Prayer

Kevin Hardin | Building Destinies in America and Asia

Kevin Hardin and his wife Karen Hardin lead Destiny Builders. For many years they have worked in China and other parts of Asia. Now God has given them a mandate to transform politics, government, and culture here in the United States through prayer. On today’s episode we talk about some of the cultural differences between the east and the west. If you ever want to minister in China, you need to listen to our conversation.

Learn more about Destiny Builders: https://destinybuilders.world/

Connect with the City-by-City Prayer Network: https://city-by-city.org/

Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DestinyBuilders.World/

Transcript:

Evangelism Coach Daniel King (00:04):
Welcome to the Evangelism Podcast. I’m Daniel King, and I’m excited about telling people about Jesus. Today I have a very special guest with me, Kevin Hardin. Thank you for joining me on the Evangelism Podcast.

Kevin Hardin (00:16):
Glad To be here with you, Daniel.

(00:18):
So you have been working in Asia for many years now. Yes. Let’s start at the beginning. How did you originally go to Asia to start ministering?

Kevin Hardin (00:31):
Oh, long story short, huh? Okay. Well, as an O R U student, I’d graduated, I’d gone to O R U, felt called there, Oral Roberts University and just had a love for God after graduating, was very involved in my church in Tulsa, which was Victory Christian Center. And just very loved God, just serving God through the church. Reaching out to other singles at the time and, and then all of a sudden I feel like God spoken to my heart one of the few times. It wasn’t an audible voice, but it was a voice that I actually feel like God was said to get ready to go. I said that was all he said, but I knew because of the, at least the path that God had been leading up me, he meant international missions. I just knew that. And I, he never gave me a very far in advanced notice, like when I was 15, called to missions or anything like that.

(01:25):
It’s just I grew up loving God and, and going to a Christian university, involved a church and, and all he had to say was, get ready to go. And I started preparing. Now, what that meant was I had to figure out, because I’d gone to, at Wallace, student at Oral Roberts University, I had gone on a couple of summer mission trips to Asia Singapore, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka. Two of those locations was primarily Chinese people. So when, when he said, get ready to go, I remembered back then when I was on the trips, like I could come back. I’ve, to the Chinese people, I felt like, I felt like that’s what, you know, connected with my heart. So naturally, I, that was the first place I assumed, somehow reaching out to the Chinese people. And as I researched and prayed, found out the way to go to China was to teach English. So that’s kind of where that journey began. In 1989, I moved to China as an English teacher.

Evangelism Coach Daniel King (02:23):
And then at what point did you and your wife get married?

Kevin Hardin (02:27):
One year later? We were already dating when I lefthalfway through she visited me in China and, and we got engaged. Then I was told by her friends later that if I had, didn’t, didn’t Enga hadn’tpropose to her at that time, they were gonna come find me. So I’m glad I did. But we were, came home three weeks in that next summer we were married. Three weeks later I had her in China. So.

Evangelism Coach Daniel King (02:53):
And so your wife Karen Harden is a powerful woman of God. Yes. And ministers right alongside you. You really minister together. And the name of your ministry is Destiny Builders. Yes. Tell me what, what’s the meaning behind that and, and why do you call it Destiny Builders?

Kevin Hardin (03:12):
Well, we, we had actually been another ministry name for much of the time. Over 30 years that we’ve been in ministry was actually specifically China focused. We called it China call cuz that’s what we felt we had was the call. But as God began opening up and broadening us, the name didn’t quite still fit to be in other places. So as we prayed, we, we just felt like God was calling us to, to be destiny builders, cuz we are, we’re here to build, rebuild, build up people and help them to find their destiny in God. And because that’s so much is what this lost world is, struggles with. They don’t know their destiny. They don’t know their identity. So that’s a big part of, I feel, feel like what we are, our ministry is called to do.

Evangelism Coach Daniel King (03:58):
So when you went to China as an English teacher, you were there teaching English, you learned a lot about their culture. Your ultimate purpose was to be a shining light in the midst of great darkness. Talk to me a little bit about the spiritual conditions in China and, and what it’s like talking to people about God there.

Kevin Hardin (04:21):
China traditionally had been a Buddhist country primarily, but after the communists took over, they, they for the most part had done away with religion under the very strict mouth Chairman Maza Dong when he was in charge and, and other communist leaders. But the, as the nation began to open up with some more, some, some leaders that wanted to open China up to the West or to some more open ideas, and not just be this closed off country like North Korea still is things begin to blossom more society wise as far as the economic of China’s cities and areas. They, they begin to just prosper and develop, you know, and that, that’s, that’s like God, you know, he’ll when God’s allowed to come in, he, he likes to open up, open us up and prosperous and, and just provide just a much more amazing opportunity.

(05:27):
So as China did begin to open up, now, they weren’t open to Christianity or religion, but they were very interested in to develop their nation. They recognized the international language was English. So they, they allowed and invited foreign teachers to come to teach English and some other, some other areas. But English was the big area because they knew that that was the international language. So for many, many years, couple of decades at least foreign teachers was the, the preferred way to bring in a lot of this development and then in investment and business opportunities. Well, but to come in and just share the gospel with ’em, this was the easy way. And you still had to be careful how you shared. You couldn’t just openly be preaching to the students. We, we were able to, as long as it applied to us, we could share our life.

(06:25):
We could share about who we were, which was very much revolved around God or around a holiday since it was English class, which is the language, especially from the West. We could talk about Western holidays and if it applied to a Western holiday, which Christmas had a great story, we could tell, told all about the birth of Christ, the purpose of Christmas what what was all about. Even students acted out the Christmas story as part of their English class. Or we could show the Jesus film as part of our Easter holiday. There were ways that we could share, but the, but the Chinese people, they were hungry and they wanted, they, it was a very atheistic country as far as being taught from the government and their education system. But they were hungry. And especially after a major event, the very end of the eighties where the government cracked down on some student protests and activities, this, a lot of the people of China became very disillusioned with their government.

(07:27):
At first, they thought their government was ev, you know, wonderful and ev but after that, they were very disillusioned and they went searching. Now, eventually, that searching led many of them to the Lord, often through the influence of their foreign teacher. So the, the foreign teachers played a major role in many of the current churches that are, at least in the cities, the rural churches maybe not have been directly as affected by the, the English teachers, but, but many of the city churches were, and many of the pastors at, and churches that started in the nineties, they’ll often say, I’m a believer because of my foreign teacher. Now later, less and less dependence on foreign teachers for English as China and the students and their program English programs became better. There was less of a that need for English teachers. But

Evangelism Coach Daniel King (08:20):
How long did you live in China?

Kevin Hardin (08:23):
I physically lived full-time in China, seven years. But the remaining part of the, my 30 plus years, I was going back and forth every year, several times into China leading different types of ministry teams.

Evangelism Coach Daniel King (08:36):
And you actually learned quite a bit of Chinese,

Kevin Hardin (08:39):
My wife and I, when we lived there, we were, we had studied to an advanced level. I can’t say that I’m at advanced level anymore, but while we were still living there and actively using it all the time we both were, I was better at speaking and listening. My wife was better at reading and writing. She’s, she’s a writer by trade. And she, so we had both of our strengths, but it, it, it helped a whole lot, you know, even just to learn a little if you’re,

Evangelism Coach Daniel King (09:05):
Yeah,

Kevin Hardin (09:05):
It helps

Evangelism Coach Daniel King (09:06):
A lot of people who listen to the Evangelism podcast, they, they want to go to different parts of the world and they have a vision for, for telling people about Jesus. But I think here in the West, we don’t really understand how different some cultures are. We, we, we understand that there’s differences between culture, but really there, there’s a lot of, of differences between the culture that we have here in the West and the culture in the East. What are some of the, the cultural differences that you noticed and that people should be aware of?

Kevin Hardin (09:39):
A whole lot of them as far as compared to east and west, very, very different from the traditional Westerner, you know we have a lot of families, of course, in America that are from the east or from from the Hispanic world, the, the Asians and Hispanics, and probably most of besides Europe, and well, at least besides America, they’re very family minded. That’s a very, very important, and the family is not just your mom, dad, and kids. That’s the nuclear family. As we describe it as a, as a new invention of just recent history. And it’s, it’s not really the right and appropriate definition of family. The family includes our extended family, includes our grandparents and uncles and aunts and cousins. And, and that, I believe that’s way God intended. You know, we’re, we’re tho those eventually, you know, as you read history and the Bible, those eventually became nations when they came as one family and, and that, yeah.

(10:43):
So Asia is very family oriented now. A lot of the Western influence and a lot of modern life and television and internet has changed a lot of that tradition. The every generation, they lose more and more of that as the young, as young people, children see, especially western shows, Western ads, they, they, they start adopting some of those things, but, but very family oriented, oriented. And elders are the ones who really should be respected. And they are really the, the leaders of the home and leaders of the family. When we were living in China we had our, we had our youngest fir, we had our first child there in China. But we had very, very close Chinese friends that they had brought us into their family. They made us part of their family. And, and the grandmother or our friend’s mother called me her American son.

(11:40):
And it was just such an honor to be embraced by them and by their by their family. And, but when that mother, when our friend’s mother passed away, and I was able to be, be part of the, the funeral ceremonies and the family events related, but since my wife had just had our baby, she had to stay home in, it was middle of a very cold winter, so she couldn’t be. But after the meal, after the funeral, what, what struck me was now that we called her dma, which is means old mom or big mom, <laugh> the word same big can mean old. So, but it was just a respectful term. When she passed away, the old next oldest person in the family on was now one of my friend’s, older sisters. She was now the senior member of the family. And they, when I told my friends, you know, I need to go now.

(12:39):
I gotta be help my wife with our new baby. They said, okay, you need to come and tell this elder sister out of respect. You went to the older person and you explained to them I must leave now. You know, and things like that. That’s how you gave honor to the person that was seen as the, the elder of the family. And I thought that was just very interesting to me and just really shed some, some light. And part of the culture, again, respecting honor related to honor is authority people in a position of authority, not just family position. We, and we worked at a university and we were teachers or language students. If we came into a room that had, some of the teachers, especially if they were our teacher, even if we were older than them, they were in the position of teacher that meant they had an honored position related to us or the principal, or the, the president of university, the dean of the department.

