Victory in Prayer
Written by Brigitta Tedja
Watch Ps Paul’s sermon here
Pastor Paul Tan reported that CBC channels the Ukrainian donations through Rock City Church under Bishop Bart Pierce. Pastor Paul began by showing a video from Ukraine and how our Christian brothers and sisters there stayed in the country to minister to the Ukrainian people’s souls and their needs for food, shelter, and medications.
Our Pastor continued on the Prayer & Fasting Series with a sermon entitled, “Victory in Prayer.” His prayer and his hope are for us to experience a triumphant life. He provided some background of various kinds of wars:
Different Types of Wars
The number of soldiers
Man-power
The kinds of weapon they use: bows/arrows, swords, guns, missiles, RPG’s, nuclear bomb
You cannot have victory without defeating an opponent
Victory: you have success in a struggle against difficulties or against obstacles
Victories are much needed and we need to celebrate wins
War on economy (trade)
9/11 World Trade Center hit and shook the economy
Sanctions and embargos
War on knowledge
Newest, more dangerous
Star wars, cyber attacks, satellites, drones, all a result of knowledge
… Etc.
Many more types not mentioned here like the info war
Wars since the book of Genesis & Exodus
Spiritual warfare
In family, in life, in mind – very serious
1 Peter 5:8 AMP
“Be well-balanced, temperate, sober of mind, be vigilant and cautious at all times. For that enemy of yours, the devil, roams around like a lion roaring in fierce hunger seeking someone to seize upon and devour.”
Be vigilant because your enemy wants to disrupt, attack, steal your joy, and plant seeds of doubt in your mind. Many Christians are lukewarm and mediocre. Jesus stated we need to be hot or cold because He would spit us out of His mouth if we are lukewarm. The average Christian is interested only in the next meal, sale, movie, show, games. We are narrow-minded, following the commercials, the patterns of the world and we become nominal, lukewarm, and average Christians.
The devil targets his prey because he cannot devour everybody. He is looking for a particular type of person to become his prey. He knows those who are vulnerable and susceptible to his attacks.
Satan is Looking for People Who Are:
Empty: not grounded or solid, no relationship with Jesus
Offended: easily offended and leaves Church
Abused individuals, with trauma (opens the door for enemy to attack you)
Rejected
Angry
Hurting people: “Hurt people hurt people”, ask for forgiveness to forgive others so that you can be a healing agent, do not be stuck
Devoid of truth: does not read the Bible
Lonely: Since the lock-down many are lonely, loneliness is not determined by the number of people around you
Ex: David was lonely at home in his palace during the spring time when kings usually go out to war and saw Bathsheba. The first sight is not sin but David stayed in it.
Tired: physically tired or bored
“An idle mind is the devil’s workshop”
During WW2, Rees Howell prayed for God to avert and cancel the war. After a few years, one of the German pilots, who received Jesus, met Howell and stated they were on the way to attack Britain but suddenly saw big and thick dark clouds, communicated to one other, and decided they could not proceed, and returned to Germany. There are prayers you are praying right now but you have not seen the results but it is actually working! When you pray and do your part, something is happening in the spiritual atmosphere. We need to agree with heaven. If you agree with heaven, you will experience victory in prayer even if you do not see it with your physical eyes.
2 Corinthians 10:3-5, NKJV
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.
Many people allow their souls to control their spirits. In Philippians, Paul the Apostle mentioned the word “rejoice’ 8X. In Philippians 4:4: “Rejoice, and again I say rejoice.” The context of this verse is important. He was in a prison where most do not come out alive. He was scourged, beaten up, and yet he said, “Rejoice, and again I say rejoice!” He brought his thoughts into captivity and did not succumb to his feelings.
Another example is when Paul and Silas were beaten up and put in prison in Acts 16. At midnight they both sang and worshiped loudly. They had no reason to sing and praise the Lord. As they sang and they prayed, an earthquake occurred and the doors to the prison were opened miraculously. The head of the jailer received Jesus.
Acts 17:28
“In Him we live and move and have our being.”
Everything in your life is in Christ. You bring Jesus where ever you are; at home, at school, at work, at Church, or on vacation.
