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As a believer you have been given a great
privilege - being able to come into the holiest of all places and talking face
to face with the Living God! Through Jesus Christ, we have been given access
into the Holiest! Hebrews 10:19-23, “Having therefore, brethren,
boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living
way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his
flesh; And having an high priest over the house of God; Let us draw near with
a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an
evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the
profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised.)”
PREPARATION FOR PRAYER
There are many realms of prayer defined in the New Testament. We are also
shown, through the scriptures, how to approach the throne of God. Before we
examine the approach, let us observe how to prepare.
PREPARATION
In preparing ourselves to come before God, we must realize that we are
entering into the Holy of Holies! This is an exciting yet awesome opportunity.
The Holy of Holies is the most sacred place in the universe and nothing
unclean is permitted there.
Therefore, cleansing through confession is imperative! 1 John 1:9 says,
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and
to cleanse us from all unrighteousness,” verse 7 says, “But if
we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with
another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.”
Verse 8 further says, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive
ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” We can see from these verses that
cleansing comes by the blood of Jesus Christ as a result of our admission and
confession of sin. When we come to Him, we should ask Him for forgiveness for
anything we think would be sin in our life. (Sin simply means to miss the
mark.)
When you ask Him for forgiveness, after that you are to consider yourself
cleansed. You are not to carry guilt before Him any longer, Psalms
66:18, “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.”
He says, as far as the east is from the west, so shall He put them from His
remembrance, Psalms 103:12, “As far as the east is from the west, so far
hath he removed our transgressions from us.” and Hebrews 8:12,
“For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their
iniquities will I remember no more.” It is interesting to note that He
didn't say as far as the north is from the south, because that would limit His
forgiveness, for when you pass the north pole you are headed south, whereas
east to west is infinite.
APPROACHING GOD
After you've prepared yourself
before the Lord, asking for forgiveness and cleansing through faith in the
blood of Jesus Christ and the sacrifice He made for you, you can begin to
approach the throne of God.
In approaching God, we must always have the understanding that we are not
coming before Him through our own righteousness, but because of the
righteousness of Christ. Meaning we are coming before Him cleansed of our sins
and made right before God through the work of Christ. Romans 3:24,
“Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ
Jesus,” and 2 Corinthians 5:21, “For he hath made him to be sin
for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in
him.” Righteousness has been imputed to us, Romans 4:22-24, “And
therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. Now it was not written for
his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; But for us also, to whom it shall
be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead.”
(That is to say, it's been put upon us.) Therefore, we can come boldly before
the throne of grace. Hebrews 4:16, “Let us therefore come boldly unto
the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time
of need.”
I want you to see through the subsequent scriptures and the ones we've already
looked at, that one must prepare to approach God in prayer on the same basis
you came to accept the born again experience. That is, on the basis of faith
in the shed blood of Christ which makes a way through the veil. Hebrews
10:20, “By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the
veil, that is to say, his flesh.” and Hebrews 6:19, ”Which hope we
have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into
that within the veil,” and all of Hebrews Chapter 9. We also find at the
death of Christ that the veil of the temple was ripped into two parts. Matthew
27:51, “And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to
the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent,” Mark 15:38, and Luke
23:45 say likewise. This illustrates that the way has been made for all men
and women to enter into the Holiest (Holy of Holies) through the shed blood of
Christ and that the veil of partition was done away with. In the old covenant,
or under the Law, spotless lambs were offered in the temple to gain entrance
into the Holiest by the high priest. That is why John the Baptist said,
“Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sins of the world,” John 1:29.
Also read Ephesians 2:13-22 and Romans 4:6-8.
John the Baptist was illustrating the fact that Christ was going to become the
ultimate sacrifice that would not just temporarily compensate for sin but
would totally eradicate or take sin away through His voluntary sacrifice.
THE APPROACH
Let us examine the approach, or the attitude, with which we are to approach
God. Now that we've been given access, there is a scriptural protocol in
approaching God that one must consider. Psalms 100, verse 4 says, “Enter
into His gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise:” (notice it
does not say by praise or by thanksgiving) “be thankful unto Him and bless His
name.” From this scripture, one can draw the insight that he or she is
to begin their approach to God with thanksgiving “through the gates;” the gate
typifying a distance further from God than the courts would be. Through this
process, we begin to draw nigh to God. What this all boils down to is having
the right attitude when we come before God in prayer.
