Pray effectively part 1
Churches grow when people pray effectively to get people saved, receive resources, remove barriers and enrich the service of Christ” Prayer is an essential link in the influence that leads to a revival as much so as truth is. Some have zealously used truth to convert men and laid very little stress on prayer. They have preached, talked and distributed tracks with great Zeal and then wondered that they had so little success. And the reason was that they forgot an effective prayer. They overlooked the fact that the truth by itself will never produce the effect without the spirit of God and that the spirit is given in answered prayer.
Prayer is a channel through which man communicates with God. It is the key that can transforms an individual’s life or a nation, into fulfilling God’s destiny. The truth is that you cant fulfill your destiny without developing a strong prayer life. John 10:10 declares I have come that you may have life and life in abundance, but the devil comes to kill to steal and to destroy.”Job 1:6-7.Great men have fallen, kings, families and countries being destroyed as a result of a weak prayer life and ignorance that we have an adversary whose strategies are opposite to our eternal blessing. It is therefore in our communion with God through effective prayers that we may have contact with the spiritual to make the physical realized.
Prayer is a petition to God as a result of our relationship and fellowship with Him(Philippians 1:9,Ephesians 6:18,Heb 13:8).
It is a request to God, (Matthew 7:7)
It expresses our deep desire or need to God(Luke 10:2,22:32)
Prayer calls upon God for help (Acts 7:59, Romans 10:13)
Prayer pleads with God for results Romans 8:27, Romans 11:2, Heb 7:25
Request for God’s intervention at battle or for favor from a desire.
It is the key that can transforms an individual’s life or a nation, into fulfilling God’s destiny. You can’t fulfill destiny without developing an effective prayer life. John 10:10, Job 1:6-7.Great men have fallen, kings, families and countries being destroyed as a result of a weak prayer life and ignorant of the adversary whose strategies are opposite to our eternal blessing. It is through effective prayers that we access the spiritual to make the physical realized. Many have taken wishes to be prayers, and some without any kind of believe still claim they pray. Others have a weak prayer life and are constantly challenged. Prayer is the engine that sustains your walk with God. The first thing Jesus taught his disciples was how to pray and the importance of fasting in prayers. I challenge you to develop an effective prayer life and you will see what God can do when you pray.
Kinds of Prayer
There are many kinds of prayer realized in the scriptures made by individuals or groups of people confronted by different circumstances. Before we dig deep into kinds of prayer, let us look at the life of Jesus as a role model of prayer. In Matthew 3:16, the Bible announces the Spirit of God descending upon him. In Chapter 4:1 the Bible declares “Then Jesus was led up by the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil, And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights. He therefore went on a retreat to pray without being in contact with anybody because he wanted to communicate with his father. The spirit was with him. In Matthew 6:9-14 and Luke 11:2-4.Jesus taught us how to adore our father and worship him. After teaching the Lords prayer he taught about fasting which goes along side with effective prayers. His prayer life grew from strength to strength whenever he was about to face a challenges or as much as he was drawing nearer to His crucifixion. He moved away from the crowed to the mountain top or isolated himself to pray to His father.
Prayer of confession is a route to answered prayers. That is Our prayers cannot be heard by God before being answered. Prayer of confession paves the way for forgiveness of sins. Romans 3:23,Romans 1:8-10
Prayer of worship is for God just as we adore him.
Prayer of agreement for communion
Prayer for petition for things
Prayer for salvation for sinners to be saved
Prayer for intercession for others Ezekiel 22:30, Daniel 9:4-61
Prayer of Thanksgiving Philippians 4:6, John 11:40-44,1stThessalonians 5:18
finally prayer of faith, for miracles. Mark 11:24 Mark 11:24
24Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believes that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. John 16:23 John 16:23-24 23In that day you will no longer ask me anything. I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 24Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.There are some conditions of prayer
1.)God responds to our prayers when we are yielded to him( Mark 14:36;1John 5:14)
2.)God responds to our prayer when we pray in Jesus name John 14:13,14;15:16
3.)God respond ‘s to our prayers when we pray with faith Hebrew 11:6
4.)God responds to our prayers when we are abiding in Christ maturing and abiding in the word of God John 15:7
5.)God responds to us when we are persistent in prayers Luke 18:1 and Colossians 4:2 1stSamuel 1:9-17
6.)God responds when we humble ourselves in prayer, psalms 10:17, Luke 18:14 and have a proper reverence, psalms 145:19
7.)God responds to our prayers when we pray in sincerity psalms 145:18
8.)God responds to our prayers when we are united with others in prayer, Matthew 18:19,Acts 12:4
9.)God responds to our prayers when we pray with great intensity Acts 12:4,luke 22:44,Romans 15:30, Colossians 4:12
. Everyone therefore needs an effective prayer life to help us in our weaknesses and keep us firm in our relationship with God. We pray because God works through the power of our prayer. James 5:16 declares the prayer of a righteous man availed much. Romans 8:2626In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.
