Christian Living

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Day 3 Prayer Lesson Reviewed – All Kinds of Prayer

Day three study has mostly quotations and examples encouraging us how to pray, some of which may possibly have cited before:
Daniel was praying to God about the condition of Israel, in his prayer he said, ‘he set his face to seek the Lord and he listed the steps he took in seeking God and the purpose of seeking Him:
(a)He made his request by prayer and supplications,
(b) he prayed to the Lord and made confession, he identified with Israel’s sin and this is how he prayed – “O Lord, great and awesome God, who keep His covenant and mercy with those who love Him, and with those who keep His commandments” then a honest heartfelt cry of confession, “We have sinned---,” and he named the sins in the preceding verses are observations from verse five onward (Daniel 9:3 -9):
 he made prayer and supplication,
 he made request and entreaty to God;
 his supplication went further, he pleaded with God;
 he made confession, and admission of guilt (including himself) not only admission but -
 he named the things they did.

Verse four of Daniel 9 appeared to be in the same format that Jesus gave His disciples when they asked Him how to pray, – “This is how you should pray” (Matthew 6:6-13).

Paul also admonished us to pray, he uses a series of brief exhortation for the churches in Thessalonica that would have an impact on every believer today, “Pray without ceasing and in everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5: 17-18). There is no time or reason for any Christian to stop praying because it is a consistent exercise. The remark made by Paul is possibly for the purpose of reminding us, and repetition is the only way in which some of us learn, by hearing the same thing over again extends our ability to grasp concepts. The Holy Spirit reinforces the Word of God repeatedly until we implements it therefore Paul said we should make thanksgiving a regular discipline each time we pray.

Jesus said we should always persist until we get an answer to our prayers – e.g. the little widow and the ungodly judge (Luke 18:1), and He gave another parable about a persistent friend at midnight (Luke11: 5-10). Jesus said ‘Ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, knock and it will be opened to you.’ The lesson here is persistence, and confident to approach our friend (Jesus has called us friend) and having assurance that because He is our friend, and more than a natural friend who can and often disappoints us. Jesus would never ever disappoint us.

Paul said ‘pray and rejoice in expectation of getting our request, even while we are going through various tribulations our faith should be unwavering (Romans 12:12). We should never allow times nor seasons to deter us but we should endeavour to be patient, resolute and continue to pray to our Father in heaven.

It is our God given rights to pray and seek to know the heart of God and pray in the Spirit, in supplication, and be watchful to the end; Paul encourage us to develop an attitude to supplicate for all the saints (Ephesians 6:18). Both the Old and New Testaments are in agreement that the saints (people of God) should always be included in our prayers.

Paul instructs the Colossians believers to “Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving”(Colossians 4:2). He also said to be on guard and be watchful. Eight specific points in this topic from the Scripture on how to pray:
 United in prayer
 Pray always in different situations and modes
 Be persistent
 Be confident in our approach
 Always rejoice
 Watch and pray
 Pray and intercede for others
 Thanksgiving must intermingled with our prayers

Jesus lived an exemplary life, that is, without sin and He knew His Father’s will. He said,’ I always do the things that please My Father’ (paraphrase) our characters are important to God, and He is expecting us to bear His Son’s image. Paul said, ‘Follow me as I follow Christ,’ let us pursue a burning desire to have the attitude of Christ in everything we do, even in our prayer life. Then like Paul we too can say follow us as we follow Christ. Day four will centre on a model Jesus set for us to follow.

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Give your Enemies, Food & Drink
Day 4 Prayer Lesson Reviewed – Jesus’ Pattern!

Day four has two succinct lessons and both are connected and taken from Old and New Testaments, to reflect on the headings which deal with our response to people who harms us. There is also a systematic and suggestive pattern, on how to pray:
(1) Jesus said, ‘love your enemies and let the qualities we portray benefit to those who hate us’ - the result is reflecting Christ; and by our conduct we point our enemies to Him (Matthew 5: 44b paraphrased); He set a guide for us to follow and said this is what we should do.
(a) Elisha, an Old Testament prophet encouraged his servant to feed their captured enemies (give them food and drink; see 2 Kings 6: 22). Elisha was also a man of prayer and he was in communion with God.
(b) Solomon said (Proverbs 25: 21-22), ‘the Lord rewards us when we obey Him by giving food and drink to our enemies. God’s sun rises on the good and on the evil and He sends rain on the just and the unjust, even those who blaspheme against Him; therefore if Jesus commands us to ‘feed our enemies and do good to those who hate us’ we certainly can do it. Although it is a very hard thing to do, God will give us the grace and strength to obey if we so desire; we are not competent to carry out this order without the help of God. It is only through His Spirit, prayer and the study of His Word we gain our strength to fulfil His commands.

