My life alongside God's word, volume 3. Prayer section.
– by George Tabaan
The Minister of Cabinet Affairs for the Republic of South Sudan, Dr. Martin Elia Lomoru, on Christmas Day 25th
December 2014, urged the Church to pray for the Government, and for peace to prevail. This was because of the challenges facing the country. When I heard that, I noted it as a very important message to the Church, made up of the
members of the congregation he was addressing on that day, plus many more in the Body of Christ. The message was not only meant for the bishops, the priests or other clergy as some may think, but to the whole Body of Christ. The Church is the highest level of government or authority that God uses
on the face of the earth. And when the Church prays, God moves, Isaiah 9:6-7. Believers are all called to exercise this authority through intercessory prayer.
What is prayer?
Prayer is communication with God. It takes different forms, but basically it occurs when mankind talks with God and God talks with mankind. Praying is to the spiritual life what
breathing is to the physical life. God speaks to us through His word, the Bible. We must respond to God in worship, adoration, confession, thanksgiving and supplication.
Prayer is described as:
Calling upon the name of the Lord, Genesis 12:8; beseeching the Lord, Exodus 32:11; pouring out the soul, 1 Samuel 1:15; crying to heaven, 2 Chronicles 32:20; looking to God and pleading with the Almighty, Job 8:5; looking up, Psalm 5:3; lifting up the soul Psalm 25:1; crying unto God, Psalms 27:7, 34:6; seeking the face of the Lord, Psalm 27:8; pouring out the heart, Psalm 62:8; drawing near to God, Psalm 73:28, Hebrews 10:22.
(Please note, the precise wording may vary in different Bible translations, but the concepts are clearly there).
Prayer involves not just talking to God, it also involves listening. Prayer is communion, a two-way conversation that lasts long over time. When you pray, expect God to speak
back to you. Most often He does this through His written word or by a still, small voice that seems to speak to your heart. Sometimes He will give you a vision or will interpret back to your spirit what you have prayed. Do not only present your requests to God without taking time to hear from Him. Allow time for Him to speak to you. He will give
answers to your questions, guidance for the day ahead, and help you order your priorities. Sometimes He will give you a special message of encouragement to share with someone
for whom you are interceding.
Levels of prayer
The three levels of intensity in prayers are: asking, seeking and knocking:
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the
door will be opened”, Matthew 7:7-8.
Asking is the first level of prayer. It is simply presenting a request to God and receiving an immediate answer. In order to receive, the condition is to ask, “… You do not have, because you do not ask God”, James 4:2.
Seeking is the second and a deeper level of prayer. This is the level of prayer where answers are not as immediate as at the asking level. The 120 people who were gathered in the upper room, where they continued in prayer, are an example of seeking. These men and women sought fulfilment of the promised coming of the Holy Spirit and they continued seeking until the answer came, Acts 1:12-2:4.
Knocking is the third and deepest level of prayer. It is prayer that is persistent when answers are longer in coming. It is illustrated by the parable Jesus told in Luke 11:5-10. It is also illustrated by the persistence of Daniel, who continued to knock on God’s door, despite the fact that he saw no visible results because Satan hindered the answer from God, Daniel 10:12-14.
Definition of intercession
Intercession is defined as “the action of intervening on behalf of another” or “the action of saying a prayer on behalf of another person”. An “intercessor” is “one who takes the place
of another” or “pleads another’s case”. When you pray thisway for other people, for your country, or for the nations of the world, you are interceding. Intercession and prayer are
the breath of the Church. Human beings cannot live without breath. Fish cannot survive without water. The Church cannot be a healthy living Church without prayer and
intercession.
When the country is in trouble, we always point the finger of blame at the government and not the Church. Yes, we can blame the government, but what is the Church doing about such situations since the Church is the highest level of authority on the face of the earth? Christ did not say that ‘upon this government I will build my Church’. He said, “On
this rock (the believers) I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it”, (will not prove stronger than it - NIV alternative footnote), Matthew 16:18. The Church
is believers who believe in the power of intercessory prayer and will not allow the wicked forces to triumph.
The Lord gave Beverly Pegues, the co-President of Window International Network, a word during their 17th-23rd March 2013 African Leadership Training Summit on the 10/40
Window, held in the Nile Beach hotel, Juba, South Sudan. This is what she said about the vision:
“I saw Arabs in Khartoum seated around a table negotiating
the plight of South Sudan. They discussed whether they should
go to war to keep South Sudan from becoming an independent
nation. These Muslim leaders decided to allow South Sudan to
secede from Sudan and to sign the Comprehensive Peace Plan.
They reasoned that the South Sudan leaders lacked the
education, intelligence, experience and work ethic to
successfully develop their new country. They declared that the
intertribal warfare would also render the South ineffective,
vulnerable, and substantially decrease the population. At that
point, these Muslim leaders surmised it would be easy for the
North to reclaim the South and acquire their abundant oil and
natural resources. Handling the succession this way, the
Muslim leaders schemed to position themselves to be viewed as
heroes to the international community. The Lord God revealed
the tactics of the enemies of the Republic of South Sudan”.
“After I shared this vision, brother Amos from
Nigeria stated that he saw exactly what I described
on Aljazeera Television News the evening before the
Comprehensive Peace Agreement was signed”!
This vision was revealed to the Church so we could pray over the exposed schemes of the enemies of South Sudan. In Mark 4:22 our Lord Jesus says, “ For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open”. Those who attended the summit did not take it seriously enough to mobilise the Church and destroy the scheme of the enemy. Nine months after the vision the 15th December 2013 conflict took place confirming some of the things mentioned in the vision. The conflict led into rebellion and it is still going on between the two warring
parties, the Government of South Sudan and the Rebels in opposition. No peace deal is reached yet (12th June 2015). I don’t know what is going to happen next if we don’t stand in the gap to pray about what was revealed in the vision, listening carefully to our God.
