We all just heard the word of God about a woman who had a bleeding issue and came to Jesus with the assurance that touching him would heal her. She told herself, ‘If only I touch his cloak, I shall be well again.’ She believed in her heart, that if she touched Jesus, she would be healed, without Jesus’ knowledge. When Jesus lost his power, he realised that someone had touched him.

We should have faith that if we are able to touch Jesus’ fringe and receive the Eucharist in a holy manner, we will be healed and Jesus’ power will flow. 

Let’s talk about the power of prayer, through which we can experience the glory of God.

Sirach 27:3 If a person is not steadfast in the fear of the Lord, his house will be quickly overthrown.

Without love for God, family prayer, God’s presence, attachment, and connection, our home will be quickly overthrown. If a family faces crises, unsolvable issues, confusion, tension, and feelings of devastation, let us reflect on whether we have a meaningful prayer life.

Luke 1:34-35 Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” The angel said to her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. 

We might encounter different circumstances in our lives that lead us to wonder how we can resolve our issues. The challenge to all our answers is that the Holy Spirit will descend on us and the power of the Most High will overshadow us. Jesus consistently turned to prayer during times of crisis in his life and in the lives of his disciples.

Hebrews 5:7 In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.

When Jesus lived in the flesh, he faced temptations similar to ours in body; even the desire of emotion and thought. Jesus wept while praying during his time of crisis, we should also pray with tears. As mentioned in a bible verse, prior to his passion, Jesus went to Gethsemane and prayed since he understood the power of prayer. Before each crisis, Jesus prayed.

Mark 6:46 After saying farewell to them, he went up on the mountain to pray.

After the multiplication of the five loaves of bread and preaching to the people for three days, Jesus went up to the mountain to pray.

Luke 6:12 Now during those days he went out to the mountain to pray, and he spent the night in prayer to God.

Luke 9:28-29 Now about eight days after these sayings Jesus took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white.

While Jesus prayed, his face radiated light; similarly, Moses’ face shone when he prayed, and people were unable to gaze at him. When in prayer, when we draw close to God, our faces will radiate, and our appearance will transform.

Psalm 145:18 The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.

God is with us the moment we kneel in prayer, close our eyes, and extend our hands. Jesus makes time to prayer even amid his busy schedule. 

Matthew 14:21-23 And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children. Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone.

Five thousand people are eager to hear Jesus, but he was driving them away, along with his disciples, indicating that he intended to do something more important than the crowd and his disciples. Praying and being alone with the Father held greater value and was significance for him than anything else.

Luke 3:21 Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened.

When we pray, heaven will open above us. Through the word of God, we understand that in pray – our appearance transforms, heaven opens up, God draws closer to us. We ought to pray with feelings, a blessing from God; similarly, our voice, intellect, speech are also gifts from God. Jesus was aware of his struggles on Mount Calvary, hence he asked his disciples to pray for him for an hour so that he could be strengthened. Praying for each other is important. 

Luke 22:31-32 Simon, Simon, listen! Satan has demanded to sift all of you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your own faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.

There’s a spiritual war occurring in the world. Whenever something positive occurs, simultaneously something negative will be occurring globally. Therefore, we ought to pray for one another. In these daily live streams where conversions occur, we must pray for one another. Keep praying for the Divine Retreat centre to ensure it remains protected from all afflictions that confronts it.

In the final days of Jesus’ public ministry, he was aware that his disciples would betray, deny, and abandon him. Jesus disclosed to Peter that Satan would sift them all like wheat. As Satan couldn’t destroy Jesus, he began to target the disciples. Prayer is the most powerful deliverance. Jesus interceded for his disciples so that they may be protected. Praying for one another is our Christian obligation, creating an ongoing chain reaction.

Job 1:6- One day the heavenly beings came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Satan answered the Lord, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.” The Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man who fears God and turns away from evil.” Then Satan answered the Lord, “Does Job fear God for nothing? Have you not put a fence around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. 

God the Father is praising Job in the presence of the heavenly beings and Satan. God has to be praising us among his heavenly beings for all the kindness we show here on earth. Although we may not receive recognition from others, our Heavenly Father rejoices and praises us in Heaven for all the good deeds we have accomplished. 

Prosperity, blessing, healing is possible when God puts a fence around us. We must be wondering why God can’t do the same to our family, what he did to Job; so that no evil can touch us. Reasons why God put a fence around Job.

