Introduction To Our Prayer Series

Brethren, I am so thrilled to be able to write this,especially since this is the last post for the year 2007, please do Take note of boldly highlighted points/verses as you read on, I would love for you to pay serious attention to this post even if it is the only post you read on this blog, please take your time and go through it till the end, God bless as you do. If you don't have much time please you can copy and read up later at a time you so wish.  what am after is "please in the Name of God", Read This! I would love to say here and now that, this is a post that many may not approve of, all the same I will go ahead, because what has worked for me is also going to work for you especially when applied with unwavering faith in God. What am I going on about? am talking about Prayer.
According to the Wikipedia definition of Prayer: Prayer is the act of attempting to communicate, commonly with a sequence of words, with a deity or spirit for the purpose of worshiping, requesting guidance, requesting assistance, confessing sins or to express one's thoughts and emotions. The words of the prayer may take the form of a hymn, incantation or a spontaneous utterance in the praying person's words. Secularly, the term can also be used as an alternative to "hope".
My Simple definition is that Prayer, is a way of communicating with our Father who art in Heaven by the guidance of the Holy Spirit through His son Jesus Christ our Savior . We believe prayer is a DIY affair in our Church. it is a fact that we are all taught to pray  for ourselves, eventually it's your life not the pastor's, o.k! most of the times we run from pillar to post or to the pastors to pray for us, (which is good) am not saying that you don't go to them for prayers, "cos I do  " but don't forget that the pastor is also a human being that also prays and looks  to God for his own deliverance/salvation daily.
Our Lord Jesus taught us how to Pray, not only did He teach us how to Pray but He Prayed a lot, while on earth, as He knew  that was what moved God the Father, and puts the devil and his demons to flight. you can sing and dance and shout all you want but if you don't pray the devil will prey on you until you resist him.

"my pastor usually says that, there is absolutely nothing a human being can do that the devil cannot do better, if it is singing he will sing better than any of us, remember That lucifer was the chief musician in heaven, before he was dethroned, but the only thing he cannot do is pray, he hates prayers and prayerful people"

The Bible tells us how He (Jesus) Prayed in many cases but, we are going to be dealing with a particular type of prayer , in this case we are considering the violent, fervent and persistent prayers Matt 11:12, From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it. We thank God that He answers Prayers and that He has taught us how to Pray just like the Bible says in  Psalms144:1 Praise be to the LORD my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle/fight. as you will see in the course of reading through, so many Bible verses here to prove that there are so many ways to approach the throne of Grace to receive power and dominion over situations that rise up against us.
Matt 26:36-4036Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, "Sit here while I go over there and pray." 37He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38Then he said to them, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me."
39Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will." 40Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. "Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?" he asked Peter. 41"Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."
Also reading this passage in Luke we can see that Jesus always retreated to the mountain to always Pray Mark 6:46After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray , Note am not saying you have to go to the mountain but you can find a quiet place to pray, anytime of the day, it could even be early in the morning Mark 1:35Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. there are also some of us who love to go to the mountain to pray, it is very common in my country (I haven't gone myself) but a lot of pastors and Churches go to mountain and hold fellowships and Prayer sessions to the Glory of God and there is no end to the Testimonies that follow such. Luke 22:39-45,39Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. 40. On reaching the place, he said to them, "Pray that you will not fall into temptation." 41He withdrew about a stone's throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, 42"Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done." 43An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. 44And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.[c]
45When he rose from prayer and went back to the disciples, he found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow. 46"Why are you sleeping?" he asked them. "Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation."

