Living and Walking a life of Prayer and Closeness to God.
Prayer and communion with the Father are of utmost importance if we are to see the power of God demonstrated in and through our lives. Times of prayer, stillness, and drawing close unto the Lord are important, but the underlying foundation to it is "living and walking a life of prayer and closeness to God." This is when we live and breathe prayer in our everyday lives, akin to prayer running constantly like a motor in our inner beings.
We pray with our understanding and we pray in the Spirit. We pray personally and we pray corporately. Just like personal prayer is life-giving to us personally, so is corporate prayer a key to the flow of spiritual life and power in the local church.
The Early Church led by the Apostles of Jesus prayed, and that prayer brought down the power of God over the local church and empowered them to be witnesses for Jesus. In the same way, when the local church of today prays, the power of God comes upon the believers of the local church and empowers them to be witnesses for Jesus.
"And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.” Acts 4:31
This being said, we must go back to the fact that corporate prayer has its foundations in the individual prayer lives of the leaders and members of the local church, and in the way they "live and breathe lives of prayer" in their personal lives.
That is why it is so important for us as believers to live lives of prayer and communion with the Lord in our personal lives. This is a foundational premise for the life of everyone who loves Jesus.
"And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint" Luke 18:1
"And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.” Acts 2:42
"And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.” Acts 4:31
"Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer" Rom 12:12
"I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.” 1 Cor 14:15
Originally posted on Facebook by Pastor Christopher Alam