(2) The second lesson is the pattern in which we should approach God. To sum up the text, Jesus said ‘be real! Don’t be a hypocrite.’ “And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, they have their reward” (paraphrased). Then He shows us the traits of hypocrites – they love to do things in order to boost their self-image. Jesus said these types of performances might get reward from men, but not from Him (Matthew 6: 5-6, 19).

Jesus said make sure you know to whom you are praying, – and He warns – do not lay up treasures on earth, for this is what it boils down to - seeking man’s approval will only gets our reward from men. Whatever we do has eternal consequences whether or not our service is to build our kingdom or God’s kingdom; so let us build our treasures in heaven. The aim of the Godhead is to help us to obey Him and He is at work in us, this is an example Christ left for His followers to adopt when they pray:
1) Worship the Creator and acknowledge Him to be our Father
2) Pray for the manifestation of God’s will to be fulfilled on earth
3) Bring our needs to Him because He is the supplier of all our needs.
4) Don’t hold grudges forgive others, if we want God to forgive us.
5) Be conscious of the Holy Spirit’s nudging and be watchful and ask Him to lead us.
6) Recognise the strength and power of the enemy who is seeking to trip us up, so we should ask God to deliver us from evil.
7) Honour the Creator, knowing that all authorities are subject to Him, and every knee must bow to Him.
Recognise the ultimate power our Creator holds not only in this life, but throughout all eternity.
We must always make Him to be our subject of worship continually.

Day five topic shows that we are in a battle and how imperative it is to be alert, be not foolish but be wise as the Scripture says because the adversary the devil is seeking to destroy us.


We Are In a Warzone!!
Day 5 Prayer Lesson Reviewed – Don’t Fall Asleep Watch and Pray!!
Reviewing day five topic on prayer was a sort of gleaning and straight talking on a personal level (as this lesson was to me); although it was personal nonetheless it could be universal and extends to any individual. It is only by the Word, and the Holy Spirit that our eyes could be opened to make us know the power behind every battle; that we are not wrestling with flesh and blood but with principalities and powers. The enemy of our souls will do his utmost to stop us from praying, as already discussed in the preface and demonstrated that we are in a war!

It must be reiterated that prayer is hard. It is a battle. We are in a warzone! Missiles are flying at us in all directions, so if, and when we fall asleep we are prone to get injured. Jesus told us to watch and pray (Matthew 26: 4). In Jesus’ agony in the Garden of Gethsemane He took with Him Peter, James and John His disciples but they fell asleep. He did not say to them ‘you lazy no good men look at all the things which I have done for you and when I need you most to pray with Me you’ve gone to sleep;’ He could’ve said that but He didn’t. He said ‘could you not watch with Me an hour?’ And then selfless and true to His is character He warned them to watch and pray and avoid the trap of their enemy that would keep them yielding to temptations.

From the record it could be deduced that these disciples loved Jesus, but like us today, prayer is hard during adversity and we can easily get distracted from the task and become overwhelmed by our problems. Jesus chose those men to be with Him because He knew they loved Him and they were faithful to Him although they had different personalities (distinctive in these traits), they all fell asleep. But why did they fall asleep?

Since we have already established their love and faithfulness to Jesus and were unable to be kept awake, it is quite safe to make this assumption which may possibly shed some light on the event. An updating of a post-mortem in the Garden:-

An Inquiry of Gethsemane
Let us try and examine the situation surrounding the Gethsemane at this crucial time in the life of Jesus He needed these disciples around Him, despite these beloved friends’ weaknesses. The agony that Jesus had to go through these men could not have entered in, but they were there as His back up and His companions, He left them behind went further into the garden to pray alone. He went further, and alone to seek His Father’s face. The weight of the cross was heavy and the sins of the world rested on Him, how could these men entered into His agony? It was beyond them. They just couldn’t have understood it was impossible and they fell asleep underneath the strain. Sometimes we cannot enter into another’s agony but like Jesus we need back-ups, just someone there to stand in the gap.

