Before Jesus chose His twelve first apostles, the Bible tells us in Luke 6:12 that He spent the entire night in prayer. Jesus did not choose them for their appearance or bravery. He made His choices based on the time spent in prayer, in God’s presence. After praying all night — the Jewish night begins at 6 p.m. and ends at 6 a.m., meaning Jesus spent 12 hours in prayer — He selected twelve apostles, and one of them would become an instrument of the devil! Imagine, then, how many thieves, traitors, and devils you might bring into your home or organization if you do not spend time in prayer before choosing your collaborators or those around you.

We must pray before making decisions. Many people take things lightly, making decisions impulsively or based on emotions. Jesus never took anything lightly. He allowed nothing to happen without first deciding it in prayer. Jesus always prayed before making decisions.

When choosing your collaborators, you might naturally consider their physical qualifications, abilities, and skills. However, Jesus prioritized seeking God’s will above all else. We need God’s guidance to act. Before getting married, take the time to seek God’s direction. When I proposed to Vivian, my wife, she initially agreed. But after some time, she sent me a letter saying she no longer agreed. So, I turned to God in prayer.

In the church I attended, there were other beautiful women—some very spiritual Christians, others preachers. I went before God and said, “Lord, I will forget Vivian and look at someone else. For example, this woman: she attends church, preaches, and has all the qualities one could wish for. Why should I follow Vivian to Akim-Oda (a small town where Vivian was teaching) when she doesn’t want me?”

After this prayer, I had a dream. In the dream, I saw a woman I knew who was very interested in me and quickly accepted my marriage proposal. However, everything deteriorated in the dream: she picked up a stick and began to chase me. I woke up frightened. I realized that if I pursued that relationship, it would lead me into disaster. This dream convinced me to persist with Vivian.

Setting aside my wounded pride, I acted. I wrote to Vivian to inform her that I would come on a specific day to get her answer in person. On the appointed day, I went by motorcycle, accompanied by an elderly man. Instead of taking the normal route to her place, I suggested taking a path with tall grass. The elderly man hesitated, but I insisted. Vivian was on that very path, hiding to avoid meeting me.

Through prayer, I was inspired to ensure our paths crossed. She had to acknowledge that God was integral to my proposal because He had orchestrated events for me to meet her despite her efforts to avoid it. She accepted my proposal, and in sixteen years of marriage, we have known only joy.

Jesus spent time in prayer before choosing His disciples. He prayed throughout that night. The following day, His decision was firmly established in His heart. He knew, among the multitude of His disciples, who the twelve would be—those He needed to spread the Good News. Until Judas gave himself over to the devil, Jesus relied on him to help bring the Gospel to every corner of the earth.

Consider the privileges we lose, as the hymn writer says, because we do not bring everything to God in prayer. It is when we commune with God that our steps are directed by the Lord, for He can only guide us when we spend time—delightful time—with Him…

This text is an excerpt from the book “POWER IN PRAYER” written by Bishop Charles Agyinasare.

We invite you to read the next article: “DISCREET PRAYER BREEDS SPECTACULAR POWER“.

CHOICE OF WORKERS. CHOICE OF WORKERS. CHOICE OF WORKERS.