Note: first, by the prayer of supplication, we relate personally with God as our Father in heaven: (b) second, through the prayer of intercession, we take advantage to tap into the position of our relationship with God to seek his intervention for solution to the problems of other people: (c) third, through the prayer of authority, we exercises our power with God to bind and lose demons or whatsoever thing we bind or lose on earth according to the assurance given by Christ that they shall likewise be bind or lose in heaven: to execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people; to bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron;to execute upon them the judgment written: this honor have all his saints: (d) forth, by praying in the Holy Ghost, or by praying in tongues, we continue to edify and to build ourselves in our most holy faith as the Spirit of God come to our aid because of our limited strength and understanding in the deep mystery of prayers and spiritual warfare, strengthening our weaknesses to intercede for us with groaning inexpressible according to the will of God.
Concerning the position or posture of prayer, each and every one of us should be led by the Spirit of God with the understanding that God is our Father, but his kingdom rules over all (O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker. Psalms 95:6): either by sitting down (2 Samuel 7:18), or kneeling down (Acts 20:36), or by standing up (Matthew 6:5), or by lying on the bed during prayer (Hosea 7:14), the most important thing to remember is that your heart should be right with God, not only with your lips, but with your lifestyle devoted to his honor by renouncing all hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, but subjected to his will while you fully engages for the service of your mighty Savior.
Prayer can be short or long, it depends on how you are led by the Spirit of God. It also depends on the situation or the issue you want to sort out with God. Whatsoever is not of faith is sin: there is no rule of law on the duration of time you should stay in prayer with God. Jesus continues all night in prayer, and he also made short prayers during the day: let us devout ourselves to prayers according to the word of God, and being watchful in it with thanksgiving. Colossians 4:2.
Christ is our model in everything pertaining to God. Whatever you seek to receive from God in prayer, whatever the nature of the situation you need to adress before him, it is not as important to disregard spiritual protocol to approach the throne of grace. Either it is for your personal need or for another person, prayers should starts and ends with thanksgiving (then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hear me always: but because of the people which standby I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me (John 11:41-42): you should always enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. Psalms 100:4.
Faith filled prayer should demonstrate positive expectation of response through thanskgiving at the end the prayer before God: as it is written, do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Philippians 4:6. Note: it is normal to become excited, being filled with the fullness of joy derive from the presence of God, do not forget to rejoice with trembling (Psalms 2:11), knowing that he is glorious in holiness, and fearful in praises, dreadul and terrible God to be approached and be served acceptably with reverence and a godly fear: holy and reverend is his name. Psalms 111:9.
The first and the second principles of aprevailing prayer is (a) faith and (b) the righteous – upright walk before the Lord. Job says, my righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live. Job 27:6. Whatsoever you ask, when you pray, believe that you receive it, and you shall have it. The faith filled fervent prayer of the righteous man or woman is very much effective. James 5:16.
The desire of the righteous shall be granted. Proverbs 10:24. Awake to righteousness, and stop sinning before the all seeing eyes of God purer than to behold iniquity (Habakkuk 1:13); otherwise, your iniquity will make as if his ear is heavy, so that he cannot hear you. Isaiah 59:1-2. If our hearts does not condemn us, then we have confidence toward God. And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight (1 John 3:21-22): but if iniquity is in your hand, put it far away, and let not wickedness dwell in thy tabernacles. For then you will lift up thy face without spot; yea, thou shall be steadfast, and shall not fear. Job 11:14-15.
When you pray (Matthew 6:5): this imply that prayer is a duty, an obligation and a necessity. There is no way to fulfil the will of God or to walk in power and victory on earth without being ditifully conscious and disciplinary engages in a continous prayerful life. Note: believers ought to have more private time with God than they are having more public talk, engagement or encounter with men. Their closeness with God should be deeper more than their association with anyone else, lest anyone or anything of this lesser world should mar their relationship and paths with God.
