You & Him

Isaiah 1:¹⁸ “Come, let’s talk this over, says the Lord; no matter how deep the stain of your sins, I can take it out and make you as clean as freshly fallen snow. Even if you are stained as red as crimson, I can make you white as wool!” (LB)

To have power with God and man, the first thing is, you have to Learn To Pray By Yourself Without Relying On Someone Else To Pray For You. Gen.32:^22-24 “During the night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two servant wives, and his eleven sons and crossed the Jabbok River with them. After taking them to the other side, he sent over all his possessions. This left Jacob all alone in the camp, and a man came and wrestled with him until the dawn began to break.” Jacob sent everyone else away so that he can have time alone with God. Sometimes you need to let people exit so that you can have time with God. Do not depend on people to pray for you. It is really good for us to pray one for another and I always encourage that.

But you have to pray for yourself. And the person that you think is praying for you or has agreed to pray for you can have a good heart to but they are human beings so things can happen, and they would not pray. Let me share a personal example with you. A lady had a job interview that she needed to go for the following day. It was an impossible situation seemingly and we both agreed that we will have a vigil that night. She would pray in her house, and I would pray in my house concerning the matter. And in the morning, she will go for the interview. She had her vigil and I too started to a vigil; I said, ‘In Jesus Name…’ but it was at six o’clock in the morning that I woke up and said, ‘Amen’. I slept off! I did not mean to sleep off, but I was tired. I had worked all day and I had to keep my commitment to this lady. I went on my knees by my bed, and I slept off.

After the interview, she was thanking me for praying with her and for my sacrifice. She got the job! I rejoiced and praised God with her, but I told her that I did not pray because I slept off. She was surprised, ‘you slept’? I said, ‘I slept, and I am sorry. I am flesh and blood’. Imagine she was relying solely on my prayers, what would have happened? If that was the only thing that was needed, she would not have gotten it. But by herself, she prayed, and God heard her. God will hear you in the Name of Jesus. Learn to pray for yourself.

To have power with God and man, the second thing is, you have to Pray To Your Heavenly Father And Not To Anyone Else. John 16:²³ “On that day you will ask nothing of me. Very truly, I tell you, if you ask anything of the Father in my name, he will give it to you.” (NRSV, emphasis added). Even Jesus said, do not ask Me, ask the Father in My Name. You are not ask Mary; it is not scriptural to pray to Mary. I know that some of us have catholic backgrounds, I do not mean to offend you. I am just teaching the Bible. Even Mary herself said, ‘whatever Jesus tells you to do, do it’ (John 2:5). Jesus did not teach us to pray to His mother. Jesus taught us to pray to His Father. If you want to have influence, power with God, you pray to the Father.

Prayer:  Father, I come before You in the Name of Jesus and I ask that You strengthen my heart to pray and grant me influence with You, in Jesus Name. Amen!