PRAYER REMAINS THE MASTER KEY THAT OPENS ALL CLOSED DOORS

IN THE DAYS OF HIS POWER SERIES.

TOPIC: PRAYER IS THE MASTER KEY THAT OPENS ALL CLOSED DOORS

SERMON BY-:
Rev Innocent Chukwudi Peace-Udochukwu President Living Fountain Ministries Int’l LIFOM

“Look to the LORD and His strength; seek His face always”
–1st Chronicles 16:11

Biblical Prayer is a Spiritual Communion with God, as in Supplication, Thanksgiving, Adoration, Confession or Petition

“There are many locks in my house and all with different keys, but I have one master key, which opens them all.”
-Charles Haddon Surgeon

It is a common practice to lock up valuables in special rooms and with special keys. Where to keep these valuables, whether in the outer rooms or in the inner strong rooms, depends on how valuable they are to you. Though there are different keys to these rooms, there is a master key, however, that is available to the master of the house to unlock at will any of the doors to these rooms.

The Lord has many treasures and secrets all shut up with locks, which they cannot open.

But he who walks in fellowship with Jesus possesses the master key that will open to him all the blessings of the covenant and even the very heart of God.

Prayer is that Key

Through Jesus, the well beloved, we have access to God, to heaven, and to every secret of the Lord.

Prayer encompasses all aspects of the Holy Trinity. It is the spirit of man talking to God the Father, in the name of Jesus Christ His Son, through the power of the Holy Spirit. As the popular song goes; Jesus started and ended with prayer. There are many instances in the Bible where we are told Jesus prayed to the Father. In the same manner, Jesus repeatedly instructed His disciples to always watch and pray (Matthew 26 v 41, Mark 13 v 33).

The life of a true Christian should be filled constantly with prayers. We are told to rejoice always, pray without ceasing and to give thanks to God in everything (1stThessalonian vs 16-18). The idea of ceaseless prayer does not mean we should be on our knees all the time, rather, it is having our hearts constantly fixated on the Father. Our life and every aspect of it should be committed into His hands. No situation is too small or mundane to take to the Lord in prayer. We shouldn’t just pray about the big things, but even the things we consider may be trivial should not be ignored or overlooked.

Jesus Christ, whilst telling his disciples the parable of the persistent widow, urged on the need to always pray and not lose heart (Luke 18 v 1). As followers of Christ, we also ought to take serious heed and develop a disciplined life always carrying everything to the Lord in prayer. This attitude should become second nature to us.

Prayer, when fervently pursued, is the healing from troubled hearts. Prayer is God’s psychiatry to heal souls. If you believe and live according to the principles of this greatest gift of God, you will be whole and healthier. But if you forsake prayer as a weapon of spiritual upliftment, you will miss the promises of God. The key to effective prayer is learning how to be so related to the Holy Spirit and submit to Him. Then we can let Him guide, direct, inspire and strengthen us.

When the Holy Spirit intercedes in our prayer, it illuminates our minds by showing us what we need to pray for and how we need to pray for it. It goes unexpectedly to put the right words in our mouths. It goes further to give us a new, unknown language, one that the natural mind does not know.

“ For anyone who speaks in a tongue (an unknown language) does not speak to men but to God. Indeed, no one understands Him; He utters mysteries with his spirit”.
1 Corinthians, 14: 2:

There are many Branches of Prayer, we learn that prayer is communion, that is friendship, fellowship and partnership with God. Prayer is petition, warfare, travailing, weeping, crying loud.
“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against power, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Ephesians 6:12).
The importance of confession of sins, thanksgiving, praise, worship and supplication are both emphasised as important antidotes for effective prayer.

“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:” Matthew 7:7

You can banish and root out evil through prayer. You can bring out the best in yourself through prayer. You can create a happy family atmosphere through prayer. You can face the challenges of life with wisdom and inward peace through prayer. Through prayer, you can change your life and destiny as Jabez called on the God of Israel to destroy the evil foundation in his life from birth that truncated his destiny and God granted him that which he requested and Jabez rose from sorrow to greatness and from shame to glory. He became more honourable than his brethren (1Chronicle 4:9).