(13:39):
If I saw my friend over here to one side, and I went to them and talked to them first, when all these other more positions of honor were in their room, I would be very dishonoring to them. I should first acknowledge the people of honor and the highest first talk to the school president, greet him, at least say hello, you know, and then the others. And then finally maybe to my friend, that was the way they honored. So just our idea of giving honor and receiving honor is, was very important in that culture. And that’s where when we as Westerners, we go into their culture and we don’t know these things, they’re gracious, but it still leaves a very bad taste. And they really notice if you, if you do know those things, and if you really honor their culture and honor their, their people, by even just understanding those important things,

Evangelism Coach Daniel King (14:36):
I think our culture could learn a lot about honor. Yes. And about respecting people that are older. Our culture tends to celebrate youth. We celebrate individuality. And being in a culture where you, you honor the wisdom of people who have been around for a while, yes. That’s something very valuable.

Kevin Hardin (14:58):
Yes, we’ve lost a lot of the understanding of honor in our culture.

Evangelism Coach Daniel King (15:03):
My wife is actually full Chinese blood. She was not raised culturally Chinese. Both her parents were, were from China and grew up with more of a Chinese culture. But she grew up with more of a, a Canadian culture. But since I got married to her, I’ve been introduced to some pieces of, of Chinese culture. I learned how to use chopsticks and <laugh>. Yes. She took me to real, authentic good food restaurants. Yes. To get some good food. And you know, I, I really think that, that God loves the nation of China. Yes. And God has a, a destiny and a plan for China over a billion people, many who need Jesus. And I think that when people talk about the, the in time harvest of souls and people coming into the kingdom of God, I think a time will come where God will open up China to, to be completely open to the gospel.

(16:03):
I mean, we, we’ve seen that in other nations in the past where they were closed, but then in a moment, they were opened up. And so I, I really think that the, the church needs to prepare for that day. And so I’ve even started to prepare. I’ve been translating one of my books into Chinese just, just getting ready. I, I haven’t given away to anyone yet, but I’m just getting ready because I know the day will come where God will open up doors. And you know, I was watching the, the Olympics a few years that ago that they had there in, in Beijing, and they did such a beautiful job putting on the Olympics. And, and they, they built the Bird’s Nest stadium right there. Such a beautiful stadium. And I was thinking, you know, that would be such a wonderful place to go and to preach the gospel someday. Yes. And I, I’m asking God, that in my lifetime Yes, yes. He would make that happen.

Kevin Hardin (16:57):
Amen. We’ll agree with you. You know, that China was actually getting more and more open. It was the believers could openly worship and, and share their faith. Often they were getting bolder and bolder doing some street evangelism even. And even though officially it was still a communist country, as China was allowed to develop economically the people did experience greater and greater freedom under the current leadership. He started shutting things back down almost to the degree of, of Chairman Mazak back in fifties, sixties, seventies. And I hope that’s not the end, you know? But the one good thing potentially about that, when China was so shut down and all, all, and most of the pastors were in prison, that’s when the church grew more than anything, grew exponentially just under that persecution. And even though the churches of many of them are now being shut down buildings, torn down, pastors imprisoned right now, pretty aggressively the last few years, even under the cover of Covid Crisis, they, the, the authorities are using that to, to imprison many I believe that God’s still, the Holy Spirit’s still gonna do the work, even if it’s during this period of what appears to be being shut down by, by the government.

(18:31):
But, but we know, and many of the believers, like they, they’ve expected it. They know that it could happen anytime. Anyway. So many of them, and the pastors have prepared their hearts for the time. They’ve, they’ve experienced more tribulation just as much as I think the Bible and Revelation talks about the Great tribulation. Many of their people have already ex have already and are currently experiencing that. And so we, we need to remember them be praying for them. As Paul mentioned in one of the verses of, of his letters remember, remember those in chains, and that’s the, the Persecuted church, whether China or the Middle East or other countries let’s remember to be praying for them. And also just that the church, God, the Holy Spirit’s gonna still work through the, the people.

Evangelism Coach Daniel King (19:20):
Let’s take a moment to, to pray for them right now, would you?

Kevin Hardin (19:23):
Sure. Well, heavenly Father, we just worship you. You are our God. You’re the Creator. And Lord Jesus, you’re the king of kings. You’re the Lord of all lords, including the nation’s Lord God that persecute your people. And Lord, we declare that your kingdom come, your will be done in each of the nation’s, Lord, each of the ethnic groups, Lord, the nationalities in the name of Jesus Christ, we bind the lion spirits of the darkness that would try to steal, kill, and destroy. We bind the, the deception that would try to scare people from you. Lord God, we thank you Lord, that you’re just causing those Lord God that are facing persecution just to be resolved, to stand all the more Lord God for your glory, all the more for your gospel, all the more Lord God, to, to reach out to the lost around them in the name of Jesus Christ. And Lord, we do pray that you, you will have mercy on those that are suffering. Lord, use them even in the prisons. Use them, Lord God, open the hearts of prison guards and tormentors and interrogators, Lord God, in the name of Jesus and the leadership of the nation. Lord God, we pray that the eyes of their understanding are open, that they know what the hope of their calling is in you, in the name of Jesus Christ. Thank you Lord.

Evangelism Coach Daniel King (20:42):
Amen. Well, I believe in the power of prayer, and I know that you do too. Destiny Builders is also really involved in stirring people up to pray Yes. For the United States of America. Yes. And so you’ve launched an initiative city by city, and you are challenging people to pray for our government, pray for the politics here in the United States because, you know, China needs Jesus, but the United States needs Jesus. Yes. Just as much. Yes. And so tell me a little bit about how you and your wife Karen, are raising people up here in the United States to, to pray for this nation.

Kevin Hardin (21:23):
I believe it was just before the 2020 election, my wife and another ministry friend, they were talking and they just felt empowered and led to, they, they know the story of when Adam interceded for Sodom and Goor for because of lot his nephew. And he was interceding with, with God for the very wicked city. And he, he came down to God, if there’s 10 people, will you spare the city? Well, my wife and her friend, awesome, powerful ministers that they are, they said, if we could find 10 people in every city to pray for their city, then God surely will save that city. And that has been the start of this initiative that if we can raise up at least 10 people in every city praying for their own city, that God will bring revival and save their city, and then ultimately our whole nation.

(22:23):
So they begin immediately to send out weekly email. It, it shares an issue that we’re gonna focus on, and then it leads in a written prayer that people can pray as they receive their email that they can pray it. And so that we’re united in the prayer because it’s, it’s not just prayer points, but usually it’s a prayer declaration. And that is, people read it, they’re reading the same thing that everyone else said in the network. We’re praying the same, same word scriptures, the same, same principles. And it’s, it is, they’re usually super powerful prayers. My my wife writes all of them now, and it, it, I’m, I’m impressed most weeks when I’ve read it and I thought, babe, you’ve done it again. But many of the issues are, are, are specific city focus or school spec. We say we’re praying over the school boards of our city, we’re praying over our city council, or we praying over the nation.

(23:20):
We’re praying over different things that relate to our cities or the nation as a whole, and always focusing on bringing about revival to those cities. So every week it’s been going on for at least a couple of years. Now, every week on Monday mornings, we send this out. If you’d like to sign up, you can go to city by city prayer.org, city by city prayer. One word is.org. And there’s a place you can sign up and you’ll receive the same email that we’ve already got over 4,000 people on this every week praying with us. So

Evangelism Coach Daniel King (23:57):
Yeah, I’d encourage you to go and sign up for the prayer emails. I get emails from the hardens all the time, and it always reminds me to, to be praying. And so I appreciate them so much. Now, we actually had revival happen here in Tulsa. God opened the door for Mario Marillo, who’s a, a great evangelistic heart Yes. To come from California here to, to Tulsa. And also Flashpoint was involved from Kenneth Copeland Ministries. And you guys helped to invite them here and facilitate and we’re part of the team that we’re, we’re putting it all together. And it really was amazing what God did, because for two nights it packed out the maybe center on the, or Roberts University Yes. Campus. Yes. Which was just amazing. The people were hungry for God. When Mario Morillo gave the altar call, people streamed down, it instantly filled up the altars. There was no room for counselors to even pray for people because just so many people were hungry for God. Yes. And, and I was in the audience. I was talking to some people that they weren’t Christian, they were more interested in the political side of things, but they came and they heard the gospel. Yes. And it was powerful. What God

Kevin Hardin (25:16):
Did. It was we had every, each of those two nights, we had 10 to 12,000 people come to the stadium there. And I believe we had a total of three to 4,000 actually respond to the altar call when, when Mar pastor brother Mario a gave that invitation. It was very powerful. I believe it was. We saw, we really believed it was going to be a catalyst to begin some new things across the nation, not just our city. Tulsa has a, a very rich heritage for the gospel, for, for just spirit empowered ministry. And it, it, we did feel like that was a key in the start of this, this move for revival. And Brother Mario Morere, he is such a powerful evangelist, dynamic. His

Evangelism Coach Daniel King (26:03):
Heart beats for evangelism. Yes. Everything he does is

Kevin Hardin (26:06):
God begin to use him in words of knowledge and healing in a greater and greater way. More recent, and we’re believing for, for more of these type events, they, they have continued into other cities. But I believe it’s just the very beginning.

Evangelism Coach Daniel King (26:24):
Amen. Well, I believe that God wants to send revival here to America. So you took a moment to pray for China. Now let’s pray for America and just pray for revival. Dear heavenly Father, we thank you for the great outpouring of your spirit that we saw here in Tulsa, Oklahoma when Mario Marillo came and, and gave the altar call, and thousands of people came forward to receive Jesus. And Lord, we pray that we would see that in cities all over this nation. Lord, we ask you to pour out your spirit upon the United States of America. We need you. Lord, I pray that you would turn the hearts of people back towards you. Turn the hearts of politicians back towards you, government officials. We lift them up. And Lord, we pray that your standards of righteousness would be established in this nation and that people’s hearts would turn towards you. In, in that we would see revival. Lord, I pray for all those lukewarm Christians that have drifted away from you and even stopped going to church during times of covid. Lord, I pray that you would bring them back. Yes. In that people would be on fire for you. Yes. In that we would see a mighty outpouring of your Holy Spirit upon this nation. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Kevin Hardin (27:43):
Yes, Lord. Amen.

Evangelism Coach Daniel King (27:45):
Well, brother Kevin, thank you for being on the Evangelism Podcast. It’s great to have

Kevin Hardin (27:48):
You. It’s honored, Daniel.