Churches in South Sudan should do something about this by crying out to the Lord to intervene on behalf of our nation. Otherwise the situation in the nation will not change. God’s people must commit themselves to 24 hours/7 days a week intercessory prayer until shalom is established and all of the suffering stopped.
A call to intercessory prayer
For centuries during the first and second civil wars, 1955- 1972 and 1983-2005, and before token independence 2005- 2011, the Church had been meeting for prayer and intercession. It was a central part of churches’ life, an
indispensable part of the weekly programme. I know that in the first civil war, the Church played a significant role not only in intercessory prayer but also in advocating and mediating for peace until the Addis Ababa agreement was signed in 1972. The role the Church played was recognised as significant even by the international community. For the 10 years between 1972 and 1983 there was relative peace in Sudan and I believe the Church continued to pray for an everlasting peace. In 1983 war broke out again and this was the worst civil war ever in the world. It claimed the lives of many people because the root cause of the conflict was not
addressed. The Church within and without the country, prayed and advocated for war to stop.
In 1989, the University of Juba was relocated to Khartoum because of the intensity of war and insecurity in the south of Sudan. Many Sudanese Christians from the south were taken to settle in Khartoum and other parts of the three cities. As a result of the Christian presence, local churches were planted and they had dynamic praying meetings and outreach programmes. Groups such as Young Christian Fellowship (YCF), Campus Crusade and the Fellowship of Christian University Students in Sudan (FOCUSS), had a tremendous impact among the youth and the churches, in spite of a hostile Islamic environment. Intercessory prayer meetings such as the Global Day of Prayer and the National Day of Prayer that included forgiveness and repentance were very important key times. These had great impact before the independence of South Sudan.
After the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) and especially Independence on 9th July 2011, the South Sudanese were proud of the new nation that God had given them on a silver plate. It was a great victory and everybody knew it was God who intervened for South Sudan to peacefully break away from Sudan, without any conflict, the result of the prayers of many believers across the globe. But the people of South Sudan did not continue their long commitment to God. Many people became so busy to develop
a new life for themselves and a lot turned to corruption. Cases of crime in the capital are very high even now and people are still living in fear. The authorities are not doing
enough to protect people.
The Church was supposed to bring hope to the people. But something seems wrong that is stopping the churches fulfilling their mandate as the highest authority on the face of the earth. What was once a major emphasis of church activities during difficult times, as in the early church, Acts 4:23-31, has been considered less important, or worse, ignored by most members. Furthermore many prayer meetings today involve little prayer. Even in meetings setaside for prayer, some people come late and leave early before time, plus other activities typically crowd in leaving little time for adoration, confession, intercession and thanksgiving to the Lord. Praying meetings have become a special gathering for a few dedicated members rather than the weekly activity of most members. Questions one may ask are: ‘what has happened?’ and ‘where is the problem?’
One would have thought that the Church had few greater priorities than her relationship to God in prayer and reaching out in evangelism to her neighbours. All our churches need to recognise that authentic Christians are those who really love God, real Christians are those who love to read the Bible, love to pray or intercede, and real Christians are people who hate sin. Church members should not be counted on the basis of how many attend the Sunday service, but by how many attend the Bible study and intercessory prayer meetings. A hunger for God’s word and a desire to pray are some of the first evidences of the new birth. The more of God’s word we study the more we want to pray. The more we pray the greater our compulsion to share the Gospel with the unsaved all around us. This was what the early churches experienced. As they laboured in intensive, heartfelt prayer, they were filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they went out and proclaimed God’s word boldly, Acts 4:31. The Church is called to be “a House of Prayer for all nations”. Intercession, evangelism and mission should be indispensable parts in every congregation.
The prophet Samuel described prayerlessness as sin, 1 Samuel 12:23. The Bible places great emphasis on prayer, “Pray continually”, 1 Thessalonians 5:17. Quoting the
reformer John Knox’s prayer, “Give me Scotland or I die!” it was no wonder Mary Queen of Scots declared that she was more afraid of the prayers of John Knox than of an army of
tens of thousands! I pray that God may raise someone like John Knox to cry out to God: “Give me South Sudan and Sudan or I die”! We are not only called to pray or intercede
when there is a crisis, but to intercede continually beyond crises.
Many believers in Sudan and South Sudan are keenly aware of the spiritual forces at work both within and without their congregations over many years. Conflicts seen in Darfur, Nuba Mountains, Blue Nile and in South Sudan, show every day people created in the image of God brutally mistreated and dying. Unless we intercede, the crisis, corruption, poor
leadership people face, will not end. The ministries of preaching, teaching, lecturing and discipling have little or no impact against these powers. “Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit’, says the Lord Almighty”, Zechariah 4:6. We are dealing with some strong forces of darkness that need to be cleared through intercession. Members of every local
church with all para-church ministries must be involved in unceasing, intercessory, concentrated, prevailing prayer. There is tremendous power in united prayer, Matthew
18:20.
The first step
If you are not a born again believer, the first step in learning how to pray is to accept Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour. The Bible says, “all have sinned”, Romans 3:23, and “the wages of sin is death”, Romans 6:23. “At just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly”, Romans 5:6. Jesus has paid the wages of our sin! All you must do now is to pray to God, admit your own sin, ask God for forgiveness, accept Jesus Christ as your Saviour, and invite Him to take control of your life from this moment onwards, John 3:1-21. If you have not done this already, bow your head where you are and make your first prayer one of confessing your sin, acknowledging your need of a Saviour,
and accepting Jesus Christ as the substitutionary sacrifice made for your sin.
