EMPOWERMENT & PRAYER

"EMPOWERMENT & PRAYER."

 EMPOWERMENT COMMENTARY BY
JARRETT L. PERDUE SR.

The word “prayer” has different meanings to different people. The definition depends on who is being asked and what they believe. 

In the KJV translation, the word prayer appears 114 times.  It is first used in 2 Samuel 7:27 and last used in 1 Peter 4:7.

For the Born Again Believer in Christ, prayer is communication with our Heavenly Father. We articulate verbally those things to God about our daily lives. It is carried out through faith in the Word of God. It is believing you have received those things that you desire to come into manifestation as you daily and diligently seek Him.  This means that you need to have solid and consistent faith in who God is.  If it is a mythical God one is seeking, you will never find it.  The God you seek must be the One in Genesis 1:1, the elohiym (el·ō·hēm') with singular meaning, the (true) God.  Then you can make application of God's Word.
 

Matthew 21:22 

 Mark 11:24 

 Matthew 6:33  

 Hebrews 11:6 

Notice from the above scriptures how the responsibility is on the individual.

We pray to our Heavenly Father in the name of Jesus Christ. That is our key. We are in compliance with scriptural understanding.  

John 14:6

 The way is the traveled road, the truth is things pertaining to God and man, and the life is vitality, energy and earnestness. 

1 Timothy 2:5 

In this Empowerment Commentary, I want to talk about self-responsibility when it comes to individual prayer. It can be for you or others or both. The different types of prayer one presents to God are still the responsibility of the person to carry it out faithfully.

Statistics show in the KJV, the word prayer is used 114 times. The word pray 313 times, prayed 65 times, praying 20 times. Of course this may vary depending on the translation.

In any translation, prayer is mentioned many times to show the importance of having dialogue with our Heavenly Father. Having daily dialogue with God is having a personal relationship with God.

Prayer is having daily DIALOGUE, not MONOLOGUE, with God. Of course there are different types of prayer, i.e., petition, intercession, thanksgiving.

MONOLOGUE

Here is what monologue is defined as; Us just talking to God about everything we need, what we want done, what we need our Father to do for us, how bad things are, giving our daily complaints, giving our list of demands, talking about how other people should live right and judging them as the Pharisee judged the publican (Luke 18:11), how much money we need, what type of spouse we would like, how bad our job is, make and model of the cars we want, our new flat screen computer, our big screen TV set, and then saying, “In Jesus Name, Amen.”

Sometimes people are so loquacious in attempting to get in all their words, there is really no substance to the prayer. It is only about them. Never stating to God that they want to be blessed to bless the Body of Christ, to bless others. It is about being self-centered. That is monologue. Monologue is defined as one giving a long speech preventing others from talking or expressing their views. It is from the Greek monólogos (mono-logos) – speaking alone.

DIALOGUE

Dialogue is a conversation between two or more persons. When we are in dialogue with the Father, we have to listen to what God is telling us concerning the direction we need to go, in response to our requests. God speaks to our spirit. Our Father hears us. 

Isaiah 58:9 

Jeremiah 33:3 

 

1 Kings 9:3 

 Dialogue (prayer) with your Heavenly Father is one of the greatest experiences you will always have. It has to be on a consistent basis, not just when you need things or are in trouble.

• 1 Chronicles 16:11 “Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually.”

• 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 (17) "Pray without ceasing.” (18) “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”

• Psalm 5:3 “My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.”

• Psalm 6:9 “The LORD hath heard my supplication; the LORD will receive my prayer.”

• Acts 6:4 “But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.”

When we are in daily prayer with God, He will reveal things to us about our personal lives and the direction to carry out things with daily victory. When we acknowledge Him, He will direct our path.

• Proverbs 3:6 “In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”

• Psalm 119:105 “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” God will order our steps.

• Psalms 37: 23 “The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.”

The great and wonderful thing about daily dialogue with God is that you do not have to wait for someone to tell you how and what to say to your Father about your life. Everyone can express to God what they want on an individual basis and because He is omnipresence, He takes time to listen and then give instructions to every single person that approaches His presence, and at the same time, taking care of the universe. Now that is power! To listen and take care of the needs of millions of people at the same time.

