The believers work and labor for the Lord also with prayer and fasting. Sometimes we must fast in order to deal with the power of darkness by casting out certain demons that insist on remaining. In Matthew 17:21 the Lord Jesus told the disciples, “This kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.” To deal with the power of darkness there is the need of the exercise of the authority of the heavenly King. We can exercise this authority only through prayer and fasting. As the heavenly King, the Lord Jesus has such authority, but we need to pray, even with fasting, to execute the Lord’s authority.
Concerning prayer, Acts 1:14 says, “These all were persevering with one accord in prayer.” The disciples were burdened to pray perseveringly with one accord. God needs His chosen people to pray regarding what He has promised to do in His New Testament economy. As God in heaven He needs men on earth to cooperate with Him for the carrying out of His plan.
Acts 6:4 says, “We will continue steadfastly in prayer and in the ministry of the word.” To pray is not only to entreat the Lord to do things for His move; it is also to cause our spirit to be exercised and strengthened. Hence, prayer should precede the word. Without such prayer, the ministry may not be enlivened and empowered.
In Acts 13:2 we see that the prophets and teachers in Antioch “were ministering to the Lord and fasting.” These prophets and teachers were not conferring with men and organizing; rather, they were ministering to the Lord and fasting. They were ministering to the Lord directly. This means that, spiritually speaking, they were not at the altar in the outer court but were at the incense altar in the Holy Place. In the Old Testament the priests ministered at two places. When they served the people, they ministered at the altar in the outer court, offering sacrifices to God for the people. But when they served the Lord directly, they were at another place-at the altar in the Holy Place burning incense. The prophets and teachers in Antioch were at the incense altar at the Holy Place, ministering directly to the Lord through their prayers.
The believers who work and labor for the Lord will be rewarded by the returning Lord in the day of the resurrection of the righteous. This reward is fully related to the kingdom. To be rewarded actually is to be given a rich entrance into the kingdom. Those who are rewarded with this rich entrance will enter into the kingdom and into the joy of the Lord, and as they enjoy eternal life in the coming age they will reign as co-kings with Christ.
In 1 Corinthians 3:14 Paul says, “If anyone’s work which he has built upon it shall remain, he shall receive a reward.” The work that remains must be that of gold, silver, and precious stones, the product of faithful ministers of Christ. Such a work will be rewarded by the coming and judging Lord. Reward is based on the believer’s work after being saved. It differs from salvation, which is based on faith in the Lord and His redemptive work.
In Matthew 24:45-47 the Lord Jesus says, “Who then is the faithful and prudent slave, whom the master has set over his household to give them food at the appointed time? Blessed is that slave whom his master when he comes shall find so doing. Truly I say to you, that he will set him over all his possessions.” Faithfulness is toward the Lord, whereas prudence is toward the believers. The household spoken of in verse 45 refers to the believers (Eph. 2:19), who are the church (1 Tim. 3:15). To give them food is to minister the Word of God with Christ as the life supply to the believers in the church. To be blessed in these verses is to be rewarded with ruling authority in the manifestation of the kingdom. The faithful slave of the Lord will be set over all His possessions as a reward in the manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens.
Another verse that speaks of the believers’ reward is Matthew 25:21: “His lord said to him, Well done, good and faithful slave; you were faithful over a few things, I will set you over many things; enter into the joy of your lord.” The same word is found in verse 23. “A few things” signifies the Lord’s work in this age; “over,” the ruling authority in the coming kingdom; “many things,” the responsibilities in the coming kingdom, and “the joy of your lord,” the enjoyment of the Lord in the coming kingdom. This enjoyment is the inward satisfaction, not the outward position. To participate in the Lord’s joy is the greatest reward, better than the glory and position in the kingdom.
In Luke 14:14 the Lord Jesus speaks of being rewarded in the resurrection of the righteous: “You will be blessed, because they do not have anything with which to repay you; for it will be repaid to you in the resurrection of the righteous.” The resurrection of the righteous is the resurrection of life (John 5:29; Rev. 20:4-6), when God will reward the saints (Rev. 11:18) at the Lord’s return (1 Cor. 4:5).
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