It Is Written

The Power of Prayer

Three Angels Broadcasting Network

Program transcript

Participants: John Bradshaw (Host), Ron Halvorsen

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Series Code: IIW

Program Code: IIW001325


00:02 ÷Theme Music] It has stood the test of time,
00:09 God's book, The Bible.
00:14 Still relevant in today's complex world.
00:22 It Is Written, sharing hope around the globe.
00:36 Thanks for joining me today on It Is Written.
00:38 I4m John Bradshaw.
00:39 Glad to have with me today again, a special guest,
00:42 Ron Halverson.
00:43 Ron, thank you for joining me today.
00:45 RH: Glad to be here again.
00:46 JB: We are going to carry on from where we were last time
00:48 we met together.
00:49 And we'll talk about the power of prayer.
00:51 You believe and you know from experience that prayer --
00:54 communication with God --is powerful.
00:58 How do you know that to be true?
01:00 RH: Well, because first of all what it does for us
01:02 individually.
01:03 But then what it does for us as we share faith, as we
01:06 reach out to those outside the community of faith,
01:09 and see their lives change.
01:11 The greatest testimony of the power of God in prayer
01:14 is pray for someone, intercede for someone, and then see
01:17 their lives change and turned.
01:19 JB: Now there are some prayers that aren't powerful
01:21 prayers.
01:22 We could talk forever about this, but take a couple
01:24 of moments and talk to me about the difference between
01:26 a prayer that is not really very effective and a prayer
01:28 that's powerful.
01:29 RH: Well, I think the prayer that's ineffective is when it
01:33 concentrates -- or what I call crisis praying.
01:36 A lot of our praying is crisis praying.
01:38 We don't say much about prayer, we don't pray much
01:40 until a crisis comes in our life.
01:43 Well aunt Tillie, has a sickness.
01:45 Awww and then you forego your knees and you pray
01:47 for the next few days that aunt Tillie will get well,
01:50 or uncle John, or someone in the church is sick,
01:52 then it's gone.
01:53 That's crisis praying.
01:54 When you are sick, have you noticed you pray more than
01:57 you did before you got sick?
01:59 That's crisis praying.
02:00 That is not really ...
02:01 it works but is not as affective as the continual
02:04 spirit of prayer.
02:05 He said he is continually in the spirit of prayer.
02:08 JB: Pray without ceasing.
02:09 RH: Without ceasing, that's right John.
02:11 JB: So nothing wrong with praying for Aunt Tillie
02:14 but if that's the only time you are praying ...
02:17 RH: If that's the only time you have the urgency to pray.
02:20 Well that's the only time you find yourself really -- what
02:23 I call -- sweating in prayer.
02:25 I mean, really agonizing in prayer.
02:27 Then that's the weakest part.
02:28 To others it's non focusing prayer.
02:31 It's like hunting with a shot gun, shooting in the woods
02:33 hoping you hit what you needed to hit, the need.
02:36 The more you focus in on your need, the more you focus
02:39 in on the needs of others, the more you focus in on
02:43 the need of your church, and concentrate on that,
02:45 the more effective and powerful the prayer becomes, because
02:48 it's like a magnifying glass with the sun coming through
02:51 and "plooom!"
02:52 before you know it, the paper bursts into flames.
02:54 JB: So you recognize that when it comes to prayer
02:57 there are some prayers that are a little too general.
03:00 God bless the missionaries.
03:01 RH: Yeah.
03:03 JB: I think that's fine, if you're going to pray
03:05 the blanket prayer, God bless the missionaries, wouldn't it
03:07 also help to pray and God bless the Smiths,
03:10 or the Gonzalez, or the whoever they are,
03:13 the Mitchen family in a particular place
03:15 and bless and help their need.
03:16 JB: That's why it's important to get a prayer list.
03:19 It's wonderful to pray for the missionaries generally,
03:22 that's great, but what about the missionary in Uganda,
03:25 and find out who that missionary family is.
03:28 Then begin to concentrate on the prayer for that family.
03:30 Find out the circumstances in which they are,
03:33 and then surround that family in prayer.
03:36 That's what we call focus prayer, intercessory focus
03:39 prayer.
03:40 I find that the greatest answers come when I focus
03:43 on a certain person, a certain need.
