POWER THROUGH THE SPIRIT

But ye shall receive power, after that, the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth (Acts 1:8).

Some Christians assume and believe that prayer produces power. So, they say, “a prayer-less Christian is a powerless Christian,” but that’s not stated anywhere in the Bible. 
Notice our theme scripture; Jesus didn’t say you’ll receive power after you’ve prayed. I believe in prayer, but prayer doesn’t bring power. Power comes from the Holy Ghost.

Power is the dynamic ability to cause changes. That means we can effect changes in our lives and that of our loved ones, and even in places where we desire to see changes. We’re not supposed to be victims in the earth, but many Christians live as victims; they’re captives of adverse circumstances. But Jesus said you shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you. Jesus was never a victim, yet many of God’s children have been victims in one way or the other.

1 John 3:2 says, “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.” When you were born again, you were born as an offspring of God; through the Holy Spirit, you have power. No need to ask Him for power, for the power is already resident in you. All you need to do for the power of God in you to be manifested is to stir it up (2 Timothy 1:6). Glory to God!

"PRAY MORE"

Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints (Ephesians 6:18).

The more time you spend in fellowship with the Lord through prayer, the more His character and personality are revealed in and through you. This is one of the most exciting benefits of prayer. Through prayer, your spiritual antenna is raised to pick God's thought and think like Him. Some people only pray when they're compelled to do so by certain challenges they face in life, and that's not right. As Christians, we were called into fellowship with our heavenly father. 

You get to know the Lord and love Him more as you fellowship with Him through prayer and study of the Word. Praying, and praying the right way, is an important activity in the life of every Christian. It makes your life beautiful, vibrant, and exuberant with praise at all times. Take your personal times of prayer, devotions, and meditation very seriously. Create the opportunities in the course of your day to fellowship with the Lord through prayer. 

When you pray often, especially in the spirit, you'll live with a pure heart toward all men; you won't criticize others as you will see only the good in them. Learn to intercede for others more than ever before.

1Timothy 2:1 says, " I exhort, therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be make for all men." Take this domination of the Spirit seriously. Consciously practice this today! Take some time to pray for those around you, and for those in distant lands; it's your priestly responsibility to do this.

As you spend more time in prayer, your life will flourish from glory to glory because prayer is more than just an opportunity to get God to do something for you! It's a time to commune with the Lord and bask in rich spiritual consciousness; so give more time and attention to prayer. May God strengthen us to pray in Jesus name.  Halleluiah!!!!!!!  bit.ly/2LZcGo7

Be Sensitive To The Time Of Change

"Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard..." (Daniel 10:12).

Sometimes, you just know in your spirit that something needs to change in your life, and if you don't take advantage of that intuition, you could lose the moment. When you know inside you that the time has come for a change or for something to happen, don't take it lightly; start praying about it, and if, after sometime, you still haven't seen the desired results, you add fasting to it. If the change still doesn't occur after a while, keep praying and fasting about it, because the delay could be by Satan.

This was what happened to Daniel as he prayed for the deliverance of God's people. He had read in the Book of Jeremiah that the deliverance of Israel would come after seventy years in exile, so he knew the time had come and thus began to pray. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia detained the angel that was to bring Daniel the message. Daniel, nonetheless, was faithful and kept praying.

After twenty-one days, the angel of the Lord finally came with the answer and explained what had happened (Read Daniel 10:13-14). The angel that God sent to Daniel was delayed in the spirit realm, until Michael, one of the chief angels, came to help him.

Perhaps you perceive that it's time for a transformation in your family, business, academics, finances, health, or ministry. Take it up; fast, and pray! On the other hand, maybe you sense that there's a certain level of operation of God's Spirit that should be at work in your life, but you're not experiencing it; give it attention. Fast and pray about it, because if you don't, you may lose the timing, as well as the opportunity. So, like Daniel, set your face "...to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and supplications, with fasting..." (Daniel 9:3-4 AMP).

