THE PRAYING EKKLESIA

NOT YOU BUT GOD SPEAKS AFTER YOU OFFER A SACRIFICE

In the OT, we do not find our Patriarchs praying very much. Every time they had an encounter with God, they built an altar, offered a sacrifice, and worshipped Him. Once the tabernacle was built, Israel as a nation prayed twice a day, at the hour of incense after offering morning and evening sacrifices: “It shall be a regular burnt offering throughout your generations at the entrance of the tent of meeting before the LORD, where I will meet with you, to speak to you there.” Fire from the Brass Altar on which sacrifices was made for atonement, was taken to the Golden altar in the Holy Place and offered up with incense while the congregation stood outside and prayed. The smoke wafted across the Veil on to the Mercy seat in the Holy of Holies, whence God spoke to them (Exo. 29:42; 2Chron. 7:14).

PRAYER IS A PROCESS

Israelites prayed a four-step prayer as they went up to the Temple for corporate worship. “I exhort you to offer supplication, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving for all people starting with all the rulers, because then we will lead a peaceful, godly life.” God likes this kind of prayer because He wants all people to come to know Yeshua and be saved” (1 Tim. 2:1-4).

Step 1. Supplication (Techinnah): The priest put his hands on the head of the animal confessing, “We have sinned, and should have perished but accept this substitute on our behalf.” Israel knew that without the shedding of blood there is no redemption (Lev. 17:11; Heb. 9:22).

Step 2. Prayer (Tefillah) means self-evaluation. Priest washed his hands and feet at the brass Laver, and examined himself before going inside the Holy Place to burn incense and intercede.

Step 3. Intercession (Bakkashot): The priest took the sacrifice-soaked embers in a pan from the brass Altar, carried it inside the Holy Place, and placed it on the Golden Altar near the veil. He then added incense, which came from many nations. He stood in the gap, identifying with the sins of the nations, and then pleaded on their behalf. When saints intercede, after offering up prayers for lost souls as sacrifice, these prayers reach the golden altar in heaven, causing thunders, lightnings and earthquakes (Rev. 8:3- 5). God is always looking for intercessors (Ezek. 22:30).

Step 4. Thanksgiving (Hodayah): The sweet-smelling smoke wafted through the veil, touching the Ark of the Covenant where the Spirit of God dwelt, and then rose out through the roof. All the devotees standing outside then raised their hands, giving thanks to God for accepting their offering (1 John 4:14-5). Today, all believers can pray everywhere, lifting up their holy hands (1 Tim. 2:8).

TETELESTAI, MISSION ACCOMPLISHED

Many significant events took place during the hour of incense: Elisha’s encounter with 400 priests of Baal (1Kings 18:36-40); Daniel’s encounter with Gabriel about the prophecy of the 70 weeks (Daniel 9:21); Zacharias, father of John the Baptist with the angel (Luke 1:8-20). Finally, the Spirit of God left the Temple, at the hour of evening incense, leaving it desolate, announcing the end of the Temple age and the beginning of the Church age (Matt.27:46; Luke 13:34,35).

Yeshua cried out loudly “Tetelestai,” which means “It is finished”, “mission accomplished” or more importantly “paid in full” for the sins of the world. This victory cry of just one word, “tetelestai” forever changed the history and destiny of mankind (Luke 11:3435; Matt. 27:50; John 19:30).

YESHUA REDEFINES PRAYER

When His disciples asked their Master to teach them to pray (Luke 11:1-13), He taught them to pray to the Father and not to some known or unknown god. In our Parent-child relation with God, we can ask Him for anything. As a wise, loving Father, He will give to us only those requests that resonate with His will. Yeshua revealed to them that the subject of their prayer must be the Kingdom of God, “Thy Kingdom come on earth”. He further asked them to seek and to find lost sheep (Luke 19:10); to knock and open the door for the poor and hungry to have supper with you (Rev. 3:10). Ask and the Holy Spirit shall be given to you (Luke 11:13).

Scripture prophesied that in the last days, from sunrise to sunset, offering sacrifice (repentant souls) and incense (intercessory prayer) will be offered in Gentile homes. Incense (ketoret) means bonding, connecting or uniting. The ingredients for incense came from many nations, so the prayer in the Temple was for the bonding of many nations in the Body of Mashiach. God said, “My house shall be a house of sacrifice.” Yeshua redefined, “My house shall be a house of prayer for (bonding) all nations” (Mal. 1:11; 2 Chron. 7:12; Mark 11:17).

