The Power of Prayer

How often do you pray to God?
Do you think it matters?
Do you believe your prayers can make a difference?
And if so - how should we pray?

The answer to all these questions can transform how you see faith, hope and everyday living.
Tune into this week’s episode as we uncover the heart of prayer - and the life-changing power it carries.

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;”

- Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭6‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Chapters

• 0:00 Introduction to the Third Pillar
• 2:21 Be Anxious For Nothing
• 7:57 The Power of Supplication
• 14:02 Elijah's Persistent Prayer for Rain
• 16:40 Daniel's Prayer and Divine Response
• 20:46 Jesus's Model for Prayer
• 25:37 Final Thoughts and Prayer

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:06

How are you doing this beautiful day? I'm excited to get into the word of God and I want to tell you, like I'm continuing from the last week and the week before that, where we've heard about, you know, these spiritual battles that we need to fight and you know, we've heard about putting on the armor of God for these battles that we need to be prepared for, that are not against flesh or blood, hallelujah, it says. I mean the Bible says stand firm, having girded your waist with the truth, putting on the breastplate of righteousness, having shod your feet with preparation of the gospel, taking the helmet of salvation, the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God, hallelujah, word of God, hallelujah. And the week after that we heard about the second step, or the second pillar, let's call it, and that's faith. And the Bible says that all you need is mustard seed, faith. And the important thing to know is that we need to take a step of faith, and faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Speaker 1: 1:53

And today I want to talk to you about the third pillar, which is praying to God. If you remember, the book of Ephesians talks about the word of God. It talks about faithians, talks about the word of God, it talks about faith, it talks about praying next, and I believe it's a strong pillar that we need to put on while having God's armor. And let me start with the foundation from the word of God this beautiful morning from the book of Philippians, while having God's armor. And let me start with the foundation from the word of God this beautiful morning from the book of Philippians, the fourth chapter, the sixth verse. The book of Philippians, the fourth chapter, the sixth verse, says be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. Hallelujah. What a beautiful passage of scripture.

Speaker 1: 2:53

Philippians 4.6,. It says be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God, hallelujah. I like how it's. It's all together prayer and supplication with thanksgiving. And it starts with be anxious about nothing and in everything, which is everything the Bible says, everything that you go through start with thanksgiving, and I want you to. You know, just take this time to look at things around you. You know it's very easy. You know, some of us spend a lot of time at our workplaces and I know some of you deal with people who are problem oriented and not solution oriented, and that's two very different kinds of mindsets the group that will sit and talk about the problem from the handful who will leave the problem and look for a solution. And I want to tell you this morning yes, life does has its challenges, and challenges might have come along the way, challenges might have brought you to your knees, but I want to tell you this morning, be thankful about everything and look at your journey with jesus. Look at your journey and how it began and where you are today. Jesus at the helm of the boat with you every step of the way, as he has promised. And so I come back to with everything, be thankful, hallelujah, because the Bible says I have known you from the womb, so he's been with you all the way. Maybe you didn't know it, so thank him. And that's the least that we can do in our journey with Jesus. And this is for someone this morning who gets anxious about everything, someone who probably you are, someone who probably over analyzes things. You're probably somebody who gets into the small details and says why not this? Instead of this? The Bible today, the word of God today, and God today is telling you do not be anxious, because God is in control of everything, hallelujah. You should really mark the scripture down Philippians 4, 6. It's a powerful passage of scripture. Do not be anxious this morning. God is in control of scripture. Do not be anxious this morning. God is in control of everything, hallelujah.

Speaker 1: 5:55

I want to go to the next passage of scripture which says and this is so beautiful From the book of Colossians, the fourth chapter, the second verse, and you should mark this down too. It says continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it, with thanksgiving, hallelujah. Another version says devote yourself to prayer, keeping alert in it, with an attitude of thanksgiving, hallelujah. And yet again it comes down to thanksgiving, the key word thanksgiving. And if philippines 4-6 is not clear enough, continue earnestly in prayer. Continue earnestly in prayer.

