Philippians 4:4-7
” 4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I say, rejoice! 5) Let everyone see your gentleness. The Lord is near! 6) Do not be anxious about anything. Instead, in every situation, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, tell your requests to God. 7) And the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” – NET.
Prayer is not just talking, NO! It is talking to a Compassionate, Loving, and Caring Father. Prayer is a 2-way conversation between you and God.Prayer is a dialogue between you & God. You speak to Him then you listen as He speaks back to you, as the still quiet voice in your heart.
By prayer we allow Heaven to Come into our earthly affairs. Prayer is important – it is the most powerful thing that a human being can do. We pray to The Father in the name of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit will help you to pray to The Father. When you pray believe, trust and be confident that you receive it (Mark; 11, 24) Don’t believe AFTER you prayed, but you believe WHEN you pray. Try and develop an effective prayer life.
If year 2023 will be a good year for us and our nation, it will depend largely on the spirit of prayer and intercession. Do you want to experience joy throughout this year? Do you want to live an anxiety-free life? Do you want to experience great peace in your life? If you truly do, then prayer and intercession are necessary habits you need to develop. Prayer is saying to God what He has said in His Word. Prayer is the foundation of every successful endeavor on earth. To have results make prayer your way of life.
Apostle Paul wrote this Epistle to the believers in Philippi. These believers were very good people and very committed to the spread of the Gospel. They were givers. Paul even expressed with joy, “15 And as you Philippians know, at the beginning of my gospel ministry, when I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in this matter of giving and receiving except you alone.” (Philippians 4:15)
One would naturally expect that for a church full of such lovely believers, all would go well with them. However, it is most likely these believers were very anxious, sorrowful and without joy. To the extent that Paul had to emphasize, “Again I say, rejoice”. Today, we have Christians who love the Lord so much and give to support the ministry. Yet anxiety, sorrow and frustration keep swallowing them up.
The secret is PRAYER. In all things: PRAY. We must not leave the outcome of our lives to chance. We need to consciously request for the enforcement of God’s divine ordinances in our lives and nation. We need to spiritually control what is to be permitted or rejected in our lives. We can only achieve this through an active attitude of praying.
I want to challenge you today. Begin this year with fasting and prayers. If your church engages in prayers and fasting, participate fully in them. Don’t let your stomach or bed rob you of your divine breakthrough in this year. As long as you keep consulting God in everything you do, you will be amazed at the peace and progress you will experience in your life.
Don’t believe AFTER you prayed, but you believe WHEN you pray. After you prayed, don’t say negative words to contradict your prayer. We need to pray more – Let prayer be like breathing – you do not have to be at certain place or be in a certain posture to pray. You can pray about anything to God. Pray throughout the day. Prayer is the Gateway to Power. Prayer does not have to be long, can be everywhere – do not spiritualize Prayer: make it simple. Try and develop an effective prayer life.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You for the privilege given us to pray to You at all times. Please Grant me the Grace to stand upon Your Word and watch in prayer throughout this year, that I will see the manifestation of every Glorious Blessing you have Destined for me. Prosper me LORD, in Jesus’ Name, Amen.
