Prayer as an intermediary for God's action. Learn how through prayer God can be expected to influence society and people’s lives
Summary
The text analyzes the importance of prayer through the following key points: 1. Jesus and the apostles as examples: They showed through their lives that continuous and persistent prayer is an essential foundation for all spiritual success. 2. The essence of prayer: Prayer is simple asking and crying out to God so that His will may be fulfilled in a world given free will. 3. Worthiness behind prayer: Access before a holy God does not depend on human merit, but entirely on the perfect redemptive work of Jesus. 4. Most important prayer topics: Believers should focus their prayers especially on the eternal salvation of people, decision-makers, media representatives, and the breaking of false ideologies. 5. Tools for prayer: Systematic prayer lists help one remain persistent amid daily busyness, and fasting serves as an effective enhancer of prayer in major spiritual breakthroughs.
One of the
important topics in the Bible and in the Christian life is prayer. In it, we
turn to God in heaven and ask Him to intervene in our lives or in the lives of
others. Our prayers and supplications are directed to God, as the following
verses show. If our prayers are directed elsewhere, it is not a true Christian
prayer.
- (Acts 12:5) Peter
therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the
church to God for him.
- (Rom 10:1)
Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is,
that they might be saved.
- (Phil 4:6) Be
careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with
thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
Why then should we
pray to God? Can’t he fulfill his good will on earth without our prayers? Yes
certainly could, but God has not made humans robots, but has allowed us to be
an intermediary in carrying out His will. He usually doesn’t interfere in
people’s affairs unless specifically asked to do so. Heaven needs a license
where prayer is the key. God gave the earth to the people (Ps 115:16: 16
The heaven, even the heavens, are the LORD's: but the earth has he given to
the children of men.), and therefore we must turn to God if we want Him to
affect our own lives and our society here on earth.
Jesus ’teaching about prayer highlights this. God’s will is not automatically
accomplished on earth, but should be prayed for. Otherwise, we cannot expect
God's help and touch:
- (Matt 6:9,10) After this manner therefore pray you: Our Father which are in
heaven, Hallowed be your name.
10 Your kingdom
come, Your will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Jesus and the apostles were diligent in prayer
So God has given
people the opportunity to turn to him in prayer. Through prayer, we can expect
God’s help in our spiritual work and walk. Prayer should be the number one
thing in our lives. Unfortunately, that is not always the case, but many spend
their time on television programs, the internet and their hobbies. All of
these may not be bad things in themselves, but they become a problem when we
should make time for prayer and search for God. The abuse of free time is one
of the main obstacles to it. In addition, it is worth remembering Jesus' words
about the order of things: ”For whoever will save his life shall lose it:
and whoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.” (Matt 16:25).
In any
case, prayer is an important thing, and no believer should neglect it. The
importance of prayer is shown by the fact that Jesus, the Son of God, also
prayed while on earth. He often prayed in solitude and at night:
- (Mark 1:35) And
in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed
into a solitary place, and there prayed.
- (Luke 5:15,16)
But so much the more went there a fame abroad of him: and great multitudes
came together to hear, and to be healed by him of their infirmities.
16 And he withdrew
himself into the wilderness, and prayed.
- (Luke 6:12) And
it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray,
and continued all night in prayer to God.
- (Luke 22:44) And
being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great
drops of blood falling down to the ground.
- (Hebr 5:7) 7 Who
in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications
with strong crying and tears to him that was able to save him from death, and
was heard in that he feared;
What about Paul?
He, too, was a hard-working prayer, and that is one reason why his work was
successful and far-reaching. Without prayer and constant seeking God, his
influence would not have been similar.
- (Rom 1:9,10) For
God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that
without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers;
10 Making request,
if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of
God to come to you.
- (Eph 1:15,16) Why
I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love to all the
saints,
16 Cease not to
give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;
- (Col 1:9) For
this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for
you, and to desire that you might be filled with the knowledge of his
will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
- (1 Thess 3:10) Night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face, and
might perfect that which is lacking in your faith?
- (2 Tim 1:3) I
thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without
ceasing I have remembrance of you in my prayers night and day;
If we look at the
lives of the other apostles, it can be said that they also valued prayer. A
good example is in the Acts of the Apostles, when the congregation's relief
work began to take up too much of the apostles' time. Therefore, they set
other people to help with this task. They themselves wanted to set aside more
time for prayer and for the ministry of the word:
- (Acts 6:1-4) And
in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a
murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were
neglected in the daily ministration.
2 Then the twelve
called the multitude of the disciples to them, and said, It is not reason that
we should leave the word of God, and serve tables.
3 Why, brothers,
look you out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and
wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.
4 But we will
give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.
Prayer: asking, seeking, crying out to God
Prayer is often
made more complicated than it really is. It is simply that we turn to God and
want Him to interfere in our lives or in the lives of others. We tell Him
things that bother us, just as if we were talking to another person.
Other names are also used in the Bible for prayer, such as asking or begging.
Jesus referred to it several times. We can approach and pray to God the Father
in His name, or through Him. On the other hand, Jesus taught that we can turn
to him in prayer and supplication:
- (Matt 7:7-11) Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it
shall be opened to you:
8 For every
one that asks receives; and he that seeks finds; and to him that knocks it
shall be opened.
9 Or what man is
there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?
10 Or if he ask a
fish, will he give him a serpent?
11 If you then,
being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall
your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
- (Matt 18:19)
Again I say to you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any
thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my
Father which is in heaven.
- (Matt 21:22) 22
And all things, whatever you shall ask in prayer, believing, you shall
receive.
- (John 15:7,16) If
you abide in me, and my words abide in you, you shall ask what you will,
and it shall be done to you.
16 You have not
chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that you should go and
bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatever you
shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
- (John
16:23,24,26) And in that day you shall ask me nothing. Truly, truly, I say to
you, Whatever you shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.
24 Till now have
you asked nothing in my name: ask, and you shall receive, that your joy may be
full.
26 At that
day you shall ask in my name: and I say not to you, that I will pray
the Father for you:
- (John 14:13,14)
And whatever you shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the
Father may be glorified in the Son.
14 If you
shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
- (Mark 11:24)
Therefore I say to you, What things soever you desire, when you pray,
believe that you receive them, and you shall have them.
- (Eph 3:20) Now to
him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask
or think, according to the power that works in us,
- (Eph 6:18)
Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and
watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
- (Phil 4:6) Be
careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with
thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
- (James 1:5) If
any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that gives to all
men liberally, and upbraides not; and it shall be given him.
