Been
a talk presented by Elechi Udochi Alegua
during the 2017 Fathers Week celebration
at
Bethel Ang. Church Rumuepirikom Deanery on Sunday 18th June 2017
MAIN
TEXT - John 16:23-24 Ask, and you will receive.
The
Bible is quite clear and directs us to go to the Father and ask when the
situation arises.
Psalm
118:5 I called upon the Lord from my distress; the Lord answered me and set me
in an open place.
Luke
11:9 And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find;
knock, and it will be opened to you.
Matthew
21:22 And whatever you ask in prayer, if you believe, you will receive.
1
John 5:14-15 This is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask
anything according to His will, He hears us. So if we know that He hears
whatever we ask, we know that we have whatever we asked of Him.
Prayer
is a key to heaven’s storehouse for the believer.
There
is no need too big, in the same way – there is no need too small or
insignificant that it cannot be brought before God in prayer.
Prayer
is a spiritual activity that has been established by God for us His children to
use.
-Our
Heavenly Father is interested in our prayers.
-Our
Heavenly Father is pleased when we come and ask of Him.
-Prayer
shows a dependence upon God.
When
we pray we must align ourselves with the Word of God thereby placing ourselves
in a position to give God freedom to move.
When
we rightly divide the Word in prayer, we will lose God’s ability.
ASK
ACCORDING TO THE WILL OF THE FATHER
1
John 5:14-15 This is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything
according to His will, He hears us. So if we know that He hears whatever we
ask, we know that we have whatever we asked of Him.
Sometimes
people pray, ”Father, if it is Your will, let it be done.” God responds to
faith.
This
is the confidence or this is the assurance or even this is the faith. We have
this assurance or confidence in God, that if we ask anything according to His
will – HE HEARS US! And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know
that we have whatever that we asked of Him.
What
is the will of God? His Word is His Will for every Christian.
Rom
2:11 For there is no respect of persons with God. AMP – God shows no
partiality. Principles of If the Bible
promises it – it is for you, believe it, accept and act upon it.
As
we pray, aligning ourselves with the Word of God, we can have confidence that
we are placing ourselves in a position knowing that God will hear and move on
our behalf.
ABIDE
IN THE WORD
John
15:7 If you remain in Me, and My words remain in you, you will ask whatever you
desire, and it shall be done for you.
The
Key is – if the Word of God abides of you, then you can ask what you will and
it shall be done for you.
If
the Word of God abides in you, then you are going to frame your prayer
accurately according to the Word of God and you are not going to pray for
things that you know are not the will of God.
First
of all, you need to determine what the will of God is. When you know God's
will, you know that God is going to hear you. The Word says if God hears you,
you will receive what you ask.
When
we pray we must align ourselves with the Word of God thereby placing ourselves
in a position to give God freedom to move.
PRAY
BELIEVING THAT YOU WILL RECEIVE
Faith
will work without prayer but prayer will not work without faith. Faith will
work without prayer but prayer will not work without faith.
A
prayer without faith is like a key without a hand to turn it. The key itself
can’t access anything. It needs the action of the hand putting it in the lock
and turning it.
Hebrews
11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, for he who comes to God
must believe that He exists and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently
seek Him.
Mark
11:24 Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe
that you will receive them, and you will have them.
One
of the keys to answered prayer is to believe you receive when you pray.
How
do I believe? One of the foundations to believing (faith) is knowing God’s Word
and knowing God’s Will.
Repeat
1 John 5 - This is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask
anything according to His will
Knowing
the Word and Will of God builds faith and strengthens our believing.
When
are you going to believe that you receive them? You are not going to believe it
when you see it, if you go by the Word of God. You must believe it when you
pray. Jesus said, "When you pray, believe." What is the evidence that
I received when I prayed? Faith is the evidence of things not seen (Heb.
11:1).
Example
of the Fig Tree
It
is an inward witness in our spirit saying it is done. That is why the Bible
says – 2 Cor 5:7 – for we walk by faith, not by sight.
We
walk by the spirit, not by our human mind or intellect.
SOWING
THE WORD OF GOD IN OUR LIFE AND PRAYER
So
someone will ask – if I need to have faith and believe – how do I believe
better? How do I receive the confidence in my spirit to have faith that I
received what I have asked in prayer?
1
- Knowing God’s word causes us to know God’s will which will builds faith in
our spirit to receive of God.
2
- Asking in accordance to God’s Word will help strengthen us to ask in faith,
and therefore it helps us to receive in faith that promise of God’s answer.
3
- Sowing the Word of God in our Life and Prayer
It’s
one thing to ask God for something, it’s another thing to have the faith
capacity to receive it. Asking God for something without the faith capacity to
receive it will simply lead to frustration.
God
has put principles in place for the building of our faith. Faith has unlimited
capacity for growth.
Parable
of the Sower… Luke 8:11 – The seed is the word of God.
The
Word of God is designed to produce life. It is a seed designed to
supernaturally transform our lives.
John
15:7 If you remain in Me, and My words remain (abide) in you, you will ask and
it shall be done.
We
must sow the Word of God in our life so that the Word abides (becomes
engrafted, becomes part of) us. When the seed becomes part of us it will
produce fruit.
Romans
10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing (present tense) by the word
of God
We
plant seed of life by speaking the Word of God. You will build your faith to
receive from God by getting into the Word and speaking the Word of God and
allowing it to become part of you.
Hebrews
4:14 – let us hold fast our profession (confession)
Our
everyday talk, our everyday confession, should always align with the Word of
God. The things you say are the things you will eventually believe. The things
you believe are the things you will eventually receive.
UNFORGIVENESS
IS A THIEF IN PRAYER
Mark
11:25-26 And when you stand praying, forgive if you have anything against
anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven may also forgive you your sins.
But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive
your sins. It is interesting that when
Jesus teaches on prayer He teaches on forgiveness.
It
is very difficult to operate in faith while maintaining unforgiveness towards
someone.
Unforgiveness
will rob you of life and rob you of faith and will hinder your prayers.
It would be
better to deal with that unforgiveness before ever trying to go to God with any
prayer.