Evangelism Coach Daniel King (27:49):
Thank you. Now, if you, you mentioned the, the city by city.org website. People can find out more about you guys there. If someone wants to support the ministry that you’re doing in Asia or wants to help to support the Prayer Network, how can they find out more information about you guys?

Kevin Hardin (28:07):
Our main website is Destiny builders.world Destiny Builders Do World.

Evangelism Coach Daniel King (28:14):
Wonderful. Well, I encourage you to go support this ministry and thank you brother Kevin. God bless you.

Kevin Hardin (28:20):
Thank you.

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Does God Answer Prayers?

According to the Bible, God does answer prayers. However, it is important to understand that God’s answers to prayer may not always be what we expect or what we want.

The Bible teaches that God is sovereign and is in control of all things. He knows what is best for us and he desires to work all things for our good and for his glory (Romans 8:28). As such, God’s answers to our prayers may not always be in the form of a direct “yes” or “no,” but may instead involve leading us in a different direction or using circumstances in our lives to shape us and grow us in ways that we may not fully understand.

That being said, the Bible also teaches that God is a loving and faithful God who hears and responds to the prayers of his people. He desires for us to bring our requests to him and to trust in his goodness and his plan for our lives.

In conclusion, God does answer prayers, but his answers may not always be what we expect or want. It is important for us to trust in God and to seek to align our prayers with his will.

ABOUT DANIEL KING

Evangelist Daniel King, D.Min is on a mission to lead people to Jesus. He has visited over seventy nations preaching good news and he has led over two million people in a salvation prayer. He is often called “The Evangelism Coach.” To support King Ministries in our quest for souls, click here!

Free Prayer Booth at the Tulsa State Fair

Revival in America?

We have seen God save thousands of people in over seventy nations around the world. But often when I visit churches here in North America, people ask me, “Do you think God could do something like that here at home?”

In Acts 1:8 Jesus told the disciples, “You shall receive power after the Holy Spirit comes upon you and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem [the disciple’s own city], in all Judah [the region the disciples lived in], in Samaria [the country next door], and to the uttermost ends of the earth [everywhere else]. Jesus wants us to be a witness in our own cities, in our own regions and countries, in nearby nations, and ultimately, we are called to take the Gospel around the world.

That’s why I have been praying and asking God for opportunities to reach people for Jesus right in our own backyard. God wants to move overseas, but He also wants to move in North America. Even when traveling far and wide, we must not neglect our neighbors who need Jesus.

Free Prayer Booth at the Tulsa State Fair

We just finished hosting a Free Prayer booth at the Tulsa State Fair. The results were amazing! Here are some of the numbers that tell the story:

11 Days of Outreach
132 Hours of Ministry
We engaged in a total of 1,001 conversations about God.
Our team prayed with 1,844 people.
We led 479 people in a prayer of salvation.
60 people testified they received a physical healing.
A total of 318 volunteers came to help us pray.
2 Sunday morning church services for Carnival workers.

International volunteers at this outreach came from Peru, Russia, Myanmar, Nigeria, Uganda, Eretria, Canada, England, Germany, Puerto Rico, and Brazil. We also had people who came to volunteer from Colorado, Tennessee, Kentucky, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Kansas, Texas, New York, Florida, and of course, Oklahoma.

The Continuing Impact of the Free Prayer Booth

Many of our volunteers at the Free Prayer booth were teenagers or college students who had never had the opportunity to lead a person to Christ before. We used the Free Prayer booth as a way to train these young people how to share their faith. Now that they have seen God move through them, they will continue to be bold in telling people about Jesus.

Now that the Tulsa State Fair is over, I have a vision for this type of outreach to occur at State Fairs across America. We have proved this model of ministry works. We are in the process of writing a manual that we can use to inspire and train churches and ministries across America to do this same type of outreach.

Testimonies from the Tulsa State Fair

The first day Kevin Wagner saw Michael smoking drugs near the tent behind us. Two days later, he approached our booth with tears in his eyes. He started weeping and said, “My mother just died yesterday.” It turns out that he had been trying to mask his heartbreak by the use of drugs the day before she died. The team at our booth consoled Michael and shared the Gospel with him. We told him, “Jesus gives us hope in the midst of heartbreak.” We asked him

to give his life to Christ and he was eager to do so. We spent time ministering to him and he left with the hope of heaven in his heart and comfort from his mother’s death. By being out here, we were there when he faced a big need.

Across the street from our prayer booth was a bathroom. Robert, the bathroom attendant, heard our messages for eleven days. Several people from our team prayed with him. He asked us to pray for his wife who suffers from a stomach problem. That night he went home and laid hands on her stomach, and his wife was healed.

Jonathan Cowerd asked a man if he needed prayer. The man yelled, “No, I need to go to the bathroom” as he rushed towards the restrooms. Five minutes later the man came back and said, “Actually, I do need prayer, there is a lot of bad stuff going on in my life.” Jonathan prayed with him and he accepted Christ as his Savior.

Joshua Wagner shares, “Nate was the last person I prayed with on Friday night. Nate accepted Jesus as His Lord and Savior for the first time! Not only that, but he also got delivered from alcoholism. He had just bought a huge, overpriced beer that was completely full. After he got saved and delivered, I told him he didn’t need that beer any longer, and he happily agreed, and together we threw the full beer in the trash!”

Thank You!

It is because of your generosity we are able to do outreaches like the Free Prayer booth. Your gift this month will help us write a manual so we can empower other churches and ministries to do their own State Fair outreaches. Click here to give a financial gift today.

If you want to host your own Free Prayer booth, our team has written a manual to help you figure out all the details:

Download the Free Prayer Manual

Download the Free Prayer Logo

Download the Free Prayer Follow Up Book

Download the Free Prayer Flyer

Download the Three Circles Witnessing Sticker

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Healing Power | The Healing Power of Prayer

“Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective” (James 5:14‑16).

There are many elements of healing found in this passage including: calling the elders of the church, anointing with oil, praying in the name of Jesus, the prayer of faith, and the power of confessing sins. But the element I want to focus on right now is an important ingredient in the healing process. This vital element is prayer.

The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective (James 5:16). The prayer of the upright pleases God (Proverbs 15:8). The Lord hears the prayer of the righteous (Proverbs 15:29). The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer (1 Peter 3:12). This means the prayer of a person in right standing with God can achieve great miracles.

Prayer literally opens the door into the throne room of God. Someone once said, “The amount of power in your life is determined by the size of the calluses on your knees.” I like to say, “If you want to be feeling your healing, you need to be kneeling for your healing to stop Satan from stealing your healing.” Prayer has the potential to move heaven and earth on your behalf. John Wesley observed, “It seems God is limited by our prayer life – that He can do nothing for humanity unless someone asks Him.”

What is prayer? Prayer is simply talking with God. It is fellowship with your Heavenly Father. Prayer is the single most important activity you could engage in. Prayer is evidence of your trust in God. F.B. Myer said, “The great tragedy of life is not unanswered prayer, but unoffered prayer.” There is nothing greater than speaking with the Creator of the universe.

The psalmist said, “…God has surely listened and heard my voice in prayer. Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer…” (Psalm 66:19‑20). Jesus promised, “If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer” (Matthew 21:22), and again, “…whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours” (Mark 11:24).

Every time Satan attacks your mind with thoughts of doubt and unbelief, defend yourself by going to the Lord in prayer. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” (Philippians 4:6). Do not worry about sickness. Bring your healing request to the Lord through prayer, give thanks for your healing, and you will be made whole. I agree with William Branham, “He who is a stranger to prayer is a stranger to power.”

Four ways to pray for healing

Pray for yourself.

Building your faith through personal prayer is the secret to obtaining and maintaining your healing.

Ask a family member to pray for you.

Parents’ prayers are especially effective when praying for their children because God has given them authority to resist Satan’s attacks in their household.

Call for the elders of your church to pray for you.

“Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him…” (James 5:14). Ask an elder to pray over you; when his faith combines with your faith, you will be healed.

Ask a friend to agree with you.

“Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them” (Matthew 18:19-20). There is great power when two people pray a prayer of agreement.

Do You Need Healing? Be Healed in Jesus Name!

We believe in a God of miracles. If you need prayer for healing, please share your prayer request by clicking here.

Check out Daniel’s powerful book on God’s Healing Power:

Power of Prayer | Pray the Lord’s Prayer

“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen” (Matthew 6:9‑16).

“The Lord’s Prayer may be committed to memory quickly, but it is slowly learnt by heart.” – Frederick Denison Maurice

When the disciples asked Jesus how to pray, Jesus gave them the Lord’s Prayer as a model. This prayer is perhaps the most well-known and most often repeated prayer in the world. I have prayed this prayer together with Episcopalian priests, Lutheran pastors, Baptist ministers, Orthodox believers, Charismatic laymen, and a Catholic archbishop. In many languages and in many countries, the Lord’s prayer is loved.

One pastor broke the Lord’s Prayer down into these elements:
Papa: “Our Father in heaven…” God is our Father. This title expresses the close personal relationship God has with us, His children.
Proclamation: “…Hallowed be your name, …” Hallowed means to honor that which is holy. In Old Testament times, your name was an expression of who you were. So, when we honor God’s name, we honor Him.
Promise: “…your kingdom come…” Ready or not, God’s kingdom is coming. This is the cry of every believer who is waiting for the Messiah.
Providence: “…Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” This phrase asks God to make His kingdom manifest here on earth, but it also calls on us to implement His will in every way we can. God’s Will is done in heaven at all times, we must pray so His will can be done here on earth too.
Provision: “Give us today our daily bread.” In the desert, God provided daily manna for the Israelites. At the last supper, Jesus made the bread a symbol of His own body. When we ask God for our daily bread, we are asking for daily sustenance, both spiritual and physical. Never worry about tomorrow, just thank Him for today’s provision.
Pardon: “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” Jesus told the parable about the man who was forgiven by the king and then refused to forgive a much smaller debt. This phrase reminds us to walk in forgiveness towards others. When you plant a seed of forgiveness, you will receive forgiveness yourself.
Protection: “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” Even if you walk through the valley of death, God will be there with you and He will protect you.
Praise and Power: “For yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever.” All praise belongs to the Father. All power belongs to Him. This phrase reminds us of God’s omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence. He is all-powerful, all-knowing, and eternal.

