As a context… this is Part 1 because this is a lifestyle issue and, as a result, continually growing. As we live a life as a pray-er we will continue to learn and apply… and that’s exciting!
Scripture is our best foundation for learning about prayer, what it’s designed for, and how we go about doing … praying. Some verses become foundational for us. but never allow them to be stagnant – we understand more the more we pray. There are some pillars, at least for me, that form my understanding on prayer, such as:
“Therefore, confess your sins to one another [your false steps, your offenses], and pray for one another, that you may be healed and restored. The heartfelt and persistent prayer of a righteous man (believer) can accomplish much [when put into action and made effective by God—it is dynamic and can have tremendous power].” [James 5:16, AMP]
The Message Bible says: ” Make this your common practice: Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed. The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with…”
Again, using only this one verse we see that in just these 2 expressions we can expand on our understanding. Then you look at the words.. such as ‘righteous man’. Do you know what those words are telling you? Do you appreciate that you have been put in a position of ‘righteous’ but that isn’t of your own doing (2 Corinthians 5:32)? And I could go on. My point is that, as with most spiritual matters, nothing is ever one and done.
What will follow now and in future ‘parts’ will be scripture to ponder and some thoughts that emanated from my ponderings and experiences. And if it seems I’m repeating myself, maybe not… maybe it’s a new layer of understanding that’s emerged.
- Prayer is not one way communication, and it requires us to be silent and LISTEN for the Lord’s reply to be heard. And once ‘heard’ then to follow. That always is our decision since we have graciously been created with Free Will.
- Without starting the day – INTENTIONALLY – by putting on the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6) then we leave ourselves open to attack. When our arch enemy sees that we do have our armor on daily and STAND in it, this doesn’t stop him but it does make him less effective.
- The greatest weapon we have at our disposal to defeat those temptations and seductions the devil throws at us daily is our Sword. The Word of God should never be handled lightly. It is our defense and we need to treat it with care. ‘Care’ in my world of definitions means that we take time to build ourselves up in what the Word says.
- Never forget that Jesus defeated satan by saying: It Is Written. This is the model, the example of how we can defeat satan. But we need to remember that satan undoubtedly knows scripture even better than we do so he will manipulate it, even by only one word. If WE don’t have the Word in us, we could easily be duped and lied to.
- Prayer is not an act we do. It is a lifestyle we engage in throughout our lives. It is more than just the time we take at the beginning of the day. It is the lifestyle that directs our day.
- I’m a grate advocate of the prayer of agreement. First, it’s not a manmade understanding, it is scripture.
Agree, anything, ask… is followed with ‘will be done’. Additionally, there is the statement that Jesus will be with them, in their midst. The Amplified version expands our understanding of this verse:
“Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” [Matthew 18:19]
“Again I say to you, that if two believers on earth agree [that is, are of one mind, in harmony] about anything that they ask [within the will of God], it will be done for them by My Father in heaven.” [AMP]
However, it is the Message Bible that puts a period to this:
“Take this most seriously: A yes on earth is yes in heaven; a no on earth is no in heaven. What you say to one another is eternal. I mean this. When two of you get together on anything at all on earth and make a prayer of it, my Father in heaven goes into action. And when two or three of you are together because of me, you can be sure that I’ll be there.”
My addition for me is to make certain that when I am about to stand in agreement that I know precisely what I’m agreeing to/with. It is not an action to take hastily nor unthinkingly.
[[The final question always comes back to You! How do you know, understand, integrate, apply what is relevant to you and your life?! Does it make any difference to you and who you are and are becoming?]]
