Pillar 3

Prayer

Introduction

Prayer is a spiritual channel for connecting with helps from above.

Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to
help in time of need.

- Hebrews 4:16

We go boldly to God in prayers, to obtain help from Him. Daniel was a man of prayers, no wonder he
was also a man of faith. He is the only one to have dared the lions’ den and returned alive to tell the
story. His prayer life must have been a source of strength for his faith. Yes, faith brought him out of
the lions’ den alive; but prayer sustained his faith in the face of death.

To be prayer-less is to be helpless, because God is committed to sending you help from above when
you call upon Him. His helps that come through prayer help to boost and sustain your faith, which
helps you to actualise destiny.

Again, here is a selection of my teachings and books on the subject of prayer.

Keys to Answered Prayers

Winning Prayer

Born To Win
Chapter 1

Lord, Teach Us To Pray

Prayer to many is a medium of asking God for things. But that is not the whole story. Prayer is much
more. Your heavenly Father knows what your needs are, so prayer should not be engaged only when
we need to communicate our needs to God. Prayer is seeking divine intervention over any given
situation on the basis of the Word of God. It is a medium for spiritual empowerment; when you are
empowered to gain command over situations and things.

God knows what is in the dark, because before Him all things lay bare . He saw the affliction of the
children of Israel for 400 years, but until He heard them call on Him for intervention through prayers,
He didn’t come down (Ex. 3:7-8). Until God hears your call in prayer, He will not come down on your
behalf. He does not respond to your afflictions; He only responds to your effectual communications:

O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come.

- Psalm 65:2

Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not,
because ye ask not.

- James 4:2

Certain things will never come your way until you engage the prayer line. The Bible gives us this
assurance when we pray:

For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be
opened.

- Matthew 7:8

Certain things will never be received until they are asked for; neither will they be found until they are
sought for. Likewise, certain doors will never open unto you until you knock.

The question then is, “How do we pray?” Do we just pray by praying?

It Is Taught

Many have always thought that one doesn’t need to learn how to pray; that you simply learn to pray
by praying. This is a wrong assumption. Until you are taught or trained, you cannot triumph. That is
why the military worldwide invests heavily in training its men for battle.

Can you imagine one becoming a motor mechanic simply by repairing c a r s ? That is, one becoming
a mechanic without first learning how to repair vehicles? Skill is a fundamental requirement in any
field of human endeavour. Every assignment requires some form of training to make it happen,
whether formal or informal. Jesus’ disciples knew this, so they aske d their Master: “Lord, teach us to
pray, as John also taught his disciples” (Lk. 11:1). Knowing the importance of training also, the Master
took time to teach them how to pray. He did not say their request was a useless one.

In like manner, we need to be taught how to pray in order for our prayers to be effectual. It is not the
length of prayer that determines its effectiveness, but the quality of prayer; and you need knowledge
to pray correctly. The Bible says “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss.” That means there is
a right way to ask. We need to know what it takes to ask aright, because it’s not every call that
answers in heaven. You have to press the right buttons for your prayers to be answered.

Gaining Access…

In response to His disciples’ request, Jesus taught them a model prayer, which reveals all that must
be in place for our prayers to be answered (Lk. 11:2-4). First, you must have a Father in heaven:

Our Father which art in heaven…

Until you have a Father in heaven, you are not welcome on the prayer line. Until you are hooked up
to God through Jesus Christ by being born again, you do not have an access to the prayer line.

…Hallowed be thy name…

With God as your Father, you then approach Him in worship in order to gain access to His presen ce.
You must come before Him in worship, praise and thanksgiving to have His attention; not in
murmuring or grumbling (Ps.

100:4).

…Thy will be done…

For an effective prayer life, you must know the will of God. What you do in prayer is to provoke
divine intervention on the basis of God’s Word, which is His will (1 Jn. 5:1415). If you go to a court
with a will, the court is under obligation to enforce that will, not minding whether the owner of the
will made a mistake in writing it or not. Likewise, you will be justified when you approach the Throne
of

Grace on the basis of the will of God.

The Bible is God’s will, ratified by

the blood of Jesus and handed down to whosoever. It rescues from destruction. So, when you
approach the court-room of heaven with the will of God, you are justified (Isa. 43:26). Every
oppression we suffer is from the accuser of the brethren, Satan. When we remind God of His will,
declaring it with all boldness, He is committed to justify us. That means without the will of God, your
prayer is a mere religious exercise that will not produce results.

It, therefore, means that for your prayers to be answered, you must first know what the will of God is
on the issue at stake. Prayer is not just saying something; prayer is saying the right thing. It is not
made effective by much speaking, but by meaningful speaking. God will always ask, “Why must I step
in?” “Am I committed?” “Is it in My plan for you?” “On what basis are you invoking My
intervention?” That is why the Bible tells us in Isaiah 41:21:

Produce your cause, saith the Lord; bring forth your strong reasons, saith the King of Jacob .

That is why every Word-weak

Christian is a prayer failure. It is the strength of the Word in you that determines the strength of
heaven’s response on your behalf. When you approach Him on the basis of His Word, you have
committed Him to act. …Thy kingdom come…

Kingdom-oriented praying gives

you special attention with God, because you are making spiritual investments towards the expansion
of God’s kingdom through prayers. That is why Jesus admonished us to “Seek ye first the kingdom of
God...” (Matt. 6:33). When you begin to pray to please God, He will give you access to His hotline.

Kingdom-oriented praying is when you pray God’s power, dominion, expansion, etc. into His
kingdom. You say: “Let Your kingdom become

effectual in my life. Let my life please you. I want to be an asset to Your kingdom, not a liab ility”, etc.
If your primary desire is to please God, He will organise everything to your pleasure. “Thy kingdom
come” is a love factor prayer that God cannot shut His ears to.

In addition to these, there’s what I call the Foundation for Effective Prayers. When this is in place in
your prayer life, you will no longer need to sweat and struggle for God to answer your prayers.

The Foundation

The fundamental condition to be met for effectual prayer is found in John 15:7:

If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

To every promise there is a condition; when the condition is met, the promise graduates into a
covenant.

God is then bound to perform what He has promised.

All the elements required for an experiment must be in place and in the correct proportions for you
to arrive at the right answer. “If ye abide in me” is the capital element that must be in place for your
prayers to be answered. “My Words abide in you” is the second element. “Then you shall ask
whatever you will and it shall be granted unto you.” This equals answered prayer; that is, the
product.

