Scripture Reading:

“Yet He frequently withdrew to the wilderness to pray. One day Jesus was teaching, and the Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there... And the power of the Lord was present for Him to heal the sick.”

— Luke 5:16–17 (BSB)

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.” — Ephesians 6:10–11 (NIV)

Devotional Thought:

Last week, we spoke about having a spine of faith — the courage to stand tall when life tries to break you down. But here’s the Kingdom paradox: The way we stand strong before men is by bowing low before God.

You can’t have a strong back if you have weak knees. Even Jesus, the One who carried the cross, had His strength built on His knees in prayer.

Every breakthrough you will ever experience begins not by standing before people, but by kneeling before your Father. Luke tells us, “Jesus frequently withdrew to the wilderness to pray.” He didn’t squeeze prayer into His schedule — He built His schedule around it. He understood that private prayer produces public power.

When you make room for the secret place, Heaven makes room for you. Prayer shifts atmospheres. It’s not about performance; it’s about presence. Many of us want the results of Jesus’ power without the rhythm of His prayer life. But you can’t carry divine power if you never spend time in divine presence.

When your knees touch the ground, Heaven starts touching your life.

Moses experienced the same truth. After spending forty days in God’s presence, he came down from the mountain glowing. The text says, “His face was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord.” He didn’t come back with a new strategy or status — he came back shining. The same thing happens today: what you behold determines what you become.

Moses beheld God’s glory and glowed with it. We often behold screens and glow with blue light instead of glory light.

Prayer births presence. Presence produces power. Power brings transformation. And that transformation gives you backbone. Because strong knees in prayer produce a strong backbone in life. Just like a palm tree in a storm, prayer gives your spirit flexibility. You may bend, but you won’t break. You may bow, but you won’t back down.

When you’re rooted in prayer, you’ll always rise stronger. The church that bends before God will always stand unshaken before anything.

Reflection Questions:

1. How often do you intentionally withdraw to be alone with God?
2. What’s one distraction that’s been keeping you from consistent prayer?
3. When was the last time you felt God’s presence so strongly that it changed your perspective?
4. Are your prayers more focused on routine or on relationship?

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, Teach me to value the secret place. Give me the discipline to withdraw, the humility to bow, and the faith to believe that when I pray, Heaven moves. Strengthen my knees in prayer so my spirit can stand firm in every storm. Help me to carry Your presence wherever I go — not for recognition, but for revelation. May my life radiate Your glory, and may every prayer I pray draw me closer to You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Action Step:

Set aside 15 minutes every day this week to pray without distraction. Turn off your phone, step away from the noise, and simply be still before God. Ask Him to make His presence real to you — then carry that presence into every conversation and situation.

Family Declaration:

We are a praying family. We bow before God so we can stand before anything. Our knees are strong, our backbone is bold, and our hearts are full of faith. We will seek His presence daily, shine with His glory, and walk in His power. We bend, but we do not break. We are a family with breakthrough knees and an unshakable backbone.