God Prayed

By Pastor Ben. Akalonu

The book God Prayed is an awesome exposition on the purposes and benefits of prayer. It is a most profound and impactful dissertation on prayer written under the guidance of the Spirit of God. This book is an awesome insightful tool that if properly utilized will see believers not only overcome, but occupy (Johnette M. Moore; Outpouring Ministries).

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: May 30, 2014
• ISBN: 9781493199051

Book preview

Copyright © 2014 by Pastor Ben. Akalonu.

Library of Congress Control Number:   2014906755

ISBN:    Hardcover    978-1-4931-9906-8

              Softcover      978-1-4931-9907-5

              eBook           978-1-4931-9905-1

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

KJV

Unless otherwise indicated all scripture quotations marked or unmarked KJV are from the Holy Bible, King James Version (Authorized Version). First published in 1611. Quoted from the KJV Classic Reference Bible, Copyright © 1983 by The Zondervan Corporation.

NKJV

Scripture quotations marked NKJV are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

NIV

Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. [Biblica]

NLT

Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. Website

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Rev. date: 04/10/2014

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CONTENTS

Dedication

Acknowledgement

Foreword

Editor’s Note

Introduction

Chapter 1: When God Prayed

Chapter 2: Identifying With Jesus—Through Tears

Chapter 3: Using What You Have To Get What You Do Not Have

Chapter 4: The Presence Of God

Chapter 5: What Prayer Can Do

Chapter 6: Three Groups Of Believers

Chapter 7: Unchanging God

Chapter 8: Is Any Of You Afflicted?

Chapter 9: You Can Reject Bad News

Chapter 10: Pursue, Overtake And Recover All

DEDICATION

T his book is dedicated to all my friends who love to pray that Christ be fully formed in the lives of believers.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

M y first thanks goes to my Heavenly Father who out of His great mercy translated me from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of His dear Son.

I also thank my parents in the Lord, Bro. Emma Okorie, President Living Word Ministries/chancellor, Rhema University Aba Nigeria and his wife Sis. Chi, Administrator Living Word Ministries, they have been such a great ladder for me to climb in ministry.

To the wife of my youth, Glory Ben Akalonu who is always there for me, both to encourage and to pray; And to my four godly children, Praise, Victory, Godliness and Melody.

A big thanks to Pastor Kalu Oji and family, for without them this book would not be a reality.

Thank you beloved sister Johnette Moore of Outpourings Ministries, who spent quality godly time editing this book.

And to my immediate senior brother Vin Akalonu who did the initial proof reading, I love you bro.

May the good God I serve from my youth bless and keep every one of you.

FOREWORD

P rayer is the bedrock of every genuine believer when it comes to making foolproof of one’s ministry along with accomplishing God’s purpose. Pastor Ben Akalonu has by God’s grace put forward in this book God Prayed the principles of accomplishing what God has called us to do as believers.

According to Apostle Paul in 2 Timothy 4:7-8, NKJV, I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.

In order to be able to have such a confession at the end of one’s Christian walk and ministry here on earth, one needs to read and apply the lessons learned from this book. As you navigate through the pages of this awesome book, you will come to understand and bear witness that truly, God is gathering His remnant in preparation for His great work ahead; a work that cannot be carried out through men except by their developing of personal intimacy and ongoing relationship with the Spirit of God. This awesome book is about developing personal intimacy and ongoing relationship with God’s Spirit and more. The book God Prayed is in reality, the APA guideline for a true spiritual relationship with God.

Pastor Ben Akalonu, I thank you for heeding the LORD’s call by writing this amazing book.

Dr. Kalu Oji

EDITOR’S NOTE

W hat an honour and a blessing it has been to have edited this awesome exposition on the purposes and benefits of prayer. Pastor Ben Akalonu has delivered the most profound and impactful dissertation on prayer that I have ever read. His yielding to the Spirit of God has led him through careful study of God’s word, together with revelation, rhema and well evidenced manifestation to produce this profound, insightful and impacting teaching.