If these two vital elements are not there, you will be shaking and hitting your head in vain, because
the product won’t come. This is where the charismatics miss it; they are running around with the
Word, when the first capital “If” is not in place -”If ye abide in me.” As a result, the Word is rendered
ineffective.

If all you have for an experiment is just one element out of four, and you start shaking and stirring
your beaker, and add singing and praying to it, when would the product emerge? If you shake it for
the next 30 years it won’t come, because the things required for your desired product to be delivered
are not present.

“If ye abide in me…” is the capital element for your desired product – answered prayer. God is saying
to us: “If ye abide in Me, and then remind Me of my Words concerning your desires, you shall have it
the way you want it. If you abide in Me, then My Word that you have applied commits My integrity
to deliver.” If a branch is broken off a tree, and is no longer abiding in the vine, but the branch needs
something that only the vine can supply, how can it get it? No matter how much working k nowledge
you have about your right to the things the vine carries, as long as you are no longer connected to it,
you can’t enjoy it. As long as you are not abiding in Him, there is no way you can connect with the
flow of answers to your prayers.

Real connectivity to God is the true foundation for an effectual prayer life. It is not so much about
how hard you cry, but how well connected you are to the Source - God. That is why He said, “My son,
give me your heart” (Prov. 23:26). You need a connected heart to become a commander in the
prayer warfront; that is the only guarantee for answered prayers. Without a heart for God, your cries
will be mere noises in the realms of the spirit.

What does it mean to be connected? It means dedication to God, absol ute love for your Lord and
Saviour. Do not serve Him on contract; He should not be your God only when He answers your
prayers or blesses you. He should be your God because you choose Him to be. The three Hebrew
boys were so dedicated to God that they would rather burn than bow to the king’s golden image, and
God showed up on their behalf.

…Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us
out of thine hand, O king.

But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden
image which thou hast set up.

- Daniel 3:17-18

There are too many prayer warriors, but few prayer champions. You have warred enough, now start
winning. You can’t be truly connected and still be frustrated. When the conditions of abiding in Him
are met, answers to prayers become a covenant that cannot be broken. God said, “My covenant will I
not break, nor alter the thing that has gone out of my lips” (Ps. 89:34).

Your deep love for God is the anchor for the working of every scripture. Every promise hangs on your
deep-rooted affection for God. You can’t blame God for answering me. Affection is my secret. I once
said to the pastors at a conference: “Until you know the quality of my oneness with God, you do n’t
know my secret.” When all hell broke loose in our home, and my wife’s life was ebbing away, and
Satan was celebrating her burial, I said to God: “That You heal her is not what makes You my God.
Whether You heal her or not, You are my God eternally.” This kind of decision and dedication is what
provokes divine intervention.

Dedication is not a gift, but a choice: “My son, give me your heart.” Be truly connected to God in your
heart, and not with your mouth only.

Develop a new dimension of relationship with God; it will not only boost your prayer life, but also
boost every aspect of your life.

Chapter 2

Essentials Of A Winning Prayer

And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples
said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.

- Luke 11:1

Prayer is our principal access to divine helps, and as we can see from the above, Jesus Christ, our
perfect example, was a Man of prayer. He was absolutely dependent on God’s help for all He did (Jn.
5:30; 8:28). We must learn what matters and what it takes to pray and always have answers to our
prayers as Jesus did.
Be Confident
Going to God in prayer is not enough; how you approach Him determines what you get. This is how
the Bible commands us to approach God in prayers:

Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to
help in time of need.

- Hebrews 4:16

We are to go before God boldly. To be bold means to be confident. I do not mean one pu tting on a
bold face. By being confident I mean inner strength, steadfastness and stability based on an
assurance that God is going to help y o u . Some scriptural examples of confidence in God are seen in
the lives of Daniel and the three Hebrew boys (Dan. 3), Hezekiah (2 Kgs. 20:1-7) and Paul.

God does not expect you to come before Him like a miserable battered beggar. He is not a wicked
Father. On the contrary, He is ever-willing and ready to bless you (Rom. 8:32). So when you approach
Him with confidence, He rewards you for it (Heb.

10:35).

Your confidence in God can be built up in three ways. The first is righteousness-consciousness, as
opposed to sin-consciousness (Prov. 28:1). If you are saved, the blood of Jesus confers on you the
grace of righteousness or right standing before God, resulting in an unlimited access to His help (2
Cor. 5:21). Christians who do not appropriate this provision are sin-conscious, and so are always
wretched, broken and beaten. Their lack of boldness in God disconnects them from divine help.

Boldness can also be cultivated through knowledge. Knowledge strengthens the inner man (Prov.
24:5). The more of God you know, the more persuaded you are of His help, and the more you can
confidently ask Him for it (Dan. 11:32; 1 Jn. 5:14; 2 Tim. 1:12). T h e Holy Spirit also helps build
boldness in us. Peter was transformed by the Holy Spirit from a weakling to a fearless rock in a
matter of minutes on the day of Pentecost.

Be Kingdom-Minded

This is another cardinal factor for winning in prayers. When the things of God’s kingdom matter very
much to you, you commit God to your welfare even without asking Him for it. Jesus lets us into this
secret:

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto
you.

- Matthew 6:33

When you favour God’s kingdom, you turn His favour/help loose in your direction (Ps. 102:13-15).
King Solomon (1 Kgs. 3) and Nehemiah (Neh. 1) are examples of those who enjoyed God’ s marvellous
helps, because of their great love for His kingdom. Their prayers were not selfcentred, hence God
gave them abundantly more than they asked for. When you win God’s love through kingdom -minded
prayers, you have automatic access to His best, and He will manifest Himself to you (Jn. 14:21).

Do you really love God and have a passion for the advancement of His kingdom? Then you won’t
need to sweat in prayers, because even before you ask, He will answer (Isa. 65:24).

Be Specific
You must also be specific in your prayers for it to be answered. When in need of help, frantic crying
to God alone will not deliver it to you. You must be able to tell God exactly what type of help you
need. Blind

Bartimeaus for instance cried to Jesus for help. But that was not enough to get an answer from Jesus.
Even though Jesus could see that he was blind, He still requested that Bartimeaus specified what he
needed from Him (Mk. 10:46-52).

