“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” (Colossians 4:2, NIV)
PRAYERMany of us think prayer is a repetition or to place a petition before God. Prayer is the way we communicate with God.
When we have conversation with someone both parts speak, it is the same thing when we talk to God. Therefore, when we pray we have to take time to hear God remaining in a quiet position for a while.
A prayer life is not having a lonely time with God the whole day, but a discipline on taking a time to be alone with God. It is true that we can speak with God everywhere, but it is necessary to have a special time to be alone with Him in the place we chose.
P RAYER AND COMMUNION WITH GOD
A prayer life is the key to live a victorious life in God. It
is through prayer we communicate with God to develop a relationship with Him. This is the only way we can get to know Him and the purposes He has for our lives.
The place of worship is not the only place for prayer, but a separate place where only you and God will meet. This does not mean we cannot pray with other people but that is important to have that special time alone with God. The bible says He will reveal in public what we do in secret.
But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall
reward thee openly. (Matthew 6:6 KJV)Jesus used to get up early to speak with the Father, because He loved God and wanted to be alone with Him. He also knew this was very important to live an obedient life and fulfil the purpose God had for Him. (Mark 1:35)
It is through prayer we begin a relationship with God, because that is the way we share with Him not only the different questions we have but also what we feel for Him.
Our flesh is weak, and does not want to be close to God but if we seek Him with a humble heart, He sees our faithfulness and is pleased.
He will also help us to come closer to Him because that is the desire of His heart.
…the spirit indeed is willing, but the flash is weak.
(Matthew 26:41b KJV)
There are many temptations in the world, but if we remain close to God through a prayer life, we will have the strength and wisdom to overcome everything.
Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flash is weak.
(Matthew 26:41 KJV)
Trials are the situations God allows in our lives to transform us into His image and show His glory through us.
It is through prayer we becomes wiser and receive the strength to overcome the trials that come to our lives. When we surrender before God, He strengthens us to endure difficult situations. Jesus said so in Matthew 11:28 when He saidCome unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
In His presence we rest, but sometimes we look for another sources believing that we can escape or solve things with our own strength. Later, when we become aware of the mistake we made our life is in worse shape than before.
Jesus is the only one that can make us live a victorious life in the midst of trials. Just God can give that supernatural strength we need in difficult situations, and only Jesus can give us the wisdom to handle them in a good way.
Nowadays the world is looking for answers and using every source that finds on the way without getting any results. Sadly, sometimes most of us who claim to know God look for the same ways the world use to handle our situations forgetting what God says in the bible. He says we should come to Him if we are weary or burdened because He will give us rest. God also says He is our refuge and strength and our ever-present help in trouble.
Is true that sometimes God uses people to help us and speak to us, but we should always come to Him first in prayer. If it is necessary something else He will provide it or show it to us when we are not aware of it.
PRAYER AND OBEDIENCEThe bible says in Matthew 7:7 that if we ask we shall receive, if we seek we will find, and if we knock the door, it will be open. We have to remember our prayer will only have good results if we live in obedience.
And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his
commandments, and those things that are pleasing in his sight. (1 John 3:22 KJV)
God promise to bless us but that is only possible when we live in obedience and do things as He says. Many times, we fail because of our flesh but if we come to Him recognizing our weakness and need of help, God will help us to live a life that pleases Him.
Many places of worship preach a message that promises answers to our prayers without looking at the way we live, but God says the opposite. He is a merciful God, but it comes a time when we have to face the consequences of our disobedience.
The life of the people of Israel described in the Old Testament is an example. God took them out of Egypt through miracles and wonders, but besides that, the people remained in idolatry and having a sinful life.
Because of that, God did not allow the generation that came out of Egypt to see the promise land. The promise land is that victorious life God has for every person who decide to live in obedience. (Numbers 14:20-23)
We are the ones that close the doors to get into the promise land God has for us, because of our desires to do our own will or please those around us instead of living an obedient life before God.
PRAYER AND RESENTMENTIf we have resentments in our heart, God is not pleased with our offerings (prayer, praise, worship). The bible says in Matthew 5:23 that before drawing close to God in prayer is necessary to remove every feeling of resentment from our heart. Only when we forgive God is going hear our prayers the way we want to.
Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; leave
there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come
and offer thy gift.When our heart full of resentment and bitterness, God does hear our prayers the same way. He asks us to forgive before coming before Him.
Is true that sometimes is not easy to do that, but God knows our heart and how we feel about it. If God sees we want to do it, He will give us the strength we need to make it happen. In addition, our heart will receive healing and deliverance, and we will see the answer of our prayers in His time and according to His will.
