I was going to entitle this piece, prayer and spiritual warfare, but since there is no such instance of the term ‘spiritual warfare’ in the bible, I’m focusing this post on the power of prayer, and praying in the will of God for souls.
Quite often, we have heard the expression, ‘prayer warrior’, but this term is not found in the bible either. However, it is a term that makes people feel good, makes people feel like they are doing something, and prayer in the invisible spiritual realm is very good, so never give up on prayer for your friends and loved ones, and also for the lost. Forget about praying to God for riches or posh cars in the name of Jesus, because these prayers are not in the will of God.
The Lord God is not a stingy God, but He is a lover of souls, because He came to earth as Jesus Christ in the flesh. He died for you, me, and everybody else in this world, and those who are not yet born. This is how much He loves us. A prayer that engages His will will always be heard, and I firmly stand on this truth.
who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth – 1 Timothy 2:4
I also firmly believe that God can bless a woman with fertility, through prayer with the addition of fasting. I saw an amazing testimony of a Christian coupon once where this lady had been trying to conceive for a long time, but she had never fasted. She added fasting to her prayer to God for a child, and she conceived. Fasting breaks yokes. What if we have yokes upon our lives that we can never rid, that require the power of fasting (the ultimate humility before God) to become free. Isaiah 58 clearly claims the chosen fast of God.
6 Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness,to undo the heavy burdens,and to let the oppressed go free,and that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry,and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house?when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him;and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? 8 Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily:and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy rereward.9 Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am.If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity;10 and if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday:11 and the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones:and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.12 And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places:thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach,
The restorer of paths to dwell in.13 If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words:14 then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father:for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it – Isaiah 58:6-14
If you have read the Holy Bible, you will notice that it is full of prayer. There are 511 instances of the word pray – 346 in the Old Testament, and 165 in the New Testament.
Prayer was often closely linked to fasting too, and I’ll write a post on this in the future as fasting too is a powerful practice for souls that is rarely taught today. Although fasting can be a difficult process, the grace of God can give us the strength to accomplish anything as we walk with Him. The intention of the heart is of most importance as to why we fast, and pray.
Moses’ Prayer Cause God to Repent
In Exodus 32, God talked to Moses. Though the person of Moses, God had saved Israel (His chosen people) out of the hand of the Egyptians, and yet they murmured, sacrificed and worshipped molten images, and God called them a stiffnecked people. However, Exodus 32:11 explains that Moses spoke to God.
11 And Moses besought the Lord his God, and said, Lord, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people, which thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power, and with a mighty hand? 12 Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, and say, For mischief did he bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people. 13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou swarest by thine own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it for ever. 14 And the Lord repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people – Exodus 32:11-14
Moses reminded God of the covenant that He had made with Abraham, Isaac, and Israel (Jacob), and told God to turn from his fierce wrath, and repent of the evil against his people. Repent in this instance means 5162 nacham– to be sorry, console oneself.
There are 8 definitions of repentance in the Holy Bible. Even though most dictionaries today get the definition of repentance entirely wrong, and it has become a work in which to become saved.
At dictionary.com, repent is defined
verb (used without object)
to feel sorry, self-reproachful, or contrite for past conduct; regret or be conscience-stricken about a past action, attitude, etc. (often followed by of): He repented after his thoughtless act.
to feel such sorrow for sin or fault as to be disposed to change one’s life for the better; be penitent.
verb (used with object)
to remember or regard with self-reproach or contrition: to repent one’s injustice to another.
to feel sorry for; regret: to repent an imprudent act.
As believers, we cannot trust the definition of such an important word through our man-defined dictionaries, especially in relation to repent unto salvation. The scriptures clearly say that we are saved by grace, not of ourselves. It is the Gift of God, not of works so that no person can boast. Dictionary.com has the wrong definition of biblical repentance. This is why we must study the bible for ourselves, to grow and learn through the milk of the word and God’s leading.
