Prayer Intimacy With God

By Alex O Fening

Although faith is a vital ingredient in one's walk and fellowship with God, The Bible says, "Faith without works is dead." Prayer is a force, which propels and puts faith into motion. Throughout the Bible the distinctive feature of the men of faith was that they were men of prayer. Prayer nourishes faith, and causes the believer to draw from the inexhaustible resources of the Omnipotent. It is the catalyst which results in a breakthrough and makes the impossible situations possible. One of the members of my flock testifies of how she was diagnosed with a medical condition which meant she would not be able to conceive let alone have children, but through faith and prayer she has been able to conceive and given birth to three children now, all of whom are strong and well.

Moses, through prayer, prevailed with God and the total annihilation of the congregation of Israel was spared when they wilfully transgressed against God. (Numbers14:11-23)

Through prayer, the prophet Elijah, the Tishbite prayed through a number of situations to a miraculous victory. He stood before the treacherous Ahab and his wife Jezebel and pronounced judgement

upon the land of Israel; declaring that there would be no rain on the land unless he declared otherwise. Subsequent to this victory, he prayed for rain to come in the land and in 1Kings 18:43-46 it is recorded that Elijah prayed until he could see the formation of the rain clouds and knew the rains were coming. Prior to that he prayed and called fire from heaven to consume the evening sacrifice he offered to God on Mount Carmel in a contest with prophets of Baal and prevailed over them. Through prayer, the widow of Zarephath's son was revived when Elijah prayed for him.

Daniel grew in wisdom, knowledge and understanding and favour with God and with the kings of his day, the secret being that he prayed always. Daniel's enemies conspired against him; they caused Daniel to be cast into the lions den and yet the lions could do him no harm because he prayed and trusted in the Lord his God.

(Daniel 6:1-23)

• Language: English
• Publisher: Alex O Fening
• Release date: Feb 3, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201968489

Book preview

PRAYER - INTIMACY WITH GOD

by

Alex Okublre-Fenlng

PRAYER - INTIMACY WITH GOD

Copyright a 2006 by Alex Okubire-Fening

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portion thereof without the prior permission in writing from the publisher

Contents

Introduction 7

Acknowledgements 10

Chapter 1 Prayer 12

Chapter 2 Dominion Through Prayer 14

Chapter 3 Walking With God 30

Chapter 4 Intercession 35

Chapter 5 Prayer by Apostles 41

Chapter 6 Our Spiritual Weapons 44

Chapter 7 Fasting 59

Chapter 8 Fasting, Christ’s Teaching, an Example 66

Chapter 9 Fasting, A Spiritual Discipline in Early Church 70

Chapter 10 Fasting, God Turns Disaster into Triumph 72

Chapter 11 Brings Deliverance and Victory 75

Chapter 12  Intimacy 78

Chapter 13  The Secrets of the Lord 88

Chapter 14 Jesus the Matchless Example of Intimacy with God 93

Chapter 19  Conclusion 113

Footnotes 115

Bibliography 121

INTRODUCTION

PRAYER IS THE KEY TO THE IMPOSSIBLE

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Faith is one of the few words of scripture often used by many Christians. They talk it, preach it, and live it. By faith, men have stood upon the promises of God to accomplish unseemingly impossible feats for God. The book of Hebrews majors on the biblical heroes who accomplished much through faith.

By faith Abel offered a better sacrifice to God, Enoch walked with God and he was taken up to heaven and did not see death

(Hebrews 11:4-5)

Although faith is a vital ingredient in one’s walk and fellowship with God, The Bible says, Faith without works is dead. Prayer is a force, which propels and puts faith into motion. Throughout the Bible the distinctive feature of the men of faith was that they were men of prayer. Prayer nourishes faith, and causes the believer to draw from the inexhaustible resources of the Omnipotent. It is the catalyst which results in a breakthrough and makes the impossible situations possible. One of the members of my flock testifies of how she was diagnosed with a medical condition which meant she would not be able to conceive let alone have children, but through faith and prayer she has been able to conceive and given birth to three children now, all of whom are strong and well.