- (James 4:2) You
lust, and have not: you kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: you fight
and war, yet you have not, because you ask not.
The Bible says that
prayer is also crying out to God. It's not about the volume of the voice, it's
about turning to God and asking for His help and influence, either in our own
lives or in the lives of others. It can be , for example, a question of the
salvation of our neighbors, that there should be a revival in society, or we
can tell God about our personal problems. The only condition is that our
prayers do not conflict with God’s will. Then God will hear us: ”And this
is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to
his will, he hears us: And if we know that he hear us, whatever we ask, we
know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.” (1 John 5:14,15).
We must cry out to God, or make known to him the things that weigh on us.
- (Gen 4:26) And to
Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos:
then began men to call on the name of the LORD.
- (Ps 50:15)
And call on me in the day of trouble: I will deliver you, and you
shall glorify me. Ja
avuksesi huuda minua hädän päivänä,
niin minä tahdon auttaa sinua, ja sinun pitää kunnioittaman minua."
- (Isaih 30:18,19) And therefore
will the LORD wait, that he may be gracious to you, and therefore will he be
exalted, that he may have mercy on you: for the LORD is a God of judgment:
blessed are all they that wait for him.
19 For the people shall dwell in
Zion at Jerusalem: you shall weep no more: he will be very gracious to you at
the voice of your cry; when he shall hear it, he will answer
you.
- (Ps 4:3) But know that the LORD
has set apart him that is godly for himself: the LORD will hear when I
call to him.
- (Ps 17:6) I
have called on you, for you will hear me, O God: incline your ear to
me, and hear my speech.
- (Ps 34:15) The
eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their
cry.
- (Ps 145:18) The
LORD is near to all them that call on him, to all that call on him in
truth.
- (Jer 29:12,13) Then shall you call on me, and you shall go and pray to me, and I will
listen to you.
13 And you shall
seek me, and find me, when you shall search for me with all your heart.
- (Jer 33:3)
Call to me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty
things, which you know not.
- (Luke 18:6,7) And
the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge said.
7 And shall not God
avenge his own elect, which cry day and night to him, though he
bear long with them?
- (Rom 10:12) For
there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord
over all is rich to all that call on him.
- (1 Cor 1:2) To
the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ
Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call on the
name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both their's and our's:
Who is worthy to pray? Confession of sins is necessary if we have done wrong. However, worthiness before God is based entirely on the redemptive work of Jesus
If
one reads the Bible, one can see that intentional and unrecognized sin can be
an obstacle to prayer. For example, in the book of Isaiah (Isaiah 59:1,2) it
is written: ”Behold, the LORD's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save;
neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated
between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he
will not hear.” Similarly, the book of Psalms refers to the same subject.
Psalm 66:18 says: ”If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear
me.”
What
about unforgiveness towards others? That, too, can be an obstacle to prayer,
and therefore everyone should forgive others before prayer begins. Jesus even
taught that ”if you forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your
Father forgive your trespasses.” (Matt 6:15). Likewise, he taught
forgiveness before prayer. This would be good to target the person himself as
well, because sometimes people are very merciless towards themselves, as they
may be disappointed with God. We should have the right relationship with our
neighbors, ourselves, and God:
- (Matt 5:23-26)
Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your
brother has ought against you;
24 Leave there your
gift before the altar, and go your way; first be reconciled to your brother,
and then come and offer your gift.
25 Agree with
your adversary quickly, whiles you are in the way with him; lest at any time
the adversary deliver you to the judge, and the judge deliver you to
the officer, and you be cast into prison.
26 Truly I say to
you, You shall by no means come out there, till you have paid the uttermost
farthing.
- (Mark 11:24,25)
Therefore I say to you, What things soever you desire, when you pray, believe
that you receive them, and you shall have them.
25 And when
you stand praying, forgive, if you have ought against any: that your
Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
One passage in the
Bible also relates to the relationship with everyone's spouse. Peter taught
that prayers can be hindered if the relationship with the spouse is not in
order:
- (1 Peter 3:7) Likewise, you husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge,
giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together
of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.
What can be learned
from the above? We should give up all conscious sin and repent, as Jesus and
the apostles repeatedly taught. Moreover, when we have fallen into sin, as may
often be the case because of our inadequacies (Prov 24:16 For a just man falls
seven times, and rises up again.…), we must turn again and again to God
confessing our sins. The good news is that we will be forgiven immediately and
we can start all over again from a clean slate. The best, of course, would be
if we did not sin at all, but lived all the time in victory over sin, but we
are not yet in heaven and can fall. Therefore, confession of sins to God is
key if we have done wrong:
- (Prov 28:13) He
that covers his sins shall not prosper: but whoever confesses and
forsakes them shall have mercy.
- (1 John 1:9) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and
to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
- (1 John 2:1,2) My
little children, these things write I to you, that you sin not.
And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the
righteous:
2 And he is
the propitiation for our sins: and not for our's only, but also for
the sins of the whole world.
As we approach God,
it is good to remember that it never happens through our works or that we have
reached a certain level of holiness. Not so. Instead, our worthiness in prayer
and throughout life can only be based on the atoning sacrifice of Jesus
Christ. He is the propitiation for our sins (1 John 2:2), our worthiness
before God, and our ticket to communion with God. Through the blood of Jesus,
because he was the perfect atoning sacrifice for us, we can draw near to God
in prayer.
Many
make the mistake that when they have failed in their lives, they think they
cannot approach God because of it. They stare too much at their own fall and
into themselves, and ignore the fact that after the confession of sins, there
are no longer any obstacles to prayer. Similarly, a person who has overcome
sin in his life can regard it as an entry ticket to God’s connection. He puts
his hope in his own trek.
However, neither of these is the right view, and access to God for the failed
or successful passes only through Jesus and his blood. He is our mediator (1
Tim. 2:5), and He Himself has taught us how to get in touch with God through
Him (John 14:6): "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the
Father, but by me." The following verses refer to the same subject, that is,
how to approach God through Jesus:
-
(Eph 2:13,18) But now in Christ Jesus you who sometimes were far off are
made near by the blood of Christ.
18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.
-
(Eph 3:11,12) 11 According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in
Christ Jesus our Lord:
12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of
him.
-
(Hebr 10:19,22) Having therefore, brothers, boldness to enter into the
holiest by the blood of Jesus,
22
Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our
hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure
water.