Check out Daniel King’s book: The Power of Prayer

Power of Prayer | A Story of Answered Prayer

Daniel King (00:24):
I want to tell you a wonderful story about how God will answer your prayers. Couple of years ago, my wife Jessica, and I went to the nation of Pakistan to conduct a great gospel festival. And so the week before we went, there was a pastor in Texas and she had a dream about us. And in her dream, she saw that we were in danger. And so she called me and she said, Daniel, I am committing to pray for you the entire time that you’re in Pakistan, because I have this dream. I believe God wants me to pray. And so I said, thank you very much. I appreciate your prayers. And so we went and we had wonderful gospel festival. Thousands and thousands of people came. Many of them were Muslims. In fact, one of the local Muslim imams, he came and he saw all the people that were being healed.

(01:18):
And so he stood up in his mosque on Friday, and he told everyone, if you need healing, go to the Gospel festival and Jesus will heal you. And so God was doing so many miracles among the Muslims. It’s just so wonderful to see. But on the last night of the festival, we had a big problem. As we were leaving the festival, there was a suspicious car that began to follow us. And so we are very concerned about security. We saw there were five, uh, young Muslim guys in this car, and they looked very suspicious. They were acting very suspiciously. And, and so the bishop that we were working with, he told the driver, drive fast to get away from this car. And so when we sped up, this car sped up too. We were out in the middle of some farm roads, uh, dirt roads, just going as fast as we could go.

(02:12):
And we looked behind us and this car was still following us. And then up ahead on the road, there was a motorcycle parked right in the middle of the road and beside the motorcycle, there was a guy standing there and he had a rifle over his shoulder. And in his other hand, he had a, a piece of cloth. And he was waving us down, trying to get our van to stop. And so because of the suspicious car following us, and because this man had a rifle, the bishop told the driver, he said, just drive around that motorcycle as fast as you can go and keep going. Whatever you do, don’t stop. And so as we drove around, this guy passed him. Suddenly, the guy with a motorcycle, he took the motorcycle that he took the gun off of his shoulder, pointed it at us, and pulled the trigger.

(03:01):
Boom, it sh it surprised everyone in in our van. And, and suddenly, uh, the, the bishop’s wife, she started praying in tongues just as loud as she could. She was just praying, showed up. And I looked over at the bishop and, and, and you gotta understand this, Bishop is a, a kindly old gentleman. He’s like a big teddy bear. And when I would be preaching at the Gospel festival, he’d sit on the platform right behind me, and he would fall asleep while I was preaching. I’d be preaching, and, and I’d look over at him and he’d, he’d fall asleep. His head would be down. Then every once in a while, he’d wake up and he’d go, hallelujah, hallelujah. Hall, wake back up. And, and, and so I was so surprised to see this kindly old teddy bear of a man. Suddenly he’s pulled a pistol out of his pants.

(03:50):
He had it tucked right back here in the back of his pants. He pulled his pistol out and he is yelling at the driver, waving this pistol all over the van. And, and I don’t know very much about guns, but I do know that you’re not supposed to point ’em at me. And so I kept saying, Bishop Point, that gun out the window. And I looked over and my wife, she was ministering to bishop’s daughter, bishop’s daughter, had a, a little baby infant, uh, maybe about one year old. And, and she was scared. She thought maybe the, the infant had been shot. And so she was freaking out. And so my wife, she was just ministering to bishop’s daughter and, and, and talking to her and, and saying, God’s not giving you a spirit of fear. You’re gonna be okay. Your baby’s okay. And then I was busy looking out the back window of his car.

(04:35):
I was trying to see what was was going on. So my wife was ministering to bishop’s daughter, and she kept turning to me and, and pulling me down and saying, Daniel, if they shoot someone, if the terror shoots someone, they’re gonna shoot the white guy. Get down. So she was ministering, you’re gonna be okay. And then pulling me down. And of course, I didn’t listen to my wife. I just kept, I was looking out the, the, the back window. And, and so for about 20 minutes, we continued on these back roads as fast as we could go. And this car followed us just as, as fast the whole way. And finally, after 20 minutes, we got on a main road. We were able to make some turns, pass some vehicles, and we lost that suspicious car that was following us. And I knew that everything was gonna be okay.

(05:21):
When I looked over at the bishop and the gun had disappeared and Bishop had fallen back asleep, when I saw that he was asleep, I knew that everything was gonna be okay. But the amazing thing about this story is that all the way back in Texas, the church that had committed to praying for us, they were in the middle of their morning worship service on a Sunday morning. And right in the middle of the worship service, suddenly the worship leader at the church just heard from God and said, you need to pray for Daniel and Jessica right now. And so they, they stopped their singing, and everyone in the church together began to pray and to intercede for me and Jessica. And they prayed for about 20 minutes. And then they felt like everything was okay, and they went back to their normally scheduled worship service.

(06:13):
And so when we got back to the United States, we told them about this, this situation that we’d faced. And they told us about how they had been told by God to begin to pray for us. And so we began to compare the time zones and, and the difference between morning and night between Pakistan and the United States. And we discovered that the very moment that God was telling them to pray was the very time that we were in danger being shot at in the nation of Pakistan. And so in the midst of what was a very dangerous situation, God was telling people to pray for us and protecting us. And so I want to tell you today that your prayers are powerful and effective. When God brings someone to your mind, begin to pray for them. Who knows what reason? It is that God is asking you to pray. Maybe they’re facing a difficult situation. Maybe they’re in danger. Maybe they need a special encouragement from God. And so if, if God brings someone to your mind, begin to pray for them.

Check out Daniel King’s book: The Power of Prayer

Power of Prayer | Pray without Limiting God

“Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you” (Jeremiah 32:17).

“O believing brethren! what an instrument is this which God hath put into your hands! Prayer moves Him that moves the universe.” – Robert Murray McCheyne

Scientists continue to marvel at the size of the universe. Light travels 186,000 miles per second. The sun is 93 million miles away so light takes about eight minutes to travel from the sun to the earth. Against the backdrop of our solar system, our planet is quite small.

But, our sun and planets exist in one small corner of the Milky Way galaxy. The Milky Way is so big that at the speed of light, it would take over 100,000 years to travel across the galaxy. If our entire solar system was the size of a quarter, the sun would be a microscopic piece of dust in the middle of the quarter. The nearest star to our sun would be two football fields away. The Milky Way has millions of stars spread out across these distances.

Beyond our galaxy lies billions of other galaxies. These galaxies are billions of light years away from us. As far as we know, the universe continues in every direction into infinity.

The earth is set at a precise distance from the sun which makes it possible for life to exist on this planet. Any closer to the sun and it would be to hot to live, any farther away and we would all freeze to death.

There are so many species living on the earth that no one knows the exact number. So far zoologists have recorded 20,000 species of fish, 6,000 species of reptiles, 9,000 birds, 1,000 amphibians, 15,000 species of mammals, and over one million species of insects. Yet, they think there might be several million more species still waiting to be discovered. Each species is unique and beautiful.

Just think. The same God who created the vast expanses of the universe and who created an infinite variety of plants and animals cares about you. I think He can handle your problem.

Check out Daniel King’s book: The Power of Prayer

Power of Prayer | Pray for Souls to Be Saved

“…We will stand before this temple and in Your presence (for Your name is in this temple), and cry out to You in our affliction, and You will hear and save.” (2 Chronicles 20:9 – NKJV)

“O God, give me souls or I die.” – John Hyde

John Hyde was an American missionary who ministered in what is today northern India and Pakistan in the early 1900’s. Today, he is known as “Praying Hyde.”

In 1896 Hyde traveled around to many villages in Pubjab. He wrote, “This year there were no conversions in the villages. There were last year. What is the reason?” His solution was to fall to his knees in prayer. He began to cry out to God for lost souls. He often prayed all day long and through the night, forgoing food and sleep. He was often seen crying as he prayed, “O God, give me souls or I die.”

Hyde’s passion for prayer led to the formation of the Punjab Prayer Union. Their goal was to dedicate themselves to praying for revival.

Hyde saw a need to encourage and train pastors so he invited a group of local pastors to the city of Sialkot for a convention in 1904. Before the first meeting, Hyde spent thirty days on his face before God in prayer. Because of the prayer saturated environment, there was a great outpouring of God’s Spirit. Many confessed their sins and pledged themselves to seek God.

At the Sialkot Convention in following years, there was great “brokenheartedness for sin” and a burden for lost souls. One brother who attended the convention describes what he saw, “Oh, what an awful vision I have had! Thousands of souls in this land…being carried away by the dark river of sin! They are in hell now. Oh, to snatch them from the fire before it is too late.”

In 1908, John Hyde announced at the Sialkot Convention that he was believing for at least one soul to be saved everyday. He asked God, not just for a seeker, but “a soul saved, ready to confess Christ in public and be baptized in his name.” In a nation where some churches went years without any conversions, many thought his goal was impossible. But, John Hyde began to pray and travel and preach. He encouraged those who worked with him to find lost sheep.

One of his friends reported that Hyde “would engage a man in a talk about his salvation. By and by he would have his hands on the man’s shoulder’s, be looking him very earnestly in the eye. Soon he would get the man on his knees, confessing his sins and seeking salvation. Such a one he would baptize in the village, by the roadside, or anywhere.”

By the end of that year, over four hundred new believers had been baptized! In 1909, John Hyde asked God for an even more audacious request. He wanted two souls to be saved every day. If the daily quota was not filled, his response was to stay up all night in prayer crying out for God to give him souls. As he focused on soul winning, he found himself drawing closer to the heart of God. He preached, “When we keep near to Jesus it is He who draws souls to Himself through us.”

Over eight hundred people were saved that year and at the Sialkot Convention in 1910 the vision was enlarged once again. That year, Hyde set a goal of leading at least four people to Jesus every day. His example challenged other pastors and missionaries. Some ministries that had experienced years of little or no fruit suddenly saw hundreds coming into the kingdom of God.

Much of what God has done in Pakistan and northern India in the past one hundred years can be traced back to the original Sialkot Convention and the prayers of John Hyde.

Check out Daniel King’s book: The Power of Prayer

Power of Prayer | Pray for a Harvest of Souls

“The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send forth laborers into his harvest field”(Matthew 9:37).

