CHAPTER 8:
REDEMPTION THROUGH PRAYER
What is prayer?
Prayer is communication with God where it involves both speaking to God and also engaging
quality listening to God as the feedback. We can communicate with God through praising Him,
confession of our sins, thanks giving to God and asking for God to supply our needs according to
his perfect will and His riches in glory. All men ought to pray to God because that is how God
designed life to be so that men can depend on Him in everything in life. Through prayer we
engage in a loving fellowship relationship with our maker. Prayerlessness can lead to
disobedience and spiritual weakness, as we become disconnected to from God’s voice and
power. Jesus said in Mathew 26:41,” watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The Spirit
indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
The act of prayer is more than words. It is an expression of the heart towards God. Prayer is an
experience, and a relationship. As a child of God the only way by which you can approach boldly
the throne room of God the father is through prayer. You can have the opportunity to present
your petition before God the father as a son speaks to his father through prayer.
Prayer is essential and extremely important to every believer in Jesus Christ because God
commands us to pray, and it is a daily way of communicating with God. When we pray, we are
opening up our hearts to God and through that He is able to work in us and through us. Prayer
is the most important activity that can help us stay closer to God, it is the language of intimacy
between God and His children. Prayer also helps us to grow in our relationship with God. The
more we talk and spend time with someone the more we get to know them. The same applies
when we spend time in our prayer closet with God. In James 4:8 – The Bible says, “Draw near to
God and He will draw near to you” The only means by which we can draw near to God is
through prayer
Effective prayer should be guided by the Spirit of God
The book of Romans 8:26 says, “In the same way, the spirit helps us in our weakness. We do
not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless
groans.”
God in His wisdom valued prayers so much so that He assigned the duty of prayer as part of the
work of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God is constantly praying for those who believe and trust in
God. The prayers offered by the Spirit of God is of high level which no human word can express.
The prophetic utterances as recorded in the book of Ezekiel 37 where prophet Ezekiel is
commanding life back in to the dry bones is done prayerfully. It is the power of this prayer that
raised the dry bones back to life and it was done carefully in accordance to the instructions
given by God. This gives us a very important lesson that for any given prayer to be effective
then it must be done in accordance to God given direction. The directives given by God is
important to avoid engaging in vain prayers.
Prayer is the most effective tool that acts as a source of help to the believers to see things from
the heavenly optics. The world view of every person differs depending on so many factors.
Prayers is the platform on which we can share the same world view in matters pertaining to life,
it helps believers to locate a point of convergence with God’s plan. Many people have lost focus
in life because of paralysis in their prayer life.
Apostle Paul writes in Philippians 4:6 – “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything through
prayers and supplication with thanks giving let your request be made known to God; and the
peace of God which surpasses all human understanding will guard your hearts and minds
through Christ Jesus” Many rehabilitation centers today are buzzling with a lot of activities
partly because many people have dropped the act of prayer. I am not discrediting in any way
the good works being done in our rehabilitation centers, as a matter of fact we do a lot of
meaningful collaboration work with the centers around our geographical location here in
Nairobi, may the Lord bless the good work done by our men and women who have devoted
themselves in these centers where many lives and being transformed. One thing that God is
trying to impart through the above scripture is that men ought to become deliberate in
engaging prayer as the most effective tool to guard our minds against external attacks.
Why Prayer?
It is better in prayer to have a heart without words than words without heart. Whether we
realize it or not prayer is the encounter of God’s thirst with ours. God thirsts that we may thirst
for Him. “Prayer enlarges the heart until it is capable of containing God’s gift of himself”
Forgiveness of sin as a result of prayer of repentance is the greatest story of redemption in the
life of mankind.
Freedom that comes with the power of forgiveness is eternal life through Christ Jesus, this is
the freedom from the slavery of the bondage of sin and the true cure for death. Declaration of
righteousness is pronounced upon every repentant person. The heavenly kingdom also
becomes party to this step of faith of repentance prayer by recording the name of the person in
the lamb’s book of life and the end result is sanctification.
