Prayer: Grow Your Christian Faith Series (Part 3)

What is Prayer?

For believers, prayer is communication with God. Communication is a two-way transmission, and so is prayer. A lot of us grew up speaking to God without believing that God could speak back to us. We were taught that only certain people, such as priests, prophets, or pastors, could receive messages from God. Well, you're almost correct, but Joel 2:28 says that He will pour out His Spirit on all people. Now, we have the Holy Spirit who comforts and guides us into all truth. How can He guide us if He does not speak to us? (Amos 3:7)

If you want to grow in faith through prayer, you need to learn consistency, which will lead to living a life of prayer.

Life of Prayer

Paul encouraged the Thessalonians to pray continually. Prayer transcends asking for your own needs, and when believers understand this, they press on. Some may wonder, "What do I pray if I am to pray six times a day? Am I going to keep repeating my requests?" A life of prayer, however, goes beyond praying for personal gain; it involves praying for the Kingdom of God.

At first, it takes discipline for a believer to start praying consistently. But when God sees your commitment, He begins to reveal His burdens to you in visions, dreams, trances, etc. You'll find that you can never run out of prayer points. For example, I once had a vision while praying in tongues. I saw a man walking on a sidewalk who fell and started convulsing. It was in another city, possibly abroad (the US or UK). I didn’t know what it meant, but I started praying for that man. I often wake up with 2 to 4 dreams per night, and these dreams themselves become prayer points. It is through this obedience that God shows us His plans so we can intercede.

To live a life of prayer, start by being consistent in praying for at least 30 minutes a day. Choose a time of day or night and stick to it. That’s all. Once you become consistent, it is likened to waiting on the Lord (Isaiah 40:31). I promise you that either an angelic visitation or, even better, a divine encounter will come when you faithfully meet with God in your place of prayer also known as the prayer altar.

Hearing God Through Prayer

Our God is eager to speak to His children. That’s why He said, "Call upon me, and I will answer you, and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know" (Jeremiah 33:3).

Many people receive revelations during prayer. This is because, in prayer, we ascend to the throne of grace, where God imparts messages to our ears, eyes, hearts, and sometimes even our bodies. Miracles can happen, chains can be broken, and mysteries unraveled, all through the Holy Spirit. Some people hear God audibly, some see visions with their inner eyes, while others receive a "knowing" in their hearts.

Faith Grows Through Prayer

Let me be honest. While I’ve mentioned some things that can happen in prayer, they may not occur in a quick 15-minute session. You need to be ready to press on for at least an hour, consistently. You cannot rush God—He is the King, the Commander of the armies of the heavens, and He is not to be rushed or commanded.

Now that I’ve gotten that out of the way, here’s my point: When you press on in prayer and experience these miracles and visitations, your understanding of the spiritual realm deepens, and your dependence on God increases. Humans were not created to be independent; we were made to rely on God. When believers’ eyes are opened to the spiritual warfare around us, we realize that God is our ultimate source of strength.

Dependence on God is what grows faith. When you receive personal revelations about the battle between light and darkness, you will live for God, worship Him, and serve Him with every breath.

How to Pray

The emphasis should be on the heart of the individual. The fervent, effectual prayer of a righteous person is what brings change—encounters, healing, miracles, and the voice of God (James 5:16).

If you are willing to be consistent in prayer, you will not only hear from God but also find your calling in the body of Christ. You will encounter things that you never thought existed.

We are the temples of God, and every temple has an altar with flames. Every priest fans the flames to keep the altar burning. As living sacrifices and temples, prayer is what keeps our altars burning.

So here’s my advice: pray in the morning, afternoon, and night. Set aside a different prayer time, preferably at night, solely to press on for at least an hour. If your job doesn’t allow this, adopt an intermittent prayer style. Pray for 15 minutes every three hours (e.g., at 12, 3, 6, 9). When you're off work, you can then press on for an hour. But do not miss a day without praying. It is dangerous.

The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much(James 5: 16). Discipline yourself to pray consistently. If for any reason you miss a day, show up the next day. Do not let the devil deceive you to stop through sleep or other excuses.