THE PRESENCE OF DOUBT IS AN ENEMY OF ANSWER FROM GOD
WHAT YOU ASK IS SUPERSEDED BY WHAT YOU FEAR AS FAR AS WHAT YOU RECEIVE IS CONCERNED
FEAR INVITES NEGATIVE FORCES AND FRUSTRATES DIVINE RESULTS
NEGATIVE THINKING WILL NEVER PRODUCE POSITIVE ANSWER TO PRAYERS
GOD DOES NOT ONLY ANSWER PRAYERS, HE ANSWERS THINKINGS
YOU CANNOT BE DWELLING ON FAILURE AND BE PRAYING TO SUCCEED AND SUCCEED
WRONG THINKING IS THE TWIN OF WRONG TALKING.
DOUBT IS A TWIN OF FEAR.
DON’T PRAY ABOUT SOMETHING AND TALK THE OPPOSITE.
WHEN YOU PRAY RIGHT BUT TALK WRONG YOU CAN’T GET RESULTS.
- Pastor Dr. Paul Enenche on “HINDRANCES TO EFFECTIVE PRAYERS” || Midweek Power Communion Service || Dunamis International Gospel Centre || The Glory Dome, Abuja.
I welcome everyone here tonight in the precious name of Jesus Christ. We had the 10th graduation of Destiny Christian Academy today. Church Gist. It was very impactful and the strides of that school is incredible. We’ll be reading out some of them by Sunday Service and we say to God, be all the praise in Jesus’ name.
I want to speak tonight quickly on the subject, “HINDRANCES TO EFFECTIVE PRAYERS”. James 5:16. Our objective tonight is to understand those factors or forces that hinder answer to prayers. Church Gist. What are the factors, what are the forces that hinder answer to prayers? Today is the very last day of the month of July, the month of our prayer, so we are rounding off. Throughout the month, we saw factors and forces that facilitate and amplify the effect of prayer. Church Gist. We saw many of them. In the same manner, there are forces that frustrate and antagonize the effect of prayer.
Many people pray but not everybody gets answers at the rate and the level they desire. Church Gist. Now, what are those forces? I’m going to look at them, seven of them very sharp because we still need time to pray tonight.
- The presence of doubt and unbelief forbid answer to prayers.
James 1:5-8. The presence of doubt is an enemy of answer from God. Hebrews 11:6. Church Gist. Like we said last time, God is pleased to be believed and He is pained to be disbelieved. You give Him pleasure with your believe, you give Him pain with your doubt.
- somebody say a loud Amen.
Are you trusting God for answer to prayers? Church Gist. If possible, clear your doubts before you start to pray. You heard what I just said? I mean, it is critical to clear your doubts, you clear your doubts with Scripture, you clear it with light for faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. Church Gist. Clear your doubts before you step into the place of prayer.
- The presence of fear.
Praying, for example, divine preservation and protection with palpable fear is counter-productive. Job 3:25. Church Gist. What you ask is superseded by what you fear as far as what you receive is concerned. What you fear will report to you faster than what you asked. The fears of your heart will manifest faster than the prayers of your mouth. So the fears of your heart nullifies the prayers of your lips. Matthew 14:30.
Note this down, don’t forget, fear invites negative forces and frustrates divine results. Peter already had results that were canceled by fear. Church Gist. It frustrates divine results. There’s something God wants to do in your life but your fear will not allow it to manifest. What already manifested for Peter disappeared because fear was on ground.
Again, deal with your fear before you start with your prayers. Church Gist. “Lord, they say they want to kill me, will you watch them to kill me?” That is a prayer that is not likely to be answered.
- The presence of wrong thinking.
Ephesians 3:20. Proverbs 4:23. Proverbs 23:7. We made the point clear before now that God does not only answer prayers, He answers thinkings. Church Gist. And for your information, God hears your thoughts before He hears your words. Any proof of that? Yes. Isaiah 65:24. They haven’t spoken yet. God hears your thoughts before He hears your voice and He hears and answers thoughts. Look at this very brutal Scripture. Jeremiah 6:19. Church Gist. “What they are thinking, I will make it happen”. So, thought is a seed that produces fruits.
