Paul knelt and left again to the ship. Amid the hustle and business, he took the time to fall on his knees. Satan’s tactic in the Laodicean machine is to keep you moving instead of stopping and falling on your knees. There are several points regarding why you should fall on your knees in the Bible:
Acts 21: 1-6: “And it came to pass, that after we were gotten from them, and had launched, we came with a straight course unto Coos, and the day following unto Rhodes, and from thence unto Patara: And finding a ship sailing over unto Phenicia, we went aboard, and set forth. When we discovered Cyprus, we left it on the left hand, sailed into Syria, and landed at Tyre: for there, the ship was to unlade her burden. And finding disciples, we tarried there seven days: who said to Paul through the Spirit, that he should not go up to Jerusalem. And when we had accomplished those days, we departed and went our way; and they all brought us on our way, with wives and children, till we were out of the city: and we kneeled on the shore, and prayed. And when we had taken our leave one of another, we took ship; and they returned home again.”
1) Kneeling in private
Luke 10: 38: “Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.”
Luke 10: 40-42: ” But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.
And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:
But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”
We are all like Martha, trying to be busy and please the Lord by managing the house and performing other tasks. However, from time to time, we must kneel. It’s necessary for the relaxation you need; lack of prayer might be why you are struggling. It doesn’t matter how much effort you exert if God is not in the middle of all the tasks you are trying to achieve. You need to stop, fall on your knees and take some time with God.
That’s why praying, reading the bible, and going to church is necessary.
2) Kneeling to provide service
You need to provide service for others. It’s not about yourself but others, be humble. We are used to attending church and being fed by the pastor, but we need to fall on our knees to serve others.
John 13: 3-5: “Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God; He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself. After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.”
Jesus Christ the God almighty knelt and washed everyone’s feet, even Judas, who denied him. Nevertheless, Jesus humbled him and served him too. We are not better than Jesus, and while you say that, you are better than others.
3) Kneeling in pride
God promised that they who will not bow down because of his/her pride, He will make them bow down. Whenever you argue with your family or pastor and think that you are right, God will make you bow down and be ashamed of your wrongdoing. You had better bow yourself before God makes you bow. When God makes you bow, it will hurt.
4) Kneeling to pray
Ephesian 6: 18: “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.”
The armor covers everything, but there is no armor for the knees because, as mentioned in the passage, one must kneel to pray. The knees are on the ground where they should be. The first reaction is to take things upon oneself, complain, or become discouraged, depressed, and miserable. You cannot do anything with your ability, or it will take a flick of the devil to make it topple. Standing is an invitation to ask the devil to stab you; you need to duck.
5) Kneeling in petition
James 5: 17-18: ” Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.”
Elijah had the power to stop the weather. He did it by often going to kneel, praying in petition, falling on his knees. He was a prayer warrior that was praying fervently. We need to pray hard; many people do not pray. People are so incapable of prayer that they do not pray even for their selfish reasons. God will never bless your life because you are not asking, and this shows that you probably do not want it – things like a growing church and loving your brothers and sisters.
If Christians want something, they need to fall on their knees and pray to the Lord.
6) Kneeling in profanity
Luke 5: 8: “When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”
Another reason why we kneel is from our realization that we are profane. If we are in need and not kneeling, we do not have a fear of the Lord. The fear of the Lord is kneeling for the fear of getting struck down, but we think we are perfect in status.
7) Kneeling to persons
Proverbs 22: 17: “Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge.”
We kneel in our lives to listen. God uses the more experienced people to become leaders, not you. You think you can correct every time you need to be careful of your attitude and rebellious pride, but you need to respect the authority that God puts before you.
How can you think you are perfect in status, more so than the person that teaches you? And how can you pretend that God will use you if you do not learn how to bow down and listen? God will teach you a lesson, where he will provide someone worse than you and see how good you are on your knees.
8) Kneeling to the preserved words
The book was above the people, and the people bow down. To be the best Christian is to be on your knees whenever God asks and trust him. On many occasions, when the bible says to do something, we struggle to bow to the word of God. When God says something, do it.
The first reaction of the flesh is to rebel. When we hear things that we do not like, we hesitate, rebel, and do not do it. Everyone is a soldier of Jesus Christ, not a spoilt princess, and we have no right not to follow orders. God is the commander in chief. We need to take his words seriously and abide by them.
9) Kneeling in public
Romans 14: 11: “For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.”
“As I live”, everyone will have to fall on their knees in public.
Altar calls are a way to show your intent to worship God publicly. If altar calls are not necessary, why for all of Christianity have we always done them?
Matthew 2: 11: “And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.”
When Jesus was born, He started the greatest hope in the world. No wonder people fall on their knees in front of the king of kings. They waited thousands of years for this promise to come true.
When was the last time that you fell on your knees to acknowledge the king that was born in your life?