THERE’S MORE TO PRAYER AND TO – PRAYING AND FASTING: PRAYER IS RELATIONSHIP ENHANCED BY FELLOWSHIP!
“Thou wilt shew me THE PATH OF LIFE: in thy PRESENCE is FULNESS OF JOY; at thy RIGHT HAND there are PLEASURES FOR EVERMORE” Psalms 16:11 [Ephesians 1:3, 20; Ephesians 2:6].
Sometimes People talk and almost boast on how much they do fast or have fasted and prayed and praying as to qualify or earn them somehow a spiritual status of greatness; more especially as we are about turning into a new year, some will set days or weeks or months as if they are in a comparable state to prove something. Forgetting that they who go comparing themselves for whatever reason in this Kingdom causes are not Scripturally wise – meaning are foolish, ignorant and immature for such act of comparison intent as written:
“For we DARE not make ourselves of the NUMBER, or COMPARE ourselves with some that COMMEND themselves: but they MEASURING themselves by themselves, and COMPARING themselves among themselves, ARE NOT WISE” 2 Corinthians 10:12.
Prayer or praying and fasting is a vitality and necessity for every Christian faith believer in Christ Jesus of which I acclaimed to belong. I love to vitalise my faith through all that, but as important as any or both vitalities and necessities are, they are void if the objective is not primarily about FELLOWSHIP with God, in order to enhance the RELATIONSHIP with God as a result of being born of God and for the good and goodness of God’s cause on earth for mankind in Christ Jesus stead.
“God is FAITHFUL, by whom ye were CALLED unto the FELLOWSHIP of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord” 1 Corinthians 1:9.
“And in the morning, RISING UP A GREAT WHILE BEFORE DAY, he went out, and departed into a SOLITARY PLACE, and there PRAYED” Mark 1:35.
And to engage in an effective PRAYERS and probably with FASTING in FELLOWSHIP to enhance RELATIONSHIP with God for any cause, there’s the need to live a life of FORGIVENESS and FORGETFULNESS to necessitate them. Many may say they can or may FORGIVE but can’t possibly FORGET. Can you imagine God, ONLY FORGIVING you of your shortfalls and NOT FORGETTING about it? and you want to claim to live or be living in God’s BLESSEDNESS in Christ Jesus stead without such knowing and understanding as God’s offspring?
“Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, WHEN YE PRAY, BELIEVE that ye RECEIVE them, and ye SHALL HAVE them. 25 And WHEN YE STAND PRAYING, FORGIVE, if ye have OUGHT AGAINST ANY: that your Father also which is in heaven may FORGIVE you your TRESPASSES. 26 But if ye DO NOT FORGIVE, neither will your Father which is in heaven FORGIVE YOUR TRESPASSES” Mark 11:24-26.
And one needs to know that as God is in Christ Jesus, so ARE we in this world, in order to carry on His GOSPEL mandate without an “IF and BUT” baggages – 1 John 4:17-18 [John 10:34-35; Psalms 82:6; Genesis 3:5]. This then indicates that there’s therefore something more of a FOUNDATION and FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES we need to uphold in grace by faith, in order to enhance PRAYERS or PRAYING and FASTING. Thus, there is more to PRAYERS or PRAYING and FASTING toward our – RELATIONSHIP and FELLOWSHIP – which are in twine with FORGIVENESS and FORGETFULNESS. Otherwise, prayer will be UNANSWERED and one is only a noise maker of self gratification and in deceptions, no matter how much you acclaimed to prayers or prayer and fasting.
For PRAYER or PRAYING AND FASTING to be effectual – productive and results oriented, it must have the FOUNDATION and FUNDAMENTAL principles called a RELATIONSHIP with God in Christ Jesus stead and enhanced through FELLOWSHIP accordingly. That’s the basic principle that any one who intends to reach out to God must endeavour to establish for themselves otherwise middle men cohorts in the name of God with titles and entitlements, will take advantage of such vulnerability and ignorance, and become a god and wants to do god to such an individual which is unscriptural and unfounded in the Christian FAITH foundation and fundamental, which justification and access by faith is only of – REPENTANCE toward God and FAITH toward Christ Jesus. Amen. [Acts 20:20-21].
