PRAYER RENDEZVOUS WITH GOD

Prayer Rendezvous with God

Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before Dan 6:10NIV (Please read Daniel Chapter 6)

Thank You master Jesus Christ for another Thursday. People celebrate all kinds of things but we celebrate our appointment with God on PNUR Global Day of Fasting and Prayers. This is that day we have secured an appointment and our loving God knows that we will come and He is waiting.

Don’t forget that prayer is the opportunity that God has given to us to say something about all the arguments going on in the spirit and natural realms concerning us. If you fail to pray, you have placed yourself at the mercy of other people’s opinion.

We have received many testimonies and we know many more will come. My prayer for you is that today is your turn.

For the mature Christian, prayer is not just one of the things that happen in the church; prayer is a meeting place with God. It is like when you have secured a special appointment with a very important person. That is why mature Christians understand the things I want to share with you here.

Satan knows the powerful effect that prayer has on the affairs going on in the spirit and physical. Unfortunately, many professing Christians are not aware of this. So, it is easy for satan to distract them from praying. Satan knows that through the vehicle of prayer, we can change the tides; we can reverse his agenda, we can break his chains and dismantle all his evil forces. Prayer also enables us to take hold of our delayed blessings. The enemy knows this and so he is determined to keep us from praying. There are those that see prayer as what they resort to if all things fail. This should not be. We should keep prayer as the principal thing. If we are always in the atmosphere of prayer, we are better prepared for all the visible and invisible schemes of the devil and his agents.

Our main text today explains my point very well. Daniel did not know that some of his colleagues were jealous of him. How could he have known? Unlike some people, he committed himself to quality service to God and mankind. If he gave attention to the devil like some of us do, he would not have time to be so effective in his duty in such a way that distinguished him for the king’s promotion.

There are some who give much time in the place of prayer but put little or no time in their everyday activities at work. Prayer will break the heavens to release the anointing which you should employ for work. If you pray and don’t back it up with diligent labors, you may be rich in the spirit but you will be poor in your pocket. This goes also for those who work as pastors; I pray much but I also work hard in other endeavors. I pray but I also check on people.

Something else you will get from our main text is that, busyness of Daniel did not diminish the quality time he spent in the place of prayer. Take note that he had fixed time he went to his place of prayer. If you read further you will see that he carried his fasting to work. In some occasions he was weak in his body because he was fasting. That shows the place prayers had in his heart. The place of prayer was the meeting point for him and his God. He knew God will be there and he was not going to keep Him waiting. Unlike some people, prayer was not just a tool to solve his problems. For such people prayer time could be reduced if problems reduced. If more problems arise, then more prayers are added. If God graciously took away all his problems, then he will have no more time for prayer.

Take note that he had fixed time and fixed place for his prayer time. It is okay to pray from anywhere but it is important that we also have a particular place to meet with God. For Daniel, it was a room upstairs. The window served for more than ventilation; it was his spiritual telescope. Other people saw a window but for Daniel it reminded him of his focus.

Also take note that his enemies knew about this governing principle in his life. When the king came in the morning to check on him in the lion’s den, he made reference to this,

At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lions' den. When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, "Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?" Dan 6:19-20NIV

What do people know about you? Have your children stumbled into you while in the place of prayer before? Can someone testify and say of you, “Today is Thursday, Sister will not take breakfast, you know she is a member of PNUR Family.” Can someone count on you and say, “Brother K will send me the article for PNUR Global Day of Fasting and Prayers, even though I lost my phone?”

So, Daniel had a prayer time and place even though he worked hard in his office.

Take note that when his enemies targeted him, they focused on keeping him from doing his prayer assignment for just one month. They knew that if Daniel failed to pray fervently as was his custom for a whole month, he will lose his stamina to resist their attacks. They knew that just one month without prayers, sin will gain control of him and he will fall from his safe place. Just one month without prayers, he will not be able to stand up against temptation for corrupt practices. One month without prayer he will not be able to concentrate or function effectively. If they will achieve their aim to neutralize Daniel, that will be if they could keep him from his prayer rendezvous with God.

It is in that place that he developed his muscles for the battle of everyday. Take note that it was for him what a petrol filling station was to a vehicle; if he did not refill his tank then he will not complete his journey. He had so much to do every day that he had to go and refill his tank three times each day. The attacks were much, so he will need more fuel. There is too much expected of him to deliver, so he will need much fuel. He had an excellent Spirit and people expected excellent result, so he will need much fuel.

As I write now, I can now see why many believers are casualties in the affairs of this life. I can now see why many women have lost their marriages and their children. Okay, now I know why many men of God don’t have sufficient anointing to meet the need of those that cry out to them. Now I know why they are so overwhelmed that they want to quit or commit suicide.

Jesus Christ help us today! We need more fuel. We need to refill again and again!

We take the place of prayer lightly; we think that it is most expedient to pray when we have plenty troubles. We don’t see that our enemies don’t take a break. Just like Daniel’s enemies, they are always at work. They have launched and lost many attacks and they are researching on what method they would employ to get us down. Now they know that when you reduce your prayer devotion, you are most vulnerable, they can give you a promotion at work to keep you from prayer; they can give you an unbeliever spouse if that is what will keep you from prayer; they can send you a rich politician to get you out of the place of prayer. I know my friends that won American Visa Lottery to live in the Whiteman country and when I saw what they have become, it is clear that satan just got them out of the place of their strength.

Hmmm! What is God telling us today?

So the fight is not about money, love, fame or plenty of material possession. The enemy knows that whatever a believer has without the presence of the anointing power, will not last. The enemy knows that he will never get permanent victory over you if you continue to pray. So he is intensifying his efforts at whatever cost to keep you from honoring the appointment you have with God in the place of prayer.

I will come back to this later. You already got the message.

Don’t let anything hinder you from the fasting and prayer of this week.

If you don’t already have it, get a particular place that you retreat to on intervals for the purpose of prayers. You have a prayer rendezvous with God. It is a special appointment. Excuse yourself whenever you can, no matter what they will think of you. Life is precious and it is safer when protected in the place of prayer.

You already know that one proof that your prayers are working is because the devil is doing everything to keep you from praying. So, no matter the efforts of the devil and his agents, keep your prayer rendezvous with God.

Our website is up again, so, you can download Prayer Collections of your choice.

Remember to encourage others to join you.

Remember to pray for my team.

We are praying for you

Emma your brother pnurnigeria@gmail.com