THE RIGHTEOUS AND PRAYERIn the book of James 5:16b the bible says that the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. A righteous person for God is not a perfect one but that pleases and obeys Him.
When the bible says the prayer of the righteous is powerful, means that God hear his prayer because of his obedience. Besides, the righteous usually pray according to the will of God because has a close relationship with Him and can discern His heart.
The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles
(Psalm 34:17 KJV)
The righteous knows that prayer is not only a way to ask things from God, but also to develop intimacy with Him. That is why he always gives priority to that time with God rather than other things.
The righteous also knows that God not always answer our prayers as we want to, because sometimes we ask for wrong things. He also knows that God has a time to answer and that is why the righteous live in peace because recognizes that each day has enough trouble of its own.
PRAYER AND SPIRITUAL GUIDANCEWhen we talk about spiritual guidance, we are talking about what we need to walk according to the will of God.
In order to know what God wants from us on a time and situation is necessary to have a prayer life. Only when we have a prayer life we will have a good communication with God and we will be open to hear his voice.
The bible says that David used to ask God before doing anything and because of that, he always had the victory in every battle. (1 Samuel 23:2; 2 Samuel 5:19, 23) He used to come before God to receive the wisdom and instructions to do things and then he obeyed.
We have to remember the bible says that our struggle is not against flesh and blood (Ephesians 6:12) which means that the only way we receive the strategies to have the victory in our daily living is through God. God is the only one who knows all that happens not only in the spiritual but also in the physical realm.
Sometimes we do not see doors open on the things we do because we do not ask God before. If we have surrendered our lives to Him, we should first come to God before doing something. Therefore, if we do not see the results we want in what we do is because we are moving out of the will or time of God.
There is a clear sign that shows up when we move in the will of God, that is peace. Jesus said peace I live with you; my peaceI give you.Idonot give toyou as the world gives. Do notlet your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.This peace does not depend on the circumstances around us but the faith and trust we have in God.
This means that if there is confusion or distress on something we want to do, is better to stop until we feel peace to hear what God wants to say about it. We will not hear the voice of God clearly, if we are not in peace.
We have to remember God will never ask us to do something that is against His word. We always have to come before Him with thanksgivings even for those things we have not received. He works for our own good even when we do not understand it.
There will be times when we will not understand what God is doing until the end of time and we see the results of it.
PRAYER AND THE GLORY OF GODOne of the signs of God’s presence and power in the life of the disciples was the courage they had to speak the Word and do everything He asked them. All this because of the prayer life they had.
The bible says in Acts 4:31 that when the disciples prayed the place they were was shaken and all people filled with the Holy Spirit. If we do not see the glory and power of God the way we want, is because of our lack in prayer life. Besides, we have to pray with a humble and surrender heart.
God wants to show His glory like never before but for that, we need to have a close relationship with Him.The time has come to stand in the gap on behalf of the world because that is the only way we will see the power and glory of God. People will receive salvation and restoration.
P RAYER AND SPIRITUAL AUTHORITY
In order to have spiritual authority is necessary to have
Jesus himself was an example in prayer.
He always took time to be alone with the Father because He knew it was necessary to show God’s power through His life.
The world does not know God and His power because even we do not know Him. Sometimes we do not spend enough time alone with Him.
This does not mean we have to be the whole day in prayer before God, but that we have to be faithful in that time alone with Him.
Many of us believe that to have a relationship with God is to go to church, and that is part of it, but we have this when we spend time alone with Him. If we do this with the other things, we will see the victory in all we do according to His will. (Matthew 6:6)
PRAYER AND TRANSFORMATIONThe face of Moses shined due to the presence of God within Him. This because of the relationship he had with God. (Exodus 34:29)
Today God wants to shine through us the same way He did through Moses in that time, because that way the world will see Him in us. That is only possible when we have a close relationship with God through a prayer life.
The only way our life is transformed is spending time with God, because is when we are in His presence that He deals with us about the things we need to change. Is in His presence our hearts receive healing and restoration from all the things we lived in the past.
If we were able to have the prayer life God wants from us, we will see many lives transformed among the body of Christ.
“For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith”
(1 John 5:4 KJV)
Faith is to believe God will accomplish the promises that are in the bible. However, we have to remember the need to live in obedience and have a close relationship with God.
God is so great and mighty that we will not be able to see Him with our limited human eyes. The only eyes that can see Him are the eyes of faith.
FAITH AND SALVATIONIt is necessary to have a certain degree of faith to receive salvation, because we have to believe in God and the sacrifice made by Jesus to accept it. However, we do not develop this kind of faith with our own strength. God himself puts it in our hearts so we can confess Him as Lord and Savior for our lives.