“Prayer is the only adequate way to multiply our efforts fast enough to reap the harvest God desires.” – Wesley L. Duewel

When I was growing up, my family lived on a hill overlooking a huge cotton farm. All spring and summer, we watched the cotton plants grow. They began as tiny sprouts peeking up from underground, then they grew rapidly. By late summer, the field was densely covered in green plants. By early fall, the yellow cotton flowers faded away, leaving cotton balls in their place. Then the plants died and turned brown. Now, the field was almost completely white. When the field looked like it was covered in snow, I knew the harvesting was about to begin. I always remembered when Jesus told his disciples, “Behold the fields are white unto harvest.” Jesus was talking about grain fields, but the principal is the same. There comes a time when the fields are ready to harvest.

How can we help harvest the fields of lost souls in this world? In Matthew 9:37, Jesus told his disciples to pray for laborers. He knew there was a huge harvest waiting to be gathered and he also knew that it would require lots of work to bring the souls into the kingdom of God. So, he told his disciples to pray for laborers.

I believe the disciple did pray! I know they prayed because God answered their prayers. In the next chapter, Jesus sends out laborers into the harvest field of Judea. These laborers were the disciples. In other words, the disciples became the answer to their own prayers!

I believe that when the disciples began to pray, God softened their hearts and prepared them to bring in the harvest. When you begin to pray for souls to be brought into the kingdom of heaven, God will use you to save people. You can become the answer to your own prayers. If you want God to send you to a specific country, begin praying for that country. If you want God to use you in a specific type of ministry, begin praying for those who have needs in that area. This will prepare your heart to reach out to those in need, and once your heart is ready, God will use you to touch lives!

Check out Daniel King’s book: The Power of Prayer

Power of Prayer | Pray Desiring God’s Presence

“Come near to God and he will come near to you…” (James 4:8).

“…the purpose of prayer is to reveal the Presence of God, equally present at all times and in every condition.” – Oswald Chambers

God is more than a religious belief, or an icon on the wall, or a deity to mumble prayers to before eating a meal, or a list of rules to live by, or someone whose meetings we attend. He is our friend. God wants to walk with you and talk with you on a daily basis. His greatest desire is to have a relationship with you. God created you to be His friend.

The Hebrew word for “presence” means “face,” “in front of,” or “to see one’s face.” When my wife wants my attention, she sits on my lap and with a hand on my cheek turns my face to look her in the eyes. She enjoys my presence as much as I enjoy hers. Being in God’s presence simply means spending time with Him, talking to Him “face-to-face.”

The greatest gift God has given you is His presence. The greatest gift we can give God is a desire to be in His presence. We reveal our desire for God’s presence by the amount of time we spend seeking Him. Pursuit is proof of desire!

Many make the mistake of only seeking God’s blessing instead of celebrating His presence. It is important to seek God’s face, not His hand. We love God because of Who He is, not because of what He has done or can do for us. God is not an eternal Santa Claus. We should chase His presence, not His presents. It should not be just “I want blessings from God,” it should be, “I want God.” The marvelous thing about seeking the Giver is that when you find Him, you also receive His gifts simply because He loves you.

In God’s presence you will find:
* Abundance (John 10:10)
* Comfort (Isaiah 51:12)
* Deliverance (Psalm 34:19)
* Encouragement (2 Thessalonians 2:16)
* Favor (Proverbs 12:2)
* Forgiveness (Psalm 103:3)
* Healing (Exodus 15:26)
* Joy (Psalm 16:11)
* Love (1 John 4:8)
* Patience (Psalm 37:7)
* Peace (John 14:27)
* Protection (Psalm 91)
* Prosperity (Psalm 25:12-13)
* Rest (Exodus 33:14)
* Strength (Nehemiah 8:10)
* Wisdom (Proverbs 2:6)

Check out Daniel King’s book: The Power of Prayer

Power of Prayer | Pray Expecting God to be Faithful

“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful” (Hebrews 10:23).

“We have to pray with our eyes on God, not on the difficulties.” – Oswald Chambers

Prayers are answered, not because we are faithful, but because God is faithful. As human beings no matter how hard we try we will fall short. But God the Father gives us the perfect picture of faithfulness.

People can let you down. A brother or sister may back out on you. Your friends may desert you. But you can trust God to be there for you when you need Him the most.

In the Hebrew language, the word “faithfulness” comes from the same root word as “trust, loyalty, integrity, and steadfastness.” God is absolutely true to His word, His promises, and His character.

Faithfulness is part of God’s nature. God is not going to back out on you, fail to keep His promises, or disappear. God is not going to change. He is absolutely trustworthy.

Here is proof that God is faithful:

* “…he is the faithful God…” (Deuteronomy 7:9).

* “…he is faithful in all he does” (Psalm 33:4).

* “God…is faithful” (1 Corinthians 1:9).

* “The one who calls you is faithful…” (1 Thessalonians 5:24).

* “…the Lord is faithful” (2 Thessalonians 3:3).

God is faithful, His promises are true,

you can trust Him, to take care of you.

When you are lonely, and when you are upset.

Look to God, He is not done with you yet.

While you are tired, and while you are sad,

For help, just ask your Heavenly Dad.

Even if no one else is ever around,

His blessings for you will always abound.

Check out Daniel King’s book: The Power of Prayer

Power of Prayer | Pray with Specific Requests

“What do you want me to do for you?” “Lord, I want to see,” he replied” (Luke 18:41).

“He who runs from God in the morning will scarcely find Him the rest of the day.” – John Bunyan

Johnny climbed up into Santa’s lap. “What do you want for Christmas?” Santa asked. In response, Johnny dug deep into the pocket of his jeans and pulled out a list.

“There are one hundred and fourteen presents that I want this year, Santa,” Johnny said very seriously. “First, I want a new video game. Then I want a toy airplane that flies with a remote control. I also want new sneakers and a new bike,” Johnny begin to list what he wanted with precise detail. The man inside the Santa suit sighed. He could tell he would be there for a long time.

When we talk to God, we should be like Johnny and pray with specific requests.

Recently, I was ministering at a church. A man with a bad back came up for prayer. When I asked him what he wanted prayer for he said, “Pray that my disability money will be enough to keep me going through the end of the month.” Instead of asking God for healing, he wanted a trivial miracle.

The blind man who came to Jesus knew exactly what he wanted. Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” The blind man replied, “Lord, I want to see.” He could have asked Jesus for a silver coin or a word of blessing, and Jesus would have complied. But, because he asked Jesus for his sight, his whole life was changed.

Know what you want and be bold in asking God. If you pray a wishy-washy prayer, don’t be surprised if nothing happens. Give God a chance to work on your behalf and ask God for exactly what you need.

Make sure you check out Daniel King’s book: The Power of Prayer

Power of Prayer | Pray for Others

“Isaac prayed to the LORD on behalf of his wife, because she was barren” (Genesis 25:21).

“To stand before men on behalf of God is one thing. To stand before God on behalf of men is something entirely different.” – Leonard Ravenhill

“Daniel, will you pray for me?” I am frequently asked. My typical response is to grab the hand of the person who is asking and immediately begin to pray. If I wait until later, I might forget. Rather then promising to pray and then breaking my promise, I usually try to immediately spend a moment in prayer.

Prayer is often talked about and rarely done. A true prayer warrior is a treasure to be appreciated. I greatly value the people in my life who regularly pray for me.

Recently, we were doing a Gospel Festival in the Muslim nation of Pakistan. While we were there, a pastor’s wife back home in the United States had a sense of urgency to pray for our protection. She started to pray. When we returned home, we shared how we were shot at while we were in Pakistan. She figured out that she was stirred to pray at the same time we were in danger. Her prayers saved our lives!

When we pray for others, we can have a big impact in their lives.

Who do you know that needs prayer? Who do you know that needs help? Who needs to be saved? Who needs healing? Who needs a touch from God? Begin to pray for them right now.

Your prayer releases the angels of heaven. You prayer moves the hand of God. Your prayer destroys spiritual blinders. Your prayer brings supernatural provision, healing, protection, and salvation. Your prayer is a mighty wall, a strong shield, a tall hedge; between the enemy and the person you are praying for.

Your prayer goes where you cannot go. Your prayer impacts people you never met. Your prayer changes lives throughout the earth. Your prayer reaches into the future and impacts generations that are not even born. Your prayer reaches across oceans, over mountains, around barriers, and across borders.

No law can block a prayer. No religious belief is immune to the power of prayer. No political ideology can halt the

results of prayer. No country is closed to the supremacy of prayer.

If you know someone who needs prayer, begin to pray right now. Your prayers will change his or her life!

Check out Daniel King’s book: The Power of Prayer

Power of Prayer | Pray for the Impossible

“Is anything too hard for the LORD?…” (Genesis 18:14).

“Faith sees the invisible, believes the unbelievable, and receives the impossible.” – Corrie ten Boom

What is impossible in your life?

Do you face an impossible situation? Have you been diagnosed with a disease impossible to cure? Are you facing an impossible economic problem? Do you feel it is impossible for one of your family members to ever turn to God?

In Mark chapter five, we find the story of the woman with the issue of blood. She faced an impossible situation. For twelve long years she suffered with her disease. She spent all her money on the doctors. The doctors took her money but offered her no hope. They told her she would recover. In fact, she continued to get worse.

But one day, she heard about Jesus. She heard how Jesus healed the blind and the crippled. She said to herself, “If I can just touch the edge of his garment, I will be healed.”

In the midst of her impossible situation, she put her eyes on Jesus. She pushed through a crowd of people and managed to touch the edge of his clothes. Immediately, she was cured of her suffering.

Jesus turned around and asked, “Who touched me?” The disciples were confused. They said, “Jesus, you are in the middle of a crowd, hundreds of people are touching you.” But Jesus knew that her touch was different. Many people were touching Jesus, but this woman touched him with her faith.

The woman identified herself to Jesus and told him what she had done. Jesus said to her, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”

Jesus turned her impossible situation into a miracle. Jesus will do the same for you. Whatever situation you are facing today, know that with God all things are possible.

I encourage you to use your faith to reach out and touch Jesus right now. Believe God for the impossible! Believe God for your miracle!

Check out Daniel King’s book: The Power of Prayer

Power of Prayer | Pray Like Jesus Prayed

And when He had sent them away, He departed to the mountain to pray. ~Mark 6:46 (NKJV)

“If I should neglect prayer but a single day, I should lose a great deal of the fire of faith.” – Martin Luther

Jesus made it His habit to pray. Every day, He would steal away to spend time with His Father. We should develop the same habit of prayer in our own lives.

