Lord, Teach us to Pray I

Tuesday 21 July
READ: Lk. 11:1-4
MORE LESSON: Lk. 18:1

The topic today was a request made to Jesus by one of His disciples after He ended a prayer session. A close study of the Bible passage shows that this disciple's request was not a flippant one. It was also not a spontaneous request made out of confusion like Apostle Peter’s at the Mount of Transfiguration when he saw the glory of Jesus and exclaimed: ...Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias...: Matt. 17:4.The scripture says Peter spoke not knowing what he said. The request for a teaching on how to pray and not for the regular mundane things of life like bread and fish that some other followers of Jesus were pursuing. This disciple was not looking for how to sit at the left or right hand of Jesus when He eventually begins to reign as a king. Rather, his interest was about doing what he saw Jesus doing often and regularly.

This disciple must have been studying Jesus and had observed that when He was baptized, Jesus was praying and heaven opened (Lk. 3:21). He saw when Jesus withdrew into the wilderness, and prayed (Lk. 5:16). He was a witness to how Jesus went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer (Lk. 6:12). Jesus was alone praying (Lk. 9:18); soon after, He went up into a mountain to pray, and as He prayed He was transfigured (Lk. 9:28-29); and Lk. 11:1 also records that Jesus was praying in a certain place.

There are at least seven strong lessons to learn from this disciple. (1) The gifts and graces of others should be to coveted earnestly. (2) The zeal of others should provoke you into a holy imitation and emulation.

(3) Never get jealous of others even when you are not excelling as much as they are doing; simply go closer and ask the person to teach you. (4) Don't be haughty in manner; humble yourself to request your superior, colleague or subordinate to teach you what you don't know how to do. (5) The disciple was not selfish about his request. Note that he did not say, “Teach me”, but “Teach us”. He knew how important it was for a disciple to be like his Master, and he wanted others to share in the same blessing.

(6) The secret of becoming is in teaching. You will never attain except you are taught; be teachable. (7) This disciple had seen how John taught his disciples to pray, and he wanted to learn. He did not break rank or defect to be taught by another. Rather, he went to his own Master and asked, with all sincerity, to be taught.

What is your relationship with your Master? Are you ready to learn like this disciple of Jesus? Do not hold back from asking Him to teach you.

Prayer/Action
* Lord, teach me to pray.
* Father, help me to desire only those things that matter more to the Kingdom. 
* I pray that my zeal will inspire and motivate others to serve the Lord.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
Everywhere my name is written for evil and offence, I delete it now by the blood of Jesus’, in Jesus’ name

Unbelievable Love II

Monday 20 July
READ: John 20:1-15
MORE LESSON: Heb.11: 28-33

The love of Jesus for man is incomparable and has no equal in affection. However, there are men in the Bible who also did great things that are worthy of our emulation as Christians who want to get to heaven.

1. In our text today, a woman reciprocated the love of Jesus with great love when men who were stronger stayed in hiding. The woman’s love was so compelling that she went to the graveyard alone and without fear to look for Jesus. Even after the disciples checked and left, she still stood there insisting for the body of Jesus. Thus she became the first to see Jesus in His resurrected body (Jn.20:13-16). Mary was a practical example of passion for the Lord. She had great courage and wonderful commitment to the Lord. Is your commitment to God unshaken even when your pastor or leader is not there to supervise? Several people have gone into hiding, away from church because of persecutions and insurgencies. Will you also go away? Mary stayed devotedly and over 2000 years later we still read her testimony. Receive courage to serve God even in the face of persecution and threats, and you will have a testimony of victory.

2. In Lk.8:1-3, there is a record of women who sustained Jesus’ earthly ministry with their substance. They were so committed and regular at it that the the Bible recorded it and thereby etched their names on tablets of gold. God expects you to use your material wealth to serve Him. Your attendance in church is good and imperative but the fullness of your blessing will not come until you serve the Lord with your substance. It is part of reciprocating Jesus’ love.

3. There is an unbelievable and awesome chronicle in Heb. 11 of men who believed in God and did great exploits. Sarah and Abraham conceived in old age (Heb.11:11); Moses forsook the Egyptian crown to stick with Jehovah. (Heb.11:24-27) and many others. And what more shall I more say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae, of David also, and Samual, and of the Prophets: who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens: Heb. 11:32-34.

They did all these because of their faith although they were Old Testament saints. We who are of the New Testament owe God more because the precious blood of Jesus has given us a better covenant than that of the Old Testament.

Prayer/Action
*Father, the chronicle of those who did great exploits for You will not end until my name is added, in Jesus’ name.
*I will do awesome things for my awesome God in awesome ways by His Spirit and power.
*Go ahead and do for God that which He is laying in your heart right now; do not procrastinate!