The biblical basis for intercession.
The biblical basis for the New Testament believer’s ministry of intercessory prayer is the calling as a priest before God. The word of God declares that we are a holy priesthood,
1 Peter 2:5, a royal priesthood, 1 Peter 2:9, and a kingdom of priests, Revelation 1:5-6.
The background for understanding this calling to priestly intercession is the Old Testament example of the Levitical priesthood. The priest’s responsibility was to stand before and between. He stood before God to minister to Him with sacrifices and to bring mankind forward at the place of blood sacrifices and offerings. Therefore the priests stood between a righteous God and sinful mankind, bringing them both together at the blood sacrifice.
Hebrews 7:11-19 explains the difference between the Old and New Testament ministries of the priests. The Old Testament Levitical priesthood was passed on from generation to generation through the descendants of the tribes of Levi. The “Melchizedek priesthood” spoken of in this passage from Hebrews is the new order of spiritual priests. It is passed on to us through our Lord Jesus’ blood and our spiritual birth as new creatures in Christ.
The model intercessor
God’s purpose in sending Jesus was for Him to serve as an intercessor:
“He (the Lord) saw that there was no one, he was appalled that there was no one to intervene; (“And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor”, Authorised (King James) version). so his own arm worked salvation for him, and his own righteousness sustained him”, Isaiah 59:16. Today Jesus stands before the Father, between God and sinful man, just as the Old Testament priests did.
“For there is one God and one mediator (intercessor) between God and men, the man Christ Jesus”, 1 Timothy 2:5 (italics mine). “Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who
died – more than that, who was raised to life – is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us”, Romans 8:34. “Therefore he is able to save completely (forever NIV footnote) those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for
them”, Hebrews 7:25. Jesus brings sinful people and the holy, righteous God together at the place of the blood sacrifice for sin. No longer is the blood of animals necessary like it was in the Old Testament. We can now approach God on the basis of the blood of Jesus, which was shed on the cross at Calvary for the remission of sins. Because of the blood of Jesus, you and I can approach God boldly, with confidence and without
timidity, Hebrews 4:14-16.
Jesus was an intercessor while He was here on earth, He prayed for the sick and those possessed by demons. He prayed for His disciples. He even prayed for us when He
interceded for all of those who would believe on Him in the future, John 17:1-19, especially verses 20-23. Jesus continued His ministry of intercession after His death and
resurrection, when he returned to heaven. He now serves as our ‘Intercessor’ in heaven.
How to intercede
As intercessors, we stand before God and between a holy, righteous God and sinful man. In order to be effective standing “between”, we must first stand “before” God to develop the intimacy to fulfil this role. Numbers chapter 14 is one of the greatest accounts of intercessory prayer in theBible. Moses was able to stand between God and sinful men
because he had previously stood before Him alone and had developed intimacy. Numbers 12:6-8 records that God spoke with Moses as friend to friend and not through visions and dreams as He did with other prophets.
As New Testament believers we no longer sacrifice animals as in Old Testament times. We stand before the Lord to offer spiritual sacrifices of praises, Hebrews 13:15, and to offer
the sacrifice of our own life, Romans 12:1-2. It is on the basis of this intimate relationship with God that we can then stand between Him and others, serving as an advocate and
intercessor on their behalf. Peter uses two words to describe this priestly ministry, “holy” and “royal”, 1 Peter 2:5,9.
Holiness is required to stand before the Lord, Hebrews 12:14. We are able to stand before the Lord only on the basis of the righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ, not our own righteousness (we have none!).
Royalty is descriptive of the kingly authority, which is delegated to us as members of the
“royal family” so to speak, with legitimate access to the throne room of God the King. “I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving be made for everyone – for kings, and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness”, 1 Timothy 2:1-2.
At other times intercession is made by the Holy Spirit. It may be with groaning resulting from a heavy spiritual burden. It may also be in an unknown tongue. When this happens, the Holy Spirit speaks through you, praying directly to God and according to the will of God.
“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will”, Romans 8:26-27. “For anyone
who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God. Indeed, no one understands him; he utters mysteries with his spirit”, 1 Corinthians 14:2.
When we intercede, we need to pray:
According to God’s word and will. “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us – whatever we ask – we know that we have what we asked of Him”, 1 John 5:14-15.
In Jesus’ name. “If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you”, John 15:7-8. See also John 14:13-14.
To be earnest and persistent in prayer. “… because of the man’s boldness (persistence) he will get up and give him as much as he needs”, Luke 11:8-13.
Why intercession is important
Revival usually begins with prayer meetings. The regular prayer meeting of the church members for the purpose of uniting in earnest prayer is sadly becoming very rare. Many
churches no longer schedule prayer meetings, and in those churches that do, typically only a few members would participate. In most churches, prayer meetings have become
dull, cold and lifeless, lacking biblical focus. Our Lord Jesus in His own ministry on earth emphasised the importance of intercession. The Bible has also recorded stories of men and women who experienced powerful results through effective intercession. Even today many believers have seen and experienced immediate break through as the result of
powerful intercession. Charles Spurgeon wrote in “Only a Prayer Meeting”, “We shall never see much change for the better in our churches in general until the praying meeting
occupies a higher place in the esteem of the Christians”. (downloadable from http://theprayeroftheday.com/Prayer_Meeting.pdf ). That is true with us in Sudan and South Sudan, we will never see much change for better in our nations in general until
intercessory prayer occupies a higher place in the esteem of the Christians.
