PRAY

 He Knelt Down And Prayed

And He was withdrawn from them about a stone's throw, and He knelt down and prayed,  saying, "Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done."  Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him. And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. Luke 22:41-44

Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit. James 5:16-18

Jesus prayed just before Calvary where He was tempted to quit and an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him. And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. The devil wanted Jesus to die a premature death but the bible tells us in Hebrews 5:7 who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear.  As a result of Jesus agonizing emotional prayers, He went on to fulfill the plan and purposes of God and bring full gospel Salvation to all who believe and receive!

Our captain in life is Lord Jesus Christ. He gave His life for us and defeated Satan and his hosts on the cross. Today God will transform us into the image of Christ and bless us (2 Corinthians 6:18). Whatever may be our problems, we are to hold onto the Lord diligently. He will deliver us from them and bless us abundantly as God is always for and with us. He is on our side and wants us to succeed in everything. In His darkest hour Jesus prayed and so should we especially when all hell breaks loose and a man's enemies are even the men of his own household! God’s word is true:

Do not trust in a friend; Do not put your confidence in a companion; Guard the doors of your mouth From her who lies in your bosom.  For son dishonors father, Daughter rises against her mother, Daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;  A man's enemies are the men of his own household. Therefore I will look to the LORD;  I will wait for the God of my salvation;  My God will hear me. Do not rejoice over me, my enemy;  When I fall, I will arise; When I sit in darkness, The LORD will be a light to me. I will bear the indignation of the LORD, Because I have sinned against Him,  Until He pleads my case  And executes justice for me.  He will bring me forth to the light; I will see His righteousness. Micah 7:5-9

praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints- Ephesians 6:18

Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.  Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;  and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:5-7

Prayer should not be our last resort but our first resort in everything bringing the power of God into everything and making everything line up with the will of God which includes divine salvation, divine health, divine prosperity, divine strength, divine victory and divine wealth in all circumstances! To appreciate what prayer and praise will do in the life of a true believer we must look into the life of King Solomon. The bible tells us:

 Now the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place: Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar.  At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, "Ask! What shall I give you?" And Solomon said: "You have shown great mercy to Your servant David my father, because he walked before You in truth, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with You; You have continued this great kindness for him, and You have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.  "Now, O LORD my God, You have made Your servant king instead of my father David, but I am a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. "And Your servant is in the midst of Your people whom You have chosen, a great people, too numerous to be numbered or counted. "Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?"   The speech pleased the LORD, that Solomon had asked this thing. Then God said to him: "Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked long life for yourself, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have asked the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern justice,  "behold, I have done according to your words; see, I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has not been anyone like you before you, nor shall any like you arise after you.  "And I have also given you what you have not asked: both riches and honor, so that there shall not be anyone like you among the kings all your days. "So if you walk in My ways, to keep My statutes and My commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days." 1 Kings 3:4-14

At Gibeon Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar.  Immediately at Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, "Ask! What shall I give you?"  Solomon replied "Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?"  God was so pleased with Solomon request he had asked for himself understanding to discern justice, that God gave him a wise and understanding heart. And He has also given Solomon both riches and honor, so that there was no one like him among the kings all his days.

As a result King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom. And since God has not changed and is the same yesterday, today and forever and is no respecter of persons, who is to say what He can or will not do in response to prayer except He always does exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask pray or think!

God made Solomon extremely wise and wealthy but Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, and did not fully follow the LORD, as did his father David.  He built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, and for Molech the abomination of the people of Ammon.  And he did likewise for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and sacrificed to their gods. As a result the LORD became angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned from the LORD God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice, and had commanded him that he should not go after other gods. But Solomon did not keep what the LORD had commanded and the LORD raised up adversaries against Solomon who caused much trouble and God didn’t lengthen Solomon’s days!

The word of God, especially the Psalms, are full of conquest, victory, prosperity and the dominion of the saints when they walk in obedience to God’s voice and His commands! When they disobey well then sickness, poverty, lack, oppression and other vegetative things are their possession. God’s word is unchanging:

Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the LORD your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. "And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the LORD your God:  "Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country.  "Blessed shall be the fruit of your body, the produce of your ground and the increase of your herds, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flocks.  "Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl.  "Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out.  "The LORD will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before your face; they shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways. "The LORD will command the blessing on you in your storehouses and in all to which you set your hand, and He will bless you in the land which the LORD your God is giving you. Deuteronomy 28:1-8

Bless the LORD, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name!  Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits:  Who forgives all your iniquities,  Who heals all your diseases,  Who redeems your life from destruction,  Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. Psalm 103:1-5

Although God’s word says the benefit of God include forgiveness of all your iniquities, healing of all your diseases and redemption of your life from destruction, some even say they are afflicted like Job was and are being tried and tested by God! But Job didn’t stay afflicted and he passed the test and God healed him, restored double his real losses and gave him seven sons and daughters! So when is it their turn to be victorious and blessed like Job? And the bible tells us:

Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord-that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful. James 5:11

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,  who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.  For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ. Now if we are afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effective for enduring the same sufferings which we also suffer. Or if we are comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. And our hope for you is steadfast, because we know that as you are partakers of the sufferings, so also you will partake of the consolation.  For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia: that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life. Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead, who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that He will still deliver us,  2 Corinthians 1:3-10

Apostle Paul tells us about the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. He tells us we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead, who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that He will still deliver us. In other words we are to trust in a God who doesn’t keep us in sickness, poverty, loss, defeat or depression but brings us through to the other side of plenty, prosperity and victory just like He did for the children of Israel when He miraculous delivered them out of their oppressors and brought them into the Promised Land of plenty! Mind you they were delayed for 40 year due to some rebels and unbelievers!

The bible tells us “But the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous” (Prov. 13:22). I love the word “but.” We see it used in the bible for Joseph who was promoted instantly from a prison to a palace:

"And the patriarchs, becoming envious, sold Joseph into Egypt. But God was with him  "and delivered him out of all his troubles, and gave him favor and wisdom in the presence of Pharaoh, king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house. Acts 7:9-10

And that is the basic pattern of history as God saves His people and gives them dominion. This is what God did with Israel: in saving them, He brought them into already-settled lands, and they inherited cities that had already been built (Ps. 105:43-45).

In a way God does bless the heathen, in a sense – just so they can work out their own damnation, in the meantime building up an inheritance for the godly (Gen. 15:16; Ex. 4:21; Josh. 11:19-20). Then God smashes them and gives the fruit of their labor to His people. This is why the bible tells us that we need not fret over evildoers, for we shall inherit the earth (Ps. 37). The Hebrew word for salvation is yasha, meaning to bring into a large, wide, open space – and in salvation God does just that: He gives us the world, and turns it into the Garden of Eden. God’s word is true:

He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper. Psalm 1:3

Let them shout for joy and be glad, Who favor my righteous cause; And let them say continually, "Let the LORD be magnified, Who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant." Psalm 35:27

Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; Do not fret-it only causes harm.  For evildoers shall be cut off; But those who wait on the LORD, They shall inherit the earth. For yet a little while and the wicked shall be no more; Indeed, you will look carefully for his place, But it shall be no more.  But the meek shall inherit the earth, And shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace (prosperity). Psalm 37:8-11

EXTRACT FROM Be Filled With All The Fullness Of God 
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