Prayer Part 1

 1 Timothy 2:1 I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them.

God calls us to pray for all people.  Not just one person, not just Christians, or not at all.  Every person on this planet is a child of God and they need prayer.  We are called to pray for protection, healing of physical, emotional, and spiritual health issues.  God calls us to intercede on their behalf.  To intercede for someone means to intervene, plead, or act on their behalf.  It means "standing in the gap" to help someone facing difficulty, resolve a conflict, or advocate for a need they cannot easily handle on their own. 

Everyone is Suffering – Every Christian and non-Christian is suffering with something.  We are suffering with emotional and physical health issues because most don’t pray, or pray very little, or we don’t know how to pray, or we don’t pray effectively. Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much James 5:15. 

Effective Prayer

I use this verse many times as an example of how to pray effectively, anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, but a good word makes it glad Proverbs 12:25 NKJV.  Anxiety is fear in the Bible.  Depression is caused by fear. Fear is sin and God tells us not to fear hundreds of times in the Bible.  Effective prayer is casting out the fear that is causing the depression rather than the praying away the depression symptoms.

Sin and Symptoms

Jesus taught about sin that leads to health issues and how to be healed, then they asked him, “Who is the Man who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk’?” 13 But the one who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, a multitude being in that place. 14 Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, “See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing (greater illnesses) come upon you.” John 5:10-14.  A woman was caught in adultery and Jesus said to the Pharisees in John 8:7 He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.”  Afterwards, Jesus told the women sin no more in verse 11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”  What is the correlation between the depression verse, the paralyzed man at the pool of Bethesda, and the adulterous women?  Sin caused the issues (symptoms).  This not any different than all of us who have sickness and disease.  Don’t take my word.  Take the Word of God who tells us why we have sickness and disease.  It is because of the curses of disobedience in Deuteronomy 28:15-68. Disobedience is sin.  God lists many sicknesses and diseases symptoms and includes all sicknesses and diseases not listed in verse 61 Also every sickness and every plague, which is not written in this Book of the Law, will the Lord bring upon you until you are destroyed because of our disobedience.  Jesus commands all of us to sin no more!

The Church of Today – The Great Commission

I have visited many, many churches over the years in Denver and the western United States when I was traveling for work.  All of the churches, with one exception, are doing the same things.  They have praise, they teach the Bible, they tell you don’t do this, and don’t do that.  They have people at the altar for prayer, but very few make themselves available for prayer.  The prayer that can bring them out of captivity.

What I have found is very few are carrying out the entire commandment Jesus gave to the disciples before He went to be with His Father.  Most churches preach the gospel but are not consistent with the rest of the commandments from Jesus.

Most people and even Google reference Matthew 28: 18-20 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

The commandment in Mark 16:14-18 digs deeper with additional instructions that are at a different spiritual level that are not being mentioned or applied as much in today’s church body, Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen. 15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

Mark 16:14-18 is Jesus’s blue print for bringing people out of captivity and we must follow His instructions.  His instructions are not an option to ignore if we want to be healed. 

·       Jesus tells every believer to preach the gospel.  We can’t teach the gospel if we don’t read the gospel, or won’t teach the gospel.  The gospel is God’s blueprint on how to live a Christian life.

·       Jesus commands us to cast out demons.  They are frequently referred to as "unclean spirits", "evil spirits", or simply "dark angels of Satan." Anger, fear, confusion, unsound mind, bitterness, unforgiveness, slander, envy, jealousy, unloving, curses, and hatred, to name a few are demons.  Why are we afraid to say the word “demon” in and out of church? Don’t ignore or fear demons that contribute to sickness and disease because we have power and authority over demons, Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you, Lucke 10:19.

·       They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.  It means that believers have the authority to act as conduits of God's healing power by physically touching and praying for the sick and diseased, resulting in physical, emotional, and even spiritual belief restoration.

The church body of Jesus Christ is sick and diseased because we are not praying for one another at every church function, before, during or after, when needed so we can be healed.  We are not praying for ourselves throughout the day and especially when we are being attacked, or before we lay down to sleep.  Satan is attacking us 24/7 and we don’t counter these attacks.  Confess your sins at night, cast out those evil spirits, ask for God to forgive you, and declare one or more of these scriptures at night before you go to sleep:

When you lie down, you will not be afraid (fearful); Yes, you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet, Proverbs 3:24 NKJV.

