It’s that time of year again. Snow flurries and freeze warnings. Christmas trees and strings of flashing multi-hued lights. Half a month off for children to destroy the house and eat everything not nailed down. And some of the things that are nailed down. Stockings are nailed to the walls and bulging with candy and toy tidbits while Christmas music blares on every preset on the radio.
Holiday movies and TV Christmas specials compete with extravagant commercials teasing the latest “IT” item that pops up across every social platform. Aisles at the register overflow with impulse buys. And that one Christmas tune you cannot recall the words, title, or performing artist echoes in your head without repentance, remorse, or reprieve.
Sermons, Sunday school lessons, and articles flood the collective Christendom with repetitive biblical truths and revelations that dull the senses to the message within. Lucky for you, I’m an oddball who wants to toss an alternate look at what we have termed ‘the Christmas Story.’ Are you intrigued, afraid, or disturbed? Then you are in the right company.
Today, I want to look at the power of prayer and the importance of faith from the viewpoints of those other than Mary and Joseph. Are you ready? You know the drill. Buckle up, lean back, and grip the armrests because the ride begins now.
Why was prayer important, and is it important today?
Why did God choose Zacharias and Elisabeth to bear John, known as ‘The Baptist’ and the forerunner of Christ, instead of a different couple? They were old. Both were past their prime childbearing/rearing years.
I’m now forty with five children from ages 17 through 8 years of age. I’m still a relatively young parent compared to my friends and family. But those more youthful kids are still a test. I can’t imagine starting over fresh with a newborn at my age. It’s a recurring nightmare. I jest … kind of. Trying to imagine a newborn years from now is not something I would choose. But this is what happened to Zacharias and Elisabeth. We all know the story. The angel Gabriel came to Zacharias amid his temple duties and told him his wife would bear a child. His unbelief caused him to become mute until the time of John’s birth.
But why would God choose this couple in their advanced age to bear John? We all know the answers. It was a divine appointment. They were related to Mary, the mother of Jesus. Zacharias was of the tribe of Levi, and thus, so would John. And not just any angel, but Gabriel, who stood in the presence of God, was the messenger.
But why?
I fully believe there is God’s perfect will and His permissive will. I also think that sometimes those whom the Lord has preordained fall short, which then causes God to bring in another willing and acceptable in spirit and character to fulfill a specific job and calling.
The answer is one I’ve seen, read, and heard my entire life. An answer that came to me with a simple truth that struck a chord in my spirit.
The power of prayer.
Why does God answer some prayers and not others?
This is a heavy question that has afflicted nearly all believers at one time or another. Why won’t God answer our prayers? Does He not love us? Are we doing something wrong? Is there a part of our life displeasing to Him? Is he really there? Am I supposed to act to see the answer to my prayer?
This is where the story of Zacharias and Elisabeth hit me like a ton of bricks. Figuratively, of course. I’ve built prayer towers—laid brick by brick by petitions to the Lord. Each request is given in earnestness and faith—every utterance is presented in reverence and determined dedication.
And yet, no response.
In times of trouble and need, the holy prayer telephone only rang without an answer. And all I could do was leave a message. Every once in a while, I swear I heard the spiritual fax line screech at me. Or there was a busy signal tone. Those in my generation and older remember the struggles.
The Book of Job is filled with tests, trials, and tribulations. Situations must be endured to get to the other side and receive the blessings.
Hebrews 11:13 “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.”
Saints and servants of God have lived and died by faith for all of human history. And even when their prayers were not answered in the way they expected or answered during their lifetime, they held to the faith. Even Jesus prayed, “Not my will but yours be done.” ~Luke 22:42
Peter fell prey to not understanding the will of the Lord. In Acts chapter 10, Peter received a vision three times. He did not understand the meaning until the servants of Cornelius brought him to the centurion’s home. Verse 28 states it was unlawful for a Jew to keep company with one of a different nation. Through the vision and obedience of Peter and Cornelius came the truthful revelation that God can clean anything and that He is no respecter of persons.
At times, our beliefs, religious teachings, and commonly held Christian perceptions can stop the move of God in our lives. And this can also block the answers to prayer.