Prayer is the greatest offensive and defensive weapon in spiritual warfare made available for believer’s usefulness and advantage. Prayer gives us access into the secret room or secret things of God. God invites us to prayer (call upon me, and I will asnwer you: and I will show you great and mighty things that you do not know. Jeremiah 33:3): therefore, it is our greatest priviledge of access in Christ Jesus into the very presence of God where we can have a one on one dialogue and conversation with our Father in heaven at any time we so desire it.
Whatever is not birthed and maintained through prayer will not stand the test of time. God answers prayer, but the mystery and manner of God’s response to our prayers is left to him to decide. Psalms 65:2. If Jacob prevailed in prayer with God (Genesis 32:28); we can also win against all opposition in life through consistent prayer life and encounter with him. Note: though, life in itself is a battlefield, and man is born unto trouble, but a laborious prayerful life of a righteous man will come out of life as over comer.
According to the principles of divine season and time on earth, not every prayer receives instant or immediate response. This is the reason for men ought to pray without ceasing and not to faint according to the law of spiritual importunity. It is written, I have set watchmen (intercessors) upon your walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the Lord, keep not silence, and give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth. Isaiah 62: 6-7.
Believers should keep asking, until they received: they should keep knocking, until the door is opened unto them, and they should keep seeking, until they find. God will answer prayers according to his own will and his own time, and for his own purpose and glory. But the self- oriented prayers with no purpose of God’s will in view have no prospect of positive response from him: you lust, and have not: you kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. You ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. James 4:2-3.
(A) The prayer of supplication, the spirit of Abba Father.
If you read the Psalms of king David with discerning spirit, you will know that his petitions were prayers of supplication and petitioning before God. Prayer is a family oriented conversation between God and his earthly children in Christ Jesus – hear my voice O God in my prayers. Psalms 64:1 b.
If you have a good taste to spiritual words and languages (Job 34:3), you will also understand that Christ prayers before his Father while on earth were requests based on supplications, and not putting any demand on God. The earthly desires of Christ, his joy and pleasure, his words and expressions with all his works and his actions were limited or narrowed down to the pleasure, glory and the will of God. ‘Not as I will, but your will be done’. I can of my own self do nothing, as I hear, so I speak, and my judgment is true’. ‘My Father teaches me what to do, and what to say, and his commandment is life everlasting’.
Have you ever asked yourself where or how did Christ receive his revelations and instructions? Obviously they were given through his daily early Morning Prayer time with God. This was written about him in the book of Isaiah, that the Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakes me up morning by morning, he opens mine ear to hear as the learned. The Lord God hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back. Isaiah 50:4-5.
Being born – again by the incorruptible word of God (1 Peter 1:23), the believer should stand strong on the foundation of his relationship with God by living daily in pursuance of the promises written and given for the comfort and future hope. He should be able to freely and coverse with God by pouring out his heart to the God of his refuge. Whetever is the state of his mind (anguish, bitterness or joyous soul), he should always speak with wisdom and knowledge (Job 34:35) before the Lord who weighed every actions. 1 Samuel 2:3.
Through the prayer of supplication, we relate personally with God as our Father in heaven: I cried unto the Lord with my voice; with my voice unto the Lord did I make my supplication.I poured out my complaint before him; I showed before him my trouble. Psalms 142:1-2.
In our supplication, we remind God of his promises as we plead our cause to remind him of his word and promises (put me in remembrance: let us plead together: declare thou, that thou may be justified. Isaiah 43:26) as we wait patiently and graciously for his faithful, timely and unfailing response.
This brings us to the third principle of an effective and prevailing prayer which is to pray according to the word of God (if ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. John 15:7-8) or praying according to the will of God.
The word of God is the written will of God, consisting of his promises and purposes. It is our responsibility to keep declaring what the word of God says until we witness the recreating power of the spirit of the word in our situation. As long as our desire or petition is in agreement with the word of God, it is not a vain repetition.