Pastor Paul observed people easily forgetting what was preached just 30 minutes ago. He listened to our conversations directly after Church. He learned the conversation often centers around lunch, the latest movie, your new car, or your hobbies. He seldom hears you talk about how the verse impacted your life. Do you bring the presence of God wherever you go? Some individuals try to become weird because they thought that being weird is being deep. Being weird is not being deep! What kind of conversations are in your emails, text messages, or WhatsApp? Some experiences God in Church but not at home because there is mixture in our lives that God wants to purify us from. Distraction means you are being carried away by the important things. Pastor Paul challenged us to be mindful of speaking about Jesus wherever we go, not just at Church.
Pastor wanted to encourage us to have victory in prayer. To be victorious in prayer means the victory you experienced is not only for you, but that others can also experience victory in their lives. We operate in the gifts of the Holy Spirit not only for ourselves but for others.
Ephesians 5:14 NIV
"Wake up o sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”
Victory in God means you talk to God. You read the Bible and talk to God about what He is interested in, not about some stupid things. Some people act weird thinking they are deep. Pray according to the promises of God. Learn to pray the promises of God so that your prayer is not influenced by your feelings or by what you see.
Genesis 21:1-2
“And the Lord visited Sarah as He had said, and the Lord did for Sarah as He had spoken. (So, when she prayed, she prayed according the promises of God). For Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the set time of which God had spoken to him.”
God did not answer Sarah but He answered His will, His plan, His promises as He had spoken. Pastor Paul’s goal is not for you to get the teaching, but to cause us to be men and women of prayer. “My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.”
Overview on the Book of Ephesians
They had been blessed with every spiritual blessing, chosen before the foundation of the world, and predestined to be adopted by Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 1:3-5)
They had been sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise. (Ephesians 1:13)
They had been positionally placed in the heavenlies with Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 2:6).
They had already been saved by the grace of God. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
They had become His workmanship. (Ephesians 2:10).
They were asleep. (Ephesians 5:14)
Paul commanded the believers to be filled with the Holy Spirit. (Ephesians 5:18)
Holy Spirt is important because you are changed from the inside out
Your spirit is immediately changed. Your soul is being changed (process). Your body will be changed (glorious body).
Align your emotions/character with the Word of God. It is easy if you submit yourselves to the Holy Spirit
Prayer Points:
Pray to be well-balanced, temperate, sober of mind, vigilant, and cautious
Pray to not be lukewarm
Pray to not be empty
Pray not to be easily offended
Pray for those who are abused/traumatized
Pray for those who are rejected and angry
Pray for those who are hurting and lonely
Pray for those devoid of truth
Pray for those who are tired/bored
Pray to be built of gold, silver, and precious stones
Pray to be men and women of prayer
“My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.”
Pray to learn how to be victorious is prayer
Be the Salt & Light:
Pray for California:
AB2223 is moving forward from the Appropriation committee and is headed to the floor votes:
Pray that AB2223 will not move forward and be cancelled.
Pray for effective strategies for the people to fight AB2223 from becoming law in CA.
Pray for Holy Spirit to convict the hearts of all CA assembly and senate members to oppose AB2223.
Declare that what the enemy meant for evil, God will turn it around for good.
Pray that believers will not lose hope/give up, but continue to fight this bill.
Pray for America:
Mid-term election primaries are coming up soon. Pray for godly candidates to run for office in every level of government.
On May 23, 2022, Biden administration plans to end Title 42 which has played a role in limiting the number of migrants coming in from our southern borders. When Title 42 is ended, CBP expects that there will be an increase in the number of migrants coming in from the southern border:
Pray for wisdom upon our leaders to enact and enforce a just and lawful immigration policy.
Pray for our CBP (Custom & Border Patrol) agents to not be overwhelm by this increase and their safety.
Inflation, supply chain disruption, threats of global food crisis are still very much in the fore-front of our lives. Pray for wisdom on our leaders to come up with policies that will get these issues under control.
Pray for Ukraine:
Continue to pray for a speedy end of Russia - Ukraine war.
Pray for provisions in many different areas in Ukraine ravaged by this war.
May we experience victory in our prayers!