Hello Brethren, in this article, I would be taking us on the manner and pattern of prayer which the Bible has ordered us to pray in response to our zoom meeting today by Pastor Eli. I believe your prayer life would take a different dimension with tangible and speedy answers after going through.
Nonetheless, below are the scriptural references that made up today's teaching:
1 John 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. (KJV)
There are many teachings in the world today which is really tangential to the word of God but the scripture is advising us to first test every spirit.
In verse 2 & 3, we are informed on how the spirit of the antiChrist conceptualizes the event of Christ. If any preacher preaches that Jesus Christ did not come in the flesh, that is the spirit of antiChrist at work.
We must agree to the fact that this is the end of time. So we believers should be mindful of the doctrines we give ourselves to, against being decieved.
1 Peter 2:1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings (KJV)
We are instructed to put out all these characters as mentioned by Apostle Peter and in verse 2, we are encouraged to crave for the sincere milk of the word of God so as to grow spiritually.
The Apostle Peter understands that any believer that keep absorbing the word of God will not easily be deceived by false prophets, and I must appreciate the teachers in MCGI for doing incredible in teaching the truth of God's word without fear, although it sounds humorous most times when Pastor Eli will tell the congregation "sorry if your Church is practicing it but this is the word of God"
I believe that any Child of God who wishes to make it in this journey must leave any congregation that does not teach the reality in God's word to a place where you heard the word of God that can guarantee our consistent growth in the spirit.
Ecclesiastes 7:27 Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher, counting one by one, to find out the account: (KJV)
The fact about the word of God is that you must keep searching it out daily because we stop growing the day we stop studying as Paul admonished Timothy in II Tim 2:15 to study as to show himself approved.
So we will keep improving and knowing the truth in God's word as we keep searching out daily. There are many truth in God's word which we may never know if we don't give ourselves to search them out.
John 9:31 Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.(KJV)
God is a righteous one and his eyes will never love iniquity. No sinner would ever pray according to the directions of God because the only prayer of a sinner which God answers is his prayer for forgiveness and nothing more.
A sinner has no peace in him talk more of maintaining peace with God. So we shouldn't be fooled to believe that God answers or will ever answer a sinner when he prays except for forgiveness of sin.
Matthew 6:5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. (KJV)
Our Lord Jesus taught his disciples this pattern of prayer because he knows the foolishness in human actitude towards proving they have arrived.
God dwells in heaven and we are on earth, measuring the distance between heaven and earth, a wise person should understand that prayer is a spiritual and a thing of principles.
There is no degree of shouting that can drive the wave of our prayer to heaven that nullifies the practice of hypocritical prayers. We are advised to go into our closet which is our secret place in verse 6 as to pray.
God searches the intent of our hearts and he knows our wishes and problems even before we start praying, so even a short prayer that is made by faith in ones secret place would be answered by God without shouting or standing to show we are praying.
We are rather disturbing people than impressing them when we are shouting with those irrelevant prayer patterns that are hypocritical before God because the people that are hearing our prayers as we shout aren't the ones to answer the prayers.
Matthew 26:39 And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. (KJV)
It is advisable for us to kneel down to show reverence to God when we are praying even as Jesus did, hence he went a little farther, indicating there are prayers that must be made personal. Next he bowed down to show an act of worship. So these are biblical principles we must follow if our prayers must be answered.
Mark 11:25 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.(KJV)
This is another biblical principle we must not look down. God knows that there are many things through which people can offend us in, and he is saying that we must first forgive others their trespasses else our prayer is in vain.
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.
A believer is meant to believe all things and to test all things. Nevertheless, we are advised not to doubt our prayers or what we are seeking from God.
We have to understand that we are not the ones to answer our prayers rather it is God.
1 Corinthians 11:4-5 Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head.
But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven.
This is another biblical principle that must be observed although in reference to prayer, a man's head is meant not to be covered and a woman's head is meant to be covered when praying.
We must learn that prayer is a thing of principles and for one to pray effectively, he must observ those principles as the Bible says that my people perish for lack of knowledge…. Hosea 4:6.
Every legal issue has it's distinct preceding, and the jurists must excavate relevant sections of the law as to deal with the issue squarely, so also we need to understand the scriptural related references about prayer as to effectively make prayers that must come with answers.
God bless his servant for such an indepth exposure into the scriptures regarding prayer as we were edified through the teaching. Thanks for your noble perusal over my article, I'm inviting you to join in the MCGI mass indoctrination program as I believe you will be edified learning with us.