Since we confess Jesus as Savior of our souls, we act in faith. When we declare that, we are saying that God removed our sins, and we begin a new life in Christ. It is by faith we understand that is no necessary to fulfill the law, because we receive salvation by grace.
That if thou shalt confess with with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt
be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation
(Romans 10:9-10 KJV)
The bible says in Hebrews 11:6 that without faith is impossible to please God, because faith is necessary even to believe in His existence.
Faith also is very important to live a victorious life, because without it we will not be able to believe what God says in His word.
It is by faith we overcome the different situations we face in our walk with God. When we have faith, we remain steadfast in the worse circumstances.
It was faith that made Peter walk over the troubled sea, because he believed that Jesus had the power to hold Him from sinking. When we have faith and believe that God can guard us, we will be a witness for all the people around us.
Real faith is not the one that believes in natural things but in supernatural. When the world says is not possible God begins to work in His power and magnificence.
Our faith depends on our focus. The bible says on Hebrews 12 that is in Jesus we have to be focus, because when we that we will see the situations differently than the world.
When we look at the things around us with our human eyes, our faith weakens. If we see them as God does, we will realize the mighty power He has to change them or help us deal with them.
God does not promise a life without tribulations but a victorious one in Him, but that is only possible when we trust God will do everything He promises in every situation according to His word.
The bible says in 2 Timothy 2:13 that even if we are faithless God will remain faithful because He cannot disown himself. This means that even when we fail His promises still in effect.
We have to know that God still the same yesterday, today and forever, and that if heaven and earth passed away His word will not. His promises still in effect all the time and we have to believe and trust even when we do not see the answer of prayers immediately.
For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
(Romans 1:17 KJV)
True faith demands works, but not those that glorify ourselves, but show God’s presence in our lives.
The works of faith are the attitudes we have on the situations we face in our lives, which will testify about Jesus to those around us. It is through these works we will show a powerful and mighty God, for whom nothing is impossible or a small God with limitations like ours.
Even so faith, if it hath not Works, is dead, being alone.
(James 2:17 KJV)
God still the same because His word says so; what sometimes happens is that we do not believe what He says because there are times God does work when we expect.
God never forgets or fail, but is necessary to understand His will is not ours neither His time.There is an example when Lazarus sisters went to look for Jesus because he (Lazarus) was sick. He did not go to them immediately. It was not the time of God. He went when Lazarus had four days later death, but this happened because God wanted to show His glory in this situation. (John 11:41)
When we understand and have enough faith to believe nothing is impossible for God, we will see the works of faith manifested in our lives and those around us.
FAITH AND SPIRITUAL WARFAREThe bible says in Ephesians 6:12 that our struggle is not against flesh and blood and this fight can only be won by faith.
According to Ephesians 6:16 faith is like a shield protecting us from the flaming arrows of the enemy that want to destroy our lives and take us away from God. When we have faith, we say we believe in God no matter what.
Jesus said that if our faith were like a small mustard seed we could even move the mountains (Matthew 17:20), but sometimes the influences around make us doubt about God.
The world looks for quick answers and solutions. God sometimes delays and that make us take wrong paths to obtain the answer we need instead of waiting on Him.
The bible says our faith is the victory that overcomes the world, and the reason we go to wrong places looking for an answer is our lack of faith and knowledge of God.
For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith (1 John 5:4)
If we really know God, we will not doubt about Him working in our lives. We have to remember, God does not work according to our desires but His will that is always for our good and His glory.
FAITH AND PROMISESFaith is what determines where we go in our life, because if we do not believe in God we will not believe in His promises. We will be going from one place to the other without knowing what to do, because without faith we feel insecure.
A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.We have to remember the bible says in Numbers 23:19 God is not aman, that He should lie, nor asonof man, that he should change his mind. Even if we are unfaithful, He remains faithful because He cannot deny himself. Faithfulness is part of His personality. (2 Timothy 2:13)
Once Jesus found a blind man begging Him mercy for his condition, and Jesus told him that depending on his faith he could make a miracle. The blind man said he believed, and Jesus said he was going to receive according to His faith. The blind man receives his sight not only because he believed Jesus had authority but also because he had faith.
Sometimes we do not see God’s glory in our lives because we do not have enough faith and begin to do things in our own strength. This happens because we do not want to wait on God’s time to see the miracle in our lives.
THE PRICE OF FAITHIn order to see the works of faith we have to be willing to face any situation that comes with it. The bible speaks about three young hebrews that confronted a difficult situation before an authoritarian king. He was asking them to do something that was against the word of God but they preferred to pay the price of obedience. They knew God could rescue them but if not they would still believing Him. (Daniel 3:14-17).