Speaker 1: 6:40

The bible says, and the earlier scripture said with prayer and supplication and thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. Oh, hallelujah requests. I have a son and I want to tell you when he wants something, he comes and asks for it and, believe me, he gets it. And you are the child of the Most High. And I want to tell you this morning, through these passages of scripture and through the word of God to tell you that, number one, don't be anxious. And number two, go to God with prayer and thanksgiving and let your requests be known to God and he'll give you the desires of your heart. Hallelujah, and let your requests be known to God and he'll give you the desires of your heart. Hallelujah, continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it, with thanksgiving.

Speaker 1: 7:40

I want to tell you, while I was on the topic of my son, I realized he's found a new thing. First, when he asks for something now, he first comes and gives me a kiss and then he asks for it, which means he already knows that he has to start with thanksgiving hallelujah. And this is the time I get into this beautiful topic which is called supplication, which can be so easily missed in this passage of scripture, and I want to tell you what the dictionary actually calls it. The dictionary calls supplication earnestly asking or begging for something. It also refers to something as asking humbly, hallelujah, earnestly asking or begging.

Speaker 1: 8:28

I know some of you have been in that point in life where you've asked and sometimes the answer has not happened. I want to tell you it's not god who's not answered you. I want to tell you that god's answer comes in his time, not in your time. The Bible says there's a time for everything unto the heavens, and you might have asked for it, and which is why both these scriptures continue to say, through supplication and thanksgiving, keep on asking Hallelujah. And today I want to share with you this. I have shared this, share with you this. I have shared this story with you before. It's from the time in the life of Elijah, and there's this time when Elijah is the only prophet left, and he's left with 450 prophets of Baal, the Bible says, and 400 prophets of Asherah, the Bible says. And it is one of the most powerful stories in the Bible. I love it and you can read it whenever you like. It's in 1 Kings and I want to tell you that. I want to tell you what happens after. I've spoken about the story before, but today I want to tell you about what happens after. After Elijah calls down fire from heaven in front of 850 rubbish prophets and the whole of Israel standing in front of him as witness. I want to tell you he puts them all to death. By the way, the Bible says, elijah put them all to death. That's 850 people, hallelujah. And there's a famine in that land, which most of us don't know. But there's a famine in the land. Most of us don't know that there's a famine in the land. The bible says and listen to this, listen to this. The bible says that elijah goes up after this, immediately after this, after calling down fire from heaven. And the bible says the fire of god licked up the altar, licked up the, the water licked up. You should read it. It's powerful, it's powerful stuff. And he's the only prophet of God left, because every other prophet of God has been put to the sword. The Bible says and God has saved Elijah just for one thing, this. And coming back to it, elijah goes up to a mountain the Bible says it's Mount Carmel, by the way and the king at that time is Ahab. And just again, in case you didn't know, ahab was the king of Israel at a time when Israel brought death to all the prophets of God. And I'll tell you why because the wife of Ahab was somebody by the name of Jezebel, and Ahab let her do what she wanted and she put all of God's prophets to death, except for one big mistake actually not her choice, because God was with him. And anyway, after this, 850 prophets rubbish prophets have been put to death by Elijah. He tells Ahab and I'm reading it to you he says go up and eat and drink, for there is a sound of abundance of rain, hallelujah. And I want to tell you that the Bible says the land is already in famine. And after he has done this and proved his point to the whole of Israel and the whole of Ahab and I am sure the message went to Jezebel too after taking out the prophets of the 850 prophets rubbish prophets he goes on to tell Ahab go up and drink, for there is a sound of abundance of rain, abundance of rain. There is a famine in the land. But let me tell you what happens afterwards. He goes up to Mount Carmel and he tells his servant go up and look towards the sea. And the Bible says he went and he looked towards the sea. And he looks at Elijah and he says there's nothing. And seven times Elijah goes to tell his servant go and look towards the sea. Seven times the Bible says and each time he returned with saying there's nothing. And he says go again and there's nothing. And this happened seven times and I'm reading to you from the word of god, from first kings 1844. It says. Then it came to pass the seven time that he said there is a cloud as small as a man's hand rising out of the sea, hallelujah. And it came to pass