ANOINTED WORD MINISTRIES MESSAGE FOR THE MONTH

WELCOME TO FAITH WORKS

"FAITH WORKS" is the medium through which we will deliver the monthly messages from ANOINTED WORD MINISTRIES. We believe these messages will be an inspiration and an encouragement to you. Therefore, passing the URL for this ministry page on to others is greatly appreciated and encouraged. Also, feel free to e-mail us at pastor@anointed.org Thank you very much

THIS MONTH'S TOPIC

"The Dynamics of Effectual Prayer"

One of the most basic foundations, yet vitally significant tenants of the Kingdom of God is prayer. It is an absolutely necessary door through which your faith and believing is to be exercised. In biblical Christianity there is no such thing as life in Christ Jesus without prayer. A prayer-less believer is a powerless believer.

Furthermore, and more emphatically, there should be no such thing as "unanswered" prayer in the life of any believer; nowhere, none of the time, under no circumstances. Prayer is a tool; a weapon; a door; a guide; a roadmap. It is dynamic access to the unlimited resources of heaven and the kingdom of God. Believers should breath prayer. We should perspire fellowship with God through the medium of prayer. And, with all the promises found in scripture that assures us of success with God through prayer, it should be without any doubt the greatest and most complete part of the life of every believer!

Though the word of God is replete with examples of answered prayer, many are of the opinion that such rewarding prayers should not be the case in their lives. Unanswered prayer should be an abnormality. It should be looked upon as a blight upon the face of your Christian existence. You should abhor it with a passion, shun it with disdain and regard it as the most loathsome of curses.

Jesus went to the necessary lengths to secure our access, communion and fellowship with God. Answered prayer should be a very common occurrence. Furthermore, when it comes to life in Christ Jesus, the bible should be our reference point. People in the bible prayed without ceasing and without ceasing God answered their prayers.

Further examination of scripture will also reveal that the people in the Bible garnered outstanding results through prayer. These results were the end product of effectual prayer. This then is our objective: effectual prayer. There are at least six staunch characteristics of effectual prayer. They are as follows:

First, let's discuss faith and prayer. Faith can and will work without prayer; but Prayer can not and will not work without faith. Matthew 21:22 says: "and all things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive. Not just prayer, but believing prayer is what gets results with God. Believing is the impetus behind any and all successful praying. It is the hinge upon which effectual prayer swings. Prayers dominated by fear and doubt and permeated with need will only result in frustration. The foundation for successful praying begins with the Word of God that you believe. Also, James 1:6-7 graphically admonishes that if I do not ask in Faith, I should not even think that I will receive anything of the Lord.

The next "dynamic" of effectual prayer is confidence. Confidence can be defined as strong certainty or assurance. When it comes to effectual prayer there can be no accommodations for doubt. Doubt will dilute any faith you have and neutralize your believing. It is the faith killer. The cure for all and any doubt is the Word of God. This is where we get our confidence in our position of prayer. I John 5:14-15 explains exactly what the confidence I have in HIM is: "...if we ask anything according to His will He heareth us; and, if we know that He hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him". What this means is that before I even pray, I can be assured that God will answer my prayer because I have asked according to His Word(His Word is His Will). This unparalleled confidence is at the root of all effectual prayer.

Boldness is the third dynamic in achieving effectual prayer. It is important to note that boldness is not arrogance. In the context of biblical Christianity, it is the attitude that exudes from forgiveness for one's sins. The person that understands that he is righteous will be bold. Proverbs 28:1 says"...the righteous are as bold as a lion." The believer that understands and believes that he is forgiven will be bold. Biblical boldnessbasicly means without shame. Contrary to how you may "feel", feelings should not be your reference point for boldness. Hebrews 4:16 strongly encourages us to come before the Throne of Grace boldly that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Hebrews 10:19-22 continues to do us a wonderful service with the reminder that we have boldness to enter the HOLIEST by the blood of Jesus. This "new and living way" which He hath consecrated for us is the infrastructure upon which I exercise my boldness toward God. Without fear or shame, but rather with boldness you draw near to God with a true heart in full assurance of faith. Having your heart sprinkled from an evil conscience and your body washed with pure water, you boldly hold fast to your profession of faith without wavering for He is faithful that promised. Thus, God and what God has done through Jesus Christ is the basis for such boldness. Furthermore, when the reference point for your Christianity is what God has said, this then in itself will perpetuate boldness. Hebrews 13:5-6 says "...for He(God) hath said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee. So that we might boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me." Boldness is an essential element in effectual prayer.

This brings us to thanksgiving. A believer that is in the habit of prayer, will be a believer that is in the habit of giving thanks. People that are effectual in their prayers are the most God-appreciative people you will meet. They are constantly on the receiving end of some prayer or another from God. Also, the man that is effectual in his prayers understands and knows that God is a prayer-answering God and a Rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. He knows Who the source of his blessings are. He also knows with the utmost confidence that it is not a matter of time, but a matter of prayer before he has the petitions that he desired of the Lord. Philippians 4:6-7 is a wonderful recipe for effectual prayer.