We have to be willing to pay the price of faith by waiting on God or facing with braveness any difficult situation that comes to our life.
An example of a victorious life was Job, who besides the trials God allowed in his life remained steadfast until the end without having any doubt. (Job 2:1-6)
In our walk of faith, we will find many people that will not understand the way we live, but the most important thing is to remain believing God no matter what.
For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry. Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.
(Habakkuk 2:3-4 KJV)
Faith is part of the testimony of God’s existence. The world does not have faith because they do not know God. However, those of us who know Him have to show the world God’s faithfulness, and that is only possible when we believe Him.
“You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you..” (Isaiah 26:3 NIV)
C ONFIDENCE IN GOD Confidence and faith go together, because they depend
on each other. Faith is something supernatural that only God can give us, but confidence is a personal decision of trusting what God have said.
The bible says on psalm 118:8 that is better to trust God than men, but this does not mean we should live in fear of people.
This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: "In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it. (Isaiah 30:15 NIV)
We have to understand that even those we trust can fail, because they are human like us. Only God, our creator is perfect, He never make a mistake, what happens is that sometimes we do not understand His purpose for our lives and doubt about the way He deals with us. Psalm 125:1 says we will remain steadfast if we trust God, and that happens when we lay things on Him and believe nothing is impossible for God.
CONFIDENCE AND PEACEWe have to understand we cannot control our lives with our own strength. God will always take us to the victory. This does not mean we will not have tribulations but that He will give us the peace that comes with confidence.
You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you. (Isaiah 26:3 NIV)
The world lives in fear because of the situations around them, but we who trust God must show them that is possible to live in peace in the middle of them.
We have to show the world we live in peace because we know that the earth is the Lord’s andeverything in it, the world and all who live in it . This means He is under control of everything that happens on it.
The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe.
(Proverbs 29:25 KJV)
When we trust God, not only His name is glorified but also the people watching will exalt us. This happens because they realize that everything we face is according to the will of God, even if they are difficult situations. Everything will depend on our attitude towards them.
When we trust, we let God do what He wants in His time and we do not try to rush. When we do not do things our way we see the glory of God in our lives.
Psalm 25:3 says that if we trust God we will not be confused because we will wait on His time to see what we wait.
We have to know that never is too late for God, and that He always arrive in the perfect time. Stillness shows our confidence in God, because when we remain still we are saying we believe God even when things are not as we expect. This is an opportunity to know God in a different way.
True patience is not the one that waits with an incorrect attitude, but the one that wait with meekness and stillness.
Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. (Psalm 46:10)
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE WANT TO HELP GODGod gave Abraham a promise, but He did not tell him the time of fulfillment. (Genesis 15:1-5). Time was passing and nothing was happening, so Abraham listened to Sarah’s lack of confidence and had a son with her slave Agar. That became an example of what happen in our lives when we want to help God.
God promised him a son in spite of Sarah sterility but when Abraham told this to Sarah, she did not believe it and asked Abraham to have it with her slave Agar. (Genesis 16:2) This act brought Ishmael who was not the promised son God told Abraham, who later became an obstacle for the people of Israel.
That is why we have to trust God even when things look impossible, and we see all doors closed. In His time, God will fulfill His promise. Meanwhile, just rejoice and delight in His presence letting Him transform our lives during the process of waiting.
His main goal in delaying is to develop our faith, so that we do not trust by sight but by faith. He does not want us to believe by manifestations because we could be deceived.
Then Jesus told him, because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not
seen and yet have believed. (John 20:29 NIV)
“ Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with
grace in your hearts to the Lord.” (Colossians 3:16 KJV)THE SPIRITUAL FOOD
The Word of God is the most important tool to live a victorious life in God. It is through the Word we know God’s thoughts and person, and all His promises. It is also how we know the way God wants us to live.
As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:The bible is our spiritual food because when we read it we fed our spirit and we receive the teachings we need to live the victorious life God wants us to live.
Is the tool that with the help of the Holy Spirit makes us grow spiritually, because helps us identify the false things from the true ones. It also shows us God thoughts about everything, and when we live according to what it says, we can reach the victorious life in God. In Hosea 4:6 God said that destruction came to His people because of the lack of knowledge, and today most of us are walking wrong paths because we do not examine the truth that is in the scriptures.
We should read the bible daily, because each day God has something new to show us. It does not matter how many times we read it, God will always bring a new revelation about what we read. God is an endless God so is His word.
THE SWORD OF THE SPIRITThe bible is the sword of the Spirit because penetrates inside of us dividing soul and spirit, giving us conviction of sin and enlightening our understanding. Is the only way we can know if we are walking in the correct direction.
For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two
edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
(Hebrews 4:12 KJV)