The first Sunday in November is International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church or International Day of Prayer (IDOP) as it is usually called. This is a day set aside each year by Christians to remember and pray for persecuted Christians around the world.
Prayer is one of the most powerful weapons that a Christian has along with the word of God (scripture). Prayer is long reaching with a long range and is long lasting. Every Christian can pray no matter how rich or poor they are, where they live, how old they are, male or female, or whether they are free or in bonds. Satan hates prayer warriors. Prayer warriors are those Christians who are walking with God and are always praying for their fellow Christians. For a person to be effective in their prayer they first need to make sure they have no unconfessed sin and are right with God. God will not listen when we have sin that we have not confessed. Our prayers will be ineffective. The only prayer God will hear from an unbeliever is the one when they ask Jesus to save them. God wants all Christians to be prayer warriors though some people definitely have the gift of compassion and caring more than others so they have more effective prayers. When we pray we need to believe that what we pray for will be answered by God. If we do not truly believe God can answer the prayer than more than likely he will not. God will not answer those who lack faith. (Mark 11:24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.) When we pray we need to pray in Jesus’ name for it to be effective and he will answer the prayer. Jesus himself said he would. (John 14:13-14 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.) Now this verse does not mean we can ask for something that we know is a sin or against God’s will as God will not answer that prayer. God will answer Christian’s prayers, though it will be in his timing and his way and according to his will. Sometimes God will answer yes and sometimes he will answer no and sometimes he makes us wait. We may be praying for a loved one who is lost, but it may take 50 years for God to answer that prayer. Other times we may be praying for a certain job, but God will say no as he has an even better job planned for you and sometimes he will answer yes right away. A Christian is to just pray and not worry about how God will answer the prayer. Sometimes when we pray for a sick and dying Christian, God will heal them up and other times he will take them home to be with him. Sometimes by taking them home is the answer to our prayers. We pray and ask God to heal them and this is the best way to heal them as now they are pain free and with God. We are never to argue with God over the answers to our prayers. Sometimes God will never reveal to us the answer to our prayers directly such as when Job was asking God what he did wrong to deserve his punishment. God never revealed to Job that he was allowing Satan to test him, but rather blessed him with a double portion at the end of the test. This was mainly because Job stayed faithful to God during the whole ordeal.
God wants all Christians to be prayer warriors. We are always to be in prayer. (I Thessalonians 5:17 Pray without ceasing.) We as Christians need to pray about everything. We should pray and ask the blessing on our food before we eat including in a public place. Do not be ashamed of God. Too many Christians eat without praying just like an animal and are not even thankful for the food God provides for them. God said if we pray over our food it will be sanctified and this is why we can eat even the unclean foods that the Israelites were not allowed to eat. (I Timothy 4:4-5 For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:
5 For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.) Jesus prayed before eating such as when he fed the five thousand and the four thousand. (Matthew 14:19 And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.) (Matthew 15:36 And he took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and brake them, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.) Jesus also prayed before the last supper just before going to the cross. (Matthew 26:26-27 ¶ And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.
27 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;) Jesus was a prayer warrior who was always praying to God the Father. Shortly before his death, Jesus prayed for himself, his apostles and for all of those who would become Christians in the future. (John 17:5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.) (John 17:9 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.) (John 17:20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;) Jesus wants us as Christians to stay in the world to tell others about Jesus, but not to be a part of the world. Jesus prayed this for his apostles and disciples. (John 17:15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.) As I mentioned before God may not always answer our prayer the way we want. A persecuted Christian may pray for the safety of their life, but God may still allow Satan to take their life if it is God’s will for his purpose. By taking that life, many people might be saved. It is similar to praying for a sick baby. God may allow that child to die so the nurses and physicians may be saved when they never would have otherwise and that child is home with God. Many other times in Jesus’ life he prayed. He often went to the garden of Gethsemane to pray. Sometimes he went up to the mountain and prayed all night and other times he got up early before sunrise to pray. (Matthew 14:23 And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.) Jesus would start his day off with prayer. We as Christians need to follow the example of Jesus and pray when we rise, for our meals, and throughout the day. A person can pray while driving or while at work, but a prayer warrior will have time dedicated just for prayer. Jesus said to go in a closet and pray. Now I do not believe you literally need to be in a closet, but you do need a place where you are undisturbed and alone with God such as how Jesus went up into the mountain to be alone. (Matthew 6:6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.) Sometimes it is necessary for a Christian to spend all day or night in prayer just like Jesus depending on the prayer request. Some prayer requests such as casting out devils require not only prayer, but fasting as well. (Matthew 17:21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.) As a prayer warrior we are told after putting on the whole armour of God to pray always for all saints and with perseverance. (Ephesians 6:18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;) The prayer warrior will not give up until their prayer is answered yes. Too many Christians never pray for anything let alone spend hours in prayer then they wonder why God is not close to them. If they do pray they only pray once and then give up. Prayer is nothing more than talking to God. The Holy Ghost will help us with our prayers when we do not know what to say for he knows what we need. (Romans 8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.) God said to make our requests before him by prayer. (Philippians 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.) We pray with our spirit. Our spirit is the part that worships God. (I Corinthians 14:15 What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.)