Proverbs 15:8 – The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord; But the prayer of the
upright is his delight
Prayer is not only a good thing but is also a Godly attribute of which every believer needs to
espouse, but most important there is a need to know how to pray. The disciples of Jesus asked
him to teach them how to pray. Many people so much but they do not know how to pray.
Knowing how to pray will translate your prayer into quality prayer. Quantity prayer can only
leave you exhausted but with very little results or none at all.
Pray with the right attitude
Your attitude in prayer determines your altitude of breakthrough in the prayer. Every prayerful
person needs to guard their attitude so that their prayer format should not be influenced
negatively by the environmental factors. All prayers are supposed to glorify God both in their
content and design. In Mathew 6:5-8 – “When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they
love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men……. But
when you pray go into your room, close the door and pray to your father who is unseen.”
The revelation of the fatherhood of God is the foundation of prayer. The apex of fatherhood is
the ease to release. When you approach God as Abba, that means you are aware of his
propensity to give. God is not a withholder; He is generous in the nature of His fatherhood. It
matters that your prayer is constructed in compliance to the heavenly protocol. Romans 8:15 –
God has given us His spirit whereby we cry Abba father. Abba means source. When you go to
God in prayer with understanding that he is Abba father then that means that you are already
acknowledging God as the primary source of all your needs. Every other person who might
appear as your helpers be it your parents, your boss, your friends or any good Samaritan for
that matter are just but channels.
Your God is the source; He is not one among the helpers but the principle source of supply to all
your needs. Your employer or counselors, or any provider cannot equate to God because they
are agents sent by God to accomplish that which God has already provided. You therefore must
acknowledge God’s supremacy in your prayer if your prayer is to become effective and
impacting, it is true that God uses systems and structures to bless you but He remains to be the
origin of all your blessings.
Your prayer must elevate God to His rightful position not only here on earth but also in heaven.
When your prayer begins to acknowledge God as the sustainer of everything it marks the
beginning of Him being glorified. Many people who are endowed with great wealth always find
themselves in to temptation of thinking that it was their own ability. Some of those who are
academically brilliant and have emerged as great scientist have tragically found themselves
confessing that there is no God. Effective prayers is meant to neutralize such school of thoughts
so that only God can be elevated to occupy that realm of fame and glory.
Your prayer must distinguish the name of our Lord Jesus Christ as the most outstanding above
all other names. The name of Jesus has been lifted higher above all other names here on earth
and up in heaven. 1 Samuel 2:30 –Therefore the Lord the God of Israel, declares,: “I promised
that members of your family would minister before me forever,” But now the Lord declares: Far
be it from me! Those who honor me I will honor, but those who despise me will be disdained.
To approach God boldly does not justify carelessness. As much as He is our father He is also the
God off the universe. There must be the Spirit of reverence in the midst of your prayer.
Approaching God requires honor and understanding that He is a supernatural being. All powers
belong to Him and nothing can stop Him when He decides to do anything. It is also prudent to
remember that God does not share His glory with any man.
Prayer of Jonah
Jonah 2:1 – From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord his God. He said; “in my distress I
called to the Lord, and he answered me. From deep in the realm of the dead, I called for help,
and you listened to my cry.
The prayer of Jonah is essential in remedying the season of judgment in life. Every man has a
season that they are going through, a season when we are in dire need of deliverance from
God. Jonah found himself in this unfamiliar territory of his life when his action of disobedience
attracted judgment from God, his disobedience exposed him to be thrown into the sea and
finally he got swallowed by the fish. The situation that Jonah found himself in was so dire such
that his case was done and dusted according to men’s’ perspective, but thank God for the
prayer he made. Jonah cried to God through prayers in the belly of the fish and God heard his
cry and redeemed him from death.
Jonah was literally covered in a whale vomit, and he turned to God in prayer, and
acknowledged the goodness of God and God’s ability to deliver him and God delivered him. In
like manner, we can be covered in sin, and turn to God in prayer for deliverance, trust in God’s
ability to deliver us and He will indeed deliver us.