During a time on God’s calendar when the enemy has undoubtedly stepped up his game, releasing into the world and the church alike, every form of deception imaginable; knowing and communing with God daily is the believer’s only weapon for survival and victory.

Jesus came that we might have life and life more abundantly. Pastor Ben Akalonu has allowed God to use him to produce this awesome insightful tool that if properly utilized will see us not only overcome, but occupy! This is the acceptable year of the Lord. It is time for the Kingdom of God to advance in readiness for the soon coming of our King. Utilizing the principals laid out in this dynamic book will see increase manifested in the lives of God’s people as His Kingdom rises from the ashes of slothfulness.

Blessing awaits you as you make your way through the pages of this book.

Johnette Moore

Outpourings Ministries

Bermuda

INTRODUCTION

O ver the years in Christendom, prayer has occupied the vital cause of all generations of Christians. So many preachers all over the world have talked about the importance of prayer in a believer’s life. A Christian in the true sense of the word is nothing short of a prayer-warrior. The moment a Christian fails in the area of prayer, he or she has failed everywhere. This singular failure in prayer is enough to rob any Christian of his Christian amour and grace.

From the Book of Genesis in the Bible through Revelation (the last Book), and going further into the latter days, God has been restless in his search for men—men of prayer. The Bible tells us that God rested after the sixth day of hard labor in the laboratory of creation. That God rested on the seventh day does not mean that He departed into His heavenly cushion in perpetual relaxation. No, He has since gone back to work, this time, in search of men with His kind of heart: prayerful men, those who will not faint when others are fainting; those who will hold their heads high when others are losing theirs; men who brave the odds, grabbing the bull by its horn never to weaken on the day of battle; men who break the bars of steel with bare hands; men who run through the troops and leap over walls, without sustaining injuries.

Despite all these, today’s era of Christianity is one where prayer has been subjected to total contempt. Let no one misunderstand me. We thank God for modernization that has brought with it growth in the area of science and technology which is being used by the body of Christ in the work of ministry. Science and technology have thrived without the backing of prayers. Prayer remains the same, achieves the same result as of old and all through the ages. Prayer produces heat in the body of Christ. The churches are wallowing in coldness because the fire on the altar has been allowed to grow cold due to lack of prayer. For the benefit of this introduction, let us consider the last axiom by Bonke: Flies can only perch comfortably on cold food. The operative word here is cold when there is nobody to produce heat in the church, demons will come and sit comfortably among the people of God.

God is looking for people to hand over the blazing torch to enable others stoke up their own light. God has already started the race but needs others to carry on. As Christians, we are in a relay-race with God. When God has run his own distance, he allows Christians to complete the rest of the distance. Therefore let us return to God who has committed Himself with an oath to hear us when we pray. The only power God bows to is the power of prayer. Prayer is what determines whether a Christian succeeds or fails. When a Christian fails to rouse God with prayer, he or she has unknowingly planned their own failure. Prayer moves the hand that holds the world. Although God is the greatest, prayer is the only thing that moves him. Prayer arrests situations and circumstances, turns things around, and calls forth things that were not as if they were, gives one a new beginning, lifts one from the valley, makes a way where there is no way, and goes where one can or cannot get to. Prayer is thus a source and a wonder.

CHAPTER 1

When God Prayed

Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child. Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children. (Isaiah 66:7-8 KJV)

G od in His infinite wisdom cannot ask man to do what He has never done. Our God is a God of justice, without iniquity, and His ways are without blemish. God demands that his people live a holy life because He is holy. God requires his people to love because he first of all loved us. God is asking that we nurture the spirit of giving because He is the author of all life, and the giver of salvation. God has patterns which He never deviates from. His patterns are meant to be emulated by all professed Christians. God will never ask his own to do something outside of his own nature.

Even though God is the owner of heaven and earth, there is one thing we own that is not under his control. That thing is our will and not until we willingly release our wills to God, we cannot honestly say that we love God. So many Christians claim to love God yet, remain in absolute control of their lives. Until we allow the will of God to be married to ours; until