May the Lord bless His word. Speaking very briefly tonight on the subject: Understanding and unraveling prayers. Our objective is to practically demystify the act of prayer. The subject of prayer is a subject that is generally misunderstood by so many people today. What is prayer all about, when am I praying, how do I know that I have prayed? You see, some people know how to pray, they know what prayer is, but before then, it’s better to know what prayer is not.

What prayer is not:
1. PRAYER IS NOT A RELIGIOUS CREED OR FORMULA TO BE RECITED OR SAID. Prayer shouldn’t be a formula to be recited, such that if you don’t know how to recite the formula or say the creed, you have not prayed. You will hear some people say I have said my prayers. In Mathew 6:7, Jesus warned against vain repetitions, prayer is not a formula or creed.

2. PRAYER DOES NOT HAVE TO HAPPEN IN A PARTICULAR SPEECH TYPE OR LANGUAGE. Prayer must not be offered in a particular language phraseology or verbology. You don’t need to have a particular speech type or Language. (Psalm 3:4). So Prayer doesn’t necessarily have to be made in a particular language. You can speak rugged broken, pidgin, you know the Warri type, it will still produce results.

3. PRAYER IS NOT A PLATFORM FOR THE DISPLAY OF EMOTIONS OR SENTIMENTS. It’s not a place where you pour out your complaint on God, asking different questions – why did you allow these to happen to me? (1Corinthians 10:10). So the time of prayer is not a time for crying, sentiment, or emotions You don’t come to God based on emotion, but based on revelation. Stay on your watch and talk to the Lord. So prayer is a place to be revelational and pointed.

4. PRAYER IS NOT JUST WHAT TO DO IN A CRISIS OR EMERGENCY. It’s not what you remember to do only when there is a crisis. Ephesians 6:18, says praying always with all prayers and supplication in the spirit. Don’t pray because there is a challenge or problem. Somebody’s prayer life is changing today.

5. PRAYER IS NOT A RESPONSIBILITY TO BE DELEGATED. I have heard people say I don’t know how to pray, my wife does the prayer for me. ChurchGist. That’s the height of Irresponsibility of masculinity. the man should be the priest of his house. Smith Wigglesworth’s wife was a Christian before him and whenever Smith Wigglesworth locked her outside, she will still pray and when she wakes up, she will tell him, Good morning honey, what do you want to eat. Masculinity is spirituality, It’s authority, not just the wearing of a particular uniform. Your mother can’t offer prayer for you, nobody can! The burden of your prayer life is entirely your responsibility.

What is Prayer:
1. PRAYER IS THE FLOW OF COMMUNICATION THAT ORIGINATES FROM A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.. A Robust relationship with God helps your prayer. Prayer is the enforcement of the will, plan and purpose of God in the earth, as it is in heaven. There is something I discovered many years ago, that the will of God is answered prayers waiting to be prayed. If you can locate the will of God, the prayer struggle is over. So the deeper your understanding of the will of God for your life, the stronger your prayer will be. The stronger your prayer life, the faster the will of God takes place in your life. If you tell me the kingdom of darkness is not agitated about me, it means I don’t matter and if I don’t matter, I can’t occupy space.

Somebody stand on your feet and give the king a shout of Victory, a loud shout of Victory, a shout of Victory. I see things in the word of God and In the realm of the spirit that makes me convinced I can’t be cut short just like that. I speak with audacity and authority, speaking from the vantage position of inside information. Look at your neighbor and say vantage position, of inside information. The truth of the matter is the deeper your understanding of his will, the faster your prayer is answered. (1st John 5:14).

2. PRAYER IS THE AVENUE OF ACCESS TO THE RESOURCES OF GOD BY MAN. Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. What is available to God is made accessible to the man at the altar of prayers. Prayer is very buoyant if you understand your inheritance. The deeper the understanding of your inheritance, the stronger your prayer life. So in the place of prayer, you are not just begging, or making petitions, you are making demands, in the name of Jesusand getting results.

I read something about The Philippines from TL Osborne. Somebody will carry a whip and be beating himself till they bleed and lacerate, believing God will reward them for such sufferings, that is ignorance. You are not expected to suffer again.

3. PRAYER IS THE SPIRITUAL LIFE-BREATH OF THE CHILD OF GOD. What the physical health is to the physical man, is what prayer is to the spiritual man. ChurchGist. You know scripture said, we will give ourselves continually to prayer and the ministry of the word. Prayerlessness is a sign of spiritual lifelessness. Pray just as you breathe.

4. PRAYER HAS TO DO WITH YOUR WORSHIP, APPRECIATION AND THOUGHT PATTERN. In your thinking, worshipping, and talking, you are praying. (Ephesians 3:20). I was going to preach somewhere at the Minister’s conference this afternoon and my prayer was just flowing, if there is a real burden, every place is appropriate to talk to God, even in the toilet. When I was a medical student, you know the medical school can be intense and I was president of medical students fellowship, having to travel all over the country on ministerial Assignment.

By the time I started reading, I was praying too. My spirit prayeth, my brain readeth. Prayer on the go. I pray at every given opportunity. Let the climate around you communicate with God. As frequently as you remember to say something to God, say it to him.

5. PRAYER IS THE CONFESSION OF PERSONAL HELPLESSNESS AND INSUFFICIENCY WITHOUT GOD. It’s the recognition of the awesomeness of God. Prayerlessness is a declaration of Independence from God. That’s why if you go to places they confess there is no God and you want to pray, they ask you if you have seen him before, Hebrews 4:16. ChurchGist. We have come to the throne of Grace to obtain mercy.

Before we close,
I have a Twofold counsel for us:
Receive grace to function with fervency.
( Zechariah 12:10) Every spiritual exercise is fuelled by Grace.
Pray without Ceasing.
Let your prayers be Constant always.
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