Lord, Teach us to Pray III

Thursday 23 July
READ: Lk. 11:1-4
MORE LESSON: 1Sam.1:11

There was a time Jesus' disciples asked Him to increase their faith (Luke 17:5). Rather than getting a pat at the back for wanting to demonstrate great faith and a corresponding release of what they asked for, Jesus said: If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you: Luke 17:6. However, we see from the Bible reading today that when one of the disciples asked Jesus to teach him and others how to pray, Jesus did not just oblige the request, His response was immediate. He took the disciples through a prayer which has remained outstanding in all generations. It is a prayer which addresses the heavens, the earth, the Kingdom to come, human needs, forgiveness, temptations, deliverance from the evil one, and adoration to God Almighty.

Why was Jesus so swift in His response to the disciple’s request? The reason is that the request was on a subject that was so dear to the heart of Jesus. It was a request in tune with the heart cry of Jesus. Jesus knows that prayer is everything mortals need to succeed in spiritual assignments. He, being then in human form, had to give Himself solely to prayer to God who works all things through the man He uses. As a true leader who wants His disciples to be like him, His heart must have lifted for joy that His followers had finally gotten to understand the winning formula. Jesus must have been very proud of this disciple, and in response to his request, He taught the disciples what is now popularly referred to as the ‘Lord's Prayer’.

God is always fascinated and swift to respond when men align their request with what is the dear need of the heavens. Hannah, in 1Samuel 1:11, overcame barrenness because she made a request that aligned with God's urgent quest. God wanted to send a prophet to Israel and was looking out for a family that will not compromise the vision of the expected prophet. Hannah was also requesting for a child she would dedicate and release to God’s service all his days. If you make a request that aligns with the quest of God and His Kingdom today, you can be sure of a speedy response.

Sometimes, we experience delays because we are not Kingdom-minded in our motive. We make demands on God just to satisfy our selfish and lustful cravings. James 4:1-3 sums it up like this: From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. I charge you this day to re-orientate your minds and align your request to conform with the needs of God's Kingdom, and answers to your prayer will be quick and satisfactory.

Prayer/Action
* Jesus, I renounce every selfishness in me; I will seek only those things that advance Your Kingdom.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
Every name in my lifethat originates from every evil circumstance today, I terminate, in Jesus’ name.