And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is written: "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him. 1 Corinthians 2:1-9
Apostle Paul was in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. He was very conscious of his lack of strength, ability and talent. He desperately needed the Holy Spirit causing Him to trust and depend on the Lord. As a result his speech and his preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power. So the faith of his converts were not in the wisdom of men but in the power of God, which they saw, demonstrated. The bible records:
Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them. Acts 19:11-12
It was Paul’s desire that every one on Earth have heard the gospel and He to missionary journeys make it so even facing great dangers and trials. The bible records:
And when they had come to him, he said to them: "You know, from the first day that I came to Asia, in what manner I always lived among you, "serving the Lord with all humility, with many tears and trials which happened to me by the plotting of the Jews; "how I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you, and taught you publicly and from house to house, testifying to Jews, and also to Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
"And see, now I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me. "But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. Acts 20:18-24
Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things? For we are not, as so many, peddling the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ. 2 Corinthians 2:14-17
By the grace and power of God Paul was lead to triumph in Christ and to diffuse the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. His sufficiency was God and he did not peddle the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, spoke in the sight of God in Christ. The Lord, Himself, was Apostles Paul Friend, Counselor, Guide and Helper. Even though many others failed or disappointed him, God did not! His word was unchanging:
Do we begin again to commend ourselves? Or do we need, as some others, epistles of commendation to you or letters of commendation from you? You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men; clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart. And we have such trust through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. 2 Corinthians 3:1-6
Real men of God who did miracles in their day and brought change to their society and generation, such as Elijah, Jesus and Apostle Paul were men of prayer, of faith and of the Word. They were men of action in the things of the Spirit and in things of man. Them weren’t afraid of conflicts and took on impossible tasks which they never would have accomplished if they didn’t have an ear that heard the Voice of God. They had a prayer life that moved God’s hand and were filled with the Holy Spirit with a special anointing from God to do their tasks.
They were also men of the integrity and their word was their bond. They were men who were unafraid to do what needed to be done. When something needed doing they would pray and then do it. Their primary goal in life was to be about their Father’s business.
"How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. (Acts 10:38)
Now today, a lot of teaching on faith and prayer is very contradictory and confusing. Some people teach that after we have prayed about something we needn’t pray about it about it again because it shows a lack of faith to do so. Others restrict what we can pray about and what kind of prayers God answers. Others teach that we are to confess the Word of God rather than to pray about it. Others teach us that we are to pray about everything and for everything regardless of what is in our hearts. But most of them don’t tell us that God doesn’t hear our prayers if our hearts are filled with iniquity, unforgiveness, resentment, sins and other things.
And He said to them, "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer,' but you have made it a 'den of thieves.' " (Matthew 21:13)
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation. (Matthew 23:14)
You and I are the temple of the Holy Ghost and God’s house because He now lives in us and when we pray our spirit and our hearts must be right and blameless before Him. If this isn’t the case we must first pray that God will create in us a new heart and spirit, and take out the stony heart of flesh, stubborn and rebellion which is in each man, and put a right spirit in us.
God then gives us a discerning heart to understand Him, His ways and others as well as how to handle the circumstances of life in a spiritual way rather than a carnal way. God gives wisdom, knowledge and understanding freely to all those who ask Him for this. If we ourselves aren’t fed and clothed how can be we feed others? If we ourselves don’t have anything how can we give others anything? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks and much is accomplished especially in prayer.
So we must first pray for ourselves:
Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And don’t lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. (Matthew 6: 11-13)
But who do we listen to and how do we pray? The answer is simple, the work of God is always done by the Spirit. So we first listen to the Spirit and receive Him and let Him rule and reign in our lives. The receiving of the Holy Spirit and praying in the Spirit is done by faith and God honors faith.
"If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!" (Like 11:13)
"And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, as upon us at the beginning. "Then I remembered the Word of the Lord, how He said, 'John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.' If therefore God gave them the same gift as He gave us when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could withstand God?" (Acts 11:15-17)
When we pray in the Spirit it’s God Himself, by the Spirit, praying through and in us making intercession for us. Basically, He cannot say no to Himself and He answers His own prayers in the spiritual realm.
Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we don’t know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:26-28)
After we pray in the Spirit and in the understanding then we know that God makes all things to work together for good to them that love God and are called and walk according to His purposes. It isn’t automatic that all things work together for good. Its as we pray that God deals with and changes things.
What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding. (1 Corinthians 14:15)
How much do we really pray about something? The answer to this question lies in the prayers and actions of Elijah and Jesus. The Word of God tells us about Jesus.
Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. (Luke 6:12)
He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, "O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will." (Matthew 26:39)
Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, saying, "O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done." (Matthew 26:42)
So He left them, went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words. (Matthew 26:44)
Prayer is a conversation between two best friends and they talk about anything that is on each others hearts; especially people who are always on the heart of God. People need our prayers and it makes a difference in their lives.
We are to be anxious for nothing, but by prayer and supplication make our requests to our friend and creator God and He will bring it to pass! We haven’t fully understood this truth. He will do it! He wills to change things! He will change things, especially when His children ask in faith believing that He will do It! Powerful prayer doesn’t come from many words but from an open and sincere heart that is full of Him. It moves the mountains out of your path and even stops and starts the rains, physical and spiritual.
Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it wouldn’t rain; and it didn’t 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 5:17-18)
Prayer is important for others and for ourselves. Jesus told us that if we had faith we will move the mountains in our lives out and cast them into the sea. We will tell the storms to be still and it will still. Most of this is accomplished in prayer first. God does hear our marvelous and wonderful prayers. He listens with the heart of a true Father and cares for His precious children and prayer warriors.
True friends can say anything to each other and they won’t take it wrong because love and the spirit of unity binds them together in true acceptance and true love. This is especially true in prayer.
"For what great nation is there that has God so near to it, as the LORD our God is to us, for whatever reason we may call upon Him? (Deuteronomy 4:7)
I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; so shall I be saved from my enemies. (2 Samuel 22:4)
When we pray we have tremendous resources available to us in prayer.
"Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels? (Matthew 26:53)
When all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened. (Luke 3:21)
And Elisha prayed, and said, "LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see." Then the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. (2 Kings 6:17)
We are to pray continually and until we hear from Heaven and see our prayers answered. We are to follow the example of Elijah who lived in faith, spoke the Word of God in faith and prayed in faith until He knew that the answer was on it’s way. Elijah wouldn’t take no for an answer when He had God’s Word on the matter especially about life. For life and health is God’s will for all His people. God’s word records for our profit and instruction:
Then Elijah said to Ahab, "Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain." So Ahab went up to eat and drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; then he bowed down on the ground, and put his face between his knees, and said to his servant, "Go up now, look toward the sea." So he went up and looked, and said, "There is nothing." And seven times he said, "Go again."
Then it came to pass the seventh time, that he said, "There is a cloud, as small as a man's hand, rising out of the sea!" So he said, "Go up, say to Ahab, 'Prepare your chariot, and go down before the rain stops you.' "Now it happened in the meantime that the sky became black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy rain. So Ahab rode away and went to Jezreel. Then the hand of the LORD. (1 Kings 18:41-46)
http://billyburke.org/PrayerMinistryRoom/JourneyofYourPrayerRequest/tabid/142/Default.aspx
EXTRACT FROM Be Filled
http://walthope.tripod.com/befilled.htm
http://walthope.wordpress.com
https://plus.google.com/u/0/100302133262254344211/posts
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