BUILDING A PRAYERFUL LIFESTYLE (DAY 1)

Luke 18:1, 1 Thess. 5:17, Ephesians 6:18

What is Prayer?

Prayer is a physical & spiritual communication between human(s) on earth and God in Heaven. It is a means of communication to and from our God, just as we can communicate with one another through our mobile phone so also, we can communication with God through prayer.

THE FOUR MAJOR ASSIGNMENT OF PRAYERS IN THE LIFE OF A BELIEVER

FOR GROWTH AND TRANSFORMATION

In order of priority, this is the highest assignment of prayer in a believer’s life. Prayer changes you to who God want you to be, prayer put in the place that God want you to be.

Luke 9:29  

Any believer that does not engage in prayer consistently can not possess heaven’s blessing, neither can such person overcome temptation.

Jude 20 But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. NIV

 Praying is one of the Balance Diet required in your fellowship with God in order to maintain a healthy relationship with God. 

James 5:17-18 Elijah 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. 18 Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops. NIV

Only one man locked the heavens that it did not rain for 3 ½ years, never has such happen in history, but because of his effectiveness in prayer.

Are you weak in praying?

Are you weak in fasting? 

Are you weak in your praise and worship to God? 

Are you generally weak in your fellowship with God?

Is your relationship with God experiencing a reoccurring storm? 

There is no one to blame, there is no one to accuse just look right inside of you and consider where you missed it.

Prayer builds the believer.

Prayer can turn a weak you into a strong you.

Prayer can turn a very timid carnal you into a spiritual version of yourself.

FOR MAKING REQUEST AND OBTAINING PROMISES

 One of the most effective platform for making request and obtaining promises is the platform of prayer. Obtaining promises is like cashing a cheque in the realm of the spirit in the place of prayer.

Phil 4:6-7 6 Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. RSV

 The reason why your minds and your heart is not completely in Christ is because you set your minds in the lust / passion of the world, Remember (Rom 8:6-8) 6 To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. 7 For the mind that is set on the flesh is unfriendly to God; it does not submit to God's law, indeed it cannot; 8 and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. RSV

If you can soak yourself in the realm of prayer, devote yourself into praying always, then the peace of God will keep your heart and your mind firmly in Christ and therefore fleshly thought will be far from you.

FOR SPIRITUAL DECREES AND POSSIBILITIES 

 Prayer is a source of creating spiritual possibilities (Dan 2:18 He urged them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that he and his friends might not be executed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. NIV)

Job 22:28-29 28 Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways. 29 When men are cast down, then thou shalt say, There is lifting up; and he shall save the humble person. KJV

Num 14:28  Say unto them, As truly as I live, saith the Lord, as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you: KJV

Not as you wish in your heart but as you have spoken, and the only means of speaking to God is through prayer and what is prayer? 

Prayer is a one-on-one communication between you and God.

Decrees are made in place of prayer 

FOR WARFARE AND INTERCESSION 

Warfare: War

Prayer is a weapon of warfare in the life of a believer.

Ex 17:11 Whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed; and whenever he lowered his hand, Am'alek prevailed. RSV (Ezekiel 22:29-31)

Intercession: A prayer to God on behalf of another person

James 5:16 Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man has great power in its effects. RSV

In election crisis, even if the whole world vote one person to be a president, if that is not the will of God, that person will never win the election, so prayer is necessary, just as faith without work is dead, so also work without faith is dead.

Unfortunately, many believers do not pray. Though matter how zealous a believer is for God, if effective praying lifestyle is lacking such believer will remain defeated in spite of their love for God with all their heart. Prayer is a lifestyle not a strategy for disaster management.

Don’t wait for negative situations, conditions, bad report to determine when and when to pray, don’t wait for bad things to happen before you pray. Satan knowing that you always  pray when something bad has happened, when he want to strike, he will target your prayer life and make sure it goes down gradually and gradually until it goes cold and suddenly he attack.