A habit is any action taken on a daily basis. First, you form habits, and then habits form you. Your current life is the sum total of all your past habits. Your future destiny is the sum total of the habits you will develop. Show me a person with good habits, and I will show you a person who will be successful. Show me a person with bad habits, and I will show you a person who will fail in life. After you develop a bad habit, you become a slave to that habit. But if you develop a good habit, that good habit becomes a friend that will lead you to success.

I have discovered that my success relies on the habitual actionsI take on a daily basis. My health is the result of my habits. My wealth is the result of my habits. The books I write are the result of my habits. My weight is the result of my habits. My friendships are the result of my habits. My spiritual health is the result of my prayer habit.

Based on my personal experience, a new habit can be formed by doing something new for twenty-one days. The amazing power of forming habits is that anything we do twice becomes easier. The more times we repeat the action, the easier it becomes.

If you are unhappy with your spiritual walk, you must change your prayer habits. A great prayer life is the result of design. You have to choose to live a life of prayer. As you spend time every day in prayer, you will see amazing results.

Check out Daniel King’s book: The Power of Prayer

Power of Prayer | Pray to Light Your Life on Fire

“…Fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands” (2 Timothy 1:6).

“It is only when the whole heart is gripped with the passion of prayer that the life-giving fire descends, for none but the earnest man gets access to the ear of God.” – E. M. Bounds

Your prayers light the fire of God inside you!

The fire of God is the burning passion that exists in the hearts of those who are committed to serving God. This fire creates an appetite for righteousness. Fire produces love, reverence, and passion for God. Fire is found in the fervor and intensity of worship. Fire falls when God’s children yearn to be consumed with a divine adoration for God. It creates a craving hunger for God Himself.

God’s fire drives the preacher to preach. God’s fire forces the teacher to teach. God’s fire compels the evangelist to evangelize. Fire gives birth to an obsessive enthusiasm for winning the lost. God’s fire sustains the soul when trials and tests come your way. God’s fire enables the Christian to live a holy life. The fire of God judges between right and wrong. The fire of God purifies that which is not worthy and destroys imperfections. The fire burns away chaff and leaves gold. It challenges, compels, and produces mighty men and women of God.

The fire of God is not given to make us cozy, but holy. The fire of God is like the fire in the belly of a steamship; it provides the thrust for the voyage upstream. The fire of God is like the fire in a hot air balloon, uplifting the spirit to higher heights. The fire of God is like a campfire, supplying warmth on a cold night. The fire of God is like the flame in a lighthouse, giving direction and warning of danger.

The fire of God is the difference between dead religion and a living relationship with Christ. The fire of God separates those who play at church from those who are the church. The fire of God differentiates between those who preach life changing sermons and those who only share comforting monologues. The fire of God divides the worshipers from the ones who only want to be entertained. The fire of God is the difference between the impotent and the powerful. The fire of God is the defining characteristic of the passionate follower of Christ.

The fire of God rings the death toll for the forces of the kingdom of darkness. The fire of God energizes God’s people with His power and truth. The fire of God burns away sinful thoughts, motives, and desires, and leaves behind a renewed mind. The fire of God removes sadness and replaces it with the joy of the Lord. The fire of God is the sign that true revival has finally come. The fire of God calls sinners to repentance and inspires people to live a life of holiness. The fire of God enlists, trains, and empowers believers for world evangelism.

Check out Daniel King’s book: The Power of Prayer

Power of Prayer | Pray Expecting God to Answer

“Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know” (Jeremiah 33:3).

“O believing brethren! what an instrument is this which God hath put into your hands! Prayer moves Him that moves the universe.” – Robert Murray McCheyne

Prayer is not a one-way flow. It is not just you talking to the ceiling and hoping God hears you.

Prayer is a two-way conversation. You speak to God. He talks to you.

One of the richest rewards of prayer is hearing God’s voice.

Sometimes God speaks audibly. Other times He speaks quietly to your spirit. At times, He will speak to you through a feeling of peace. Often He speaks to you through His Word.

God is always speaking for those who will take the time to hear. He is like a radio station that is always broadcasting. If you tune in to the right channel, you will hear what He is saying.

When you pray, take time to listen. We have two ears and one mouth, so I think God might want us to listen to Him twice as long as we speak.

If you will call out to God, He will answer you! God is there right now, just waiting to have a conversation with you. Take the time to hear His voice.

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Power of Prayer | Pray Without Ceasing

“Pray continually” (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

“All that a Christian does, even in eating and sleeping, is prayer…” – John Wesley

How much time should we spend in prayer? Sometimes, people strive to be spiritual and pray a lot, but they disappoint themselves when they are unable to fulfill their prayer goals. They tell themselves, “I am going to get up every morning at 5:30 and pray for two hours every day.” The next morning the alarm rings and they turn over and sleep until it is time to go to work. In the midst of taking time for our family, studying, working jobs, and recreation it is often difficult to find the time to pray.

Smith Wigglesworth regularly saw unbelievable miracles occur in his services and many people were raised from the dead under his ministry. Someone once asked him how much time he prayed each day. This man wanted to know the secret to Wigglesworth’s success. He probably wanted to discover the magic number of hours Wigglesworth spent in prayer each day. Wigglesworth surprised the man by saying, “I never pray for more then fifteen minutes at a time. . . but I never go more then fifteen minutes without praying.” In other words, Wigglesworth had a continual relationship with God.

Someone once pointed out, “It is better to pray a little bit a lot, then it is to pray a lot a little bit.” Is it better to take a girl out on one big date, or is it better to spend every waking moment with her? God wants us to be aware of Him all the time and to consult Him about the little details of our lives.

This does not mean we should forsake setting aside a specific time to pray. It may be helpful to make an appointment with God and to write it down in your Day Timer. But, even if you spend a set amount of time praying each day, do not forget about God the rest of the time.

Since I heard the story about Smith Wigglesworth, I have tried to mentally remind myself of God’s presence every fifteen minutes. Everyone has a lot of time that can be used for prayer. We can pray on the way to work or while waiting in line at the post-office or while we take a shower in the morning. Instead of beating yourself up trying to set aside time to spend with God, allow Him to come and spend time with you while you do your everyday activities. I exhort you to “Pray continually.” This is what it means to make God the center of your life!

Check out Daniel King’s book: The Power of Prayer

Power of Prayer | Pray with Understanding

“… I will also pray with the understanding…” (1 Corinthians 14:15- NKJ).

“The greatest answer to prayer is that I am brought into a perfect understanding with God, and that alters my view of actual things.” – Oswald Chambers

Paul said to pray in tongues and to pray with understanding. Praying with understanding means that you “understand what you are praying for.” Let me give you an example of how we pray with understanding.

Every birthday, we have a tradition in our family. I think our tradition is better then the normal traditions of blowing out candles, having a birthday cake, or giving presents. Our tradition on birthdays is to have each member of the family pray for the birthday person.

As we pray for our family member who is having a birthday, we pray for many specific things. Here are some of the things we pray for:

We pray for their HEALTH in the coming year. We ask God to keep them healthy and whole. We ask that they would have good eating habits and exercise regularly.
We pray for their GOALS to be met in the coming year. We ask God to give them a clear vision for the future and the wisdom to know what steps to take.
We pray for their SPOUSE and CHILDREN. If they do not happen to be married yet, we pray for God to protect their future spouse and to bring him or her at the right time. If the family member is married, we ask God to bless them with a loving marriage.
We pray for their RELATIONSHIPS. We ask God to provide godly friends. We ask for God’s blessing on them in their role as a son or daughter, father or mother, and sister or brother.
We pray for God to give them MINISTRY opportunities. We ask God to make them a shining light in the midst of a dark world. We pray that they would walk in all the fruit of the Spirit and the gifts of the Spirit.
We pray for their SPIRITUAL WALK. We ask God to give them a hunger for God’s word, for prayer, and for praise and worship.
We pray for their FINANCES. We ask God to provide for every need. We ask God to provide them with fulfilling work. We ask God that all the work of their hands would prosper.
We pray for their MIND. We ask God to keep them mentally alert and to give them good grades in school. We pray for their education.
We pray for their PROTECTION. We assign angels to watch over them. We ask God to keep them from harm and to protect them from anyone who would want to injure them.
We pray for FAVOR over their lives. We pray for them to have open doors.
We pray for them to receive the DESIRES of their hearts.
We pray for them to have a year of HARVEST. We ask God to give them an abundant harvest on every seed they have sown into the kingdom of heaven.

Finally, we pray that the coming year would be the birthday person’s best year ever!

I encourage you to make this a tradition in your family. When someone you know has a birthday, turn it into a significant spiritual occasion by speaking blessing over his or her life. Pray for them on their birthday as a way to set the tone for the entire coming year of their life.

Read Daniel King’s book: The Power of Prayer

Power of Prayer | Pray to Stand in the Gap

“I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none” (Ezekiel 22:30).

“When we pray for others the Spirit of God works in the unconscious domain of their being that we know nothing about, and the one we are praying for knows nothing about, but after the passing of time the conscious life of the one prayed for begins to show signs of unrest and disquiet. We may have spoken until we are worn out, but have never come anywhere near, and we have given up in despair. But if we have been praying, we find on meeting them one day that there is the beginning of a softening in an inquiry and a desire to know something. It is that kind of intercession that does most damage to Satan’s kingdom. It is so slight, so feeble in its initial stages that if reason is not wedded to the light of the Holy Spirit, we will never obey it, and yet it is that kind of intercession that the New Testament places most emphasis on.” – Oswald Chambers

Zadok straightened up and stretched out his sore back. All day long he had been moving heavy stones in the hot sun and now he was exhausted. He glanced to either side. On his left, he saw his friend Meshullam working hard. To his right, he saw the people of Tekoite using mortar to build the wall. He wiped the sweat off his brow with his free hand. In the other hand, he carried a sword.

He squinted down the length of the wall into the setting sun. Throughout the night, he planned to stay right where he was in case the enemy attacked. He figured tonight was the night the enemy might try to take the city. The men were all tired from working hard but the wall was not high enough yet to offer any real protection. All around the city there were far too many gaps in the wall. So, Sadok decided to stand in the gap so the city would be protected.

