Overcoming the Flesh in Prayer I

Saturday 23 September
READ: Matt. 26:37-46     
MORE LESSON:  Gal. 6:8-9

The flesh is scripturally defined as the human nature and desire; it is a great enemy of God. From experience, Paul declared, So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God: Rom. 8:8. The flesh is one great enemy of prayer and any man who has not conquered his flesh cannot enjoy a consistent prayer life.

The force of the flesh is manifested when the mind wanders in prayers, and it is difficult to concentrate, or when sleep takes over or you just can't pray for a long time. In such situations, serious self discipline is required and sometimes deliverance may be sought. Discipline may include taking uncomfortable position like Jesus had to until His sweat became like blood. Elijah put his head between his legs (I Kgs. 18:42).At another time Jesus moved into the wilderness, without food and water for forty days and nights. He often got up a great while before day, (Mk. 1:35), and trekked sometimes far to a mountain to pray.

In today's reading we see Jesus battling with the flesh. Spiritually He came for this purpose but physically it was too much to accomplish. Although He knew that the solution was to pray, He was too downcast to pray. He therefore had to fight the flesh by persistence;  And he went a little further, and fell  on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt: Matt.  26:39.

The lesson here is that our flesh will resist our desire to pray, but we must not give in to the push of the flesh. The more you feel like not praying, the more you should pray. This surely takes discipline but it is not impossible. Sometimes it is wisdom to join forces with someone in the place of prayer, a prayer partner or a mentor. You can occasionally join your church prayer warriors to strengthen your place of prayer. The book of Proverbs says, Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend: Prov. 27:17.

I have also learnt the act of prayer- walk as an effective means of overcoming weakness in the place of prayer. This helps especially to deal with sleep and tiredness when I have to pray. It could be a long or short distance, or even just pace around the hall of prayer. No price is too big to pay for an effective prayer life.

Prayer/Action
*  Ask the Lord to crucify the flesh in you, that you may radiate the life of Jesus as you stand in the sweet hour of prayer.
*  Ask for the strength of the Holy Spirit to overcome all weakness in the place of prayer.
* Ask for the spirit of grace and of supplication to come upon you.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
I suck the milk of Gentiles and kings shall serve me in destiny, in the name of Jesus.

Men who Prayed like Jesus

Friday 22 September
READ: Jms. 5:13-20   
MORE LESSON:  1 Kings 18:41-46

The emphasis in the next few weeks is on the lessons from the prayer life of Jesus. This will enable us to have a fruitful prayer life. While we remain committed to this theme, we note that the New Testament, where the prayers of Jesus are found, also records how Elijah prayed like Jesus even though he lived before Christ came. James the Apostle refers to Elijah's prayer life as an example of what we ought to do.

Elias was a man subject to like  passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and  it rained not on the earth by the  space of three years and six months:  v.17. The first thing that should catch our attention is that Elijah was as human as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain, and it didn't rain for 3½  years (v.17). Often, we are deceived by the supernatural results of some great men both in Bible and in contemporary times, to think their exploits came because they were “supermen”. But Apostle James says Elijah was a fellow human being.

This is also true of the Lord
Jesus who was equally subject to the temptation and pain that we all go through, yet He paid the price of effective prayer life. We also ought to pray like they did. Jesus our Lord even says;
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that  believeth on me, the works that I do  shall he do also; and greater works  than these shall he do...: Jn. 14:12.

We can therefore conclude that if Jesus was a superman, His desire is that everyone also should be a superman like Him in the place of prayer, supernatural works, righteousness and all good works. God has not limited the number of supermen that can live; it is just a matter of how many can pay the price. We can pray like Jesus prayed if we choose to pay the price.

It is not enough to ask – “Where is the God of Elijah today?”. God is constant and available, what we must ask ourselves is, “Where are the men who can pay the price like Elijah and Jesus?”. When we add the price issue, we will find the result as in the days of old!

Prayer/Action
* Ask God for the strength and grace to pray effectively with great results.
* Pray that your weakness be replaced with strength in the place of prayer and for grace to be a superman on your knee.
*  Ask for the auction of the Holy Spirit whenever you approach the throne of God in prayer.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
I will not drain, I will not run dry, I shall increase and multiply in grace and anointing till the end, in the mighty name of Jesus.

