HOW TO PRAY EFFECTIVELY
AUTHOR: Chris Oyakhilome PhD
ABOUT AUTHOR: Chris Oyakhilome PhD.
Pastor Chris Oyakhilome is one of the most famous and influential religious leaders in Nigeria, and he is also the head of one of the world’s biggest Christian congregations, Christ Embassy.
The charismatic Nigerian pastor founded Christ Embassy, or LoveWorld Inc. as it is also called, in Lagos, Nigeria in 1987.Over time, Pastor Chris Oyakhlilome has risen to fame, and Christ Embassy now has more than 100 branches all over the world, including in the United States, Nigeria, the United Kingdom, Canada and South Africa.
Christ Embassy is believed to have around 13 million members worldwide who are all eager to see their man of God, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, minister live.
Therefore, he has sold out world-renowned venues in Europe, Africa and North America, including the O2 Arena in London, the United Kingdom, FNB Stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa and the Black Star Square in Accra, Ghana.
LEAD #1: THE PRAYER OF FAITHFirst thing first, we need to have the understanding of the fact that “Faith” is one of the outstanding virtues that distinguish us from the unbeliever.
The prayer of faith is one among the different kinds of prayer, and it has its peculiar rules and requirements Let’s see what Mark 11:22 has to say:The Passions Translation (TPT) Jesus replied, “Let the faith of God be in you!In other words, it means having the God-kind of faith.Mark 11:22-24 TPT
Jesus replied, “Let the faith of God be in you! 23 Listen to the truth I speak to you: If someone says to this mountain with great faith and having no doubt, ‘Mountain, be lifted up and thrown into the midst of the sea,’ and believes that what he says will happen, it will be done.
24 This is the reason I urge you to boldly believe whatever you ask for in prayer—believe that you have received it and it will be yours.The repeated use of the word ‘BELIEVE’ shows that ‘believing’ is a fundamental requirement for having our desires met when we pray.
This belief is evident in requirements (which act and take possession).The prayer of of faith has its own principles:There Must Be a Specific Desire:In this pattern, you’re to address the situation of concern and tell it what to do.Perhaps you want to get better grades in your upcoming exams, you need to call the exact grade you want.
If it’s ‘A’ or ‘B’ or ‘C’ be specific.See the Unseen:Have the ability to visualize what you desire.The extent of your vision is the boundary of your blessing.
Understand this: “To see the unseen” isn’t the same as “being optimistic.” It actually means “to see the way God sees, and speak of the physically non-existent as though they already existed.”Use Your Evidence:Its the evidence that substantiates the future.Such evidence can be in the form of the utterances that you speak forth as you pray, it can be a song in your spirit etc. That’s the evidence, use it.
Don’t Doubt after You’ve Prayed:Doubt makes you ask repeatedly as though you’ve not been heard the first time you mentioned it.What You Say is What You Get:Constantly speak in agreement to God’s word concerning the issue at hand.
LEAD #2: KNOW YOUR PART AND DO IT.
First thing you must be very aware of is the fact that God never tells you to do something you can’t do.Know the role you’re expected to play when making demands through the prayer of faith.This is because there’s an act of obedience God requires from us.
When you’re in sync with the Spirit of God in prayer, He’ll show you what your role is, and you ought to be diligent to play your part.When Christ ministered to certain people through the Word of faith, there was always something He required.
Let’s see what Joshua 6:2 has to say:KJV: …See I have given into thine hand Jericho and the king thereof and the mighty men of valor” Emphasis on the word ‘ Given’. Be aware that this wasn’t a promise; it was a statement of fact coming from the mouth of God.The Holy Spirit had given them the strategy for them to use to conquer.
It was obviously an awkward and weird/ strange strategy yet supernatural.Let’s see what 2 Corinthians 13:14 has to say:TPT: Now, may the grace and joyous favor of the Lord Jesus Christ, the unambiguous love of God, and the precious communion that we share in the Holy Spirit be yours continually. Amen!Communion refers to a partnership, a communication, a fellowship with the Holy Spirit.This means that talking to the Holy Spirit and listening to him talk to you, is how you get to know what he wants you to do.
LEAD #3: THE PRAYER OF PETITIONIt involves:Praying According to the Will of God’s:1 John 5:14-15TPT: Since we have this confidence, we can also have great boldness before him, for if we present any request agreeable to his will, he will hear Prayer
15 And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we also know that we have obtained the requests we ask of him.According to the father’s will, isn’t talking about “WHAT” we ask for, but “HOW” we ask for it. It’s important to know that when you make requests to the Father in Jesus’ Name, you’re actually functioning in Jesus’ stead. It’s as though Jesus were the one making that request.Earnest, Heartfelt, Continued Prayer:James 5:16b.TPT: for tremendous power is released through the passionate, heartfelt prayer of a godly believer!