In like manner, God always wants us to be specific in our prayers. Do not just pray f or help, be
specific about the kind of help you want. God is not an ambiguous God, neither can your needs be a
challenge to Him. All things are in His control, so you can afford to be specific.

Note, however, that as you present your specific needs to God, it is necessary to reinforce your
requests with His will/Word that commits Him to grant your request (1 Jn. 5:14). That way, you will
not be begging in prayer, but asking for what is yours as stated in His will.

Have Faith

Faith is a must in order to win in prayer. Any prayer not backed up with faith is not a true prayer. It is
unwise to expect to receive anything from God without faith, for His Word says:

But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is,
and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

- Hebrews 11:6

When two blind men met Jesus and asked for His help in restoring their sight, Jesus told them His
help was dependant on their faith (Matt. 9:2829). Divine help does not come to you based on your
tears, prayer posture, length or volume of prayer, but according to your faith. As long as you faith is
in place when you pray, the arm of God will be stretched forth to help you.

The truth is that the greater your faith, the shorter your prayer would become, because response
from heaven hinges on your believing. There is no mountain on earth that faith cannot overturn (Mk.
11:23-24). Faith is a must, and it can grow and be built up; so build up your faith (2 Thess. 1:3; Jude
20). The Word of God is the major source of faith (Rom. 10:17). Therefore, the first thing to do before
praying is to build up your faith on that issue from God’s Word.

It is one thing for your prayer to be fervent and another for it to be faithfilled. Fervency is irreleva nt
without faith, because God’s response is faithdetermined. Faith is a tangible force. It is what gives
substance to your prayer. It is not faith when you say, “God can do it.” But your faith is in place when
you say, “Because God has said this, I know He will do it.” Therefore, let your faith be in place before
you start communicating to God in prayers; as it is the only way to move Him. The level of your “faith
tank” is what determines the level of response you get from God.

Divine help is not only available, but obtainable. Simply fulfill these conditions, and God will be fully
committed to answering your prayers.

Elijah’s Example

Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and
it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.

And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.

- James 5:17-18
Elijah’s prayer is given as an example of a prayer that avails much. At his request/prayer, there was
drought in the land for three and a half years, and at his request again, the heavens gave its rain (1
Kgs. 17:1; 18:41-46). How did he do this? What did he do for his prayers to be answered?

First, he repaired the Lord’s broken down altar (1 Kgs. 18:30). That means he repaired the broken
communication. Repairing the broken down altar represents repentance (Isa. 59:1-2; Ps. 66:18; 1 Jn.
1:9). The barrier between you and God must first be cleared before you can become a commander i n
the school of prayer. His ears are not heavy that He cannot hear you, but your iniquities are what
have separated you from Him. But once sin is out of the way, God’s hand will be stretched forth in
your direction. That is righteousness-consciousness, which gives you the confidence to approach His
throne of grace for help.

Then he laid the wood in order (1 Kgs. 18:33). Wood here symbolizes the Word of God.

And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he
heareth us. - 1 John 5:14

Put me in remembrance: let us plead together: declare thou, that thou mayest be justified.

- Isaiah 43:26

By laying the wood in order, God is saying to you, “Remind Me of My commitment on this subject,
remind Me of My will on this matter.” So, get God’s will on the matter and put them before Him in
prayers. It is important to first lay hold on the Word/will of God on the issue at hand before you set
out to pray. It is what secures heaven’s attention.

Understand that laying the wood in order does not mean just chanting scriptures. The Holy Spirit is
your greatest Helper in the school of prayer (Rom. 8:26-27). He will help you to locate the wood and
arrange them in order, and at the same time teach and bring to your remembrance all thi ngs
whatsoever you have learnt of Him. God says you should produce your cause and bring forth your
strong reasons (Isa. 41:21).

When many years ago there was an attack on my last daughter’s health, I did just that, and God
couldn’t turn His ears away from me. My daughter had been carried away from our home that
morning lifeless. When I got to the office that morning, I shut the door and said to God, “There must
be a way out here.” While worshipping before Him, the Holy Spirit began to unfold the will of God to
me on the issue. He said, “I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive forevermore,
Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death” (Rev. 1:18). It became clear to me for the first time
that Satan does not have the key of death in his hands anymore.

The Holy Spirit also brought me to Hebrews 2:14, where the Word of God said Jesus, through death,
destroyed him that had the power of death (the devil), and delivered them who through the fear of
death were subject to fear and bondage all their lifetime. Therefore, Satan couldn’t have the final say
in the matter on hand. The final scripture the Holy Spirit gave me was in Isaiah 49:24-26, where God
assured that He would deliver and save my children.

I immediately knew that the devil had lost and simply wrote down these three scriptures on a piece
of paper and gave it to a pastor to go read over my daughter at the hospital; and that was all! The
battle over her life was over as soon as the scriptures were read over her!

In order to win in prayers, you need to locate the appropriate

Word/scriptures that guarantee God’s commitment to answer you and approach Him boldly with
them; He cannot deny Himself.

The next thing Elijah did was to pour out barrels of water on the burnt sacrifices (vs. 33). This means
you should be filled with thanksgiving, praise and worship for the anticipated answers and divine
interventions.

Lazarus was cold dead and rotten when Jesus got to his graveside, but Jesus said, “Father, I thank
You.” He was pouring out barrels of water. The barrels of water simply represent the fruit of your
lips; that is, giving thanks unto God continually (Heb. 13:15). The Bible commands us to be anxious
for nothing (Phil. 4:6). Rather, we are to give thanks in everything, for this is the will of God in Christ
Jesus concerning us (1 Thess. 5:18). And until you do the will of God, you won’t obtain the promise.

Giving of thanks is a principal requirement in the school of prayer. Until you thank Him, He cannot
hear what you are saying. Remember that until the will of God is done, the promise is inaccessible.

Then get on the firing line (vs. 3638)! With every other thing in place, then make your specific
requests known unto God, and He is faithful and just to hear and answer you. We have this
assurance from scriptures:

For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be
opened.

- Matthew 7:8

You serve a God that answers prayer; that is enough to put you on the firing line. If you say it and
cannot see it, then pray more until you obtain an answer. Jesus prayed until the sweat coming from
His body was as droplets of blood. I see you win in every prayer battle you engage in from
henceforth, in Jesus’ name!

