Prayer for Maximum Impact

In the course of this past week I had the honor of driving a senior citizen to WalMart for grocery shopping. After we loaded his purchases into the car trunk, he exclaimed, "The place was filled up; there were people everywhere". I didn't know how exactly to respond but I remember saying, "That means the economy is booming. When the economy is booming, that means people are employed. When people are employed, that means production is high and when production is high, that means life is good". Remember, this was spontaneous and I thought, to myself, I hope I am not lecturing this old man sitting in my car. Luckily he answered in affirmation, "I guess you are correct".

I use that true illustration to establish the topic of today's teaching, "Prayer for Making Maximum Impact". For those who are already aware, the theme this year at New Wine Church is "Making Maximum Impact". We're in our month of prayers so you can understand where I am coming from.

Prayer time at a recent event of the African Christian Fellowship in Minneapolis, Minnesota

Someone had once said, "Pray until something happens". I asked the folks at the African Christian Fellowship meeting in Minneapolis where I first shared this message if they were familiar with the statement. To my joy everyone chorused, "P.U.S.H". We need PUSH to see mountains moved; to see distressed marriages straightened up, debts crumble like a park of cards and failing businesses or careers reignited.

A preacher said, "Faith that doesn't bring change is no faith and prayer is the platform for achieving change." In other words, prayer gives meaning to your faith. Show me your prayer life and I will tell you your level of faith. Which then means a prayer-less life is a faithless life and a faithless life is a life devoid of impact.

For today's teaching I will focus on three dimensions of prayer. Following this layers as I call them, can lead you to a place of undeniable impact:

1. The Power of Prayer - Purpose;

2. The Place of Prayer - How; and,

3. The Product of Prayer - Result.

1. Power of Prayer - Purpose

1. Relationship: Prayer is a means of keeping our relationship with the Godhead. God desires a relationship with us. If we miss that point, life becomes empty and meaningless. He declared in Isaiah 66:23: "And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, said the LORD". Psalm 65:2 also says that He answers prayers and to Him all peoples will come.

2. Communication: Relationships are founded on good communication between the parties. Can a husband keep a good marital relationship if he keeps silent all the time, and vice versa the wife? In the same manner, we cannot be in a relationship with God and not communicate with Him. In John 17 Jesus showed prayer in a way that reveals communication between people who are familiar with each other. When you read that chapter of John's gospel, you read it from start to finish because Jesus was practically in a conversation with the Father. We can do the same.

3. Time spent: Prayer is spending time with God. It might involve asking for blessings. It might involve thanking God for things and praising and worshipping Him for who He is. It might be petitioning for help from a difficulty or challenge. Your time with God could also just be pondering and meditating on the wonders of God and the things He has done in your life.

   Time spent with God is definitely one that will bring rewards because His Word says in Hebrews 11:6 that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. The proviso in spending time with God was provided by Jesus Christ when He was with the Woman by Well of Samaria: "But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. ²⁴ God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." (John 4:23-24, NKJV) 

2. Place of prayer - How

1. Solitary: Mark 1: 35: Jesus, the Prayer-God Himself, rose up in the dawn, "a great while before the day" and went to a solitary place to pray. We are in a generation where everyone is "busy". Being busy has become a business of all of us to the detriment of spending time alone with our God and Maker. This should not be.

   Solitary time with God enables us to hear Him. You possibly can't hear God when you're multitasking as we mostly do. But when we stay focused on God, we can unwind and He can penetrate our hearts with words of guidance and comfort.

   As a Christian, how much impact can you possibly make if you don't have divine guidance and direction?

2. Earnestness: James 5:16: (B) AMP. The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working].
3. Faith: When you pray, believe, otherwise, you cannot receive what you're praying for. James 1:6-7
4. Use a Prayer Guide: The Bible remains the Number 1 Prayer Guide of all times. There are countless prayer books or printed blogs like the Daily Bread. I will also add that "My Book of Prayers" by the author is a solid material to use in persistent, fervent prayer. I have come to realize that I enjoy a
5. Praying in tongues: Jude vs.20: But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit.
6. Beyond Personal Needs: We need to learn from the leading prayer template as given by the Lord Jesus Christ. "Our Lord's Prayer" deliberately includes global intercessory lines:

- "Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven."

- "For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen." (Matthew 6:10, 13, NKJV)

What this means is that we must pray beyond our personal and local needs. Intercede for missionaries, war zones around the world and displaced people everywhere. Pray for national economies and good governance in every nation. Take the battle to the kingdom of darkness by praying for global Christian revival and spiritual liberation of those held in bondage around the world.

3. Product of prayer - Result

1. Desires granted: In the illustration of the widow and the wicked judge in Luke 18:1-8, Jesus demonstrated that because of her persistence, the woman's desire was granted. Having our desires granted is a cardinal reason we pray.

2. Faith is built up: Faith is a product because it is tangible, it is an evidence of things hoped for, the substance of things not seen, Hebrews 11:1. Prayer helps to build up our faith in God who answers prayers.

3. Victory: In Psalm 18:6, King David said, "In my distress I called to the LORD; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears." Prayer delivers victories to us in many ways: healing, divine intervention, revival of souls, deliverance from evils, ministry/business expansion or turnaround, career progress, finding favors and so on and so forth.

Let us Pray.

1. As Ephesians 6:18 recommends, "Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord's people." Take a minute to pray for others and the world we live in.

2. A time comes when you look around you and decide things are not what they should be. Your health, finances, marriage, business or career. Then pray right now for a touch of God for full recovery, renewal and restoration.

3. You can pray for your personal needs, family, church, wife or husband, children, parents, friends, employers, church, pastors, fellowship etc. This is only the beginning. Now, stretch your prayer to missions and missionaries, governments and leaders of the nations, war ravaged communities and the displaced people including children and old citizens in such places.

4. If you feel in your spirit to be under a siege, or are have a feeling of an attack, don't fold your arms, pray. Pray for heaven's intervention to dislodge the camp of the devil. Pray for spiritual strength to not become weak in the siege. On the other hand, if things are looking great for you on all fronts, still pray. Thank the Lord for His favors, blessings and goodness towards you.

Remember, prayer is what you need to change your world. It is what you need to make your desires come to pass. It is what you need to make your dreams come true. You need prayer to matter to your generation, to make any meaningful and lasting impact.

Don't be lazy or careless, don't say "Things will be what they will be." God wants you to be in a relationship with Him and part of that means He wants you to succeed, to make a mark and impact your world. Allow me therefore to leave you with these three words: Pray. Pray. Pray. Amen.   

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The Word of Faith Weekly

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Dipo Ajayi Cornelius, Editor/Impartation Ministry Pastor. Email me at: news@nwcmpls.com 

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New Wine Church is a Christ Centered, Non-denominational, Bible-Based Church. Our desire is to raise a thriving and vibrant community of passionate believers who are impacting their generation with the transforming power of the Gospel.