This article is from the 1985 Volume 7 VOE magazine
JESUS TAUGHT THEM HOW TO PRAY
People often say, “Prayer changes things.” While this is true, more importantly prayer changes people, and God uses people to change many things!
Through Israel’s long history, prayer played a major role in their spiritual life. Abraham and the Almighty God had a covenant (Genesis 17). The covenant was passed on from Abraham to Isaac and then to Jacob. As Israel began to populate and the 12 tribes grew in number, all prayer was offered in this manner: “In the name of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob…”
Notice the number of Old Testament prayers that open with this preface. There was power with God when the people prayed in the name of Abraham. It reminded God of His covenant.
When Israel had been in Egyptian bondage for 400 years, they cried unto the Lord for deliverance. Exodus 2:24 states, “And God heard their groaning, and GOD REMEMBERED HIS COVENANT WITH ABRAHAM, WITH ISAAC, AND WITH JACOB.” Since these were Abraham’s relatives who were in trouble, God was going to come on the scene.
When God addressed Himself to Moses, God said, “I am the God of thy Father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob” (Exodus 3:6).
Later, when the Israelites sinned in the wilderness, God was prepared to consume the people and raise up a seed through Moses’ seed. Moses prayed a dynamic covenant prayer by reminding God of His covenant with Abraham (Exodus 32:13).
The NAME OF ABRAHAM was a powerful way to approach God, but ABRAHAM was God’s covenant man of the heart.
For 2,000 years, Jewish prayers were offered in this manner: “In the name of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” And for thousands of years, God answered prayers because of Abraham!
When Jesus entered His public ministry, He chose 12 disciples (Luke 9:1). These 12 men were familiar with Jewish customs and synagogue services. They knew the covenant prayer that was used for hundreds of years. Yet they came to Christ saying, “Lord, teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1). Actually, they knew how to pray because they grew up around synagogues. Yet, they knew that Jesus didn’t pray the same kind of prayers they heard in the synagogues, and when Jesus prayed, He got results!
Jesus said, “When you pray say, ‘OUR FATHER WHO IS IN HEAVEN.’” Jesus revealed that prayer was no longer to be offered in Abraham’s name, but to be directed to the Father. Abraham had been the intercessor to God, and now Jesus was to become the high priest and the intercessor!
While traveling in Jordan and Israel, I was amazed at the number of men who prayed. The Muslims pray several times a day facing Mecca, and the Jews pray throughout the day at the wailing wall. Yet here in America, prayer is often seen as nothing more than a Sunday ritual most Christians go through. People pray out of respect and tradition, but often they do not get an answer from God.
God showed me recently in my spirit that the life or death of the church depends upon its prayer power. God showed me that some large formerly great churches were going to spiritually die because of the lack of prayer. He also showed me that dead churches were going to come back to life because of the prayer warriors who were going to roll back the curtains of hell and darkness!
THE AVERAGE CHRISTIAN PRAYER IS 2 ½ MINUTES A DAY
Why can’t a Christian pray longer than 2 ½ minutes a day? It’s not because they’re too busy, because the average Christian family watches television 6 hours a day. It is because Christians DON’T HAVE A PRAYER BURDEN! You can’t pray longer than 3 minutes if you don’t have a prayer burden. You can’t control the thoughts of your mind while praying unless you have a prayer burden. A prayer burden is like a glue that keeps you on your knees. Successful praying comes by following a prayer burden.
People wonder how I can stay in a closed room for hours a day in prayer and study. It is because of the burden I feel for each service. As long as I feel a burden for a revival, that revival can keep going for 2-5 weeks. But when that burden lifts, I know to close that revival, or else ministry will become ineffective.
When a pastor loses a burden for his church, he had better ask God for a burden or move on… because he will just spin his wheels at the church.
This is one reason churches change pastors so often. Either the pastor has lost his burden, or the church has. When either one loses their burden, discontentment and restlessness will set in and people will think they need a change.
Churches should not be going through pastors faster than they do a pair of shoes. MANY MEMBERS AREN’T PRAYING, BUT THEY ARE TRYING TO BE GOD’S WATCHDOGS OVER THE LORD’S HERITAGE!
I heard of a church trying to get rid of their pastor (who is, in my opinion, a wonderful man of God). I asked this person how many people are praying for this minister, and the answer was “none.” You see, if people prayed, God might start blessing the man’s ministry and he might stay as pastor. That’s why some won’t pray, they want their stubborn way instead of God’s blessings! So, people get a new pastor and in two years they run him off like all the others (and it’s often the same group of people in the church who are always doing the running off).
I am telling you now as a servant of God, if you don’t start getting a prayer burden and communing with God, you are going to spiritually DIE!
You may say, “I don’t know how to pray.” Well, then pray in the Spirit; pray in other tongues according to Romans 8:26-28. The Holy Ghost will always pray according to the will of God!
We need to ask God for a prayer burden. Only when Zion travails shall she bring forth children. Ask Jesus to teach you how to pray!