Praying Men

Thursday 21 September
READ: Mk. 1:32-35 
MORE LESSON:  II Kgs. 6:1-18

Today, our focus is on the records of praying men who were human as we are, yet they prayed through and left results that have lasted for generations. Their stories will kindle in us the interest in prayer. These men caught the fire when they asked Jesus to teach them how to pray. May your heart be stirred to pray, in Jesus’ name.

David Brainerd prayed in such agony of soul that his body became abnormal. He prayed and preached regularly to his native audience and although a drunken native interpreter, by prayer he led thousands to Christ. John Knox prayed until he became a terror to the Queen of England who said, “I fear the prayer of John Knox more than the whole army of Scotland!”  His constant cry was, “Lord, give me Scotland or I die”. God responded with a sweeping revival all over Scotland.

George Frox prayed until men were often afraid to look at his face as he came out of his prayer chamber. Charles Finney, after spending a day in prayer and fasting, preached at night to a phenomenally non-committed congregation. Great power came down, slaying all the congregation but one. They cried, repenting until the preacher stopped.

John Vassar was a man so successful that his pastor said about him, “He earnestly prayed day and night; he prayed for everything, and almost everybody he met. He prayed when he went out and when he came in. He prayed before every religious service and then prayed all the way through it…” Charles Sporgeon said that the secret of his power was ‘knee work! knee work!’ James Duncan said the secret is thirteen hours of consecrated prayers.

If Jesus Himself did not do less, who then shall we resemble with prayerlessness? 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. And when he rose up from prayer, and  was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow: Lk.  22:44-45.

What a contrast! Praying man and sleeping men! Praying men prevail but playing men lose. Pray, don't play!

Prayer/Action
*  Ask the Holy Spirit to stir your heart to pray with great results.
*  Ask God to also give you a testimony in the place of prayer as the men of old.
* Pray that God empower you to stand in the gab in prayer for action.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
Farewell to downward trend, I'm going higher this month, in the mighty name of Jesus.

Pray or Perish

Wednesday 20 September
READ: Lk. 22:39-46  
MORE LESSON:  Josh. 9:3-16

The dangers of prayerlessness are numerous and whatever the cost of prayer, praying is still cheaper than the pains of prayerlessness. Jesus, at the Garden of Gethsemane, interrupted His crucial prayer to wake up the disciples to pray because He knew what prayerlessness could cost them;  ...when he rose up from prayer, and  was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow, And said unto them, Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation:   Lk. 22:45-46. 

Prayerlessness, in most cases, is a result of ignorance of the importance of prayer. God designed prayer for three major purposes among others.

1. Fellowship and communion with God; And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him: Gen. 5:24.
2. Receiving from God; Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: Matt. 7:7; Jn. 4:2.
3. Spiritual warfare; Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might: Eph. 6:10.

If we miss any of these we take an expensive irredeemable risk. Jesus Himself had no alternative to praying. Thus the Bible records; And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly...: v.44. Prayer, for Jesus, was a do or die affair and there is no other way to warn against prayerlessness than to sound the eternal warning: pray or die.   Joshua neglected prayer and he was denied. King David once pleaded with God: -
Consider and hear me, O LORD my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death: Psa. 13:3.

The disciples scattered as soon as Jesus was arrested (Mk. 14:50), their leader became a coward before a little maid (Mk. 14:68) and he ended up a backslider three days after Jesus' death (Jn. 21:1). All these happened because “their eyes were heavy” Mk. 14:40, while Jesus their Master was earnestly praying. Thank God Jesus prayed for them ahead of the evil days (Lk. 22:32) or else they would have been the greatest causalities of that event. Consequently they would have paid dearly for their prayerlessness and sleep of death.

Prayer/Action
* Ask that the driving force of prayer will make you victorious over life situations.
* Come against the spirit of prayerlessness.
*Ask God to anoint you for strength in the place of prayer.

TODAY’S PROPHETIC PRAYER
The remaining days of this month and beyond shall be for my rejoicing, people will celebrate with me and Jehovah shall be glorified, in the name of Jesus.