We are told in James that when a Christian is sick to have the elders of the church pray over him and anoint them with oil. These verses also show how prayer of the faith will save the sick. We also see how God answered Elijah’s prayer to withhold rain. (James 5:13-18 Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.
14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
17 Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.
18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.) Notice verse 16 says the “effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much”. This is your prayer warrior. This shows how God will hear the righteous person who is never ending in their prayer and how this kind of prayer is effective. This shows how for a prayer to be effective, the one praying needs to have God forgive their sins first before he will hear their prayer. We must be like the lady in the movie War Room that stays in the fight with prayer. Remember we are fighting a spiritual battle and prayer is a vital necessity in order for victory. Prayer should be the first thing Christians reach for rather than the last thing as most Christians tend to do. Christians often try to do everything themselves first and then turn to God when we should be turning to God first. God should be our first line of defense. We are to pray for those Christians in bonds. (Hebrews 13:3 Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body.)
As Christians we need to pray for each other to be bold to witness for Jesus. Paul even asked for prayer for him to be bold and have opportunities to pray and said we are to continue in prayer. Too many Christians pray once or twice and then they give up when they feel God has not answered their prayer. We are to continue in prayer. (Colossians 4:2-3 Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;
3 Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds:)
When men pray they are not to have their head covered. This is one reason that men should never wear a hat in church. (I Corinthians 11:4 Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head.)
Jesus taught the people how to pray during his sermon on the mount in Matthew 6:9-15. This is often referred to as the Lord’s Prayer though I believe the prayers I mentioned of Jesus praying in John 17 should be the Lord’s Prayer. Jesus taught us in Matthew 6 that we are to pray to God the Father in Jesus’ name. We do not pray to Mary or anyone else. We get to God the Father by Jesus only. Today the military and many others are trying to prohibit praying in Jesus’ name. A prayer is only effective when we pray in Jesus’ name otherwise there is no point in praying. Jesus also taught his disciples how to pray when they asked. It should be noted that they did want to know how to pray. We should too. Too many Christians today do not care about praying and never do. (Luke 11:1 And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.) The rest of the prayer is found in Luke 11:2-4. Jesus taught all people that when we pray we are not to pray using vain repetitions as do the heathen or for example the Roman Catholics, Jews, and Muslims. God will not hear those prayers. We are to pray from the heart, not some memorized words. (Matthew 6:7-8 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
8Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.) We see here how God the Father just as the Holy Ghost already knows what we need before we pray. Notice the verse says the things we need, not the things we want. Too many Christians pray for things thing want such as a new boat or car, but they do not need them. God will make sure his children have what they need, but not all will get the things they want.
Jesus also commands us to pray for our enemies and for those who persecute us. This is not easy, but we need to pray for them so they might be saved. If they are saved they will no longer be our enemies. Much greater persecution is coming to the United States of America so we need to heed God’s words. Jesus prayed for his enemies and we must as well. Many Christians around the world pray for their enemies everyday as they are beaten and imprisoned and some killed. (Matthew 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;)
We need to pray that God will send many people to try and win souls. (Matthew 9:37-38 Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;
38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.) Let us always pray for missionaries as well as those pastors and preachers who preach God’s word. Pray for me. We need to pray for the lost.
God over the years has healed many people of their illnesses such as cancer and he will continue if Christians continue in prayer. I have personally seen the power of prayer many times not only in healing of people, but in answer to many other prayer requests.
God said that we have access to his riches and power. Jesus said he could call down twelve legions of angels if he chose. (Matthew 26:53 Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?) God will protect us with the same. Just as God protected Job with a hedge around his house and family he will do the same for those prayer warriors that love him. Jack Chick had a former witch who was a Satanist who got saved tell him about the time when Satan wanted him killed and sent many witches and devils to his house only to be blocked by a large amount of angels protecting Jack and his house. Missionaries have also told stories of protection.
Prayer is a must for Christians as this is how we talk to God. All Christians should want to pray so they can talk to God. We all need to learn to become prayer warriors and pray for each other and all Christians and for the lost and their salvation. God answers prayers and Satan knows this and this is why he hates praying Christians. Prayer is the most powerful weapon a Christian has against Satan and we need to start using it. Remember to pray many times every day and for every aspect of your life. There is nothing too insignificant for God that he does not want you to come to him in prayer. The more we pray the stronger a Christian we will become and more hated of Satan. Become a prayer warrior today and keep Satan at bay.