Through effective intercession we can, “demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it
obedient to Christ”, 2 Corinthians 10:5. We can spiritually touch anywhere in the world and any place in any country. Prayers have no limitations of distance, and we can penetrate unreached nations crossing through geographical, cultural, military and political barriers without transport tickets. We can affect the destiny of individuals and entire nations. We can help save the lives and souls of men, women, boys and girls, and extend the gospel of the Kingdom of God in our own nation and around the world as we engage in
intercessory prayer. Dr. Joel Beeke challenges: “If every God fearing family, in every God honouring church around the world, took the congregational prayer meeting seriously,
what impact would that have around the globe? I believe that Scripture and church history teach us that the future of our children, our family, our church and our nations depends on God’s people storming the mercy seat together”. Matthew Henry and Jonathan Edwards both wrote similarly, “When God desires mercy, He stirs up prayer”. Intercessory prayer is the normal means that God uses to shower His heavenly
blessings upon the earth. We need to record our appointment with prayer on a calendar and then keep to it. Will you not mark your church prayer meetings on your calendar as an engagement of the highest priority for your entire family? Will you prepare for them and try to bring a friend or two with you? Let us treasure praying meetings and engage in prayer with all our hearts, remembering that revival usually begins with a prayer meeting.
Prayerlessness is a root to sin. God acts in answer to prayer. Prayer is the price of spiritual success. A price is something that costs you something. Prayer is to the soul what
breathing is to the body. If you are too busy to pray then you are busier than God wants you to be. There is nothing beyond the reach of prayer except that which is outside of
the will of God. Please read Ephesian 3:14-21.
Positions for prayer
There is no particular position approved as the posture for prayer. The Bible speaks of a variety of posture for prayers. We read of some:
Lifting up your hands, Psalm 28:2; Lamentations 2:19; 1 Timothy 2:8;
standing, 1 Kings 8:22; Mark 11:25;
bowing down, Psalm 95:6;
kneeling, Acts 20:36; 2 Chronicles 6:13; Psalm 95:6, Luke 22:41;
falling on your face, Numbers 16:22; Joshua 5:14; 1 Chronicles 21:16; Matthew 26:39;
spreading out your hands, Isaiah 1:15; 2 Chronicles 6:13; and
praying with eyes open, John 17:1.
While it can be very helpful to fold your hands, close your eyes and bow your head when you pray, to avoid being distracted, the primary issue is not the position of your body but the condition of your heart. Frequently the practice of kneeling in prayer helps humble our hearts before God. Most
importantly, prayer must come from a pure heart. Heart attitude is more important than any bodily action.
Answered prayer
The Bible is very clear about answered prayers. Some prayers God answered:
1. Immediately at the time “Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear”, Isaiah 65:24. “While (Daniel) was still in prayer … an answer was given, which I
(Gabriel) have come to tell you”, Daniel 9:21-23.
2. With a time delay “And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep on putting them off? I tell you he will see they get
justice, and quickly”, Luke 18:7-8.
3. Differently from the desired answer “Three times I (Paul) pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is
made perfect in weakness”, 2 Corinthians 12:8-9.
4. Beyond expectations “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know”, Jeremiah 33:3. Also, “Now to him who is able to do
immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us …”, Ephesians 3:20.
When we intercede according to God’s will for what burdens us about our nations, our families, our home area or even our workplace, God answers those prayers. It doesn’t matter how soon or long it will take. God’s timing is always better than our timing anyway, and for sure our prayers will be answered.
Hindrances to prayers being answered
You need to try and identify hindrances to effective intercession and then eliminate them from your life. A hindrance is anything that stands in your way, preventing you from interceding effectively and therefore stopping your prayers from being answered. Deal with these obstacles right away to eliminate them at the outset. Scriptures reveal many
major hindrances to effective intercession:
Unrepented sin of any kind
Read Isaiah 59:1-2; Psalm 66:18; Isaiah 1:15; Proverbs 28:9 and John 9:31. It is clearly revealed through the Bible that in many instances God does not answer our prayers because of our sins. God spoke through Isaiah to the Children of Israel, “Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear”, Isaiah 59:1-2.
During your time alone with God, make confession part of your prayer. Humble yourself before Him. Ask Him to search your heart and reveal any sin. Make David’s prayer your
prayer, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me, and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting”, Psalm
139:23-24. When God shows you your sin, be quick to confess it and get rid of it. Do not allow the enemy to get an opening for hindering you from receiving your answers.
Disobedience
Read 1 Peter 3:12 and 1 Samuel 15:23. Disobedience is rebellion. When we allow any disobedience to remain in our life, it cuts our communication with God. The key to receiving answers to our prayers is walking in obedience to God and His word. “We have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him”, 1 John 3:21-22. When we walk in disobedience, we limit what God can do for us, but when our hearts are clean and pure before God, we can know that He hears us and will do what we ask, “For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil”, 1 Peter 3:12. As we humble ourselves before Him and repent of disobedience, He will forgive and hear us. God’s covenant promise to us is, “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn
from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and will heal their land”, 2 Chronicles 7:14.
Idols in the heart
Read Ezekiel 14: 1-3. Idolatry is not limited to bowing before gods of wood or stone. Idolatry is anything you put ahead of God – your possessions, hobbies, habits, even your loved ones or your ministry. God wants to be first in your life. If you have been putting someone or something ahead of God sometimes then on your knees with His word, in worship and prayer, repent and ask God to forgive you.