FIRST OFFER A SACRIFICE, THEN PRAY

Prayer is not just verbiage but both utterance and action. After Solomon offered a huge sacrifice and then prayed, God talked to him: “If my people who are called by my name…” (2 Chron 7:114). If believers understood the divine order of offering lost souls as integral part of worship, then the kingdom on earth would soon be a reality. The Gospels and the Book of Acts are full of disciples (learners) but not the Epistles, as they all had matured into Saints. In the end, God will gather all His saints (soul winners). Yeshua gives fivefold ministry gifted elders to equip saints to edify the Ekklesia (growth and multiplication). Not all prayers, but only apostolic prayers of the saints (who make a covenant with God with a sacrifice), reach the Golden altar in heaven (Psa. 50:5; 51:17; 141:2; Deut. 16:16; Eph. 4:11-12; Rev. 5:8; 8:3).

PRAY, PROCLAIM AND POSSESS

God promised, “If My people will pray, (after offering sacrifice) … then I will heal their land” (2 Chron. 7:5, 12, 14). Yeshua reaffirmed that “My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations (Gentiles)” (Mark 11:17). Peter declared that his core ministry would be prayer and the study of the Word (Acts 6:4). He offered myriads of Jews as spiritual sacrifice (Acts 21:20). Paul travailed like a mother in labor for people until Christ was formed in them (Gal. 4:19). Then they became the hope of glory for the Gentiles (Col. 1:27). He asked us to pray without ceasing (1 Thess. 5:17). This does not mean that you do not do anything else. We do not find OT prophets or Yeshua praying very much but they communed constantly with Father God while ministering to the people.

We all know that the fervent prayer of a righteous man can be effective and achieve much (Jam. 5:16). Because she was persecuted, the NT Ekklesia spent much of her time in fervent prayer, and as they prayed, great numbers of people joined them, and the Ekklesia grew exponentially (Acts 6:6-7). We also know that great prayer movements have preceded all the great missionary movements in the past. The modern church needs to off-load a lot of excess baggage and get back on its knees if she wants to fulfill the purpose for which she has been created.

PRAY AND PRAISE AND SAVE THE JAILOR AND THE PRISONERS

The apostles were always praying, asking for protection, boldness, miracles, open doors and fruitfulness (Acts 4:28-30). The result was that a multitude of new believers kept joining them (Acts 5:1214). Their prayer included thanksgiving, even in adverse situations (Eph. 5:18-21). Paul and Silas were in jail with their backs torn and bleeding from a severe scourging, their hands and feet were locked in stocks. Though they were hungry and thirsty, yet amazingly, they prayed and sang songs of praise in the middle of the night, which the other prisoners heard. Suddenly, God shook the jail, leading to their release and to food, while the jailor and his Household, and perhaps a few prisoners, found salvation (Acts 16:24-26).

ARE YOU TITHING “BODY TIME”?

Paul appeals, “Present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God,” which is “our “spiritual worship” (Romans 12:1). The Greek word latreia means “service” or “worship”. We honor and adore God with our bodies, declaring that we are created in His image and in His likeness for good works (Eph. 2:10). God has given 24 daily hours of “Body time” to everyone, from the President to the common man. We need to check if we are giving a Tithe of our “Body time.”

Latreia also means “prostrating oneself before God.” The twenty-four elders are constantly doing this before the throne of God, casting their crowns, showing their humility and the worthlessness of symbols of greatness in the presence of God. With bowls full of the prayers of the saints, they reverently prostrate themselves before the Throne of the Lamb, constantly praising God (Rev. 5:812). Even though Moses grew up in the palace of Pharaoh, the most powerful monarch on earth at the time, he was the humblest man on earth, and so God made him the greatest leader of all times. He always would fall on his face before the Lord and pray (Num. 16:14). Yeshua also prayed with vehement cries and tears (Heb. 5:7).

It has been said, “It is not the great men who change the world but the weak - in the hands of a great God.” We listen to all the bad news in the media and then do nothing. Through the media, the world is calling out to the Christians to pray and turn the bad news into good news. Reading about great heroes of faith no more makes you a hero than reading about a great missionary makes you a missionary. It is doing exploits in the name of Yeshua that makes you great (Daniel 11:32).