If a
person sees himself as too deficient to pray to God for anything, it is worth
remembering that the apostles were not worthy in themselves either. Their
worthiness was based on believing in Jesus and putting their hope and faith in
Him. A good example is Peter, who even denied Jesus in his weak moment. Its
greater sin can hardly be committed, and yet Peter was forgiven of all, and
God took him into his possession. Equally, we too can stop belittling
ourselves and trust in Jesus, who is our goodness before God, and through whom
we can approach God in prayer.
Another example is the Northern European Pentecostal Apostle T.B. Barratt, who
saw his own wandering before his Pentecostal experience as very deficient. Yet
in all his imperfections he had a strong thirst for God, so that he grew and
thirsted for righteousness, as Jesus taught (Matt 5:6 Blessed are those who
grow and thirst for righteousness, for they are nourished.). God fulfilled
his thirst as the following lines show, and with the Pentecostal experience,
his spiritual life became more in line with God's will. The question of
sanctification had been his most cherished subject, though he had not
experienced it properly before his renewal:
It took place
yesterday, on Sunday, 7 October, between 5 a.m. and 6 a.m. in the afternoon,
and now you will hear what has led to this. My soul is burning! I feel like
I'm the happiest man in the world. Everything has become new. I am filled with
joy and peace and love for God and people! In all days, He has led me, and my
innermost being has continually cried out, "Go ahead! Onward! Ever since my
severe illness, more than 20 years ago, there have been forces, good forces,
that have driven me forward. The question of sanctification has been my
dearest subject; and I have fought for the idea of holiness, even though I
have not experienced it myself.
But how bad I
felt in my own eyes in the face of God's purity and holiness! I saw my own
ambition, selfishness, stubbornness, and carnality. Oh, my God, I saw so much,
so much that would grieve the Holy Spirit! I was broken and bent to the ground
time and time again. (1)
These things are worth praying for
When praying, some people’s prayers can focus only on their own things: “my
well-being, my financial income, my interpersonal relationship, the success of
my children in life, etc.” Nor
are these in themselves bad topics if a person has a real need and emergency.
Yes, they can also be prayed if necessary.
However, if prayer topics deal only with well-being and comfort in this life,
the most important prayer topics will be left out. For the most important
topics of prayer should always be the fulfillment of God’s will in society,
that God’s work should progress, and that people should come into the right
relationship with God so that they can be saved and enter heaven. Such prayers
have an effect until eternity.
Here are some important topics, several of which are mentioned on the pages of
the Bible. A few examples of how the same things have been prayed after the
days of the Bible and received answers have been included.
Salvation of people should be the primary topic
For example, Paul had this kind
of concern for both non-Jews and his own people. In the letter to the Romans
(Romans 10:1), he told how he prayed for the people of his own people that
they would be saved: "Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God
for Israel is, that they might be saved."
In modern
times, we should follow the same pattern that Paul had.
Prayer for the salvation of our loved ones (relatives, neighbors, coworkers,
superiors...) should be a constant topic in our prayers. Through prayer, the
resistance that people naturally have towards God and why they do not seek
salvation can be broken.
Sometimes the salvation of others has to be prayed for years or even decades
before it is seen to be put into practice. For example, George Müller, who
received thousands of answers to prayer, had to wait up to decades before some
people were saved. He brought the same persons before God daily for years, but
they were not saved until after his death. Müller is a great example of the
endurance of prayer:
The whole big secret is in not giving up before the answer comes. Over the
course of 52 years, I have prayed every day for two men who are the sons of a
childhood friend of mine. They are not yet saved, but they will be saved! How
could it be otherwise? I rest on the unerring Promises of Jehovah. One great
fault of the children of God is that they are not persistent in prayer. They
do not stand firm. If they wanted to receive something for the Glory of God,
they would pray until they received it. Oh, how good, kind, merciful, and
condescending towards us is He, whom we are dealing with! He has given me, the
unworthy, more than I imagined to pray, or even think about! I am only a weak,
sinful man. But He has heard my prayers tens of thousands of times and used me
to lead tens of thousands of people to the truth. I say tens of thousands in
this and other countries. These unworthy lips have preached the Gospel to
multitudes, and many, many have believed and received Eternal life." (2)
We should pray for governing authorities
It means the parliament, the president, city leaders, judges,
the police, etc. Praying for authority can contribute to a peaceful life and
to making it easier for the gospel to spread in society. The following verses,
among others, refer to this important topic of prayer:
-
(Jer 29:7) And seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be
carried away captives, and pray to the LORD for it: for in the peace
thereof shall you have peace.
- (1
Tim 2:1-4) I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications,
prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and
peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.
3 For
this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior;
4 Who
will have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
In
his book Ihmeellisiä herätyksiä, Charles Finney tells how a few
revivals in his time affected key and leading people in cities. They had been
prayed for and several of them came to a living faith:
The
revival I am now telling about completely changed the moral situation and the
later stages of Rochester. Most men and women in leading positions in the city
came to conversion…
I have told that the moral situation changed greatly through this revival. The
city was new, economically prosperous and enterprising but full of sin. The
population was especially intelligent and ambitious but as the revival swept
through the city by bringing large crowds of its most remarkable people, men
and women, to conversion, there happened a very miraculous change concerning
the order, peacefulness and morality. (3)
We can pray for representatives of the media
Journalists, program makers and media
companies play a key role in what perceptions spread to society. Now the media
is mainly used by the devil so that anti-God thoughts, lies and lifestyles
spread strongly through them to society.
People believe these lies and misconceptions in the media, and their
opposition to God is growing.
We can pray for the breaking of lies
One such lie is the theory of evolution
with its millions of years, a notion that occurs in almost every second nature
program. When people believe everything is born of themselves, that is, they
reject God as the creator, they do not believe in any other teaching of the
Bible. For example, Richard Dawkins, a well-known denyer of God, has stated
that Darwin's theory gives him a valid reason to be an atheist.
Other lies in Western countries include e.g. false teachings about sexuality.
So it is accepted sexual relations outside the marriage of a man and wife, as
well as homosexual relations and abortion. Similarly, a new concept is
trans-ideology, which questions the difference between a man and a woman,
talks about multiple genders, gender reassignment, etc. The breaking of these
lies can be prayed for, just as we can pray for people who promote these
things.
