Watch and Pray | The Institute for Creation Research

Watch and Pray



“Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them.” (Nehemiah 4:9)

Prayer is a powerful weapon, but the wall-builders in Jerusalem also were careful to set a watch against their enemies “with their swords, their spears, and their bows” (Nehemiah 4:13). They were ready to fight if necessary, but at the same time they were confident that “our God shall fight for us” (Nehemiah 4:20).

This is a sound biblical principle. God expects us to make appropriate use of whatever physical means are available for a needed ministry rather than to rely simply on prayer and divine miracle. The Lord rebuked those who came asking Him to perform a miracle merely to test Him or to see something curious. “Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe” (John 4:48). Neither does He condone prayer in lieu of work, for “faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone” (James 2:17). The same holds for prayer in lieu of obedience. As Joshua was praying for deliverance from the enemy, “the LORD said unto Joshua, Get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face? Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them” (Joshua 7:10-11).

But as prayer without working is dead, so watching and working without prayer are futile. “Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not” (James 4:2). “Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain” (Psalm 127:1).

The biblical principle is not only to watch or only to pray. Both are essential. “Watch and pray,” said Jesus, “that ye enter not into temptation” (Matthew 26:41). HMM

Days of Praise Podcast Days of Praise Podcast is a podcast based on the Institute for Creation Research quarterly print devotional, Days of Praise. Start your day with devotional readings written by Dr. Henry Morris, Dr. Henry Morris III, Dr. John Morris, and others to strengthen and encourage you in your Christian faith.
 
         

 

The Latest
NEWS
A Fresh Start
"That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit...

NEWS
January 2025 ICR Wallpaper
"For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; And the former shall not be remembered or come to mind." (Isaiah 65:17 NKJV) ICR...

NEWS
All Things New
"And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful."...

ACTS & FACTS
Creation Kids: Neptune
by Renée Dusseau and Susan Windsor* You're never too young to be a creation scientist and explore our Creator's world. Kids, discover...

ACTS & FACTS
Theodore Roosevelt National Park: Testimony to the Receding Flood
by Tim Clarey, Ph.D., and Mike Mueller, M.S.* Nestled next to Medora, North Dakota, and 45 miles east of Glendive, Montana, Theodore Roosevelt National...

ACTS & FACTS
A Great Year of Development! 2024 Year in Review
The Institute for Creation Research had another outstanding year advancing creation science in 2024! We’ll use this opening issue of Acts &...

APOLOGETICS
Mice That Prey on Scorpions and Tarantulas
Don’t underestimate the ferocity of a humble-looking little mouse—especially if it lives inside Grand Canyon. Although various mice...

ACTS & FACTS
The Courage of Conviction
Several years ago, a young pastor assumed leadership of his father’s church. The church was located in a large city with an increasing population...

ACTS & FACTS
Gene Complexity Showcases Engineered Versatility
In the early days of molecular genetics in the 1960s and ’70s, researchers widely held that a gene could be defined as a single, discrete entity...

NEWS
Joy to the World
Then the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.’” (Luke...