03:45 And for instance, whenever I go to a city, I walk the city
03:50 (the perimeters) in prayer, but I always pray
03:52 for the meanest, toughest, snortinest, fightinest guy
03:55 or girl in that city, because they become
03:58 the greatest witnesses.
03:59 I got a call from a friend one day.
04:02 He said, would you like to come to Hawaii and hold a city-wide
04:05 evangelistic meeting.
04:06 I said, let me pray about it.
04:07 Thank you Jesus, here is one of those instant answers.
04:10 I told my wife to pack my suitcase, we're going.
04:12 And I got there and I started walking the bad area
04:15 of Waikiki.
04:16 And I prayed for the toughest, meanest, snortinest,
04:19 fightinest dude in that town.
04:21 The first night, in walks this big Samoan.
04:25 I mean he is so big.
04:26 I am big.
04:27 I am 6 foot 4.
04:28 Well, now I am 6 foot 2, I am getting old, but at 6.2, big.
04:31 But this man he was so big, and I am a hugger.
04:35 I hug people.
04:36 But man, it took me 3 days to get up enough courage to hug
04:39 this Samoan.
04:40 And he had scars and he was a drug addict, and he
04:43 was tough and mean.
04:44 I said, thank you Jesus, I said, you answered my prayer.
04:48 That was a focus prayer.
04:49 At the end of that meeting that man gave his life
04:52 to Christ.
04:53 He was baptized.
04:54 Not only that the first year, him and his youth group win
04:57 100 souls and are baptized in the kingdom of God.
04:59 I just got a call from him, this is 8 years later.
05:01 He is holding meetings.
05:02 He transformed by the power of God.
05:05 You see, that is focus praying.
05:07 I prayed for the meanest, toughest, snortinest,
05:09 fightinest.
05:10 A marine came to my meeting.
05:12 Drunken marine, first war in Iraq.
05:15 He was knocking the enemies off the hills a mile away.
05:18 He comes to Christ.
05:20 In the second Iraq war he is a chaplain, serving Christ.
05:24 You see, that's the power of prayer.
05:26 JB: That's right.
05:27 Prayer is powerful.
05:27 RH: That's when prayer is powerful.
05:28 JB: There is something you said a moment ago
05:29 we are going to pick up on in just a moment.
05:31 Prayer, the power of prayer with speaker and author,
05:34 Ron Halverson.
05:35 We'll be back with more in just a moment.
05:38 [music] In Matthew 4:4 the Word
05:42 of God says, It Is Written, Man shall not live by bread
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05:48 Every Word is a one-minute Bible based daily devotional
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06:13 (music)
06:20 In 2 Thessalonians 2:10, the Apostle Paul wrote
06:24 about a certain group of people who he said received
06:27 not the love of the truth that they might be saved.
06:30 Based on what Paul is saying, only those who love the truth
06:34 will receive eternal life.
06:36 He didn't say Salvation is for those who know the truth
06:39 only, but those who love the truth.
06:42 I'm sure churches are crowded with people who know
06:44 the truth, but it is only when Jesus touches your heart
06:47 that that truth starts to make any real difference.
06:50 While you study the Bible and do whatever else you do
06:52 for spiritual growth, keep in mind salvation is not only
06:56 about theory.
06:57 You can be right and still be wrong.
06:59 It's when you love the Savior, who you
07:02 find in the midst of the truth of God's word, that things
07:05 really come alive.
07:06 I'm John Bradshaw for It Is Written.
07:09 Let's live today by Every Word.
07:13 I'm John Bradshaw, this is It Is Written.
07:15 Today, The Power of Prayer.
07:17 I'm speaking with prayer expert, author and speaker
07:20 Ron Halverson, who for over 50 years has learned the art
07:24 of prayer and has come to understand something about
07:26 the power of prayer.
07:27 And Ron, a moment ago, you talked about going into
07:30 a place, walking the perimeter of a city and praying
07:33 specifically for people.
07:35 Talk to me about that.
07:36 What is that all about, this walking and praying.
07:38 RH: Well, you see the practical part of warfare,
07:42 is every battle is won, not at the pentagon.
07:46 The lines are drawn, I mean the strategies are drawn,
07:49 but a strategy is not enough.
07:51 You've got to get the people on the battlefield.
07:53 You got to get the people out in the battlefield because
07:55 they take street by street, house by house, that's how
07:57 they win a war.