Chapter 3

Winning Prayer Supplements

God always answers prayers; that is why all flesh always comes unto Him

(Ps. 65:2). He does not store prayers. So if your prayers are not being answered, you need to examine
yourself in the light of scriptures, to find out what might be wrong. There are some other things you
must know and do when you pray, in addition to the factors discussed in the preceding chapter, that
gives you easy access to God and guarantee answers to prayers. Once these conditions are met,
positive response to the prayer made is guaranteed from the throne of grace.

Be Relaxed
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your
requests be made known unto God.

And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through
Christ Jesus.

- Philippians 4:6-7

To be relaxed means to be calm, still and free from all anxieties and fears. Any prayer uttered in such
a state connects with heaven and delivers answer. If you want an encounter with divine help, then
you must be relaxed (Ex. 14:14; Ps. 46:10). This is because the calmer you are in the face of
challenges, the more effective your prayer is.

Anxiety is an evidence of doubt, which is a major hindrance to answered praye r. Doubt disqualifies
you from receiving any help from the throne of grace (Jms. 1:6-7). The preparation of the heart is
what determines the answer from the Lord (Prov. 16:1). But when your heart is shaky, your heaven is
closed. Besides, it is a sign of immaturity to still carry burdens about after the Lord has said you
should cast them upon Him, because He cares (1 Pet. 5:7). Anxiety is a destroyer; so relax! It cost
King Saul his throne (1 Sam. 13:1-14).

The major cure for anxiety is the knowledge of God and His ability (Dan. 11:32). You can afford to be
relaxed when you know better than your challenger and are trusting in God’s faithfulness and
integrity (Num.

23:19; Isa. 55:11; Phil. 1:28; Titus 1:2; Heb. 6:18). It is important to always be relaxed in prayer. Be
calm and refuse to be moved by every wind that blows; for God has made a way of escape for you
from every temptation that comes your way.

Be Thankful

Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing...

Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless
his name.

- Psalm 100:2, 4

Thanksgiving is a covenant access to the throne of God for help. When you knock on the door of
heaven in worship, thanksgiving and gratitude, it opens to you instantly. That is why when Jesus
taught His disciples how to pray, He told them the first thing to do was to hallow His name (Lk. 11:2).
Hallowing His name involves blessing Him for who He is, from a heart of gratitude and appreciation.
Do this before presenting your needs to Him, no matter how pressing they may be. By first being
appreciative brought instant help and marvellous answer for Nehemiah (Neh. 1-2) and the apostles
(Acts 4:24-31).

When you come to God with thanksgiving, His gates cannot be shut against you. But murmuring
turns Him against you and makes you a cheap victim of the devourer. Free yourself from the
destructive attitude of ingratitude. Instead, be thankful to God and bless Him. Many Christians are
confused and confounded today simply because they are always complaining (1 Cor. 10:10).
Whenever things go wrong with them, they blame God. The devil has blinded their eyes, so they
can’t see that God is their only helper out of every problem. Who will help y ou if you murmur against
Him?
I came up with a philosophy early in life that God is always right. No matter the challenge, God is
always right. Therefore, thank Him even in the midst of that trial, and you will automatically secure
His attention.

Some have engaged in many days of fasting, which only ended them in more frustrations, because
they do not know what it takes to open heaven. Praise and worship are the forces that open your
heaven at will. The two prayers Jesus prayed and got instant answers to we re those of thanksgiving.
In John 6, when He was surrounded by a crowd of 5,000 men that needed to be fed, the Bible says
He took five loaves of bread and two small fishes and gave thanks. The heaven opened and
multiplication was the result! They gathered twelve baskets of fragments from that miracle meal!
Also in John 11, it was thanksgiving that brought Lazarus back to life, after he had been dead for four
days.

There is always a point for thanksgiving in every issue of life. Locate it and give God thanks , for that is
His will for you in Christ Jesus (1 Thess. 5:18). Take away the stones of ingratitude, discontentment,
covetousness and offences from your life. Remember, prayer never goes through without
thanksgiving. When you are committed to thanksgiving, you have an unlimited access to God.

Be Forgiving
Behold, the LORD’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot
hear:

But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from
you, that he will not hear.

- Isaiah 59:1-2

I consider unforgiveness as a capital sin, because other sins thrive on it. It is a major road block to
your access in prayer. When Jesus taught on how to pray, He said we can only expect God to forgive
us to the level that we forgive others (Lk. 11:4; Mk. 11:25-26). God will only forgive your sins after
you have forgiven others.

Jesus makes the teaching on forgiveness even clearer with His parable in Matthew 18:21-35, where
the one who was earlier forgiven but refused to forgive someone else who had offended him was
delivered to the tormentors. In the same way, many Christians are being tormented in their health,
family, business, career, finance, etc. simply because they have refused to let go of those who have
offended them.

No matter how grievous the offence or painful the abuse, it is in your own interest to forgive the
offender. Since we are growing on to perfection, we will always need God’s forgiveness, so the onus
is on us to forgive others.

David knew this secret of forgiveness so well. In fact, it was a reason for his triumphs. Despite Saul’s
aggression and maltreatment, David continued to call him father and even refused to kill him when
he had the opportunity to do s o . It is not surprising then that al though David committed very
grievous errors, God still forgave and restored him.

To be forgiving is to love, and love covers all sins (Prov. 10:12). Forgiveness was the last thing Jesus
demonstrated on the cross (Lk. 23:34). Let this also be your attitude, whether the offender is sober
and apologetic or not.

Be Earnest
But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy
heart and with all thy soul.

- Deuteronomy 4:29

When you pray to God for His help, be hearty in the presentation of your desires and call upon Him
with all your heart. Many call upon God with all their might; they make a lot of noise, but there is no
answer to their prayer because the heart connection is faulty. God answers only heartfelt prayers,
not the outward manifestations in prayer. Unfortunately, many do not know the meaning of
effectual prayer (Isa. 29:13).

Hannah, for instance, was for many years always religiously appearing at Shiloh, until the day she
learnt better and poured out her soul to God (1 Sam. 1:9-15). It was this same type of earnest, heart-
felt prayer that Elijah prayed and held back rain for three and a half years (Jms. 5:16-18). The
amplified version of this scripture is more explicit. It renders it this way:

…The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available
[dynamic in it working].

The length or the volume of words spoken in prayer is irrelevant to your getting answers (Matt. 6:7).
What matters in receiving divine help is the quality of your heart, based on the earnestness in your
soul and the Word you are standing upon.

