purposeful because it reflects God's own intentions for His people.

Start with Scripture-Based Prayers for the Church

Pray Scripture Because It Reveals God's Will

Apply Five Key Scriptures in Your Church Intercession

These five scriptures provide a comprehensive framework for praying God's heart over His people.

It's like having a master key that unlocks every door in God's house – Scripture-based prayer gives us access to the very heart of what our Savior wants for His Bride.

Will you join us in praying these verses, and ask one person to join you?

Praying today from the Word of God for the People of God, asking for what He has promised to give to those when we ask Him.

We don’t have because we do not ask. God knows our need but has ordained that we should ask Him. It’s been this way since Genesis 4:26, when people began to call upon the name of the Lord.

Earthly fathers give gifts to our children, He gives the good gift, the great gift, the gift of the Spirit.

The Spirit of the living God has 3 good things for us:

* His power and favor — Gifts

* His character and nature — Fruit

* His insights and understanding — Wisdom

Pray along in the PrayerCast as we ask the Father for the Spirit and ask for these things He has for us.

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In a world that demands immediate action and instant results, the ancient practice of prayer might seem like a relic of slower times. Yet Scripture reveals a profound truth: every mighty work of God throughout history began not with human strategy or effort, but with someone on their knees. From Moses interceding for forty days to Daniel's unwavering devotion despite royal decrees, prayer has always been the secret weapon of those who changed the world.

When the early church faced their first major crisis, the apostles could have called emergency meetings, formed committees, or launched new programs. Instead, they made a radical decision that would echo through eternity: "We will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word" (Acts 6:4).

They understood something we often forget—that even church business must never interfere with our praying habits. It is people of God in consistent prayer that is the one most important thing needed before everything.

Prayer Must Precede Every Divine Work

Neglecting Prayer Invites Spiritual Powerlessness

Every Ministry Must Partner with Prayer

Imagine a church where every sermon is birthed in the prayer closet, where every ministry decision is soaked in intercession, and where believers understand that their greatest weapon against the world's rage is not argument but prayer.

Picture congregations where saints refuse to bow to cultural pressure because they've already bowed before the throne of grace, finding strength to stand and withstand in the evil day. This is the vision of a praying people — ordinary individuals like you and me, transformed into extraordinary instruments in God's hands.

When we pray first, God works through us; when we act first, we work alone.

Today’s PrayerCast (podcast) is for those who are blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realm. If you are “in Christ” and in fellowship with other Believers, a brother or sister in the Lord,

hear this intercession for you and pray along, for

* LOVE - And this I pray, that our love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that we may approve the things that are excellent, that we may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to your glory and praise O God. - Philippians 1:9-11

* INSIGHT - Knowledge of God & His Will -

“Filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding.” (Col. 1:9)

* GROWTH - Mature and fully assured in all the will of God. Be mature in the Word, and in our prayers and our actions.

* HELP - thank you for the HELPER, Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. - Hebrews 4:16 KJV

* THANKSGIVING - Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, [and] into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, [and] bless his name. - Psalm 100:4 KJV

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. - Colossians 3:15 KJV

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Today we are praying from the scriptures from Ephesians 6:18-20, where Paul says, keep praying at all times in the spirit, with all prayer and supplication to that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints. And also for me, that words may be given to me in the opening of my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel for which I am an ambassador in chains that I may declare it boldly as I ought to speak.

Paul, as the apostle of Christ to the Gentiles, boldly spoke of the good news of Jesus Christ wherever he was, whether he was at a church or in front of the Greeks. Paul proclaimed Jesus before a governor and a king and appealed to Caesar. There he spoke boldly and with humility, making known to them the mystery of the gospel.

Think of others in the days of old

Ask that God would raise them up.

And so to that end, heavenly Father today, we do pray for them.

Father, we pray for those among us today. Raise them up! We pray that words may be given them in opening their mouth to boldly proclaim the mystery of the gospel. And so Father, we pray for more and more and more across our land to serve faithfully, boldly, and humbly before those in authority across our land.

We ask for that as we pray for this day in Jesus name. Amen.

In this insightful teaching from Andrew Murray's classic work on prayer , we encounter Jesus' revolutionary words to the Samaritan woman at the well — perhaps His first recorded instruction on prayer itself. Murray takes us beyond the familiar story to explore what it truly means to worship "in spirit and truth." This isn't merely about being sincere or earnest in our prayers, but about entering into a completely new dimension of relationship with God that only became possible through Christ's redemptive work.

Listen to the PrayerCast to hear the full Lesson Summary and the Lesson Prayer as Murray challenges us to move beyond surface-level religious practice into the depths of authentic spiritual communion with our Father, with three main points:

1. Three Levels of Worship Exist Among Believers

Murray identifies three distinct categories of worshippers:

2. True Worship Requires Harmony Between God's Nature and Our Approach

Since "God is Spirit," our worship must be spiritual in nature.