Ephesians 6:18 18And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
Be specific in prayers mark 10:46-52 Blind Bathemaious asked for his site.
Be specific in your confessions, tell God what you did Daniel 9:4-19, psalms 32:5-7.
Praise and worship before you pray opens up a good channel for your communication with God for praise and worship moves God into Action 2ndChronicles20,Acts 16:22-27,Paul, and Silas prayed in prison, and used their chains for music, the walls of Jericho Joshua 6: Hebrew 11:30-31
Hindrances to answered prayers
1.)Sin. John 9:31 God hears not sinners, 1stCorinthians 2:14,,proverbs 16:8-9, Matthew 5:23-24
2.)Negative confession proverbs 6:2,Mark 11:23, psalms 66:18;Isaiah 59:1,2
3.)Doubt or unbelief, Hebrew 11:6,without faith it is impossible to please God., James 1:6-7
But he must ask in faith, without any doubts, for the one who has doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.
4.)Rejecting the clearly revealed will of God will hinder the effectiveness of our prayers 1stSamuel 8:18, proverbs 28:9
5.)Praying with a wrong motive James 4:3 You ask for something but do not get it because you ask for it for the wrong reason-for your own pleasure.
6.)Harboring idols ,bags or forms of protection from home or other believes will hinder your prayers. Ezekiel 14:3
7.)Unforgiving spirit will hinder effective prayers. Mark 11:25,26
8.)Failure to respond to the needs of the poor, will hinder effective prayers, proverbs 21:13He who shuts his ear to the cry of the poor Will also cry himself and not be answered.
9.)Domestic conflict will hinder the effectiveness of our prayers 1stpeter 3:7, In a similar way, you husbands must live with your wives in an understanding manner, as with a most delicate partner. Honor them as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing may interfere with your prayers.
Intercessory prayer
Intercessory prayer is Gods all powerful agency for the outpouring of the spirit. No revival has ever yet been given apart from this ministry.
a.)Communion prayers are talking with God about things of common concern but not necessarily making specific requests for divine intervention.
b.)Petition prayers are asking or requesting prayers.
c.)Intercession is therefore an outgrowth of the communion and petition prayers and reaches out on behalf of others.
d.)An intercessor identifies himself with the one whom he was praying just as Jesus numbered himself among the transgressors.
e.)An intercessor agonizes himself just as Jesus agonizes in the garden of Gethsemane.
f.)An intercessor prays with authority knowing he can and will influence God with his prayers. For intercession is a Christian service. And experience. Jesus engaged in intercession Heb 7:25,Holy spirit is an intercessor Romans 8:26. Intercession is the act of going on behalf of someone else who needs help from Almighty God, to be merciful and gracious unto someone else and not self.
1. It most cases it is prayer for those whose situations or circumstances need the mercy and grace of God’s immediate attention.
2. Intercession touches the very heart of God, the Ministry of Jesus and the help of the Holy Spirit.
3. Intercession requires a giving up and giving unto, as act of God’s love, mercy and compassion.
4. The intercessor must be ready and sensitive to God at all times, totally yielded to Him, and willing to be touched by the infirmities of someone else.
5. Intercession requires you to become selfless, forgetting about your needs, desires and wants.
Intercession will turn an ordinary church into a growing church. The purpose of intercession is to Secure Healing (James 5:14-16);
Avert Judgment (Numbers 14:11-21);
Insure Deliverance (I Samuel 7:5-9);
Give Blessings (Numbers 6:23-27);
Obtain Restoration (Ezekiel 22; Job 48:8-10);
Encourage Repentance (Romans 10:1-4);
Draw Nearer to God as Abba Father to Change His Mind (Exodus 32:7-14).Intercession reaches all the way to heaven and throughout all eternity. In Jeremiah God did not receive prayers because of disobedience and worship of idols.
