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A small group of young men who were studying to become ministers made a trip to London. They went to the Metropolitan Tabernacle where they hoped to meet the famous C H Spurgeon. And by chance, or providence, Spurgeon was there. He met with them and extended an offer to give them a tour of the church. During the visit, Spurgeon turned to them and asked if they’d care to see the boiler room. Their responses were ambitionless. But Spurgeon was clearly eager to show them this room in the basement. The visitors expected dusty, noisy machinery, and a drab basement. Instead, when they got to the basement Spurgeon opened a door that presented a room directly beneath the sanctuary where more than 100 parishioners were praying for the upcoming service and their Pastor.

In the toolbox for great praying, I’m convinced you’ll find passion. 

• Great preaching has passion. 
• Great singing and music has passion. 

• Likewise, great praying will oftentimes manifest with passion. 

Acts 4:31a And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost

I think Acts 4 was a prayer meeting with passion. If they didn’t have passion to begin the meeting, they certainly did by the end. The place was shaken and everyone got filled with the Spirit. And the same could definitely be said about Acts 2 and the 120 attendees.

Sometimes you should pray with fire. Sometimes you should pray with unction.  Unction means the anointing has been smeared upon you.

There is an anointing to pray. 

The second half of James 5:16 reads, “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”

effectual fervent— is energeo in Greek. This reminds us of our word energy.

• It means to go to work. 
• It is a fervency. Fervent means showing very strong feelings. 

As I read into more details of this Greek word I was humorously recalling a line from one of the earliest modern Batman movies when Bruce Wayne realizes the bad guys are doing some really bad things and he must suit up as his crime fighting persona. In such a moment, he says “I’ve got to go to work.” As prayer warriors and intercessors we must sometimes have similar occasions where we are more than ready to suit up in the armor of God and go to work—energeo, pray with effectual fervency.

Don’t feel shamed for praying with feeling. Don’t feel bad for praying with emotion. We need people mature, bold, and willing to pray with intensity. 

Is there a furnace in your belly? 

2 Tim 1:6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands

Jesus prayed so earnestly in the garden that he must have experienced hematidrosis, a bursting of blood vessels that causes sweating of blood, often due to excess stress. Jesus wasn’t going to avoid the heat of the moment. He went through it. And He prayed with all His might, pouring Himself out in prayer (Luke 22:44).

I heard TL Lowery pray. 

I heard Mae Tucker pray.

I heard a young Perry Stone pray. 

I heard James Moses pray. 

I heard Dotty Russell pray. 

I heard the old timers pray. 

The next generation must hear us, see us, and feel us pray. 

Here’s the link to watch this as a teaching. Nearly 14 minutes with a prayer at the end.

Here’s the link to listen to the audio version of this teaching in a podcast episode.

https://open.spreaker.com/A4NZ/tuif2qtp

Colossians 3:2 “Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.” Notice, the first word of the verse is “think.”

Focus is an important thing we can utilize in prayer. A focused mind. A thinking mind. Allowing our mind to become a tool in prayer. It may take a little while for us to accomplish focus. But when we lock in, our praying becomes better—smarter. Isn’t it a neat realization that we can grow in prayer? We can get better at it. We can pray smarter, more effectively.

Prayer is a spiritual exercise. However, literal, physical, flesh efforts can contribute to us getting in the flow, or rhythm of the spirit. And concentration is a great example of how our commitment to prayer and a utilizing of our mind can lead us to more fruitful and spiritual prayers.

Getting better at prayer might begin with us being intentional with our prayer time. Aim your prayers and your time. Don’t just shoot randomly or blindly.

Have a bit of a plan or strategy. The Lord’s Prayer is a strategy. A prayer list is a strategy. A theme for a prayer meeting is a strategy. Directives give strategy. In our prayer sets we always have a scripture, passage of scripture, or two or three linked scriptures that serve as our language and focus—our strategy. Also, being pliable is important because Holy Spirit might enlighten or sharpen the strategy at any time.

2 Cor 10:5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ

Arrest distractions and random thoughts that may wander through your mind during prayer. Become laser sharp.

You can get better at prayer. 

And a trained, focused, pliable mind is a primary tool in accomplishing that. 

Here’s the podcast link to listen to this in a 14 minute teaching.

https://www.spreaker.com/episode/pray-smarter–75336210

Here’s a YouTube link to watch this lesson on prayer.

https://youtu.be/mZifZIKtaAQ?is=78kJgMMgefz7frLM

Here the podcast episode where you can listen to this topic. It’s about 17 minutes long.

https://www.spreaker.com/episode/prayer-warriors–75110327

Here the YouTube link where you can watch the 17+ minute video of this teaching.

https://youtu.be/SL7pkBE_DUQ?is=3LsfMBb65MK4Gwx8

Prayer is for warriors and champions.

Luke 18:1 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 

Think of Jacob who wrestled with the Lord in Genesis 32.  He said, “I will not let you go until you bless me.”

Think of Abraham interceding in Genesis 18. He started with 50 and continued praying in descension of number and probably a decline of hope until he reached 10. Valiantly he wrestled in intercession as he was engaged in bargaining for the mercy of God in prayer. 