What about other countries outside the West? There, people are bound by
different religions such as Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism. They reject Jesus
’atoning work and try to achieve salvation through deeds (The Catholic
Church is also almost entirely on the same path. Most Catholic priests have
not received salvation). We should pray for all these lies to be broken so
that they do not take people to hell.
In his book Ihmeellisiä herätyksiä, Charles Finney tells how in his
time, in the revivals of the 19th century, the false thought structures that
ruled people were broken. The same can be prayed in modern times:
Many
doctors were also converted in those great awakenings in which I was. I would
think that their studies would make them liable to doubt and to be
materialistic. But they are sensible, and when the Gospel is presented to them
as perfect, it is as easy to win them as any other person and they turn to
God. It is true that their studies have not made them as ready to comprehend
the moral principles of God as the study of jurisprudence, but I have,
however, found them to be open to contrition, and they are not at all
difficult to handle, as far as the great question of salvation is concerned.
Universalism, Unitarianism and generally all kinds major mistakes of people
have collapsed in these great awakenings. I have learned again and again that
people must only become thoroughly convinced of their sin by the Holy Spirit
to be immediately and forever gladly ready to give up those viewpoints. (4)
We can pray for priests and bishops
Many priests have never been saved, and
therefore they accept anti-Biblical doctrines such as universalism (the
doctrine of the salvation of all), homosexual relationships, or premarital
heterosexual relationships. Such spiritual blindness is characteristic of
unsaved priests, and it is worth praying for their salvation.
The situation was the same during the apostles. The greatest opponents of
Jesus and the apostles were the religious Pharisees (Paul was also a Pharisee
before his salvation) and the priests. However, the Acts of the Apostles tell
how they were saved:
-
(Acts 6:7) And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples
multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were
obedient to the faith.
We can pray for the preaching of the word and for preachers
For example, Charles
Finney, a well-known 19th-century preacher, was assisted by Father Nash, who
prayed while Finney preached. This was a great reason why, through Finney's
proclamation, large multitudes came into living faith. Likewise, Paul asked
for intercession for the word of the Lord to spread quickly and for God to
open the doors to the proclamation of the word.
- (2
Thess 3:1) Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may
have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you:
-
(Col 4:2,3) Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;
3 With praying also for us, that God would open to us a door of utterance,
to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds:
-
(Eph 6:18,19) Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the
Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication
for all saints;
19 And for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth
boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,
Prayer can be seen as a key factor in the proclamation of the word bearing
fruit. Through prayer, many spiritual works have originated and congregations
have emerged in the communities. Prayers have paved the way for the
proclamation of the word to bear fruit. Sometimes it has taken years or
decades of prayer.
One description of a praying person is the following quote. This is a praying
woman who prayed for every city in North Texas until a church was built there.
She spent hours in prayer daily, and her prayers were answered. Word preachers
and pastors were later allowed to reap the consequences of a woman's effort:
On
that particular Sunday, we gathered at the home of my future wife. There was
an adorable, old lady. I had heard of him, but had never met him. She was
commonly referred to as Mother Howard. She was referred to as “the mother of
Israel”.
He ate with us, but as soon as we had finished eating and started dating each
other, she inquired about a room where she could retreat to solitude.
… The pastor told me, “Praying is her job. She gets up at four in the morning
and prays from four to eight every morning. She then prepares himself a little
to eat, goes to pray for a couple of hours, eats a light lunch and then
usually comes to us for a little while. At two or three in the afternoon, he
returns to pray. Sometimes he prays until midnight. If the burden of prayer
has been placed on his heart, he will pray all night. ”
This woman served as a intercessor.
She was reborn years earlier in Dallas. The family then moved to a city where
there was no full gospel church. In fact, there was no such thing in any
nearby town.
One by one, city by city, she prayed until a church was built there. Then she
went to pray for the next city and continued until a church was built there,
Mother Howard, that old, little woman, a great saint of God, prayed a church
to every city, village, and corner in North Texas.
I have been thinking about the moment when we will get to heaven and it is
time for the awards ceremony. The pastors who built the churches are ready to
step forward to receive their prizes. But Jesus calls Mother Howard.
The work was done because of her intercessions! No one saw her. We barely knew
of her existence. But she didn’t spend her time visiting and socializing on
Sunday afternoons. She did her job. She literally sacrificed her life for
others. (5)
One prayer topic is to pray for laborers into spiritual work, as Jesus urged
This
is how the laborers whom God wants for different actions are brought to light.
Such laborers are needed in hundreds, in the homeland and in the mission
fields:
-
(Matt 9:37,38) Then said he to his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous,
but the laborers are few;
38
Pray you therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth laborers
into his harvest.
There
are good examples in this area. Many spiritual workers are the result of
prayer. For example, Charles Finney, mentioned several times, was the subject
of prayers, and as a result, Finney came to faith, received a strong baptism
of the Spirit after faith, and revival began soon after.
Well-known prayer John Hyde, “praying Hyde,” is another example. He was in
faith, but a friend of his father said he would take him as a prayer of object
so that Hyde would be filled with the Holy Spirit. At first, Hyde became angry
about the matter, but eventually he experienced renewal and gained new
strength in his life after a relatively unknown man had prayed for him.
A third example is the family of the well-known preacher David Wilkerson. His
son Gary Wilkerson, himself a preacher, has told in his book The Divine
Intercessor how his grandmother's grandmother prayed for her family and that
Christian leaders would rise from her family. This prayer was answered:
… I
thank the Lord for those who hide in the prayer chamber. I know that
generations ago, grandmother of my grandmother prayed for her family. She was
not a spiritual leader; she just hid in her prayer chamber and prayed that God
would give Christian leaders from her family. Her son became an evangelist,
her grandson became a pastor and a leader of the church. Her grandson's son
became an evangelist and the pastor and his grandson's grandson writes this
book. All this in response to the relentless prayers of a woman that few have
ever heard of. While many have heard of David Wilkerson, the son of her
grandson, very few have heard of her. She was one of these praying women — a
widow who prayed in a chamber for spiritual leaders in the church. (6)
We can pray for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit
The first outpouring of the
Holy Spirit took place on Pentecost during the apostles, but it has taken
place in all the great revivals since. For example, the book of Isaiah
contains a related promise: “For I will pour water on him that is thirsty,
and floods on the dry ground: I will pour my spirit on your seed, and my
blessing on your offspring” (Isaiah 44: 3). Likewise, the following
promise of Jesus is related the topic:
- (Luke 11:13) If
you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children: how
much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask
him?