07:59 Well you know, I was thinking: here I am praying
08:02 for these cities.
08:03 It seems like I am one person in a sea of lost.
08:07 How can we make it practical?
08:09 How can we reach out?
08:10 And I got a hold of a book (I was in a used book store)
08:13 and it said, Prayer Walking.
08:15 Prayer walking?
08:16 I said, prayer walking?
08:17 So I said, I'm going to read that book.
08:20 And I took it along and that was just before I got
08:23 the call to go out to Hawaii.
08:25 So I read this book on prayer walking, I'm flying across
08:28 to Hawaii and said, I'm going to have to try this.
08:31 And so I got to Hawaii and my wife comes to me one day
08:34 and she says," I'd like to go down to the international
08:37 mall and go shopping for the grandkids.
08:39 You know, she is from Venus, I'm from Mars.
08:42 So I said, Honey, yeah, you go shopping and I'll walk.
08:45 And I thought, wow, I've got an hour here.
08:47 I'm going to start praying.
08:49 I started walking around the perimeters and I noticed
08:52 a prostitute on every corner.
08:54 And by the way, when you are a Christian and a believer
08:56 you look at a prostitute, you don't see a piece of
08:58 merchandise, you see someone's daughter, someone's
09:01 wife, mother, and I started to cry.
09:05 And I said, Lord, before these meetings are over,
09:08 I want you to touch a street walker on this street
09:11 and bring her to you.
09:14 So every Thursday I went down and walked that street,
09:16 the perimeters of that street, and I prayed.
09:19 I said, God please, one person.
09:21 And 300-400 hundred non believers were coming
09:25 to the meetings.
09:26 And at the end, we had a big baptismal class and at the end
09:30 of the baptism, this woman came up to me and she says,
09:33 "I need to talk to you pastor."
09:34 And so we sat down and she said, "I was in your baptismal
09:37 class, and I was baptized."
09:38 I said, "that's wonderful.
09:39 I know, I saw you each night" and she said, "but you know,
09:44 I wanted to tell you," she says, "when these meetings
09:46 started I was a street walker, prostitute." I said "where?"
09:51 And she named the very street I had been praying.
09:55 I'm talking about on the street, the power of God,
09:59 moving in the heart of that prostitute.
10:01 How could I have ever reached that woman for Christ?
10:04 Christ reached that woman for me to strengthen my faith
10:08 in God and in prayer.
10:10 You see, the definition for prayer walking
10:12 is on sight with insight.
10:16 Another thing about prayer walking, it puts you
10:19 into the community and you begin to sense the need.
10:22 You focus your prayer on that need.
10:24 Now how did I come to this biblically?
10:26 There is a bible reason why I am a prayer walker,
10:29 and why I teach prayer walking.
10:30 Because of Joshua.
10:32 I read the story of Joshua.
10:33 Look at chapter 1 of Joshua.
10:35 I mean, this is a great story.
10:38 He says, "now after the death of Moses, the servant
10:40 of the Lord, it came to pass," and by the way John everything
10:44 is going to come to pass.
10:45 JB: Yes it is.
10:46 RH: Alright?
10:47 Whether we want it or not, is going to come to pass.
10:50 "And that the Lord spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses'
10:54 minister saying: Moses my servant is dead,
10:57 now therefore arise."
10:58 You see, Moses (in the mind of the Jew) was perfection.
11:02 When they talked about perfection, they talked about
11:04 Moses.
11:05 Moses was their idol.
11:07 But Moses could get them out but he couldn't get them in.
11:10 It took Joshua, and then notice here, this is ...
11:12 I mean, this grips me.
11:14 I mean, it changed my life.
11:15 He said, and he says to Joshua, verse 2, "go over
11:18 the Jordan, thou and all the people unto the land which
11:21 I do give to them."
11:24 He said, I'm giving this to you.
11:26 "Go over now and claim it. Even to the children
11:28 of Israel.
11:28 And every place the souls of your foot shall tread upon,
11:33 that have I given unto you as I said unto Moses."
11:39 Everywhere of the foot touches I'm going to give you
11:42 the land!
11:43 Now if he said that to Joshua, and Joshua is going
11:45 to battle, as a prayer warrior.
11:47 And he was a prayer warrior.
11:49 He walked around the city seven days then seven times.