After one enters the gates with thanksgiving (and, of course, all of this is
typological), then you would enter into His courts with praise. (Note:
thanksgiving preludes praise.) The equivalent of the procedure of Psalms
100:4, would be an attitude of thanksgiving and praise at all times.
In this case, one may feel proper at any given moment in coming to the Lord
and to commune with Him, showing respect. After all, He is God.
If there has been a lull time in which we've been distracted and we wish to
come to Him and speak to Him, it should be with an attitude of reverence,
thanksgiving, and praise. This is what is meant by the term drawing nigh to
God. If we draw nigh to Him, He will draw nigh to us. James 4:8, “Draw
nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and
purify your hearts, ye double minded.”
EXAMPLES
Paul said, “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and
supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God,”
Philippians 4:6. In the “Our Father,” we see Jesus leading us in
prayer by first hallowing or praising the Father in heaven. Another example of
thanksgiving before praying preluded the prayer Jesus made at the resurrection
of Lazarus, John 11:41, “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.”
PRAYING TO THE FATHER
Though Jesus is our friend and we can discuss our problems with Him, asking
for His strength and help as one who understands, Hebrews 4:15, “For we
have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our
infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin,”
let us examine who it is that the Bible tells us to pray to for our needs.
In all examples of prayer in the New Testament, after the death and
resurrection of Christ, you will note that the individual who is praying is
always directing the prayer to the Father.
In Ephesians 3:14, “For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of
our Lord Jesus Christ,” and 1 Peter 1:17, “And if ye call on the
Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work,
pass the time of your sojourning here in fear,” they did not pray to
Jesus Christ. In the Our Father (the example of prayer Jesus gave), we pray to
the Father.
Also, Jesus said, “If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father,
will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a
serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If ye then,
being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more
shall your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?” Luke
11:11-13. Jesus said that your Heavenly Father knows what you have need of.
James says, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh
down from the Father of lights,” James 1:17. In Matthew 7, verse 11, we read,
“How much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them
that ask Him?” It is obvious, from these scriptures, that we are taught to
pray to our Heavenly Father.
Further proof of this can be found in John 16, verse 23 which says, “And
in that day, ye shall ask me nothing.” Christ himself is saying that
you will not pray to Him. He goes on in that same verse and says,
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my
name, He will give it to you.” Let us look at verse 26, “At that
day, ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the
Father for you.” The reason why He says for us to ask in His name is
because it is He who has paid the price to ransom all mankind from death and
it is He who shares His inheritance with us. Romans 8:17, “And if
children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that
we suffer* with him, that we may be also glorified together.”
*
* Phillipians 3:10 * Romans Ch. 6
Through His name, we can come directly to the Father because He is the
mediator between God and man. So we see that this is conclusive evidence that
we are to pray to the Father in Jesus' name.
TWO REALMS OF PRAYER
Now let us examine the different kinds of prayer. There are several
dimensions of prayer that the born again believer has the ability and
privilege to enter into through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Paul said in 1 Corinthians 14:15, “I will pray with the spirit and I
will pray with the understanding also.” From this scripture, we can
see that there are two realms of prayer from which other dimensions of prayer
spring. They are the understanding (rational conscious mind) and the spirit
(innermost being); the most efficient and aggressive being the latter.
THE UNDERSTANDING
Praying with the understanding is praying with the natural conscious mind in
the native tongue, mentally categorizing and assembling through an awareness
of the natural world around us, different needs that we see need to be met.
They may be spiritual needs as well, but they are prayed with the
understanding or natural, conscious mind, which of course, only has a limited
awareness of what is happening. Therefore, many times it is inadequate.
THE SPIRIT
We see in Romans 8:26, “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our
infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the
Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be
uttered,” that the spirit itself maketh intercession with groanings
which cannot be uttered, because we don't know how to pray as we should.
Verse 27 further says, “He maketh intercession for the saints according to
the will of God.” Many times we will not consciously know the will of
God in a particular area; therefore, it is extremely beneficial for one's
spiritual growth process to endeavor to receive the ability to pray in the
spirit.
Praying in the spirit will sometimes come forth with actual groanings and
even, at times, come forth in the native tongue. However, the most prevalent
example is praying in an unknown tongue.
THE GIFT OF TONGUES
The most prominent example in the scriptures show us that praying in the
spirit is a realm in which the believer will utter unknown languages
concerning needs that they more than likely have no conscious knowledge about.
1 Corinthians 14:14, “For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit
prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.”
For instance, praying in an unknown tongue may enable you to pray for a
situation that may occur the following day or days after you've prayed.
