DMOP 001 – INTRODUCTION TO THE MINISTRY OF PRAYER

From the beginning of time God has always sought to fellowship with man, and this fellowship is what is referred to as Prayer.

PRAYER OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR HEAVENLY FATHER.

We would be introducing prayer which could still be regarded as fellowshipping with God from the new testament perspective, by new testament I mean new covenant God made with man.

 The first thing we should know in prayer is that unlike the old testament saint who referred to God in titles such as Most High, Lord of Host etc. Jesus brought a new twist in that He approached God as His FATHER, this was strange and made the religious people at the time very angry;

Therefore, the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God John 5:18

This is the first thing we should know in prayer that God is our Father and should be address as such. I am taking for granted everyone here has made Jesus Lord and savior.

For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. Romans 8:15

When we get saved , we enter into an intimate relationship with God and with this understanding; approaching God in prayer will then make a big difference positively.

The disciples of Jesus seeing the mighty works He did knew it had to do with His prayer life and asked He should teach them how to pray . Now notice His Words ;

After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Matthew 6:9

We see here that prayer should be addressed to The Father ,some people address their prayer to Jesus which ought not to be so. We can fellowship with Jesus we can also fellowship with The Holy Spirit but when it comes to making request to God and expecting answers it must be to The Father.

And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. John 16:23

We see here Jesus made it clear prayer should be address to The Father. Several times in scriptures we see Jesus praying He would address God in prayer as Father and we should do the same. Just before He ascended, He said in

I ascend unto my Father, and your Father ; and to my God, and your God. John 20:17

THE CALL TO PRAY

Years ago, I read a statement John Wesley made and it stayed with me. Wesley said, “It seems God is limited by our prayer life—that He can do nothing for humanity unless someone asks Him.” The statement is true but why is that so?

In the beginning when God created the first man Adam He gave Him authority over all the works of His Hands , since then God cannot interfere in the affairs of humanity until He is asked to and as long as we are on earth man will always need divine intervention which comes about through prayer. Prayer then is fellowshipping with our heavenly Father.

RELATIONSHIP OF FAITH IN PRAYER:

Faith makes Prayer work; prayer does not make faith work. Most Christians have not realized that it’s faith that actually makes prayer work not the other way around. We are not going to get anything from God in prayer without faith so it’s imperative we understand what faith in God actually means.

WHAT IS FAITH

Someone said to know what something is one must know what it is not. Faith in relationship to prayer is not something out of the blues that can’t be handled or some imaginary wishful thought that something will happen when we pray, no, faith can be handled it is a tangible essence that one can relate with that’s why the writer of Hebrews in chapter 11:1 says; Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. This substance is one that cannot be seen yet is more real than any tangible essence in this material sphere that can be seen or felt, it was with this essence all these material spheres were made;

Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear . Hebrews 11:3

Here we see clearly that the material sphere we see, feel, taste and smell were all made out of God’s Word. Therefore, we can conclude then that the material for faith is God’s Word.

HOW THEN CAN WE RELATE THIS TO PRAYER?

When we say one has to have faith in God when we pray, it simply means believing what God has said concerning what is being asked and we can know this by searching it out in the bible. If I have to pray about God meeting a need then I have got to find a promise in the bible which is the Word of God where He promised to meet that need and when I see it, then I’ve got a solid foundation for my faith and now ready to pray bringing that Word back to Him.

And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us. And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him. 1 John 5:14 -15

You can’t have faith for something being sought in prayer without having a Word from God concerning it. Have you ever wondered how Abraham in his old age was able to believe God that he would have children, he didn’t just on his own change his name from Abram (exalted father) to Abraham (father of nations). Abraham had a definite word from God that he anchored his believing on;

Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. Romans 4:18

We see his faith was anchored on “So Shall Thy Seed Be” This was the Word God told him

And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be . Genesis 15:5

So, from this we see that it was the very Word or Promise given to Abraham by God that was the anchor of his faith which gave him a strong foundation in prayer, that’s how we ought to do as well when going to God in prayer.