EVERYBODY BUT CHRISTIANS PROSTRATES

Abraham fell on his face and God spoke to him (Gen 17:3). Moses fell on his face and saved his people from being consumed (Num. 16:45). Daniel interceded and started an intergalactic war (Dan. 8:17). Angels and Elders in heaven constantly fall on their faces and worship God (Rev. 7:11). Yeshua prostrated and prayed and offered Himself as sacrifice (Matt. 26:39). Hindus prostrate themselves before their idols, whilst Muslims kneel down before their “Allah” five times a day, and the Sikhs bow their foreheads before Guru Granth Sahib, their holy book. However, the followers of the Most High Living God, enjoying a Father-son relationship, have the freedom to pray everywhere (1 Tim. 2:8), anytime and in any position (1 Thess. 5:17). They can pray while sitting (Acts 2:2), standing (Mark 11:25), prostrating (Matt. 26:39; 1Cor. 14:25), even while walking (Luke 13:33-35). However, eventually “every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall confess that Yeshua is Lord” (Phil. 2:10-11).

LIFT YOUR HANDS AND YOUR VOICE AND CHASE OUT DEMONS

The Pharisees loved to pray in synagogues and on street corners articulating impressive prayers with fancy words. Yet, the Lord called them hypocrites (Matt. 6:5). In the NT Ekklesias, they lifted their voices and their hands to pray, because the raising of hands shows submission to God (Acts 4:24). In the past, when a king was about to lose a battle, he and his followers would raise both their hands as a sign of surrender before the victorious king. Lifting holy hands in submission to King of kings, praying everywhere, is the first step in making the Devil flee from the land. However, when confronted with demons, you are not to pray but to rebuke and command them in the name of Yeshua to chase them out. For this you need to go with those who know how to wield the “sword of the Spirit” in demon-infested areas (1 Tim. 2:8; James 4:7; Mark 16:17; Eph. 6:17).

PRAYER WALK, BREAKING CURSES FROM THE LAND

God says, “Ask of Me and I will give the nations for an inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for your possession” (Psa. 2:8). The Lord does not want anyone to perish and therefore he wants the gospel to be preached in all the world so that all nations can stand before His Throne. He wants everyone to go prayer walking: “I desire that men pray everywhere lifting holy hands” (1 Tim. 2:8), breaking curses from the land, setting the people free. The land cannot be cleansed without intercessors (Isa. 59:12-16; Ezek. 22:24-30; Heb. 7:25). Raising hands also means blessing. The best way to break curses is to restore relationships between the fathers and their children (Mal. 4:6).

PRAY AND PREPARE HARVESTERS FROM THE HARVEST FIELD

Yeshua sent 70 fresh disciples as lambs into the wolf infested harvest field. He did not ask them to pray for the lost; rather he asked them to pray for laborers. There is no dearth of church goers and prayer warriors, but there is a great famine of laborers who go out harvesting. Yeshua sent them not to reap the harvest but to pray and prepare laborers (harvesters) from the harvest field. He did not ask them to prepare harvesters in the seminaries but in the harvest field, the best place for hands on practical quality training (Luke 10:1-3). 

Yeshua laid out a specific strategy for world evangelism: “Find the person of peace and turn his oikos (household) into an equipping center for harvesters” Harvest is not the problem but there is a critical shortage of harvesters equipped with sickles for reaping the harvest of souls. It is time Christians went to Beit Shalom (Household of Peace) to learn how to wield a sickle. Seminary is the last place where they will acquire harvesting skills. They should be mentored not by bookish theologians but by those with fruitful ministries in the harvest field (Luke 10:1-9).

ELECT RULERS, THEN RULE THE NATION THROUGH INTERCESSION

God not only wants us to pray for our rulers, so that we may lead a peaceful and godly life, but he also wants our rulers to be saved (1 Tim. 2:1- 4). The blood of Yeshua has made us priests and kings to reign on earth, beginning now. We will continue to do so for a thousand years and even forever (2 Tim. 2:12; Rom. 5:17; Rev. 5:10; 20:6; 22:5). 

We are servant kings who do not lord it over others. The best way to accomplish both our priestly and kingly roles is to provide a prayer shield for “all” politicians by name, so that they do not get corrupted. God wants us to pray, not just for wisdom and understanding for good governance by our politicians, but also to keep praying until they “come to the knowledge of truth and are saved” (1 Tim. 2:4). Thus, we will rule this nation by targeted intercession.