Vain repetition is the request or desire which is not in alignment with the word, will, purposes and works of God in your life: and this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he hears 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.
Christ on earth was only intrested in the will of his heavenly Father (for I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. John 6:38), therefore, he was never in command or authority before God whenever he prays.
God will never give power to anyone to exercise authority over him, never: not even to his only begotten Son.1 Corinthians 15:28. The first sinner (Satan) was erroneously deceived by his beauty and position of responsibility before God in heaven, and he desired to be like God, but was cast out of heaven.
You can exercise authority and power from God against the powers of darkness, but not on God himself. God is the MOST HIGH, he has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all. Psalms 103:19.
How sensibly or possibly you think to command God who is enabling and drawing you to himself to help you daily? Is it not written, and their nobles shall be of themselves, and their governor shall proceed from the midst of them; and I will cause him to draw near, and he shall approach unto me: for who is this that engaged his heart to approach unto me? Says the Lord. And ye shall be my people, and I will be your God. Jeremiah 30:21-22.
If God has spoken or given a timeframe or a period of time to respond and act in your favor, this is a different thing entirely (then Elisha said, hear ye the word of the Lord; thus says the Lord, tomorrow about this time shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria. 2 Kings 7:1), but to foolishly, ignorantly, arrogantly and blindly set up a timeframe or give ultimatum to God to act or respond according to your impatient, competitive, hasty and prideful spirit is an act of unbelief to disqualify your expectations in spiritual communication, for by long forbearing is a prince persuaded, and a soft tongue breaks the bone. Proverbs 25:15.
(B) The intercessory or prayer of intercerssion.
According to the bible, Christ is seated in heaven by the right hand of God, making intercession for us. An intercessory prayer is the petition we made before God on the behalf of others (believers or unbelievers alike. We are commanded to make intercession for all men, especially those in authority, for the rulers, governors, the magistrates, the president, including our unsaved neighbors, unsaved siblings, and those old friends we left behind in the world; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior; who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. 1Timothy 2: 2-4.
Through the prayer of intercession, we take advantage to tap into the position of our relationship with God to seek for his help and intervention for other people’s problem. Bless those that curse you, bless and curse not. Hardness of heart to pray for other people is spiritual selfishness and wickedness. This is a sin against God: moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way. 1 Samuel 12: 23.
God is calling all believers in Christ Jesus to come into the prayer room of intercession (the people of the land have used oppression, and exercised robbery, and have vexed the poor and needy: yea, they have oppressed the stranger wrongfully. And I sought for a man among them that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none. Ezekiel 22:29-30): pray for the countries of the world: pray or interceed for the salvation of your persecutors: pray daily that his kingdom should come on earth: pray daily for the peace of Jerusalem, they shall prosper that love her. Psalms 122:6.
Believer should intercede daily for their spiritual leaders (pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly. Hebrews 13:18): they should also be supportive of one another in prayer, especially a fallen brother or sister in the Lord: if any man sees his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it. 1 John 5:16.
Abraham made intercerssion unto God for the healing of Abimelech and his household that they should not die after he restored Sarah. Genesis 20:7. He further interceed unto God to spare the land of Sodom and Gomorah from destruction. Genesis 18:16-33.
Moses also prayed and asked God not to kill Aaron and Mirian who has envied, murmured and criticised him for marrying an Ethopian woman: nonetheless, God chastised Mirain with leprousy, but Moses prayed again for her healing and she was restored. Numbers 12. He further interceed for the many sins of the Israelites on different occassions in the wildreness to turn away the wrath of God from his people. Exodus 32:9-33.
God told Jeremiah directly not to pray or intercede for Judah because he will not heard any of his pleadings for them because of their idolatry, immorality and shameless rejoicing in evil doing: for according to the number of thy cities were thy gods, O Judah; and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem have ye set up altars to that shameful thing, even altars to burn incense unto Baal. Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up a cry or prayer for them: for I will not hear them in the time that they cry unto me for their trouble. What hath my beloved to do in mine house, seeing she hath wrought lewdness with many, and the holy flesh is passed from thee? When thou doest evil, then you rejoices. Jeremiah 11:13-15.