Did Jesus know that His disciples would have failed Him? Jesus knows everything. Perhaps this was the making of the disciples, they had to confront their weaknesses and see themselves as they really are, ‘lost without Jesus around them.’ Maybe Jesus had left this scenario as an example for His disciples and us to learn. The Bible has recorded everything so that we today can gain knowledge and avoid the same dilemma.

Did the disciples meant to fall asleep? They must have gone with Jesus to pray with Him, what made them fail? Probably too self-assured, ‘strong and mighty men of prayer, full of power for the hour,’ although deeply in love with Jesus they had their weak spot that the devil could penetrate and he would not dropped his diabolical surveillance until he catch us off-guard. Jesus said, the ‘spirit is willing but the flesh is weak’ (Matthew 26: 41).

So we should be vigilant and let the realism of war uppermost on our minds. Prayer is our only weapon, when we distort it with pride our weapon is weakened; – ‘the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty in God, to the pulling down of stronghold’ (2 Corinthians 10: 4), and this weapon can only be used in humility. Recognise the word ‘mighty’ not in our might or our in own strength but in ‘God’s.’

Prayer watching draws attention to our weakness and let us identify that our strength do not lies in ourselves but in God. Prayer watching is to keep us alert and sta focus on the task, remembering that we are in a battle and whenever we lower our guards or defences, the enemy will strike at our weakest point. So prayer less lives and not watching are closely linked. See cross references –

Here Jesus was teaching about not knowing the time of His appearing, and that could be a signal to be interpreted, that we should be alert continually (Mark 13:33); ‘watch and pray lest you enter into temptation’ (Mark14: 38); and in the Garden of agony – Jesus said: ‘pray that you may not enter into temptation,’ the disciples were asleep (Luke: 22: 40, 46); be watchful, - Paul said ‘praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end---’ (Eph 6: 18).

So prayer watching could be also watching our attitudes and these Scriptures in day five, links with almost every day’s topic on prayer; the common thread is observing the lives of those who prayed and taught on prayer. Since this topic was based on a personal study, added is a reflective excerpt at the end of the day’s study.

In every human being – that is in every living thing includes animals (and plants which do communicates with God according to the Bible), God places a natural desire in every living thing to communicate. We humans have failed continually in our communication to God, because of either laziness to open our mouths and speak to Him or because of devaluing the power behind our communication or feelings of inadequacy.

The result of not communicating with God allows us to become insensitive to watching, and to disobey Jesus who has commanded us to watch and pray, however when we do pray we sometimes don’t watch, or wait for results because of our impatience. We can see our delimma here, if we don’t communicate with Him how can we be guided to watch out for pitfalls, or how to patiently wait for answers? When we obey we have confidence and assurance of receiving our reward, but on the other hand when we disobey we are only gratifying our flesh.

God wants us to guard against prayer less lives and control our actions. He wants to communicate with us and to teach us how to communicate with Him and with others. Not watching while praying often land us in trouble, we succumb to temptation and become powerless in the devil’s campaign.

In order for God to do His work within us we need to be sensitive to His Spirit leading us. God wants us to take the initiative and make every effort to obey Him for our own benefits and yet He helps us and will reward us for obeying Him – our benevolent God?

So the lesson is Be alert! Be alive in God and be dead to the flesh. A very old saying is to ‘Feed the Spirit and starve the flesh.’ We are encouraged to watch because we are in a battle, in a warzone and on the frontline, and yes, it might be termed a spiritual battle but we do sometimes experience warfare physically. So watch and pray, keep alert and don’t dare fall asleep.’

These notes are from the NKJV page 1783:
Praying always - Because we cannot win without God’s help,
Being watchful - Because God does not give us victory without our full commitment and best effort
Supplication - Earnest prayer for other Christians---
Day six topic is about the importance of our relationship and dependancy on Him only develops in solitude.