Whereas, in the understanding one could not be aware of certain situations
that may take place the following day. The Holy Spirit, who is helping you to
pray, sees into the future and knows how to counteract the negative plans of
the enemy. Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for
good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his
purpose,” which is the result of verses 26 and 27, “Likewise the
Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for
as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings
which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the
mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to
the will of God.”
Paul said that he would pray and sing in both realms. 1 Corinthians
14:15, “What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the
understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the
understanding also.”
It is exciting to pray in the understanding, for we will see our prayers
answered and that will increase our vision. It is also exciting to pray in the
spirit, for we will pray concerning things that we could not have any
awareness, in the conscious understanding, which gives us a very broad cloak
of protection in prayer. Therefore, it is imperative for the born again
believer to pursue both realms of prayer!
RECEIVING THE GIFT OF
TONGUES
Scripturally, the gift of tongues is received through an experience the Bible
calls the baptism in the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:4, “And they were all
filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the
Spirit gave them utterance,” and Acts 19:6, “And when Paul had
laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with
tongues, and prophesied.”
It is also called an endowment of power, Luke 24:49, “And, behold, I
send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem,
until ye be endued with power from on high,” and empowers us for the
ministry of Christ. Christ himself received this power without measure,
Luke 4:18, 3:22 and John 3:34. John the Baptist also
said Christ would empower us with the Holy Spirit. Matthew 3:11, “I
indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is
mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you
with the Holy Ghost, and with fire.” It is a baptism in the power of
the Holy Spirit administered through the agency of Jesus Christ.
The baptism of the Holy Spirit is an experience in which the born again
believer receives not only an infilling of the Spirit, but an entire baptism
(Greek, Baptizo - to make fully wet, to immerse) in the Spirit and fire of
God. It is most often received through the laying on of hands (Acts
8:15-17, “Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might
receive the Holy Ghost: (For as yet He was fallen upon none of them: only they
were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) Then laid they their hands on
them, and they received the Holy Ghost,” and Acts 19:6, “And
when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they
spake with tongues , and prophesied”), but in some isolated cases it
was received without a particular point of contact. Acts 2:4, “And they
were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as
the Spirit gave them utterance,” and Acts 10:44, “While Peter yet spake these
words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.”
Being baptized in the Holy Spirit is not essential to being saved.
We are saved by grace through
faith in the blood of Christ and born of His Spirit as a result. Ephesians
2:8, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it
is the gift of God.” If the born again believer desires to be empowered for
Christian service, that he or she might be a witness by the power of God, then
the pursuit of this experience is imperative. Acts 1:8, “But ye shall receive
power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses
unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the
uttermost part of the earth.”
WHAT IS TONGUES
The gift of tongues comes from the Greek word glossa. The indication in
Biblical text is that one is empowered by the Holy Spirit to speak to God in a
foreign language without having learned the language through natural means. It
is not exercised by the human intellect, nor acquired thereby, as is the
native tongue.
Instead, it is the human spirit (inner man) that prays or speaks. 1
Corinthians 14:14-15, “For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth,
but my understanding is unfruitful. What is it then? I will pray with the
spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the
spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.” The Holy Spirit
simply helps us to pray as we ought (Romans 8:26, “Likewise the Spirit
also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we
ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which
cannot be uttered”), but it is our spirit doing the praying. One will
sense the gift of tongues flowing up from within resulting in a desire to
speak. That person will sense a distinct unction to say something but will not
know what it is. This is because the understanding (or conscious mind) cannot
perceive or acquire it. When that person receives this desire to speak in an
unknown tongue they will have to release it by faith.
John the Baptist was the first to affirm the fact of the New Testament
experience of the Holy Spirit and fire baptism. Matthew 3:11, “I indeed
baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is
mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you
with the Holy Ghost, and with fire.”
There is insurmountable scriptural evidence of this experience as being
separate from, and in addition to, the born again experience, such as in
Acts 8:15-17 & 19:6. Notice, the emphasis was that the Holy Ghost
came upon them, not in them; for in both cases they were already believers,
adopted in Christ, Romans 8:15-16, “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. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that
we are the children of God,” indicating a secondary experience.
Jesus himself confirmed this when He imparted the Holy Spirit to them.
John 20:22, “And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto
them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost.” Then, in addition to that, told
them to tarry in Jerusalem until they were endued with power. Luke
24:49, “And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in
the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.”
