21 Days of Prayer Day 20 - August 21, 2020 Effective Prayers Produce Results

Fasting - giving up things but also to begin new things. We are about to take a break from fasting for new things, but we certainly want to keep praying.

“God is more eager to answer than we are to ask.”   Smith Wigglesworth.

God is waiting for us to ask Him.   Pray continuously. Keep praying.

Effective prayers are those that produce results.  

Matthew 7:7-11 (NLT)  7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

 9 “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

Ephesians 3:20 (NKJV) 20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,

A mountain range often has multiple peaks. God wants us to go from one peak to a higher peak. From glory to glory. He wants us to learn more, and He wants us to discover more of Him. 

God has more of Himself that He wants to give, for you to find and more doors that He wants to open.

Jeremiah 33:3 (NLT)2 “This is what the Lord says—the Lord who made the earth, who formed and established it, whose name is the Lord:

1 Thessalonians 5:17 (NLT).. Never stop praying! 

If your prayers continue, God will continue to give. If your prayers continue, God will continue to bring revelation and open doors.

Luke 18:1-8 (NIV) One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up. 2 “There was a judge in a certain city,” he said, “who neither feared God nor cared about people. 3 A widow of that city came to him repeatedly, saying, ‘Give me justice in this dispute with my enemy.’ 4 The judge ignored her for a while, but finally he said to himself, ‘I don’t fear God or care about people, 5 but this woman is driving me crazy. I’m going to see that she gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests!’”

6 Then the Lord said, “Learn a lesson from this unjust judge. 7 Even he rendered a just decision in the end. So don’t you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly! But when the Son of Man[a] returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?”

We then should keep praying.  Praying is an act of faith. We may not receive at that moment, but we are to keep praying.  

This unjust judge finally gave, how much more will our just judge, our Father, give as we keep asking.

John 16:24  You haven’t done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy.

21 Days of Prayer - Day 19 - August 20, 2020 How We Can Take Our Stand Against the Enemy

Ephesians 6:10-18 (NIV)   10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

A formula or a recipe on how you can take a stand against the enemy. Paul uses the word “stand” 4 times. Our stand depends upon our daily taking up or putting on the armor of God.  

Life is more spiritual than we ever thought or could have imagined.  There’s a spiritual dynamic in every situation we encounter.  There are no problems that are too big for God.  We have won the victory, but we need to know how to be dressed.

V. 11 our battle is not against other people, our battle is a spiritual battle. The enemy is counting on us getting it wrong and fighting the wrong battle. Perhaps what happens is the Christian soldier shoots at other Christian soldiers.

He says “....do this that you might take your stand against the devil’s schemes.”  Satan looks for our weak spots, for openings in our armor where we might be weak. So we need to put on this full armor and take our stand.  I think the devil takes more time scheming than we do defending.

1st century Christians understood this illustration of the soldier.

The Belt of Truth -- this is the foundation. The belt keeps everything in place.  We commit to the truth. We will stand on truth. We need to put on the belt of truth every day. It allows us to move in authority and gives me a confidence.

The Breastplate of Righteousness.  It guards our heart. When we put it on and pray, we have God’s righteousness which protects us. Our heart does not get wounded as easy.

The Shoes of peace.  Jesus gives us peace, not like the world. It surpasses everything. We are carriers of the good news. It brings us peace.

The shield of faith.  It puts out the fiery darts of the enemy.  As we pray with the shield of faith, it brings us protection and with it, we have the ability to walk toward the enemy and have victory.

The Helmet of Salvation. It guards the mind.  My thoughts are protected and we have the mind of Christ.

The Sword of the Spirit - the Word of God. It’s an offensive weapon. (Hebrews 4). As we grow in the Word, it protects us not just in a defensive way, but an offensive way.

Pray in the Spirit - This often is excluded from the armor, but I believe it goes right along in the spiritual battle, that is, praying with or in the spirit, all kinds of prayers.  

Jesus went to the cross. He has won the victory. Let’s claim His promises and put on this full armor. It gives us access, it invites in the Holy Spirit and drives out the devil.

We do this so that we can fulfill all that God has for us.

21 Days of Prayer -- Day 18 - August 19, 2020 Persistent Prayers

Luke 18:1-8 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 2 He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. 3 And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’

4 “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’”

6 And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7 And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”

If I had not realized my prayer from day 1, we are not to give up.

Persistence is an act of faith.  Knowing God wants our best and wants us to come to Him, we with faith show persistence and keep the prayer before God.

Persistence prayer pleases God. He loves it because we keep knocking at His door, because He has the ability to answer and show His power.

If an unjust judge will answer the door and give this widow what she needed, how much more will God the righteous judge and heavenly father know how to give good gifts to his kids. 

Keep on asking, keep on seeking and keep on knocking. Continue to be persistent in your prayer.  You’re in need of a breath through, keep on praying!

Persistent prayer produces results.  The Word says that God will see that we will get an answer to our prayer.

What we do in prayer really matters and it produces results.

Matthew 21:22 If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”