Also, "...with thanksgivng..." is how our prayers and supplications to God should be conveyed. First Thessalonians 5:17-18 joins prayer that is without ceasing with the giving of thanks in everything. Declaring boldly that "...this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you..." It should be no surprise that thanksgiving is an integral part of effectual prayer. After all, the end of effectual prayer, other than the communion or fellowship aspect, is receiving from God. Also, thanksgiving is your faith expressing that what God has promised, He is able also to perform. In St. John 11:41-42 Jesus expresses His faith-filled prayer through thanksgiving. This was the precedent to a marvelous miracle from God in the behalf of Lazarus. And, since Jesus is our example, "by Him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name"(hebrews 13:15). True effectual prayer is never devoid of thanksgiving. It is the cornerstone upon which effectual prayer firmly rests.

Perseverance is another significant dynamic of effectual prayer. This is where many people are lost on their way to receiving from God. Because many people do not believe in prayer as a lifestyle, they quit. It is not enough to have "prayed". It is far better to be in the habit of prayer. You continue in prayer until the manifestation and after the manifestation Daniel 2:17-23 and Luke 17:15-19. Prayer should be as common an occurrence in your life as eating, sleeping, or breathing. It should be regarded as vital a life function as any other bodily function. And I dare say with even more regard. The importance of perseverance in prayer can never be overstated.

Jesus says in Luke 18:1 that "men ought always to pray, and not to faint..." Now this section of scripture's encouragement for us "...not to faint..." is not without reason. In verse seven of the same chapter there is an explanation why: "...and shall not God avenge His own elect, which cry day and night unto Him, though He bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily." The message: don't quit!!! Not praying the same unbelieving prayer, but a prayer of faith and then prayers of thanksgiving. Perseverance is not just an issue of time but an issue of unwavering faith until the answer materializes. Persevering in prayer has an intrinsic quality of its own.

In Acts 12:5, it was persevering, without ceasing prayers by the church unto God that secured Peter's release from King Herod's evil intentions, not the politics of compromise. In the arena of perseverance you will find faith's champions. This place of perseverance is where faith's strength in prayer shines is all its brilliance. Many times, it is here where you find out if you have faith-filled prayers or just feeling-filled prayers. Also, the area where patience has its perfect work will be perseverance. The foundation of intercession is perseverance. Colossians 4:2 commands us to "continue in prayer". I Thessalonians 5:17 admonishes us to "pray without ceasing". And Ephesians 6:18 forcefully asserts that we should pray "always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;.." The believer that perseveres in prayer is the believer that prevails in prayer.

The final area I want to address is being specific in your prayers. To fully appreciate the power of prayer it is paramount that you harness your believing and target your faith. Many people erroneously assume that since God is all-knowing, all-powerful, and all loving He will just answer any old general prayer. In this we assume too much. Let's look at the bible. In Mark 10:51 Jesus asks Blind Bartimaeus: "...what wilt thou that I should do unto thee?..." What is interesting about this question from Jesus is that it was obvious to all that he was blind. Apparently also this man was well reputed as being blind because the Bible even refers to him as "blind" Bartimaeus. Despite this seemingly evident fact Jesus asks the man: "what wilt thou that I should do unto thee?..." Now Bartimaeus could have said many things. He could have petitioned the Lord in the behalf of his friends. He also could have mentioned some other malady that was not so obvious as his blindness. There was a definite reason why Jesus engaged Bartimaeus as such: it was to address the specific area of his believing. Observe also that Bartimaeus did not ask Jesus for money. Just as he had heard of Jesus' exploits of faith, I am certain that he had also heard of Jesus' tendency toward giving alms to the poor. What was Bartimaeus' response: "...Lord, that I might receive my sight..." Jesus then responds: "...go thy way thy faith hath made thee whole." The Holy Spirit's commentary is that "...immediately he received his sight..." Another observation that is significant to note is that Jesus didn't just walk up to Bartimaeus and say "...be healed!!" out of compassion. It was Bartimaeus who accosted Jesus. And he knew exactly what he wanted Jesus to do for him. He was quiet specific. He did not assume that Jesus 'knew what he needed before he asked'. As a matter of fact, every place in the new testament all the prayer requests are specific and not general in nature. Philippians 4:6 says for us to "...be careful for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. The Word of God encourages us to be specific. Prayers that are effectual depends upon it.

Understanding the dynamics of effectual prayer will greatly intensify your spiritual effectiveness. The way has been made for us by Jesus to succeed in the area of prayer. It is our responsibility to appropriate this way and incorporate it into every area of our Christian lives; making a reality in our lives the verse of scripture: "the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much "(James 5:16).

It is my prayer that this particular topic will help you in your endeavors with GOD. Any comments can be directed to me via e-mail. Thank you.

Rev. Andre Gorham
pastor@anointed.org
Anointed Word Ministries, Inc.
PO BOX 25166
Raleigh, NC 27611-5166
(919) 598-1879