An unforgiving spirit
“And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins”, Matthew 5:23-24; Mark 11:25-26. One of the most frequent causes of unanswered prayer is the lack of forgiveness. There are many Christians today who have not received answers to their prayers because they are
holding on to an unforgiving spirit, bitterness and resentment in their heart towards others who have hurt them. Jesus said that if we are unwilling to forgive others, our heavenly Father will not forgive us, Matthew 6:15. Forgiveness is part of the prayer Jesus gave His disciples when they came to Him, asking Him to teach them to pray, Matthew 6:12. To have power with God through prayer, our hearts must be tender and compassionate toward others.
When we are treated unfairly or wronged in some way, we must guard our hearts against unforgiveness. Instead of becoming bitter, Jesus said we are to pray for those who
despitefully use us, Matthew 5:44. Paul said we should forgive as God in Christ forgave us, Colossians 3:12-13. As we walk in love and forgiveness toward others, we receive
forgiveness from our heavenly Father and are then able to come before God boldly, with full assurance of faith, knowing He will give us whatsoever we ask in His will.
Wrong motives
Read James 4:2-3. James gives us an insight into a major
reason why we do not receive answers to prayer. He said, “You want something but don’t get it. … When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures”. When we ask for things according to God’s will, that is things that we have a right to ask for, we will receive them. However, if we ask with a wrong motive or for our own selfish gratification, we will not receive them however much we ask. Our Father desires to work on our behalf and give us the things that we
need and desire, but our underlying, true motive should always be that God would be glorified in answering our prayers. Jesus clearly revealed that the purpose for
answering prayer is that God’s Name will be glorified. “I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father”, John 14:13. Ask God to search your
heart and reveal any wrong motive you may have. You may be asking for things you know God wants to provide for you, but you may be asking with a selfish motive. Repent, and ask God to purify your motives.
Wrong treatment of a marriage partner
Read 1 Peter 3:7. Peter taught that husbands and wives should honour one another and build their relationship on the fact they are joint heirs of the grace of God. Wrong
treatment of a marriage partner hinders prayer. The husband who is cross, harsh and domineering in his relationship with his wife, or a wife who is angry, nagging and unreasonable towards her husband, cannot expect their prayers to be answered. If the husband does not treat his wife with love and respect but is selfish and uncaring of her
and her needs, his prayers will be blocked. The same is true in the wife’s relationship with her husband. If she is disrespectful, resentful and refuses to live in godly submission to him as the head of their home, her prayers will also be hindered.
Self-righteousness
Read Luke 18:10-14. In the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector, the Pharisee prayed a self-righteous prayer, thanking God that he was not like other men, in particular not like the tax collector. In great contrast the tax collector cried out for mercy and forgiveness from God. Isaiah 64:6 says that our righteous acts are like filthy rags. Imagine
appearing before the King of the universe in soiled and torn clothing! That is what you are doing when you pray from a spirit of self-righteousness.
Unbelief
Read James 1:6-7. James writes that if we waver and do not pray in faith, we will not receive what we are asking for. The writer to Hebrews, possibly Paul, said, “And without faith it is impossible to please God, for anyone that comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him”, Hebrews 11:6. The prayer of faith does not have to be a long, drawn-out prayer. The Syro- Phoenician woman in Mark 7:24-26, the two blind men in Matthew 9:27, blind Bartimaeus in Mark 10:47, and the ten
lepers of Luke 17:12, did not pray long prayers. In their desperation, each one simply cried out something like, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” It wasn’t the words they spoke that were so important; it was their cry of faith. When they cried out to Jesus, they were expecting to receive their healing. They had unwavering faith that would not give
up until they received the miracles.
Abraham was 75 years old when God gave him the promise that He would bless and multiply his seed and make him the father of many nations. Twenty-four years later, when
Abraham was 99 years old, God appeared to him and promised to give him a son through Sarah. In the natural, it was absolutely impossible for Abraham to father a child or for Sarah to conceive and give birth. As Abraham waited for the fulfilment of God’s promise, his faith did not waver. He did not question God, but his faith grew stronger, Romans
4:18-21. As long as you waver or doubt, your prayers will be hindered, and you will not receive from the Lord. You will not be able to take hold of the impossible.
Not abiding in Christ and His word
Read John 15:7. “If you remain in me and my word remains in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you”. This is a master key to intercession. Your position in prayer is
dependent upon your relationship with Christ. Only when your mind and heart are one with His can you ask for what you know He wants. A major hindrance blocking many
answers to prayer is the neglect of keeping in good relationship with God. Jesus said you are “to abide”, (AV/KJV), meaning to remain vitally united with him. In order have power with God through prayer you must live in unbroken fellowship conversation with Jesus on a daily basis through prayer and reading His word.
Hypocrisy, pride or meaningless repetition
Read Matthew 6:5-8 and Job 35:12-13. We have to study and learn from the prayers of the religious leaders of Jesus’ time. Jesus called them “hypocrites” and added that God does not hear such prayers.
Satanic hindrances
Read Daniel 10:10-13 and Ephesians 6:12. Daniel’s prayers were heard from the time he began to pray, but demonic forces hindered the answer. As you release the prayer in your life, you will come against forces of the enemy that would block you from receiving your answer. “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms”, Ephesians 6:12.
Not seeking the Kingdom of God
Read Matthew 6:33. According to this verse, only when you seek first the Kingdom of God are you assured of receiving the other things you need as well. Seek His kingdom first in
prayer, and then all else that you rightly request will be added to you.
Heartlessness and selfishness
Read Philippians 4:18-19 and Proverbs 21:13. Many people claim the promise in Philippians 4:19, “And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus”, but they fail to take into account the context. They do not realise there is a condition involved in taking hold of this promise. This promise was made to the Philippian believers who had liberally given to Paul’s ministry, Philippians 4:18. When you pray for God to release His provision to meet needs in your life, be sure that you already have been giving liberally to the work of God to help meet the needs of others. The word clearly tells us that if we shut our ears to the cries of the people in need when they cry for help, God will not hear us. “If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too
will cry out and not be answered”, Proverbs 21:13.
