Before now, when my children had health issues, more like little pain or any form of discomfort, they would come to me for prayers. After some time, I began to teach them to pray for themselves. When they complain about their health, I would ask them; “Have you prayed about it?” I would insist they pray, then I add my prayer if necessary. I am teaching them to pray for themselves.
Friend, you need to learn to pray for yourself. The person who helps your spiritual life the most is the one who helps or encourages you to pray for yourself (1 Timothy 1:18). We must move from having prayer contractors to having prayer encouragers. When it comes to life in the Spirit, we must embrace a Do-It-Yourself approach.
We all need people to pray for us at one point or the other in our lives. But the cirical battles of destiny are fought with personal prayers. Notice that while Jesus told his disciples to watch with him, he still had to pray for himself (Matthew 26:38). He was not sleeping while hoping that his disciples were praying for him. He won the battle for the human race on his knees at Gethsemane (Matthew 26:39).
Your destiny is either won or lost on the altar of prayer. There is a prayer that births destiny. There is a prayer that causes things to shift in the spirit (Isaiah 66:7-9). To be weak in prayer is to forfeit destiny. Don’t let the devil attack your prayer life. I tell people, any time you experience weakness in prayer, it is either a battle to be fought or a blessing to be possessed is ahead (Luke 22:31-32).
Pastors must teach their members to pray. Most importantly, they must model a life of prayer (Luke 11:1-4). This was what we saw with Jesus. He was so prayerful that his disciples were moved to ask him to teach them to pray. Oh, what a life! Pastor, if your members are only asking for your tailor or barber, without asking for your prayer secret, you might be modelling the wrong things before them. People do what people see (Philippians 4:9).
If God can make you a man of prayer, He has already made you a man of success. Prayer supplies answers and directions (1 Corinthians 2:9-10). Prayer secures the future. Prayer births possibilities (Matthew 17:19-21). Everyone can pray. If you can talk, you can pray. Perhaps your talkativeness is a prayer grace not utilised. Your complaint of boredom could be a reflection of your laziness in prayer. Let God engage you in prayers. You can begin from anywhere and grow from them. Remember, if you don’t pray for you, nobody else would.
‘Demola Awoyele
Lead Pastor,
Destiny Impact Church
Akure, Nigeria