Delight

Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

- Psalm 37:4

Delighting yourself in the Lord is one of the greatest ways to an open heaven; it connects you to
divine intervention. Delighting yourself in the Lord means getting carried away with God; getting
addicted to Him so much that He becomes your excitement and everything about Him turns you on.

When you delight yourself in the Lord, He will not wait for you to ask

Him for things; He simply commits Himself to the desires of your heart (Isa. 65:24). Your heavenly
Father knows you have needs, and He has devised a means of meeting them, your enemies
notwithstanding (Matt. 6:3133). But your kingdom connection is what determines the degree of
intervention you will enjoy from Him. It determines the rate at which heaven will respond to your
prayers.

An end has come to your struggles in prayers! From henceforth, you will always win in prayers, in
Jesus’ name!

Chapter 4
Prayer Boosters

Some years back, I noticed that I was getting things done so cheaply, so I asked God, “Won’t You
even let me pray before You answer?” and He

replied, “There is a company of people that before they call, I will answer; while they are yet
speaking, I will perform.” That means there is a realm in God where you provoke divi ne intervention
without having to pray (Isa. 65:24). It is a realm of answered prayers without tears, a realm where
God contends with all that contend with you, without you having asked Him to. It is a realm of
reaching heaven and receiving from heaven without shouting, a realm where you provoke answers
without asking!

Winning the prayer war is not a function of rigours of intercessions, supplications and prayers of
agreement. There are other direct avenues to God that bring you victory without sweat. If th ese
avenues are not in place, your many days of praying and fasting and cries will be wasted.

The Obedience Line

And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

- 2 Corinthians 10:6

Obedience is a very effectual weapon in the prayer war, as what we do in prayer is mostly to seek
redress from heaven. You can avenge all disobedience with the weaponry of obedience; you can
bring down imaginations and cast down every devil as well (2 Cor. 10:3-5). This is because if you do
whatever He tells you to do, no devil can undo you (1 Pet. 3:13). Walking in obedience to God’s

commands puts you in charge, so that you have things as you desire them.

Obedience is your gateway to the realms of answers without prayers. You can live a hurt-free life
with obedience, as it endears you to divine favour and renders your enemies helpless. It commits
God to act on your behalf and in your favour. If you will carefully trace the events of your life, you will
notice that when things happen in your life without you praying for them, you had earlier responded
in obedience to a commandment of God. Obedience naturally disarms the devil without tears.
“Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it” (Jn. 2:5) is the secret of a sweatless and effectual prayer l ife.

God said, “Because I cried and they didn’t hear, so they cried, and I would not hear” (Zech. 7:13). If
God must hear you when you call in prayers, then you must first hear and obey Him. Obedience
keeps you at an advantage in all spiritual conflicts. No wonder Samuel told Saul:

…Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the
LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

- 1 Samuel 15:22

Obedience has no substitute. It is important that you check your obedience level in whichever area
you seem to be facing some challenges, and ask yourself, “Am I living by God’s instructions here, or
am I doing my own thing?” If you are doing it His way, then He is committed to hearing and
answering you whenever you call upon Him.

Obedience infuses a man with confidence, because if you have done what is required of you, then
you can be bold to demand what is due to you or to make declarations that commands heaven’s
backing. Jesus was a great commander in prayer because of His obedience to the Father. If you also
operate in absolute obedience to the voice of the Father, you will command the same kind of results
He commanded in prayers.

And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to
observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will
set thee on high above all nations of the earth:

- Deuteronomy 28:1

Obedience is so powerful, that it speaks. If you desire financial open heavens, for instance, you must
obey the laws of abundance; otherwise no amount of prayer will ever bring financial blessings your
way. When you are obedient to the demands of the law of abundance, you will no longer need
prayer to enjoy it, as your obedience will speak for you. Even if the devil attempts to stop your
harvest, one word of prayer is enough to cast him out, because he must bow to the weapon of your
obedience.

The same thing goes if you desire peace in your home. You do not need one day of prayer and
fasting. All that is needed is: husband, love your wife as Christ loved the Church, and wife, submit
unto your own husband as unto Christ (Eph. 5:22, 25). These acts of obedience are enough to cast
out every devil from your home.

You never know how weak the enemy is, until you start walking in absolute obedience. At the
marriage feast in Cana of Galilee, where Jesus turned water into wine, their need was met just by
obeying Jesus’ command to fill the water pots with water. The y didn’t need to pray one word of
prayer! Your obedience moves heaven into action in your favour and your adversaries are dealt with
on your behalf. Obey God with all your heart, both in secret and in the open, and your struggles in
prayer will come to an end. The Bible commands our obedience to be like this:

Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the
heart;

- Ephesians 6:6 The Bible tells us:

If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the l and:

- Isaiah 1:19

The good of the land is accessible to all, but available only to the obedient. Receive grace for practical
obedience from henceforth.

The Imagination Line

If your imagination is always negative, then your supplications will end in frustration. Most battles
are lost in the mental realm, as your mind is the battleground in every conflict of life. Until you win in
the mind, you cannot win in the world.

Your imagination, just as much as your asking, provokes divine intervention. The woman with the
issue of blood first imagined her healing before she was healed (Mk. 5:25-34; Matt. 9:20-22). She
drew virtue without utterance from within her heart. She must have heard the story in Luke chapter
seven of how Jesus touched a coffin and how the dead son of a widow in it rose up and must have
concluded within herself, “This person who could touch a coffin and the dead rose, if only I can touch
the helm of His garment, then I shall be made whole.” That is forming scriptural equations in your
mind to achieve your desired end.
What you ask and think weigh the same before God; He responds to your thoughts the same way He
does your wor ds. The scriptures cannot be broken, “As he thinks in his heart, so is he…” (Prov. 23:7).
Your imagination is a pacesetter for your destiny, because God is able to do exceeding abundantly
above all that we ask or think (Eph. 3:20).

The Affection Line

Affection is another means of reaching God without having to say a word. Some body came to Jesus
and asked, “Master, which is the great commandment in the law?” And Jesus answered, “Thou shalt
love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy mind” (Matt. 22:36-37).

The love line provides you a private, unhindered access to God, because when you draw near to Him,
He draws near to you. When you are in love with Him, He is in love with you as well. He responds to
love the same way He responds to what we ask for in prayers. Love does not require words; it is
expressed by our actions. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son…” (Jn.
3:16). When you win the love of God, you will cease from tears; because before you call, He will
answer, and while you are yet speaking, He will perform.