How to eliminate hindrances
Allow God to purge and cleanse you of everything in your life that is displeasing to Him. Ask Him to reveal any wrong attitudes of your heart or strongholds in your mind that need
to be changed. If you have hatred, unforgiveness or resentment towards anyone, confess it and ask forgiveness from God and the person(s) involved. Eliminate each of these
hindrances, and do not allow any opportunity for the enemy to disrupt your intercession.
Organising for prayer
To be an effective intercessor, you need to make time to pray. Notice I deliberately said, “make the time”. One way to do this is to plan for regular prayer times, both individually and with others. The New Testament reveals the following structure for organising prayer:
Personal prayer
Prayer is to be made on an individual basis in private. “But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you”, Matthew 6:6. It is very important to set aside a special time each day for prayer, preferably early in the morning before you begin your day. If you are not a ‘morning person’ then select another more suitable time. This is the time when you will perform your priestly ministry of standing before God with praise and worship, then between God and man with petitions and intercession. Before you begin to intercede have a time of personal repentance and ask God to cleanse you from all sin. Repentance is foundational to effective intercession.
Two praying together
Two believers praying together is the smallest unit of corporate prayer. Its biblical structure, as well as its inherent power, is revealed in the following words from our Lord
Jesus, “Again, I tell you, that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father who in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them”, Matthew 18:19-20. Find a friend who wants to be an intercessor and begin to pray regularly together. If you are married, you might want to
choose your mate. If you have someone praying with you, they can help you keep going when you get discouraged – which you will.
Small groups
Small groups (sometimes called “prayer cells”) consist of more than two individuals joining together in intercession.We have just seen there is great power when two or three
people join together for this purpose; because our Lord Jesus Himself joins in, Matthew 18:20. You might want to meet weekly for prayer with a small group of friends, co-workers, or relatives.
Total congregational prayer
The entire church should also pray together in times of corporate intercession. “They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers”, Acts 1:14. Acts 12:5 reveals that constant intercession was made by the church for Peter while he was in prison. Act 4:24 records the believers raising their voices together in prayer to God. If you are a pastor, church or Christian Union leader, it is your responsibility to plan such times of corporate prayer.
Overcoming obstacles to prayer
The German Reformer, Martin Luther described prayer as: “The hardest work of all – a labour above all labours, since he who prays must wage almighty warfare against the doubt and murmuring excited by the faint-heartedness and unworthiness we feel within us … that unutterable and powerful groaning with which the godly rouse themselves
against despair, the struggle in which they call mightily upon their faith”. “Audacious prayer, which persevere unflinchingly and ceases not through fear, is well pleasing
unto God,” wrote Luther. “As a shoe maker makes a shoe, or a tailor makes a coat, so ought a Christian to pray. Prayer is the daily business of a Christian”.
Intercession is a hard work which needs commitment. Anyone who has ever prayed effectively has first faced obstacles that had to be overcome. Overcoming these
challenges is part of effective intercession. Each challenge you face take to God through the “Spirit of prayer” and He will help you remedy it. Some of the common challenges you
might face are:
Lack of time
We always find time to do what we really want. Lack of time is not an excuse. The busier you are the more you need to intercede. It is important to set a time for prayer and not to
let anything intrude into that time. Intercession does not have to be lengthy to be effective. Consider the effectiveness of the prayer of the thief on the cross, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom”, Luke 23:42. Contrast this with the Pharisee’s long-winded, self-righteous prayer about himself that we read earlier,
Luke 18:11.
Distraction
Minimise interruptions during intercession. Leave instructions outside so that you are not to be disturbed during the prayer time. If you have a telephone, put it on to ‘silent’ or disconnect it or use an answering machine. Do not pray where any radio or television set is in use.
Tiredness
If you grow weary or sleepy during a prayer time, try walking about or praying out loud.
Lack of desire
Desire for the ministry of intercession can be systematically developed. It starts with the discipline of doing it regularly, whether you feel like it or not. Our entire Christian
experience is based on faith, not feeling. When you begin to see the results of intercession in your own life and in the lives of others for whom you are interceding, your prayer time will be transformed from discipline and duty into a delight.
Ideas to use - Prayer walking
A prayer walk is simply what the name reflects. It is an individual or team walking through specific, strategic areas of a school building, business premises, village, town or city,
interceding as they walk along with eyes and ears open to God. When you prayer walk, you pray for the presence of God in a particular area and for His Holy Spirit to proclaim
the Kingdom of God physically and spiritually in that area. Prayer walking is not really about the physical act of walking. It is more about praying outside the walls of the church or our homes, and being closer to the people we are praying for.
The purpose of prayer walking is to pray ‘on site with insight’. The walk helps you to see much more about the residential, business or political area. You see the faces of
people, the cars they drive, their children’s faces and you hear music from their houses. There are several passages related to ‘prayer walking’ although the term ‘prayer
walking’ is never mentioned in the Bible:
God spoke to Abraham saying, “Go, walk through the length and breadth of the land, for I am giving it to you”, Genesis 13:17. Nehemiah walked around the ruined city of Jerusalem
prior to commencing the work of rebuilding the walls, Nehemiah 2:11-18. Another example is the account of Joshua conquering the city of Jericho. God had already told Joshua, “ I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses”, Joshua 1:3. Walking (“marching” – NIV) around Jericho for seven days before the walls collapsed is a tremendous model of joining man’s availability with God’s miraculous ability to accomplish His purpose, Joshua 6:1-21. In the New Testament, Jesus prayerfully looked over the city of Jerusalem in Matthew 23:37-39, and the apostle Paul was stirred as he saw the city of Athens “full of idols”, Acts 17:16.