Personally, I
understand that anyone can receive the gift of the Holy Ghost right away
simply by asking, but it is a different matter to pray to God for a broader
outpouring of the Holy Spirit over society, and that requires a longer prayer.
It is not just a matter of asking for a few minutes, but a long-term prayer in
which you want God to influence society through His Holy Spirit. Without it,
all spiritual work is somewhat useless.
One example of this area is the description given by Charles Finney. It is
about a city where the presence of the Holy Spirit was so strong that people
came to guilt and salvation. There was no need to argue with them because God
Himself showed people their condition. Before this Finney tells about a woman
who had prayed much, and this certainly had an impact on the birth of the
city’s atmosphere.
… Mr. Aiken, pastor
of the Presbyterian Church, provided the burial. I heard from him that a
spirit of prayer had begun to manifest in his congregation and in the city of
Utica. One of the most notable women of the congregation was so troubled in
her soul about the state of the congregation and the wickedness of the city
that she had prayed for two days and nights almost incessantly until she was
tired out. Her soul did work so hard that her strength went to such an extent
that she could no longer bear her inner burden unless she could get someone to
pray with he, on whose prayers she could lean, and who carried her wish to
God.
I
understood this and told Mr. Aiken that now the work begins in the heart of
this woman. He admitted that, of course, and hoped that I would immediately
come to his congregation to begin with him. That's what I did soon, and the
work began. Its power was felt immediately, and the influence of the Holy
Ghost filled the entire region. The meetings were crowded every night, and the
work spread greatly, especially to both presbyterian congregations. I divided
my time between them.
... So this
largest hotel in the city became the center of spiritual work, and many turned
there. The mail wagons stopped at the hotel as they drove through, and so
immense was God's influence on society as a whole that I heard that many
people who stayed there only for a meal or for the night had come to great
feeling of guilty and to conversion before leaving the city. It was a very
common phenomenon, both in Rome and here, that no one could be in the city or
pass through it without knowing the presence of God; so His influence seemed
to permeate these regions, and God's life enlivened the whole atmosphere. (7)
One prayer topic that can be brought before God is spiritual gifts
Many people
are sick, bound, have soul wounds from difficult relationships, and need help.
Spiritual gifts are needed for this purpose. It is good, of course, that there
are doctors, medicines and psychiatrists in society, but people do not always
get help through these worldly helpers or aids. That is why churches need
gifts of Spirit to meet people’s needs and to help them have a proper
relationship with God. This also includes the gift of separating spirits so
that the action of the devil can be identified. For example, Paul exhorted to
pray these gifts.
- (1
Cor 12:28-31) And God has set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily
prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings,
helps, governments, diversities of tongues.
29
Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of
miracles?
30
Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?
31 But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet show I to you a more
excellent way.
- (1
Cor 14:1) Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but
rather that you may prophesy.
If we
look at the activities of Paul and the other apostles, they had these gifts in
use. It was manifested in the sick healing and other miracles happening. It is
true, of course, that even the devil’s servants can work miracles, such as
magicians in the time of Moses, but they cannot lead people to salvation, and
the miracles they do bind people spiritually. In any case, gifts are needed,
such as they were in use during the early church:
-
(Acts 5:12) And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders
worked among the people; (and they were all with one accord in
Solomon's porch.
-
(Rom 15:18,19) For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which
Christ has not worked by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed,
19 Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God;
so that from Jerusalem, and round about to Illyricum, I have fully preached
the gospel of Christ.
-
(Hebr 2:3,4) How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at
the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by them that
heard him;
4 God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers
miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?
One
example of the use of spiritual gifts is the healing revival that was in the
United States after World War II. In this revival people not only saved and
entered into a proper relationship with God, but numerous people were also
healed because the gifts worked in that area. Here are a couple of quotes from
these events that were current when they were written:
There
is movement throughout the country: God is speaking to His people. Signs,
wonders, and miracles are happening, so that the greatest meeting places in
the earth are full of people who will come to see the miraculous things
brought about by the hand of God. The gifts of healing, along with other
gifts, are gaining their former status in the church. The supernatural power
is again as evident as in biblical times.
…
When we say that we live in the days of the Bible, we mean in particular that
the power of God now manifested is comparable to that of the New Testament
church. It is true that God has always revealed Himself to those who have
humbly sought His face. But it is also true that Almighty God has chosen
certain times when He will express His power to a more special degree.
… It
is an indisputable fact that we now have a time of soul-searching from heaven,
manifested by miracles, signs, and wonders. The gifts of healing are obvious,
and miracles are happening more and more. The deaf hear, the blind see, and
the dumb speak. The lame walk, and people sentenced to death for cancer and
other destructive diseases recover. Many bedridden patients have risen from
their beds to thank God in front of a large, astonished crowd. People who have
been in wheelchairs for a long time have risen to their feet when they have
been commanded to rise in the name of Jesus. And some of them have jumped for
joy like that lame man mentioned in the Bible who was healed at the Beautiful
Gate. We are indeed living the days of the Bible again! (Gordon Lindsay:
Elämme jälleen Raamatun päiviä / Bible days are here again, p. 5,6,8)
But
there has been a huge revival here in Chicago as well. Most of our churches
have experienced its effect very strongly, and God has shown His miraculous
authority. The distress of sin has begun to manifest, feelings have had to be
cleansed, and the great joy of salvation has been seen. The roots of
bitterness have been completely taken away, and the love of God has been able
to fill hearts.
This fall was the so-called Freeman Conference. Chicago’s magnificent
Colosseum, which until a couple of years ago would have been far too spacious
to hold revival meetings, now proved utterly inadequate. That huge ballroom
was filled to the brim twice a day. Great miracles and signs were seen. The
sick of all kinds, many of them with lung disease and cancer, recovered
perfectly. Many lame were allowed to leave the meetings healthy and give up
their crutches. There was a group of large ambulances in front of the
Colosseum, and most of them returned empty when empty. (Jos. D.
Mattsson-Boze: Vuoria siirtävä usko, s. 10,11)
One way to pray: lists
In
the previous songs, we went through prayer topics that every believer can pray
about. But how can everyone get start?
First, we need to be purposeful and determined. Time must be set aside for
prayer, otherwise prayer will become nothing. We need to prioritize things and
reduce unnecessary things to do. These include watching TV, social media, and
all sorts of hobbies that can steal time from prayer.
