Text: Psalm 81: 8 – 10
As can be seen from our text, the Lord, after enjoining His people to ensure that they were free of idols, challenged them to open their mouths wide, guaranteeing that He will fill it. Opening of the mouth wide’ is a figurative expression referring to “doing those things that would create great room for the inflow of God’s blessings.” Though there are several mode of opening the mouth wide, this time we are looking at PRAYER.
Prayer is simply the act of communicating with God: speaking to God (giving) and hearing from God (receiving). While there are different types of prayer (like Supplication, Intercession, Praise, Worship, Adoration etc), we shall focus on SUPPLICATION which is the act of asking God for help (Matt.7:7,8).
From Matt.7:7, we can deduce 3 kinds of supplication based on the invested strength of the supplicant viz (i) Asking (ii) Seeking (iii) Knocking. Asking is less demanding than seeking, which in turn is less vigorous than knocking.
Opening of mouth wide entails knocking in prayer/supplication. When knocking, the supplicant utilizes all available resources to get God’s attention and positive response. Here, prayer (petitioning) is done with strength (volcanic) not to catch the attention of men but rather of God (Ps.3:1-4; 18:2-6; 30:1-8 ct. Matt.6:5-8); strong reasons are brought forth for the supplicant’s request (Isa.41:21). Fasting is employed (cons. Matt.17:21; Mk.9:29; Acts 10:30; 14:23). The leisure of a good night sleep is relinquished (cons. Lk.6:12; 2Cor.6:5; 11:27). And very importantly, the Holy Spirit’s service is engaged to help out for a most effective result (cons. Rom.8:26).
So, open your mouth wide entails going to the presence of the Lord in a “knocking- disposition”, and, what better time is there to do this than this point that we are entering into a brand new year.
Every watchman must note that the time of entering into or inheriting the promises is always a time of battles (cons. Deut.12:10). So opening the mouth wide brings God to lead the way and favor our course in this year 2017.
NB. Since after the fall of man, nothing good comes easy, hence the place of labour to profit (Prov.14:30).
Let’s therefore rise to open our mouths wide in prayers for the needs of our lives, speak and prophesy great things for 2017; open our mouth wide in prayer and the Almighty will surely fill it.
Hymn: Sweet Hour Of Prayer (HSCF 230)