Along the bottom of the wall rode a figure on a horse. It was Nehemiah. Zadok waved at him and Nehemiah shouted back, “You are doing a wonderful job. Soon the wall will be finished.” Zadok smiled. It seemed like Nehemiah had been everywhere ever since he had arrived from Babylon. All day he circled the wall, encouraging the men, and lending a hand wherever it was needed the most.

Like a tornado of energy, Nehemiah had come ready to rebuild the walls of the city of David. Single handedly, he had convinced the city fathers to begin the work. At first everyone thought the project of rebuilding the walls was impossible, but now the walls were almost finished.

Of course, some were mad at Nehemiah’s success. People like Sanballat preferred that Jerusalem remain weak and defenseless. Because of the threat of attack, Nehemiah asked each man to work with one hand and to hold a weapon in his other hand. They would be ready if the enemy appeared. Each man pledged to stand in the gap and to defend the city with his life.

Today, there are many holes in the walls that protect our society. Slowly, the enemy has been attacking different areas that used to be protected. Marriages are under assault. Teenagers are being attacked from several directions. Morality has slipped. We need to pick up the weapon of prayer and use it to stand in the gap. You and your prayers are the only thing standing between the devil and the victory he desires. God is looking for a modern day Zadok to help rebuild the walls of our society by standing in the gap with prayer to defeat the enemy.

Check out Daniel King’s book: The Power of Prayer

Power of Prayer | Pray with Groans of Intercession

“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express” (Romans 8:26).

May God open our eyes to see what the holy ministry of intercession is, to which, as His royal priesthood, we have been set apart. May He give us a large and strong heart to believe what mighty influence our prayers can exert. And may all fear as to our being able to fulfill our vocation vanish as we see Jesus, living ever to pray, living in us to pray, and standing surety for our prayer life.” – Andrew Murray

This week there was an earthquake in Haiti. We have done two Gospel festivals in Haiti and we have friends in Port au Prince. I have not been able to get in contact with them because phone lines are down and they are not answering e-mail. I don’t know if they are alive or dead, injured or hungry or in need of shelter. But, even though I don’t know how to specifically pray for them, God does.

As I began to pray in an unknown language for my friends in Haiti, I felt God’s Spirit in my belly. God began to give me words in a heavenly language for me to pray. As I prayed, I sensed that angels were being dispatched to help my friends in Haiti where they needed the help the most. God’s Spirit helped me target my prayers accurately.

When we do not know how to pray, the Spirit helps us pray. The Holy Spirit lives inside you, and if you allow Him, He will help you pray. If you don’t know how to pray or what to say, put your trust in God and let Him pray through you. Open your mouth and give Him control. The Holy Spirit is a gentleman, He will never take control without your permission, but if you give Him control, He will begin to pray with your voice.

From your belly will begin to flow rivers of living water that will bring healing to those who most need it.

Another time you may want to let the Holy Spirit pray through you is when you do not know what do in your particular situation. Are you trying to make a major decision? Are you facing an unknown danger? Are you being attacked by an unfamiliar enemy? Begin to pray in your heavenly language and God will give you words, perhaps even groans, which will bring direction and clarity to your situation.

You are not alone. When you don’t know how to pray, God is with you. If you allow Him, He will help you pray and then He will answer your prayers.

Check out Daniel King’s book: The Power of Prayer

Power of Prayer | Pray as a Watchman

“I have posted watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; they will never be silent day or night…” (Isaiah 62:6).

God’s greatest agency; man’s greatest agency, for defeating the enemy and winning men back is intercession. -S. D. Gordon

The enemy planned a nighttime assault on the city. They carefully wrapped their weapons in rags so they would not accidentally scrape a sword on a rock. They put camouflage paint on their faces so they would not be seen in the dark. Their plan was to sneak up and to place their ladders against the city walls. Quietly, they would climb up and silently overwhelm the soldiers. By the time the inhabitants of the city woke up, they would already be enslaved.

On top of the city wall there was a watchman. His job was to keep an eye out for the enemy. But it was a boring job. Never in his life had anyone attacked. He was tempted to fall asleep. It was the middle of the night. It was cold. Surely it would not matter if he closed his eyes for a short time.

In his mind, he struggled with competing thoughts about his duty versus his comfort. It would be so nice to rest. But, his job was to keep an eye out for the enemy. He decided to take one last walk along the wall before taking a nap.

He stared out into the darkness. Clouds covered the stars. But, then a small breeze briefly blew a hole in the clouds and for a moment light shined through. The watchman saw a brief gleam, a small flash. It attracted his attention. He squinted into the darkness. He saw hundreds of humps scurrying on the ground towards the wall. What was that? As one hump came closer, he spotted the tip of a helmet and a long spear. It was the enemy.

The watchman ran as fast as he could to the bell in his guard shack. He grabbed the cord and begin to pull with all his might. The loud bell rang out into the night. The enemy, realizing that surprise had been lost, shouted and began to sprint towards the walls. Inside, the city’s defenders woke from their stupor and struggled to put on their armor. The first to arrive at the top of the wall were there just in time to push the ladders away from the walls. A furious battle raged.

By dawn, the battle had been won. The enemy slinked away like a dog dragging his tail on the ground. The watchman was celebrated and treated like a hero. He had saved the city from destruction!

When we pray, we serve as watchmen for our nation, our culture, our people. The enemy is always trying to attack, but the vigilant prayers of a faithful believer will keep the enemy at bay.

Check out Daniel King’s book: The Power of Prayer

Power of Prayer | Pray in the Holy Spirit

“…pray in the Holy Spirit” (Jude 1:20).

“The true spirit of prayer is no other than God’s own Spirit dwelling in the hearts of the saints. And as this spirit comes from God, so doth it naturally tend to God in holy breathings and pantings. It naturally leads to God, to converse with him by prayer.” – Jonathan Edwards

It is God’s will for every believer (including you) to be filled with the Holy Spirit. “Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is…be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:17‑18). This means it is God’s will for you to be filled with the Spirit.

You can ask with complete confidence for God to fill you with the Holy Spirit. Know that it is His will for you to have the gift of the Spirit. “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have what we asked of him” (1 John 5:14‑15). You do not have to beg for the Holy Spirit, but you do need to specifically ask. “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”(Luke 11:9‑13). The Holy Spirit is a gentleman, he will not force Himself upon you, He will only enter your life at your invitation.

You can pray in a spiritual language. The Spirit is continually praying to God on your behalf in a special language which is only understood by God. You can pray in this new tongue by opening your mouth and allowing the Spirit to speak using your vocal cords. Jesus promised, “These signs will accompany those who believe…they will speak in new tongues” (Mark 16:17).

Isaiah prophesied this new tongue would bring refreshing to weary believers, “For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear” (Isaiah 28:11‑12 – KJV). This new tongue is like a “well of water springing up into everlasting life” (John 4:14).

On the day of Pentecost, one hundred and twenty disciples began to speak with other tongues when they were filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:4). Cornelius and his entire household spoke in tongues when the Holy Spirit came upon them (Acts 10:44-48). When Paul laid his hands on the believers in Ephesus “the Holy Spirit came upon them and they spoke in tongues” (Acts 19:6).

Paul was originally filled with the Spirit when Ananias laid his hands on him (Acts 9:17). Later, he wrote to the church inCorinth “I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you” (1 Corinthians 14:18). Paul said that praying in the Spirit edifies (builds up) the believer (1 Corinthians 14:4). Paul specifically commanded the church in Corinth “…Do not forbid speaking in tongues” (1 Corinthians 14:39). Exercise builds your muscles, in the same way, praying in tongues builds your spirit. Jude told us, “But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit” (Jude 1:20).

Check out Daniel King’s book: The Power of Prayer

Power of Prayer | Pray Like a Child

“Which of you fathers, if your son asks for bread will give him a stone…If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Luke 11:11-13).

“The story of every great Christian achievement is the history of answered prayer.” – E. M. Bounds

What is the Father’s heart? The simple petition of a humble child reveals the heart of a father.

As I write this, Jessica and I are about to become parents for the first time. In just over one month, our son will be born. As we get closer to the due date, our instincts for parenting continue to grow and manifest. Jessica has decorated the nursery and carefully chosen baby seats, high chairs, clothes, diapers, and all the other paraphernalia that you need to care for a baby. Yesterday, I caught myself thinking about how to start putting aside money to pay for our child’s education. As loving parents, our goal is to do everything we can to provide for our child, protect our child, and raise our child in the best way possible. God the Father feels the same way about His children.

When we come to the Father with a prayer request, we are like little children. He looks at us as His children and we should look to Him with the same simple faith that a child has when she looks at her beloved daddy.

Imagine a little child running up to her father and shouting, “Daddy, daddy, I’m hungry.” How would the father respond? If a son asks for bread, would the father give him a stone? If a daughter asks to be picked up, would a loving father beat her instead? No, a loving father is attentive to the needs of his children and will do anything He can to make his child’s life easier. God will do the same for us!

The child comes to her father with a simple faith. In her eyes, her daddy is the solver of all problems. Her daddy is superman. For her daddy, nothing is impossible.

Jesus said, “You must become as a little child to enter the kingdom of heaven” (Luke 18:17). When you pray today, trust God with the same simple faith that a child has towards her loving father.

Check out Daniel King’s book: The Power of Prayer

Power of Prayer | Pray in the Name of Jesus

“…I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it” (John 14:13-14).

Avail yourself of the greatest privilege this side of heaven. Jesus Christ died to make this communion and communication with the Father possible. – Billy Graham

One day Peter and John were going up to the temple to pray, when they saw a man who had been crippled from birth. Every day this man would sit at the temple gates begging for money. “Give me some money, please give me some money,” asked the crippled man when he saw Peter and John.

Peter said, “Look at us!” Excited, the man gave them his full attention because he expected them to give him some coins.

Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have…” The man’s face dropped, “It’s just my luck to ask a poor person for money,” he thought to himself. But then his ears perked back up as he realized Peter was not finished speaking yet. “…but what I do have, I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk,” commanded Peter. He did not have any money to give the man, but he did possess the healing power that is in the name of Jesus.

Suddenly the crippled man felt blood rush into his legs. He could feel them for the first time in years. He looked up and saw Peter reaching out his hand, and without thinking he grasped the outstretched hand and stood up. Instantly his feet and ankles became strong.

