In my last post, "Will YOU not pray with ME one hour?", I wrote about Jesus' prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane. As I recently reread those accounts (Matthew 26:36-46; Mark 14:32-42; Luke 22:39-46), I was particularly encouraged by Luke's account in which we read that our Lord was strengthened by an angel.

Luke 22:39  And he came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. 40  And when he came to the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” 41  And he withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and knelt down and prayed, 42  saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” 43  And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. 44  And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. 45  And when he rose from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping for sorrow, 46  and he said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation.”

Here is the only begotten Son of God, Immanuel, God Incarnate, the Head of the Church, by Whom and for Whom all things were created –– and yet, what a Divine mystery it is to read of an angel coming to minister to our Lord Himself in the midst of this time of prayer! What a Divine reminder to us of our need for such strengthening as we seek God's face in prayer! Not that we ought to be praying specifically for an angel to strengthen us (though God might possibly choose to work that way, according to His sovereign good pleasure), but should we not cry out to God to strengthen us to walk in the works He has ordained for us, including this work of prayer? God forbid we forget that without Him we can do nothing!

Luke speaks of Jesus' agony (Luke 22:44), and in his commentary on Matthew 26, Matthew Henry describes that agony in three senses. One, in "His bearing the iniquities which the Father laid upon Him," and, two, of Christ having "a full and clear prospect of all the sufferings before Him." We know that agony in that first sense applies singularly to our Lord Himself, for He rendered Himself up as the spotless Lamb of God to take away the sin of the world. And, in the second sense, though all who are Christ's will suffer, our Lord's sufferings were clearly distinct from ours in that He was bearing all our sins in His sinless body on the tree and was enduring the weight of the full wrath of God which we deserved.

Matthew Henry wrote of a third sense of Christ's agony which does apply to all Christians, that in which our Lord "engaged in an encounter with the powers of darkness" –– though yes, our Savior was engaged in an encounter the likes of which we can't begin to imagine, as all the powers of hell and darkness were unleashed on Him with all the devil's hatred, violence, fierceness, and fury. However, since we have been delivered from the kingdom of darkness and translated into God's marvelous light, having been born again through the Seed of the woman (through Christ), we are now enlisted as soldiers of Christ who are now at war with the devil. (Gen. 3:15  I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.)

The word "agony" in Luke 22 is the Greek word "agonia" (74):  a struggle (properly, the state), i.e. (figuratively) anguish:--agony. (Please note: all references I'm using here are from Strong's Concordance). A related word,  agonizomai, is used to describing Ephaphras' labor of prayer for the Church at Colossae in Colossians 4:12 ("struggling" (ESV) or "labouring fervently" (KJV)).

12  Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God. 13  For I bear him witness that he has worked hard for you and for those in Laodicea and in Hierapolis.

12  Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. 13  For I bear him record, that he hath a great zeal for you, and them that are in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis.

agonizomai (75):  to struggle, literally (to compete for a prize), figuratively (to contend with an adversary), or genitive case (to endeavor to accomplish something):--fight, labor fervently, strive.

Both agonizomai and agonia come from that same Greek root word agon (73):

properly, a place of assembly (as if led), i.e. (by implication) a contest (held there); figuratively, an effort or anxiety:--conflict, contention, fight, race.

So often we find ourselves saying things like this, "All I can do is pray," as if prayer is not work! How we have become dupes of the devil! May God have pity on us and may God's Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth, lead us into all truth, plucking up and pulling down all false doctrine and all our misconceptions we have about prayer, and opening the eyes of our understanding to Biblical truth. As we look at these few definitions above, we can see that prayer is work! Struggle! Anguish! Agony! Contending! Endeavoring! Fighting! Laboring Fervently! Striving! A Contest! A Contention! A Fight! A Race!

Anytime the children of God are agonizing in prayer by the Spirit of God, according to the mind of Christ and according to the will of God, anytime we pray for God's Kingdom to come and the will of God to be done and not our own will, anytime we are praying for the Church of God to grow up and mature unto completion in Christ, and anytime we are praying for the Gospel of Christ to run swiftly, to have free course and be glorified throughout the earth, to the praise and renown of Jesus Christ in all the nations –– we too are engaged in "an encounter with the powers of darkness," we are indeed in a contest, an effort, a contention, a fight against the power of darkness – just as the apostle Paul reminds us in Ephesians 6:

12  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

How often do we forget that we are not in a fleshly battle and that we cannot expect to wage this warfare as God intends if we attempt to war according to our flesh...