You cannot be dwelling on failure and be praying to succeed and succeed. You cannot be dwelling on sickness and be praying to be healed and be healed. Church Gist. There’s a connection between your thoughts and your results. If the thought is good, the result will be good. If the thought is bad, the result will be bad. Hallelujah! For example, the thought of, “anywhere I go, the doors don’t just open” will produce result of anywhere you go, the doors don’t open. Church Gist. The thought of, “I hardly find favour with people” will translate into difficulty in favour anywhere no matter your prayer.
Check out those who have the most outstanding prayer results, their thoughts align with their word. Am I communicating? Church Gist. You must make up your mind to bring your thoughts into alignment with your words at the place of prayer actually in order to get your consignment from God. Your thoughts. Proverbs 21:5. When you see someone who has substance, his mind is always thinking plenty.
When we were looking for land for the Lord’s Garden, they showed us somewhere – 10 hectares. I said: “It is not enough.” They took us somewhere to 25 hectares. I said: “It is not enough.” The person asked my wife, he said: “What (does) your husband want to do with big land?” (Laughing). How can 10 hectares not be enough? How can 25 hectares (not be enough)?” I said: “Watch and see. Church Gist. As we are talking now, what we want to do on this Land, the Land is too small for it. We are looking for more land.” What is in the pipeline to be done – That is, in process; we have been preparing for it. So when everything is settled, we hit the road running.” Are you following what I’m saying here today? “What (does) your husband want to do with big land?” (Laughing).
Look at your neighbour (and) say: “Enlarge your thinking.”
I was telling the youths yesterday I said: “The Bible said you are a city set on a hill.” He didn’t say: “You are a person sitting on a hill. A city set, you are not even a hamlet, you are not even a village on a hill.” Matthew 5:14. So you must think in terms of a generation, you must think mega, think large, think massive, think bigger. 🎶 Oluwa Jo wa gbe mi s’oke. Gbe mi losi ibi giga 🎶 . I think ‘gigabyte’ came from Yoruba Language. (Laughing). Some people, their thoughts are against their life. Everybody hates them including themselves, their very thought is against them. Church Gist. I have never thought against myself. I don’t have occasion dress! Anyday! In those days my wife, they used to say… (Laughing). Okay! Let me spare that one. Are you hearing what I’m saying here today? They are just so low in their mind, they demean themselves, they despise themselves. Some people hate what they see in the mirror when they look at the mirror. Don’t do that to yourself! “Wonderful, fearfully made! Generational impacter! Terror to the kingdom of darkness! Overtime – God spent so much time…” Have you ever stood in front of a mirror and really love what you are seeing? If you haven’t, just ensure you come to that point. When you walk from there, you will be bouncing. Hallelujah!
Say after me: In the name of Jesus, I am fearfully and wonderfully made in the image of God. Everything is working in my favour. Nothing can work against me in the name of Jesus!
The presence of wrong thinking. The fourth one is also the twin of this one just like the doubt was a twin of the fear. The wrong thinking is also the twin of the presence of wrong talking. Wrong speaking!
When you pray right, but you talk wrong you can’t get results. You pray one thing but you speak the opposite, you nullify the prayer and you get what you spoke. “Father! Thank You because Your Word says: ‘My God shall supply all my needs according to His riches in glory’. So I experience supernatural supplies on all sides in Jesus’ name.” Church Gist. That is at the place of prayer. But in the place of normal talking: “Haa! Oh, boss! Hmm! These days! Eh? Only God! In fact, I don’t think I can survive between now and the end of the month. I don’t know! In fact!” Speaking completely opposite! “Father! Thank You because I’m the head and not the tail.” “How far?” “Ah! No! In my family, nobody goes above a certain level so I’m not expecting so much.” Mark 11:23.
