I welcome you with joy and excitement to this month of March, our month of praying through for breakthrough. At CAC Bethel, over the years, we have dedicated March 1-21, which falls within the Christian Lenten season, to prayer and fasting.
The need for prayer is far greater than most of God’s people realize, the need of the hour is powerful, persistent, passionate prayer.
The good news is that prayer works. Whatever you are going through, whatever our nation is going through, particularly with election results in Nigeria. Whatever your family is going through, whatever the church is going through, the bible says it is "common." "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above what ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, so that ye may be able to bear it." 1 Cor 10:13
The story was told about a man called Naaman. He was a leper. His housemaid encouraged him to consult Prophet Elisha of Israel. Reluctantly, he did. The man of God directed him to go and dip himself in river Jordan. Reluctantly, he did. After the seventh time, his leprosy disappeared.
Many of us are carrying about our leprosies, challenges, and troubles, not because we don’t dip ourselves in river Jordan, but it’s not enough times! This month and going forward, challenge yourself to pray through. Pray through until you have breakthrough in your marriage, project, business, academic and career pursuit. Don’t do things haphazardly or halfway. Be diligent, focus and discipline yourself.
Like Esther, pray and fast this month with passion, determination, and purpose, expecting results. Esther did not perish, on the contrary, she found favor with God. Jesus did not just pray, He prayed through at the garden of Gethsemane. This month, as you pray through, you shall find favor with the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.
What does it mean to pray though?
To pray until something happens (PUSH). It is to pray with faith, not doubting until God answers you and you have a witness in your spirit that it is done. “Therefore, I say unto you, what things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. Mk 11:24.
God is saying don't despair. Prayer is a way of escape from life struggles and frustrations. Pray until the siege is over. Prayer is the route to peace, progress, and prosperity. Jeremiah 33:3 “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.” It is to know what you don’t know before, get result that eluded you before. Reach where you did not reach before.
Why must we pray through?
When purpose is unknown abuse is inevitable. Almost made it has not made it. I almost won the prize will live to regret he never won the prize. It is the person that won the prize that goes home with the trophy. A lady from the USA read my book -Destroying curses and Evil Covenants– She called to ask me “Can a curse prevent a person from schooling? because I tried all I could when in Nigeria and the same thing in the US to no avail.” I asked if she had gone to school now, she said “No.” To the glory of God we prayed with her and ministered deliverance to her, today she is a graduate. If you don’t pray through, you stagnate. You will be a casualty of your generation. You will be among the complainants. Praying is not for show it is to solve human problems. Until those problems are solved you have not prayed through. Every problem has a solution. There was a time there were no cars, no electricity, no airplane. People endeavoured to pray through to create those things and today we are beneficiaries. We travel in comfort. We must pray through to break through and have breakthrough.
How do we pray through?
Praise and worship God for His mercies, goodness and favours. Confess your sins, we cannot be in sin and say the grace of God should abound. We pray through when we do not deliberately live in sin. When we do not live in bitterness, hatred, wickedness, anger and unforgiveness. You cannot be stealing in your office and be lifting up hands in the church, it will not work. Isaiah 58 and 59:1-2 give us guidelines on how to pray and fast with results. Talk to the Lord about areas of your life, individuals you are concerned about and specific needs as God connects His Word to your daily experiences. Find a scripture that supports your request. Pray in the name of Jesus. “If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.” John14:14. The length and intensity of our prayers are important, but they are not what “gets prayer through.” The blood of Jesus and simple faith is what gives the humblest sinner access to the Creator God of the universe. Prayers are not answered because we pray good prayers but because we have a good, merciful, and loving God. We pray in the Holy Ghost. We pray through when we are not praying with selfish motives. When we are operating in love, genuine and sincere spirit.
Some examples of people who pray through in Scripture.
We have examples of people who prayed through and had breakthrough from scripture:
1. Blind Bartimaeus: - Mk 10: 46-52. He prayed till his blindness disappeared. Your spiritual or physical blindness shall disappear if you pray through.
2. The importunate widow: Lk 18:1-8. She prayed until the “unjust man” avenged her of her adversaries. Pray until that case is over. Pray until you get that admission, that business blossoms, you get your degree, you wear your wedding ring, and buy/build your dream home.
3. Isaac: Gen 26: 12- 35. The more he dug wells, the more they blocked it. Life is not cheap. Life does not give you what you deserve but what you are able to get through prayers and your had work. Failed an exam? Take it again. That business did not work? Start another one. Tired of the nation you are? relocate. Praying through is a broaden spectrum for you to succeed in life, in the big picture.
4. Esther: Esther 4:16. “Then Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer,16 Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish”. Prayer and fasting do not kill when done properly. Esther persisted in prayer until she got deliverance for herself and her people plus the enemy Haman was destroyed on the gallows he made for Mordecai. Pray through until you liberate those in LGBTQ, prostitution, drug addiction and such bondages. Until that unbeliever in your office, neighbourhood gives their life to Jesus.
5. Elijah: 1King 18. He prayed through until the prophets of Baal were destroyed, until the nation of Israel turned to God. Canada, Nigeria, Cameroon, Sir Lanka, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia China, North Korea is waiting for you till they all come to the knowledge of Christ. This past week I was in Billy Graham Library in Charlotte, North Carolina; one of the pictures on the wall showed Rev. Graham preaching to 1.1 million North Koreans in one open air crusade! Elijah prayed until rain fell. Rain speaks of prosperity, comfort, joy, and settlement. Pray until you, your family, church experiences rain. Jam 5: 17-18
Prayer Content.
I will not have space to guide you on your prayer content. But I need to say, let the Holy Spirit lead you. Pray according to biblical principles. For instance, In Matt 5, Jesus encourages us to pray for our enemies and those that persecute us. What type of prayer? Simple prayer of salvation, pray that their evil machinations will not come to pass. Paul says we should pray for our leaders to embrace peace. Pray for their salvation. Pray that the people of other faiths will have their spiritual eyes opened and be saved. Pray for the church leaders and all Christians to lead in accepting all humans are equal. Pray against Jihadist and Islamization agenda. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem as a nation and your own nation as your Jerusalem. Pray for kingdom advancement. Pray for your family, relations, church members, that you all prosper spiritually, physically, materially, academically, and financially.
Let us pray!
O Lord help me to pray through. I need breakthrough. I receive anointing to pray through. I receive strength to fast and pray in these 21 days. O, Lord according to your word in Isaiah 10:27: “And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing. “I destroy the yoke of prayerlessness, inability to fellowship, read and meditate on your word. I destroy the yoke of barrenness, inability to secure a life partner, and paper to live in Canada as a citizen. I destroy the yoke of failure, reproach, loneliness, oppression, depression, affliction, ill-health, delay, mental challenge, spirit of procrastination, insolence, distraction, limitation. According to your word in Rev 3:7 “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, these things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;” I command doors to open for me, doors to preach your gospel, prosper. excel in academics, career prospects, ministry, business, in my office… continue to pray as led by the Holy Spirit. Pray until you breakthrough in every area of your life. It is possible, I am a witness. It is your turn. Shalom
Postscript
Join us this month in 21 days of prayer, from March 1 -21, 2023 at Christ Apostolic Church Bethel Canada Zone (Toronto), if you are in the Greater Toronto Area. We are located at 94 Kenhar Drive, Suite 22, North York, Ontario, M9L 1N2. We meet online every day at 7:30pm, Fridays only 10pm-12am www.cacbethel.com. This year we celebrate 20th anniversary of International Gathering of eagles conference Sept 14-17, 2023. Contact us www.IGOEMINISTRY.COM
