40 DAYS OF PRAYER: DAY 9
Ancient Recipe for Prayer
If you are to make that special family recipe you must use all the ingredients in the proper order for it to be successful. 25 fresh Pueblo chiles, 1 stick butter, 3 Lbs. pork cubed, 2-large onions, 1 TBS of salt, 1 3/4 TBS black pepper, 2-TSP oregano, 2-TSP of minced garlic, 10-large diced tomatoes, 3-fresh diced jalapeños, 1-cup of flour…
Guess what this makes? Delicious Green Chili ! But you not only need all the ingredients, you need ALL of the instructions in order to complete the recipe. (If you send me $19.95 … Just kidding, if you want the recipe, let me know and I’ll get it to you).
We have an ancient recipe for prayer and there are many pieces given to us from Gods word that require our attention. Here is a list of a few.
Daily conversation with God, fellowship:
Philippians 4:6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
Don't worry about anything, take everything about your life to the Lord. There is nothing that is insignificant or so common that the Lord does not care about it. So going to Him in in simple conversation should be a daily habit.
Ask God:
James 1:5-6 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind.
God wants us to ask of him, in faith and with the proper perspective. Pushing the desires of the flesh out of the way. Asking with confidence because of who Gods word says HE is. This will indeed bring stability to your life.
James 4:2-3 You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.
Heart check… Asking includes trusting and making sure our desires are pure. If the motives of our asking are pure, well, it doesn’t get any better than that!
Intercession and meditation:
Hebrews 7:25 Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.
Colossians 4:12 Epaphras, who is one of your number, a bondslave of Jesus Christ, sends you his greetings, always laboring earnestly for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God.
Something amazing happens when we approach the Lord on the behalf of other people, it takes the focus off of ourselves. This is actually what Jesus does for us as well. He goes before the Father on our behalf. He intercedes continuously for his people. Meditation is taken out of context in America… its not yoga, or moving your Shakra, taking control of your own body and mind. I’m talking about biblical meditation. It is slowing down, focusing on God and his word. Being intentional with your time and conversation with the Lord. It even means sitting in silence at times…
Keep the prayer lines open:
Going into prayer we must do so with the understanding that God wants to talk with us and answers our prayers. Pray with persistence, pray, then when you have prayed, pray some more. How come God doesn’t answer immediately? How many days will he remain silent?
A couple possibilities as to why.
God wants us fully engaged with Him, knowing we cannot do it on our own and that he desires to assist us.
Sometimes constant and consistent prayer is needed due to the need or environment or the strongholds Satan has built. More intensified prayer is needed to destroy the strong holds or to break through.
Matthew 7:7-8 “ Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.
Mark 9:28-29 When He came into the house, His disciples began questioning Him privately, “Why could we not drive it out?” And He said to them, “This kind cannot come out by anything but prayer.”
Executive Prayer:
The understanding that Jesus is Lord of all as we pray. He is the name above every name! You can pray with confidence because of who Jesus is!
Philippians 2:9 For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name.
Warfare prayer:
We all have battles and will have as long as we are on the earth. We pray from victory! Victory that was obtained on the cross. Be strong in the Lord and the power of His might, putting on the whole armor of God…Tying it all together with prayer.
Ephesians 6:10-20
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. 14 Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, 19 and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.Pray with faith.
There are certain times and circumstances that the Holy Spirit strengthens us and our faith and assurance is boosted, helping us know the will of God. It is in these times we see immediate responses like in Acts 9.
Acts 9:40-42 But Peter sent them all out and knelt down and prayed, and turning to the body, he said, “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up. And he gave her his hand and raised her up; and calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive. It became known all over Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.
Oh…. That we would all pray that way! You must be led by the Holy Spirit. If you are in daily conversation with the Lord and Meditation on His word, you will be able to better respond as the Holy Spirit leads you.
Prayer burden:
As the Holy Spirit brings the burden, it helps drive us to the Lord with that request. Don't ignore or dismiss it. When the Holy Spirit brings a concern to us we begin to intercede on their behalf. This is a special task that the Lord gives us, He intensifies our desire to pray, giving us a sense of responsibility. It is a great indication by the Holy Spirit of the importance of that need. Pray unto that burden is released!
Galatians 6:2 Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.
This is loving God and loving people!
Prayed for you all today!
Much love and blessings, Pastor Scott