You will notice, in many instances where this experience is mentioned, the
words upon you are used rather than in you connotating a baptism or emersion,
as opposed to an inward birth. The word power implies something more than new
birth. This enables us to exercise the power of attorney given to us by
Christ. Matthew 28:18, “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All
power is given unto me in heaven and in earth,” Mark 16:17-18,
“And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast
out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents;
and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay
hands on the sick, and they shall recover,” and Acts 1:1-8.
Being born again is a baptismal experience in itself. But it differs, in that
we are baptized into the body of Christ through the agency of the Holy Spirit.
1 Corinthians 12:13, “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one
body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have
been all made to drink into one Spirit,” and Galatians 3:27,
“For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”.
The baptism in the Holy Spirit and fire, however is referred to as an
endowment of power (Matthew 3:11, “I indeed baptize you with water unto
repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am
not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire,”
Mark 1:8, “I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize
you with the Holy Ghost,” John 1:33, “And I knew him not: but he
that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou
shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which
baptizeth with the Holy Ghost,” Acts 1:8 , “But ye shall receive
power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses
unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the
uttermost part of the earth,” and Luke 3:16, “John answered,
saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I
cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall
baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire”), and the administering
agent is Jesus Christ. It is through this experience that we become empowered
so that the signs and wonders of Mark 16:17-18, and other
manifestations of the Holy Spirit, begin to follow us as believers. But
remember, we do not follow signs and wonders - they follow us!
TWO-FOLD EXPERIENCE
The baptism in the Holy Spirit is two-fold and includes the baptism in the
Holy Spirit as well as fire. The purpose is also two-fold. The Holy Spirit
gives us the power to work for Christ in the supernatural dimension of the
Holy Spirit, as opposed to a religious or intellectual experience.
Matthew 3:11-12, “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that
cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he
shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: Whose fan is in his
hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the
garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
Chapter 2 of the book of Acts in verse 1,
gives us an account of this experience; they were all with one accord in one
place. “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with
one accord in one place.” Notice all of the 120 of Acts 1:15,
“And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said,
(the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty),” are
not just the apostles as we have seen depicted in various portraits.
Suddenly, a spiritual wind filled the house where they were sitting,
verse 2, “And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a
rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.”
Then cloven tongues of fire appeared and engulfed each one of them. The
connotation here is not that a little flickering flame hovered above each of
their heads, but large tongues of fire baptized each one of them. verse
3, “And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat
upon each of them.”
Subsequent to that, they were all filled (filled, as in overflowing) with the
Holy Ghost and they began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them
utterance. Two things to notice: they began to speak; the Holy Spirit
didn't speak for them, and, the Spirit gave them utterance as they spoke.
So we see that a purging fire preceded the baptism in the Holy Spirit, paving
the way with a purging holy fire for the entrance of the Holy Spirit into the
outer courts of the human tabernacle.
RECEIVING BAPTISM IN THE
HOLY SPIRIT
When receiving the baptism in the Holy Spirit and fire, the believer should
first present themselves to the Lord for cleansing and sanctification,
preparing their vessel to receive this experience through confession of sin.
1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive
us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” There
should also be a consciousness of the fact that outside of Christ, we can
do nothing. John 15:5, “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that
abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without
me ye can do nothing.”
Next, a simple prayer to the Father in the name of Jesus will do, claiming the
promise of the scripture. Keep in mind the fact that God desires to baptize
you in the Holy Spirit and fire more than you desire to be baptized. After
you've prayed, invite the Holy Spirit to come upon you and fill you to
overflowing, from the innermost being to the outermost. At this point, simply
begin to worship and thank God that it has been done by faith. Isaiah
65:24, “And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and
while they are yet speaking, I will hear.”
It may be helpful for you to have elders in the church or other Christians,
filled with the Holy Ghost, place their hands upon you (Acts 8:17).
But let me add, it doesn't necessarily have to happen that way (Acts
8:14-17, 10:44-47).
The Bible says that God breathed the breath of life into Adam's nostrils.
Genesis 2:7, “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and
breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.”
It might be helpful for you, at this point, to be aware of the fact
that God's Spirit is likened unto His breath. John 20:22, “And when he
had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy
Ghost.” As you are worshipping and praising, breath in and drink of
His presence.
Begin drinking of the living waters that God said you would receive.
John 4:10, “Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God,
and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked
of him, and he would have given thee living water,” and John
7:38, “He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly
shall flow rivers of living water.” Through the inheritance of Christ
the Holy Ghost has been shed on you abundantly. Titus 3: 5-6, “Not by
works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved
us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which
he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour,” so as
you’re praying you must enter a place of reception. That is to say, accept the
fact that in Christ He has shed the Holy Ghost upon you abundantly and begin
to thank Him.
