Prayer Provides Power, Poise, Peace, and Purpose – Chris Blumstein – The Church at Cahaba Bend

Someone once said, “Prayer provides power, poise, peace, and purpose.” William Arthur Ward (December 17, 1921–March 30, 1994), an American motivational writer said, “Prayer is the prelude to peace, the prologue to power, the preface to purpose, and the pathway to perfection”.

In Matthew 18:18, Jesus said: “Truly I say to you; whatever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven”.  In Matthew 16:19. He said: “And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven”.  Many of us are familiar with the concept of “binding and loosing demonic strongholds” as we pray over our lives, our loved ones, and others who have need of prayer.  While listening to a message from Dr. Kelley Varner, titled, “Seeing a New Heaven and A New Earth", he talked about the concept of Binding and Loosing the gifts and ministries of the Holy Spirit and the Corporate Destiny of the local and universal Church.

He also referenced Malachi 3:10: ¹⁰Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not OPEN YOU…. KJV.  The “original version” will sometimes state things more clearly if we look closely (my thought).  He also introduced, in my view, a novel comparison. He said: “Microsoft Windows revolutionized computers, giving a screen full of icons.  Microsoft Word is my Word Processor.  Word is not the program.  Word is the icon.  Using computer language, man is not the program, man is the icon.  God wants to double click on you so that he can get Himself to come through you. To be created in His image you become His icon, the vessel through which He comes.  Can He double click on you, or has your computer crashed?  Are you still booting up or are you stuck in DOS?  Man is the window that represents the program (God).  He double clicks on man to open all that He is.  If we would be persuaded with who we are in Christ, we could change our world, then THE world”.  We are to become his image and likeness so that we may take dominion over every area of our lives.

Understanding these concepts released the POWER of God into my prayer life and language!  Not only does God hear me when I pray, He also strengthens me (Psalm 10:17-18)!  I have great confidence and POISE when I pray because I have identified and been persuaded who I am in Christ (Colossians 2:9-10 KJV: For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness}.  I literally feel the PEACE of God when I pray, which surpasses my understanding.  Philippians 4:7).  The PURPOSE of my prayer was greatly intensified because I now had, as Brother Steve Collins often says, a full toolbox at my disposal. 

Prayer is a powerful medicine that heals your Soul, Mind, and Body.  Prayer allows you to let go of those hidden problems that cause so much grief in our lives and the lives of our loved ones.  Isaiah 41:10 (KJV) says: “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness”.  The right hand of God relates to the concept of someone being right next to God, acknowledging both authority and closeness to Him. While God the Father does not consist of a physical body like humans do, the right hand of God is often used figuratively in Scripture. In the Old Testament, the phrase is used to refer to the coming Messiah. 

At Calvary, there were three crucifixions: In the middle was God in the flesh, on the left was Satan in the flesh, and on the right was Adam in the flesh.  Adam asked Jesus to “remember me”.  He was asking Jesus to “re-member” him – put him back together like he was before he brought sin into the world.   Applying this concept to our prayer life, God will take our barren places, hidden places, and dark places and put them back together!

In John and Paula Sandford’s books on Inner Healing, they put forth the biblical truth that we all suffer from the Sins of The Fathers and Resulting Curses, Ungodly Beliefs, Spirit-Soul Hurts, and Demonic Oppression. I highly recommend that you grab one of their books from Elijah House Books - Elijah House.  Their long experience in Pulpit and Personal Counselling Ministry gave them God’s insight into mental and spiritual health issues.  The ideas in their books helped me “peel back the onion” on my false identity and reveal my true identity as a Sanctified Son of The Living God.  This knowledge provided the leverage and focus to fashion my prayer life as a sweet incense to God.