By Funmi Komolafe
Next week by God’s grace Lent season begins. It is a reminder of the sacrifice that the Lord Jesus made for us to be saved. Matthew 4 vs.1&2 ( KJV) “Then Jesus was led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungered”.
The point here is that even our Lord Jesus had to subdue the flesh to receive more power. In verse 11 of the chapter earlier mentioned, we were told what happened after the temptation of the devil failed.
“Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him”. It was after this that the full ministry of Jesus took shape when he recruited his disciples.
Brethren, have you been able to subdue the flesh to absorb the power of the Holy Spirit with fasting and prayer? If you haven’t it isn’t too late.
If Jesus fasted, you too can except for medical reasons.
Lent begins on Feb.26 with Ash Wednesday. It is a period of 40 days fasting. You can key into it by fasting and praying. Bear in mind that those who plant nothing reap nothing.
Prayer can be categorized depending on how it is done. Some could be casual while the other may be intense. Casual prayers for instance can be made in the car while driving or in the office . This is the kind of prayer that you pray while rushing out to the office or trying to get other things done.
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On the other hand, intense prayer, is done with the mind fully involved. No distraction. It is the kind of prayer done when the Christian is fed up with a situation and seeks the intervention of the Almighty God. It is the kind of prayer that is done in seclusion.
It was the kind of prayer that Hannah prayed in 1st Samuel 1 vs. 10&11 “ And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore. And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine hand maid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head”.
Note- She was in bitterness of soul, she prayed, she wept sore, she asked God to remember her and she made a vow. She was also in the temple when others weren’t there. Only Eli the priest saw her.
Why was she in bitterness of soul? Verse 6 of the same chapter tells us why. “ And her adversary also provoked her sore, for to make her fret, because the Lord had shut up her womb”.
Brethren, I don’t know what challenge you have. I don’t even know if you are being provoked or mocked but if you are tired of that ugly situation in your life that is making people mock you, then, you need to convince yourself that you desire a turn around. In other words, you need a change for the best.
If people identify you as that jobless graduate that walks idly around the streets, if people see you as the woman who has been married for years without children, if people see you as a childless couple, or you are seen as the beautiful lady old enough to get married but still single, then you need a change but a change for the best can only be when you have made up your mind to shift position.
If you still want to remain in that position, then you can pray casually. Those who want a reversal of the irreversible pray with intense.
They are the ones who pray hourly, with or without fasting. Such people praying without any form of distraction, they choose to be alone to communicate with Jesus.
People who desire a breakthrough spend more time studying the Holy Bible. This, makes the Holy Spirit lead them to pray. It helps to identify relevant prayer points and also leads us to the relevant Bible passage to quote when praying. It helps us to speak in tongues.
The study of the Bible also makes us hear the voice of God. Those who have breakthroughs are those who pray with emotion.
When they pray, they just realize that tears begin to drop. They are those who are consistent and clear with their prayer points.
For instance, a couple praying for babies must be specific what type of baby they want. Boy, girl, twins or triplets. If the couple desire a set of twins, they must be specific and agree on the gender of the twins. Twins are, two girls, two boys or a boy and a girl.
A disagreement on the gender may delay answers to their prayers.
The one who wants a job must clearly state if he wants just any job or the job that can pay his bills.
Brethren, you get what you ask for. Though there are instances where the merciful God gives you more than you ask for.
Anyone desirous of a change in his or her situation, cannot afford to be asleep all through the night.
Why? It is because the night is so quite that there is hardly any distraction. It is also the time to break loose from the forces of darkness that are active at such hours.
If you choose to sleep off the whole night without sparing some minutes for prayer, you may be making yourself available for negative forces that are active at night. You need to pray so that you do not become a prey for the forces of darkness.
The enemy deposits many of the challenges we go through in our destiny while we sleep. For instance, a lady, who desired to get married, was in a relationship with a guy who had all it takes to be a good husband. One night, she had a dream. That someone snatched from her a wedding gown. Her dream to get married never materialized. As I write today, she remains single.
Or if a woman should have a dream that a baby was snatched from her, she is likely going to have an abortion if she is pregnant unless God intervenes.
I share with you the testimony of a lady. She came in contact with a true man of God and while shaking hands with him, three of her fingers began to vibrate. It was the effect of the anointing on the man of God.
She took in and her first test, showed she could be having a set of triplets. Then she had a dream that someone snatched a baby from her. Meanwhile, someone had vowed the she would never be allowed to have a set of twins.
The woman continued her prayer. The real story here is that the forces of darkness didn’t know that God was ahead of them. They succeeded in snatching a baby but the woman still had a set of twins that they never wanted her to have.
Her enemies thought she was carrying a set of twins, they snatched one, thinking they had left her with one but because the light of God will always overshadow darkness, she still had a set of twins.
Brethren, those who pray effectively record breakthroughs.
May you have a breakthrough this year in Jesus name.
Do have a fruitful week.
Vanguard News Nigeria.