DON’T GIVE UP ON PRAYER

“Jesus told them a story showing that it was necessary for them to pray consistently and never quit…. ‘What makes you think God won’t step in and work justice for his chosen people, who continue to cry out for help? Won’t he stick up for them?’” (Luke 18:1, 7 MSG)

Andrew looked at his watch over and over. “Only ten minutes!” he thought, “I thought I had prayed for an hour. But really, do I need to pray long hours before God hears or answers me? I know He knows everything, but I wonder why I have to keep praying for long hours.” Prayer, in reality, isn’t about the length or duration but applying right and effective principles while talking to the Lord and addressing various issues. It’s communication and fellowship to be enjoyed than endured, because you have a loving relationship with Jesus Christ, and He’s the One who admonishes us to pray without giving up because He loves to fellowship with you

Besides, you can change anything through prayer, so why not engage in it more? The divine power necessary to cause that change facing you is in you; it was deposited in you the moment you received the Holy Spirit into your life (Acts 1:8). James 5:16 says, “…The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working]” (AMP). So keep praying! There’s nothing too difficult for God to do (Jeremiah 32:27). He’s the God of possibilities, and He’s given you the power of attorney to use the Name of Jesus and effect the changes you desire.

The God to whom you pray reigns and rules in the affairs of men: “…in order that the living may know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, gives it to whomever He will, and sets over it the lowest of men” (Daniel 4:17). He’s given you the authority to decree a thing and have it established (Job 22:28). Therefore, in praying for the things that you want, let these thoughts always be in your mind.

PRAYER POINTS FOR FRIDAY 9TH FEBRUARY 2018

1. Pray for all those in all levels of leadership in our nation, in different sectors and positions of authority; that they’ll continually be influenced by God’s wisdom to lead in righteousness, causing the perfect will of God to prosper in the land.

PSALM 22:27-28 AMP)
“All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall bow down and worship before You, For the kingship and the kingdom are the Lord’s, and He is the ruler over the nations” .

2. Pray for all security and law enforcement agencies in our nation; declare that they refuse to be used as instruments of coercion and intimidation, declare that they will uphold their creed and stay true to the constitution they swore to protect, and not be motivated by greed and selfishness. We declare righteousness in our armed forces, in our police force and in all security agencies in our nation.

Luke 3:14 "And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages."

3. We pray against violence and crime all around this country; we arrest the present situation and declare that there be peace and safety all over Nigeria.
We command a stop to armed robbery, menace of the herdsmen, kidnappings and other forms of violent crime.
We dispatch angels on the streets in all neighbourhoods, towns and cities all around this nation, frustrating and overwhelming the evil works of darkness and exposing all men of violence.
We declare that the instruments of violence have failed; people will live their lives and conduct their affairs in peace and safety without fear.

PSALMS 78:5 - And he led them on safely, so that they feared not: but the sea overwhelmed their enemies.

JOEL 3:19-20 (AMPC) - "Egypt shall be a desolation and Edom shall be a desolate wilderness for their violence against the children of Judah, because they have shed innocent blood in their land. But Judah shall remain and be inhabited forever, and Jerusalem from generation to generation."

4. Pray fervently for righteousness and transparency to prevail in the policies regulating the Nigerian economy.
We refuse for dishonest and corrupt individuals and organizations to continue to sabotage the nation and divert her wealth and resources in this sector; they shall proceed no further. 
We demand in the spirit that all corrupt mechanisms and structures established to serve unpatriotic aims be dismantled; because of our prayers, previously concealed potentials are unlocked in this sector.

2TIMOTHY 3:9 - "But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men…"

5. Pray fervently against subtle attempts to subdue Christianity in areas of northern states which are predominantly Christian.
We declare that Christians in these lands are strengthened through our prayers today to put up a strong spiritual resistance to these moves, and granted wisdom to deploy all legal means to protect the faith and their inalienable fundamental rights.

ESTHER 9:2 - The Jews gathered themselves together in their cities… to lay hand on such as sought their hurt: and no man could withstand them; for the fear of them fell upon all people.

ISAIAH 59:19 - "So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him."

6. Pray concerning the upcoming elections, that Christians and enlightened citizens of our nation will not unwittingly dissociate themselves from the electoral process, but that they will be actively mobilized and involved at every stage, taking personal responsibility for bringing about desired changes through the ballot. 
Pray also against manipulation of the polls, declaring that because of our involvement in the process, all such attempts are frustrated, and the will of the Lord is brought to pass.