Our payers are powerful because of the God to who we are praying, not because of the place,
posture, or circumstance of our prayer. The fact that Jonah could pray to God from the belly of
the fish, and that God heard him from that same situation is a reminder to us that there is no
place and no circumstance that we can find ourselves in where we cannot connect with God
through prayer and receive comfort and help from Him in our time of need.
The prayer of Jonah came from a man with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, Jonah repented
while in the belly of the fish, and him being a servant of God who used to hear God very well,
he was well aware that he needed to turn to God in prayer of repentance and indeed God
heard his prayer even from the belly of the fish. When we find ourselves on the wrong side with
God the most inevitable action to take is repentance. Many people always try to prove a point
and try to show the reason why they are right.
Jonah’s situation that looked like it is beyond salvage was turned around by God for good
because of the power of prayer which was offered by Jonah while in the belly of the fish, the
same fish which was to kill Jonah became the vehicle that delivered him to the destination that
God had planned for him to go and accomplish the God given mission. God miraculously
directed the whale that swallowed Jonah to vomit him in Nineveh, and this was the place God
had planned that Jonah should come and preach to them.
In our walk with God it is never too late to pray over everything for God to intervene. Many
people have suffered serious consequences for failing to commit to God issues in their life in
prayer. Pray at all times without ceasing so that God may deliver you from whoever trouble you
might be facing the God of Jonah will deliver from them all.
Prayer of Jabez
The prayer of Jabez is a short yet very powerful prayer found in 1Chronicle 4;10 in the Bible. Its
significance comes from its focus on a direct and humble request for God’s blessings and
guidance. The prayer reads:
“Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me
from harm so that I will be free from pain.” (1Chronicle 4:10)
Tapping God’s blessings through prayer
When we are born here on earth there are so many hindering factors that oppose our potential
and greatness. The same way Jabez was born with the DNA of greatness but he found himself in
a lot of pain, he needed to tap into the blessings of God for his greatness to be unveiled. The
power that comes with the blessings of God is able to lift off the veil that covers our greatness,
it is able to lift off the spirit of oppression of all kinds. The process of being delivered from such
oppression must begin first and foremost with the individual’s realization that they need that
deliverance. Jabez took the first step of asking God to bless him.
Tapping into God’s blessings through prayer is possible, it is a profound, personal experience
that allows us to connect with the divine. When God starts to release His blessings upon you
then nobody can stop it, it requires a deep relationship with God. Here are some of the
thoughts on deepening that connection;
1. Gratitude and praise – when praying you need to start with the heart of gratitude,
thanking God for what you already have. Acknowledging blessings fosters a mindset of
abundance
2. Intention and sincerity: speak from the heart with genuine faith and humility.
Expressing your true need and desires helps create an honest connection
3. Meditation and listening: Prayer isn’t just speaking; it is also listening. Spend quiet time
in meditation after praying, opening yourself to any guidance, insights, or peace God
offers
4. Consistency: Make prayer a regular practice. It doesn’t have to be long or elaborate –
what matters is sincerity and consistency
5. Faith and Expectation: Pray with the belief that God is always present, caring, and
capable of blessing you in ways beyond what you can imagine. Indeed, the ways of God
are not our ways and His plans are above our plans.
The prayer of Jabez is a very significant life transforming prayer, a prayer that commands
several levels of blessings in life. The prayer unveils the need in human life which can only be
achieved through divine intervention from God. Some of these divine intervention highlighted
in the prayer of Jabez include personal blessings, expansion of territory, dependence on God’s
guidance, and protection from harm and pain. All of us are affected in one way or the other by
these factors and many times we have no solution to these challenges.
Through the prayer of Jabez God was able to release personal blessings upon his life to a level
like never before. In this prayer Jabez ask God to bless him, which reflects a desire for God’s
favor in his life. This can be understood as a request for spiritual, material, or relational
prosperity. Many people are frustrated in life today because of the so many limitations they are
facing in these areas. The reality is that God has an answer for you if only you can discover the
secret and power of prayer. You only need to trust upon Jesus and surrender your life to him
and commit all thing to him in prayer and he will answer you.
