PRAYER BOOSTERS

There are certain covenant forces that reinforce your prayer. They are not supplementary to prayer, but rather complementary. These boosters not only enhance communication in prayer, but also aid other aspects of spiritual growth and encounters.

You need reinforcements in prayer, because there are certain oppositions that will not answer to faith and prayer alone. Such oppositions require your building up a stronger spiritual energy to deal with them.

Fasting

After emphasizing the role of faith in dealing with oppositions, Jesus further said to his disciples:

Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.
Matthew 17:21

No matter the kind of opposition standing against you, it is not higher than the one Jesus is referring to here. A combination of faith, prayer and fasting will bring it into submission.

Unfortunately, there have been many erroneous beliefs about fasting. In my early Christian days, people used to equate fasting with spirituality. They see it as a competition among themselves, seizing every opportunity to boast about their fasting ability. Jesus fasted for forty days and never made reference to it once, but the effect was evident in His life and ministry. When fasting is void of tangible results, it is a mere waste of time and efforts.

The purpose of fasting is for the release of power. It is not to beg God to act, neither is it to impress Him or force Him to grant your request. Rather, it is a spiritual device that empowers you with the unction needed to deal with the issues facing you. In Luke 4:14, after Jesus had fasted for forty days, the Bible says:

And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about.

When we are in a fast, we are not begging or struggling with the devil to leave; we are connecting with heaven, for the release of power to send the devil packing from our environment. That is why during a fast, you must have periods of separation to study and fellowship with the Word of God.

During His fast in the wilderness, Jesus was engaged in Word warfare. In three instances, He resisted the devil with, "It is written...", until He eventually sent him packing (Lk. 4:1-13)

Without Word intake, fasting is dangerous. It is nothing but a hunger strike which has claimed the lives of many in times past. Fasting is not a time for outward show of piety. Jesus said:

Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;

That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.
Matthew 6:16-18

A fast is meant for the building up of your spirit-man, so that you can obtain the desired results in the physical. When Jesus said to His disciples, "This kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting," He meant to say, "You need a higher level of unction to deal with this case than you have now."

So, when you are faced with an opposition that seems not to be yielding to faith and prayer, organize a fast, to help generate a fresh supply of power to deal with it. What happens when you fast is that your spiritual perception is increased, so that you are able to receive direct instructions and strategies on how to deal with situations.

Fasting, therefore is not a religious exercise, or one of those things we do in Christianity; it is a vital kingdom force which empowers the believer to loose the bands of wickedness, undo heavy burdens and break every yoke.

Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?

Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? When thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?

Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy rereward.
Isaiah 58:6-8

The God-ordained fast is one that is done out of a delight for God, not in contention, bitterness or strife. Among other things, fasting guarantees breakthroughs — "Thy light shall break forth as the morning." It also delivers outstanding accomplishments, a breaking forth in your health, spiritual breakthroughs and answers to prayers.

Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity.
Isaiah 58:9

These should be the outcome of fasting, not loss of weight, or famished haggard looks.

Praying In The Spirit

Praying in the spirit is another way of reinforcing your prayer. In Mark 14, before His crucifixion, Jesus took His disciples up to a garden to pray. He left them and went a little farther to pray. When He came back, He found them sleeping and said to them:

Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.
Mark 14:38

The forces against us are spiritual, so we have to confront them from the spirit realm, as the flesh hasn't enough force to handle them. That is why Jesus promised us the Holy Spirit, our Comforter and Helper, to help us transcend the physical realm into the heavenly.

Until you are able to engage the help of the Holy Spirit in prayer, you may never experience true breakthrough in your Christian life.

Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
Romans 8:26-27

There are forces beyond the natural, which are out to tear down your destiny; you, therefore, need to engage spiritual forces to undo them. Praying in the spirit is the most effective way of subduing such forces. That is why Apostle Paul said:

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit...
Ephesians 6:12-13,18

Since these forces of opposition operate from the spirit realm, which most times are beyond our human comprehension, God has also given us a weapon that grants us access to the throne room of heaven, which they also do not understand.

For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.
1 Corinthians 14:2

When you pray in the Spirit, no one, including the devil, knows what you are saying, as you are speaking to God alone in mysteries.

When you engage the Spirit in prayer, He takes you into heaven's frequency, enabling you to pray with precision the express will of God for that situation (1 Cor. 2:11). The Holy Spirit Himself intercedes on your behalf. He picks up what is in your heart, presents it to God and in turn delivers the answer from God to you.

...For the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
1 Corinthians 2:10-11

...When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him.
Isaiah 59:19

If the enemy is coming against you like a flood, you can't expect to resist him as a stream. But when you switch over to the spirit, the Holy Spirit helps you to raise a standard against the enemy. What happens when you switch over to the Spirit is that you are releasing the rivers of living water that flows in you as a Spirit-filled believer.

He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)
John 7:38-39

Your mouth is the outlet for the rivers of God within you. So, when you burst out in tongues, you are releasing that river, which is able to swallow up every flood of the enemy and deliver you out of every predicament.

When your spirit prays, you are praying the will of God. So, you can be confident that your prayers are heard, and when God hears, the victory is sure (1 Jn. 5:14-15).

...With my spirit within me will I seek thee early...
Isaiah 26:9

God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
John 4:24

Effectual communication is the one done in the spirit, as God is a Spirit. Praying in the spirit is a spirit-to-Spirit communication, and thus is your surest way of connecting heaven for earthly interventions.

