Empowered Prayer: Cultivating a Deep Spiritual Connection

Devotional

Day 1: The Power of Words in Spiritual Warfare

Words are not just mere sounds; they are powerful tools in the spiritual realm. The Bible teaches that life and death are in the power of the tongue, and our words can either arm angels or demons, depending on how we use them. Just as Michael the Archangel used words to defeat Lucifer, our words in prayer have the power to influence both heaven and hell. This understanding should make us more mindful of the words we speak, especially in prayer. When we pray, we are engaging in spiritual warfare, and our words can have a profound impact on the spiritual forces around us.

In spiritual warfare, words are the weapons we wield. They can build up or tear down, bless or curse, heal or harm. Therefore, it is crucial to use our words wisely and intentionally, especially when we are communicating with God. By aligning our words with God's will and speaking life, we can arm angels to fight on our behalf and disarm the forces of darkness. [30:36]

Ephesians 6:17-18 (ESV): "And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints."

Reflection: Think about the words you have spoken in the past week. Have they been life-giving or destructive? How can you be more intentional in using your words to align with God's will and engage in spiritual warfare effectively?

Day 2: Consistency in Prayer

A prayer life based on relationship rather than results will endure. God sometimes delays answers to test our loyalty and commitment. Whether we experience rock days, flesh days, or fire days, the key is to remain consistent in our prayer life, trusting that God values our persistence and sincerity. Rock days are when prayer feels laborious and unproductive, flesh days are filled with repentance, and fire days are when we feel the presence of God strongly. Regardless of the type of day, consistency in prayer is crucial.

Consistency in prayer is about building a relationship with God that is not dependent on immediate results. It is about trusting that God hears us and values our persistence, even when we do not see immediate answers. By remaining faithful in prayer, we demonstrate our loyalty and commitment to God, and we allow Him to work in our lives in His timing and according to His will. [37:03]

Luke 18:1 (ESV): "And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart."

Reflection: Reflect on your current prayer habits. Are you consistent in your prayer life, or do you find yourself praying only when you need something? How can you develop a more consistent and enduring prayer life based on your relationship with God?

Day 3: Dedicated Place and Time for Prayer

Having a specific place and time for prayer can become a spiritual stronghold in your home. Early morning prayers are particularly powerful as they align with the times when angels ascend and descend. This sacrificial act of waking up early to pray can significantly enhance your spiritual life. A dedicated place where you meet God daily can become a sanctuary, a place where you can retreat from the distractions of the world and focus solely on your relationship with Him.

Setting a consistent time for prayer, especially in the early morning, can be a powerful discipline. Early morning prayers are sacrificial and align with the times when spiritual activity is heightened. By dedicating a specific place and time for prayer, you create a routine that helps you stay committed and focused on your spiritual growth. This practice can transform your home into a place of spiritual strength and refuge. [48:32]

Mark 1:35 (ESV): "And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed."

Reflection: Do you have a specific place and time dedicated to prayer? If not, what steps can you take to create a consistent prayer routine in your daily life? How can you make your home a spiritual stronghold through dedicated prayer?

Day 4: Channels of Prayer

Incorporating the four channels of prayer—prayer, supplication, thanksgiving, and intercession—can significantly enhance your prayer life. Each channel serves a unique purpose, and incorporating thanksgiving into our supplications can significantly enhance our prayer life. Thanksgiving, in particular, is often overlooked but is crucial for a balanced and effective prayer life. It challenges God to move and helps us maintain a grateful heart. Intercessory prayer, in particular, is the most powerful and selfless form of prayer, as it involves God praying through us for others.

Understanding and utilizing the different channels of prayer can deepen your relationship with God and make your prayer life more effective. Prayer is a general communication with God, supplication is asking for specific needs, thanksgiving is expressing gratitude, and intercession is praying on behalf of others. By incorporating all these elements into your prayer life, you create a more holistic and powerful approach to communicating with God. [58:31]

1 Timothy 2:1 (ESV): "First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people."

Reflection: Which channel of prayer do you find yourself using the most? Which one do you tend to overlook? How can you incorporate all four channels of prayer into your daily routine to create a more balanced and effective prayer life?

Day 5: Finding Windows of Time for Prayer

Making prayer a continuous dialogue with God throughout the day can deepen your relationship with Him. Practical tips like using a prayer graph to track your prayer time can help you stay committed and grow in your prayer life. The goal is to develop a sincere, disciplined, and deep relationship with God. Finding windows of time throughout the day for prayer, even if they are brief moments, can help you maintain a continuous connection with God.

Prayer does not have to be confined to a specific time or place. By finding windows of time throughout the day to pray, you can make prayer a continuous dialogue with God. This practice helps you stay connected to God and makes prayer an integral part of your daily life. Using tools like a prayer graph to track your prayer time can help you stay committed and see your growth over time. [01:07:05]

1 Thessalonians 5:17 (ESV): "Pray without ceasing."

Reflection: How can you find windows of time throughout your day to pray? What practical steps can you take to make prayer a continuous dialogue with God? How can tools like a prayer graph help you stay committed to your prayer life?