Jabez also desired and prayed that God may enlarge his territory. The phrase, “enlarge my
territory”, symbolizes growth, influence and opportunity. For many, this means asking for the
expansion of their ability to serve others, increased responsibilities, or greater opportunities to
fulfill God’s purpose. It is amazing to know that the greater the responsibilities to serve others
the greater the blessing and favor that comes with it. When you set yourself to seek ways on
how God can use you to add value to the lives of people that will mark the beginning of your
success and prosperity. Serving others calls for servanthood spirit and high level humility. You
must learn to love people and see people from God’s lenses. Only God’s guidance can lead to
one becoming effective people servant. God’s ambassadors have this common attribute of
humility that gives God unlimited control over their lives.
The need for God’s guidance in life
The need to depend on God’s guidance in life cannot be underestimated. It is through
prayerfulness that we can enable the Spirit of God to propagate a spirit led Christian life. All
men need God’s guidance on daily basis for them to make the right decision. When we pray in
the spirit then we are able to create a positive spiritual climate which is conducive for spiritual
growth unto maturity. Fruitful disciples of Jesus are those who have mastered the game of
seeking God’s guidance prayerfully on daily basis.
Many people are faced with serious problems today because of the wrong decision they made
in the past, given chance they would first seek for God’s guidance on how they can have a fresh
approach. Jabez ask for God’s hand to be with him, which demonstrates dependence on divine
guidance and protection in navigating life’s challenges. Success in life requires persistent
dependence on divine guidance from God. The hand of God is the most trusted instrument in
life that can steer you from grass to grace.
God’s guidance is often seen as vital to many people’s lives because it provides direction,
purpose, and moral compass. Some of the key reasons why God’s guidance may include but not
limited to the factors such as moral direction, purpose and meaning, support in difficult time,
personal growth, community and unity, wisdom, and inner peace.
Many people believe that God’s guidance offers moral compass, helping people to discern right
from wrong. It provides ethical standards that shape behavior, helping individuals to lead a life
of integrity and goodness. It is this kind of demeanor that demonstrate practical faith in Christ
Jesus.
Purpose and meaning is one of the key elements to success in life. It is only through God’s
guidance that a man can discover his purpose in life. God’s guidance often gives people a sense
of purpose. Many feel that by aligning their lives with God’s will, they are living according to a
higher purpose, which brings fulfillment, and a deeper meaning to life.
Strength in adversity is another good example of the advantages encountered when we allow
ourselves to be guided by God. Life is filled with challenges, and believers always turn to God
for divine intervention. Many believers turn to God’s guidance in times of uncertainty or
difficulty. It can offer comfort, hope and strength, knowing that there is a divine plan or support
through hard times.
God’s guidance can also support the much needed spiritual growth in life. It is viewed as
essential for spiritual growth. It helps individual to develop values like patience, love, humility,
and faith, aligning them more closely with the divine nature. Every believer needs to evaluate
themselves with regards to the real life.
King Solomon prayed for God to bless him with wisdom in the book of 1 Kings 3:10-15 – “You
did not ask for long life and riches for yourself. You did not ask for death of your enemies. You
asked for the wisdom to listen and to make the right decisions”, meaning that wisdom is
extremely critical in our walk with God. God’s guidance is sought for making wise decisions,
whether in personal, professional, or moral dilemma. Believers often pray or seek divine insight
to make choices that are in harmony with God’s will.
Following God’s guidance can provide inner peace. Believers often find tranquility in knowing
they are being led by a higher power that cares for their wellbeing. God’s guidance, therefore is
seen as a foundational element in acquiring this higher power, in living a life of purpose, virtue,
and peace. We all are in need of God’s guidance if we are to accomplish the God given mandate
for our life.
The prayer of Hannah
Hannah made a special prayer in the book of 1 Samuel 1:11 – saying, “If you will look upon my
sorrow and answer my prayer and give me a son, then I will give him back to you. He will be
yours for his entire lifetime, and as a sign that he has been dedicated to the Lord, his hair will
never be cut.”