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Times of Voluntary Separation

Day 6 Prayer Lesson Reviewed - Solitude

Day six topic is times of voluntary separation and solitude.
Voluntary is: done or acting on one’s own free will, doing things deliberately, planned and intentional etc.
Separation is: cutting off, disconnection from, the action of separation, dissociation, detachment etc.
Solitude is: is a state of being alone, privacy, retreat, seclusion, space to yourself, time alone;

Many of us hate to be alone and when we are alone we tend to feel a sense of detachment, abandonment, loneliness and sometimes feeling sorry for ourselves; but occasionally it is necessary to draw aside in order to reflect on our lives, reviewing the past, present and future. Aloneness is a God given opportunity for us to discern where we have been, the seasons we are in and the places God is taking us and also to know His will; and these are unlikely to be revealed in a crowd.

The definitions above – say we must deliberately disconnect and choose to be alone; now is the time for voluntary separation and solitude. Although friends are important and we all need friends to come alongside us to pray and to have fellowship, just as Jesus needed His friends around Him in the Garden of Gethsemane. There are times that we must be alone just as Jesus had spent a great deal of His time alone. He deliberately removed Himself from the crowd and occasionally even from His disciples.

He sent His disciples away and went up the mountain to pray alone, this and many other times He sought solitude. If we need to know and learn about solitude let’s take our lesson from Jesus.

The purpose of withdrawing Himself was to seek His Father’s face and to know His will, and the idea behind His seclusion was to avoid any and all distractions. So whether going up the mountains, in the wilderness, praying all night according to (Luke 6:12); or finding quiet places alone to pray, are important disciplines:
• In the morning, having risen a long time --- He went out and departed to a solitary place there and prayed (Mark 1:35), ( Mark 6:46);
• When it was day---He departed and went in to a deserted place (Luke 4:42);
• So He Himself withdrew into the wilderness and prayed (Luke 5:16);
• Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray (Luke 6:12).
Jesus had to hear His Father’s voice and it was vital to know what His Father had to say, in order to preach and teach the undiluted word of the kingdom.

On one occasion (in Luke 9: 18 -20) Jesus was praying alone, and when His disciples joined Him He questioned them about the crowd’s understanding of whom He was, according to the disciples the people’s perception about Him varied. So He then asked His disciples whether or not they had a revelation of Him: Jesus said to them, ‘Who do you say that I am?’ (Possibly the others had their revelation too, because they had all spent time with Jesus) but Peter was more forthright in answering the question. It is so important for us to have a revelation of Jesus and that can only be done when we spend time with our Lord our eyes are opened and we get to know Him. He said ‘My sheep hears My voice and I know them and they follow Me (John10:3).

Jesus rose up early before the sun had a chance to rise, and went to solitary places to pray and to seek His Father’s face. We are not drawn to God by our self effort but it is a work of His Spirit, who brings us closer to Him, if we allow Him to. All we need to do is to ask Jesus and then relax and He will help us to do His will. It is necessayr to practice being alone in God’s presence because solitude sharpens our listening skills and when we are in the audience of the King, and in the presence of One our spirits are fed, we are instructed and empowered.

There are times when it is necessary to be with our friends or within a group but we must remember however, that friends or a group cannot always enter into our sufferings but Jesus can.

So the discipline of solitude is a must for all Christians, because maturity comes when we repeatedly practice solitude; and true disciples are made as they spend time in communication with their Lord. Therefore, gaining Christ’s likeness knowing and doing what Jesus would have us do without asking ‘what would Jesus do?’ --- We just know! Day seven deals with persistence the backbone of every Christian.


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You Must Push Through
Day 7 Prayer Lessons Reviewed - Persistence

Day seven topic is on never giving up until we receive what we have set our sights on. To push we must have a determined and concentrated effort of a given purpose to reach our goal. And the above only comes through insistent prayer. Jesus said that men ought always to pray and not to lose heart. We might have heard this quote in a previous day’s topic and in short, those men of prayer showed persistence; and also the parable of the widowed woman whom Jesus commended for her persistence (Luke 18:1).
Persistence is the meat on the Christian’s bone that we need to keep on chewing until we get to the bone. Marching as soldiers singing triumphantly ‘Persistence is our song.’
The widowed woman had her request from the hard hearted judge. He was compelled to give her what she had demanded. She kept on and on until he gave in, he had to. Jesus said we should keep on pushing; and there are many cross references dealing with persistence as well as believing, and how to be assured that when we pray our prayers are answered. There are three outstanding statements in this section showing how to pray:
1) we are to pray with thanksgiving,
2) we should not give up hope during tribulation,
3) and we should continue to intercede for others.

