WONDERWORLD CAPSULES BY Apostle Jordan Akada
SATURDAY 6TH FEBRUARY 2021
TOPIC: OBSTACLES TO PRAYING ALWAYS
“And he spake a parable unto them [to this end], that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.
And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.
And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?.” (Luke 18:1-8)
Understand that praying is part of the kingdom race. “Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain” (1 Corinthians 9:24). We must run the race with the mind of getting the prize.
Obstacle is a natural phenomenon found on the way to success. It accompanies the process of doing what is right. The ability of an individual to overcome obstacles and press towards the mark is what makes the difference.
Obstacles to praying always include but not limited to;
1. INDISCIPLINE: Indiscipline is a lack of control in the life of an individual or a group of people.
Most Christians show a high level of indiscipline in carrying out spiritual activities.
Solution to Indiscipline:
* Stop extolling pleasure above spiritual business: “But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth (1 Timothy 5:6 )” You can shun eating and drinking on your birthday; make it a day with God in praying and fasting. You can avoid eating in that traditional marriage of your friend so as to escape contamination.
* You must despise carnality “Because the carnal mind [is] enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be” (Romans 8:7).
Carnality makes people to misunderstand, misinterpret and misappropriate the word.
* Decide to fight the good fight of faith: (1 Timothy 6:12 – Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, where unto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses).
d. Deal with the spirit of slumbering in the place of prayer: (Proverbs 20:13 – Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, [and] thou shalt be satisfied with bread)
2. SECRET SIN:
These are sin that easily beset us. (Hebrews 12:1 – Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset [us], and let us run with patience the race that is set before us).
Solutions to Secret Sin
a. Don’t regard iniquity in your heart: (Psalm 66:18 – If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear [me]). Don’t cherish it secretly.
b. Engage the full force of Psalm 15:1-5.
c. Confession, repentance and conversion unto God. “I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah”,( Psalm 32:5 , Proverb 28:13).
3. WRONG MARITAL RELATIONSHIP:
A wrong husband can hinder the vibrant wife from effective praying and vice versa. Wrong marriage and spiritual exercise do not tally
(Amos 3:3- “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?” ( 2 Corinthians 6:14)
Solutions:
a. Husband must honour the wife (1Peter 3:7). Honour her as your daughter, she bears your name, don’t make her a crumb-biter. Husband must have a sound knowledge of biblical principles and abide by them.
“But [let it be] the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, [even the ornament] of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands: Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement” (Peter 3:4-6 ). The wife must be in subjection to her husband which will attract love and honour from the husband towards her.
b. Husband must provide for his own family (1 Timothy 5:8). He must leave father and mother, and cleave to the wife (Genesis 2:24, Eph. 5:31). He should love his wife just as he loves himself, so that the wife can submit willingly.
“Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife [see] that she reverence [her] husband” (Ephesians 5:33).
MEDITATION:
The word of God opens me to passionately pray without excuses.
PRAYER:
1. Lord, open my eyes on time before it is too late.
2. Lord, deliver me from procrastinating my prayer time in Jesus name.
FOR EXTRA DOSE: DWELL ON Ezekiel 18:31, Acts 2:1-18.