Take with your words, and turn to the LORD: Hosea 14:2

PLEADING

Do not reckoned you have prayed unless you have pleaded with God, for pleading is the very marrow of prayer. What do we do with God’s Word when we take it to Him, we plead His promises in other words remind Him. By reminding God of His promises doesn’t mean He forgot and you are bringing to His remembrance; rather I believe the reason He says we should remind Him is for our own benefit because faith comes by hearing the Word and as you plead His promises to Him you are hearing it and as such building faith. We do not plead to God with the tone of a beggar as some do , no loving father would want his child to beg for something rather love would prefer you ask with confidence knowing you have a right to what is being asked . We can see great examples of men that pleaded with God and prevailed in the bible. Moses, when God was about to destroy the Israelite in the wilderness in Ex 32:7-14 here we see how a man caused God to repent (change His mind) . Moses prevailed before God and caused Him to change His mind because he pleaded with God he gave Him strong reason why He should not do what He intended to do. This kind of praying is not just a conventional kind but it’s heart felt and one must be able to bring strong reasons why what is sought must be obtained.

Produce your cause, saith the LORD; bring forth your strong reasons, saith the King of Jacob. Isaiah41:21

Another person that pleaded with God and prevailed that made God to change His mind is King Hezekiah when Prophet Isaiah prophesied to him that he would die. Now in those days when Isaiah prophesied everyone knows that’s the end it can’t be altered but not so with Hezekiah, he changed the narrative by pleading with God we see that in Isaiah 38:9-20. God heeded to his plea and changed His mind. Another who pleaded with God and changed the narrative this time we will be looking at the new covenant. The Syrophoenician Woman or the woman of Canaan. In Matthew 15:22-28, here we see a woman who was not qualified for what she was asking for because it wasn’t yet time, but she would not take no for an answer rather she pleaded with Jesus and got what she earnestly desired. In that scripture we would see that Jesus commended her for having great faith which he never attributed to the disciples when He was physically here but He said to the woman “great is thy faith”, why because she knows how to plead her case. Now remember this- pleading is not begging some might want to assume a form of humility and start begging No…….! Capital No. You don’t beg God for something you have clearly seen in His Word He says is yours or that He promise you, you ask and plead, not with the tone of arrogance but having in mind you are not just talking to a divine being but that you are talking to your heavenly Father who also is the creator of heaven and earth and with this understanding our prayer will be more potent.

ORDER AND ARGUMENTS IN PRAYER.

Oh that I knew where I might find him! that I might come even to his seat! I would order my cause before him, and fill my mouth with arguments. Job23:3-4

ANOTHER INGREDIENT FOR EFFECTIVE PRAYER IS ORDER AND ARGUMENT IN PRAYER.

When we are able to successfully order our case and argue before God we are sure of victory every time. Jesus puts prayer to God in three categories, firstly God as a Father, secondly as a Friend and lastly a Judge. We will be looking at God as a Judge now but we will see more of it when looking at the subject of warfare in prayer. I like what Rev Emma Nwosu said in his book The Prayer That God Must Answer, he brought light to the fact that Jesus before the grave of Lazarus had to first ask the stone which represents hindrances that covered the grave or answers to our prayers be taken away before He could call out Lazarus. Taking away these hindrances before praying could be likened to ordering our cause before God and filling our mouth with arguments. What is order in respect to prayer we are looking at. If we look at most of the saints in the Bible you would see that before they petitioned God most times, they would firstly repent not just for themselves but for their ancestors, most time we examine ourselves if there is any sin in our lives and find none but forgetting the sins and iniquities of our ancestry which could also hinder our prayers;

If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me: Psalm 66:18

So the right order would be making sure the enemy does not have any legal issue before the Righteous Judge concerning us, this is why when we have to go before God this time as a Judge we have got to be sure the enemy has nothing against you;

Our fathers have sinned, and are not; and we have borne their iniquities Servants have ruled over us: there is none that doth deliver us out of their hand. Lamentations5:7-8

By ordering our prayers correctly and repenting, firstly for our ancestry and for ourselves then we can be able to argue our case before the Righteous Judge.

I once had a situation while I was a children teacher and a house fellowship teacher then at a church I worshipped at the time. One of my fellow teachers I was very close to had chicken pox and I did a very stupid thing by still getting close to that person as if there was nothing wrong claiming to be a faith person while it was just plain stupidity.  Suddenly I notice I started having fever and started seeing spots on my body, I then knew I have contracted the chicken pox and couldn’t afford not standing before my children to teach so I went to God in prayer concerning this. Now in my prayer the first thing I did was to repent for my stupidity for not taking the necessary precaution and then ask Him to forgive me before I could claim my Healing which manifested just about 24 hours later, I argued my case before God that I am a teacher of the gospel, I teach Children and adult as well and He has said in His Word ” How beautiful are they that carry the gospel” Isaiah 52:7 , so for that my feet ought to be beautiful from the crown of my head to sole of my feet and i stated my case before Him and took authority over the chicken pox .