II Corinthians 10:3  For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. 4  For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. 5  We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, 6  being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.

How often do we forget that we need the divine power of God to do all things, including to pray? The apostle Paul wrote that as he labored to present every man perfect in Christ Jesus, he did so by struggling (ESV) / striving (KJV) (agonizomai) with divine power (not by his own power):

Colossians 1:29  For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.

Colossians 1:29  Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.

Many Christians talk about the whole armor of God, they may have even memorized and be able to recite all the parts of the armor –– and yet, how easy is it for us to neglect to take up one of the most vital parts of the armor –– that of prayer?

10  Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11  Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13  Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14  Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15  and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16  In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17  and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18  praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, 19  and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, 20  for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.

That is why the devil loves to distract us from using the whole armor of God, and, in particular, this labor of prayer, this agony of prayer –– for the whole armor is God's appointed means for God's people to be strong and to stand firm against the devil's schemes! Should not the people of God be earnest in putting on the armor of God? Sadly, we find many Christians and many churches have fallen into Satan's deceitful snare, and we end up being earnest about and busying ourselves with any and all things, sometimes each and every day of the week (and I'm not saying many of these activities or programs are bad things, per se) –– any and all things that is, except for prayer! How we have become like Martha, and have missed out on the one thing necessary!

Or, let's be clear about this –– if the devil can't get us distracted from this labor of prayer, he manages to distort our understanding of this labor of prayer. Remember that the devil is a liar and the father of lies. Many Christians do talk about prayer, and many Christians may even be engaged in prayer of some sort or another, but do we have a Biblical understanding of prayer? Do we settle for the devil's lie, and view prayer as merely a "domestic intercom" rather than the "wartime walkie-talkie" that God intends for it to be –– as John Piper describes below in this excerpt from his sermon "Put in the Fire for the Sake of Prayer" (John 16:16-24).

Regarding this Scripture, last year John Piper had posted on Facebook:

The Hebrew word for "weep" in Jeremiah 9:1 is bakah... From Strong's Concordance:  1058 bakah baw-kaw' a primitive root; to weep; generally to bemoan:--X at all, bewail, complain, make lamentation, X more, mourn, X sore, X with tears, weep. Plus, the Valley of Baca (Baka) in Psalm 84 (the root word is bakah) is known as the "Weeping Valley" as well as the "Thirsty Valley."

In my last post/prayer, I highlighted Hannah's example in I Samuel 1:10 –– and how in contrast to most of Israel, this woman of faith sought the help of the LORD of hosts in prayer. Hannah wept in anguish (wept sore - KJV) because she thirsted for the power and the glory of the Living God to be made manifest. She knew there was no where else to go, but to the LORD of hosts!

"And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the LORD and wept in anguish."

Photo credit: William de Brailes Hannah Prays in the Temple (edited) / {{PD-Art|PD-old-100}}

Because Hannah was a woman who acutely and keenly felt those sorrows, because she thirsted for Christ, she was enabled to pray with importunity and boldness –– her prayers were bakah prayers. In fact, in Hebrew, the phrase wept in anguish is bakah bakah!

May God grant each of us such an overwhelming thirst and desire for Jesus Christ, His Kingdom, His will, His glory, His renown, His preeminence, His Gospel, and His people that our prayers might be of the type of Jeremiah and Hannah:  bakah bakah prayers!

Regarding the incident of Jesus' entering and cleansing the temple in his commentary on Matthew 21, John Calvin wrote that the zeal of our Lord ought to serve as an example to us who are living in the day of small things, a day in which we are in sore need of reformation and revival:

That zeal, indeed, by which Christ was animated to do this, ought to be held in common by all the godly; but lest any one, under the pretense of imitation, should rush forward without authority, we ought to see what our calling demands, and how far we may proceed according to the commandment of God. If the Church of God have contracted any pollutions, all the children of God ought to burn with grief; but as God has not put arms into the hands of all, let private individuals groan, till God bring the remedy. I do acknowledge that they are worse than stupid who are not displeased at the pollution of the temple of God, and that it is not enough for them to be inwardly distressed, if they do not avoid the contagion, and testify with their mouth, whenever an opportunity presents itself, that they desire to see a change for the better. But let those who do not possess public authority oppose by their tongue, which they have at liberty, those vices which they cannot remedy with their hands. (emphasis mine)

I'm no ordained minister, but my desire is that God might be pleased to use the sorrow, groaning, and zeal which God has been working in me to stir you up and spur you on in the good work of prayer in particular –– and, as God might also lead you under His authority and under the authorities He has set up within His Body, to speak and act according to His good pleasure for the cause of Christ. May our God give all of us eyes to see the declension of the Church of God today, and subsequently fill our hearts with godly groaning, burning grief, and animating zeal, such as our Lord possessed, so bakah bakah prayer after the manner of Jeremiah and Hannah might arise day and night as incense to His throne of grace in this great time of need.