To be earnest means to be intent and specific in purpose; to be zealous and fervent; marked by a deep feeling of conviction.Maintaining your stance in a consistent manner.
LEAD #4: PRAYING WITH THE SPIRIT
Mark 16:17 has this to say: KJV: The Lord Jesus said, “And these signs shall follow them that believe; name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues…”’Them that believe” refers to Christians, those who have been born again. So if you’re a believer in Christ, you should speak in tongues.
Praying in the Spirit Refreshes and Revives:For you to continually fuel the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and keep the fire of Soul-Winning burning in your heart is by praying in other tongues.The fire in your spirit burns to God’s glory when you do this all the time.
Praying In Tongues Brings Forth The Leading of The Spirit:Romans 8:14:KJV: For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God
When we pray in tongues, it’s an opportune moment for us to receive the divine guidance and direction of the Holy Spirit for our lives.When you pray in other tongues, your spiritual eyes are opened to understand the Scriptures in a greater light.
Praying In Tongues Provides Us With Heaven’s Vocabulary:When you speak in other tongues, no one understands what you’re saying, because you’re speaking to God. It’s a direct communication between your spirit and God. You’re speaking the language that only He understands.
Praying In Tongues Helps Reveal The Will Of God:When you pray with the spirit, the Holy Spirit imparts to you the knowledge of God’s will concerning issues of importance.
Praying in tongues enables us to shape the circumstances of our environment to be in conformity with His plans and purposes.Praying In Tongues Helps You Bring Forth God-Ideas:The Spirit of God does talk to you and always seeks to bring you divine ideas; one of the ways to hear Him and take a hold of His wisdom and extraordinary strategies is by praying in other tongues.Get In The Flow And Maintain The Glow:As a believer, you can constantly have the same experience the early apostles had. As you pray in other tongues, the same glory comes upon you, and you can maintain it twenty-four hours of the day, seven days of the week, and three hundred and sixty-five days of the year. Your prayer life becomes an exciting, everyday relationship with God.
LEAD #5: THE PRAYER OF AGREEMENT
Let’s see what Mathew 18:19 has to say.KJV: Jesus said, “…if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven”Let’s see Matthew 16:19KJV:”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” Emphasis on:The participants must be on earth.There must be at least two of them.They must agree.They must ask or make the definite request.What matters is the agreement we have regarding what we ask when it comes to prayer of agreement.A Prayer Of Agreement Is A Decree:Let’s look at Job 22:28KJV:Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee…”A prayer of agreement has to do with establishing a decree authoritatively—not begging that something be done. This is how the Church, based on Scripture, carries on the work of the gospel. This is how we execute the will of God on the earth. We come together and agree and decree how things should be, based on our knowledge of the Father’s will.There’s Nothing We Can’t Do When We Agree!:With the prayer of agreement, you can do anything; you can have miracles take place in the Name of Jesus Christ.
LEAD #6: THE PRAYER OF INTERCESSION
The Holy Spirit does carry out His intercessory ministry through you. The Lord may tell you to pray for someone or minister to someone by the leading of His Spirit.Through the prayer of intercession, God bestows on us opportunity, ability and inspiration to make great impacts in our world.
Recognize that it’s your priestly responsibility to intercede for others, and it’s always a blessing to function in that office.When it comes to intercessory prayer, be aware that you don’t intercede for yourself, because intercession is always for others. Also know that you can continue to pray about the same thing over and over again until the change comes.
Being an intercessor is a divine responsibility given to us by God. It’s a privilege and a great way of maintaining a relationship with the Lord. Prayer is a discipline.
This is why you must pray even when you don’t feel like it.The prayer of intercession isn’t meant for unbelievers only, but also for fellow believers.Prayer, sometimes, is the response to the impression of the Spirit in our hearts, or the impression the circumstances of others makes on our hearts, which compels us to want to cause a change.
They’re many people who are hurting and if you can’t be touched by their suffering, you can’t be moved to pray for them.Develop The Intercessor In You. You can train yourself to become an effective intercessor, and to do that, you’re going to train yourself to spend time in prayer.
Remember, the rule in intercession is that you’re persistent and continue in prayer for as long as is necessary. You don’t stop praying until you have a note of victory in your spirit. When you do, you’ll find yourself singing or laughing in the spirit. This laughter comes from your spirit.
LEAD #7: PRAYING FOR THE SAINTS
Prayer is an essential ingredient in the fulfillment of God’s Word and l His will in your life as a Christian, and you need to be constantly mindful of its importance.Now, there are people who are born again, who have come to accept that God is their heavenly Father, Jesus is the Son of God, and the Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Godhead, but they don’t have divine insights about God.