You will recall that the mother of Jabez cursed him at birth. She placed a curse of continous sorrow upon him. The curse affected his life, until he cried unto God to reverse that curse (Ezekiel 37:1-10). God answered and delivered him.

We can pray everywhere – I Timothy 2:8, in the closet – Mathew 6:6, or in the church, – Luke 18:10. Private prayer may be made in the secret place. Family prayer will involve a large group and may be made in the sitting room while public prayer may be made before the congregation.

We can pray in the morning – Psalm 5:3, at noon and in the evening – Psalm 55:17, day and night – Psalm 88:1, daily – Psalm 86:3, and always – Luke. 18:1. It is not only when you are on your knees with your eyes closed that you can pray. You can pray as you drive to work, while at work or while resting. Singing praises to God is also a form of prayer. “Pray without ceasing”
– 1 Thessalonians. 5:17.

“Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.”
Jeremiah 33:3

Charles Surgeon said, “I would rather teach one man to pray than ten men to preach.”
Andrew Murray said, “The man who mobilizes the Christian Church to pray will make the greatest contribution to World Evangelize in history.”
Oswald Chambers said, “We have to pray with our eyes on God, not on the difficulties.”
M.E. Andross said, “There is no other activity in life so important as that of prayer. Every other activity depends upon prayer for its best efficiency.”
John Bunyan said, “He who runs from God in the morning will scarcely find Him the rest of the day.”
E.M. Bounds said, “Prayer is not learned in a classroom but in the closet.”
Andrew Murray said again, “We must begin to believe that God, in the mystery of prayer, has entrusted us with a force that can move the Heavenly world, and can bring it’s power down to earth.”
Mother Teresa said, “Prayer is not asking. Prayer is putting oneself in the hands of God, at His disposition, and listening to His’ voice in the depth of our hearts.”
C.S. Lewis said, “Relying on God has to begin all over again every day as if nothing had yet been done.”
Rick Warren said, “The more you pray, the less you’ll panic. The more you worship, the less you worry. You’ll feel more patient and less pressured.”
Martin Luther said, “I have so much to do that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer.”
Oswald Chambers again said, “Prayer does not fit us for the greater work; prayer is the greater work.”
D.L. Moody too again said, “He who kneels the most, stands the best.”
And lastly, Jesus our Savior, Lord and Greatest Example said, “Pray until your joy is full.” See John 16:24.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”
Philippians 4:6

Jesus and the Holy Spirit was speaking through Paul to the Christians that we should pray without ceasing. Praying without ceasing means that we should pray all the time, anywhere and everywhere. You are equally expected to pray about everything
Apostle Paul must have seen the need before the instruction that we should pray without ceasing. In Mathew 26;39-45. Jesus was angry with his disciples for not being able to hold on and he instructed them to pray without ceasing.

Prayer makes the barren to be fruitful, sick people to be healed, turn poverty to prosperity. Prayer makes your every of your Labour of love to the church to be effective.
There is nothing prayers cannot do. It moves mountains, prayer set the captives free. Any church, family, organization etc that lack prayers will definitely be at the mercy of the enemies and they will be taken for a ride.
Prayers make you to be in charge of satanic kingdom. How can a pastor or a Christian go to herbalist for power or solution? It is because of laziness to embark on prayer and fasting.
A prayerless Christian is a powerless Christian.

SHALOM!

FOR MORE SPIRITUAL INSIGHTS/PRAYER REQUESTS PLEASE CONTACT US AT RHEMA PRODUCTIONS TV, ABUJA, NIGERIA.

PHONE:+2338033083732

EMAIL: revinnopeace@gmail.com

WEBSITE:
www.rhemaproductionstv.rptvblog.com