When you are in love, you are in favour with God (1 Cor. 2:9) and He will manifest Himself to you (Jn.
14:21). That means He won’t wait for you to cry for anything before He releases it to you. He will
make His best available to you at all times. Just love God, and you will cease from all your struggles!
You cannot give God the first place and be left at the last place!

The Action Line

…For the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.

- 1 Samuel 2:3

Your dispositions and actions reach God, just like your words. Abraham never uttered one word of
prayer on mount Moriah. He simply put Isaac on the altar, took a knife and was going to sacrifice him
as instructed by God. When God saw that he was actually going to kill the boy, He stopped him and
swore a blessing upon him, “…In blessing I will bless thee…” (Gen. 22:17).
When God said He was going to punish Ahab and bring evil upon his house for their sins, Ahab tore
his garment and lay flat before God.

Though Ahab uttered no word, but God s a i d , “Seest how Ahab humbleth

himself before me…I will not bring the evil in his days...” (1 Kgs. 21:27-29).

You cannot look poor and expect to become rich, neither can you look sick and be healthy! You
cannot look cheated and be favoured. Until you act success, you do not become successful.
Revelation-inspired actions touch heaven and provoke supernatural manifestations. After Hannah
prayed to God for a man-child, the Bible says, “…The woman went her way, and did eat, and her
countenance was no more sad” (1 Sam. 1:18). This was even though she had not met her husband
and was not yet physically pregnant.

That is a winning action!

God weighs actions, and it is the weight of your action that determines the response you get from
heaven (Jms. 2:17-18). Where you are going to end is determined by what you are doing today; so
act well, and you will live well!

The Testimony Line

Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever: for they are the rejoicing of my heart.

- Psalm 119:111

Testimonies are assets in prayers; they authenticate the reality of God, and by so doing destroy
doubts. Hebrews 11:6 says:

But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is,
and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

You need faith to receive anything from God in prayers, and one of the ways to generate faith is by

testimonies. Testimonies fortify your confidence in God, so that you are able to boldly approach the
throne of grace. David overcame Goliath by the power of testimonies. He knew He could not have
killed a lion and a bear by his physical strength at his age. Since it was God that gave him the victory
then, he believed He could again give him the giant’s head.

Most testimonies are reproductions

of other testimonies. They are pointers to your heritage, showing you what is available to you in God
and how you can access the same by standing correctly in the covenant.

Put me in remembrance: let us plead together: declare thou, that thou mayest be justified.

- Isaiah 43:26

When you are face-to-face with oppositions, you can remind God of His previous acts in your life and
in the lives of other people, to provoke Him to act again. And because He is the same yesterday,
today and forever, whatever He has done before, He will do again. When you remind God of His
previous acts, you invoke His faithfulness and compel Him to reproduce the act.

Your prayer access is enhanced when you arm yourself with the acts of God in your life and in the
lives of others. When Hezekiah was sick and Isaiah the prophet was sent to tell him that he would
surely die, he simply turned to the wall and prayed, saying:

I beseech thee, O Lord, remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect
heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight…

- 2 Kings 20:3

His testimony made God to change His mind and added fifteen more years to his life. Your person al
testimony will bail you out in the day of trouble.

Note that you do not only testify before people; you can also testify before the Lord. Maintaining a
testimony bank will enhance the effect of your prayer life. I don’t think there is any challenge you are
faced with today that somebody else has not testified of in time past. So lay hold of those
testimonies, come boldly to the throne and use them in prayer against that problem, and you will be
out of it.

Your prayer life will be much more fruitful and refreshing from henceforth, and you shall no longer
be stranded, in Jesus’ name!
Chapter 5

What To Pray For

If Jesus said men ought always to pray and not to faint (Lk. 18:1) and Paul commanded us to pray
without ceasing (1 Thess. 5:17), then it is obvious that prayer covers a very wide range of issues that
should keep you productively engaged in it without vain repetitions. Prayer should be exciting and
fulfilling for the New Testament believer.

We have always thought that prayer is just telling God our needs, but it is much more than that. Our
prayers should go beyond asking God for bread and butter always. Let me show you some things you
must pray for. They are drawn from the prayer Jesus taught His disciples and will guarantee
continuous open heavens for every believer.

For Revelation

Give us day by day our daily bread. - Luke 11:3

Bread in scriptures connotes two things — physical food, which supplies the energy needed to
sustain the body, and the bread of the Word of God, which is the food of the spirit. When the devil
tempted Jesus to turn stones into bread in Luke 4:3-4, His reply was, “It is written, That man shall not
live by bread alone, but by every word of God.”

Both the bread of the Word of God and the physical food we eat are e qually important, but the Bible
says, “The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?” (Prov. 18:14).
It means that when the spirit is well fed on the Word, it enhances the health of both the spirit and
the physical body. The spirit is the most viable source of energy for both the body and the spirit.

A Word encounter is all you need to take charge over any issue of life, because God upholds all things
by the Word of His power (Heb. 1:3). That was why David prayed in Psal m

119:18, saying, “Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.”

Never expect your situation to treat itself. Rise up to the challenge by praying for revelation, so you
can be in full command of the affairs of your life.

For Provisions

The other dimension of the daily bread we ask for in prayers is our material provisions. In Matthew
6:3132, Jesus said:

Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall
we be clothed?

(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need
of all these things.

God recognizes that you need material provisions like food, clothing and shelter. In Matthew 7:9-11,
Jesus asked:

Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?

Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?

If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your
Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

Prayer for provision is scriptural. God believes in giving good things to His children, if only they would
ask Him. When we ask Him, the Bible assures us that “no good thing will he withhold from them that
walk uprightly” (Ps. 84:11).

From scriptures, we understand that not all prayers are verbalized. Our prayer for provisions can also
be through thoughts and actions. That is why Jesus gave this injunction in Matthew 6:33:

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto
you.

Kingdom addiction is a non-verbal form of prayer that compels God to keep adding to you. Also,
being an excited and committed tithe payer is another way you compel your heavens to be open,
and blessings are added to you, till you do not have enough room to contain them (Mal. 3:10).

However, if after doing all these you still cannot see the additions, then the devil must be blocking
your blessings. So, come against him in the name of Jesus, reminding God of your covenant with Him,
and command your heavens to open for your additions to come in. Remember God says, “Ask, and it
shall be given you” (Matt. 7:7).