1 Samuel 1:20 – So in the course of time, Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son. She named
him Samuel, saying, “because I asked the Lord for him”
Hannah is the only Old Testament woman to make a vow to the Lord. Hannah spoke God’s
name, she spoke God’s name Yahwe, more than any other woman in the Old Testament.
Hannah called herself, “God’s servant” three times in her prayer, showing humility. Most
remarkably, Hannah knew God more intimately than Eli, the local priest.
Hannah prayed at a time when God had closed her womb for reason only known to God. Some
challenges we go through are not because we have sinned but simply because God is in the
middle of it. One thing I am glad about every challenge orchestrated by God in our life is that
the end of those challenges ends with greater glory to God.
Testing Faith and Deepening Trust is one of the key objective of Hanna’s barrenness. The
barrenness created a situation that tested her faith and dependence on God. In her anguish,
she turned to God in fervent prayer, pouring out her heart at the temple (1 Samuel 1:10-11).
This shows how trials can lead believers to a deeper reliance on God. God is looking for those
who can learn to depend on Him fully so that he can show Himself as a mighty warrior and sole
provider. Deepening our prayer life in God is the sure way to activate the flow of divine
intervention when things seems to have hit a snag.
Through prayer Hannah was able to align her desires with God’s will. Through her barrenness,
Hanna’s prayer evolved from a personal longing for a child to a dedication of that child to God’s
service. In her vow, she promised to give her son back to God to serve Him all his life (1 Samuel
1:11) Her trial helped align her desires with God’s purposes. The secret of many great servants
of God in the Bible is their ability to align to the will and purposes of God. God will deliberately
allow certain wilderness and dry bones to prevail in our lives so that our faithfulness to align to
His will can be tested. Sometimes what we are fighting for might appear and look good before
the eyes of men but it does not matter as long as it isn’t aligned to God’s will then you would
rather drop it. Not all good ideas are God’s idea. Test every spirit and see whether it is in the
perfect will of God.
God’s plan for Samuel as a leader was greater than all other interests and nothing could stop it.
God had a greater purpose for Samuel, Hanna’s son, who became a prophet, priest, and judge
in Israel. Samuel was instrumental in leading Israel during a critical period of transition and
anointing its first kings Saul and David. Hanna’s barrenness paved the way for the miraculous
birth of Samuel, setting the stage for his pivotal role. Whenever we labor for a destiny and pay
heavy price we might not be aware of the whole picture of what God has in store for us. The
role played by Samuel during the transitions that took place in Israel was a clear manifestation
that the birth of Samuel was indeed in the will of God.
Hanna’s conception after intense prayer was a clear demonstration of God’s power and timing.
Hann’s eventual opening of womb after many years of barrenness, was a testimony of God’s
power and perfect timing. Her story was a reminder that God works according to his plan and
can bring about blessings that exceeds human expectations. The miracle of Hanna’s conception
is a stack reminder that we should not try to put God in a box. Sometimes people have
embraced a certain way in which they expect God to do things but God’s plan and style of
accomplishing His will is the perfect way.
Hanna’s testimony has remained a pillar of encouragement to many generations till now. Her
song of thanks giving in 1 Samuel2:1-10 reflects her joy and gratitude for God’s intervention.
Her testimony has encouraged countless others to trust in God’s ability to transform seemingly
hopeless situations.
One can authoritatively conclude that Hanna’s barrenness was not meaningless; it was a part of
God’s larger plan to show that through prayer God would bring forth a leader for Israel and to
glorify Himself through Hanna’s prayer of faith and obedience. Her story demonstrates that
even in our struggles, God is at work, shaping events for His greater purpose. It is my prayer
that God will shape your struggles into His greater purpose. It is my trust that God will turn your
scars into stars for the glory of His name.
The situation you are going through today might be resembling a lot with that which Hanna
went through. Prayer mixed with vows of covenant with God can be your silver bullet to
transform your situation. Hannah walked alone during her prayer when things were thick. Be
strong and remain steadfast even as you take a step of faith to walk along this path of prayerful
life and you will see the glory of God by the end of the season.
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