Length: 7 Minutes
In our last part, we started speaking about prayer and the purpose of it. All prayer is for our mind, all the time. God is not benefited when we pray, we are. But let’s focus on how we make requests to God for manifestation.
As with other things, there’s still much to learn about prayer, so I will stick to the things that I know. But the way that many people pray does not take into account the access that we’ve been given through Jesus.
As believers, we already have everything we need living inside of us. So what need would there be to ever make a request of God? Well, we only make requests for manifestation.
Here’s the thing: making requests as born-again believers is a lot different than you may have been told. Elijah told Ahab that it wasn’t going to rain (1 Kings 17:1, James 5:17 ). Jesus spoke to a fig tree and told it that it would not bear fruit anymore. Some might not think it, but these are actually examples of what the Bible calls prayer, even requests of God.
We are used to supplication and requesting sounding like, “God, please, if it be your will, heal so-and-so.” Jesus advises us that when we ask the Father for something in prayer, to speak to the thing that needs to change and simply state what we want it to do.
Matthew 21:19-22 (NKJV) And seeing a fig tree… and said to it [notice, Jesus said this to the tree itself], “Let no fruit grow on you ever again.” Immediately the fig tree withered away… Jesus answered and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt… if you say to this mountain [notice, you say it to the mountain], ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done. And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”
Notice how Jesus speaks directly to a fig tree? Then He refers to speaking directly to “this mountain.” And He actually calls these things “asking in prayer.” He refers to this kind of speaking as making a request of God.
Jesus advises us to speak to the thing itself and simply state what we want. Now, of course, if you speak to a fig tree, it’s not that the fig tree can hear you (God confirms that in Deuteronomy 4:28). You are still speaking in the hearing of God. You are still making a request of God, but the Lord advises us to speak to the thing or issue itself.
But why would Jesus ask us to make requests like this — just speaking to the thing and stating what we want to see? This kind of request makes a lot more sense once you understand that we have authority over everything in this universe, and furthermore, God has already given us the right to access His grace, through Jesus.
Think about it this way: if you came over my house and I told you, “I’m going out for a moment. Please help yourself to anything in the fridge while I’m gone.” If you called me on my phone and asked me for permission, that would be strange because I had already given you access. The right thing to do would be to go straight to the fridge itself and take what you wanted.
Likewise, requests to God no longer need to sound like we’re asking God for permission, or as if we were uncertain of His will. God has already provided a lump sum of an inheritance through Jesus. Through Him, we have access into this grace already (Romans 5:2). Therefore, when we want to draw on that power and request the Holy Spirit to manifest something through us, we can simply speak to the issue and state what we want it to do. That is the prayer of someone who already has access and doesn’t need to ask for permission. You state what you want and that is your way of requesting it from the Holy Spirit.
It’s not as if we don’t need permission from God. It’s that we already have it through Jesus. It’s not that we’re being presumptuous. It’s that He’s already given it. You already have the yes and amen to all the promises of God, through Jesus (2 Corinthians 1:20).
If you read through the gospels and the book of Acts, you will see that the way Jesus and His apostles prayed is far different than the way much of the church prays today. Many Christians sound like they’re asking God for permission or are unsure of whether He wants to bring it to pass.
Although, for many people reading this article, you already know that Jesus provided access. You already know it’s the will of God. But even we,
can get caught up in only ever thanking God for what Jesus did, rather than looking at the situation and stating what we want it to do. It’s great to pray “Thank you Jesus for healing us at the cross,” but it’s a different thing to then look at the person and say, “Get up and walk!”
Thanking God is a wonderful thing because it acknowledges what Jesus has already done. But when you want to make a request on the power of God, and you speak to the situation, you’re acknowledging your definitive access and authority over this world. It’s another level of acknowledgment with that prayer. It’s wonderful to thank God, but if you want to make a request, state the situation and say what you want it to do. You don’t need to ask questions. You don’t need to ask permission. You’ve got the cross behind you saying “Yes!”
So practically, if you want to request for resurrection for instance, you can acknowledge what Jesus has done by thanking him, but you can also acknowledge your access and authority by simply telling the person to get up and live.
I plead with you, not to make this into a formula, but one might say, “Thank you Father for sending Jesus to die for us. And if Jesus died for us, there’s no need for anyone to stay dead anymore. In Jesus name, so and so, get up from where you are and live.”
Are those words important because it’s a magic spell that you can chant? No sir. Those words are merely an acknowledgment of what Jesus has done, and also the authority we have to use it. It’s the acknowledgment that counts, not the words.
As stated in our last article, you don’t receive by the prayer itself. It’s not about the words you say. it’s about the knowledge of Jesus alone. Prayer is just a way of acknowledging various things we have in Jesus.
Is it wrong to pray? On the contrary, it can help our knowledge. Does a prayer have to be present to receive from God? Absolutely not! It’s about the knowledge of Jesus, and the knowledge of Jesus alone (2 Peter 1:2). Prayer is not a second step. Only one thing is needful! Prayer is just something we can use to help our knowledge.
So does it matter the way that we pray? It only matters because prayer is an acknowledgment. When you’re saying things wrong in prayer, you’re acknowledging wrong things in your heart. It’s not about the prayer. It’s the knowledge that it’s stirring up.
The reason why we’ve taken the time to speak about how to make requests to God, is because we want to be acknowledging the right thing. And it’s the acknowledgment of Jesus that matters.
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