Spiritual Strength For Each Day
“But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ” (Philippians 3:7).
What Paul writes to the Philippians about himself explains why he was such a man of prayer. Directly after his conversion, Paul prayed and the Lord Himself went into action. On various occasions, Paul repeats that he counts everything loss so that he can gain Christ. From this position he could pray with authority. He had given up his own being, his religiosity. I am convinced that in the same moment as Paul prayed, thousands of others also prayed. But the Lord said of Paul alone to Ananias, “Behold, he prayeth.” Why? Why does He mention no other? What was so special about Paul’s prayer that he was heard? The answer is, his prayer came from the bottom of his heart. “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behold of them whose heart is perfect toward him” (2 Chronicles 16:9). This means in practical terms that God’s eyes watch all praying Christians and seek those whose hearts are perfect toward Him, “And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. And I will be found of you…” (Jeremiah 29:13-14).
