Chapter 1, Verse 19 “…for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance,”
Was Paul quoting from Job (13:16)? He was an Old Testament scholar so it seems reasonable that he was. He does, in fact, frequently quote from that source document. Paul had not one but two reasons to expect to be delivered from prison. The use of a conjunction with these two reasons tells us that we should not just rely on the Holy Spirit but also on prayer.
One of the great blessings of being a part of the Lord’s church is the opportunity to meet with a local group of disciples. This gives us numerous additional prayer partners to put our needs before the throne of God. The Holy Spirit interceding for us is another great blessing to add to those prayers. The church with the Holy Spirit sends our request to the throne of God.
Paul recognized this as a powerful answer to his own prayers. He uses the term “know.”
That is, Paul was assured that if his and the churches’ prayers were in harmony with the spirit of Christ and the will of God they would be answered in the affirmative. There must always, however, be room for God to say “no.”
Task for Today: Hopefully, this verse will give you confidence in your personal life. Don’t pray alone but ask for the church to pray with you. Pray with the knowledge that the fervent prayer of a righteous man is powerful, and a church full of such people, aided by the Holy Spirit is persuasive before God. Today, think about who is expecting you to join them in their request before God. Pray fervently.
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