Sermon Summary

### Summary

Tonight's message focused on the profound importance of developing a praying spirit. We began by acknowledging the power of words in the spiritual realm, emphasizing that words are the weapons used in spiritual warfare. Just as Michael the Archangel used words to defeat Lucifer, our words in prayer have the power to influence both heaven and hell. The Bible teaches that life and death are in the power of the tongue, and our words can either arm angels or demons, depending on how we use them.

We explored the different types of prayer days: rock days, flesh days, and fire days. Rock days are when prayer feels laborious and unproductive, flesh days are filled with repentance, and fire days are when we feel the presence of God strongly. Regardless of the type of day, consistency in prayer is crucial. A prayer life based on relationship rather than results will endure, as God sometimes delays answers to test our loyalty and commitment.

We also discussed the importance of having a dedicated place and time for prayer. A specific place where you meet God daily can become a spiritual stronghold in your home. Similarly, setting a consistent time for prayer, especially in the early morning, can be sacrificial and powerful. Early morning prayers align with the times when angels ascend and descend, making them particularly effective.

Furthermore, we delved into the four channels of prayer: prayer, supplication, thanksgiving, and intercession. Each channel serves a unique purpose, and incorporating thanksgiving into our supplications can significantly enhance our prayer life. Intercessory prayer, in particular, is the most powerful and selfless form of prayer, as it involves God praying through us for others.

Finally, we emphasized the need to find windows of time throughout the day for prayer, making it a continuous dialogue with God. Practical tips like using a prayer graph to track your prayer time can help you stay committed and grow in your prayer life. The ultimate goal is to develop a sincere, disciplined, and deep relationship with God through consistent and heartfelt prayer.

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Key Takeaways

1. The Power of Words in Spiritual Warfare: Words are the weapons in the spiritual realm. Just as Michael the Archangel used words to defeat Lucifer, our words in prayer have the power to influence both heaven and hell. Life and death are in the power of the tongue, and our words can either arm angels or demons, depending on how we use them. [30:36]
2. Consistency in Prayer: A prayer life based on relationship rather than results will endure. God sometimes delays answers to test our loyalty and commitment. Whether we experience rock days, flesh days, or fire days, the key is to remain consistent in our prayer life, trusting that God values our persistence and sincerity. [37:03]
3. Dedicated Place and Time for Prayer: Having a specific place and time for prayer can become a spiritual stronghold in your home. Early morning prayers are particularly powerful as they align with the times when angels ascend and descend. This sacrificial act of waking up early to pray can significantly enhance your spiritual life. [48:32]
4. Channels of Prayer: Incorporating the four channels of prayer—prayer, supplication, thanksgiving, and intercession—can significantly enhance your prayer life. Thanksgiving, in particular, is often overlooked but is crucial for a balanced and effective prayer life. It challenges God to move and helps us maintain a grateful heart. [58:31]
5. Finding Windows of Time for Prayer: Making prayer a continuous dialogue with God throughout the day can deepen your relationship with Him. Practical tips like using a prayer graph to track your prayer time can help you stay committed and grow in your prayer life. The goal is to develop a sincere, disciplined, and deep relationship with God. [01:07:05]
### [67:05]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[27:52] - Developing a Praying Spirit
[29:33] - The Power of Words in Spiritual Warfare
[30:36] - Words as Spiritual Weapons
[31:42] - Consistency in Prayer
[33:33] - Types of Prayer Days
[37:03] - Relationship Over Results
[39:29] - Giving Yourself to Prayer
[41:01] - Importance of a Prayer Place
[45:00] - Finding Time for Prayer
[48:32] - Early Morning Prayer
[55:18] - Channels of Prayer
[58:31] - Power of Thanksgiving
[67:05] - Finding Windows of Time for Prayer
[72:07] - Practical Tips for Prayer Life
[75:00] - Closing Prayer and Blessing

Bible Study Guide

Observation Questions

What does Psalm 109:4 suggest about the relationship between adversity and prayer?
According to Acts 6:4, what two activities did the apostles commit themselves to continually?
How does Proverbs 18:21 describe the power of words? How does this relate to the sermon’s emphasis on words in spiritual warfare? [30:36]

Interpretation Questions

Why might the psalmist choose to respond to adversaries with prayer rather than other actions? How does this align with the sermon’s message about the power of words? [30:36]
In Acts 6:4, why is it significant that the apostles prioritized prayer and the ministry of the word? How does this reflect the sermon’s emphasis on consistency in prayer? [37:03]
How can the concept of life and death being in the power of the tongue (Proverbs 18:21) influence a believer’s approach to prayer and daily speech? [30:36]