 Note here that the Bible say that He prayed earnestly that the sweats where like drops of blood imagine that sorrow and pain He must have been going through to cry out to the Father to have mercy on Him, some times God wants us to cry out for help.

why am I talking about this type of prayer... you might wonder. *The thing is there are  times we pray amiss*, James 4:2-3 2Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. 3Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. not knowing when, how and the type of Prayer that should be said could be the reason for unanswered prayers.

so you can see that the Bible already tell us that we should fight and wrestle, with the devil and not fighting with our fellow human beings Ephesians 6:10-18 10Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 18Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
Take note of these point am making now, there are times that we must Pray violent and Persistent Prayers and for answers and breakthroughs to be received  James 5:16Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
Here are a few wonderful people who Prayed persistent Prayers in the Bible, an example of one is Jacob Genesis 32:22-29
22 That night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two maidservants and his eleven sons and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. 23 After he had sent them across the stream, he sent over all his possessions. 24 So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. 25 When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob's hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. 26 Then the man said, "Let me go, for it is daybreak."
But Jacob replied, "I will not let you go unless you bless me."
27 The man asked him, "What is your name?"
"Jacob," he answered.
28 Then the man said, "Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, [e] because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome."
29 Jacob said, "Please tell me your name."
But he replied, "Why do you ask my name?" Then he blessed him there, you can see here that just as Jacob wrestled with the Lord, if you can wrestle and pray through the night some times, your life will never be the same again... that is what some call all night Prayer. an example of praying all night to receive from God can also be seen in 1 Samuel 15:10-11
10 Then the word of the LORD came to Samuel: 11 "I am grieved that I have made Saul king, because he has turned away from me and has not carried out my instructions." Samuel was troubled, and he cried out to the LORD all that night.
Another example is Prophet Elijah 1st kings 18:42, 42 So Ahab went off to eat and drink, but Elijah climbed to the top of Carmel, bent down to the ground and put his face between his knees. James 5:17
17Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Here you see Earnest prayers changing situations, especially situations that beats the human imagination and comprehension.
Yet again we see here about Daniel, Dan 6:10, 10 Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before
Persistent prayers can also be seen here in many verses, when we talk of fervency and persistence, we can see the story/parable of Jesus Christ about the Persistent Widow
The Parable of the Persistent Widow
1Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 2He said: "In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. 3And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, 'Grant me justice against my adversary.' 4"For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, 'Even though I don't fear God or care about men, 5yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won't eventually wear me out with her coming!' "
6And the Lord said, "Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?"
The passage above makes it all clear that if only we can ask God in prayer, especially those things that seem to keep us down, those situations that make us wonder if God is still looking down on us, things that make us depressed and unproductive, I know most of us need serious change. may God answer us in Jesus Mighty Name Amen
For Further Reading: (Important)
Acts 10:9About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray
Acts 10:30 Cornelius answered: "Four days ago I was in my house praying at this hour, at three in the afternoon. Suddenly a man in shining clothes stood before me 31and said, 'Cornelius, God has heard your prayer and remembered your gifts to the poor
Exodus 4:31
31 and they believed. And when they heard that the LORD was concerned about them and had seen their misery, they bowed down and worshipedExodus 34:8
8 Moses bowed to the ground at once and worshiped. 9 "O Lord, if I have found favor in your eyes," he said, "then let the Lord go with us. Although this is a stiff-necked people, forgive our wickedness and our sin, and take us as your inheritance." Numbers 20:66 Moses and Aaron went from the assembly to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting and fell facedown, and the glory of the LORD appeared to themJoshua 5:1414 "Neither," he replied, "but as commander of the army of the LORD I have now come." Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked him, "What message does my Lord [d] have for his servant?"
2nd chronicles 20:15-1815 He said: "Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the LORD says to you: 'Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God's. 16 Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel. 17 You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.' "
18 Jehoshaphat bowed with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down in worship before the LORD.
Do you want to be a powerful Christian? not just a theologian, that can quote and argue about the word of God while lacking the power that comes with the word itself Corinthians 3:5-6, 5Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; 6Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
Do you want to be a Victor and not a Victim
Do you want Open doors and Opens Heavens
Stay Tuned for the Prayer Points... as the Spirit leads, will be posting them soon and when combined with fasting I know that we shall overcome in the Mighty Name of Jesus Amen.
off to Church in some few hours time, see you in 08 a New Beginning
Luv you.
Godbless
Channelofhealing