PRAYER IS THE MASTER KEY!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

MONDAY OCTOBER 17, 2022.

SUBJECT : PRAYER IS THE MASTER KEY!

Memory verse: "And the Lord said, I have surely seen the oppressions of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows." (Exodus 3 vs 7.)

READ: James 5 vs 13 - 18:

5:13: Is anyone among you suffering? let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? let him sing psalms.

5:14: Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:

5:15: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.

5:16: Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

5:17: Elijah was a man with nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months.

5:18: And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.

INTIMATION:

Prayer is the master key we use to free ourselves from the bondage of all form of afflictions of the enemy, and for the restoration of our beauty in Christ. It’s the kingdom’s force of deliverance from afflictions, and restoration of our glorious destiny. The prayer key is the master key that opens all doors. It is the desire of the Father that His children approach Him in prayer. 

Prayer is the natural response of those who recognize their need for the help of God in their lives. It is earnestly entreating God in sincerity of your intention. It is the greatest privilege, and ministry available to all Christians. Indeed, everyone who seeks to take his or her place in the kingdom of God should seek or learn how to pray effectively. Because prayer is, in itself, our fellowship with the Father, He awaits us to come to Him in prayer, and consequently welcomes us in fellowship with Him.

Affliction is described as great suffering that produces sorrow. Afflictions are not our heritage; we are created in His image and after His likeness, to reflect the glory of God, and prayer is what it takes to enforce our manifestations. It’s only in prayer we hand over our battles to God with whom nothing is impossible with or difficult for (Mark 10 vs 27; Jeremiah 32 vs 17 & 27). He is the Creator of the heavens and the earth, the wise Judge, who is aware of our conducts and knows all things. He is our Redeemer, who has great power, and the Owner of the world and all its fullness. Therefore, who else can you go to?

It’s for this reason Jesus said, “...Men ought always to pray and not to faint” (Luke 18 vs 1). To be constantly on the guard, we should persistently hand over every of our concern to God in prayer. And taking a cue from Jesus, the apostle Paul also instructs us to “pray without ceasing” (First Thessalonians 5 vs 17).

Now, look at our memory verse, "Is any among you afflicted? Let him pray." Not, "let him cry...," or, "let him watch..." That means anyone that is battered, tormented or depressed, is expected to pray for deliverance. If you want to see that yoke on your life broken, you must pray. If you want the forces beclouding your destiny to be shattered you must go to the Lord in prayer. It is the kingdom force recommended for our deliverance.

Some people see prayer as a last resort to be tried when all else fails. This approach is backward. Prayer should come first. God wants His children to be completely dependent on Him, and not wearied about how often we come to Him in prayer. Because God’s power is infinitely greater than ours, it only makes sense to rely on it, especially when God encourages us to do so. Prayer has remained the key to an excellent way to maintain a constant grace of God in our lives, and have our priorities right throughout each day. A disciplined prayer life entails going to God in prayers often, preferably three times a day; morning, afternoon and night. The Psalmist in Psalm 55 vs 17 says:-"Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud, And He shall hear my voice." 

In our memory verse, God said He had the cries in prayer of the children of Israel who had been in bondage in Egypt for 430 years. God sent them help after He heard their cries in prayer. So until you cry out against that affliction in your life, it remains. God only responds to your voice in prayer, to put a stop to the assault of the devil in your life. Apart from destroying afflictions, prayer puts you on the line for divine visitations, and turns your captivity around, just as it did for the children of Israel. Therefore, the time is now to rise up against that situation—joblessness, barrenness, lack or want, and so on. Go to God in prayers, remind Him of His promises in His Word that exempt you from such afflictions, and you will be set free! Nothing can stop a person of prayer!

Sing this beautiful song that summarizes the power of prayer:-

What a friend we have in Jesus,

All our sins and griefs to bear!

What a privilege to carry 

Everything to God in prayer!

Oh, what a peace we often forfeit,

Oh, what needless pain we bear -

All because we do not carry

Everything to God in Prayer.

Have we trials and temptations?

Is there trouble anywhere?

We should not be discouraged;

Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Can we find a friend so faithful.

Who will all our sorrows share?

Jesus knows our every weakness -

Take it to the lord in Prayer!

Are we weak and heavy-laden?

Cumbered with load of care?

Precious Savior, still our refuge - 

Take it to the Lord in prayer,

Do your friends despise, forsake you?

Take it to the Lord in prayer.

In His arms He'll take and shield you,

You will find a solace there!

The power of prayer is not in the number of prayers that are made for a particular request. The power is not in repetitious phrases or words in prayer. The power of prayer is based on the righteous living of the individual who makes the prayer of faith. The righteous demeanor of our lives, therefore, is the foundation upon which prayers are answered. This is true because God always works on behalf of His obedient children. 

Prayer: Abba Father, endue me with the spirit of prayer, and supplication in obedience of faith to You, that I may dwell in Your presence always through prayer, and obtain my victory over all circumstances that confront me in life, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!