PROPHETIC PRAYER
I command every devouring power to jump out of my life now, in Jesus’ mighty name.

Unbelievable Love I

Sunday 19 July
READ: Isa. 53:1-10
MORE LESSON: Rom.5: 1-8

The foundation of the Christian faith is the truth about the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. Anyone who does not believe that Jesus came, died and rose from the dead is not a Christian. The Christian faith does not exist without this truth. The reason why several people cannot accept this fact about the Lord is because it sounds unbelievable to a natural man. It's incomprehensible to the carnal, natural man how the following things about Jesus Christ, the One and Only Messiah could be true
1. The Son of God could go through intense pain as described by the prophet Isaiah. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and by his stripes we are healed: Isa.53:5. No one wants to be wounded, have bad cuts from which blood flows freely as Jesus experienced except for criminals, who go through such by force. Jesus unbelievably went through pain, so who is man not to. He was deeply wounded and scourged with the Roman whip used for hardened criminals of those days.

2. He died for ungodly and sinful men. But God commendeth his love towards us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us: Rom. 5:8. Hardly will men die for a good man, but Jesus went ahead to die for sinners, making a provision ahead for even unborn men, who have all sinned and come short of the glory of God ( Rom3:23).

3. Jesus became a substitute for us by taking our place, receiving God's punishment for our sin though He was righteous and without sin. What love! That is why having made such awesome provision for man to escape damnation in hell, if anyone rejects this redemption package, there will be no mercy or remedy again after death. I urge you to reciprocate this unbelievable but absolutely free offer of God by entering a love relationship with Him.

4. He went to hell (sheol) to rescue men's souls as part of the package of redemption. He collected the keys of hell and death from Satan.

5. He paid the price for us to have a change of status and position. We were no people but have become members of God's family by the price Jesus paid on the cross (Eph.2:11-12). Now we are raised up to sit at the same level with Christ in the spirit realm above all other spirits (Eph. 2:6).

By these acts of Christ, men can have access to all the goodness of God spiritually, physically, morally, psychologically and in all areas of life. What a love! Incomparable love!

Prayer/Action
* If you have not personally accepted the love of Jesus for you, do so today.
*Appreciate the great unbelievable sacrifice of Jesus for you by His death and resurrection and appropriate the benefits to your life.
*Declare that from henceforth Satan will no longer rob you of your inheritance as a child of God.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
Father, rid me of strange spiritual gifts and inheritances from this day on, in Jesus’ mighty name.

Speak Back!

Saturday 18 
READ: Josh 6: 26 - 27
MORE LESSON: Heb. 11: 3

There is nothing in the universe whose origin is not in the Word. Everything was created by the spoken word. The same way everything was created by speaking so also can things be destroyed by speaking. A believer must not just learn to speak positive situations into existence in his life, he must also learn to speak back to negative ones and destroy them. Don't allow anything to shut your mouth such that you cannot make declaration into your own life anymore. The Christian life is lived by speaking.

It is not correct for a believer to wake up from a bad dream and start crying and panicking. What do you have a mouth for? Don't cry or fret, just use your mouth to cancel that negative dream in the name of Jesus. Also if somebody curses you as a believer, there is no need to fear, just use your own mouth to reverse the curse and turn it to a blessing for yourself. If the person believes he has the mouth to curse you, you also have the mouth to return it. There is something called 'back to the sender'. If sickness wants to harass you, know that the sickness came from somewhere; use your mouth to send it back. In the same way send all afflictions, negativity, pain and misfortunes back. Use your mouth to speak to everything that you don't want in your life to leave. If it wants to know where to go, tell it to go where it came from.

Jericho was like the gate-city that Israel needed to pass through to get into the Promised Land. However Jericho closed the door against Joshua and the children of Israel and even tried to kill the Israelites sent to spy the land. (Josh 2: 3 – 6). They fought against Joshua in battle to stop Israel from making progress but after victory over Jericho, Joshua did something. He declared that any man that would rebuild the city of Jericho, he will lay the foundation at the cost of his first child and build the gate at the cost of his last child. (Josh 6: 26). By so doing, Joshua was declaring that the challenge that gave him trouble shall never rise again. Jericho wanted to stop Joshua but he used his mouth to finish Jericho.

This morning you are to speak back to everything that wants to destroy your destiny and you are going to terminate them. Never let the enemy have the last word in your matter, declare the final verdict with your mouth. Use your mouth to speak back to situations and circumstance and close the book on any negative thing in your life.

Prayer/Action
* Speak every word ever spoken against you back to sender.
* Command that the shout of the king will swallow every enemy’s noise in your life ( Num. 23:21).
* Lay your hands on your chest and prophesy greatness into your life and destiny.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
As Caleb expelled the existing giants dwelling on his heritage, so I expel every territorial spirit occupying my inheritance today, in Jesus’ name.