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 not of works, lest any man should boast – Ephesians 2:8-9
In the Old Testament, much of the word repentance means to be sorry, but the New Testament defines repentance as a change of mind in relation to salvation.
Repent in the Old Testament Hebrew
- 5150 nichum
- 5162 nacham
- 5164 nocham
- 7725 shub
5150 nichum is a noun defined as comfort, compassion
Found in: Hosea 11:8
5162 nacham is a verb defined as to be sorry, console onself.
Found in: Genesis 6:6, Genesis 6:7, Exodus 13:17, Exodus 32:12, Exodus 32:14, Numbers 23:19, Deuteronomy 32:36, Judges 2:18, Judges 21:6, Judges 21:15, 1 Samuel 15:11, 1 Samuel 15:29, 1 Samuel 15:35, 2 Samuel 24:16, 1 Chronicles 21:15, Job 42:6, Psalm 90:13, Psalm 106:45, Psalm 110:4, Psalm 135:14, Jeremiah 4:28, Jeremiah 8:6, Jeremiah 15:6, Jeremiah 18:8, Jeremiah 18:10, Jeremiah 20:16, Jeremiah 26:13, Jeremiah 26:19, Jeremiah 31:19, Jeremiah 42:10, Ezekiel 24:14, Joel 2:13, Joel 2:14, Amos 7:3, Amos 7:6, Jonah 3:9, Jonah 3:10, Jonah 4:2, Zechariah 8:14
5164 nocham is a noun defined as sorrow, repentance
Found in: Hosea 13:14
7725 shub is a verb and defined to turn back, return
Found in:1 Kings 8:47, Ezekiel 14:6, Ezekiel 18:30
Repent in the New Testament Greek
- 278 ametameletos
- 3338 metamelomai
- 3340 metanoeo
- 3341 metanoia
278 ametameletos is an adjective and its usage not to be repented of, about which no change of mind can take place, not affected by change of mind.
Found in: Romans 11:29, Corinthians 7:10
3338 metamelomai is a verb and its usage (lit: I change one care or interest for another), I change my mind (generally for the better), repent, regret.
Found in: Matthew 21:29, Matthew 21:32, Matthew 27:3, 2 Corinthians 7:8, Hebrews 7:21
3340 metanoeo is a verb and its usage I repent, change my mind, change the inner man (particularly with reference to acceptance of the will of God), repent.
Found in: Matthew 3:2, Matthew 4:17,, Matthew 11:20, Matthew 11:21, Matthew 12:41, Mark 1:15, Mark 6:12, Luke 10:13, Luke 11:32, Luke 13:3, Luke 13:5, Luke 15:7, Luke 15:10, Luke 16:30, Luke 17:3, Luke 17:4, Acts 2:38, Acts 3:19, Acts 8:22, Acts 17:30, Acts 26:20, 2 Corinthians 12:21, Revelation 2:5, Revelation 2:16, Revelation 2:21, Revelation 2:22, Revelation 3:3, Revelation 3:19, Revelation 9:20, Revelation 9:21, Revelation 16:9, Revelation 16:11
3341 metanoia is a noun and its usage repentance, a change of mind, change in the inner man.
Found in: Matthew 3:8, Matthew 3:11, Matthew 9:13, Mark 1:4, Mark 2:17, Luke 3:3, Luke 3:8, Luke 5:32, Luke 15:7, Luke 24:47, Acts 5:31, Acts 11:18, Acts 13:24, Acts 19:4, Acts 20:21, Acts 26:20, Romans 2:4, 2 Corinthians 7:9, Corinthians 7:10, 2 Timothy 2:25, Hebrews 6:1, Hebrews 6:6, Hebrews 12:17, 2 Peter 3:9
Moses Interceded With Prayer For God’s Chosen People
The Lord God continued to deliver His chosen people through the help of Moses, and in Numbers 11, the Lord was displeased because the people complained and it speaks of a fire of the Lord consuming his children in the uttermost parts of the camp. The people complained unto Moses, and Moses prayed unto the Lord (Numbers 11:2) and the fire was quenched.
