Prayer – Ministerial Academy

Posted on May 21, 2024 Updated on May 21, 2024

“Moreover concerning a stranger, that is not of thy people Israel, but cometh out of a far country for thy name’s sake; (For they shall hear of thy great name, and of thy strong hand, and of thy stretched out arm;) when he shall come and pray toward this house; Hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and do according to all that the stranger calleth to thee for: that all people of the earth may know thy name, to fear thee, as do thy people Israel; and that they may know that this house, which I have builded, is called by thy name.” 1 Kings 8:41-43

One of the most difficult things for a Christian to do is prayer, because it is a practice that must be cultivated as we grow in the Lord. Many Christians become accustomed to certain practices that are outlined in the Word of God as they begin their spiritual growth in local churches. The problem arises when, over time, these practices become routine because they are not done according to biblical guidelines. For example, they begin attending a local church, and this becomes a routine in which there is no spiritual benefit. The point of attending a local church is to have spiritual growth, change in worldly behavior, and so on. But the reality is different, and this is due to the fact that there is absolutely no spiritual benefit in attending these local churches, which have become more like a social club than a place of spiritual growth. It’s not my intention to criticize anyone, but rather to point out the problem that many Christians have developed as they progress in the local church. I must distinguish between churches that produce spiritual benefits for their members, but the vast places that are called “churches” today are far from the biblical meaning of what they are supposed to be. If you attend a church and do not experience spiritual growth that leads to a consecrated lifestyle, then you are wasting your time. Millions of Christians fall into these routines because they have not understood the main reason for being in a local church, and sadly, they have believed that such a state is normal, but clearly they have not understood what God has said in His Word. Observe the lifestyle of millions of believers in the local churches, they have been sucked into a worldly belief where it is normal to practice sinful things and these are contrary to what God requires of each one of us. Demons are influencing the daily lives of millions of believers with sinful practices so that they can’t accomplish God’s plan in their lives, which will affect their reward when we all stand before Christ after the rapture of the church as stated in Romans 14:10; 1 Corinthians 3:11-15; 4:5; 2 Corinthians 5:10. Prayer is one of the most important practices a believer must develop in his or her spiritual growth, for even Christ was accustomed to spending a great deal of time in prayer [Hebrews 5:7; Matthew 26:28-44; Luke 22:42-44], which ignited the power that flowed through Him. In developed countries, the situation is even worse because people are enslaved to a system where they don’t have time to pray because their focus is on material things that are suck the life out of them, leaving them with sickness and an aging body. They believe that spending a few minutes in prayer is enough, and so they keep the same mental attitude for years, not realizing the hole they have fallen into. Meanwhile, they neglect the other areas in which they should be growing, such as knowing the Word of God so that their prayers will be answered according to biblical guidelines.

It’s no surprise that most Christians don’t know what the specific calling is that God has called them to. It is rare today to find believers who are not drawn into materialism and who are focused on what God has for them. Sadly, most people, whether they are born again believers or not, don’t realize the deception of material things until the day they die, by which time it is too late to correct anything. The people who died without Christ find themselves in hell, just like the story Christ told in Luke 16:19-31. The born-again believers, on the other hand, find themselves in Paradise, just waiting until the time when they will be judged by Christ at the Judgment Seat of Christ, which will take place after the rapture of the Church. Millions of demons and satanic forces attack everyone who is born again and tries to please God by obeying the written Word of God. Regardless of what people do or do not do, we must keep moving toward the finish line where we will be rewarded by our Lord. At the end of the day, no one will have an excuse when each of us stands before our God. The ungodly will be condemned to eternal damnation as stated in Revelation 20:11-15, and the born-again believers will be rewarded when their works withstand the fire as stated in 1 Corinthians 3:11-15. We must separate the time to pray, whether in the spirit or with the understanding, as stated in 1 Corinthians 14:14-15; John 4:23-24; Ephesians 5:17-20; Jude 1:20. Whether it is supplication, as in Ephesians 6:18; or intercession, as in 1 Timothy 2:1; or praying for one another, as in James 5:16. May our God give us wisdom and understanding in the knowledge of His divine Word, so that we may be able to carry out God’s will for us. Amen.