11:51 And he didn't have a weapon.
11:52 What, a trumpet?
11:53 Is that what I understand?
11:55 JB: Yes.
11:56 Some weapon, huh?
11:57 RH: And a bowl?
11:58 I mean, give me a break!
11:59 A weapon?
12:01 I mean walking and praying the city got so upset, the city
12:04 had a nervous breakdown.
12:05 He could take the city.
12:06 JB: It fell apart.
12:07 RH: That's right.
12:08 By the power or prayer.
12:08 And he said, wherever the souls of your feet touch.
12:10 So I said to myself, I said God, what have I been doing
12:13 these 40 years?
12:15 That's it!
12:16 If I could get every member to take a half hour once
12:19 a week and walk their neighborhood and pray.
12:23 Just think.
12:24 And not only Joshua, there was Jeremiah.
12:28 Jeremiah told us how to take cities.
12:30 He said weep for the city.
12:32 He said tears run down my ...
12:36 When was the last time Christians have wept
12:38 for the lost?
12:39 Can you imagine if every Christian in the city
12:41 of Detroit wept for the lost, what would happen in Detroit?
12:44 What would happen?
12:45 And then he said this, he wept -- that is the first
12:47 secret.
12:48 Secondly the Bible said he walked the perimeters
12:51 of Jerusalem.
12:52 You read it right there.
12:53 And then thirdly it says he talked.
12:55 Our great problem as Christians is we do
12:57 all the talking, throwing books at people.
13:00 And we don't do what God told us to do.
13:02 He said -- have a burden?
13:04 Walk, and then you can do your talking.
13:07 The principle is to bombard the principalities with prayer.
13:13 You see, before the foot soldiers come in, the artillery
13:17 smashes the city down, right?
13:20 From the ships, 20 miles away.
13:22 I mean from the planes, five miles up, blowing apart,
13:27 then the foot soldiers come in.
13:29 You know God's spirit has been working on our cities
13:32 for centuries now.
13:33 JB: That's right.
13:34 RH: It4s time now the foot soldiers get out.
13:36 What it does, it prepares the field if you pray God moves
13:42 and when God moves...
13:43 Hey when the disciples ....
13:45 they prayed their way to Pentecost.
13:47 The building shook.
13:49 Now in church we hardly get the candle flickering.
13:51 I mean fire came down from heaven under God, why?
13:54 Because they didn't experience that power
13:57 that God wants to exhibit.
13:59 JB: Ron, in a moment we'll be back and we are going
14:02 to talk more of this.
14:03 There's a passage over in 2 Corinthians that I wonder
14:06 if you will take a look at with us.
14:08 We4ll get there in a moment.
14:09 More with Ron Halverson and the Power of Prayer in just
14:11 a moment.
14:14 (Music)
14:24 On today's program you4ve heard us talk about
14:25 the importance of prayer.
14:27 Prayer is a powerful tool, it4s our lifeline, our vital
14:31 connection to God.
14:33 Now there4s something I want to share with you on
14:35 this subject, The Secret of Answered Prayer.
14:38 You'll learn how to experience a deeper prayer life,
14:40 and you'll discover simple and effective ways
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14:45 The Secret of Answered Prayer, in just a few pages
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14:54 And in The Secret of Answered Prayer you'll discover
14:57 the seven secrets of answered prayer.
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16:21 Thanks for joining me today on It Is Written.
16:23 Special guest today, Ron Halverson, back with me.
16:26 And today we are talking about the power of prayer.
16:29 You've talked, Ron, about prayer as being a weapon
16:31 in warfare.
16:32 That's going to be a new concept to some people
16:35 but it's a biblical concept.
16:37 RH: That's right.
16:38 JB: There's a passage in 2 Corinthians that I wonder
16:41 if we can look at it together.
16:44 2 Corinthians chapter 10: "Though we walk in the flesh,
16:47 we do not war after the flesh."
16:50 First point we're in a spiritual warfare.
16:53 The Bible makes it very, very clear.
16:55 We wrestle not with so, that means that we do wrestle
16:57 with something.
16:58 We are wrestling out here.
16:59 So over here he talks about this warfare we are in and he
17:01 goes on to say that we have weapons.
17:04 That we have weapons in this warfare.
17:06 I'll read if you don't mind.