The Bible clearly instructs us to pray for the peace of the cities, even places of hostility. “Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to where I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper”, Jeremiah 29:7. Historically Nebuchadnezzar carried the people of Judah into Babylonian exile, but theologically it was God’s doing. Intercessors must learn to look beyond what is happening to see what God is doing. Prayer walking is a great way to obey this command and
systematically cover any community with prayer.
Organising a prayer walk
Prayer walking can be done by an individual, a family, in pairs or groups, by one church or groups of churches. It is possible to organise prayer walking teams to cover an entire
community. The organisation can be as simple as an individual or family prayer walking around their neighbourhood one evening, or as complex as using a map to divide the entire city among church members, allocating streets to assure that every area receives prayer. Prayer walking can be done for a specific target, such as inmates in a prison, students in a school, people in a farm or factory, organising to prayer walk their entire facility.
Seven mountains that transform a society
In April 2015 Beverly Pegues from Window International Network visited Juba, South Sudan and presented “the Seven Mountains that Transform a Nation”. She said that, “Whoever controls the tops of these mountains, controls the society”. These Seven Mountains were presented to some church leaders and some intercessory prayer groups in Juba.
The late Bill Bright, founder of Campus Crusade, and Loren Cunningham, founder of Youth With A Mission, coined the phrase “There are Seven Mountains that Influence Nations” in 1975. They felt that in order to positively bring transformation to their society Christians must deal with the following mountains:
• Arts, Entertainment and Sports
• Business and Finance
• Education
• Family
• Government
• Media
• Religion
(see Seven days/seven mountains of culture Prayer Guide, Cry Out America, September 4-10th 2014 ).
I propose to look at these areas in relation to our nation:
1. Arts, Entertainment and Sports (writers, actors, producers, singers, musicians, dancers, athletes, coaches, photographers, graphic artists and other individuals working in these areas)
South Sudan is a new nation open to new ideas as far as building the nation is concerned. This ‘mountain’ needs to be controlled by people who fear God and have a Kingdom of God mentality towards influencing society. The church needs to encourage men and women of integrity into arts, entertainment and sports so they will glorify God there. Pray
for the Lord to raise up those people who are gifted in these areas. Pray their lives would glorify the Lord continually. “See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the
tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts— to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of craftsmanship”, Exodus 31:2-5. “Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvellous deeds among all peoples”, Psalm 96:1-3.
2. Business or Marketplaces (including sciences, medicine, retail, customer services, management, restaurant, etc.)
Foreigners mainly control business in South Sudan including most hotels, restaurants, big supermarkets, petrol stations, warehouses, shops, water tanks, food stores and more. Most
of the staff workers hired in these businesses are foreigners too and there are very few South Sudanese in the workforce. A lot of the money earned does not rotate within the country but goes outside, badly affecting our economy. The foreigners owning most of the businesses should hire nationals and train them up into learning business for themselves. The church needs to claim this ‘mountain’ by educating our people about the importance of being “salt and
light” in businesses to help fulfil the great commission, Matthew 5:13-16. If foreigners, especially Muslims, continue to own this ‘mountain’, they will control the economy of this
country. If they control this ‘mountain’, then they will remain powerful.
We must pray that businesses in South Sudan prosper and God will indeed bless the economy. Pray for the expat business community, that it takes an honourable and active
role in training South Sudanese. Pray that laws will be passed requiring the expat community to hire and provide on-the-job training to the local labour force. Pray the
Government will require expat businesses to hire and train at least 25% of the South Sudanese in their businesses. Pray the number of South Sudanese workers will substantially increase in private sector jobs. Pray for the strengthening of Christian business owners, CEO’s, managers and workers – that they would conduct their businesses with integrity and honour God.
“They share freely and give generously to those in need. Their good deeds will be remembered forever. They will have influence and honour”, Psalm 112:9.15 “Dishonest
money dwindles away, but whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow”, Proverbs 13:11.16 “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for
men”, Colossians 3:23.
3. Education (teachers, administrators, coaches, staff, and volunteers working at any level of education)
The late President Nelson Mandela stated,“No country can really develop unless its citizens are educated”! South Sudan
came out of war and the rate of illiteracy is said to be very high. If that is true, then education is key for the people of South Sudan. People need to be educated so that they can read, write and communicate. If they can read, write and communicate, then there is development. If there is development, people can be educated. This is a vital circular process. Education has helped the church to have learned people who can teach God’s word, interpret and apply it well, raising others able to do the same.
Pray for the country of South Sudan to become 95% literate by the year 2020! Remember, God can do exceedingly abundantly more than we can ask or think, Ephesians 3:20-21. He is the One and Only God with supernatural power. Pray for leaders in every sector of society to commit to educate all people of South Sudan. Pray for a hunger to learn among all children and illiterate adults. Pray for educators whom God has called to teach with excellence, and for students who learn well and quickly.
“Proverbs … for gaining wisdom and discipline; for understanding words of insight; for acquiring a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair; for
giving prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the young”, Proverbs 1:1-4. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your
strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along
the road, when you lie down and when you get up”, Deuteronomy 6:5-7. “Teach me knowledge and good judgement, for I believe your commands”, Psalm 119:66.
4. Family: all spheres of the culture dealing with family life—including parents, children, counsellors, ministers, social workers, educators, etc.