The following Scriptures are cross references and reminders of the depth of the multifarious art of prayer. These Scripture texts are listed with commands and promises:
• Men ought always to pray ---(Luke 18: 1)
• The persistent friend at midnight --- (Luke 11: 5-10)
• Praying always---supplication in the Spirit ---(Ephesians 6: 18)
• Continue earnestly in prayer ---(Colossians 4: 2)
• Pray without ceasing---(1Thessalonians 5: 17)
• Offer to God thanksgiving and pay your vows --- (Psalm 50:14-15)
• Call upon Me and I will--- (Jeremiah 33: 3)
• Ask and you will receive---(Matthew 7: 7)
• Whatever things you ask when--- (Mark 11: 24)
• If you abide in Me and My word ---(John 15: 7)
• Watch and pray ---(Matthew 26: 41)
• Making supplication for the saints---(Philippians1: 4)
• Seek ye the Lord while He may be found---(Isaiah 55: 6)

These Scriptures are gems to be worn as part of our inner and outer garments, as we persist in prayer and use them as they are intended, to beautify us and make us stand out from the world. As persistent believing Christians who know the faithful of their God and demonstrate it, will certainly attracts the world and draws them to Christ. Be Persistent!!

Day eight topic, leads on to having confidence that when we ask we will receive.


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Ask, Seek & Knock!!

Day 8 Prayer Lesson Reviewed– ASK

Day eight, study is about Asking. To ask is making a request and expecting an answer; to inquire or to make demand etc. That is, ‘say something and expect to get an answer,’ so asking and expecting an answer is synonymous. No one ever asks for something without expect to get it. As a follow up (to Luke 11: 5-10) about the persistent friend has led to the following text in James and other cross references dealing with asking. Let’s have a peek at James who is referred to by Paul as the Lord’s brother (Galatians 1:19), so it may be safe to say he is the half-brother of Jesus.

Paul said that James was one of the “pillars” of the church. James was a leader in the first church in Jerusalem, he was probably one of the leaders after the resurrection of Jesus and when Peter left Palestine (Acts12:17). He felt responsible for the spiritual life of Christ’s disciples wherever they were; so he wrote the book of James as a pastoral letter (to be distributed to the churches) dealing with practical issues closely reflected the teaching of Jesus in the Beatitudes. He dealt with the attitudes of believers how they should conduct themselves, about the tongue, response during trails and temptations, how to use riches and how to treat the poor and strangers.

He also taught on the hope of the Second Coming of Christ etc. and exhorts every believer the necessity of prayer and how to pray – ‘continue in prayer, praise and living faithfully in the fear of God, demonstrating to the world as reflections of Christ. In the book of James believers are built up both in discipline and in faith, we benefit by studying this book (information – NKJV notes p1865-6).

He said that “If anyone of you lacks wisdom let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. So there! Do we lack wisdom? Then just go to God and ask He is the Creator of all wisdom. James also said ask in faith and do not doubt, and he uses an analogy of the waves of the sea to describe those who doubt or lacking in faith. In fact he says that when we doubt we do not expect to receive; a doubting person’s faith is unsteady, it’s like the sea, and toss about with emotions, going high and low just like the waves. (James 1: 5-6 paraphrased)

When we ask God we must believe that we have received our requests and we will have it. The apostle John who loved his beloved Master (Jesus) wrote on love in the gospel and the epistle of John because he loved much he said, “And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight,” (1 John 3: 22), this text strengthens James’ command. John said, as long as we do the things which please God and keep His commandments, we can ask whatever we want and He will give it to us.

By studying God’s Word we become acquainted with His requirements and when we obey His commands we have confidence to ask God for anything in line with His Word. If God hears us we know He has already granted all our petitions (1 John 5: 14-15).