When starting to pray, one of the best ways is to make a list of things you
pray for. If the list is long, you may want to write it down on paper so you
can remember it if necessary. Usually, when a person constantly repeats this
list in prayer, the paper can be given up because the prayer topics begin to
remain in memory.
One model is to pray for each topic for e.g. 5 minutes until moving on to
another topic. If there are 12 prayer topics on the list, it becomes one hour
of prayer. (The same pattern has been followed, for example, in prayer
meetings of Korean churches, where lists of prayer topics have been
distributed). If necessary, the same list can be prayed several times a
day, which will be several hours of prayer. This list may include e.g. the
following prayer topics. Each can make a list of their own:
•
Parliament, the president, the city councils and that these people would be
saved
•
Relatives, their salvation
•
Neighbors, their salvation
•
Coworkers, their salvation
• The
outpouring of the Holy Spirit and that the Holy Spirit shows people their need
to be saved
•
Spiritual gifts to the congregation to help people
•
Breaking lies such as evolution theory, false teaching about sexuality, and
religions (Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism…)
•
Salvation of key personnel from groups which bring out previous teachings
• The
media (TV, newspapers and other magazines, radio channels, Internet) and that
the media people are saved
•
Priests and bishops and their salvation
• For
the progress of spiritual work (Pray you therefore the Lord of the harvest,
that he will send forth laborers into his harvest.
Matt
9: 37,38) and for workers
•
Renewal of own faith of life, own personal and family needs, guidance to
spiritual and worldly things.
Prayer is a key factor for God's action. Examples from history
- (James 4:8) Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands,
you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double minded.
If man is a being
of eternity, and heaven and hell are true, the most important thing is the
salvation of the soul from hell. However, people usually don’t want to think
about these things and have all sorts of excuses to reject God and the
conversation about the state of their souls. They do not turn to God and are
not interested in spiritual matters. This is a common condition in all
societies.
How could this be changed? How can people be made to understand that they must
make a decision to God in time so that they do not lose their souls?
The
answer is that we can, of course, talk to our neighbors and give them
spiritual reading, for example. However, if all this has already been done,
there is no choice but to pray for them so that these people turn to God. If
it then happens that these people turn or a wider crowd turns, it can be
called a revival.
Wider
revivals are still quite rare. Usually, the revivals are local and minor, and
in addition, it may take decades between the revivals.
However, it is characteristic of all revivals and of God’s action that they
have been preceded by prayer. Revivals do not come by hoping or being
inactive, but prayer is a key factor in their birth. Someone has prayed
somewhere, and then others in the revival collect the prey that has been
achieved through prayer.
(Jesus also taught that the apostles could cut because others had
struggled; John 4: 35-39). Ronald Dunn has noticed this connection between
prayer and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit:
I have been
researching revival movements and revival for most of my life, and I
constantly come across one absolute principle. There is not a single case in
written church history where there has been a significant outpouring of the
Holy Spirit within the revival movement without being preceded by the
persevering, relentless prayers of desperate people. The revival has never
come because people have marked it on their calendar. It has come because God
has written it in their hearts. (8)
Dunn also tells of
another case from Wales where there was a revival. A foreign evangelist came
to the meeting and said, "I came here to Wales to unearth the secret of the
Wales' revival."
Evan Roberts, who heard the man speak, aimed immediately at the guest with his
finger and shouted, “There’s no secret in that! Ask, and it shall be given
you. ”
What does this mean? It’s not about superhumans, talents, or anything like
that, it’s that things have been prayed for for years or decades, and then an
answer is finally received. The seeds of prayer must be sown or they have been
sown in order to reap the harvest later. This is the same law as in
agriculture. It is useless to wait for the harvest if no sowing work has been
done first.
The connection between prayer and God’s action is well illustrated by the
following examples.
•
Evan Roberts, referred to above, prayed for 11 years of revival and 13 years
of the fullness of the Spirit before anything happened. He did not receive an
immediate answer, but brought the same things over and over again before God.
•
William Seymour, who has become known for the revival of Azusa Street that
began more than a hundred years ago, was a powerful prayer. Before the revival
broke out, he first prayed five hours a day, then increased his prayer time to
six hours, and later, upon arriving in Los Angeles, he prayed for eight hours
a day. (Cecil M. Robeck, Jr: ”Seymour had prayed five hours each day for
two and half years…”, Ch.3, (p. 93).
•
John Wesley, known for revivals in England in the 18th century, taught about
the connection between prayer and God’s blessing:”
Hold up feeble arms by believing and praying; support the knees that are weak.
Do you have prayer and fast days? Make haste to the throne of grace and
continue there in perseverance, and the blessings will come down..”
(9)
• The
largest churches in the world are in South Korea. But why is that? Certainly
one reason is that there is an emphasis on the importance of prayer more than
anywhere else. Night prayer meetings have also been held.
•
There was a revival in the Hebrides in 1949-1952. Characteristic of this
revival was that most people were saved outside the Church. God’s presence was
evident so that people became aware of their sins and their need for
salvation. They were found lying on the side of the road and confessing their
injustices around the police station. Throughout society, people suddenly
became aware of their need for God, and asked God to save them.
Before this revival, however, the situation on the islands was almost dead
spiritually. There was an 800-seat church on the island of Lewis, but only a
few people, but no young people, attended the services. However, the revival
changed everything, and suddenly the churches began to fill up and people were
saved.
But what was the secret of this revival? Duncan Campbell, who has become known
for this revival, gave a simple answer to it. He stated that he himself had no
part in the matter, but “the intercessors pulled the revival down before I had
entered the island on foot”.
In particular, two elderly siblings over the age of 80 were involved in the
prayer, one blind and the other had a severe arthritis. When they could do
nothing else, they prayed daily for hours in their cottage until the blessing
came down. Duncan Campbell arrived as an invited preacher just as revival was
about to begin as a result of prayers.
•
Frank Bartleman, who wrote the book on the revival of Azusa Street and was one
of the central figures in this revival, was himself a hard-working prayer. He
wrote about this in his book Azusa Street 312. He mentioned how pessimism
prevailed at the beginning because of the circumstances of that time:
When
we began to pray in the spring of 1905, no one seemed to believe in anything
unusual. Pessimism prevailed among the saints because of the circumstances at
the time. But circumstances had changed. God Himself had given us faith in the
better. Nothing special had done it. It was born out of nowhere. Can't He do
the same today?