RELEASING THE GIFT OF
TONGUES
As you begin to drink and breath of His presence, you will sense within your
spirit a desire to vocalize something yet you will not understand mentally
what it is you are to say. At that point, simply speak the first word the Holy
Spirit is giving you through your spirit, which will come from deep within
you. Do not try to mentally analyze or figure out what it is you are to say.
This will merely hinder you. Bypass the conscious mind and release the spirit
and you will speak in an unknown tongue fluently, at first hesitantly, but
gradually a spiritual eloquence will prevail.
Now you are on your way. You've
received a prayer language through which you will be able to intercede for
others in the dimension of the spirit. Begin to exercise your gift daily, even
at times when it seems it is faint or distant from you (this is important to
developing your gift). A convenient time would be while driving to work in
your car or carrying out household chores.
Quietly, begin to release your
prayer language and allow God to use you to edify, not only yourself, but
others as well. 1 Corinthians 14:4, “He that speaketh in an unknown
tongue edifieth himself;” Jude 1:20, “But ye, beloved, building
up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,” and
Ephesians 6:18, “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the
Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all
saints.” As you exercise this gift, you will find yourself excelling
spiritually as never before. Hebrews 5:14, “But strong meat belongeth to
them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses
exercised to discern both good and evil.” Once God has given you this
gift, He will never take it away. When He gives a gift, He gives it forever.
Romans 11:29, “For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.”
The only way you may lose this gift is through your own forfeit, through a
lack of use. Even then, it is merely dormant.
* Break a moment to
pray in the spirit
Prayer is not necessarily defined by petition. That is to say, there are more
types of prayer than the prayer of petition. In Ephesians, chapter 6,
in conjunction with the armor of God, Paul says for us to be “Praying
always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching
thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints,” verse 18.
You will find different facets of prayer.
Let us analyze the aforementioned
verse, starting with the word praying. The Greek word here is proseuchomai.
It denotes a general state of worship, not necessarily in the form of a
petition. The next word is prayer. Notice it says "all prayer" denoting that
there is more than one kind of prayer. *
The word here in the Greek is
proseuche, it implies a state of worship that is relative to an oratory or
an oral form of worship. Again, this is not necessarily a reference to
requests but a state of worship.
Now let's look at the word
supplication. It is a direct reference to praying in the spirit. Note:
praying in the spirit usually means praying in an unknown tongue. 1
Corinthians 14:14. Notice that the verse says with all prayer and
supplication. The Greek word here for supplication is deesis. In
other words the petition form of prayer.
*Law of deductive
reasoning
The connotation of the word
deesis is to have strong, continuous, persistent and insistent prayer in
the dimension of the spirit. The fact that the word supplication is used twice
in the verse, the first time as supplication in the spirit and the second time
as supplication only, indicates that one is a reference to praying in the
spirit and the other is a reference to praying in the understanding.
Now let's look at the word for watching in the Greek. It is translated from
the word agrupneo which means to be sleepless or to keep awake. The
connotation is that one must remain spiritually awake and aware.
Ephesians 5:14, “Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from
the dead, and Christ shall give thee light,” and 1 Peter 5:8,
“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion,
walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.”
The next word, perseverance, is translated from the Greek word proskartereo
which means to adhere firmly to; be close in pursuit of and always intent upon
your object in prayer. Examples can be found in Luke 18:1-5, “And he
spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not
to faint; Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither
regarded man: And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him,
saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. And he would not for a while: but
afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; Yet
because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual
coming she weary me,” Matthew 15:22, “And, behold, a woman of
Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on
me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil,”
and Mark 7:25, “For a certain woman, whose young daughter had an unclean
spirit, heard of him, and came and fell at his feet.”
Finally, we have a reference again
to the word supplication. Notice, it is not defined as a supplication in the
spirit, but rather supplication alone. This is a reference to the
understanding. And, of course, all prayers in the understanding must be
learned to correspond with scripture pertaining to our inheritance.
It should be pointed out that
Ephesians 6:18, “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the
Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all
saints,” is given in conjunction with the verses of scripture that
deal predominately with the armor of God, verses 13-17, “Wherefore take
unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil
day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt
about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your
feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the
shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of
the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit,
which is the word of God.”
This connotates that it is through
prayer that the armor of God becomes operative so that one may be enabled to
pull down strongholds. This effectively gives us the ability to route any
attempt by the devil to steal God's blessing from your life, which usually
occurs through our default.
