Steadfast Prayer vs. Ministry of the Word

 

Steadfast Prayer vs. Ministry of the Word

Acts 1:14 These all continued with one accord in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus and his brothers.

Acts 6:4 But we must continue with prayer and the ministry of the word.

 

Analysis Item	Steadfast and Continuing Prayer	Ministry of the Word	Relationship and Coordination
Basic Meaning	Through prayer, we set our minds on the things above, becoming a reflection of Christ's ministry in the heavens; enabling our spirit to be exercised and strengthened, contacting God, eating God, and receiving Him within as spiritual food	Ministering Christ into people as the heavenly life and power, enabling them to be sustained by Christ's riches and live Christ as their heavenly life on earth	Both are coordination with Christ's heavenly ministry, living in the apostolic ministry
Core Function	• Exercise and strengthen the spirit • Contact God and gain spiritual supply • Receive heavenly vision and revelation • Intercede for the Lord's move	• Supply Christ to people • Minister heavenly life and power • Shepherd and perfect the saints • Build up the Body of Christ	• Prayer is the foundation, word is the outflow • Prayer comes first, ministry follows • Mutually dependent, inseparable
Spiritual Direction	Upward Receiving: Receiving grace, power, and revelation from God	Outward Ministering:  Supplying the received Christ to others	First receive upward, then minister outward; both inward and outward, connecting above and below
Sequential Relationship	First: "Prayer should come before the ministry of the word"	Second: Ministry based on the foundation of prayer	Proper sequence:  prayer first, then ministry, but in practice they are continuous and parallel
Dependency	Relatively independent, direct communion with God, but also needs the nourishment of the word	Completely dependent on the spirit (the effect of prayer): "Without such prayer, the ministry of the word cannot be empowered and strengthened"	• The word completely depends on the spirit • The spirit completely relies on the word • "Without the word, the spirit cannot go forth; without the spirit, the word is poor, weak, and low"
Key Scriptures	• Acts 6:4 - "steadfastly to prayer" • Acts 9:11 - "he is praying" • Acts 13:1-4 - fasting and praying for seeking • Col. 3:1-3 - set your mind on things above • Eph. 6:18 - pray at every time in spirit • Dan. 6:10 - praying three times daily • Dan. 9:2-3 - fasting, praying, and seeking	• Acts 6:4 - "the ministry of the word" • Rom. 15:16 - a laboring priest of the gospel • 1 Cor. 2:13 - words taught by the Spirit • 2 Cor. 3:6 - ministers of the new covenant • Isa. 50:4-5 - the tongue of the instructed • John 6:63 - the words are spirit and life	• Heb. 7:25 - Christ intercedes for us always • Heb. 8:1-2 - Christ ministers in the true tabernacle • Both ministries coordinate with Christ's heavenly ministry
Practical Application - Personal Level	• Daily scheduled prayer • Pray in everything • Pray unceasingly • Commune with God in spirit • Intercede for the church and saints	• Prophesy in meetings • Supply Christ in personal conversations • Share testimony in gospel preaching • Shepherd and perfect the saints • Live out Christ in daily life	Every believer needs both aspects: both a life of prayer and a ministry of the word
Practical Application - Corporate Level	• Pray in one accord • Prayer meetings • Pray for church affairs • Intercede for gospel work • Watch for the Lord's move	• Elders and co-workers supply the word • Life-study sharing • Truth equipment • Lead meetings • Building up of the church	Church life must "give attention to prayer and also value the ministry of the word," developing both aspects in balance
Biblical Examples	• The Apostles: steadfastly continuing in prayer (Acts 6:4) • Saul: praying after conversion (Acts 9:11) • Antioch Church: fasting and praying (Acts 13:1-4) • Daniel: praying three times daily (Dan. 6:10) • Paul: interceding for saints (Eph. 1:16-19)	• Peter: Pentecost preaching (Acts 2:14-41) • Stephen: speaking with wisdom (Acts 6:10) • Paul: preaching Christ everywhere (Acts 13-28) • Timothy: reading, exhorting, teaching (1 Tim. 4:13) • Ezra: teaching the law (Ezra 7:10)	These examples show: effective servants must be people of prayer and also rich in the word
Spiritual Principles	• One who is used by the Lord must be a person of prayer • Through prayer, do what man cannot do • Understand what man cannot understand • Speak what man cannot speak • Prayer exercises and strengthens the spirit	• The strength, richness, power, and authority of the word are all in the spirit • Minister Christ into people • Enable people to be sustained by Christ's riches • Live the heavenly life on earth	• "The word and spirit blended together produce life" • "Spirit and word, word and spirit, cannot be separated" • Any deviation from either side leads to failure
Common Deviations	• Only prayer without word supply • Prayer detached from biblical truth • Individualistic prayer • Lack of coordination with the Body	• Only word without prayer foundation • Speaking truth naturally • Poor and weak words • Lacking spiritual authority and power	"Over the past two thousand years, some have been partial to prayer, others to the word; deviation on either side leads to failure"
The Balanced Way	• Must have rich word nourishment • Pray according to biblical truth • Coordinate with the Body in intercession • Cannot only pray while neglecting the word	• Must have the foundation of prayer • Work hard on the word • Like Joseph having abundant grain • Cannot only have the word while neglecting prayer	• "Must follow the apostles' fellowship, not only paying attention to prayer but also valuing the ministry of the word" • "Every elder and co-worker... must pray and also work hard on the word"
Ultimate Goal	• Live in the divine history • Coordinate with Christ's heavenly ministry • Become Christ's reflection on earth • For the building up and increase of the church	• Live in the divine history • Build up the Body of Christ • Accomplish God's eternal purpose • For the coming of the kingdom	Both have the same ultimate goal: the accomplishment of God's eternal purpose, the building up of Christ's Body, and the realization of the New Jerusalem

 

Important Conclusion

1.      Inseparable Relationship: "Spirit and word, word and spirit, cannot be separated" - both are two aspects of one complete ministry

2.      Proper Sequence: First have the foundation of prayer, then the ministry of the word, but in practice they are parallel

3.      Mutual Dependence: Prayer without the word lacks content, the word without prayer lacks power

4.      Importance of Balance: Any deviation leads to failure; both aspects must be emphasized

5.      Common Source: Both coordinate with Christ's heavenly ministry, both in the apostolic ministry

6.      Unified Goal: Both are for living in the divine history and building up the Body of Christ

The Apostles' Pattern:

 "We will steadfastly continue in prayer and in the ministry of the word" (Acts 6:4) - This is the pattern that every one who serves the Lord should follow.

 

*Please refer to April 2025 International Elders and Responsible Brothers Training General Topic: One Accord and the Vital Aspects of Acts Chapter 7: In the Continuation of Acts, Continuing to Live in Divine History in Human History for the Expansion and Building up of the Church as the Corporate Manifestation of Christ