For Direction

…Lead us not into temptation...

- Luke 11:4

When the Lord is your shepherd, your heaven remains permanently open, causing you to know no
lack or want. The secret of every kingdom star is in divine guidance. David was a great man of war,
who never lost any battle throughout his life; he was a man of enquiries. Because he was divinely
guided, he naturally enjoyed God’s presence, which ensured his victory (2 Sam. 5:17-25). Even Jesus
was divinely led. He said, “I can of mine own self do nothing…” (Jn. 5:30).

God expects you to pray to Him, asking for His guidance. You end up toiling through life like a beast
of burden if you do not (Ps. 32:6-9). But when you are on course with His leadings, He goes before
you to make your way smooth.

When you say, “Lead us not into temptation”, what you are saying is, “Lead us in the safe and right
ways to the paths of distinction.” So, get into God’s presence and make enquiries on every crucial
step of your life, for He is committed to leading you in the way of profiting (Isa. 30:21; 48:17).

The Cry Of Mercy

…Blind Bartimaeus...sat by the highway side begging.

And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou son of
David, have mercy on me…

And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called…

- Mark 10:46-49

The cry of mercy will always command the attention of heaven. No wonder the Bible says:
Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to
help in time of need.

- Hebrews 4:16

God has reserved mercy for us at the throne of grace, and we can access it by crying out for i t. The
mercy of God is a weapon of defence. If God were to mark our wrong doings we will never merit
anything from Him (Ps. 130:3). But He bids us to come boldly to His throne of grace, not on the basis
of our rights, but on the grounds of mercy. Then will He overlook our errors and defend us with the
shield of His mercy against our accuser.

Whenever anyone cried out for mercy in scriptures, Jesus never asked to know what wrong he did
that got him into that predicament. Rather, He stood still and delivered the oppressed. So, take
advantage of God’s mercy to keep your heavens open and take delivery of your long-awaited
miracles.

Chapter 6

Praying In The Holy Spirit

Praying in the Holy Spirit simply means praying in tongues. It is a missing act in the Church today.

Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all
perseverance and supplication for all saints;

- Ephesians 6:18

Praying in the Holy Spirit is a very effective form of prayer; it helps us pray target prayers. This is
because it is the Holy Spirit praying through us. The Bible says:

For what man knoweth the things of

a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the
Spirit of God.

- 1 Corinthians 2:11

This form of prayer is an advantage for the New Testament Church, because we have the Holy Spirit
dwelling in us. Now imagine the kinds of victory we should expect in prayers if we engage the Holy
Spirit in praying! We would surpass Elijah and Daniel in results!

Praying The Will Of God

Whenever you pray in tongues what you are doing is praying the will of God. The Holy Spirit is the
Spirit of God and so knows God’s will on every matter. So when you engage Him in prayer, He helps
you to pray the will of the Father on that issue. That is what I call, “Target Praying”, as you can’t miss.
And when we pray according to His will, we are guaranteed speedy answers (1 Jn. 5:14-15).

Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we
ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh
intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

- Romans 8:26-27

The Holy Spirit makes intercessions on our behalf. But you must be truly in the spirit to be
able to pray effectively in the spirit. You do this by engaging your spirit man in praying, not just your
intellect. When this is done, you are communicating at heaven’s frequency, and so are bound to get
outstanding results. No wonder the devil wearies people and tries to stop them from praying in the
spirit. Not only does he not understand what is being said and so can’t hinder your prayers and
answers, but he also doesn’t like the fact that you get instant results in prayers. That’s why you must
violently break forth praying in the spirit on issues that have refused to go.

May be that issue has refused to go because you do not yet have or know the will of God that will
commit Him to respond. Well, that is taken care of when you pray in tongues, because the Holy Spirit
that knows the will of God goes straight to tackle the matter, using the will of God! He knows what is
in the mind of God, so He prays according to the Will of God on your behalf to set you free! No
wonder Apostle Paul’s prayers were always being answered. He was a man that prayed in the Spirit
very often; he said he prayed in the spirit more than everyone else (1 Cor.
14:14-18).

Warfare Tool

Praying in the Holy Spirit is a warfare strategy and tool for winning battles, especially invisible ones.
Our contentions in prayers are often with invisible forces that won’t let us take delivery of our
heritage in Christ. But when we switch to praying in tongues, we engage the invinci ble God to come
down on our behalf and take over the battle.

…When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against
him.

- Isaiah 59:19
By praying in the Holy Spirit, we engage Him in dealing with the barriers that had hitherto been
resisting our breakthroughs. As you pray in the spirit, you just find scriptures opening up to you that
help you pray the Will of God on the subject matter. The battle is getting tougher, so get wilder, to
break the invisible barriers holding you down.

When you seem crowded in your mind and you can’t seem to locate what scripture to use in prayer;
simply switch on to your prayer language and pray extensively in the spirit. If you are a Bible student,
you’ll find the scriptures coming back at you; that is, the correct scriptures with which to deal with
the matter. The devil can’t understand you, as he doesn’t understand the heavenly mysteries you
speak in tongues. So, pray in the spirit to lift up standards against him. I have shared with you already
how I won the battle for my daughter’s life. I engaged this prayer weapon in battle.

Private Access

Praying in the Spirit is a private, direct line to heaven.

For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man
understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.

- 1 Corinthians 14:2
Only God understands you when you pray in tongues. You are speaking mysteries to your heavenly
Father, calling upon Him to intervene on your behalf.

You are also able to pray more effectively, because it is your spirit praying.

He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself…

For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth…

- 1 Corinthians 14:4; 14

The Holy Spirit energizes your spirit man in praying. It is as though you have plugged your spirit into a
charger, just as when you charge your phone. Not only are you able to pray more effectively, you are
also able to give thanks well when you pray in the Spirit (1 Cor. 14:17) and your faith is also being
built up.

But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,

- Jude 20

You also pour out spiritual waters when you pray in the Holy Spirit. This makes your environment
unbearable for the devil that goes about looking for dry places to stay. No wonder Apostle Paul said,
“I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also.” It was his secret for victories
in prayer. Paul engaged in praying earnestly by praying in the Holy Spirit; so, his prayers were always
receiving answers, for the Spirit of God was praying according to the Will of God through him.