We can therefore approach the throne room of God boldly, communicating in our heavenly language that guarantees victory in prayer. This prayer booster is for the benefit of every believer.

But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost.
Jude 20

Praying in the spirit is a God-ordained programme for your spiritual build-up. Remember Romans 8:26 says that the Holy Spirit helps our infirmities in prayer. There is a limit to which your physical strength can take you in prayer. That is why many fail in prayer. A man starts to pray and in less than five minutes he dozes off. By the time he opens his eyes one hour has passed. Then he says, "In Jesus' name", and that's it for the day.

It's time to lean on the help of the Spirit, to kindle an unquenchable fire on your prayer altar. Call on Him to help you. "Spirit of God, Helper of the Church, help me! Put a new fire on my prayer altar. Help me to maintain a winnings prayer life."

Until you realize your helplessness without the Holy Spirit, you may die in struggles. But when you lean on the Spirit, you keep on leaping through life.

There are times when you pray and you know your prayer is not going beyond the ceiling. It is as if the heaven is locked up and you can't get through. Switch over to the Spirit. Let Him clear the way and create a thoroughfare to heaven for you, so you can enjoy sweet communion with your heavenly Father.

The Holy Spirit not only boosts your access in communication, but also helps you overcome every prayer weakness, in order to sustain the fire of God on your prayer altar.

Personal Testimonies

God commands that we put Him in remembrance:

Put me in remembrance: let us plead together: declare thou, that thou mayest be justified.
Isaiah 43:26

The way to do this is through testimonies. Testimonies are weapons in the hands of the believer (Rev. 12:11) When you remind God of His acts in the lives of other people, He doesn't deny Himself. And since He is not a respecter of persons, He is committed to do for you what He has done for others, if you put Him in remembrance. When you have a personal testimony of sanctity in your walk with God, you commit Him the more. It is like putting Him in a corner He cannot come out from. He cannot but answer you.

Hezekiah's prayer is a very good example of this.

In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came unto him, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Set thine house in order: for thou shalt die, and not live.

Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed unto the Lord, And said, Remember now, O Lord, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore.

Then came the word of the Lord to Isaiah, saying, Go, and say to Hezekiah, Thus saith the Lord, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will add unto thy days fifteen years.
Isaiah 38:1-5

Hezekiah would have died cheaply, were it not for his personal testimony. He had a testimony, so he didn't argue with Isaiah, but rather faced the wall and cried out to God. "Lord, is death the reward for serving You with a perfect heart?" God is the Judge of the whole earth, and a righteous One at that. He must have gone through Hezekiah's records and found that he was right, so He sent Isaiah back with an answer for Hezekiah.

With just a few seconds of effectual communication on the personal testimony line, Hezekiah secured heaven's express intervention in his case. Your personal testimony will always deliver you in the day of trial.

When you have a personal testimony, it emboldens you and sets your soul aflame for effectual communication in prayers.

I read the story of a cotton farmer in America. He had a cotton field and when the season for harvest came, the cotton buds refused to open up. If that season passed without them opening, the whole field would be wasted. Worried over this, the farmer went to a man of God, Kenneth Copeland, who was in that area at that time.

Kenneth Copeland asked the man if he pays his tithes. The farmer said, "Yes". Copeland then asked for the farmer's cheque book with which he had been paying his tithe. They both went out to the farm and Copeland lifted up the cheque book and said, "Lord, remember now, that this is a tither and the devourer has no hold on tithers. Hear now and answer." On getting back to his field the following day, the farmer saw that all the cotton buds had opened!

Why must you be a tither and the devil is destroying your life with trials? Why must you be an investor in the kingdom and remain a beggar in the world? If you are genuinely serving God, then tell Him! Get on the testimony line and God will have no choice but to respond.

When death wanted to steal my daughter away, this is the prayer I prayed: "Lord, You know that what You told me to do is what I am doing; and You know that how You commanded me to do it is how I am doing it. That is why I know this is no case. Thank You, Lord." After this short prayer, my daughter was restored back to life with full vigour!

Your personal testimonies before God are as strong as the Words of Scripture. You don't have to be barren when you serve the Lord, because the Bible says:

And ye shall serve the Lord your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee.

There shall nothing cast their young, nor be barren, in thy land: the number of thy days I will fulfil.
Exodus 23:25-26

God is committed to blessing those who serve Him. So utilize your testimony line. Remind Him of how you have served Him with all your heart and watch out for the release of your heritage in God. If you are a tither and a kingdom investor, you are destined to flourish. The economy of your country and the value of the currency notwithstanding, God is committed to blessing you. If you are faithful enough to serve, God who abides faithful and cannot deny Himself will surely respond when you approach Him with your testimony.

It is a great thing to be able to say before the Lord, "Lord, You know how I walk before You with a true and perfect heart." This is why you must maintain sanctity at all cost, so that it can give you a testimony in the day of trial. Your personal testimony of dedication and commitment to service in God's kingdom will serve as a stronghold for you in the day of trouble.

Without a personal testimony before God, you don't have a future of liberty; but with it you can always connect heaven and secure automatic triumph in prayer. The personal testimony prayer line is a miracle line, which is sure to deliver to you, as long as you serve God, for He has not asked the seed of Jacob to seek Him in vain.

...But godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.
1 Timothy 4:8