THREE MOST DIFFICULT THINGS IN PRAYER(I)

Post date: May 9, 2016 2:04:23 AM

If you have been a Christian for a while you know that one of the things we do is to pray for all that we will ever need in life; prayer was and is also a very common practice in all religions all over the world; prayer cuts across culture, language, gender, and profession; it is independent of time and place; people pray and you can pray out loud or silently for your needs. The people in the Old and New Testament prayed; Christ Jesus our Lord did the same, taught His disciples to do the same, and encourages us to always pray. Prayer is recommended at all times in all things and in all seasons; it had been proven with time to be active and effective; it produces results that are true and beyond imaginations; it changes situations and circumstances; it challenges people, places, and nations; it opens closed doors and closes open doors; it bring peace in every situation; not restricted by any physical boundaries; despises seasons and times; not confrontational to any group of people; it is effective against spiritual and physical evil spirits and forces; it is one of the most effective spiritual weapons in every life battle; it has been proven to be very effective in the hands of the rich and the poor; the knowledgeable and the not so knowledgeable; proven to be the best weapons that Satan and his agents cannot withstand for too long.

God requires all Christians to pray irrespective of knowledge, age, situation, and location; He had given us His Holy Spirit to help us in doing that effectively; He had promised to hear and to give answers as we pray. Through effective prayers we can change our histories, break from the past and embrace a better future; break from ancestral records and change the history of our families; change the evils in high places in nations, and influence decision making in high and low places around the world. Prayers should not be regarded as optional and a temporal solution to problems but a continuous solution to every situation irrespective of the location and the people involved. No situation is too small, none is irrelevant or not important; none is too big or small to take to God in prayers despite our previous experiences; the testimonies of the people involved in the prayers and the intended people or group of people that will be affected by our prayers. Prayers know no boundaries, have none, respect none and are hindered by none.

Prayer does not only involve our asking God for anything, it also involves listening to Him speak to us. Listening to God speak to us in prayer is one of our difficulties in prayers; if we will learn to master hearing God speak, our prayers will be effective and very active. The main reason God speaks to us before addressing or justifying our request is to purify and justify us in His presence (Romans 8:30). This is necessary because He will not answer prayers intended for evil against His will offered by sinners. In listening to God we receive more than answers, we are reshaped and made better prepared. This is what God said to a leader who was willing to pray for direction in battle but was afraid because what he knew of the enemies: “He said, listen carefully, all you people of Judah, and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and King Jehoshaphat. The Lord says this to you: be not afraid or dismayed at this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s. Go down against them tomorrow. Behold, they will come up by the ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the river valley, in front of the Wilderness of Jeruel. You need not fight in this battle; take your positions, stand and witness the salvation of the Lord who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you.” 2 Chronicles 20:14-17. Hearing God speak to us is more than receiving prophesy. It kills fears; makes us bolder and courageous; gives directions on how and what to do next; opens our understanding of the situation on ground how and what to pray for;, and gives assurance of the effectiveness of our request and the presence of our God in what we do. Jehoshaphat and all the people with him were fearful before and during prayers because of the enemies, but after hearing God speak, they became strong, bold and ready for action. Click here to submit prayer request