14/05/2025
VIRTUES OF PRAYER
Everyone prays. in families, individual manages to get it done as a normal daily routine; saying few casual words religiously to God in the morning before going out for the day, or saying good night to God before retiring to bed at night. Well, that is not bad, but right here, we will consider some spiritual qualities that can make one spend quality time with God in prayer. Prayer is not cheap talk, prayer is hard work! Praying is not easy but is possible. It is your choice. No one on his natural self will like to spend most of his time praying except when any of these virtues is fully at work.
1. VIRTUE OF GRACE AND SUPPLICATION
And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitant of Jerusalem, the Spirit of Grace and Supplications.......
Zechariah 12:10
First, it takes Grace to pray, for without Him we can do nothing.
John 15:5. Prayer is a spiritual activity that requires Grace to function. You can grow in the Spirit of Grace through knowledge, and Knowledge requires your will to function in Grace.
The disciples said;
But we WILL give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the Word.
Acts 6:4
Though the Grace is available for all but your "WILL" is required to make prayer happen. The Apostles say "but we "WILL" give our selves continually to prayer". So prayer is the responds of your choice and giving of yourself on the provision of Grace. Though you may not always flow in the same unction of prayer all the time, but the major thing is that you must try to pray always. For instance, if someone is praying and was carried away by sleep, while on his kneels, when he wakes up, he should continue from where he stopped. Do not be discouraged, for prayer is a function of Grace. However, you may ask God for the release of the Spirit of Grace and Supplications upon you, and when it comes, it will make you both to pray in season and out of season.
In 1993, i was very young by then, i vividly recall that one Woman of God telling my mother, her Son, ( I), have been called into ministry. After some decades of visiting Apostolic Church of God, I commenced sensing an unusual urge to pray but never had anything specific to pray or ask for. I embarked on a seven day dry fasting and prayer. I was in Junior school then. Though, I had started sensing the urge for the work of the ministry, I knew I was called to preach the gospel, but was not yet matured for a full time ministry.
I gathered some of my friends and agreed to have the prayer and fasting at one of the primary school in Asokwa, Ashanti Region, Ghana, during vacation period. So, as we prayed from the first day the Glory of God filled the room. Our prayers were mainly on praises and speaking with tongues because there was nothing specific we needed to receive from God. We prayed out the burden in our hearts unto the Lord in tongues only, I had never prayed in that dimension any other time before then.
However, on the fourth day I saw two personalities out side the room. Both of them wore white bright gowns. The door was closed, but I saw them, but what I could not tell was whether my optical eyes were closed at the time this thing happened or not. when these two personalities got closer to the door one of them who was like a messenger angel stood at the door but one walked in so calmly into the room while we prayed in tongues, I couldn't see his personality well. As He approached the direction I was, I noticed that he did not wear footwear, He was bear footed. So, we were on the ground praying as I watched Him stood before me. He spoke to me with a question, He said; "for all these days you (referring to all of us) have kept heaven with concern, what do you want? Another thing I discovered was that as He spoke to me, I watched His lips moved but could only hear HIs voice from within me, though very audible. When He asked that question, I could not say anything, I was dumb founded because I did not know what we needed and never expected such a question from the Lord. I thought the Lord could just give to anyone whatever He (the LORD) wishes and that our choices does not count, and that was my level of understanding at that time. I was still immature in spiritual things but immediately something came up in my mind and I responded "Lord I need your power and the Grace to pray". So as I said that, the Lord turned back and pointed his right hand as He turned, I saw a vast endless green field, and then He said to me "I shall meet with you in the field". When He spoke those words, I did not understand exactly what He meant until I fully accepted my calling as a Man of God. Moreover, the Lord turned and walked away so gently and calmly just as He came in.
Sooner He got to the door; both He and the other angel who came with Him were cut off and disappeared. As He left, unusual strength came upon us and we prayed in tongues for about two and half hour non-stop! When we got through, I asked my friends, I any of them heard what the Lord said to me. They said no, only that they sensed unusual glory and they knew that the presence of God entered the room, but that He did not see anything. Then I narrated my encounter to them.
At that time, I never knew that I was going to end up in ministry, moving from places to places with the Gospel.
2. VIRTUE OF PURPOSE
3. VIRTUE OF AFFLICTION
4. VIRTUE OF INTIMACY
More light will be thrown in these three (3) Virtues of Prayers above in our next article...
Stay blessed and connected.
Apostle A. A. Richard....