Application Questions

Reflect on your own prayer life. Do you have a specific place and time dedicated to prayer? If not, what steps can you take to establish this practice? [41:01]
Think about the different types of prayer days mentioned in the sermon (rock days, flesh days, fire days). Which type do you experience most often, and how can you remain consistent in prayer despite these variations? [35:11]
The sermon emphasized the importance of early morning prayer. How can you adjust your schedule to incorporate early morning prayer, and what sacrifices might this require? [48:32]
How can you incorporate the four channels of prayer—prayer, supplication, thanksgiving, and intercession—into your daily prayer routine? Which channel do you find most challenging, and why? [55:18]
The sermon suggested using a prayer graph to track prayer time. How might this practical tool help you stay committed to your prayer life? Are you willing to try it for the next 30 days? [07:05]
Consider the power of words in your daily interactions. Are there specific areas where you need to be more mindful of your speech to ensure it aligns with your spiritual goals? [30:36]
The sermon mentioned finding windows of time throughout the day for prayer. What are some specific moments in your daily routine where you can incorporate short prayers to maintain a continuous dialogue with God? [06:00]

Sermon Clips

1. "In the spirit world, the weapons that are used to fight each other are not swords and guns and bombs and knives and all these things but the weapons in the spirit world are words. Words are the weapons in the spirit world. When angels, when Michael fought Lucifer for the body of Moses, it was an argument that broke out and Michael said I'm not even going to use a railing accusation, I'm just going to speak the Lord rebuke thee and the word fight broke out and Michael won." [29:33] (37 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "Words, believe it or not, are the most powerful things you possess, especially in the spirit world. Heaven listens to words and hell listens to words. That's why that angel told Daniel, I am come for your words. That's the most powerful. That's the most powerful thing you can do. An intercessory prayer breaks out. I heard an old preacher say this one time. Intercessory prayer is what arms the angels and gives them power as they're going forth into the heavens." [30:36] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "If your prayer life is based on results and not relationship, your prayer life will not last very long. Because if it's only based on results, you have to have answers or you'll stop talking to him. I've got news for everyone that thinks this. God is not Santa. He is not someone you come and sit on his lap and tell him your list and then when you're done, you go and you go on your merry way. God will delay answers and be silent to test your loyalty to see are you going to be in my presence tomorrow if I don't answer you today?" [37:03] (37 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "Two times here in the Bible, you see David and then in Acts, people giving themselves to prayer. There's a difference in praying and giving yourself to prayer. Giving yourself to prayer means prayer controls you. Praying means you control the moment. When you give yourself to prayer, what you are telling God, is whenever you want me to stop everything and start talking to you, I'll drop everything and everyone to have a conversation with you." [39:29] (44 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "Find the channel of prayer. Four types of prayer in the New Testament. Prayer, thanksgiving, supplication, intercession. I've preached several messages in all four subjects. But let me just say this in a nutshell. Prayer is, of these four that Paul mentioned, prayer is the most unemotional channel of praying. It's you talking to God, God talking to you, very unemotional, very, those moments where you're just, it just comes out of you, Lord, I love you, and you just, you start talking to him about whatever, that's prayer." [55:18] (39 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

6. "Thanksgiving is the most untapped channel of the four among Pentecostals. We are really good at prayer, really good at supplication. We tap at intercession pretty good. But thanksgiving, we thank Him for five seconds after we've begged Him for five years. We got it honestly. Children of Israel, 430 years in bondage, crying, crying, help, help, help. He gets them out. They sing one song. Three days later, we need some water. We need some food. Let's go back to Egypt. Murmuring, complaining, because they didn't tap into thanksgiving." [59:40] (52 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

7. "Intercessory prayer is the spirit of God praying through. It's the only time you're guaranteed God will answer the prayer every single time you pray. Because it's not you praying. It's not me praying. It's God praying through me or through you. And so intercession, it's the most powerful prayer. It's the most difficult place to get to in prayer. Because intercession requires selflessness. Because God cannot choose you to intercede if you hate the subject or the person he needs you to pray for." [01:01:25] (38 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

8. "Prayer is like a river, okay? The water, I want you to see the water in a river, like the Spirit of God. You get in the river every morning. You get in that river and it starts flowing, it starts flowing, and the current starts rising, getting faster and faster. That's your breakthrough. That's when we normally stop. that was powerful. And we get out of the river. But if you stay in the river, the rapids will slow down, almost to a standstill. But guess what? There's just as much water in the standstill as there was in the rapid." [01:11:00] (49 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

9. "Your prayer life determines a lot of things. And your relationship with God determines a lot of things. And sometimes things could be different. Things, I could perceive them differently had I been praying. I can tell you right off the bat that when I do good praying in the morning versus when I just struggle and don't put any effort into it, my days go completely different. They do. There's something about putting God first. There's something about saying, this day I submit to you." [01:13:03] (45 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

10. "The most important thing you've got to learn about prayer is just being sincere. Just be real. Just be sincere. Be serious. Just mean what you're saying. Just try to show up. God is organized. Plan your prayer meeting. You're meeting a king tomorrow morning. Do you realize that? I'm just going to say that again. You have an appointment with a king tomorrow morning. How serious are you taking the appointment for the Holy Ghost right now? How serious am I taking the appointment? Am I skipping the appointment with the king?" [01:14:08] (41 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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Transcript

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