It’s time to pray earnestly, by Funmi Komolafe

Let’s start on a note of congratulations as we come to the  end of November 2025.  An indication that we  are soon coming to the end of year 2025.  Congratulations to those that have witnessed this day.

However, as Christians it isn’t time to relent in prayers.

It is time to  confront the challenge that has refused to let us move forward.

The question is how, do we  go about it?.

The Lord Jesus gave us an example .

As the time for  his betrayal drew near, his flesh became weak . He had a discussion with his disciples and took some steps.

Luke 22 vs. 41-44 ( KJV) : “ And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed.

Saying Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me; nevertheless not my will,  but thine, be done.

And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening  him.

And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat  was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground”.

At this time, we can imagine that the flesh weighed   Christ down.   In other words, he was  worried. 

Even as the year ends, for some people some issues still  give  them sleepless nights.

Many of these issues  are beyond human comprehension.  

People that have such issues may be aware that the  challenges are spiritual but they need not  feel helpless because there is a helper,  called the Comforter.

However, before the Comforter steps in, one may need to take some of the steps that our Lord Jesus took in Luke 22 vs. 41-44.

The first step that Jesus took was to “ withdraw from them”.  Simply put, he stayed away from his disciples.   He needed privacy  for a purpose.

Second step, he knelt down and prayed.

In other words, even as the Son of God, he humbled himself and prayed.

To take a cue from Jesus, it simply means anyone with a stubborn challenge that wants to put an end to it must be withdrawn for prayers.

You need to find a quite place to communicate with God in prayer.  The Bible tells  us an angel appeared to him to strengthen him.   You may not have an angel appear to you but you have the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth with you.

Romans 8 vs. 26  confirms the role of the Holy Spirit in the life of a Christian .

It states: “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought : but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered”.

Beloved, once  you are withdrawn to pray even if you do not use the right words, once the Holy Spirit takes control of your tongue, you will pray rightly.

In the passage earlier referred to, the Holy Bible tells us “And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat  was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground”.

Brethren, to get a result that would set you free from worries, you need to pray earnestly like Jesus.

Praying earnestly could mean praying with  your inner mind connected to Jesus .

Unknown to many of us, this was the step that Hannah took.

She separated herself from the merry making crowd and prayed earnestly.

1st Samuel 1 vs.9-11: “ So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after  they had drunk. Now Eli the priest sat upon  a seat by a post of the temple of the LORD.

And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept  sore.

And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed  look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me,  and not forget thine handmaid, but will give thine handmaid a man child, then will I give him unto the LORD all the days of his life,  and there shall no razor come upon his head.”

Beloved, Hannah prayed earnestly.   She poured her heart out to the LORD.

You too can do the same .

Hannah probably didn’t leave her home with the intention to make a vow. 

What she planned to do was to stay away from the merry making crowd  and go to the altar to pour her heart to the LORD.

But the Holy Spirit  taught her to make a vow and she made a vow.

Romans 8 vs, 27 attest to this. “ And he that searcheth  the hearts knoweth what is in the mind of the Spirit,  because he maketh  intercession for the saints according to the will of God”.

Hannah never knew that God wanted a replacement for Eli.   Only the Holy Spirit knew and the Spirit taught her to make a vow that would give the LORD the replacement  that God wanted.

This is why it is important to be a born again Christian.

Once a person can speak in tongues, while praying, communication with  the Trinity is  faster and clearer because the Hosts of Heaven will hear such a person.

The consequence of Hannah’ s intense prayer was the quick response of the LORD to her case.  The womb opened  and she gave birth to Samuel.

Beloved,  you need to stand up and  be determined to put an end to a challenge that you don’t  want  anymore .

God had mercy on Hannah who had been mocked.  He had mercy on Hannah whose place in the heart of her husband had been taken by Penninah her rival.

Perhaps for someone reading this article today, your challenge is not about child bearing but indebtedness.

Don’t worry, take similar steps like Hannah and you would see God in action.

However, you do not need to make a vow that you would be unable to fulfill

Ecclesiastes 5 vs. 5: “ Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay”.

When a  person’s heart is troubled, it is likely that person makes a vow  due to anxiety  .

However, the Holy Bible warns of grave consequences for unfulfilled vows.

Verse 6 of Ecclesiastes chapter 5 states : “ Suffer  not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error; wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands?”.

A vow is supposed to be spirit inspired especially if made while praying.

Perhaps this is why failure to fulfill  it is regarded as sinful.

Beloved, whatever you are trusting God for is still possible before  the end of year 2025.

The year may end but the reign and power of Jesus never ends.

It is well .

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