God told Israel to ‘seek Him while He may be found and call upon Him while He is near’ (Isaiah 55: 6). From the tone of this text God is calling Israel back to Himself; Israel had drifted away because of serving other gods they were in captivity and oppressed by their enemies, now God is saying to Israel ‘come back,’ and He is always calling His children back. Yes, like Israel many times we are found in the same condition. How many times we have drifted away from God and in His love and mercy calls us back and draw us even closer? God is still a God of second chance and new beginning.

Day eight study reflects God’s heart; He is faithful, merciful kind, longsuffering and a bountiful Giver. He is saying to us come back and ask with confidence - call out to Me from where you are and I will answer you. Personally, this is a wonderful promise and it is our duty to rest on these promises and don’t be deterred by our enemy’s tactics no matter what. ASK and we will receive.

Day nine deals with the Holy Spirit our promised Advocate, Teacher and Helper.

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The Comforter Guaranteed!!
Day 9 Prayer Lesson Reviewed - Promise Holy Spirit

Jesus told His disciples before He ascended to His Father that He would pray on their behalf for another Comforter (John 14: 16). The Holy Spirit is not only our Comforter but our Helper and Attorney who pleads our case.

Jesus said the Holy Spirit will guide us into all truth: He will convict us, and show us where we are heading; He also troubles our consciences when we tend to wonder away from the paths of righteousness; He gives us direction and come alongside us and shares in our joy and sorrow. Jesus made sure that His disciples had a foretaste of His Spirit before He ascended to heaven so He breathe on them and said ‘Receive the Holy Spirit’ (John 20: 22); which was a downpayment of the fullness of His Spirit that the disciples waited for in the upper room on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2.

On the Day of Pentecost the Promise Holy Spirit came and baptised the 120 people waiting together in the upper room, and His visible presence was seen in action and felt by all. He now abides within every believer (Acts 2: 4, 33). We have received the Spirit of adoption, and we are being filled with the Holy Spirit, we are released from the bondage of fear and have been sealed as sons (Romans 8: 15). Wow! He is the Spirit of Truth and known as the Helper (John 15: 26) and He guarantees to keep us in the straight paths.

The Holy Spirit also helps us in areas of weaknesses (Romans 8: 26) and we are also assured through the revelation of Holy Spirit and the Word that Jesus our Saviour is interceding in heaven on our behalf; and we in turn while here on earth should develop a 24-7 communication with Him (John 17:19). He is our guide, our helper and our defender, He convicts us when we stray and helps us to return to the paths. He reveals the will of God to us and enlightens God’s Word to us.

Jesus wants us to make it so He sent His Spirit to enlighten us that we have the ability to know we are of God---(1 John 5: 19).
‘I pray for them, I pray not for the world---’said Jesus (John 17: 9).
Neither pray I for these alone but for them--- (John 17: 20)


The Promise Spirit came, His work and action in and through each believer:
He descended in bodily form on Jesus at His baptism (Luke 3:22)
Jesus commanded His disciples to wait in Jerusalem for Him (Acts 1:4-8)
He was sent by the Father from heaven (1Peter 1:12).
He teaches us in that very hour when we need Him most (Luke 12:12)
We don’t speak words of man’s wisdom, but only what the Holy Spirit teaches (1Corinthians 2:13).
We were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise (Ephesians 1:13)
We have been given the mandate on how to pray - Praying always with all prayers and ---in the Spirit (Ephesians 6: 18)

Thank you Holy Spirit for coming! Amen!!

Day ten topic ends our study and it’s all about completeness. We are not fragmented into bits or sections but God has divinely put each part together as one and He has made provison for the whole man.

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Wholeness

Day 10 Prayer Lesson Reviewed - Completeness

Day ten is the final day in researching on prayer, the topic is wholeness. We are complete in Him and He is equipping us to do His will. We are called to pray for ourselves and to intercede for the spiritual well-being of others. The apostle Paul prayed for the Thessalonians that God would sanctify the whole man, spirit, soul, and body. The end of this study is to reflect on who God is, who we are in Christ and what He has commissioned us to do (1Thessalonians 5: 23-25).

