The Prayers of All the Saints

“And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel’s hand.” Revelation 8:4. 

The book of Revelation is a strange world. Beasts, vials, seals and trumpets, alien from anything we know about today, tear across its pages.  And yet, we find two mentions of something we understand in our world: the twice-repeated phrase of “the prayers of all the saints.” Evidently, what we do here and now is very much involved in there and then.

Why would there be a place in Revelation for the prayers of the saints? Could the sovereign will of God decree that the final fate of the world and its masses of people will be decided upon the quality and intensity of the faithful prayers of the church age?  

We do know that John saw seven angels and these angels had jobs to do.  The affairs of heaven are far more organized than we could imagine.  The devil certainly has his kingdom organized: “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” Ephesians 6:12.

But our connection is the prayers of the saints.  Our prayers continually ascend to a holding or staging area where they are reserved for the end-time events.  That makes prayer supremely important.  We must not disregard our prayers and prayer life.  Look at the following list of the accomplishments of prayer: 

1.  Prayer is a fundamental part in the history of the human race.  When God formed the universe, he instituted the law of prayer as being just as fundamental as any other law of creation. 

2.  Prayer is the highest power in the gifts given to mankind.  The law of prayer outranks all other laws.  God will suspend the laws of nature in order to make way for the law of prayer.

3.  True prayer is immortal. It originates within the immortal spirit of man.  It is by prayer that we take hold of God, that we get visions and understanding from God.  Prayer is as complex as God himself.  It has a history that astounds the greatest mind among us. 

4.  The prayer of the righteous guides human events.  What would have happened if there were no prayer? Would Lot have been saved? Would Rebecca have been secured as a bride for Isaac? Would Jacob’s name have been turned to Israel? Would Jesus have escaped temptation? Would the church have flourished and grown in the book of Acts?

5.  What about unanswered prayer?  There are multitudes of prayers that appear not to have been answered in this life.  These prayers build up.  There is a residue of such prayers that have never lost their power.

6.  The depth and power of our prayers depends upon the spirit of sacrifice put into our prayers.  After the priest offered the sacrifice on the brazen altar, he went to the golden altar and offered incense.  The incense offering was accepted based on the sacrificial offering. 

In 2005 during the war in Afghanistan, an Afghan went back to persuade people to turn against the Taliban.  Instead, he found himself trapped by Taliban fighters.  It was said that he radioed frantically to the US forces for help but received no answer.  The US forces finally arrived, but too late.  He was in hostile territory and the enemy was in charge.  Be aware that you tread in hostile territory.  It may seem that there is no response to your prayers and that the enemy is closing in on you.  The difference, however, is that you know who owns the kingdom.  You know who has the ultimate power.  In the end, all the glory will go to God.

Pray on! Satan has no defense against righteous and persistent prayer!