(Jeremiah 7; 11:7-12; 11:13-18 and 11:19:22).
An intercessor is a born-again believer, who has been washed in the Blood of Jesus; One who intercedes on behalf of others; Who is God fearing and willing to sacrifice his schedule, time and plans for another;
Who does not mind being interrupted by the Holy Spirit for prayer;
Who has a heart after God’s own heart;
Who lives a life of repentance and is sanctified unto God, holy and set apart for God;
An intercessor is confident that God hears his prayers and will answer them.
An Intercessor must have unconditional love, The same God is doing good work in all. It is a divine privilege to be used by God to pray for someone. We are our brother’s keeper and have a good knowledge of God’s word for praying with the word is powerful and ushers in help from angels in heaven that take charge over us.
The Word of God says in Isaiah 34:16 to seek out the book of the Lord and read. We must read to know what to say.
We must meditate so we can believe what we speak.
We must speak to release the power. Knowledge of God’s Word is the only way to know your blood-bought rights and authority against the devil.
Kinds of intercessors
1.)Entry level intercessor :This is one who has the desire to pray but has no good knowledge on how to go about praying.
2.)Core intercessors or fire band: These are equipped with the word and empowered to cast out demons and do war fare at every level or dimension with confidence for in them lies the spirit of an over comer, prevailing in prayers ,boldness of the lion etc
3.)Amour intercessors: These are a team of three to 7 people who intercede for the pastors for a continual flow of the anointing during the service and increase as well as from attacks from the enemy. They have a burden to pray continually for a covering for the man of God from God.
Attributes of an Intercessor…
ADVOCACY –Being an Advocate for others – Willing to go in another person’s place and plead their case before God, acting like Jesus; Matthew 23:37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, [thou] that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gatheblack thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under [her] wings, and ye would not!
ABANDONMENT – Being willing to Abandon self – Willing to abandon all self-interest about what is being prayed;
ACCEPTANCE – Being willing to Accept others – Willing to accept the assignment to pray for someone that you do not even like;
AWARENESS – Being Aware of the needs of others – Willing to be sensitive, and look beyond the person to make it happen for someone else;
ACCOUNTABILITY – Being Accountable for the results – Willing to risk placing yourself in the position of fulfilling the need if God will not; Exodus 32:32 Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin—; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written. Romans 9:3 For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:
AGONIZING – Being willing to bear the Agony of others – Willing to bear the hurts of others and feel what they feel. Jesus was touched by our infirmities; Matthew 8:16-17 When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with [his] word, and healed all that were sick: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare [our] sicknesses.
AVAILABILITY – Being Available to the work of intercession – Willing to always be available for God; holy, submissive, yielded, and humble. The world looks for ability. God only needs availability He can enable and equip;
ABIDING – Abiding in Christ – John 15:5 I am the vine, ye [are] the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. 6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is witheblack; and men gather them, and cast [them] into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
AUTHORITY – Praying with Authority – Willing to go boldly before the Throne of God without begging, understanding the authority that belongs to the born-again believer.
Examples of Intercessors…
Moses – Exodus 32:11-13,Paul – Colossians 1:9-12 ,Joshua – Joshua 7:6-7 And Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the LORD until the eventide, he and the elders of Israel, and put dust upon their heads. And Joshua said, Alas, O Lord GOD, wherefore hast thou at all brought this people over Jordan, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? would to God we had been content, and dwelt on the other side Jordan!
a. Jehoshaphat – II Chronicles 20:5-13
b. Isaiah – II Chronicles 32:20
c. David – Daniel 9:3-19
d. Christ – John 17:1-26
e. Rees Howells – Welsh Revival
Spiritual warfare or prevailing prayers
To prevail is to be successful in the face of difficulties, to completely dominate, to overcome and triumph. Prevailing prayer is prayer that pushes right through all difficulties and obstacles, drives back all the opposing forces of Satan and secures the will of God. Its purpose is to accomplish God’s will on earth. Prevailing prayer is prayer that not only takes the initiative but continues on the offensive for God until victory is worn. We must overcome Satan in his battle for souls of men and attempts to corrupt and confuse the believer(1stchronicles 21:1;Matthew 16:33;Luke 9:55-56.We must also always prevail in prayer for our selves in this regards 2ndCorinthians 12:7.Prevailing prayers is therefore the human means of obtaining spiritual power for ministry Luke 11:13 and other Blessings from God Such as revival Luke 18:1-8.