on the seventh time that his servant tells Elijah there's a cloud as small as a man's hand rising out of the sea, oh, hallelujah. As small as a man's hand rising out of the sea, oh, hallelujah. But let me tell you what Elijah does before that. The Bible says he goes up to Mount Carmel, he sends Ahab away, he's got his servant with him. And the Bible says, and I quote he bowed down on the ground, put his face between his knees and he prayed, hallelujah. He put his face between his knees and he prayed, and the land that had famine saw rain. The Bible says the sky grew gray after that and the rain poured down on the land. Oh, hallelujah. That is supplication for you, in case you didn't know what it meant earnestly praying, putting your head between your knees and praying. And hey, this is the same guy, just to let you know, who was running for his life chapters and chapters before this in 1 Kings. He's just running for his life. Hallelujah, hallelujah, daniel. The same Daniel who was saved from the mouth of lions. Let me tell you something. The Bible says that I'm going to tell you about these two instances that he prayed to God. Of course, there must have been multiple instances that he prayed to God, but I'm going to bring to you two occasions that the Bible clearly talks about him praying to god. It says daniel's supplication and earnest prayer to god. Daniel is the same guy who was thrown into a den of hungry lions and the bible says an angel of god came and shut the mouth of the lions. That same daniel and the bible. I'm talking about only two occasions, mind you. There are many, many times that Daniel has prayed to God of supplication and earnest prayer, and on one occasion, I want to tell you, the Bible says he is visited by Gabriel, hallelujah. And on the other occasion he is visited by an angel who was assisted by Archangel Michael himself, just to deliver the message that the angel came to deliver beautiful, the power of prayer and supplication, hallelujah. And again coming back to someone who thinks that, no, this is uh, it doesn't work for me. I prayed, it doesn't work. No, I want to reassure you this morning, that is just not god's timing. Yet understand that very clearly, elijah, too, prayed, and seven times. If a man like elijah has to pray seven times, you think about it. He didn't get his answer for the first seven times. Let me tell you, daniel, the two occasions that I'm talking about here. The bible says he's prayed, he's prayed earnestly. The bible says his answer was delayed for 21 days. In one of these instances, I think he must have prayed every day Honestly for 21 days Hardcore, by the way, it was coupled with fasting too. Hallelujah. 1 Thessalonians 5, 16 Verse onwards, says rejoice always, hallelujah, rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In everything, give thanks, for this is God's will for you in christ jesus, hallelujah, hallelujah. If this doesn't explain it to you, you've missed it. I'm going to read it to you again. First, thessalonians, the fifth chapter, the 16th, 17th and 18th verse says rejoice always, pray without ceasing, pray without ceasing. The word of god is telling you this morning in everything, give thanks for this. Yeah, for in everything, give thanks, for this is god's will for you in christ jesus. So, whatever has happened, whatever is ongoing and whatever might happen in the future, understand it is god's will for you. If you have accepted christ, it's god's will for you. So just rejoice, because I've told you before the. The word of god tells you the battle does not belong to you. So rejoice because you will be victorious. Rejoice because gabriel did come to Daniel. Rejoice because Michael stood up against the enemy and held it back for 21 days. Rejoice because rain will come at a time of famine. Hallelujah, rejoice, pray without ceasing and in everything give thanks. Wait, you think that's not enough? Hallelujah, rejoice, pray without ceasing and in everything give thanks. Wait, you think that's not enough? I'm coming to the best part now. Jesus was on this planet and he gave thanks. Hallelujah, I want to tell you, jesus fed 5,005 loaves and 2 fish. He fed 4,007 loaves and 2 fish and the bible says before he brought on multiplication, he gave thanks. He looked up to heaven and he gave thanks. And if that's not enough, in John 11, 41, when Jesus brings someone to life, he brings Lazarus back to life after being dead for a few days. Brings someone to life, he brings Lazarus back to life after being dead for a few days. The Bible says he starts by standing outside the tomb and says Father, I thank you that you have heard me. Hallelujah, jesus gave thanks and he started with Father, I thank you because you have heard me. And then he turned to the tomb and he said Lazarus, come forth. He. And he said Lazarus, come forth. He had to call Lazarus, others all would have come forth. Hallelujah, hallelujah. And I want to tell you something. This is a fundamental question that a lot of you have and you're not sure about. I want to tell you something. This is a fundamental question that a lot of you have and you are not sure about, and that question is I don't know how to do this. I don't have a relationship with God. I don't know how