As we are in dialogue with God, we are able to come with prayer and supplication. Supplication is defined as to ask for earnestly. An earnest petition.

• 1 Kings 8:49 “Then hear thou their prayer and their supplication in heaven thy dwelling place, and maintain their cause.”

• Psalm 6:9 “The LORD hath heard my supplication; the LORD will receive my prayer.”

Supplication in the Hebrew context for these OT scriptures, is tĕchinnah (tekh·in·nä'), meaning favour and supplication for favour. Philippians 4:6 “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”
In the Greek context it is deēsis (de'-ā-sēs) defined as a seeking, asking, entreating, entreaty to God.

Along with God taking care of your requests and needs, you should want to give to God. It has to be a spiritual reciprocal relationship.
After your needs are met, bills are paid, loved ones are blessed, what are you going to do for the Body of Christ and the Kingdom of God? Are you going to continue to seek the Lord daily, or walk away after self-satisfaction? Will you only engage again in dialogue with God when tragedy strikes or things are not going your way? These are important queries everyone will need to respond to. This is where having self-responsibility in prayer will be manifested.

Our Heavenly Father is not just a 911 call. God has no problems responding to our 911 calls, it is just not the only time we should be in contact with Him. God is not our own personal ATM. God has no problems with making opportunities for us to have access to money and capital, it is just not the only time we should be in contact with Him. If we are sick, we should go to God. He has no problem with our healing, it is just not the only time we should be in contact with Him. God has no problems with us having all are needs met, it is just not the only time we should be in contact with Him.

Our relationship with God should be ongoing. God never forgets about blessing us and protecting us on a daily basis, 24/7/365. Having daily dialogue with God is not drudgery. If you understand prayer, it will be joy unspeakable! 1 Peter 1:8 “Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.”

Daily dialogue with our Heavenly Father means we can go to Him about anything. We can trust Him with anything we tell Him about our lives. We do not have to wait for someone to go to God for us, nor should we. Too many Believers in the Body of Christ are waiting for someone else to go to God for them. Waiting for a middle person to go on their behalf. I agree with people praying for others, going to God on behalf of others, and interceding for others in prayer. This shows excellency of love. When you pray for others it means you care about the other person’s well being. One of the things that is great about praying for people is that you will receive a positive result back should you be in a position when others will need to pray for you. It is a great spiritual investment in the Body of Christ.

The concept that we must keep in mind is that we need to make sure that we stay in consistent prayer for our own well being in the event others do not pray for us. People have good intentions, but you cannot depend on their good intentions. I believe people are sincere when they say they will pray for you. What everyone should remember is that people have their own personal lives to deal with daily. People may start off with you in setting themselves in agreement with you in prayer (Matthew 18:19) for needs you are requesting. They really have a desire to help you accomplish your goals. Some will stay with you, some will not. When you take self-responsibility and not be dependent on others you will always have victory and success. Those that stand in Prayer Agreement with you are those that will have the same mindset as you and apply the scriptures accurately.

• Psalm 66:19 “But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer.”

• Psalm 69:13 “But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, O LORD, in an acceptable time: O God, in the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy salvation.” Notice the psalmist takes self-responsibility in prayer with the Heavenly Father.

We are to continue in prayer. Colossians 4:2 “Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;” “Continue” in Greek is proskartereō (pros-kär-te-re'-ō). To adhere to one, be his adherent, to be devoted or constant to one. To be steadfastly attentive unto, to give unremitting care to a thing. Romans 12:12 “Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer.”

I want to admonish everyone to continue to pray for other people. It is very rewarding for you and them. Along with that, take the self-responsibility for your own relationship with the Lord.

When we continue in daily dialogue with God, our personal relationship grows. We understand what God is revealing in our lives and understand our ministry/assignments, and how to carry it out properly in our daily living.

Always remember that your Heavenly Father wants a personal relationship with you on a daily basis and that God loves you and wants the best for you in life everyday.

Jarrett L. Perdue Sr.