Apostolic Prayers

Introduction

“I will welcome you into my holy mountain and make you joyful in my house of prayer. I will accept every sacrifice and offering that you place on my altar, for my house of worship will be known as a house of prayer for all people.”

Isaiah 56:7 (The Passion Translation†)

The purpose of this book is to guide you in an atmosphere of prayer in the spiritual realm. Prayer is so important to the Lord. He welcomes us to communicate with Him. Whether you are speaking or you are quiet and listening to Him, He adores intimacy (2 Peter 3:16 MSG). He desires to be with you and in you. He desires His will in your life and the world. Your Kingdom come, Lord.

As dear children of God deeply rooted and grounded in His love, we know that we have signed up for spiritual battle upon receiving salvation and His Holy Spirit. Living in the Spirit takes some maturity. You are no longer on milk but eating spiritual meat. Recall that Jesus has given you access to the throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16). He has given you keys to the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 16:19). You have been commissioned and released to preach the Gospel in all parts of the world (Mark 16:15–20, Matthew 28:18–20). He has given you His Holy Spirit, the third in the triune, living inside you (John 14:16–18).

So what does this have to do with praying in the spirit realm? It has a lot to do with it. We live in a fallen world. The Spirit of God is at work—it has been and always will be. The plans and purposes of God don’t cease until they are fulfilled (Isaiah 25:1, 1 Corinthians 15:50–58).

The Holy Spirit gives life to every mortal breathing creature on earth and the energy behind the breath. He gives eternal life to us who believe and put our faith in the risen Christ. He is one who continuously sustains and renews creation from the beginning. When the Israelites spoke of the Spirit of Yahweh, they spoke of the power of God at work. His power is either a direct action, such as signs, wonders, and miracles, or the empowerment of people to accomplish what He wants. The loving God is a God of power. Through His Holy Spirit, the power of the living God is within us. God’s empowering presence is a personal and dynamic engagement with His people to do extraordinary things, which are the heart and purposes of God.

The mission of the Holy Spirit is to abide with the people of God. He abides in the ekklesia (church) because He abides with the individual. His ekklesia is an assembly of God-fearing people united in the Word of God and controlled by the resurrecting Holy Spirit (Matthew 16:18). It is not a building.

Holy Spirit’s first purpose is not only revealing our heavenly King but also achieving and renewing communion, enabling us to reign with Christ, and sharing with Him the inheritance of the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom is grace, life, justice, peace, glory, and the joy of the Lord, which is all granted to us by the Holy Spirit. Our rediscovery of our destiny and true freedom to love and know God is partaking in the Kingdom of God. Secondly, Holy Spirit’s mission is to the world. He comes to convict the world of sin, God’s righteousness, and coming judgment (John 16:8–11). Righteousness is available because Christ went to the Father.

To glorify Jesus is the work of the Holy Spirit. A Spirit-filled life is the normal condition of a believer. Those who entered into this new breath, new life, and new glory were baptized and filled with Holy Spirit. Being filled is not a special blessing but is the purpose of God. We are partakers of the divine nature to manifest the life of Jesus to the world (2 Peter 1:4).

With God’s authority, the ekklesia can engage in a spiritual battle with the kingdom of darkness (Psalm 41:11). With the divine connection to God through His Spirit within us, we can discern an attack from the enemy (Psalm 119:125, Proverbs 28:2). Holy Spirit operates against Satan’s kingdom, against worldly lust and sin. Satan hates the Word of God and would never raise anyone’s affection to it but twists, lies, and manipulates the words of it for his gain (Genesis 3:1–6). Holy Spirit can pray prayers of defense (Psalm 60:11–12).

God is very strategic (Isaiah 8:10, 15). Strategies to win battles over the enemy can be prayed and activated (Ephesians 6:11). Angels can be activated under Holy Spirit supervision to help us win (Matthew 13: 37–43). Supernatural power, dunamis, is activated to fulfill the impossible (Acts 6:8, Romans 15:18–19). Praying in the Spirit through intercession accelerates function, abilities, resources, and operations (Jude 1:20). Thrones of iniquity and strongholds can be torn down (Psalm 42:9, 43:2). The body of Christ is in the heavenly position of authority, seated with Christ (Ephesians 2:6). When praying in the Spirit or your native tongue, Holy Spirit can activate binding for loosing authority that Jesus has activated within us.

As we study accounts of the move of the Holy Spirit in previous revivals and the First and Second Great Awakenings, let us not be limited to theological and historical aspects. But we should have an attitude of hope; our desires and cries are being heard and answered by a merciful God.

The Spirit of God that touched the Cane Ridge Revival thirsty participants is still alive and manifesting today. Though it may not fit our theological molds, it is with great rejoicing that God still works His love and mercy; however, He works through whomever He wants, whenever He wants, and wherever He wants. We must not smooth down and explain away but rather “stir up the gift” (2 Timothy 1:16); we must allow God’s Spirit to disturb us and disturb us and disturb us, until we yield and yield and yield, and the possibility in God’s mind for us becomes a fact in our lives, with the rivers in evidence meeting the needs of a dying world.†

Holy Spirit expects the full involvement of the heart, soul, and spirit of His disciples entirely. Our Lord Jesus said to enter into the narrow door (Luke 13:24–30). He warned us to make every effort to live holy for Him, thus reexamining ourselves because the door is narrow.

Entering and working out our salvation is a revival. The Holy Spirit’s power engages, renews, enlightens, and expands all the capacities of those who embrace Christ’s redemptive work from glory to glory.

In 1 Corinthians 14:25, Paul describes a nonbeliever experiencing God in assembly who falls on his face and declares, “God is truly among you!” After a message from the Apostles, signs and wonders follow (Acts 2:12, 2:43). It is radical and goes against the grain. The first church Apostles are dead, but Christ’s mission remains! Continuing in the mission is service in the Kingdom. Being apostolic is following in the faith of the Apostles and the steps of the apostolic ministry.

Men of God are established in great regard to the scriptures. Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth who shows people God’s divine character and holiness. He shows that humanity must give account to God. We are helpless in ourselves. We cannot save ourselves. The Spirit of truth generates love for God and fellowmen. God works with those whom He endues with His mighty Spirit, which makes the impossible possible.

The effects of prayer from around the world can be seen everywhere. We, as the body of Christ, His ekklesia, have the keys to unlock the miraculous if we only believe, embrace, and align with His Holy Spirit (Acts 2:39).