to do this, and I want to tell you that Jesus, the only reason why he came to this planet, was, number one, because he loved you and me. He loves you and me. And number two, after a particular point, he started teaching people about the kingdom of God, and I want to tell you that there was a time when he starts telling his disciples something, and that is about how you pray Hallelujah, and it comes to you from the book of Matthew, the 6th chapter, the 9th verse onwards, and it's so beautiful. And he says and this is these are the words of Jesus. And if you and this is for you, because some of you are thinking I don't know how to pray. You can open your Bible, you can use your apps and you can go to this and just read it, at least as a start. You don't learn how to run before you learn how to walk. And Jesus said pray then in this way our father who is in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors, and do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for yours is the kingdom and the power, the glory, forever and ever. Amen, hallelujah, hallelujah. What a beautiful passage of scripture, and this is for you in particular, maybe many of you who think right now, I don't know how to start. There's your start, hallelujah. And the words of Jesus himself, hallelujah. And if that's not enough, mark 11, chapter 24. It says, therefore, I say, say to you and listen to this. This is the words of Jesus this beautiful morning for you. Therefore, I say to you All things For which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them and they will be granted you, oh, hallelujah, oh, hallelujah that you have received them and they will be granted you. Oh hallelujah, oh hallelujah. Therefore, I say to you this is Jesus talking and this is Jesus talking to anyone who believes in Jesus and anyone who has put their faith in Jesus, and he's telling you and me this morning, any of you who believe him. Therefore, I say to you, and that's you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe you have received them and they will be granted you. Amen, hallelujah, all things. I only gave you two examples today. I want to tell you Daniel knew he would get his answer, which is why he was praying and waiting and Gabriel came to him. Archangel Gabriel came to him. Daniel knew he would get his prayer answered the second time and he waited and he fasted and he prayed. The bible says he, with supplication. That means daniel must have fasted and done the same thing, gone to the ground, went flat, put his head between his knees and prayed, and the messenger who was supposed to come to him got delayed by 21 days. But that messenger was helped by archangel michael just so that he could come to deliver that message. Believe that you will receive it and you will have it. Elijah knew the rain would come. Elijah knew the fire will come down from heaven. Elijah knew what is a famine. The creator, creator of the most high, has told me ask and believe and you shall receive. Hallelujah, hallelujah. I want to leave you with this powerful pillar that God has given to us and he's made it clear to us, and sometimes we can ignore it. But the Bible says pray with thanksgiving and this beautiful day, start with thanking him for everything that you've got. Look around you. Look at the shoes you wore five years ago when you knew Jesus. That's the smallest thing I can show you. Look at your life, look at the people you have. Look at the multiplication you've received. Only because Jesus is at the, he's at the helm of the boat with you, and be thankful for that and know that this is his will for you this morning, if you are going through something, it is his will for you. It was his will for job. Have you considered my servant job? It's his will for you. It is also his will for you and you should understand this morning that you will be victorious through him only. Amen, hallelujah, hallelujah. Let's all pray. Dear Lord, I thank you for this beautiful day. Lord, I thank you for your beautiful word. I thank you for your double edged sword. Thank you for your double-edged sword that does not go back until it has achieved what it has been set out for. I thank you this beautiful day, lord. I start with thanksgiving. I thank you, lord, for everything that you have given us. I thank you, lord, for being obedient to death, and death on a cross only for us. I thank you, lord, that you always hear us. I thank you, lord, that our walls are continually before you. Lord, I thank you for everything that you've given us. I thank you most of all, or for loving us and always being there for us. Lord, this beautiful day, as we bring our request to you, we know, lord, that everything is ye and amen in your name and through that blood you shed on that cross for us. Lord, thank you for this beautiful time. Thank you for this beautiful presence, lord, thank you for your love and thank you ever, always, forever being faithful to us. Lord. Beautiful presence, Lord, thank you for your love and thank you ever, always, for ever being faithful to us, lord, we are faithless, but you remain faithful. Thank you, lord, for this beautiful day, and I end with this Lord, our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever, and ever and ever. Amen.