17:07 "Though we walk in the flesh we do not war after the flesh,
17:10 for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty
17:16 through God to the pulling down of strong holds;
17:18 casting down imaginations, and every high thing
17:22 that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God,
17:25 and bringing into captivity every thought
17:28 to the obedience of Christ."
17:30 Now, if you want to stop and think about that, that's
17:32 a pretty high call, bringing into captivity, every thought?
17:34 That's God's ideal.
17:35 That's God's plan for us, isn't it?
17:37 RH: That's right.
17:38 JB: Weapons, here.
17:39 Talk about prayer again.
17:40 We've covered some of this ground already but let's
17:42 flesh this out a bit.
17:43 Prayer as a weapon in the spiritual warfare we find
17:46 ourselves in.
17:47 RH: I think, first of all, it becomes a personal weapon
17:51 against temptation.
17:53 Against this assault to the devil.
17:55 You see, just like in boxing, you move the man into
17:58 the corner you try to get him up against the ropes, you want
18:01 to corner him.
18:02 Well, this is what the strategy of the devil so you
18:05 want to corner him first.
18:06 And that's the power of prayer.
18:07 So right away, when that temptation comes, you right
18:11 away call on God.
18:12 Right then and there you say God help me, I'm being
18:14 tempted.
18:15 Take this away from me.
18:17 Right then and there.
18:18 Get thee behind me Satan.
18:20 JB: What happens when you wait?
18:22 RH: You take the second step.
18:23 JB: It is like a slippery slope, isn't it?
18:25 RH: Yeah it is.
18:26 Once you start down ...
18:29 JB: The drink is there, you want to take it.
18:30 The web site, the thing that pops up on your screen
18:32 and you want to click on it.
18:33 Right away!
18:34 RH: The second thing is you've got to quote
18:35 scripture.
18:37 You see that's what Jesus did.
18:39 He was tempted in all points like we yet did not sin.
18:46 When the devil came at him, even in at divine human
18:48 state, the devil says turn those stones into bread --
18:50 I mean that is not a temptation for me or you, lets face it,
18:52 so he was tempted at a higher level than humanity.
18:54 JB: Sure.
18:55 RH: Now eating too much bread is my temptation but not
18:57 turning stones into bread.
18:58 The moment that happened, he called on God, I'm sure,
19:03 because he was in prayer.
19:04 Secondly he quoted scripture.
19:08 That's the second act, I quote scripture.
19:13 He that is in me is stronger than he that is in the world.
19:15 JB: Jesus was in constant communication with His
19:18 Father.
19:19 Do you think many Christians can make that claim about
19:21 themselves, or is it you get up in the morning, you say
19:23 your prayer and say, see you later Lord, I'll see you
19:25 tonight before I go to bed, live the day on our own.
19:27 It's important to stay connected, isn't it?
19:30 RH: Prayer is not what you say, it's who you are.
19:35 You see, prayer is your experience.
19:38 Prayer is your experience.
19:39 It's the breath of your soul.
19:40 You don't [grasp for breath] grab a breath on Sunday
19:44 morning at church, or Saturday morning, wherever
19:51 it is and then hold it until next week.
19:53 And you don't have to hit yourself on the head and say,
19:55 breathe Halverson!
19:56 No, it's automatic.
19:57 You see, once you come into that experience with God,
19:59 you come in that experience with Jesus.
20:01 You are with him always, in what you think.
20:03 Doesn't mean you don't sin, but you are right there
20:06 in the spirit of forgiveness.
20:08 You are right there in the spirit of confession.
20:10 You are right there in the spirit of repentance.
20:12 You see I have to live every day in the spirit
20:14 of repentance.
20:15 He doesn't say I'm going to be absolutely do everything
20:18 correct according to what everybody says because you
20:21 know this, God wrote 10 commandments;
20:23 the Pharisees wrote 250.
20:24 So which 250 do I have to get perfect with?
20:28 But I can be perfectly in the spirit of confession.
20:31 I can be perfectly in the spirit of repentance.
20:33 I can be perfectly in the spirit of thankfulness.
20:36 That's what he means by [being] in constant communion
20:40 with God.
20:41 JB: So we see the need, the temptation comes,
20:43 we've got to call on the Lord.
20:43 We've got to stay connected, we see that,
20:45 and then quote scripture.
20:47 RH: Right JB: What scripture, Ron?