I was
anxious to get to know Him more truly and to see God’s work progressing
vigorously. My innermost being was heavy and cried thirstily for a strong
awakening.
… I
had to pray fervently for revival work in those days. I didn’t have much rest
during the day or at night, but time was spent in meetings and prayers.
… God
came wonderfully to us and gave us confirmation as we struggled and asked God
to shed His Spirit for people. At that time, my life was completely filled
with prayer. I prayed night and day.
… The
spirit of intercession had taken over me so strongly at that time that I
prayed almost night and day. I also fasted severely until my wife at times
almost believed I couldn’t live. My Lord's sorrow had begun to weigh on me.
… I
visited day and night in various mission clubs and constantly encouraged
people to pray in faith for revival. I spent the whole night with Brother
Boehmer again praying.
… At
that time the Lord gave me a word to write in several new flyers. But I saw
more clearly than ever that my main job was to descend lower, out of sight to
pray. I prayed many times that the spirit of intercession would not leave me.
… I
lived in the power of the spirit of prayer for many months, moment without
moment, without interruption. It became a natural part of me. (10)
As
stated, prayer is a key factor behind revivals and in people turning to God.
But prayer should be enduring so that the same things are brought before God
time and time again. (It is true, of course, that some things can be
immediately received from God as a gift, such as salvation, which everyone can
immediately experience. We do not have to be prayed it repeatedly, but we can
receive it immediately. Likewise, Jesus warned against vain repetitions, that
is, the mechanical repetition of words, but this is not the case if the prayer
arises from the heart and is directed to God. Jesus also prayed, reciting the
same words three times, Matt 26:44). Although prayer has had no results so
far, it should still be continued because we are urged to be enduring in this
area. Earlier examples showed how enduring prayer has ultimately produced
results, even though everything seemed hopeless at first. Furthermore, it is
worth remembering that these people were not superhuman, but as deficient as
we are. The reason they received the answer was not in their goodness, but
because they thirsted for God to intervene in the affairs of society. The same
pattern certainly applies today.
Among other things, the following Bible verses illustrate the importance of
endurance in prayer:
-
(Luke 18:1-7) And he spoke a parable to them to this end, that men ought
always to pray, and not to faint;
2
Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded
man:
3 And
there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, Avenge me
of my adversary.
4 And
he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear
not God, nor regard man;
5 Yet because this widow troubles me, I will avenge her, lest by her
continual coming she weary me.
6 And
the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge said.
7 And
shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night to him, though he
bear long with them?
-
(Luke 11:5-8) And he said to them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall
go to him at midnight, and say to him, Friend, lend me three loaves;
6 For
a friend of my in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before
him?
7 And
he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and
my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give you.
8 I
say to you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he
needs.
-
(Col 4:2) 2 Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;
Fasting
One part of
spiritual life is fasting, which has been neglected especially in Western
countries. This practice has not been much followed, although it should be a
part of our spiritual life. If we look at the Bible, fasting was a common
practice on both the Old Testament and New Testament sides. Well-known persons
who fasted were Moses, King David, Elijah the Prophet, Ezra the Teacher,
Nehemiah, Esther the Queen, Daniel, Jesus, and the Apostles. The following
verses show how fasting was an important factor in Old Testament times:
-
(Ezra 8:21,23)Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of
Ahava, that we might afflict
ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for us, and for our
little ones, and for all our substance.
23 So we fasted and sought our God for this: and he was entreated of us.
-
(Neh 1:4) And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and
wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of
heaven,
-
(Dan 9:3, 21-23) And I set my face to the Lord God, to seek by prayer
and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes:
21
Yes, whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in
the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the
time of the evening oblation.
22
And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come
forth to give you skill and understanding.
23 At the beginning of your supplications the commandment came forth,
and I am come to show you; for you are greatly beloved: therefore understand
the matter, and consider the vision.
-
(Joel 1:14)Sanctify you a fast,
call a solemn assembly, gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land
into the house of the LORD your God, and cry to the LORD,
-
(Jonah 3:5,10)So the people of Nineveh believed God, and
proclaimed a fast, and put on
sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them.
10
And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God
repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do to them; and he did it
not.
In the New
Testament fasting still plays an important role. Jesus began His activity with
a long fast, and other examples of fasting can be found. One interesting
mention is Jesus' words that fasting can be important in the work of
deliverance:
-
(Matt 4:2) And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was
afterward an hungered.
-
(Matt 9:14,15) Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and
the Pharisees fast oft, but your disciples fast not?
15
And Jesus said to them, Can the children of the bridal chamber mourn, as long
as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the
bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast.
-
(Matt 6:16)Moreover when you fast,
be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their
faces, that they may appear to men to fast. Truly I say to you, They have
their reward.
-
(Mark 9:28,29) And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him
privately, Why could not we cast him out?
29
And he said to them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer
and fasting.
-
(Luke 2:36,37) And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel,
of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband
seven years from her virginity;
37
And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from
the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.
- (2
Cor 11:27) In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and
thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
-
(Acts 13:1-4) Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain
prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and
Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the
tetrarch, and Saul.
2 As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said,
Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.
3 And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them,
they sent them away.
4 So
they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed to Seleucia; and from there
they sailed to Cyprus.
Although fasting
promotes health and cleanses the body of waste products, there are still
situations and illnesses where fasting is not usually recommended because it
can have more harm than good. Such conditions may include diabetes that
requires insulin treatment, pregnancy and breastfeeding, serious coronary and
vascular diseases, liver or kidney deficiency, hyperthyroidism or
hypothyroidism, serious mental disorders or psychosis, and long-term fasting
of teenagers. If you are suffering from one of the above-mentioned conditions,
it may be wise to avoid fasting, or try a half fast. If you are not sure about
your own situation, talk to your doctor. In addition, if you do not have prior
experience of fasting, it is good to start with a fast of one to three days.
There
are also certain rules for stopping fasting. The longer the fast is, the more
important it is to stop it properly. It should always be stopped with natural
juice
(the first meals only natural juice), a very light fruit and vegetable
diet, a thin broth and berry soups. They are eaten the more days, the longer
the fasting has lasted. (Generally, the transition to a regular diet is
recommended after a fast of at least one week.) Switching to strong food
too soon can be harmful, even dangerous, and cause medical conditions.
Therefore, fasting for 1-2 days at regular intervals is easier because after
that you don’t have to worry much about what you eat.