They’ve received the Holy Spirit, but haven’t come to know the kind of heavenly Father they have, or who the Holy Spirit is and what He can do in their lives. You ought to intercede for such people who have been born again but don’t have the light of God’s Word. They may even be ‘old’ Christians, but as long as they’re not walking in the light of God’s Word, they should be prayed for in this manner.We need to apply wisdom and spiritual understanding in our lives. The Lord Jesus functioned by them; that’s why He could fulfill His ministry on earth in spite of the criticisms and persecutions He faced.We need to pray for the saints, that they have the Spirit of might to do superhuman things and bring glory to the Lord.Let’s see what Ephesians 3:14-17 has to say.KJV: “For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith …This is a prayer we can do for the saints.The prayer in Ephesians 3:17-19 has to do with the revelation of the love of God in our daily walk. We’ve got to know the length, breadth, height and depth of the compelling love that made the Lord Jesus suffer and die for us.
LEAD #8: PRAYING FOR MATERIAL THINGS
Let’s see what 1 Corinthians 3:21-23 has to say.TPT:21 So don’t be proud of your allegiance to any human leader. For actually, you already have everything! It has all been given for your benefit,22 whether it is Paul or Apollos or Peter the Rock, or whether it’s the world or life or death, or whether it’s the present or the future—everything belongs to you! 23 And now you are joined to the Messiah, who is joined to God.3 John 2 says:Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth”This proves that your desire for good things is a reflection of God’s desire for you.Paul made a profound statement to the Philippians concerning their needs, which is very applicable to us today.
He said, “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).This is a statement of fact that lets us know God’s role in the contract. It means that the moment you recognize a need, it is lined up with God’s supply system.
Be “supply-conscious” and not “need-conscious”.Voice the supply, not the need.What you should do is declare that God has supplied that need. You say, “Father, in the Name of Jesus, I receive my house.” When you do that, you connect to God’s supply system.
It does sound too simple, but that’s the gospel. That’s what the Good News is all about.It’s so easy, you don’t have to struggle or beg. When the things you want aren’t covered by the gospel, you’ll have to fast, strive, and pay the price for them. But when they fall within the provisions of Christ’s glorious gospel, you can relax, knowing they’re yours already.Job 22:24-25 has this to say:KJV:Then shalt thou lay up gold as dust, and the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brooks. Yea, the Almighty shall be thy defense, and thou shalt have plenty of silver”To lay up gold as dust means your supply never ends.You can’t be in God’s Kingdom and speak the language of the world. Train yourself to think and talk according to the Word of God.
KEY INSIGHTS FROM THE BOOK ????.
✍???? The prayer of faith is one among the different kinds of prayer, and it has its peculiar rules and requirements.
✍???? The extent of your vision is the boundary of your blessing.
✍???? It’s the evidence that substantiates the future.
✍???? Doubt makes you ask repeatedly as though you’ve not been heard the first time you mentioned it.
✍???? Faith” is one of the outstanding virtues that distinguish us from the unbeliever.
✍???? To see,is seeing the way God sees.
✍???? God never tells you to do something you can’t do.
✍???? Communion refers to a partnership, a communication, a fellowship with the Holy Spirit.
✍???? According to the father’s will, isn’t talking about “WHAT” we ask for, but “HOW” we ask for it.
✍???? To be earnest means to be intent and specific in purpose; to be zealous and fervent; marked by a deep feeling of conviction.
✍???? The fire in your spirit burns to God’s glory when you pray in other tongues.
✍???? When you pray in other tongues, your spiritual eyes are opened to understand the Scriptures in a greater light.
✍???? Praying in tongues enables us to shape the circumstances of our environment to be in conformity with His plans and purposes.
✍???? When you pray with the spirit, the Holy Spirit imparts to you the knowledge of God’s will concerning issues of importance.
✍???? What matters is the agreement we have regarding what we ask when it comes to prayer of agreement.
✍???? A prayer of agreement is a decree.
✍???? There’s nothing we can’t do when we agree
✍???? It’s your priestly responsibility to intercede for others, and it’s always a blessing to function in that office.
✍???? When it comes to intercessory prayer, be aware that you don’t intercede for yourself, because intercession is always for others.
✍???? Being an intercessor is a divine responsibility.
✍???? Prayer is a discipline.
✍???? The prayer of intercession isn’t meant for unbelievers only, but also for fellow believers.
✍???? Love with knowledge is vital.
✍???? You don’t make faith-declarations just because that’s what you’re expected to do, but because you believe them absolutely.
✍???? Be “supply-conscious” and not “need-conscious.”
✍???? Voice the supply, not the need.
✍???? You can’t be in God’s Kingdom and talk the language of the world.
✍???? Train yourself to think and talk according to the Word of God!