20:48 There's a handbag there.
20:49 I want to steal a handbag.
20:50 RH: Well there are so many, "He that is in me is greater
20:53 than he that is in the world."
20:55 JB: Yeah.
20:56 RH: He that began the race will finish it.
20:58 He said, let this mind be in you that was in Christ.
21:00 He gives me these assurances.
21:01 JB: It is God who works in you to will and to do
21:03 of his good pleasure.
21:04 RH: That's right.
21:05 JB: I'm crucified with Christ...
21:07 but nevertheless I live.
21:08 So you are saying in order for our prayers to be
21:10 as effective as they ought to be we ought to have some
21:12 working knowledge of the bible.
21:13 It doesn't mean that a person with no bible can't pray
21:15 but if we want to move on from there we need to start
21:17 storing up the promises of God in our mind, don't we?
21:19 RH: Right.
21:20 Yeah.
21:21 I think prayer warfare is the second level,
21:23 which is called the intercessory level.
21:26 First level is my personal.
21:27 Most people never move out of the first level.
21:29 I think the church is in its first level when it should
21:31 be in its second level, because we are in the final stage
21:33 of the final battle, the battle of Armageddon.
21:35 We understand the battle of Armageddon is not something
21:37 is going to happen in the future, but something
21:39 that started in heaven.
21:40 And here on this earth, in the garden on through
21:42 the ages down to this time, in your home and in my home.
21:45 Hey, I'm being bombarded by this enemy.
21:48 Aren't you?
21:49 JB: Yeah.
21:50 Now, it's going to culminate finally over there
21:52 in Revelation16.
21:53 RH: It's going to culminate with the day of the coming
21:55 of the Lord Jesus Christ.
21:56 JB: Yes.
21:57 Now, intercessory prayer, that is a word we use.
21:59 What is it?
22:00 RH: It is to intercede.
22:01 He's put in our hands, he's put within us the power
22:05 to pray for John.
22:08 To say, John is my friend, Lord, he is going through
22:11 this, or Mary is going through very hard time, Lord.
22:14 I know that you are aware of it, I just want to let you
22:16 know that I am praying for her.
22:18 And the bible says that the prayer of the righteous
22:21 availeth much, so God, I want in behalf of Mary,
22:25 say to you, thank you.
22:27 JB: Prayer.
22:30 Is that us going to God and telling God, You know I want
22:34 a new bicycle, get me a new bicycle; I want a wife, get me
22:37 a wife; I want a son, give me a son.
22:39 And then badger God until he does what we want.
22:42 Or isn't true with prayer, that prayer is not about us
22:46 beating God long enough for God to do what we want.
22:50 RH: Wearing God out until he finally says ... ahhh
22:53 JB: But isn't it more like coming to God in prayer
22:55 and then refiguring out what He wants?
22:58 Is that right?
22:58 RH: One thing too, John, I really appreciate is the fact
23:05 that when I focus on that prayer, God does answer.
23:08 I had a woman, the husband and wife, they couldn't
23:10 have children.
23:11 Every doctor told them, impossible, will not happen.
23:13 They did every kind of thing you could do -- nothing.
23:16 So we came to prayer.
23:17 I anointed her and prayed for her.
23:19 Hey, a month later she is pregnant and gives birth
23:21 to a beautiful baby.
23:22 Hey be specific!
23:23 She wanted a little girl.
23:25 I said, Lord, give her a little girl.
23:28 Let's be specific in our praying.
23:30 Specially Christians.
23:31 Be specific in your praying.
23:33 JB: If it's true that prayer changes things,
23:36 isn't it a wonder that we don't pray more?
23:38 RH: That's the mystery of mysteries.
23:41 I mean, if He says, ask and it will be given unto
23:43 thee, why don't we ask more.
23:45 If he says, seek and ye shall find, why don't we seek more.
23:49 JB: The Bible says that he'll give the Holy Spirit
23:52 to those who ask.
23:54 In a prayer experience, we pray and there's the filling
23:57 of the Spirit, you see?
23:59 And then is the overflowing of the Spirit.
24:02 Pentecost was the overflowing of the spirit.
24:05 I pray for that all the time.
24:06 Father, overflow me.
24:07 I'm fighting the army of the flesh.
24:10 I'm trying to learn professional ways
24:13 of strategies to reach the lost.