Basically, the kind of prayer we're observing in Ephesians 6:18,
is what may be called travailing prayer and sometimes is accompanied by
fasting.
TRAVAlLlNG PRAYER
In nature we find that birth is always preceded by travail. Similarly, many
times one will sense, in the spirit, an inward travail followed by a release.
As if birth had been given to the faith that it takes to release virtue for
what we are praying about. Luke 6:19, “And the whole multitude sought to
touch him: for there went virtue out of him, and healed them all.”
Jesus practiced this kind of prayer, many times all night, resulting in many
miracles. Luke 6:12, “And it came to pass in those days, that he went
out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.”
When this kind of birth takes
place from your innermost being, you will know that you know that the answer
is on the way. Thanksgiving should follow this kind of experience to seal it.
We see an example of travailing prayer in Galatians 4:19, “My little
children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you.”
This is what Paul meant when he spoke of the Holy Spirit helping us with our
infirmities, with groanings which cannot be uttered. Romans 8:26,
“Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we
should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us
with groanings which cannot be uttered.” It is an inward groaning or
spiritual birth pang. It occurs during the birthing of the kind of faith that
it takes for a gift, ministry, or given situation is wrought in our spirit and
brought forth (Isaiah 66:8 and Romans 8:22-23).
Travailing prayer is usually accompanied, at different times, by fasting which
helps to enhance the faith-building, releasing process or incubation period
for faith to come of full age. Weeping and deep groanings will also take place
at times. Travailing prayer will often times result in what one might call a
breakthrough.
THE BREAKTHROUGH
The breakthrough is simply an experience wherein one is given clear-cut
insight or confirmation within their spirit of victory as a result of prayer.
The believer will also sense that a weight has been lifted or an obstacle has
been removed, thereby resulting in a time of rejoicing in the spirit. In order
to get a breakthrough one must understand that in Christ they have already
broken through and supplicate based on that understanding.
INTERCESSORY PRAYER
Another facet of prayer is intercessory prayer. It simply means to pray on
behalf of another individual or situation; to stand in the gap. Isaiah
59:16, “And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no
intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his
righteousness, it sustained him.” We see an example of this in
several passages of scripture. Paul exhorts us in 1 Timothy 2:1, that
“supplications, prayers, intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all
men.”
One of the more prominent examples of intercession can be found in
Exodus 17:12, “But Moses' hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it
under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one
on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady
until the going down of the sun.”
Moses is holding up his hands in prayer and praise on behalf of the armies of
Israel who were, at the time, engaged in battle. When he kept his hands
raised, a messenger would come with a report that the battle was being won.
When he lowered his hands, another messenger would inform him that they were
losing the battle. He tried to continue lifting his hands, but became weary
and could not hold them up for the duration of the battle. Seeing the need,
others stood about him and held his hands up until the battle was won.
This is a typology of New Testament collective intercessory prayer. For
instance, when we pray for our church leaders concerning the local church or
with someone who is having family problems, etc., this is intercessory prayer.
We can lift up the hands of other members of the body of Christ who are in
need of prayer and strength. When they are in the midst of something that they
need our support and agreement on, we can stand in the gap! This brings us to
the power of agreement.
THE POWER OF AGREEMENT
One shall put one thousand to flight and two, ten thousand. Deuteronomy
32:30, “How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight.”
For an increase input of 100%, we receive in return an increase output of
1,000% based on this scripture!
Jesus said in Matthew 18:18-19, “Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye
shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on
earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say unto you, That if two of you
shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be
done for them of my Father which is in heaven.”
Many believers overlook the application of this dynamic principle. Prayers of
married couples can be hindered without unity and agreement. 1 Peter
3:7, “Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving
honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together
of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.”
It is very important for the praying believer to find a partner to pray with
in certain situations where the opposing forces seem to be too much for that
individual! *
In selecting a partner for prayer,
the praying believer should be discerning; not just anyone will do. Jesus only
brought Peter, James and John in with him to raise up the little girl in,
Mark 5:37, “And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James,
and John the brother of James.” The rest of the people were asked to
leave the room. Another example of this is found in wherein Peter raised
Dorcus from the dead. Acts 9:40, “But Peter put them all forth, and
kneeled down, and prayed; and turning him to the body said, Tabitha, arise.
And she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up.”
When finding a partner to pray with, the important question is, are they in
agreement with you? Are they talking faith with you? If the person you are
asking to pray with you begins to become negative and pessimistic concerning
your need, it is best to politely find another partner to pray with.
