Prayer Is The Foundation of Our Faith

I've repeated a few things in this post, but some things bear repeating!

The foundation of our Prayer Life is the realization and acceptance of our identity in Christ.  The mindset that we are slovenly sinners must change 180 degrees!  We are sons and daughters of the God of the Universe and we have been bought with a price!  Satan’s greatest fear is that you will discover who you are in Christ, which will place him under your feet. “And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly – Romans 16:20. When we accept our identity in Christ, we are able to see the image of the Christ we are becoming in the mirror.  “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then I shall know even as also I am known – 1 Cor. 13:12.  When our identity is solidified in our spirits, our Prayer Life is radically changed and becomes a vital part of our existence.

The importance of a consistent Prayer life, to keep us grounded in our daily walk, is a vital tool in fulfilling our destiny in the Earth.  Prayer is mentioned in the Bible 327 times. Prayer allows us to tune into the “channel” where God is communicating to us.  We can’t hear His Voice when we are focused on asking God to provide all our needs.  He tells us that He will give us all our NEED, not all our NEEDS.  Phil. 4:19 (KJV) states "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus”. 

To start a consistent prayer life, we must establish some habits to “open up the lines of communication”.  First, set aside a daily time and a quiet place to sit and listen for at least 30 minutes.  Have your Bible open to your favorite scripture and keep a pen and paper handy to be ready when he starts speaking.  Now, let’s be practical and not “spooky”.  When God speaks to me, it’s usually an impression in my spirit.  As I open myself up to Him, He opens Himself to me!  By spending time with Him I am helping to fulfill His corporate desire to have a family for Himself, a Bride for His Son, and a dwelling place for the Holy Spirit.  

We have been created in the image of Christ and prayer helps mold us into His Express (Identical) image.  We WERE sinners and we claim HIS sacred Identity, Priesthood and Kingship!   We must deeply believe that our Salvation is progressive, and we must talk to Him, continually, to stay the path!  We are Sons and Daughters of the God of the Universe and we presently reside in the Kingdom of God.  Romans 14:17 (KJV) says: For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit”.  We can’t walk out the path that God intends for us if we’re not listening.  We must incorporate His strategic plan into our own until there is one strategy – HIS!  Jesus Himself was focused on His mission and ignored the bumps in the road that could interfere with fulfilling His destiny. 

Another hindrance to intimacy in prayer is our comfort zone. God does not care if we’re successful, He only cares that we’re effective.  The way we mature in God determines our effectiveness.  He will never be found working where we’re comfortable, He will only work in us and through us where we’re uncomfortable.  His delight is our correct response to His pressure. His desire is that we overcome our circumstances and live our lives in vision.

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 – God wants to open us up!!!.  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!