If we read the previous word of God as below:

Job 1:1-5 There was once a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job. That man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil. There were born to him seven sons and three daughters. He had seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred donkeys, and very many servants; so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the east. His sons used to go and hold feasts in one another’s houses in turn; and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. And when the feast days had run their course, Job would send and sanctify them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt-offerings according to the number of them all; for Job said, “It may be that my children have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts.” This is what Job always did.

Job feared God, was blameless, upright, and turned away from evil always. If we have the same qualities as Job, God will put a fence around us and our family will be protected. Job sanctified himself and his children, offered burnt offerings and celebrated Holy Eucharist for he thought that his children could have sinned and cursed God. 

Let’s read another word of God 

Deuteronomy 8:2 Remember the long way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, in order to humble you testing you to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commandments. 

Today we remain dedicated to our daily prayers, expressing gratitude and praises to God, for our prayers ensure our protection. Nevertheless, occasionally God allows certain testing phases in our lives to see if we will obey and love Him. Often, we love our family more than we love God. We tend to question, doubt, and reject God’s existence when difficulties arise in our lives, asking ourselves ‘is there a God’? 

Let us read:

Job 1:11-15 But stretch out your hand now, and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face. The Lord said to Satan, ‘Very well, all that he has is in your power; only do not stretch out your hand against him!” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord. One day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in the eldest brother’s house a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys were feeding beside them, and the Sabeans fell on them and carried them off, and killed the servants with the edge of the sword; I alone have escaped to tell you.

Let us reflect our conscience and consider whether we have not challenged God to cast doubt on his existence. God is questioning us, where is our faith during challenging times? Our genuine nature is revealed to God when we encounter hardships in our lives. 

When we are with God, no harm can reach us without His permission. No evil power can break down the fence that God has established around us. If someone has cast black magic upon us, it is due to our own sins committed against God; specifically, violations of the first and sixth commandments. Through our transgressions, we are unfastening the doors of our fences and destroying our fortresses from within. In the event of an evil assault, we ought to do a thorough confession by repenting for our sins.

Satan uses natural calamities and powers to invade our lives, attacking and instigating us. The evil one is responsible for all the calamities and dangers of this world. The misconduct on social media may not necessarily be human-created; it could also be crafted by evil forces too.

Ephesians 6:10-12 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

A spiritual force is at war against all Christians who support Jesus Christ, the people of God. Christians are contributing positively to humanity, yet we are the most hated group. In every church teachings of holiness, love for God, love for one’s enemies and forgiveness is taught yet the people oppose the churches. Jesus harmed no one; instead he destroyed himself for our salvation, yet he remained despised by many. I’m not criticizing any government, but in numerous hospitals, colleges and schools, the crosses displayed have been taken down due to complaints from people who preferred not to see the crucifix. Only the devil is afraid of gazing at the crucifix. The government is indifferent to offending Christians while catering to the desires of these kind of people, the evil spirits are powerful and working behind the forces. Despite everything, we will still continue to preach the gospel, standing firm for Christ, preaching forgiveness and encouraging love for God and one’s enemies.

Job 1:16-21 While he was still speaking, another came and said, “The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them; I alone have escaped to tell you. While he was still speaking, another came and said, “The Chaldeans formed three columns, made a raid on the camels and carried them off, and killed the servants with the edge of the sword; I alone have escaped to tell you.” While he was still speaking, another came and said, “Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house, and suddenly a great wind came across the desert, struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people, and they are dead; I alone have escaped to tell you.” Then Job arose, tore his robe, shave his head, and fell on the ground and worshiped. He said, ‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there; The Lord gave, and the Lord had taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”

God does not destroy anyone but the Hebrew mindset tends to attribute everything to God.  They said God hardened Pharoah’s heart. God does not hardened anyone’s heart. God did not inflict suffering to Job’ rather, it was Satan who caused it. Yet the people claimed that the fire of God destroyed the sheep and consumed them.

Job possessions were being destroyed and groups like Sabeans and Chaldeans where dispatched by Satan. We should pray for evil connections to be broken. At times, we move in rhythm with evil, leading us to sin. Ultimately, Job had nothing left and was alone. During all this, heaven was looking down for Job’s response. If Job denies, questions and doubts God, Hell will celebrate, Satan will be victorious and Heaven will feel sorrow and disappointed.  In this case, Heavens victory depends on the attitude of Job. Whenever we have a chance to sin, we either please Heaven or delight Hell. We have the ability to bring joy to Heaven, if we repent, the whole Heaven will rejoice. The Heavenly beings celebrated Job’s response. Testing periods will enter our lives; let us continue to pray being the most powerful weapon. Although our prayers remain unanswered, let us rejoice in the Lord. Let us praise God in our moments of sufferings.