Matthew Henry described Hannah in this way:

She mingled tears with her prayers. It was not a dry prayer: she wept sore. Like a true Israelite, she wept and made supplication (Hosea 12:4), with an eye to the tender mercy of our God, who knows the troubled soul. The prayer came from her heart, as the tears from her eyes.

May we show ourselves to be true Israelites. May our prayers not be dry, but may God's Spirit work in us to weep in anguish, bakah bakah, until the LORD of hosts awakes and arises and brings the remedy, until His Holy Spirit descends and baptizes us afresh, comforts all our waste places, and establishes and makes His Church a praise in the earth.

From Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary on Isaiah 60:

"And so wonderful is all this promise that it needed the ratification with which it is closed: I the Lord will hasten it in his time--all that is here said relating to the Jewish and Christian church, to the militant and triumphant church, and to every particular believer. (1.) It may seem too difficult to be brought about, and therefore may be despaired of; but the God of almighty power has undertaken it: "I the Lord will do it, who can do it, and who have determined to do it." It will be done by him whose power is irresistible and his purposes unalterable. (2.) It may seem to be delayed and put off so long that we are out of hopes of it; but, as the Lord will do it, so he will hasten it, will do it with all convenient speed; though much time may pass before it is done, no time shall be lost; he will hasten it in its time, in the proper time, in the season wherein it will be beautiful; he will do it in the time appointed by his wisdom, though not in the time prescribed by our folly. And this is really hastening it; for, though it seem to tarry, it does not tarry if it come in God's time, for we are sure that that is the best time, which he that believes will patiently wait for."

Thank You and praise You, O Lord our God, for condescending to us – for condescending to me – and providing such blessed ratifications from Your Holy Word to sustain our faith, when all around us the bones are very many and very dry, and when we are tempted to become impatient and anxious in seeking a revival of religion. You know our frame, and You remember we are dust. Thank You for Your longsuffering compassion toward us in Jesus Christ. Forgive us for our folly, forgive me for my folly. We know full well that Your ways and Your thoughts are higher than ours. Forgive us for our impatience, and help us not to shrink back in despair or unbelief. Nothing is too hard for You, O Lord of hosts, You are the God of all flesh. We praise You that Your power is irresistible and Your purposes unalterable. Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. Your Kingdom is an everlasting kingdom.

Like the great cloud of witnesses, help us to walk by faith by abiding in Your Word, so we might be persuaded of Your precious promises and embrace them as we ought, so we might not falter. We know that all You have spoken, You will bring to pass, and all You have purposed, You will do (Isaiah 46:11). Holy God, we know that You are all-wise and Your timing is perfect, and the day will come when You will arise once again to favor Your Church with the spirit of reformation and revival. We know that You only wait to be gracious, to be very gracious to Your people so that You might be more highly exalted, and although there may be no visible evidence of an answer, You have already heard us at the sound of our cries, and You are already answering (Isaiah 30:18-19). As we wait on Your beautiful and infallible timing, help us not to be slothful but to remain steadfast, immovable and always abounding in the Lord's work, for we know our labor in You is not in vain (I Corinthians 15:58). Though revival may seem to us to tarry, strengthen us with Your power, according to Your glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy (Colossians 1:11), so we might rejoice in the hope of the glory of God, for Your purposes and Your counsel are settled in heaven. Isaiah 46:9  Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, 10  Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure... (KJV)

As well as praying and working toward reformation and revival in Your Church, we look forward to that Day when the glory of the Lord will cover the earth as the waters cover the seas. We long for that Day, O God, the time that You will be exalted and enjoyed and praised among all the nations, when every knee will bow at the name of Jesus, and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Amen.

~ From "Recollections of Rev. E.D. Griffin, or, Incidents Illustrating His Character" by Parsons Cooke (Boston: Massachusetts Sabbath-School Society,1855), 151.