THE GIFT TO GOD OF PRAYER

“The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” Ja.5:16

     Every prayer of the LORD Jesus Christ was answered to perfection. Why? He never prayed for Himself but only to bless the lives of others. It is on this platform that GOD the Father will answer our prayers.

     When we pray to “Our Father which art in heaven” an intervening power takes place that overrules Satan’s dominion in the Earth. Jesus called the devil, “the prince of this world,” and he claims this world as his own. And through Satan’s dominion, all of the people, from the least to the greatest he manipulates their lives to their own destruction, both here and for eternity. That's where the call to GOD in prayer becomes imperative; for Him to intervene in the life of the one we are praying for.

     Now, when life’s many threats come our way and our personal needs become immediate, the testimonies of GOD’S deliverance are as varied as the stars in the sky. In this delivering power of GOD the saints can rest, for Satan has no power to overrule the commands of GOD. And our prayers give GOD the legal right to overrule the devil's mechanisms of sin.

     But there will come a time when our personal lives may be in jeopardy, and the demand to sin is imposed with threatening repercussions. It is then that one’s integrity to GOD must shine in the prevailing darkness. The faith in Jesus Christ must be so fortified so as to resist any threat. The response must be as when “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.” Dan.3:16-18.

     Only the prayers of “the pure in heart” can give GOD the legal right to overrule in a situation. And the Bible gives clear boundaries where GOD has the legal right to answer our prayers. These boundaries are important to know. Because many pray with prideful hearts. Example: To use the term “prayer warrior” denotes pride. When we contemplate the LORD Jesus Christ in prayer, we don’t see Him as a “warrior” but rather how His gentleness “hast in love to my soul” (Isa.38:17).

     One of the leading hindrances to effectual prayer is over this issue of pride in one’s power over Satan. Many pray, “binding Satan,” talking to Satan. This should not be for Satan laughs at those who boast of their superior power over him. This is a dangerous boundary for men to cross. I remember praying with a zealous man with a street ministry, and while he's praying he starts talking to Satan in the midst of our prayer to the GOD of Heaven. He binds him, declaring his power over the devil (not Christ's power to victory). I rebuked him, and after he pompously rebuked me he said 2x: "If God won't heal and Satan will, I'll follow Satan." When push comes to shove, these men prove that they are under satan’s power, not the GOD of heaven. THIS DECEIVING POWER IS ALL TOO COMMON THROUGHOUT THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH. And we must “be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (I Pet.5:8).

     The Apostle Paul had to deal with this false claim of allegiance to Christ while Satan lurks behind the words: “And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying: The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation. And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.” Acts 16:16-18

     Many prayers are spoken by ministers in church. And the question often arises: Is he praying or preaching? I can't tell you how many times a minister says he's praying when all he's doing is preaching. These prayers rise no higher than the ceiling.

     There was another situation in India when a mother brought her demon-possessed child before the church pastor and elders. They each prayed a prideful but beautiful prayer for the child. The demon remained. Then they prayed again: another prideful but beautiful prayer. Still, the demon remained. “Then they cried unto the LORD!” And the demon then left the child.

     The Bible warns: “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.” Ps.66:18. “For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.” I Pet.3:12. “The LORD is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous.” Prov.15:29. And the Bible encourages us to hold fast the profession of faith and obedience to safe-Bible guidelines: “There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band, A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway. He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius. And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God.” Acts 10:1-4.