“And how I KEPT BACK NOTHING that was PROFITABLE unto you, but have SHEWED you, and have TAUGHT you publicly, and from house to house, 21 TESTIFYING both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, REPENTANCE toward God, and FAITH toward our Lord Jesus Christ” Acts 20:20-21.
“Therefore being JUSTIFIED BY FAITH, we have PEACE with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2 by whom also we have ACCESS BY FAITH into this GRACE wherein we STAND, and REJOICE in hope of the glory of God” Romans 5:1-2.
And to enhance the RELATIONSHIP with God in Christ Jesus Christ, the act of communion – FELLOWSHIP, is a necessity and vitality for one to fulfill PURPOSE with God. [1 Corinthians 1:9; Romans 8:28-30; 1 Corinthians 2:9-10]. The act of FELLOWSHIP is to enhance RELATIONSHIP with God in Christ Jesus stead, and this act to enhance is only possible with a spirited heart of forgiving (FORGIVENESS) and forgetting (FORGETFULNESS) on the human part toward God in Christ Jesus, toward self and toward others. You can’t get yourself entangle with unforgiveness and unforgettable attitude to God, to self and to others and wants to enjoy God’s BLESSEDNESS in Christ Jesus stead. For it’s upon this principle aforementioned, that PRAYERS – PRAYING AND FASTING – act can be of EFFECTUAL – productive and result oriented with the peace, assurance that transcends and surpasses human comprehension and understanding. [Mark 11:20-26; Matthew 5:38-48; James 5:13-18, Philippians 4:6-7. Ephesians 3:14-20].
I pray that you receive the grace for an effectual and efficient FELLOWSHIP and RELATIONSHIP with God in Christ Jesus stead, that will enhanced your PRAYER life through the Spirit of forgiveness and forgetfulness with – God, Self and others – in Jesus’ precious name. Amen.
SELAH – PAUSE AND THINK.
SCRIPTURAL THOUGHTS WORTH PONDERING IN CONTEXT:
“And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. 23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. 24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. 25 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. 26 But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses” Mark 11:22-26.
“God is FAITHFUL, by whom ye were CALLED unto the FELLOWSHIP of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord” 1 Corinthians 1:9.
“And we know that ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD to them that love God, to them who are the CALLED according to his PURPOSE. 29 For whom he did FOREKNOW, he also did PREDESTINATE to be CONFORMED to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom he did PREDESTINATE, them he also CALLED: and whom he called, them he also JUSTIFIED: and whom he JUSTIFIED, them he also GLORIFIED” Romans 8:28-30.
“Be CAREFUL FOR NOTHING; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7 And the PEACE of God, which PASSETH ALL UNDERSTANDING, shall KEEP (GUARD, GARRISON) your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” Philippians 4:6-7 Emphasis Mine.
“Herein is our LOVE made perfect, that we may have BOLDNESS in the day of judgment: because as he is, SO ARE WE IN THIS WORLD” 1 John 4:17.
“Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: 39 but I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40 And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also. 41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. 42 Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. 43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. 44 But I say unto you, LOVE YOUR ENEMIES, BLESS THEM THAT CURSE YOU, DO GOOD TO THEM THAT HATE YOU, AND PRAY FOR THEM WHICH DESPITEFULLY USE YOU, AND PERSECUTE YOU; 45 that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? 47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? 48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect” Matthew 5:38-48.
“Dearly beloved, AVENGE NOT YOURSELVES, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. 20 Therefore if THINE ENEMY HUNGER, FEED HIM; if he THIRST, GIVE HIM DRINK: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. 21 Be NOT OVERCOME OF EVIL, but OVERCOME EVIL WITH GOOD” Romans 12:19-21.
“If THINE ENEMY BE HUNGRY, give him BREAD TO EAT; and if he be THIRSTY, give him WATER TO DRINK: 22 for thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the Lord shall reward thee” Proverbs 25:21-22.
“When a man’s WAYS PLEASE the Lord, he MAKETH even his ENEMIES TO BE AT PEACE with him” Proverbs 16:7.
“But WITHOUT FAITH it is IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE HIM: for he that cometh to God must BELIEVE that He is, and that He is a REWARDER of them that DILIGENTLY seek him” Hebrews 11:6.
REV. CHUKIE MORSI