Many people pray but few are prevailing and returning with their testimonies. (Christian Life-True Love Fostering Fellowship, peace, victory and success in life-Steps with God-Ngozi Nwoke). It is said, it takes prevailing in prayer to conquer the challenges in your lives. Knowing how to travail in prayer empowers you to prevail at all times. I found these steps to prevailing prayer by Ngozi Nwoke I thought it to be worth sharing here. She used the examples of Isaiah 66:7-8-Or shall a nation be born at once? For as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. James 5:16-17(KJV).
This reminded us that Elias prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it rained not on the earth for the space of three years and six months. Why travail? Because it engages your heart. It pours your soul to the Lord. Engaging your heart results in explosive answered prayers. Matthew 25:3 “For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them. Matthew 25-26-the Lord tells us to keep watch -for we do not know the day or the time of His coming. “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The Spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak” Matthew 26:41
“Watch” was often associated with guidance, direction by the light, and by the Spirit. Though it may be symbolic, if our lamps have no oil, we cannot see where we are going. There is a whole sermon here, but by watching and praying we are putting a guard around us to keep us from falling into temptation, and from missing the coming of our King. Matthew 25-26
A personal story about travailing: I worked for the state and our head nurse, wonderful lady-was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. At the end of shift, it was announced that she had weeks or days to live. My heart was moved with compassion, and I sensed that a travail was stirring in me so thinking it may pass quickly -I went to the lady’s room. There I began to travail as quietly as possible, when it did not lift quickly, I just left and drove home. At home I travailed praying in the Spirit- 3 hours total. I felt it lift. I decided to go on with my evening. The next day I was told that her prognosis had changed, things were not as grave, she was still in the hospital. I decided after work to go to the hospital to see her. I walked in her room and she was so happy to see me. She said, “Thank you for coming to see me yesterday and praying for me.” She said, “I was so sick and you walked into the room and put your hands on me and prayed, and it seemed like things turned around right away.” I said -“Yesterday? “She said, “Yes, thank you so much for praying!” Well, I was about to say I was never there yesterday, and instead I just said, “You are welcome”, not knowing what to make of this myself, and certainly not wanting to dishearten my sick friend. After all -who was encouraged about feeling so much better! I was just a vessel who engaged my heart to provoke divine intervention on behalf of my friend. All Glory to God!
Maybe you have not made a decision to ask Jesus into your heart and life yet, perhaps this message went over your head, I just want to tell you that you can just talk to the Lord and He will listen to what you are asking Him. Jeremiah 33:3 “Ask me, and I will tell you things that you don’t know and can’t find out.”(CEV)
Just say Jesus, I do believe that You are real, You died for my sins, to give me a fresh start, You rose again, to give me a new life eternally, forgive me of all the sin I have been stuck in, give me Your Holy Spirit, set my life anew, change me forevermore. Thank you, Jesus!!!In Your name Amen!
How to prevail in prayers:
- Engage your heart to provoke divine intervention.1 Samuel 2:13-19
- It takes groaning in the Spirit to travail in prayers. Romans 8:26-28, I John 5:14-15
- Engage in a cry of faith. Mark10:47-52
- Engage effectual fervency in prayer. James 5: 16-18