For this, the local churches must gather the names of “all” politicians, judges, and officers, “all” those who have rule and authority over us and start praying for them regularly in our private and corporate prayers. The simplest way is to farm out their names to other intercessors. The best way to govern this nation is to have righteous rulers. Therefore, election time should be busy prayer time for Christians. Every political party and every candidate should be bathed in prayer, every polling booth should be prayer walked, and every ballot box protected from the evil one. We should pray that only those who will facilitate the coming of the righteous kingdom should be elected.

PRAY FOR BOLDNESS

The early Ekklesia prayed for boldness to face the constant threat of persecution from their authorities, as well as from non-believing Jews and Gentiles. The large influx from other faiths was the main reason for their persecution. However, there is no such problem with the modern church as there is hardly any growth by conversion. Most of the growth is either biological or by transfer or by sheep stealing. There will be no significant growth by conversion until ordinary Christians start praying and proclaiming the gospel (Acts 4:17-20).

Myopic Christians mistakenly see faith as a private affair. Although Yeshua died and suffered shame publicly for them, they are simply hiding in bunkers. The Scripture says that cowards will be leading the pack of murderers, sexually immoral and others, who will not make it to heaven (Rev. 21:8). Praying to the Lord to send bunker busters to transform hiding Christians into hell’s gate busters should be on our daily prayer menu. If the early apostles needed boldness, then we certainly do, too (Acts 4:29). If you are not being persecuted, then it is time for a “persecution audit” to learn why the Devil does not think you are worth a slugfest.

PRAY FOR THE PERSECUTED EKKLESIA

But for persecution, there would be no United States of America, which was inhabited predominantly by pilgrims who had been victims of religious persecution in Europe. Like the Jerusalem victims who planted Ekklesias, the American pilgrims also did the same. A century later, after many natives had become Christians, settled in villages, and became farmers, godless marauders slaughtered them for their land. It is time for serious communal repentance. Every year, thousands of Christians are killed worldwide. In the last decade, Sudan killed two million and displaced five million fellow citizens, which makes the tsunami disaster a tempest in a teacup.

Saudi Arabia alone bankrolled billions for its own strident version of Islam called “Wahhabism” dishing out hefty doses of hate through Islamic centers all over the world. Bin Laden, a Saudi, and his Al Qaeda have recruited 40,000 suicide bombers ready to destroy kafirs (infidels) through Jihad (holy war). Anti-conversion Apostasy laws, even rape as a weapon, are brutally applied. North Korea, Vietnam, Laos, Iran, Maldives, Somalia, Bhutan, Afghanistan and many Communist, Islamic. Buddhist countries are also leading persecutors. Innumerable victims are maimed, raped, put in prison, their homes destroyed, starved to death, or made refugees in their own countries. Their only crime is that they are Christians. It is a sad indeed that some comfortable churches neither pray nor help their suffering brothers and sisters. However, now there is growing awareness of the persecuted Ekklesia, although it remains an ‘uncomfortable’ subject. Unfortunately, along with Corona crisis persecution of Christians has also become a global pandemic. 

PRAY FOR OPEN DOORS

Paul often asked for urgent prayers that effective doors would be opened. Similarly, there should be constant prayers going up for effective, influential doors to be opened for the gospel. Yeshua has promised that when He opens a door, no one can shut it. We should pray for open hearts, open wallets, open homes, and open heavens (1 Cor. 16:9; 2 Cor. 2:12; Col. 4:3; Rev. 3:8, 20).

THE DISUNITED AND DYSFUNCTIONAL CITY CHURCH

Yeshua prayed for His city by name. “Oh, Jerusalem, how often I have wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings…!” (Luke 13:34). The Scripture asks us to pray “to keep the bond of unity.” There is only one God, one Yeshua, one Spirit, one Body, one hope and one baptism. Although it has many members, there is only one Body. If its members do not function together, then that body becomes dysfunctional, and soon disintegrates. Christianity is all about relationships, where mutual love and respect are the most effective media for keeping the Body united, functional and reproducing (Eph. 4:1-6, 15-16).

THE MONGOLIAN MESS

Mongolia was a country of Buddhists, Muslims and Shamans that had no Christians. Some Christian missions had been fishing there for many years, but with no Mongolian fish in their net. They assumed that the Mongolians were a very slimy people. However, in 1990, God revealed that Mongolians were not the problem; it was the disunity among the missionaries that prevented the Holy Spirit from working among them. However, once they got together, the Holy Spirit convicted them and they repented, fasted, prayed and shared the Lord’s Table. Now just in the last two decades, over 70,000 new believers have come to the Lord (Act 4:32; Matt. 12:25).

