Jesus said, ‘If you ask anything in My name, I will do it’. This is the basis for our prayers. As you wake up in the morning, be it at 4 am or 6 am, some people are already praying in the neighbourhood. As you are preparing to sleep at night, more so on Wednesdays and Fridays, a vigil is going on. Wake up at 2 am, you will hear some people praying.
You may not understand the language, but you will know when people are praying. Of all the things the Lord Jesus told us to be doing, prayer is the one most people do. It is unusual to drink water, soft drink or eat anything without offering some prayers. Before 20 years ago or so, prayer was confined to the church and the home. Today, it has stretched to market places and commercial houses. It is not hidden. People leave their businesses and gather for prayers.
In the past, what was taking us – born-again Christians – to our various villages in December was crusade. Although time would be allocated for prayers, the main essence was evangelism. Our delight was to take the gospel to our various villages. Today, only a few people still do that. Believers and unbelievers now travel home at this time and the .purpose is for prayers. A Deliverance Minister will be invited to ‘deliver the land’ from the forces of darkness. It may go with fasting. There is nothing wrong with it if the gospel will be preached.
A sick unbeliever may still abhor the church and may still be ridiculing Christians, but one thing he will never leave is prayer. Clever guy, he will not adhere to Mazi Mbonu Ojike’s dictum of ‘Boycotting all boycottables’! The Bible records how the only son of King Jeroboam, who was notorious in idolatry, was sick. Leaving all the gods he forced Israel to worship, he sent his wife to Prophet Ahijah for prayers. Though the Prophet of God was blind and would ordinarily not recognise him if he went, he feared that his voice might betray his identity. Knowing that God heals, but ignorant that He knows all things, he told his wife to disguise herself. In his folly, he forgot that if God could heal his son, He could also identify his wife in spite of her disguise.
It is possible to be a prayer warrior or collector without a personal knowledge of God. Prayer can be a mere routine. This is why a man can pray twice over his food because his mind is not there. It is possible for him to be going for prayers and if he meets Jesus on the way, he will not know Him. It is possible to sacrifice hours praying in the market while still selling with false scales or selling fake drugs.
It is possible to be praying and nothing seems to happen. This may discourage a lot of people, especially when they have spent quality time fasting and praying. This makes it imperative to review the Scripture in which Jesus said, ’If you ask anything in My name, I will do it’. Was it a declaration in an open market? Did He say it in a mall, a gathering of politicians or professionals? Did He make the promise in His village? Was He not addressing His disciples, people who had intimate and personal relationship with Him?
If a demand of N1,500 is made on me at Mile 12 Market Lagos by a lady I do not know for her to buy soup ingredients and N5,000 to fuel her car, am I obliged to give her? If I give her some money, is it not out of benevolence? Will it not be a different story if she is my wife? In this case, I may even give her more because of our relationship. Although the strange lady may embellish her request with fasting and a bucket full of her tears, will that compel me to do her bidding? This is how God reacts when some people pray. It does not matter to Him the purpose of their prayers, whether they pray without ceasing or how they pray: shouting or in a soft manner.
Must we then stop praying? The answer is ‘No’. Prayer is God’s design for meeting our needs. Believers spend quality time in fellowship with Him. The church where I worship in the US holds vigils on Fridays and a prayer meeting from 5am-6am every Monday, a state where most people are still in bed at 7am!
If the lady, who is now my wife, had made similar demands from me before I married her 36 years ago, would my response to her be different from that given to the strange lady? One day, we entered into a relationship, known to us, that transformed her to my wife. This is the first thing God expects from those that have no intimate relationship with Him and not their prayers. Praying without a relationship with Him is merely steam-letting. The relationship can be established anywhere and at any time. The person is to accept that he is a sinner, lost eternally and that his good moral is like a filthy rag before God. He then confesses his sin to God and promises he will not go back to his vomit. He invites Jesus into his life. That is what opens the door for prayers.
It is possible that a repented soul could after a while entangle himself in sin. It is dangerous to hide it. Deal with it or confess it to a fellow believer who will counsel and pray with you. It does not mean that you will be ‘born-again’ again. As God forgives you, learn to forgive yourself too.
For further comment, Please contact: Osondu Anyalechi: 0909 041 9057; [email protected]