Your rights and privileges are defined in details in the scriptures; so lay hold on them, and go forth in
prayers as a warrior, and fight your way through to the victory. Learn to engage the Holy Spirit in
prayers, and you are guaranteed triumphs unlimited! You shall no more lose the prayer battle!

Chapter 7

The Place Of Fasting

A great number of God’s children find it difficult to fast. Just as Esau lost his birthright to a morsel of
bread, many Christians have lost their

glorious inheritances to their inability, unwillingness and lack of understanding of the place of fasting
in their prayer lives.

Fasting is not a religious affliction, but a spiritual weapon designed to guarantee your victory in every
battle of life. When faith is in place, coupled with prayer and fasting, there is no barrier that can
stand on your way, as every barrier to the actualisation of God’s agenda for you will crash.

Fasting is a spiritual catalyst in prayer; it enhances the potency of our prayers (Isa. 58:9; Matt. 17:21).
It is God’s design and command. “Is not this the fast that I have chosen?” He asked the children of
Israel in Isaiah 58:6. God prescribed fasting for His children to polish them, not to punish them. Every
command of scripture is not grievous; they are designed to groom us (1 Jn. 5:3).

Jesus shows us that fasting and prayer is part and parcel of a believer’s life. They go hand -in-hand. He
also revealed that fasting is the covenant obligation of every believer. That is why He said, “When ye
fast…” not “If ye fast…” (Matt. 6:16-17). There is no gift of fasting; it is a command designed to put
you in command of the affairs of life.

There are so many oppositions to a winning prayer life. But when we add fasting to our prayers, we
cheaply overcome the oppositions. When His disciples were faced with a case they could not handle,
He told them:

Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.

- Matthew 17:21

There are some “kinds” that require a combined force of fasting and prayer to overcome. Jesus
healed the lunatic boy because He was in command through fasting and prayer. We also see help
come down for Daniel through fasting and prayer in Daniel chapter t en. He had prayed and God had
released the answer to his prayer from the very first day, but it did not reach him till after twenty-
one days. The prince of Persia had withstood the answer-bearing angel on the way. But because
Daniel was in a fast along with his prayer, angel Michael was dispatched from heaven to go help clear
the way, and Daniel received his answer.

Fasting is God’s great agenda for His people. It is one of those vital forces required for you to
experience a genuine turnaround by the hand of God.

It is a spiritual exercise designed to loose the bands of wickedness off your life, family, destiny and
business.

Benefits Of Fasting

Fasting and prayer is a spiritual device for supernatural empowerment.

And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through
all the region round about.

- Luke 4:14

After His forty days of praying and fasting in the wilderness, we see Jesus return in the power of the
Spirit into Ga l i l e e . He was supernaturally empowered for His messianic ministry of saving the
world from their sins, and His fame spread round about the region. The Psalmist could also only be
empowered after fasting and prayer (Ps. 63:1-2).

You have easy access to striking revelations through fasting and prayers. “Then shall thy light break
forth as the morning” (Isa. 58:8). Jeremiah 33:3 also says:

Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest
not.

Mysteries in God’s Word are revealed to you as you engage the combined forces of prayer and
fasting. You, like Daniel, have asked so many questions, but have not received answers, because
there are oppositions blocking them (2 Cor. 4:4). So, you need to wait on God in a fast, for the
breaking forth of His light upon you.
You are also guaranteed sound health. “…And thine health shall spring forth speedily…” (Isa. 58:8).
Fasting and prayers takes care of your health and that of your family. Many are ignorant of this truth ,
that’s why they always give excuses for not being able to fast. You better voluntarily engage in
spiritual fasts, before doctors place you on compulsory fasts at the hospitals when your health fails.

The hold of sin over your life is destroyed through fasting – “…Thy righteousness shall go before
thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy rearward” (Isa. 58:8). Fasting causes your righteousness to
blossom and ensures that God’s glory is revealed in your life. It also guarantees that every deadly
habit challenging your destiny in Christ is removed (Zech. 3:1-5). You are empowered to “do”
righteously and live right.

Speedy answers to prayer are also guaranteed when you engage in a Godordained fast.

Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am…

- Isaiah 58:9

Fasting opens channels of communication and grants you direct access to God. What’s more, it
guarantees divine guidance.

And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat th y bones:
and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.

- Isaiah 58:11

Fasting is meant to enhance clarity of divine direction. God’s guidance is what makes the journey
great. So, no matter how gross the darkness, when the Lord is your Shepherd, you shall not want and
will not miss your steps. Though you pass through the valley of the shadow of death, you shall fear
no evil, because divine presence guarantees divine guidance. And if God be for us who can be against
us?

A spiritual access into your contested heritage in God is guaranteed you, as you become a repairer of
the breach and a restorer of the paths to dwell in. Also, all your desired breakthroughs are delivered
on this covenant platform (Isa. 58:1214). Fasting gives you the spiritual power to overcome and
subdue every act of wickedness against you and all that is yours (Isa. 58:6). No band of wickedness
will remain in your life, because God has designed fasting to loose the bands of wickedness, undo the
heavy burdens and let the oppressed go free. Everything weighing on your body, mind or spirit is
taken off your life as you fast.

When you start operating your life as commanded by God, He takes over your entire life affairs,
putting you in command. It is only then that He will satisfy your soul in drought, make fat thy bones
and you shall be like a watered garden and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. That talks of
supernatural abundance. It is available when you hearken to His commandment to fast.

Note, however, that the fasting that guarantees all these benefits is the one conducted in love. You
must operate in love in order to maximize the benefits of fasting. Let there be no bitterness or hatred
in you, and your prayers will go up to God easy. With love, He will transform everything around your
life and you will be released as a reformer to your generation.
Fasting is a vital turning-point tool. God’s turning-point agenda requires that we employ all spiritual
forces contained in scriptures. Abundant benefits will be made manifest in your life now that you
have coupled your faith with prayer and fasting. Your light will break forth out of obscurity, and
whatever kind had hitherto resisted your demand must obey you now. You will have turnaround
testimonies from henceforth as you engage in prayer and fasting, in Jesus’ name!
Contents

Introduction 207

1. The Need For A Consecrated

Life 211

2. Winning The War Against Sin

219

3. The Holy Spirit – Our CovenantPurifier 227

4. Conquering Controlling Powers 235
5. The Power of a Good Conscience245
6. The Rewards of Consecration
253

7. The World is Waiting For You!

261