Psalm 91:5-6 You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day, nor of the pestilence (diseases) that walks in darkness, nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.

Psalm 4:8 I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; For You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.

Bottom Line

We must pray because there is no other way to be healed. The keys to healing are:

·       Believing God can heal you according to His promises of healing – and said, “If you diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the Lord who heals you” Exodus 15:26

·       Confess to God that you need prayer for your sins – I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” And You forgave the iniquity of my sin Psalm 32:5.

·       Make yourself available for prayer – Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.  Jame 5:16 NLT.

·       We must access God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit in and out of church.  Not just Jesus as I seen in most churches, I have visited.  God is the head of Jesus, But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God, 1 Corinthians 11:3.  Every prayer should start off with “Father God, in the name of Jesus, and the power of the Holy Spirit…..”  Folks, we cannot be healed if we are not praying for one another and self. We cannot be healed if we are not praying during the day and night.  It is everybody’s responsibility to pray. We cannot put the entire burden of prayer for healing on the Pastors and a few prayer warriors. 

Prayer Warriors – We must raise up an army of additional prayer warriors at all ages for those in need, which is all of us.  Prayer warriors need prayer as well and they need us to pray for them. 

Availability – Again, we must make ourselves available for prayer.  I frequently ask people if they need prayer everywhere I go, public, private, or at church functions.  The vast majority say “no.”  I recently ask a married prayer warrior couple if they needed prayer and they said no.  It’s like they were afraid to expose their issues for fear of being judged as flawed. 

Altar Prayer – All the churches I have visited have people available to pray for the flock at the altar.  Very, very few come to the altar.  Instead, they rush out the door like a cattle stampede.

Prayer Outside the Church Sanctuary – Would it be a blessing to have prayer warriors outside the sanctuary during service available to pray for those who need prayer?  Especially the elderly who suffer the most?

Programing People for Prayer – This means preparing them and encouraging them to seek prayer, before during and after any church functions.  This has to be consistent to a point where everyone will consider making themselves available for prayer. 

The Praying Church of Jesus Christ – Basically, Jesus in His ministry did two things.  He taught and He prayed.  As a result, people were being healed because of prayer by Jeus and His disciples.  The Bible tells us that four and five thousand came to hear Jesus and to be prayed for.  Prayers that led to healing testimonies.

Healing Testimonies – The church of Jesu Christ grew because of healing testimonies.  The same can happen to any church of today if we pray.  We must encourage the entire church to pray.  Prayer will lead to healing. Healing will lead to healing testimonies.  Have you ever heard a person share their healing testimony on stage?  Healing testimonies will cause your church to explode because they want to be healed!

The Seven Churches in Revelation – Are we being hindered?

Loveless Church – “Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.

The Persecuted Church – “I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.

The Compromising Church – “But I have a few things against you, because you have those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality.

The Corrupt Church – “Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols.”

The Dead Church – "I know your works; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead." a religious congregation that operates as a social club or traditional institution but lacks spiritual vitality, genuine faith, and missional purpose

The Faithful Church – “I know your works.  Because you have kept My command to persevere, also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.

The Lukewarm Church – “So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.”

Is it possible that the characteristics of the seven churches are represented in today’s modern Christian church and church body directly and indirectly without realizing it? Are some churches and individuals loveless, persecuted, compromised, corrupt, dead, faithful, or lukewarm? Are there trouble makers in church that can kill the church spiritually?  Things we must consider in the church of today.

Lastly – Is there a church out that is willing to do what Jesus did in His ministry?  A church that is a Faithful Church.  A faithful church body that will focus on God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.  A faithful church and a body of Jesus Christ that encourages teaching and praying. A faithful church body that uses their power, For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind, 2 Timothy 1:7 and authority, Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you, Luke 10:19 to bring ourselves and others out of captivity because of our sin. A faithful church who will lead other churches to do the same.

Will the Body of Jesus Christ continue to be in captivity to sickness and disease because we fail to pray for one another consistently so we can be healed?  Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.  Jame 5:16 NLT.                                                                                                                   Tony 6-19 -26