God has made us tripartite beings, and each segment of our beings He has catered for. Paul knew that so he prayed that we should be complete, blameless and faithful. Paul had confidence that whatever or whenever he prays God would hear and answer him and so we too should have that same confidence that He is faithful; God’s heart for everyone is to come before Him in confidence. Because He wants a strong church where His people learnt and felt secure enough to approach our loving Father and in expectation that He is the One who has made us whole.

But the question is whose voice we are listening to, the voice of our enemy or the voice of God? Many of us do not know what God’s Word says about us or about the nature of our heavenly Father so we live continually under condemnation. Even when we have sinned we should make every effort to approach Him and ask for His forgiveness and and receive God’s pardon. If we are frightened to approach God in the church, then find a quiet place where it’s less intimidating, but seek out and receive the grace and favour of God.

The Bible states that if our hearts condemn us and stop us from coming to God His love and mercies are far greater than what is going on in our hearts; that is, if and when we bring our sins and cares to Him. As we are determined to live and walk in holiness we will be confident in knowing that He will make us spiritually, mentally, physically, emotionally and financially whole.

Although sometimes we may feel fearful to approach God even though we are living to please Him, nevertheless, the Spirit of God will enlighten us that the enemy of our souls is the accuser of every Christian, and he comes to kill, steal and to destroy our confidence, so we must put on our armour and fight! Therefore with these feelings of condemnation we bring them to Him and stay before Him and even if we can only say - ‘God, it’s me!’ And wait there and He will answer us because He wants to, we don’t need flourishing words to approach our Father, only obedience.

God wants us to come before Him boldly and ask according to His Word and He will do it. Lesson ten pinpointed ways to pray, and concludes with the author’s personal prayer.
Paul said pray:
1 Timothy 2: 8:-Lifting up holy hands---
James said:
James 5: 13:- James said pray for the sick and they shall be healed---
James 5: 16:- Confess your faults to each other, and pray for one another to be spiritually healed.
John said:
1 John 5: 16 Pray for our brothers and sisters if we detect them committing sins- “If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life---”

That last text followed through James’ instructions that we should intercede for those who have wondered away from the faith, he instructs that we should do everything possible to restore a brother or sister to the faith. There is only one sin stops us from being restored and that is blaspheme against the Holy Spirit, a sin leading to death (Mark 3:28-29) (called the unpardonable sin).

God’s desires all men, women, boys and girls to be saved. He wants us to live an abundant life and it is His will that we prosper. – “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, even as your soul prospers,” (3 John 2). True completeness is unity of body soul and spirit; in all entirety of His fullness and we are completely submerged in one being – not divided into fragments.

A Prayer
So my dear Father, thank You for wholeness, we are complete in You!
Father, thank You, for ten days study on prayer; which has led me through countless days and nights and days of writing/rewriting, proofreading, reviewing and editing. Lord, I need Your divine intervention in my life as You have broken the Bread of Life to me, enabling me to implement what I have learnt. I love and trust You to do Your work through me as I end this study.

Lord, each day’s topic is significant – (a) day one, points out that when we neglect to pray for other believers we are sinning against You and doing the body of Christ’s a disservice; (b) day two, encourages us to pray always and at anytime, and shows that prayer is a 24/7 thing; (c) day three, major on praying all kinds of prayer in repentance, confession, supplication and thanksgiving; (d) day four, Jesus’ command us to feed our enemies, and You, O God, is watching our motives and attitudes how we relate to people; (e) day five, highlights the battle we encountered when we decide to pray and the weapons the enemy used to prevent us praying; (f) day six, shows the importance of separation, to be alone with Jesus to pray as He was with His Father; (g) day seven, we must push through and be persistent and don’t give up until we get answer to our prayers; (h) day eight, Jesus, You encourages those who pray not to doubt but ask with confidence; (i) day nine, we see the work of the Holy Spirit our Helper and Attorney, He also convicts, directs and comforts and (j) day ten, dealt with completeness, God has made us whole in body, mind and spirit and He wants us to function as complete in Him.

You know this is my heart each time I read and study Your Word. Father, do your work in me and make me a blessing to others, as I share my personal Journal that formed this piece of writing use it for Your glory, and strengthened Your body, in Jesus name. Amen!!

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