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Writer's pictureKimley Dunlap-Slaughter

DAY 6: We Get Power in Jesus Through Prayer – Part 1


True prayer is neither a mere mental exercise nor a vocal performance. It is far deeper than that, prayer is a spiritual transaction with the Creator of Heaven and Earth ~ Charles Spurgeon. There are dozens of actual occurrences or real–life accounts in the Bible where Jesus and other disciples battled in prayer. God shut heavens and prevented rain from falling for three years at Elijah’s request. He parted the red sea for Moses to lead His people through. He cast out demons; Jesus healed the sick and gave sight to the blind, and, on more than one occasion, raised people from the dead, like Lazarus.

We must have or take authority in prayer by exhibiting the power we have available to us.

The power of prayer isn’t in the words you utter. It’s not about what you pray or even how you pray. Prayer can be defined as talking to God, but it is much more than that. Prayer is an act of worship that glorifies God and reinforces our need for Him. Through living a life of prayer, we communicate with the very source of and purpose for our existence. If we did, we would be praying in Jesus’ name more. There would be no such thing as doubt, fear, or anxiety because we would be on our faces before God, storming the heavenly realms in battle with the darkness and evil forces in our world. As believers, we are fully convinced of the power within the name of Jesus. When we pray, we have the power of Jesus at work within us. Our lives as Christians are lived from a place of acknowledging the power in Jesus’ name. “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him” Colossians 3:17 (NKJV). The powerful name of Jesus makes it possible for all people to be saved, healed, and delivered.

One does not earn the power, find it, or go to school in order to acquire it. This power is given by God to the genuine believer who asks to be filled with the Spirit. In Matthew 10:1, we read how “Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.” He did not give them a password or a code: just His name.

Prayer is our effectual and fiercest weapon against the enemy and all things in this fallen world. Prayer is the portal that brings the power of heaven down to earth. It is kryptonite to the enemy and to all his ploys against you. God asks us to pray by inviting, encouraging, and equipping us to talk to Him, daily. We are to come to him in faith, (James 1:5), with persistence (Luke 18:1), with thanksgiving (Philippians 4:6), within his will (Matthew 6:10), and from a heart that is right with God (James 5:16). “Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” Hebrews 4:14–16 (NKJV).

Jesus is our High Priest and says He can sympathize with children of God. We have been given access to the very throne of God through prayer. It has been said that prayers can be also prophecies, and they are the best predictors of your spiritual future. Who you become is determined by how you pray. Ultimately, the transcript of your prayers becomes the script of your life.” In other words, who you become, the circumstances in your life and the core of your character are all determined by what you talk to God about. According to the Bible, the power of prayer is, quite simply, the power of God, who hears and answers prayer. The Apostles relied upon this power in order to do the work and the will of the one who sent them. All we have to do is ask for it, and we receive that same power. Then, we must wield it in order to do what the disciples did.

Prayer takes time. We have to learn to wait and believe. One day you will see that your prayers have had a mighty effect in the spiritual realm. Do not give up or ever think it is not important to pray today. If ever there was a need for intercession for America, it is now. We are in a key (kairos) time in all of history. The Greek word “kairos” in the New Testament means the appointed or opportune time that God has set for something to occur. During a kairos time, we must respond in prayer and press through in intercession in order to see God’s plan fulfilled. We are in a time of urgency, and we must seize it in prayer. This is the appointed season for change and for intercession to increase.



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