“The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” James 5:16 NKJV
Welcome to the 49th weekly devotional recap. With the end of the year often marked by special seasons of devotion, our articles this week guided us on how to prepare our hearts, minds, and faith to maximise these spiritual gatherings and step into victory, miracles, and the fulfilment of God’s promises.
At the start of the week, we established that to maximise any spiritual gathering, prayer cannot be overemphasised (James 5:16). A specific prayer plan helps us stay intentional and focused. We should pray for ourselves, setting expectations in faith (Ephesians 3:20), and pray for others, asking that we become vessels of ministry (Ephesians 4:16). Crucially, we must pray for the spread of the Gospel (1 Timothy 2:3-4) and for the ministers and workers, making prayer our highest priority to prepare our hearts for God’s work.
Tuesday’s lesson taught us victory is not accidental; it begins in preparation. David’s past victories over the lion and the bear in the secret place equipped him to face Goliath (1 Samuel 17:34-35). Likewise, our preparation for a new season starts with prayer, where we receive instructions and strategies from God (Jeremiah 33:3). This must be followed by obedience to God’s instructions. Finally, we must rely on the Holy Spirit, who empowers us and reassures us of the victory that is ours to claim (Philippians 2:13).
On Wednesday, we explored the life-altering advantage of prophecy, which allows us to peek into the future and know God’s plan and purpose (Amos 3:7). To prepare with prophecy means aligning our hearts, plans, and expectations with what God has spoken through His Word and prophetic utterances (Isaiah 7:14; Luke 1:13-17). Every prophecy is a tool that reveals God’s intention and positions us to act on God’s word(1 Timothy 1:18).
From our article on Thursday, we understood that to receive supernatural manifestations, we must not attend meetings casually. Jesus instructed the disciples to “tarry” in Jerusalem until they were endued with power from on high (Luke 24:49). Their ten days of persistent prayer demonstrated their readiness (Acts 1:14). Preparation also requires expectant faith, by actively laying hold of God’s promises. Like the lame man who had faith to be healed (Acts 14:8-10), we must join the prayers, fasts, and fill our minds with the Word, coming expectant for our miracle.
We concluded the week by affirming that our preparation for testimonies demonstrates our trust in the character of the One who promised (1 John 5:15). We must prepare by meditating on the Word to stir up our faith (Romans 10:17). Next, we must prepare our environment by removing doubts and filling our minds with strengthening testimonies. Crucially, we must act in alignment with what we are praying for by taking steps that show we believe.
Finally, we must cultivate thanksgiving as the posture of confidence (1 Thessalonians 5:18).
Dear believer, God hears you, and He is able and willing to perform His word. Prepare your heart with prayer, prophecy, and expectant faith, knowing that you are next in line for your testimony.Have a great weekend!
Bible Reading Plan: Daniel 7–10; John 10:22–11:31