(C) The authortative or prayer of authority
Moses used the authority he had with God to call for a strange judgement of an earthquake against the rebels in the wildreness. Twice, Elijah called fire down from heaven to destroy the armies sent from the king to arrest him. Elisha petitioned God by the authority he had with him to smite the enemies who has come to arrest him with blindness, which the Lord did. He also used his spiritual authority to call for respect and to teach respect for the elders against the forty two children who mocked him as he called for two she bears to devour them. Joshua used his spiritual authority to stop the sun from going down until he finish to avenge the enemies of the Lord.
The effects of the cross as (that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places. Ephesians 1:18-20) the Lord spoiled the principalities and powers, triumphing over in it has likewise strengthens the position of our relationship in him before God who has raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come.
Few weeks ago, I was in a revelation where I found certain children playing in the mud as I walked through their muddy playing ground into a clean pathway. At the end of the rough muddy water road, I was greeted by four thieves who made a demand on my wallet. I seek to negotiate to pacify their anger and greed to give them certain sum of the money from the wallet, but all they wanted is the wallet and everything in it. When I realized that my pleas for negotiation fell on deaf ears, I noticed a church nearby and decided to run into it for help and refuge: but the pastor, upon seeing the armed thieves, ran away and left me alone with them. As soon as it dawn on me that I am on my own for the fight, I speak out boldly in the authority of the name of Jesus by commanding blindness to come upon the thieves, and they could not see again, groping for their ways around, upon this I woke up.
All power in heaven and on earth has been given unto Christ; the believer’s in Christ Jesus has the divine power of attorney to act authoritatively in the name of Jesus as his priests and kings on earth. Matthew 28:18-20.
Through the prayer of authority, we exercises our power with God to bind and to lose demons or whatsoever thing we bind or loose on earth according to the assurance given by Christ that they shall likewise be bind or lose in heaven: to execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people; to bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; to execute upon them the judgment written: this honor have all his saints. Psalms 149:9.
As believers in Christ Jesus, we have been given authority in the name of Jesus to cast out demons and to heal all manners of sicknesses and diseases, but you must know the measure of your fullness in the Spirit of God and your consecration and submission to the Lord before you wisely or foolishly go out to exercise any authority whatsoever in his name. Mark 16:15-18. This will bring us to the forth principle of an effective prayer which is fasting. Click For The New Testaments fast and the unleavened (purity) of fast – simplifying Isaiah 58
(D) Praying in the Holy Ghost will bring us to the fifth principle of an effective prayer which is almsgiving.
Whether it is the prayer of supplication for yourself, or the prayer of intercerssion for others, or the prayer of authority against the powers of darkness, or the prayer in the Holy Ghost, almsgiving is an essential part and principle of an effective prayer in a Christian walk: blessed is he that considereth the poor: the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble. The Lord will preserve him, and keep him alive; and he shall be blessed upon the earth: and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies. The Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing: thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness. Psalms 41:1-3.
Almsgiving should be practised often and often (all they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I had been eager to do all along. Galatians 2:10), not only to the poor saints in the church, but to the street beggars in the world (therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward. Matthew 6:2): whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor (in the church or in the world), he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard. Proverbs 21:13.
There are two kinds of prayer mode that a believer can switch unto, especially in his private or personal communion with God by praying in his understanding or by praying in the Spirit. 1 Corinthians 14:14-15.
As we do not shy away from speaking in tongues by praying in the Holy Ghost, we continue to edify and to build ourselves in our most holy faith as the Spirit of God come to our aid because of our limited strength and understanding in the deep mystery of prayers and spiritual warfare, strengthening our weaknesses to intercede for us with groaning inexpressible according to the will of God. Romans 8: 26-27.