Do you want to be a man or woman of prayer? As a Christian, you should be a prayer warrior because Christ, God's expressed image, was and is a Prayer Warrior. God’s original plan was to transform us into the image of Christ, the Man of prayer.
2Cor. 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.
Being a man or woman of prayer brings you into the position to be a ruler having dominion in this world. (Gen. 1:26-28) As Christians, we should have dominion and subdue our enemies who hinder the advancement of the Kingdom of God. (Matt. 16:18-19) We don’t fight against flesh and blood but our battle is against principalities, powers, rulers of darkness, and spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. (Eph. 6:12) We can fight these dark powers with the Word of God and prayer. (Eph. 6:17-19) We need to know that we fight an enemy that is already judged and stripped of its power and authority.
Col. 2:15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.
John 16:11 of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.
John 12:31 Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.
We as believers have to strip off our old man and put on the new man, the KAINOS MAN. When we put off, strip off, and lay down our old man we make the enemy powerless. Eph. 4:23-24, Col. 3:9-10
Hebr. 2:14 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,
In the book of John (chapters 14 to 17), we discover that the Lord Jesus made His disciples "prayer warriors." The Lord Jesus took His disciples apart on the last night before He got betrayed and taught them about: Love, Humility, The Way, Heaven, Persecution, the Holy Spirit, and Prayer. The Lord Jesus told them that He should go back to the Father to prepare a place for them. Christ also promised them that He should not leave them as orphans in this world, and promised them the incredible gift of the Holy Spirit. (John 14:15-18)
Next to this great promise, the Lord Jesus started to transform His disciples into “prayer warriors” by speaking God’s Word and God’s promises. As God spoke things into being the Lord Jesus Christ spoke His disciples into “prayer warriors.” We will see that Jesus Christ gave six clear promises to His disciples that God would hear their prayers, followed by a seventh promise that His disciples would pray to the Father in Jesus' name. We will study how the Lord Jesus Christ shaped and created his disciples into “prayer warriors.”
PROMISE 1
John 14:13 And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
Here the Teacher starts His creation to make “prayer warriors.” The Lord Jesus asks us to trust in Him completely so that we start to ask in His mighty name. WHATEVER we ask in His name, He will do it! What He will do in this context can be found in John chapter 14 verse 12.
John 14:12 "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.
The Lord Jesus Christ promises that WHATEVER we ask in His name He will do. The word WHATEVER includes the power of the Holy Spirit to do the works of Christ through us. This goes far above what we ask or imagine through the power that works in us. (Eph. 3:20) When Christ works through us in an exceedingly great power the Father will receive all glory.
PROMISE 2
John 14:14 If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.
The Lord Jesus Christ repeats His promise which means that we should take this invitation to ask in His name very seriously. We should take action to ask in His name for ANYTHING and WHATEVER. This should move us to pray day and night. This promise to ask in His name is only for people who believe in Jesus' name, for those who accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior, and for those who are born out of God.
John 1:12-13 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
PROMISE 3
John 15:7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.
We have to stay in Him like a branch in a Vine and as the body that is connected to the head. We have to stay in His righteousness, His wisdom, His sanctification, and His redemption. We have to stay in His Spirit, love, power, and Kingdom.
1Cor. 1:30 But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God--and righteousness and sanctification and redemption--
The words of Christ have to stay in us, we can do that by meditating on Christ’s Words day and night. When we meditate on the WORD we meditate on Christ Himself because He is the Word. The promise is amazing, when we stay in Him and He in us we can ask what we DESIRE and it shall be done to us.
PROMISE 4
John 15:16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.
The Lord Jesus loves you, and He chose you to live with you and in you. If we open our hearts completely to the Lord Jesus and follow Him we will bear fruit. When we bear fruit we have the promise that the Father gives us WHATEVER we ask.
Gal. 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
PROMISE 5
John 16:23 And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you.
On that day we will not ask the Lord Jesus Christ but we can go directly to the Father in Jesus’ name. Through Jesus Christ, the way is open to the Father. Through Jesus' blood, we can come before God in a new and living way.
Hebr. 10:19-20 Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh,
We can come before the Father in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Through the name of Jesus Christ, we have the power and authority to pray. All authority in heaven and on earth is given to Jesus Christ. (Matt. 28:18)
PROMISE 6
John 16:24 Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.
The disciples didn't ask in Jesus' name until now because Jesus Christ didn't fulfill His work on the cross yet. The cross where Jesus Christ took the punishment on Him we deserved, He died in our place and took away all our sins.
John 1:29 Behold, the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.
John 19:30 Jesus cried out: It is finished!
After this wonderful work of mercy, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the work was completed. It is finished! Ask in Jesus name so that your joy will be made full because when you ask you will receive.
PROMISE 7
John 16:26-27 In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I shall pray the Father for you; 27 for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from God.
After six promises the disciples became "prayer warriors" and on the seventh promise there is rest because IN THAT DAY they started to pray in Jesus' name to the Father. What a wonderful teaching from our Lord Jesus Christ, we recognize the Father in Him.
John 5:19 Truly, Truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner.
We know that God created the Heavens and Earth in six days, and on the seventh day, there was rest. In the same way, the Lord Jesus created "Prayer Warriors." The Lord Jesus first gave six promises and on the seventh promise there was rest, and the disciples started to pray in Jesus' name. This is a creation according to the Divine nature.
2 Cor. 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
If you want to be a prayer warrior you should read these seven promises again and again. When you meditate on these promises you will experience that God’s Word is alive and you will increase your faith. These promises are yours if you believe in the Son of God.
PROMISE 1
John 14:13 And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
PROMISE 2
John 14:14 If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.
PROMISE 3
John 15:7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.
PROMISE 4
John 15:16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.
PROMISE 5
John 16:23 And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you.
PROMISE 6
John 16:24 Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.
PROMISE 7
John 16:26-27 In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I shall pray the Father for you; 27 for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from God.