Moses, through prayer, prevailed with God and the total annihilation of the congregation of Israel was spared when they wilfully transgressed against God. (Numbers14:11-23)

Through prayer, the prophet Elijah, the Tishbite prayed through a number of situations to a miraculous victory. He stood before the treacherous Ahab and his wife Jezebel and pronounced judgement

upon the land of Israel; declaring that there would be no rain on the land unless he declared otherwise. Subsequent to this victory, he prayed for rain to come in the land and in 1Kings 18:43-46 it is recorded that Elijah prayed until he could see the formation of the rain clouds and knew the rains were coming. Prior to that he prayed and called fire from heaven to consume the evening sacrifice he offered to God on Mount Carmel in a contest with prophets of Baal and prevailed over them. Through prayer, the widow of Zarephath’s son was revived when Elijah prayed for him.

Daniel grew in wisdom, knowledge and understanding and favour with God and with the kings of his day, the secret being that he prayed always. Daniel’s enemies conspired against him; they caused Daniel to be cast into the lions den and yet the lions could do him no harm because he prayed and trusted in the Lord his God.

(Daniel 6:1-23)

Isaac and Rebecca were blessed with twins when Isaac prayed to God to open the womb of his wife. (Genesis 25:21)

Nehemiah received favour in the sight of the Persian king

(Neh. 2:4-10), and he was provided with finances and materials to return to Jerusalem (from exile) to repair the broken walls of the city after he had prayed. All these miracles were the result of prayer.

Esther and the Jews were spared from destruction and annihilation because of prayer. Haman, the Jews’ arch enemy devised a plan to have all Jews destroyed. When Queen Esther got wind of Haman’s plan, she took time off to fast, and pray for God’s protection. The book of Job 5: 12 says 11 God frustrates the devices of the crafty, so that their hands cannot carry out their plans 11

Suddenly the tide of affairs turned in favour of the Jews, and Haman’s intentions and plans were foiled. In fact he himself was hanged. All these things happened because of prayer. No wonder prayer is the key to the impossible.

Through prayer and fasting Jesus defeated Satan in the wilderness during His first encounter with Satan just before He (Jesus) began His ministry

Peter’s life was spared from prison and execution when the church came together and interceded for his release. God sent an angel to the prison to have Peter released from jail. ( Acts12:1-19)

Barnabas and Paul received guidance and direction as well as a call to the Gentiles as they and the elders at Antioch spent time to minister to the Lord in fasting and prayer.( Acts13:2)

Above all, it was through prayer that the early Church was born. Prayer unlocks the doors of heaven. It causes and makes the impossible possible.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I wish to extend my heartfelt gratitude and appreciation to Rev. Patrick Stevenson, former pastor and principal of the Bible College I attended and Mrs. Michelle Ferguson and Mrs. Tanya Chikanza who proof-read the script and made alterations where necessary.

I also express my sincere thanks and goodwill to Mrs. Sheila Rickards and Miss Arna Serwaah for the many hours they spent in typing and preparing this material.

I am also thankful to Dr. Michael McCann and his lovely wife Dr. Rita McCann my spiritual mentors for their immense love, and all the help and support they gave me at Harvest Bible College. Many thanks to Rev. Eric Ntorinkansah, pastor and bishop of Living Flames Baptist churches worldwide and Bishop Michael Hutton-Wood of House of Judah Ministries for all their encouragement in writing this book.

I also thank my beloved wife Sharon and my two girls Jochebed and Johannah who have been such a tremendous support to me, by whose encouragement and understanding I am able to devote my time and effort to seek the Lord.

Finally, all praise, thanks, honour and adoration to God the Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit for enabling me to present this volume on ‘Prayer—Intimacy with God’.