3. Spirit-Filled Worship Comes Only Through Christ's Redemptive Work

The ability to worship in spirit and truth is not something we can manufacture through effort or sincerity.

In Conclusion

True worship transcends religious activity to become authentic spiritual communion with God as Father, made possible only through Christ's redemptive work and the indwelling Holy Spirit.

Action Items:

* KNOW: Recognize that sincere effort and correct theology alone cannot produce the worship God seeks—only the Holy Spirit can enable true spiritual communion with the Father.

* DO: Examine whether your prayer life is confined to only specific times and places, or if it reflects the continuous spirit of worship that should characterize every aspect of your life.

* REMEMBER: Embrace your identity as a child of God through Christ—this Father-child relationship through the Spirit of adoption is the foundation of all authentic prayer and worship.

Listen in the PrayerCast for the audio summary and Murray’s prayer at the end of the Lesson: LORD, TEACH US TO PRAY.'

I was browsing for a gift. Nothing specific was coming to mind, but I wanted to get a gift for someone that would be specific to them, and not get just a generic gift card.

Sometimes it’s easy. You’re cruising along and see it. “Oh, this would be perfect,” you exclaim. Other times you look and shop and browse, with nothing jumping out.

That was me. I’d wandered in to a specialty shop for a quick look. I knew there was a family game they liked, but couldn’t remember the name.

“May I help you?” asked a clerk. I wasn’t really looking for help, but since she asked, I tried to describe the game and after a bit of searching, she found it. That made getting the gift much easier.

How many times do we need help but just don’t ask for it? If you’re like me, all the time! That stubborn refusal to ask for help is often pride. But I’m realizing there is no shame in asking for assistance with most anything we cannot do as well ourselves.

And the Lord wants to ask for His help to break us of that pride.

We Christians must never forget that God the Almighty rules overs all His creation. He is the maker — and sustainer, of heaven and earth; He rules over the world, and even the wind and waves obey Him.

As He rules the earth, He rules over us, by prayer. Our prayers enlist His help, aid, and assistance, and His grace, favor and blessings. These truth lessons need to be emphasized again and again in our present day. And we need to remind those in this generation who have no vision for the eternal things of God.

Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer;You shall cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’

Then you shall delight yourself in the LORD;And I will cause you to ride on the high hills of the earth,And feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father.The mouth of the LORD has spoken.”

Isaiah 58:9, 14

Prayer is Essential to God

Nothing is more important to God than prayer in dealing with mankind. But it is likewise all-important to man to pray. Failure to pray is failure along the whole line of life.

E. M. Bounds

We must understand that God helps us by prayer, that is, we get our help from God by our praying — our asking, supplications, requests, pleadings, and so on. Those who do not or will not pray are simply robbing themselves of God’s help.

According to Bounds, prayer concerns God, whose purposes and plans are conditioned on prayer. His will and His glory are bound up in prayer. God’s great activity and actions in the world have been conditioned on, continued, and fashioned by our praying.

Think of the Lord’s working to bring Israel from slavery in Egypt. It had it’s beginning in prayer, and thus praying became part of the working of God upon the world. Hannah’s petition for a son began a great movement of prayer to God. And the list goes on. The movements of God’s helping through the whole of Scripture can find it’s roots in prayer.

Be refreshed in faith this day by the fact that — as Bounds puts it, “God holds His church for the entire world, and that God’s purposes will be fulfilled.” Be certain the prayers of God’s saints are a great factor, a supreme factor, in carrying forward God’s work.

The Lord works through the prayers of His people, and when we fail Him along this line, we see chaos, decay, falling away, and all manner of compromise and worldliness seep into our lives and the world around us.

God’s praying saints are agents on earth for carrying on His work; praying agents are always the forerunners of spiritual prosperity. “Prayer carries us back to God,” says Bounds, and recognizes the Lord and brings His help into the world. It must not be relegated to a sometimes activity, or a secondary ministry, or attended to by a few only—it is essential for the proper carrying on of the Lord’s work!

May we not be too busy or too prideful to pray. May we give ourselves to the ministry of praying, so that we might recognize that the working of the Almighty in the Church and upon the world is dependent upon a praying people.

Notes taken from The Weapon Of Prayer, by E. M. Bounds, Chapter 1, Prayer Essential To God, p 9, reprinted by Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, MI, copyright 1931 by Fleming H Revell Company

I invite you to pray along with the PrayerCast.

Episode Notes

We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you…we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask — from Colossians 1:3 & 9-12

And I do not cease to pray for all those who are in Christ from

David’s Prayer of Blessing -- 1 Chronicles 29

Then David blessed the LORD in the sight of all the assembly and said:

O, Lord, the Almighty who stoops to hear the cry of your children, hear this humble

Prayer of Petition for the Church

from 1964 Hymnal of Methodist Church

Prayer for Subscribers

Heavenly Father, in Jesus name and by the Spirit do I petition You, Asking For Focus

Amen

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