24:15 No!
24:16 Open your heart to the heart of God.
24:18 Open your mind to the mind of Christ.
24:20 Let him speak for you, let him do for you and you
24:23 are going to see great things.
24:24 JB: Do you think generally we are praying prayers
24:26 that are too small?
24:27 RH: We are not moving mountains because our prayers
24:29 are too small.
24:30 JB: God is still in the business of moving mountains.
24:33 RH: Moving mountains.
24:34 God is still in the business of moving mountains.
24:36 But we have to have a moving faith.
24:38 JB: So there is somebody who is watching right now
24:40 and they're saying, I'm just not praying.
24:42 You know that churches are filled with people
24:44 that don't pray?
24:45 It's phenomenal.
24:46 RH: Lay people pray one minute a day.
24:48 The average, the latest statistics that they've done
24:51 on church believers in their prayer life- one minute;
24:54 preachers - five minutes.
24:56 JB: Five minutes?
24:57 RH: A day.
24:58 JB: No wonder we are not moving much.
25:01 RH: Impotent.
25:02 JB: So somebody is saying, I've got to change.
25:04 I've got to change.
25:05 I've been slack.
25:09 I've been sloppy.
25:10 I'm not connected to God.
25:11 Ok, sum this up.
25:12 Here is how you can change from being dead in terms
25:15 of prayer to having an alive, vibrant prayer life.
25:18 RH: Okay.
25:19 Some say, well, if I pray more.
25:21 No, it is not the quantity of your prayer.
25:24 It's the quality of your prayer.
25:26 And the quality of your prayer means you are focused.
25:29 We scatter gun like I said earlier.
25:31 We've got to begin to focus.
25:33 We are trying to pray for 25 people and I can't.
25:36 I've got to focus.
25:37 Sometimes my prayer list is 3, 2, 1.
25:41 When I first got saved, gave my life to Christ, I wanted
25:45 my family to know Christ.
25:47 I was the only Christian.
25:48 And I focused first on my mother.
25:52 The first person I led to Christ as a believer was my mother.
25:55 And then I went on through the family, my brothers, my
25:58 four brothers, my father, who was an alcoholic, became
26:00 a deacon in a church serving Christ.
26:03 Focus on the one need.
26:04 Then, stretch that need.
26:05 Once God begins to move, then you begin to move,
26:09 extend... It's like Elijah, you know, once he knew God
26:13 was on his side, man, he wasn't afraid of all
26:16 the pagans in the world.
26:17 And that's the way we have to be in our prayer life.
26:19 Begin with the concentrated focus prayer and then keep
26:22 expanding.
26:23 And to pray more for others, less for yourself,
26:27 more for other needs, less for your own,
26:29 before you know it, your needs
26:31 are being fulfilled.
26:32 JB: Thanks for joining me today, Ron, I am just so
26:34 thankful.
26:35 I know that God is going to change lives because people
26:37 have heard what you had to say about prayer,
26:39 and the power of prayer.
26:40 And there are people who are wanting to experience
26:43 the power of God through prayer.
26:45 They want to have alive vibrant prayer life.
26:47 (music) JB: Let's pray for those people right now.
26:49 Let's pray.
26:50 Our Father in heaven, how grateful we are that You
26:52 answer prayer, and that You still move mountains.
26:57 And that You can give to us an alive vibrant, real
27:00 powerful experience with You in prayer, where we can see
27:03 You do what we would have thought otherwise was
27:05 impossible.
27:07 I pray for those, there is somebody right now,
27:09 Lord change my life, change that person's life.
27:12 There is somebody right now, I need to pray,
27:15 help that one to pray.
27:16 There's somebody right now, we need to see a revival
27:19 in our church, let that revival start with that person.
27:21 There is someone right now, I want to walk through
27:24 my community and see changes, Lord, let it be.
27:26 And one day soon, let us see Jesus and spend eternity
27:31 with you speaking face to face.
27:33 We thank you for the hope, the promise that we have that
27:35 one day, that soon will be and we pray in Jesus name,
27:39 amen.
27:45 Friend, thank you for joining us today.
27:47 Look forward to seeing you again next time.
27:49 And until then, please do remember, It is written,
27:53 man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that
27:58 proceeds from the mouth of God.
28:00 (music)


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Revised 2015-02-05