CONFIDENCE
IN PRAYER
(Matthew 7:7;
Mark 1:35)
PREAMBLE
Life without confidence is a public failure. A
successful life demands living in confidence in prayer always. A close mouth
Christian is also a public failure.
What is
confidence?
(i) Confidence denotes faith or trust.
(ii)
Confidence means self assurance.
What is
prayer?
Prayer is a request for help or expression of
thanks made to a God or a deity (god). Prayer can also mean an earnest hope or
wish. The two variables intermarry each other. Without confidence, you cannot
get answers to prayer or result. Without
faith, you cannot please God at all. Lack of confidence in prayer displeases
God. Confidence or faith is the profitability of any behaviour.
This topic,
therefore encapsulates the following sub-headings:
1. THE
LEVELS OR TYPES OF PREVAILING PRAYER
In order to
prevail, the intercessor must often increase the intensity of his or her
praying from one level to another. I suggest seven such levels. The first three
are listed by Jesus in His Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 7:7). To this, I add four more levels from the
Scriptures.
·
Level 1: Ask – You ask in faith and
with confidence (Matthew 7:7)
·
Level 2: Seek –The seeking becomes
longer and more intense.
·
Level 3: Knock –Interceding becomes
even more urgent and insistent.
·
Level 4: Fast- To the previous
crescendo of intensity and urgency of intercession, fasting is added.
·
Level 5: Prayer Burden – The burden
may in intense and brief or perhaps
extend over a longer time.
·
Level 6: Wrestling in prayer – Very
intense praying.
·
Level 7: Prayer warfare – Prayer
battle, extending over a prolonged period.
2. TEN REASONS WHY EVERY CHRISTIAN MUST PRAY
1.
Pray because prayer is a
great act or faith.
2.
Prayer is an expression of
faith (Hebrews 11:6).
3.
Pray because prayer makes
you a man of authority (Matt. 7:28-29).
4.
Pray because prayer binds
demonic activities in your ministry or church. If you do not bind the devil, he
will bind you in your own church.
5.
Pray because prayer creates
and gives birth to new dimensions in ministry.
6.
Pray because prayer is the
first Apostolic command to every Christian (I Timothy 2:1-3).
7.
Pray because the Apostles
refused to give up in prayer when they were under pressure from administrative
duties.
8.
Pray because prayer was the
greater part of Christ’s Ministry. Greatness in ministry or life depends on
intercessory abilities (Isaiah 53:12).
9.
Pray because prayer releases
captives (Luke 4:18; II Cor. 10:4).
10.
Pray because prayer avails much (James 5:16). To “avail much”
means “to succeed, to prevail,
overcome, to be able to do some-
thing , to make an impart, to be effective and to accomplish
much”.
3. FIVE
WAYS FOR CHRISTIAN TO PRAY EFFECTIVELY (James
5:16)
i.
Pray strategic Bible prayers
(Eph. 1:17-19; 3:15-19)
ii.
Pray fervently
iii.
Pray in tongues (I
Corinthians 14:18)
iv.
Have discussions with the
Holy Spirit (John 14:18,26)
v.
Pray for a long time (Luke
6:12; I Thessalonians 3:10)
4. GAINS OF CONFIDENCE IN PRAYER
i.
It leads to prevailing in
prayer
ii.
It produces result(s) or
answers to prayer
iii.
It makes God delight or you
to please God
iv.
It makes you become prayer
winner not only prayer warrior (I Samuel 1:9-12, 19-27). Hannah and Elijah are
case study in (I Kings 18:36-38, 41-46).
CONCLUSION
If you want
to be celebrated, have confidence in your prayer. Prayer changes things and
makes you a distinct personality in the world. Don’t be lazy but be a busy
Christian in your prayers to God. One man said, “I fear the prayers of John Knox more
than ten thousand soldiers”.
“If ye know all these things, happy (blessed) are
ye if ye do them”
-John 13:17