One of my favorite verses is 2 Chronicles 7:14. It is a cry for repentance and a call to those walking in their faith. God calls us to be humble, pray, seek His face, and turn from wickedness. And then He will act on our behalf. However, the key to the verse is the first word, “IF.”
Our prayers are words that have power. Yet, we need to realize all our spoken words have power. Mathew 18:18 clearly states what we loose or bind on earth is equally loosed and bound in heaven. If we offer a prayer request to the Lord and then turn around and cast our doubt and unbelief into the air, we create a block.
Proverbs 18:20-21 states we are filled by the fruit of our mouth and the increase of our lips. Death and life are in the power of the tongue.
These are a few ways we, as Christians, can eradicate our prayers from the ear of the Lord.
How we live our lives directly influences our prayers.
Back to good ole Zach and Liz.
I overlooked the angel’s point in his first sentence to Zacharias. “Your prayer has been heard.” Why is this important? When we have a need, we pray. If the need is great, I will pray to the Lord several times—multiple prayers multiple times on multiple days or weeks. Unfortunately, after time goes by, the prayers stop. Why is this significant?
When Gabriel said, “Your prayer has been heard,” it was told in a way that implies there were not multiple prayers sent. Instead, it was a singularly focused petition. And his prayer was ongoing. The focus of continuing the steadfast devotion for decades was about to be rewarded. How often is it that we cease our prayer after receiving no response? We can learn from this faithful couple the power of prayer.
It wasn’t only their faithful prayer that granted their desire. Luke 1:6 states, “And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.” In their daily walk, they chose to keep the Law. Together, their lives were righteous and blameless. This, combined with their persistent prayer, opened and loosed the blessing of God upon their lives.
I wish I could say I was righteous and blameless before my heavenly Father. I always chose to do the right thing in every situation. And my faith always persisted with prayer. But I can’t. I’ve stumbled. At times, I’ve questioned myself and God. I’ve faltered. These were all choices. But not Zacharias and Elisabeth. They persevered and stood the test of time.
Another thing to note was the custom of the era they lived in. Traditionally, Zacharias could have divorced his wife after a certain period due to barrenness. As a priest, Zacharias would have been forced to endure assumptions and prejudices from his brethren in wondering if God was punishing him and his wife and if they were living in sin.
Yet we know that Zacharias and Elisabeth endured without wavering in faith and love.
Still, Zacharias was surprised by the angelic visit and the message that their prayer was heard and would be answered. The time for receiving a child was over. This is the proponent of his punishment of unbelief and being struck mute.
Humanity looks at circumstances from an earthly view and a linear point of time. Our limitations do not bind God. There is a reason we say, “He is an on-time God.” Our point of reference of time is earthly, and we often limit our prayer and faith by such. But the Lord is God yesterday, today, and tomorrow; nothing is impossible with Him.
In Conclusion
As we celebrate the Christmas season, we should look to Zacharias and Elisabeth and learn the most basic and essential principles of faith. Believe in what we ask of God. Do not waver. Live a life dedicated to our faith and always trust Him.
As with the biblical couple, we will face judgment and gossip from our peers and acquaintances. There will be times of trying faith where we think the Lord hasn’t heard us. We may be ostracized and shunned by our beliefs.
How often do we have a spiritual, maybe sometimes physical, temper tantrum when temptations and tribulations come upon us? We stomp our feet and mutter under our breath while we stare in accusation. Why me? What did I do to deserve this? Am I not doing everything I should in my walk with God? James said, “Count it all joy when we fall into temptation. For the trying of our faith worketh patience.”
One of my favorite quotes is, “Great faith is a product of great fights. Great testimonies are the outcome of great tests. Great triumphs can only come out of great trials.” ~Smith Wigglesworth
Stay the course and keep the faith. Romans 5 tells us, “We are justified by faith. We should rejoice in tribulation, knowing tribulation worketh patience: patience to experience, and experience to hope.” Hebrews 11 says, “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
This year, we need to emulate Zacharias and Elisabeth. Pray and stay steadfast in our faith. Trust in God and be prepared for temptations and tribulations. Because how we respond in those times will determine our breakthrough. And never forget that faith is an action verb.
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