Hesitantly he took a step, then he took another step, and another step. He was walking! He began walking faster, then he tried to hop up and down. Finally he ran around the temple court shouting “Praise God,” and showing everyone how he could walk and leap. The crowd in the temple court was astonished because they all recognized him as the man who was once crippled.

Peter asked the crowd who came running, “Men of Israel, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if we made this man walk through our own power? Through faith in the name of Jesus this man whom you see and know was made strong.”

When the priests arrived, they were greatly disturbed because the apostles were talking about how Jesus rose from the dead. They commanded the captain of the temple guard to place them under arrest. The next day all the rulers, elders and teachers of the law asked Peter and John, “By what power or what name did you heal this crippled man?” These men knew Peter did not have any power on his own, so they asked this question in order to discover whose power was behind the miracle.

“It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed,” Peter answered. “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”

The rulers were deeply disturbed because the apostles were preaching and healing people in the name of Jesus, so they commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.

But in a prayer meeting later that night, Peter disobeyed their command and asked God, “Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” After they prayed, the Holy Spirit fell, and all who were at the meeting began to speak the Word of God with great boldness. As they preached, many people in the city of Jerusalem were saved and healed because of the power of the name of Jesus.

Check out Daniel King’s book: The Power of Prayer

Power of Prayer | Pray in Secret

“…when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you” (Matthew 6:6).

“The secret of praying is praying in secret.” – Leonard Ravenhill

“Public prayers are of little worth unless they are founded on or followed up by private praying.” – E. M Bounds

“O, let the place of secret prayer become to me the most beloved spot on earth.” – Andrew Murray

In Luke 18:10-14, we find the story of two men. One was a Pharisee. He stood in the middle of the temple and prayed in a loud voice so everyone could see how holy he was. The other was a Publican, a tax collector, a sinner. He stood by himself in a corner and whispered his prayer.

The Pharisee prayed, “God, I thank thee and I am not evil as other men are. I am not unjust or an adulterer or a tax collector as that other man is. I fast twice a week and I pay my tithes faithfully.”

The Publican would not lift his eyes to heaven. Instead, he stood by himself in an out of the way corner and placed his hand on his heart. He simply prayed, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.”

Jesus said that the Publican’s prayers were effective and the Pharisee’s prayers were wasted.

The Pharisee’s prayers hit the roof and went nowhere. The Publican’s prayer soared straight to heaven.

The Pharisee was heard by men and ignored by God. The Publican was despised by men but celebrated by the Almighty.

In the moment of his prayer, the Pharisee received all the benefit he would ever get from his prayer. But the Publican’s prayer reverberated throughout eternity. Where you pray determines where you get the benefit. If you pray to be seen by men, your reward will come here on earth, but if you pray to be seen by God, your reward will come from above.

It is much better to pray humbly in private and have God’s ear, then it is to pray in public and have a heart overflowing with pride.

Who are you trying to impress with your prayers, God or man? When do you pray most passionately, in the pulpit or in private? Where are you most eloquent, in the meeting place or in your secret place?

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Power of Prayer | Pray with Humbleness

“Yes, Lord,” she said, “but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” Then Jesus answered, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted” (Matthew 15:27-28).

“Be humble or you’ll stumble.” – D. L. Moody

Prayer is the ultimate humbling experience because you are forced to acknowledge your dependence of a superior being.

It is easier to stay humble when you keep the purpose of prayer in mind. Prayer is not a way to force God to do miracles on your behalf. God is not like a vending machine where you can insert a few prayers and expect a miracle to pop out.

The purpose of prayer is not to change God’s mind, but to change your own.

According to Malachi 3:6 and Hebrews 13:28, God does not change. So, no matter how much we pray for God to do something, He is only going to do what He has said in His word that He will do.

For example, our prayers cannot convince God to save a friend or relative. He already desires for every person to be saved. He gave His very best, His only Son, as a gift to make salvation possible for every person. What more do you want Him to do?

T.L. Osborn said, “There are two prayers God can never answer. When we ask Him to do something He has already done and when we ask Him to do something He told us to do.”

God has done everything He needs to do for the whole world to be saved. He commanded us, “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature.” So, when we pray for the lost to be saved, our own hearts become burdened with the need to go witness to the lost.

The purpose of prayer is not to try to get God to do what we want, rather the purpose of prayer is for us to become more like God. Prayer changes our thought processes, our attitudes, our ideas. With our prayers we can change ourselves so our thoughts more closely reflect God’s thoughts.

Prayer, done properly, is a humbling experience because you become aware of how BIG God is and how small we are. We should all pray as Kathryn Kulman prayed, “All of Thee, Lord, and none of me.”

Check out Daniel King’s book: The Power of Prayer

Power of Prayer | Pray with Devotion

“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful” (Colossians 4:2).

“I have so much to do that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer.” – Martin Luther

The word “devotion” means “love, loyalty, or enthusiasm for a person, activity, or cause.” It also means “religious worship or observance.” It is from the Latin word “devovere” which means “consecrate.”

One could say “a wife is devoted to her husband.” This implies she is loyal, faithful, consistent, committed, dedicated, and loving. She is full of fondness, love, admiration, affection, and care.

Or one could say that someone lives “a life of devotion.” This is a life of devoutness, piety, spirituality, godliness, holiness, and sanctity.

A time early in the day to seek after God is often called “morning devotions.” Every single morning when I was growing up, our family had devotions. In these special times of worship, my mother taught me to pray. My siblings and I were all home-schooled and devotions were an important part of the day. We would always wake up, eat breakfast, and then spend thirty minutes in devotions. We called these times 10/10/10 because we would spend ten minutes singing along with a worship CD, then we would spend ten minutes in prayer, then spent the final ten minutes listening to a preaching CD.

During these morning times of prayer, we would often pray for missionaries, for our friends, for healing for sick people, for our personal finances, for God to save people in different nations, for our nation, for politicians, for famous ministers, and for each member of our family. We would spend time worshiping God and thanking Him for His goodness.

Every evening we would have another time of devotion. My mother read a Bible story to us every night right before we went to bed. She observed this practice so faithfully, that to this day, when I go home, my mother still wants to read the Bible story to me. I say, “But Mom, I am a grown man, I have heard these stories a thousand times.” She says, “Sit down, you still need to hear a Bible story no matter how old you are.”

My mother was very devoted to her prayer life, and I think we should be devoted to our prayer life too.

Check out Daniel King’s book: The Power of Prayer

Power of Prayer | Pray Believing You Receive

“…whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours” (Mark 11:24).

“Faith in a prayer-hearing God will make a prayer-loving Christian.” – Andrew Murray

What are you believing God for? Mark 11:24 is one of the most powerful verses in the Bible. It puts no limits on God. It puts no limits on what we can ask for. It simply says, “Whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” It does not say it might be yours. It does not say it could be yours. It says it WILL be yours. So what are you praying about?

Here are some things to pray for:

Body of Christ
Pray for…
 your church
 your pastor
 your church leadership
 finances to accomplish the church’s vision
 revival of the saints
 church growth
 souls to be saved
 unity and harmony among Christians
 missionaries
 believers who are persecuted

Personal
Pray…
 to walk in God’s perfect will
 that your life will bear fruit
 for forgiveness
 for spiritual insight
 for your seeds to produce great harvests
 for wisdom
 to rejoice in the Lord
 to walk in love
 for sanctification
 for the joy of the Lord
 for your safety
 for physical healing
 for healing from abuse
 for revelation from God’s word
 to plead the blood of Jesus over your life
 to break generational curses
 that you will have the mind of Christ
 to be conformed to the image of Christ
 to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit
 for freedom from worry, fear, depression and loneliness
 that your spirit will have authority over your soul and body
 for prosperity and for all your needs to be met

Family
Pray for…
 your relatives
 unsaved friends and family members to be saved
 your spouse or future spouse
 your children to serve God
 peace in the family
 wisdom to raise children
 a hedge of protection for your family
 a loving marriage

Nation
Pray for…
 your community
 your state
 your nation
 the government
 the Congress
 the President
 the Supreme Court
 your Governor
 your Legislators
 your Police
 the soldiers who protect your country
 schools and teachers
 Godly laws to be passed
 for righteousness to be exalted
 salvation of those who are in prison

World
Pray for…
 The peace of Jerusalem
 Salvation of the nations
 the lost to turn to God
 protection from natural disasters
 doors to be open to the Gospel
 Satan’s plans to fail
 Jesus to be lifted up
 Laborers to be sent out to the harvest field

What prayer requests would you add to this list?

Do you have a copy of Daniel King’s book, The Power of Prayer?

Power of Prayer | Pray without Doubt

“I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him” (Mark 11:23).

“Satan laughs at our toiling, mocks at our wisdom, but trembles when we pray.” – The Kneeling Christian

In the beginning of time, as God created the universe, Satan watched with envy. Not long before, Satan had been thrown out of heaven for trying to usurp God’s authority. He nursed his wounded ego as God made light, and the world, and the sun, moon, stars, plants, fish, and animals. Then he saw God create Adam and Eve. He jealously watched as God began to fellowship with the first man and woman.

“Do not eat the fruit of the tree at the center of the garden, or you shall die,” Satan heard God say to them as he eavesdropped.

“How can I destroy God’s creation?” Satan asked himself.

“Should I destroy God’s garden with fire?” he wondered before deciding that God would just recreate it.

“Perhaps I could kidnap His new friends?” he thought, but then he realized there was nowhere to hide from God’s gaze.

Finally, he hit upon a diabolical plan, “I will trick Adam and Eve into doubting God’s word.”

He approached Eve in the form of a serpent and began to sow seeds of doubt in her mind. He said to her, “Eat from the tree, you will not die like God said.”

Eve was talked into doubting God. She ate from the tree and then Adam did too. The original sin was doubt. When you doubt God and His promises, you sin. Doubt is the only weapon Satan has in his arsenal. If he can get you to doubt God, then he can control your life. But, if you reject doubt, Satan has no hold over you.

According to Mike Murdock, “God’s greatest pleasure is to be believed. God’s greatest pain is to be doubted.” Doubt cuts us off from God’s presence. Belief connects us with God’s blessings.

I wrote a poem:

Thoughts of doubt,
Will shut God out,
And then begin,
To let Satan in.

When you pray, you prove that you do not doubt God. Why would you pray to someone who you think is powerless to help you? Prayer proves that you believe Him and His promises. Don’t doubt, only believe.

Get your copy of Daniel King’s book: The Power of Prayer