I just read (while studying on prayer) that there are nearly 200 times in Scripture where we are exhorted or commanded to pray. It’s a continued plea and challenge throughout Scripture. God is ever recruiting warriors.

I’ve heard that John Calvin, John Knox, and another brother entered into an agreement that they would hold each other accountable in a commitment to pray as individuals for at least 2 hours a day. 

It is said that Benny Hinn use to pray 6 hours each night just before his public ministry took off. 

Athanasius, an early Church father, reportedly prayed 5 hours a day.

Bernard of Clairvaux is said to have started each day with 3 hours of prayer 

Someone noted how Charles Simeon prayed from 4 to 8 am each morning.

John Wesley had usually prayed 2 hours every day before the sunrise. 

Francis Asbury would wake to pray at 4am. Imagine the commitment of someone who wakes up at 4 am—to pray. Everyday.

Before the Lakeland Revival where countless incredible miracles took place, the guest minister, Todd Bentley, said he prayed 4 to 12 hours a day in soaking prayer.

I can’t condone everything Hinn or Bentley has said and done, but what they did right was chase hard after God.

Men such as TL Lowery and Lou Engle have been known to live lifestyles of prayer with intermingled fasting, especially 40 day fasts. 

Paul said he prayed in tongues “more than you all”in 1 Cor 14:18.

Again, my ministry theology doesn’t usually align with Copeland’s, but I remember Kenneth Copeland teaching on how such a thing such as extended, continued hours of praying in tongues is possible: He taught—pray all the time, even walking through the grocery, or driving in your car.

Praying in tongues is a blessing of a broader language. We don’t run out of words and we don’t run out of things to pray and say. Plus, it isn’t taxing on the mind. 

These men mentioned above fasted 40 days straight, or prayed daily before sunlight, or late beyond midnight, or 2-12 hours daily. I say such discipline of lifestyle and commitment to prayer makes them warriors in this field. They prayed.

So…What about me and you? Will we pray? 

Gateways

• gateways are spiritual highways. 

• Gateways have gatekeepers. 

• Gates are Spiritual Access Points

A Door is how you gain access to a House, or Church, or Building. A Gate is how you gain access to a City, or Property, a specified Area. 

A key holder is a keeper. For example—doorkeeper, or gatekeeper. If you hold the key, you have authority over what comes in and what stays out and what comes out. If you hold the key, you are the keeper. We are key holders of our body (temple). Men are to be keyholders of the home (family). 

—Matthew 16:18 mentions gates. 

—Matthew 16:19 mentions a key. Binding and Loosing is introduced. 

This ministry of doorkeeping  is about acquiring and using spiritual authority. 

John Baptist was a gatekeeper, opening up the spiritual highway for the Lord to come in. Accordingly, John was boldly speaking to spiritual highways. 

Symbolic: for example, the area I live in is nicknamed the gateway to the mountains. There’s symbolism that we must understand about the gateways. The symbolic attachment  that is associated to certain gates or gateways often reveals the spiritual territory and also presents clues or insightful and helpful hints regarding regional spiritual warfare. 

Doorkeepers, as seen in the heart of the Psalmist, are about manning the spiritual doors, gates, gateways, so that there is an open Heaven above us. 

As an overview, Consider these Scriptures:

Psalm 84:10 Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.

Psalm 24:7  Lift up your heads, you gates, And be lifted up, you ancient doors, That the King of glory may come in!

Revelation 3:20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in

Here are a few important keys and tools of the trade for spiritual doorkeepers 

• God inhabits our praises (Psa 22:3). 

• when we pray, God responds (Jer 33:3). 

• when we speak words infused by holy faith, mountains must move (Mk 11:23).  Mountains, by the way, are blockages that try to stifle gateways. Mountains are hindrances that stand in the way of us and God’s manifest presence or God’s plans for us and our places of assignment.

• Lastly, I believe that when we come together in His name, He’ll meet with us (Matt 18:20).  Therefore, intentional gatherings are meaningful. 

Here’s a podcast link if you’d like to hear me discuss this for 12 minutes.

https://www.spreaker.com/episode/spiritual-gates–74751661

And here’s a YouTube link if you’d like the video of me sharing this message.

https://youtu.be/ZOUfJK4ZHYY?is=n1OfZSLqG5QHAAl5

Isaiah 49:11
“I will make all My mountains a road, And My highways will be raised up.

Highway of Holiness

* Isaiah 35:8 And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Way of Holiness

The Wilderness Road

* Isaiah 43:18-19 “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.

See, I am doing a new thing!

 Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness

* Mark 1:3 A voice of one crying out in the wilderness: Prepare the way for the Lord; make his paths straight!

Donkey Street

* Zechariah 9:9
Rejoice, O people of Zion! Shout in triumph, O people of Jerusalem! Look, your king is coming to you. He is righteous and victorious, yet he is humble, riding on a donkey

Here’s a link to hear a 10 minute podcast featuring a summary teaching on this:

https://www.spreaker.com/episode/god-s-highways–73396977

And here’s a link to watch the 10 minutes of summary teaching on this:

https://youtu.be/7hOMBAbgCe0?is=2MfpGYH2gkv7Lt6R