JOB 5:12-13[NLT] – "He frustrates the plans of schemers so the work of their hands will not succeed. He traps the wise in their own cleverness so their cunning schemes are thwarted"

PRAYER POINTS FOR THURSDAY 8TH FEBRUARY 2018

1. Speak words of blessing over Nigeria. PROVERBS 11:9 – By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted... Look from where you are; contemplate diverse aspects of our nation and prophesy, speak blessings and increase; speak forth peace, progress and prosperity, declare that the gospel prospers in this nation without hindrance, and that the will of God concerning Nigeria is established.

2. Our man of God, Pastor Chris has always told us that “Nigeria would only be built by Nigerians”. Pray that Nigerians all over the country are rising and taking responsibility for nation-building and national development. Declare that Nigerians everywhere are conscious of their responsibility for the progress of this country; they apply themselves to productive endeavours, looking inwards, making positive contributions to society and inspiring others to do same. NEHEMIAH 3:28 – The priests made repairs…each working in front of his own house. ISAIAH 41:6-7 – They helped everyone his neighbour; and every one said to his brother, Be of good courage. 7So the carpenter encouraged the goldsmith…

3. Pray against all forms of press suppression, intimidation and manipulation of the press in our country. Pray also for the operators of mass media and news platforms in the country; declare that they are committed to professional and factual reporting, and are bold to resist every attempt to manipulate or influence them to misinform the public. EXODUS 23:1[AMP] – You shall not give a false report; you shall not join hands with the wicked to be a malicious witness [promoting wrong and violence].

4. Command prosperity in our nation. Pray for wisdom in the hearts of our leaders to structure the business environment of our nation to promote investment; declare that manufacturing is thriving, agriculture is booming, and that we are achieving stability in our export sector, causing Nigeria to progressively occupy a prime position in international trade, with high quality and much sought-after exports to all continents of the world. 1KINGS 10:14-15(TLB) - Each year Solomon received gold worth a quarter of a billion dollars, 15 besides sales taxes and profits from trade with the kings of Arabia and the other surrounding territories.

5. Pray against unlawful mistreatment and oppression of honest Nigerians in other nations; declare that our government will arise and demonstrate true sense of value for her citizens and give dignity to Nigerians in diaspora by engaging the governments of all such nations to demand just and fair treatment for our citizens. Pray also for all Nigerians resident in other nations to consciously be worthy ambassadors of our nation, making positive contributions to the nations where they live and work. GENESIS 14:14 – And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants…and pursued them unto Dan.

6. Pray for Pastors and Ministers of the gospel in this nation; declare that they are daily protected from evil and danger, kept from wicked and unreasonable men at all times. Pray specially for God’s grace and peace to continually abound in their homes and families, and all that that concerns them; that they may attend unto the Lord without distractions. Pray also for the expansion of the work of the ministry which the Lord has committed to their trust, that by His wisdom, they make more and more impact with the gospel in this nation. 2THESSALONIANS 3:1-2 – Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you: 2And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith.

PRAYER THAT WORKS

“Elijah was as completely human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for the next three and a half years! Then he prayed again, this time that it would rain, and down it poured, and the grass turned green and the gardens began to grow again.” (James 5:17-18 TLB)

When the children of Israel descended into idolatry, Elijah wanted to teach them a lesson and get them back to God. So he prayed for the rain to stop, and it didn’t rain in Israel for three-and-a-half years. When the people repented, Elijah prayed again for rain to fall, and the Lord said to him, “Go, show yourself to Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth” (1 Kings 18:1 RSV). Elijah knew God had answered his prayer, but he didn’t just sit there twiddling his thumb and waiting for the rain to fall. He went back on his knees and continued in fervent prayer (1 Kings 18:41-45).

There may have been times the Spirit of God let you know He already answered your prayer, and so, in excitement, you made it public. But when things didn’t turn out the way you expected, you asked, “What did I do wrong?” Well, it wasn’t so much what you did wrong, but what you stopped doing— you left off praying!

Your prayer is required to remove every obstacle and bring God’s Word to pass in your life! There are things you may not know to do until you spend time in prayer; then, God can reveal to you the steps you need to take. Christianity is a life of faith alright, but fervent prayer has its place. Don’t be perturbed by the things that appear unfavourable at the moment. Continue to pray in faith until you see the desired result. Press on in prayer!