OBTAIN A MAP, SURROUND THE CITY, LAY SIEGE AND REBUILD IT

The Lord told Ezekiel to draw a map of the city on a clay tablet, and to lay a symbolic siege against it. Further, he was asked to eat only frugal meals cooked on dung, drinking only a measured amount of water, sleeping on one side with his face set against the city. The Lord commanded this severe penance on the prophet, to bring the city to repentance (Ezek. 4). When Israel sinned and polluted the land by worshipping the golden calf, the Lord refused to dwell among them. So, Moses had to pitch the tabernacle outside the camp (Exo. 33:7).

God will not dwell in your polluted city. You need to obtain a detailed map of the city and spy out the land (Num. 13:1-2, 17-25). Prayer walk every nook and cranny, crying out to the Lord, breaking all the curses that have come upon it because of our iniquities (1Tim. 2:8; Lam. 4:12-13). As Joshua did, so we must surround the city until the strongholds come tumbling down. Like Nehemiah, we must survey the city in the middle of the night, then start rebuilding the fallen walls using local manpower and resources. Like Jonah, we must prayer walk through the city until its rulers and the entire population comes to repentance then like Ezra, we must restore worship all over the city.

A few Christians in a pilgrim city in India decided to soak the city with prayer walking. Just a month later a local secular newspaper reported that unexplained dramatic changes were taking place in the city. The police reported that there has been a drastic drop in the crime rate in the city. The potholed roads had been repaired. The dirtiest place in the middle of city where they used to dump rubbish had been turned into park for families to visit. Mysteriously a crack had appeared in the famous stone idol in the temple. Soon after this, a house Ekklesia movement started in the city. 

ANSWERING YOUR PRAYER IS CONDITIONAL 

Yeshua assured us that wherever two or three of us agree, He will do it, provided it is within the will of God (Matt. 18:18-19; 1 John 5:14). Our request must be such that it will “bring forth fruit that remains” then whatever we ask, He will ask the Father in heaven to do it. This prayer unit then becomes a disciple-making hub. These form networks build supply chains to meet the disciple-making needs of the city. Yeshua will not agree to your wasting resources in unfruitful religious activities, nor will He listen to your prayers until you begin to bring in replicating fruit (John 15:16).

 PRAYING THROUGH THE SCRIPTURES

• Pray for the Kingdom – “Thy Kingdom come on earth as it is heaven” (Matt. 6:10).
• Pray for the nations – “Ask of me and I will give you nations for an inheritance….”  (Psalm 2:8).
• Pray for healing of the land – “If My people pray, I will heal their land... (2Chron 7:14).
• Pray for the city – - “Where I have made you captive, as in its peace you will have peace” (Jer. 29:7).
• Pray for rulers – because God likes it and you may live in peace (1Tim. 2:1-4).
• Pray for the sick and for each other – so that you may be healed (James 5:15, 16).
• Pray for your enemies and those who hate you and persecute you (Matt. 5:44).
• Pray for every human habitation – for doors to open for the Gospel (1Tim. 2:8; Col. 4:3).
• Pray for self - that you do not fall into temptation (Matt. 26:41).
• Pray for laborers – to reap the harvest with boldness and with mighty signs and miracles (Luke 10:2; Acts 4:29,30).

GEMS:

• Prayer (taffilah) means self-examination. The priest washed his hands and feet and examined himself to see if he can go inside the Holy Place and offer incense (paga - hitting the mark).
• Israel as a nation prayed corporately twice a day, at the hour of incense, only after offering sacrifices. For us, connectivity with heaven is 24x7 when we pray while offering messed up people as an integral part of our worship (Exodus 30:7-8; Mal. 1:11).
• Going out with liquid prayer to sow the gospel seed and coming back with harvest can catapult you from a sinner into a saint (Psa. 126:5-6).
• Saints are those who make a covenant with God by making a sacrifice (Psa. 50:5).
• Jews sacrificed animals to cover their sins; but we cover sinners with the blood of Yeshua to hide a multitude of sins (Jam. 5:20).
• Prayer is not a shopping list but a covenant to bring the kingdom of God on earth so that His will is done on earth as it is heaven.
• Prayer does not change things — God does — when our utterance is matched with action.
• Yeshua did not ask us to pray for the lost. He asked us to pray for laborers.
• Don’t just pray and ask God to do things and go back to your comfort zone feeling good. Partner with Him in accomplishing whatever you have asked Him to do.

Copyright © 2023 Dr. Victor Choudhrie

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