Our Month Of Prevailing Prayers

Welcome you with joy to our month of prevailing prayers. People of God, the need of the hour is powerful, persistent, passionate, prevailing prayer. The need is far greater than most of God's people realize. The good news is that prayer works. Whatever you are going through, whatever our nation is going though, whatever your family is going through, whatever the church is going through, the bible says it is "common". "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." 1 Cor 10:13.

God is saying don't despair. Prayer is a way of escape from life struggles and frustration. Prayer is the route to peace, progress and prosperity. Dear brothers and sisters, if you remember nothing else from this month, please remember this: "When prayer fails, Satan prevails." The demons of Hell rejoice when the child of God is prayerless. Satan knows well that prayerless Christians are powerless Christians. Prevailing prayer is about PUSH. Pray Until Something Happens. As you pray this month expect good things to happen to you. Our God is faithful. The call this month is for you to pray.

What is prevailing prayer?

Our youngest daughter teaches a class of the children Sunday school. Their classroom is adjacent to my office. One day she came and asked "Daddy the children want to know if they can repeat their prayers." I said she should go back and ask the children "if they want 'burger or any meal' from their parents do they repeat their demand until they get their request?" Prevailing prayer is asking till you receive. Prevailing prayer requires that you prevail over any given subject in a manner that is effective. We could pray a one-line, one sentence prayer over our city every day and call that prayer. And, indeed it is! But, it may not qualify as prevailing prayer unless we are willing to wait until eternity to possibly see the fruit of it. Prevailing prayer like faith has its hope in the "now," the "present day" for change to occur. So, in the light of that, there are some distinct characteristics that set prevailing prayer apart from other kinds of prayer. It can predominate and triumph over any situation. It does not cease until the answer is obtained, which causes it to be sustained prayer.

Many prayer warriors have written about prevailing prayer. Leonard Ravenhill said "No man is greater than his prayer life. The pastor who is not praying is playing; the people who are not praying are straying. We have many organizers, but few agonizers; many players and payers, few pray-ers; many singers, few clingers; lots of pastors, few wrestlers; many fears, few tears; much fashion, little passion; many interferers, few intercessors; many writers, but few fighters. Failing here, we fail everywhere." Warren Wiersbe in his commentary said "Prayer is the energy that enables the Christian soldier to wear the armor and to wield the sword. We cannot fight the battle in our own power no matter how strong or talented we may think we are. Prayer is the power for victory but not just any kind of prayer."

What is the purpose of prevailing prayer?

When a purpose is unknown abuse is inevitable. The church is praying but are we praying prevailing prayers? What is the purpose of prevailing prayer? "Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his bands to vex certain of the church. And he killed James the brother of John with the sword. And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also." Acts 12:1-2. James was the first apostle who became a martyr for Christ. Stephen had previously been stoned, but he was not an apostle. Herod had captured and imprisoned Peter. Now Peter, indeed, seemed to be at death's gate; but the Lord said, "Thus far shall thou go, and no farther." This we have to keep before us, that Satan, though he hates us, can go no farther than the Lord gives him liberty. But God will not just stop Satan if you fail to do your part -pray!

The purpose of prevailing prayer is to keep Satan at bay. Satan hates us. Satan does not want you to succeed. Satan wants people to live in abject poverty and misery. Satan does not want your children to go to school. For example, Nigeria like many other nations is facing political cum religious and ethnic quagmires, that is causing many Christian to loose their faith, may I submit to you that the solution is prevailing prayer. Pray that the government will get it right and that evil will no more prevail. My father did not go to school, he faced financial battles to send me to school. Satan does not want your marriage to succeed, and that is why divorce rates are increasing. Satan does not want you or anybody to be saved. Only one third of the world has embraced Christianity in one form or the other (, Catholics, Mainline, Evangelicals and Pentecostals etc). The antidote for the onslaught of Satan is not just glorified prayer, not just praying for praying sake but praying to get results.