Many families have been traumatised as a result of the recent conflicts in South Sudan. Widows and orphans are struggling
to survive. Families and family members are separated from one another. Raising children together as parents is a challenge. There are people who have worked hard and laid down their lives for the freedom of this country. These are the fathers and mothers of the nation. People who love their country and who are working hard for the development of the country are the mothers and fathers today. They are not working for personal interests but in the interest of the
nation and for the next generation. We are history makers. As churches and believers we must control this ‘mountain’ by being fathers and mothers who want to see positive
transformation.
Pray for God to bring healing and restoration to families who have been devastated by years of war. “Father, even though parents are traumatised by recent political events, we ask You to enable them to help their children through this crisis”. Pray that all parents will teach their children to love South Sudan and that they will raise their children in the ways of the Lord. “Father, we pray that You heal all of our families emotionally, spiritually, physically, psychologically or in any way You know they need healing”. “Father, we pray for every provision needed for families as well as widows, orphans and the poor”. Pray every South Sudan adult becomes a father and mother to all of South Sudan.
Households, clans, families and the orphaned/widows are all important to God. “They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house”, Acts 16:31-32. “So the Israelites did everything the Lord commanded Moses; that is the way they encamped under their standards, and that is the way they set out, each of them with his clan and family”, Numbers 2:34. “Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord”, Ephesians 6:4. “A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling”, Psalm 68:5.
5. Government (military, local, state, national government leaders, employees and volunteers)
Poor leadership is a cancer to most of the Africa nations. South Sudan needs leaders of integrity, who fear God, and are passionate to humbly serve and to love all people. Somebody said that, “if people were to govern themselves according to the word of God, then there would be no need for big government”. The church should teach people to
govern themselves Christianly, living according to God’s word, following God’s purposes for their lives.
Pray that the Lord raises up God-fearing leaders who will love the people God has given them the privilege to serve. Pray that the executive, legislative and judicial leaders will
govern the country in honesty and with absolute integrity of heart. Pray the Lord helps leaders as they make important decisions that impact South Sudan for generations to come. Bless those who are in authority. Pray for their protection. Pray Isaiah 11:1-3a over the government leaders and workers, “A shoot will come from the stump of Jesse; from
his roots a branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest upon him – the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord – and he will delight in the fear of the Lord”. Pray the Lord assigns wise men and wise women who fear God to give government leaders God’s solution to opportunities and to problems. “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful
Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace”, Isaiah 9:6.
“I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for
everyone—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness”, 1 Timothy 2:1-2. “Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All
authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me’”, Matthew 28:18. “Give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may lead this people, for who is able to govern this great people of yours?”, 2 Chronicles 1:10. “By justice a king gives a country stability, but one who is greedy for bribes tears it down”, Proverbs 29:4. “Praise be to the name of God for ever
and ever; wisdom and power are his. He changes times and seasons; he sets up kings and deposes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. He
reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him”, Daniel 2:20-23.
6. Media (those working or volunteering in the area of television, radio, Internet, newspapers, magazines and other media outlets)
Media are powerful tools for influencing society. People in charge of media control the society through the news or information they produce. Sadly, some of this news or
information is half-truth and half lies. Deception, manipulation, immorality and other sins are part of the media. If we have people in there whose lives do not glorify God, then they influence society negatively through their controlling of the media.
Pray for a desire for holy purity and righteousness to infiltrate the media people. Ask the Lord to bring a spirit of integrity to those who work in the media. Pray against the spirit of manipulation, deception, immorality, and greed. “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer”, Psalm 19:14. “My mouth will speak words of wisdom; the utterance from my heart will give
understanding”, Psalm 49:3. “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things”, Philippians 4:8.
7. Religion (fivefold ministry workers, staff and volunteers)
The main religions being practised in South Sudan are Christianity, Islam and Traditional African religions. The church must own this ‘mountain’ by fulfilling the fivefold ministry. “(God) gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers to prepare God’s people for works of service”
Ephesians 4:11-12. This ‘mountain’ will help the Church to cut across the other ‘six mountains’ with the values of the Kingdom of God. The churches must pray, be united, speak with one voice about the wrongs of injustice, corruption, tribalism, the oppression and suffering of any people. The Church is the highest authority on the face of the earth that God uses.
Pray for God’s Church to fulfil her calling to preach the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and teach the Bible, God’s word. Pray the high priestly prayer Jesus prayed for His
children in John 17:26, “I (Jesus) have made you (Father) known to them (the disciples), and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them
and that I myself may be in them”, (italics mine). Pray the churches in South Sudan will work together in God’s Spirit of unity to help deal with the trauma of this great nation. Pray
that pastors/teachers will be servant leaders like Jesus Christ. Pray Isaiah 11:1-2 over the whole Church, as we just did over the Government. “A shoot will come from the stump
of Jesse; from his roots a branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest upon him – the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord – and he will delight in the fear of the Lord”. Pray the churches provide leadership who influence these ‘mountains’ with the Kingdom of God.
"If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place” 2 Chronicles 7:14. “Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age”, Matthew 28:18-20. “(Christ himself) gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become
mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind
of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming”, Ephesians 4:11-14.
“Elijah went before the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him”. But the people said nothing”,
1 Kings 18:21. “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching”, Hebrews 10:23-25. “He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’ and, ‘Love your neighbour as yourself’”, Luke 10:27. “I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me”, John 17:23. ““But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God”. Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it”, Matthew 16:15-18.
Please note: In writing this chapter I am indebted to:
Bennie Mostert Praying with Purpose (CUM books: Vereeniging, South Africa) 2008.
Peter Hammond The Power of Prayer Handbook (Frontline Fellowship: Chattanooga TN)
28th September 2007.