For example, if you were to ask someone to pray with you for healing according
to God's word and they replied, “Well, maybe God wants you to be sick to teach
you something,” their faith is working against your faith. You should not pray
with that individual for that need unless they change their stance.
Praying in the spirit in agreement with somebody on a particular issue joins
their faith to yours. If that individual is not praying in faith with you, you
are joining your faith to someone who is in unbelief, and this will stifle
your faith concerning your need. This should not be taken as a basis to cause
division in the local church. It may simply mean that the individual that
you've encountered, who happens to be negative on a particular matter, may not
be developed in their faith in that particular area at that particular time.
They should be politely excused from being asked to pray with you for your
situation.
The important word in Matthew 18:18-19 is Agree. It comes
from the Greek word sumphoneo and conveys a harmonious accord. Notice
in Matthew 16:19 there is the mention of the key to the kindgom. And,
of course, this denotes a common faith in the work of Christ which is the key
to the kingdom.
So, when finding a partner, make sure they are in agreement with the Word of
God for your particular need or needs. Ask them in humility if they are in
agreement with the Word on your particular request. If they say they will do
their best and have a positive attitude, and you sense within your spirit they
do indeed, you have found a partner.
CORPORATE PRAYER
When praying in a group of two or more people, certain guidelines should be
adhered to so as to ensure order and singleness of purpose. We should conduct
a collective prayer meeting with the order outlined in 1 Corinthians 14.
When two or more are gathered for prayer, this constitutes a collective prayer
meeting.
If the ability to pray in an unknown tongue is present, everyone may pray in
an unknown tongue, on the same tone, unto God. Those who do not pray in an
unknown tongue may simply worship and praise as they have ability to. Paul
said he would pray in the spirit and with the understanding.
Now remember, we are talking prayer and not public speaking. Public speaking
is dealt with in this chapter in another manner and order. When referring to
prayer and thanksgiving, Paul says he will pray and sing with the spirit and
the understanding. 1 Corinthians 14:14-15, “For if I pray in an unknown
tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful. What is it
then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding
also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding
also.” He is emphasizing that he will pray and sing with the
understanding as well as in tongues. So that those who are about him in the
room of the unlearned may say amen (or let it be so), according to
Matthew 18:19, “Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth
as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my
Father which is in heaven.”
When someone in a group desires to pray a prayer in the understanding (a
little louder so others will know) for others to agree, those praying in the
spirit or worshipping aloud should hold their peace so that the prayer, as led
by the Holy Spirit in the understanding, might be made and everyone can agree.
1 Corinthians 14:30, “If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth
by, let the first hold his peace.”
Those who pray in tongues (in a prayer meeting, not a public meeting) may do
so and do well verse 17, “For thou verily givest thanks well, but the
other is not edified,” as long as there is prayer in the understanding
as well.
There may also be prophecy or messages in tongues with interpretation of
tongues during a collective prayer meeting. This is another time at which
others should hold their peace so that the message can be clearly received and
understood. All prayer, prophecy, or messages in tongues should be done by
inspiration. Prayer in the understanding, rooted in worry and anxiety, can
interrupt the flow of the Holy Spirit. One should be prayerful about the
timing of their prayer, prophecy, or message in tongues and its inspiration.
The meeting itself should be conducted with an energetic attitude and spirit,
yet at the same time, the volume should not be to a level whereby others are
intimidated or cannot speak loud enough to convey their prayer or message.
On the other hand, they that speak a message or pray a prayer that they would
like everyone to agree upon, should do so in a louder tone of voice so as to
gain the attention of others. If you are unable to do this because you are a
timid individual, pray that God would give you boldness so that you might
edify the body of Christ.
PRAYER
AND FASTING
Many erroneous teachings have been conveyed to people concerning fasting. A
time of fasting and prayer is simply a time of intense fortification of one's
own spirit and nurturing of faith for a particular matter, attribute or
quality of God's word. It is not a way in which to get God to hear you!
It really has nothing to do so much with talking to God, as it has to do with
dealing with one's self. As you've learned already, there is nothing we can do
besides having faith in the shed blood of Christ to gain entrance into the
Holiest, to talk with the living God. Fasting will not gain one entrance into
the Holiest, no more than repetitious prayers will. Only faith in the blood
will give us access into the presence of God.
