Prayer

WHAT IS PRAYER?

Prayer in the simplest sense is defined as talking to God. The mechanics of prayer however are much more complicated. Most people find prayer a duty and dread prayer time. They are either short and quick praying, or long and drawn out.

God wants us to learn that prayer is a privilege and if we only knew how and what it’s effect had in our lives and the world we would not treat it so casually.  It is the key to Heaven, it unlocks God’s storehouse and allows us to partake of Heaven on earth. It has been said that “more things have been wrought through prayer than the world knows.” The Bible is full of men who have overcome through prayer, Elijah, Daniel, David, Nehemiah, etc. Prayer was so important to the Apostles that they linked its primary importance with the importance of the Word. The New Testament was not yet written, and the way they heard from God was through prayer. Before the written form was the living form, the Bible was lived before it was written. The chief form of communication to God was through prayer. Rather than do menial tasks the Apostles chose the better and more important task: PRAYER.

Acts 6:4  But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.

We think if we pray 5 minutes we have done our duty to God.  But His disciples gave themselves CONTINUALLY to prayer. We expect God to move in our behalf when we barely even relate to Him. This scripture speaks not only of time spent with God but also suggests the intimate relationship they had with Him. God wants us to know Him not just by reading His word but talking to Him and allowing Him to talk to us. Let us get beyond the mundane basics of Prayer and into the close intimate times of prayer like Jesus had in John 14-17 with His Father.

Prayer is essential for spiritual warfare. If you don’t have a prayer life the devil is probably leaving you alone but once you begin to seek God, all Hell will literally being to come against you. Andrew Murray said: “Prayer is the strategical point which Satan watches. If he can succeed in causing us to neglect prayer, he has won; for when communion between God and His people is broken, the true source of life and power is cut off.”

2CO 10:4-5

2 Corinthians 10:4  (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5  Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

One of our greatest weapons is prayer. If we utilize prayer rightly the enemy must flee before us. Matthew 16:18  And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

The Greek word for prevail literally means, “cannot stand against” the church. The walls of Hell will fall like they did at Jericho when we learn how to war in prayer.

Most people when they think of prayer they think it’s only asking God for things, but it’s much more than that. First and foremost prayer is fellowship and communion with God. This involves surrendering yourself to God and His will, acknowledging Him as King and Lord of your life. Remembering He is our Father, giving Him respect and honoring His name. Then it is Praise and Adoration for WHO HE IS and then thanking Him for WHAT HE’S DONE.  Next is the time of confession making sure there is nothing to hinder this time of communion with God. Remember to humble yourself in His presence that He may lift you up. Interspersed between all of this should be silent times where we need to listen for God to speak to our hearts. Now is the time to make our supplications (ask) God for what we need or would like. Next we need to intercede for the needs of others that we fulfill the law of Love. It is here where we bind and loose, we command, we heal, and we declare and proclaim the Kingdom of God. Then we close by thanking Him again for these new things we have brought before Him believing His answer is already on its way. Remember that there are about thirty scriptures promising that God will answer our prayers.