What
is the spiritual significance of fasting? It is noteworthy that, for example,
in the healing revival that began after World War II, it played an important
role
(Billy Graham's activities began around the same time). The great wave of
fasting and prayer affected America and the rest of the world from 1946-1947.
The most important lighter was Franklin Hall’s book Atomic Power With God
Through Fasting and Prayer. Thousands prayed and fasted for the revival to
begin and for spiritual gifts to be used more.
Well-known fasters were also John Wesley and George Whitefield, who lived in
the 18th century and whose activities are thought to have contributed to the
fact that England did not experience the same revolution as France. John
Wesley has stated: “Hold up feeble arms by believing and praying; support
the knees that are weak. Do you have prayer and fast days? Make haste to the
throne of grace and continue there in perseverance, and the blessings will
come down.” (11)
One example is the movement of God born during Jonathan Edwards, which was
preceded by fasting in addition to prayers. William Cooper wrote the following
statement in Jonathan Edwards ’book,“ The Noticeable Features of the Spirit of
God, ”in its preface. In it he referred to both prayer and fasting:
How
dead and dry it has been in all the Reformed churches for a long time. The
effects of the Spirit are gone. Conversions have been rare and uncertain. This
has been a sad state of religion among us in this country for years. That is
why in our public prayers we have constantly prayed that God would pour out
His Spirit upon us. Most churches have set aside days for seeking the Lord in
prayer and fasting so that He would come and pour out the rain of
righteousness upon us. And now, “Look! The Lord we have been looking for has
suddenly come to His temple. ” The age of grace in which we now live is indeed
one that neither we nor our fathers have seen. In some situations it has been
so enormous that I believe no such thing has happened since the mighty
outpouring of the Holy Spirit just after the resurrection of our Lord.
Apostolic times seem to have returned to us, such has been the manifestation
of the power and grace of the Spirit of God in the gatherings of His people.
(12)
REFERENCES:
1. Martin Ski: T.B. Barratt - Helluntaiapostoli, p. 108-110
2. Charles Price: Ihmeitätekevä usko, p.37
3. Charles
G. Finney: Ihmeellisiä herätyksiä, p. 240, 245
4. Charles
G. Finney: Ihmeellisiä herätyksiä, p. 296
5. Kenneth E.Hagin:
Esirukouksen taito (Handbook on How To Intercede), p. 137,138
6. Gary Wilkerson: Taivaallinen esirukoilija (The Divine Intercessor),
p. 35
7. Charles
G. Finney: Ihmeellisiä herätyksiä, p. 149, 151
8. Ronald
Dunn: Mitä jos rukoilisit?
(Don’t Just Stand There Pray Something), p. 235
9. Leonard Ravenhill: Miksi herätys viipyy?, p.8
10. Frank Bartleman: Azusa-katu 312 (Azusa Street), p. 52,
38,43,46,65,72,75,76
11. Leonard Ravenhill: Miksi herätys viipyy?, p.8
12. Jaap
Dieleman: Puhalla Pasunaan! (Blaas de Bazuin), p. 67
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Why should a believer pray diligently for society and people?
According to the Bible, prayer is an essential instrument for God's action on earth, as God has given responsibility for the earth to human beings. Although God knows everything, He usually does not intervene in human affairs or the direction of society without being specifically asked in prayer. Persistent prayer is the key to allowing God's good will to be fulfilled in our lives.
What kind of prayer did Jesus and the apostles show by their own example?
Jesus and the apostles were extremely diligent in prayer, often withdrawing into solitude and night prayers to seek God. The apostles even appointed others to handle practical food service so that they themselves could focus fully on prayer and the ministry of the word. This demonstrates that prayer should be the primary priority in a believer's life, rather than a secondary hobby.
What is Christian prayer ultimately according to the Bible?
Prayer should not be made into a complicated performance; rather, it is simply turning to the heavenly Father and telling Him the things that weigh on our minds. The Bible describes prayer as asking, seeking, and crying out to God in the day of trouble. Prayer is genuine and trusting speech from the heart to the Creator, who hears us when we ask according to His will.
What is a person's worthiness to pray and approach a holy God based on?
Worthiness to step before a holy God is never based on human merit or religious goodness, but entirely on the perfect redemptive work of Jesus Christ. If we have done wrong, honest confession of sins and repentance are necessary to maintain moral purity. Through Jesus' name and atonement, however, we always have free and unhindered access to the throne of grace.
Why should the salvation of people be at the top of prayer topics?
The eternal salvation of people is the greatest desire of God's heart, and therefore it must also be the most important prayer topic for the church and believers. When we pray for the salvation of our fellow human beings, we act directly at the center of God's revealed will and plan of salvation. Prayer breaks the bonds of the powers of darkness around people and opens their hearts to receive the truth of the gospel.
Why is it important for us to remember to pray for governing authorities and decision-makers?
The Bible directly urges us to pray for governmental authority and all those in positions of leadership so that we may live a peaceful and quiet life. Decision-makers constantly need divine protection and wisdom to make laws that honor the permanent moral laws set by the Creator. Praying for authorities is an effective barrier against societal moral decay and spiritual blindness.
How and why should believers direct prayer for representatives of the media?
Today, media and news outlets guide the perceptions, values, and worldview of the general public with immense power. We should pray for journalists and media influencers to have a love of truth and moral responsibility instead of spreading false ideologies. Through prayer, God can work so that voices honoring the truth gain space in public discussion.
What is meant by praying for the breaking of lies and false ideologies?
In modern society, there are many unproven beliefs and false perceptions that obscure people from true knowledge of the Creator and Biblical truth. In prayer, we can ask for a spiritual breakthrough where these false thought structures and atheistic myths break by the power of God's Spirit. When false perceptions crumble, people's minds are set free to encounter the living God.
How does praying for preachers, priests, and bishops affect the church?
Preachers and church leaders face constant pressure to conform to the spirit of the world and compromise regarding the Word of God. Intercession equips them with the power of the Holy Spirit and courage to stand firm in Christian truth without fear of man. At the same time, believers should pray, as Jesus urged, for new laborers into this spiritual harvest.
What is the significance of prayer lists and fasting in a persistent prayer life?
Written prayer lists help keep prayer life systematic and faithful amidst daily busyness and obstacles. Fasting, on the other hand, is a biblical way to humble oneself before God, and it enhances prayer by making the believer more sensitive to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Combining fasting and prayer has throughout history been key to the emergence of great spiritual awakenings.