Fasting is what we will call “intense brooding” (or incubation of
faith) in the human spirit. It's a time of isolating one's self from all other
appetites and desires so as to internalize faith in the human spirit
concerning the thing for which you are believing. It could be an attribute,
quality or promise from God's word, or a particular matter of intercession on
someone else's behalf or your own, or growth in the local church, or simply
abundant living. Isaiah 58:3-12, “Wherefore have we fasted, say they,
and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no
knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all
your labours. Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the
fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to
be heard on high. Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to
afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread
sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable
day to the Lord? Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands
of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free,
and that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and
that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the
naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own
flesh? Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall
spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory
of the Lord shall be thy rereward. Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall
answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from
the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking
vanity; And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted
soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the
noonday: And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in
drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and
like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. And they that shall be of thee
shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many
generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The
restorer of paths to dwell in.”
Fasting gives one a rapid intensification of faith in an area where they may
be lacking faith or are being greatly oppressed in their faith! Fasting and
prayer is a time in which one will devote themselves to becoming pregnant with
faith for their vision (goal), so as to give birth to the kind of faith needed
for the kind of vision you are praying for.
The science of hydroponics (a rapid growth process of plants through a
controlled environment) is a good typological example of fasting.
Jesus said in Matthew 17:21, “This kind goeth not out but by prayer and
fasting,” meaning this kind of faith - the kind of faith that it takes
to move mountains (verse 20). “And Jesus said unto them,
Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a
grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder
place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.”
What Jesus is implying is that faith begins as a seed in the womb of your
spirit and grows until there is travail and then birth. Faith works on the
principle of seed time and harvest. Genesis 8:22, “While the earth
remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and
day and night shall not cease.” It grows as a result of devotedly
laying hold of the seed of God's word. Romans 10:17, “So then faith
cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
In the New Testament, there is no other reason for fasting other than the
aforementioned. It is not something that one should do in order to get the
attention of God through works. It is not a penance to be done ritually as if
to pay for one's own or others’ trespasses. It is not to be used as a tool to
get God's attention, immaturely, as a child would by holding it's breath or
refusing to eat. Be sure to have the right attitude while fasting. You are
dealing with yourself while praying for a particular matter - to get yourself
to believe for the answer. The kind of fasting that God has called us to can
be found in Isaiah 58:5-12.
God wants to answer our prayers more than we want our prayers answered, but He
simply cannot answer prayers that are prayed without faith. James 1:6-8,
“But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a
wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think
that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable
in all his ways.” If you are fasting with a works mentality, you are
wasting your time and the only benefit you will receive from fasting will be
for the physical benefits of cleansing.
Not only do we begin prayer with thanksgiving, but we are taught to seal our
prayers with thanksgiving as well. Philippians 4:6, “Be careful for
nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let
your requests be made known unto God,” and Colossians 4:2,
“Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving,” says to
let your requests be made known with thanksgiving. See also 1 Timothy
2:1-2. 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,” Jesus is saying that when we pray, we are to believe that
we have received it, then we shall have it.
Thanksgivings enable us to release our faith for a prayer that we have not had
a physical or tangible manifestation of yet. There is a point in time where
prayers and supplications must cease and give way to thanksgivings. It is a
time at which, in your heart, you sense you have released the kind of faith it
takes for the answer. Paul said in one instance that thanksgivings be given
and mentions nothing of prayers. Colossians 2:6-7, “As ye have therefore
received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him,
and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with
thanksgiving.” There comes a time when we will be led to enter into
thanksgivings as a kind of final touch and release of faith (this also waters
our faith to a point of release).
The scriptures also teach us that He hears our prayers even before we ask.
Isaiah 65:24, “And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will
answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.” Many times
believers do not receive answers to their prayers even though the answer is on
the way, because they are not open in faith to receive the answer!
Thanksgiving is a very high form of faith in action! If there is nothing else
one can do to demonstrate or release faith, one can always offer up
thanksgivings and will sense, in their spirit, a tangible increase or release
of faith and a resulting increase in confidence.
The believer will also find giving thanks is a great help many times in
eliminating worry associated with a prayer need. When we pray we must learn to
leave the prayer in God's hands. 1 Peter 5:7, “Casting all your care
upon him; for he careth for you.” Worry is a great hindrance to
answered prayer. Thanksgiving helps to counteract the inducing of worry into
the mind of the believer - which feeds doubts and fears and inhibits prayer.
So now we see that thanksgiving not only preludes prayer, but finalizes prayer
and is to be used as a statement that says, “Yes, I believe my prayer is
already answered and I receive it now!”
I mean God says He already answered it, why not thank Him for it!
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