Moses was so burdened with God’s chosen people, that he even prayed for the Lord to kill him (Numbers 11:14). It was an actual spirit of burden upon Moses, as the Lord tells Moses to gather seventy men of the elders of Israel, and He would take the spirit that was upon Moses and put it upon them, and they shall bear the burden of the people (Numbers 11:16-17).
Moses Supernaturally Fasted Unto God
In Deuteronomy 9, Moses is speaking to God’s people and says that he abode in the mount forty days and forty nights, and he neither ate bread nor drank water. This is a supernatural fast, as nobody could physically go without water (food yes), for forty days. This is an absolute or dry fast.
After Moses’ supernatural fast, the Lord tells Moses that His people have corrupted themselves because they had turned aside from the way He commanded them and made a molten image. He calls them stiffnecked people. He tells Moses:
14 let me alone, that I may destroy them, and blot out their name from under heaven: and I will make of thee a nation mightier and greater than they – Deuteronomy 9:14
Moses broke the two tables before the children of God, and fell down before the Lord, as at the first, and for forty days and forty nights he neither ate bread or drank water – supernatural fast. Moses interceded with prayer and fasting before the Lord because He wanted to destroy them. This is what Moses prayed before the Lord.
26 I prayed therefore unto the Lord, and said, O Lord God, destroy not thy people and thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed through thy greatness, which thou hast brought forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand. 27 Remember thy servants, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; look not unto the stubbornness of this people, nor to their wickedness, nor to their sin: 28 lest the land whence thou broughtest us out say, Because the Lord was not able to bring them into the land which he promised them, and because he hated them, he hath brought them out to slay them in the wilderness. 29 Yet they are thy people and thine inheritance, which thou broughtest out by thy mighty power and by thy stretched out arm – Deuteronomy 9:26-29
Moses cared for these souls. Even though they were stiffnecked people, as defined by God, they were God’s chosen people and Moses interceded for them with prayer and fasting for God not to destroy them.
Hannah Prayed for a Child
It says in 1 Samuel 1, that the Lord had shut up the womb of Hannah. She went up to the house of the Lord and wept and did not eat (fasted). In 1 Samuel 1:10, it says that Hannah prayed unto the Lord and wept sore.
11 And she vowed a vow, and said, O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head. 12 And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the Lord, that Eli marked her mouth. 13 Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken. 14 And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee. 15 And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the Lord – 1 Samuel 1:11-15
Hannah conceived and bare a son and called his name, Samuel. She is grateful and after she has weaned Samuel (1 Samuel 1:22), she prays unto God, and Samuel worships the Lord.
26 And she said, Oh my lord, as thy soul liveth, my lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here, praying unto the Lord. 27 For this child I prayed; and the Lord hath given me my petition which I asked of him: 28 therefore also I have lent him to the Lord; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the Lord. And he worshipped the Lord there – 1 Samuel 1:26-28
Praying for Our Leaders
I know that this world is one of unfairness and unjust, but we are still commanded to pray for our leaders. This is where hope comes in, because if we are praying for the salvation of our leaders, God can do so much with just one who repents (changes his or her mind about trusting in works for salvation and trusts in God’s plan of salvation through Christ). The Holy Bible even says that there is joy in the presence of the angesl of God over one sinner that repenteth. Do not underestimate the power of God.
Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth – Luke 15:10
Is it not amazing today that the seventieth week of the prophecy of the Book of Daniel has not yet come to pass? God, in His great mercy, is giving unbelievers the time to receive this precious gift of salvation through Jesus Christ who paid for all sins, before believers are raptured away from the horrendous time that will be the great tribulation and the time of the reigning antichrist here on Earth. I firmly believe that prayers (and fasting) today by believers are what is giving us time for unbelievers to receive salvation.
Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy – Daniel 9:24
10 Be wise now therefore, O ye kings:be instructed, ye judges of the earth.11 Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling – Psalm 2:10-11
Where no counsel is, the people fall:but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety – Proverbs 11:14
The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water:he turneth it whithersoever he will – Proverbs 21:1
He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them:he enlargeth the nations, and straiteneth them again – Job 12:23
if my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land – 2 Chronicles 7:14
7 And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the Lord for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace – Jeremiah 29:7
1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; 2 for kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; – 1 Timothy 2:1-3
17 Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king – 1 Peter 2:17
Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God – Romans 13:1
Praying in the Will of God
who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth – 1 Timothy 2:4
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance – 2 Peter 3:9
Salvation is the gift of God through the person of Jesus Christ, who is God in the flesh. He died for sinful man, was buried, and resurrected three days later.
1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 2 by which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: – 1 Corinthians 15:1-4
The works and will of God in relation to salvation is clearly taught by Jesus in John 6.
29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent – John 6:29
40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day – John 6:40
Since the works and will of God is for people to put their trust (faith) in Jesus Christ for eternal life, any prayer that applies these scriptures will be heard of God. God cares for souls. God came as Jesus in the flesh to save souls from eternity in the lake of fire. Salvation is a gift of God, because we are putting our trust in the work of Jesus Christ and His obedience to the Father.
God gave us free will to choose him, or deny him when we are given the gospel. Some people find it too difficult to believe that God would save us without works, and deny God’s gift, but this is what the Holy Bible clearly teaches. Any works added unto the finished work of Christ is an accursed gospel.
6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: 7 which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. 9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed – Galatians 1:6-9
Grace gives peace because we are trusting in Christ, and these are the works and the will of God that we believe. Works will never give peace, because the human is constantly looking to self for proof of salvation. It is a huge lie of the devil, and he disguises himself as an angel of light, and so do his ministers today.
13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works – 2 Corinthians 11:13-15.
Sanctification or discipleship (growing in grace) is a lifetime process that occurs after salvation. It has nothing to do with salvation, as this is entirely of God. Even if we do not produce any works after we have trusted in Christ as saviour, we may be chastened of God in this lifetime, or lose rewards that we would have attained in Heaven, or even be taken home early, but we cannot lose salvation, because God says that his gifts and callings are without repentance (Greek 278 ametameletos).
For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance – Romans 11:29
Salvation and discipleship are separate issues, and must be kept separate so as not to preach an accursed gospel.
As a born again believer, who has trusted Christ as saviour, I must share the gospel.
- Sin separates us from God (Genesis 3).
- The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23).
- To go to heaven, we must be perfect, and none of us are (Matthew 5:48).
- God loves us (John 3:16), but He hates our sin (Psalm 5:4).
- God came in the flesh as Jesus Christ (John 10:30), obeyed the law perfectly (Romans 5:19), and died that cruel death on the cross for the sins of every human being who will ever live on this earth (1 John 2:2).
- Jesus, who is God Almighty in the flesh, resurrected His body and ascended into Heaven offering his sacrifice for sin forever (Hebrews 10:12).
- The will of God is for us to believe on His son, Jesus Christ, who paid for all sin (John 6:40).
- Jesus’ shed blood gives us the remission of sin (Romans 3:25, Hebrews 10:18).
- Although God has died for all sin, God chooses to save only those who trust in His plan of salvation through Jesus Christ (John 6:47).
Do you believe that He paid for your sin debt? Will you trust Him today for eternal life? Contrary to popular belief by false teachers who teach that a believer can lose their salvation because of willful sin etc, this is incorrect. The gifts and calling of God are without repentance.
For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance — Romans 11:29
Greek 278 ametamelétos: not repented of
Original Word: ἀμεταμέλητος, ον
Part of Speech: Adjective
Transliteration: ametamelétos
Phonetic Spelling: (am-et-am-el’-ay-tos)
Definition: not repented of
Usage: not to be repented of, about which no change of mind can take place, not affected by a change of mind.
God bless.