CHAPTER 1

PRAYER - DEFINITION

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O’Hallesby writing on Prayer in the Inter Varsity Press defined prayer as ‘the conduit through which power from heaven is brought to earth’ (O’Hallesby, ‘Prayer’ p.97). In other words, prayer is the channel through which God’s power is transmitted from heaven to us here on earth.

The author of Revival God’s Way Leonard Ravenhill defines prayer as the inner groan in gs, it is inner grief, it is totally spiritual, it is weaken•ing to the flesh but devastating to the powers of darkness (Leonard Ravenhill, Revival God’s Way p.99).

We all sometimes, find ourselves in moments when we are overcome and overwhelmed by grief and pressures around us in such a way that all we are able to do is to groan in prayer, such groanings are not vain noises, but are spiritual signals we send to God Almighty. Often we are lost for words, unable to articulate our expressions intelligently, yet the Holy Spirit understands and feels every pulse in our veins and responds to the cry of our heart. In such moments, even though we are unable to make any utterance yet prayer becomes heart to heart and spirit to Spirit. The Holy Spirit sends these signals to our heavenly Father who receives them, and He hastens to our rescue.

You often hear people say, I could not pray as I felt so shattered and all I could do on the spur of the moment was to sob or beat my chest in anguish and yet we see ourselves prevailing over those dreadful circumstances. It is not how long you pray on such occasions, but the signals the Holy Spirit transmits from you to the Father, that brings the victory.

As the natural air is vital for man’s survival on planet earth, so prayer

is the ‘oxygen’ of every child of God. Lack of prayer in the believer’s life will result in spiritual suffocation and render the believer powerless and make him a spiritual liability and a casualty.

J. Oswald Sanders says, Prayer is the most ancient, most universal, most intense expressions of the religious instinct. It touches infinite extremes, for it is at once the simplest form of speech that infant lips can try, and the sublimest strains that reach the Majesty on high. It is indeed the Christian’s vital breath and native air. (J Oswald Sanders; Spiritual Leadership, Marshall Morgan and Scott Marshall Pickering, p.75)

Dr Lester Sumrall said, "Prayer is God’s cannon at the Gate of Hell. It blasts the Devil’s stronghold to victory. It is turning of the human soul to God ‘Unto thee, 0 Lord, do I lift up my soul’. "

Dr Lester also says:

Prayer is one of the most powerful instruments of the believer. Prayer is actually the council chamber where divine commands are issued In prayer the believer receives solution to his problems. In prayer he receives the infilling of divine energy. Jesus revealed this when He prayed and fasted for forty days and met Satan single•handedly in the greatest spiritual struggle ever recorded in history. It is not possible to possess great dominion and not constantly return to the Master to receive instruction from Him.

In my life as a believer, I have seen victory where all hope seemed shattered and lost. Prayer has made a difference. Doctors predicted in my childhood that I would be a full-blown sickling, and become drug dependant for the rest of my life. My health took a turn for the worse in my childhood and became a growing concern to my parents. I was prone to all kinds of allergies and infections. Leaving home to attend Secondary School (boarding) about three hundred and fifty miles away from where we lived was heartache to my parents.

I returned home at the end of the first term with chicken pox and I could see the ‘’ I told you so ‘expressions on my parents’ faces. However, through prayer and involvement with the Scripture Union, these medical ailments disappeared. Deliverance did not come overnight, the more I drew nearer to the Lord and took delight in His service; my health, which was always touch and go, was restored. I say this to the glory of God, I hardly fall sick today.

Watchman Nee said "Prayer is the rail for God’s work. Indeed, prayer is to God’s will as rails are to a train. The locomotive is full of power. It is capable

of running a thousand miles a day. But if there are no rails, it cannot move forward a single inch. It may be able to travel over great distances, yet it can•not go to any place where no rails have been laid. And such is the relation•ship between prayer and God’s work".

Dr Alex Carrel, author of Man the Unknown, says "As a physician, I have seen men, after all other therapy had failed, lifted out of disease and melancholy by the serene effect of prayer. It is the only power in the world that seems to overcome the so•called ‘Laws of Nature’. In other words,