We need to prevail against the weaknesses of the flesh, Matthew 26:41
We need to prevail against Satan in spiritual conflict for souls of men. John 14:30, Ephesians 2:2; 6:11-12,1stJohn 4:4 and 5:19
There are times when we must prevail before God because God wants to test our sincerity in prayers before he responds with a quick answer Matthew 15:21-28.
How to prevail in prayers
1.)you must be willing to spend much time in prayers and build a reservoir of prayer that is praying with the Holy Spirit and praying in accordance with His will and leading Ephesians 6:18;Jude 20, and also pray with the sense of determination., that is praying with your whole being Jeremiah 29:13 and finally pray with great intensity, Romans 15:30.
Spiritual Warfare and the “Devil and His Devil Spirits”
The devil or Satan is the god of this world system and is called “evil” in 1 John 5:19 as demonstrated above. The idea that the devil is the god of this present age in which we live is confirmed in the gospel of Luke, when Jesus was led into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. We read,
Luke 4:5 – 8:And he [the devil] led him [Jesus] up, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said unto him, To thee will I give allthis authority, and the glory of them: for it hath been delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. If thou therefore wilt worship before me, it shall all be thine. And Jesus answered and said unto him, It is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
This position of Satan was obtained when both Adam and Eve ate of the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil, being tempted of the devil in the Garden of Eden. The lure of the temptation of Adam and Eve was to be like God. Satan hates God and His creation and seeks to win humanity over for its destruction. All dominion over the earth was originally given to Adam and Eve, but because of their sin, all of humanity and nature itself fell under the destruction and power of the devil. All of God’s creation, the plants, the animals, sea life, and of course humanity itself began to suffer and die. This account is found in the first 3 chapters of the book of Genesis. The sins of Adam and Eve brought the curse of sin to all the earth, in which we have our redemption only in Christ. It is only Christ, the Son of God, Who suffered the penalty of this curse to set us free and bring us back to God; therefore Christ is the only way in which we can be saved.
Satan, who is the author of all sin, sickness and death, was once a beautiful angel of God, but fell from his original position when he attempted to overthrow God so that he himself would be glorified as God. These records are found in the Old Testament in the prophetic books of both Isaiah 14:12-17 and Ezekiel 28: 12-19. Satan’s original name before his rebellion against God was Lucifer.
However, below is a brief summary of an account of Satan’s rebellion towards God found in Isaiah chapter 14, he said,
1. I will ascend unto Heaven.
2. I will exalt my throne above the angels of God.
3. I will sit also upon the mountain of the congregation.
4. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds.
5. I will be like the Most High.
Instead, Satan was overthrown by God, however, he took one-third of the angels with him and he won power over the souls of humanity. Defeated in his quest to overthrow God, he decided he would attack God by overthrowing humanity, in which he did by causing Adam and Eve to also rebel against God. God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to redeem the world from the powers of darkness and the curse that fell upon mankind as a result of their sin, and will save anyone who calls upon the name of Christ.
To be more than a conqueror in Christ over the powers of darkness, those who have accepted Christ as their Savior, must first understand that they are saved by grace and not by works. When we receive God’s Holy Spirit we are given spiritual life, a new nature, that no person on this earth can create for themselves by good works. We can never redeem ourselves or make ourselves good enough to be saved. This is a life giving gift from God and God alone, and is freely given to those who ask Christ to save them. Salvation is a one time act.
By our understanding of the aforesaid, we can see that ultimately our spiritual warfare is against the principalities, powers, rulers of darkness, and the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. The Apostle Paul gives us this scripture in a letter he wrote to the Ephesians’ church, he states,
Eph 6:12For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
Our battle against the devil is a battle against good and evil, the goodness and power of God against the evil and power of the devil. Therefore we are in direct conflict with the god of this world, “the devil.” He has power over the world and the flesh and is our ultimate enemy. However, we are promised the victory in Christ!
Discovering your Authority for warfare