BELIEVE YOU RECEIVE.

After taking authority over the chicken pox, I didn’t think about it again nor checked if it was still there so the next day at church a brother saw a spot on my body and asked what it was if it was chicken pox but I said “NO” it’s not chicken pox. Now someone might say I just lied – you see faith does not deny the fact faith only deny the right the fact has over it. I have prayed and believe I receive so why then should I accept the fact against the truth, Jesus said in; John 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is

truth.

The “Truth” here means “Reality” and the reality is that because it is written that Jesus bore my infirmity then I don’t have it even though I see it , feel it the truth which is reality is I don’t have it.

So, I told the brother I don’t have chicken pox and the next day there was no mark on my body as if I ever contracted chicken pox. This is where many Christians miss it , after they have prayed they wait to see the manifestation of what they have asked before they thank God while in; Mark 11:24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

Believe you receive…….. believe you receive……believe you receive, Jesus didn’t say you have it but that you should believe you receive. The actual Greek rendering is believed you “Take ” and you shall have, so you see the having part comes after we believe we receive and how do you “Take ” you take with your tongue for the tongue is the hand of the spirit by which you take the promises of God. Practically, if I pray for say finance to meet a need I take my answer by saying afterwards ” Father, I thank you for meeting my need” and even if I haven’t seen anything I would hold fast to my confession that I believe I receive and I will have it later just as Jesus said.

THE NAME OF JESUS IN PRAYER.

Everyone that profess Jesus as their Lord and savior that prays always either at the beginning or at the end of their prayer uses the name of Jesus but do we really know why we either begin or end our prayers with “In The Name Of Jesus?”

By understanding what that name really is or the force behind that name we will begin to see great things happen when we pray. Let us first see the origin of that name;

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

I believe we all know that prophecy then was referring to Jesus and we can see all that is deposited in that name, the first is the name shall be called wonderful, that means full of wonders and other great attributes meaning that name is loaded. We can also see the fulfillment of that prophecy when marry the mother of Jesus was visited by Angel Gabriel who said; Luke1:31-32 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:

Here we see the origin of that name how even before He took upon Himself flesh to come to planet earth it has been prophesied of how great that name would be. Now why is that name really special and important in prayer. This is a school of deliverance and spiritual warfare so we will be looking at the name of Jesus amongst many other attributes how great might has been conferred on that name. God has exalted that name above all other names so that in that name everything in the three realms heaven, earth and hell should bow Philippians 2:9-10. A careful study of the Pauline revelations you would see that the power vested on that name was also gotten by conquest. After Jesus died and went to the dark regions of hell for you and I to pay the penalty for sin which He took upon Himself while on the cross that was why He cried out Father Why have you forsaken me. Satan thought he had won seeing the hope of humanity that was prophesied by the Father in the garden of Eden that He will defeat him now in his custody helpless , day one , day two but by day three God’s anger for sin was appease and the substitutionary sacrifice of Jesus has been accepted , He now spoke from heaven Justifying Jesus having been satisfied that the penalty for Adam’s sin and all mankind has been appease thereby His voice send a thundering quack that then released Jesus from the grip of Satan. While he satan became confused on what was going on he summons all his demons from every corner of the universe to hold down Jesus so He won’t leave hell as no soul has ever done before but all their powers was not compared to this once helpless prisoner in their custody , as a result Jesus defeated Satan and all his princes bringing them all together disgracing them in the full glare of them all , He then then took from Satan the authority he got from Adam as a result of Adam’s high treason he committed before God by seeding his authority to Satan as a result of his sin Romans 6:16 . Jesus after defeating and disgracing Satan and his princes on that third day came back to his now glorified human flesh thereby becoming the first born again man (I call Him man because He is a man as well as God) ;

And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, Revelation1:5

It was at His resurrection The Father then conferred on Him a name above all names and with the authority He took back from Satan which Adam lost He didn’t just leave to heaven, but rather He delegated that authority to the church thereby giving us the right to use His name in his stead Matthew 28:18-19 that means anytime we use that name in prayer and faith in that name we would be standing before The Father as if it was Jesus Himself praying and when been used in deliverance setting we would reminding Satan and his princes of their unforgettable defeat and humiliation on that third day thereby making us a victor every time.

And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. Colossians2:15

CONCLUSION

I want to believe this Introduction into the wonderful Ministry of prayer has been insightful and we will be looking at other topic in prayer as (Fasting and Prayer, Warfare Prayer and authority of the believer, Intercessory Prayer.)