STRATEGIC PRAYER Flashcards
SP1) What is the first step in the strategic revolution to facilitate the salvation of souls?
The outreach strategy is strategic and earnest PRAYER being made to facilitate the salvation of souls. The prayer of faith will move the hand of GOD. The Christian must pray, seriously, faithfully, and strategically so the kingdom of God may triumph over the kingdom of darkness. Prayer is the strategy. Pray that doors of opportunity would open for the gospel. We need to walk and pray together for God to open the hearts of the people in our cities. Prayer walking our cities may be the simplest of all strategies. Prayer walking is something everyone in the church can do:
See: Ephesians 6:19-20
Colosians 4: 2-4
SP2) What is prayer walking and how is it done?
Prayer walking can involve teams of three or four people prayer walking the same area of town several times a week for about thirty minutes. They can pray aloud, as if talking with one another, or pray silently as they walk. They can pray for every person they see on the sidewalk, in the restaurants and shops, at the bus stops, and in the subway stations. They can pray for their neighbors and for those who live in the houses and apartments they see. They can walk among the multitudes and pray for people they see that day. They can pray for a door of entry to open the hearts of those they pray for.
The fall of Jericho was the result of Israelites walking around the city for one week—no siege, no battle, no weapons. All they had to do was walk and pray, just as God told them to. Prayer is not actually mentioned in the text of the book of Joshua, but Hebrews 11:30 reminds us: “By faith the walls of Jericho fell down.” You cannot have faith unless you pray (Luke 18:1–8). They walked around the city while silently praying on the first day and then went home. They did the same on the second and third days and all that week. On the seventh day, they walked around the city seven times. Then, they shouted a shout of victory—as if the walls had just fallen down—and the massive walls came tumbling down (Joshua 6:12–20). Their shout was an act of faith. For example of Prayer Walking see the following:
“Heavenly Father in the name of Jesus, I ask You to bless the woman waiting to cross the street who appears so sad and worn out. May Your Spirit reach her to give her hope today. May You direct her thoughts, somehow, to what things could be like in her life rather than what they may be right now. Find any excuse, Lord, to bless her and for her to be able to recognize that such blessing comes from above. Keep the enemy from taking further advantage of her today. In Jesus’ wonderful name. Amen.” It’s that simple. It may be that we fail to do the basic work that precedes compassion and welfare ministries. And that work is the ministry of prayer for the Holy Spirit to awaken people to their need of God.
SP3) How is the Church charged to wage war with satan the enemy of our souls?
The church is to march to take the city. What city? Satan and his demons have fortified themselves behind walls of lies, and have deceived many people who are now trapped inside. They cannot escape. The enemy is powerful: The Bible tells us “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness” (Ephesians: 6:12). We could call this city hell, Satan’s citadel. Jesus is our Commander, as we see in the book of Joshua (Joshua 5:14), and He expects the members of the church of God to march on until they breach the wall. He said, “On this rock [on Himself] I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18, ESV).
That can only mean His church is marching against the gates of Hell, and His church will prevail against it! This is a wonderful promise. The church, Christ’s followers, will pierce through walls erected by principalities and powers of darkness, allowing them to rescue those trapped by Satan’s lies and sophistries. But what of our weapons of warfare? What do we use to get through those walls? According to Paul, “the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God” (2 Corinthians 10:4, 5).
The stronghold is the place Satan makes strong. But those strongholds will fall because the weapons of our warfare are “MIGHTY IN GOD” The one offensivise weapon available against the enemy is “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:17). Ephesians 6:17 tell us to take the sword, “praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit” (verse 18). Thus, the Word of God is the sword of the Spirit, and prayer is something we do in the Spirit. The link is obvious. The most effective way to pray is to claim the promises found in God’s Word. This is what it means to pray in the Spirit, The Holy Spirit is, actually, the author of God’s Word (2 Peter 1:21). What is clear is that we must intercede for others in the clutches of the evil one, asking for the Holy Spirit to free them and help them see their need for Jesus as their Savior and Lord.
SP4) What are some Prayer Promises found in the Bible?
1 Ask, and you will receive, for everyone who asks receives. (Matthew 7:7–11; Luke 11:9–13)
2 If two of you agree on anything you ask, My Father will do it (Matthew 18:19)
3 If you believe, you’ll receive whatever you asked in prayer. (Matthew 21:22; Mark 11:24)
4 I will do whatever you ask in My name for the Father’s glory. (John 14:13)
5 If you ask for anything in My name, I will do it. (John 14:14)
6 If you abide in Me and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be granted you. ( John 15:7)
7. I chose you to bear much fruit, and the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name (John 15:16)
8. If you ask the Father for anything in My name, He’ll give it to you. Until now, you have asked for nothing in My name. (John 16:23-24)
9 If we have confidence in God, whatever we ask, we’ll receive from Him because we keep His commandments. (1 John 3:21, 22)
10. If we ask according to His will, and we know God hears us, we have confidence we’ll have
the requests made of him. (John 10 1 John 5:14, 15)
We are left to either believe these promises at face value or discard them altogether.
Hebrews 6:18
John 14:6
Numbers 19:26?