People have what they say. Don’t say what you have: “I have pain, I have headache, my hypertension, this my ulcer.” Try so you can begin to have what you say. Don’t say what you have. Move from ‘saying to having’ not from ‘having to saying’. Do you understand what I’m saying? Numbers 14:28. What will He do to them? Numbers 14:29. “Your carcasses shall fall in this Wilderness.” Shebi you say you will die in the Wilderness? Church Gist. Your carcasses shall fall in this Wilderness.” Numbers 14:30-31. They say: “We are going to die in this Wilderness.” God says: “I’m hearing. You said you are going to die in this Wilderness, it is confirmed.” “Why did Moses bring us to this horrible wilderness? To this kind of place? All of us will die!” God says: “Correct!” All the generations that came out of Egypt only two people. Everybody who was mature enough to come out of Egypt, only two people entered the Promised Land – Joshua and Caleb. Everybody was wasted! The balance of the people that entered the Promised Land were those who were born in the Wilderness.
The journey from Egypt to Kadesh-Barnea was 11 days journey – 11 (days)! If you are going from Egypt today to Israel, it’s about 30-minute flight. It took them 40 years trekking! Any 30-minute duration of flight anywhere in this World shouldn’t take you even if you are trekking. How many days at the most? It took them, He roamed them about. When they move to this point to enter, He turns them back. It’s about coming to the edge of moving to the Promised Land, “Turn about.” He said: “I will roam you until you are all wasted and buried to confirm what you said.” Don’t say: “I’m saying the fact.” The fact! Church Gist. They say: “How are you feeling?” “I’m not strong.” The fact cannot be bigger than the Truth. ‘Thy Word is truth and the Truth said: ‘Let the weak say: ‘I am strong.” Do you understand? Sometimes I’m coming here, somebody rushes at me and says: “I am dying!!!” And he thinks he is trying to be desperate. That statement is contrary to my prayer. You already killed the prayer before it was offered. Eh? “My daughter is dying.” Yesterday they said: “My daughter is dying.” I was going, “The child is in the car. My daughter is dying.” I said: “Woman! You want your daughter to die? Don’t talk like that!” “I am in need of help for this child. The situation needs God’s intervention.” It’s a better way to talk. “At this time, only God can help this child! I need prayer for this situation. I am counting on only God now!” It’s far better! “I’m dying! Daughter is dying! Husband is dying!” No!!! Most people who talk like that they are not disappointed with the outcome.
-But that will never be your portion!
I was at the bedside of a man some time ago and he was talking like that, “You see that and that.” I said: “What are you talking about? You want to die? If you die, who will take care of your children? Another person cannot take care of another person’s child easily. There is a way in which it is different. Church Gist. Even if it is your… whoever, if it is not your mother and father, there is a difference.” The man’s eyes open. “Wow! Nobody can take care of another person’s child like him?” He jerked up. He said later that he was already in the realm of the spirit, he was already hanging. His spirit was already somewhere. He’s alive till tomorrow. I’m talking of over 15 years ago. What was inside him was terminal – killer disease, it’s off completely today.
- You shall live.
- I said, you shall live.
Look at your neighbour, say: “Let your talking match with your praying. Don’t talk one thing and pray the opposite. Church Gist. Don’t pray (about) something and talk the opposite. Let your talking match with your praying.”
- Somebody say a loud Amen!
5: The absence of Thanksgiving. Your prayer can be neutralized when it lacks thanksgiving. The absence of thanksgiving, the absence of praise. 1 Timothy 4:4. So the law of receiving in the Spirit is the covenant of thanksgiving. Hear what I just said now, I’ve dropped a bomb. Church Gist. The law of receiving in the Spirit is tied to the covenant of thanksgiving. If you are able to say to God “Thank you”, you are qualified to receive what He has to offer. The law of receiving in the Spirit realm is tied to the covenant of thanksgiving. Philippians 4:6,7.
- Somebody, say a loud Amen!
That is, when you come before God, the things He did for you that you remember, if possible, begin by thanking on them and then after you have prayed, you give thanks in advance for what you prayed about. “Father, thank you because I know you are a prayer answering God”. Church Gist. You cannot be thankful and not have your tank full with the blessings of God. You can’t be thankful and not have your tank full. The absence of thanksgiving and praise is a hindrance.
There are people who don’t know what it means to say “Thank you” They just keep on asking. Some people did a drama sometime ago where they depicted that the prayer department of Heaven is too busy, the thanking and praising is just so scanty, Angels there are not working. Church Gist. Somebody depicted something like that some time ago. The absence of Thanksgiving.
6: The absence of patience. Patience is the twin of faith. Hebrews 6:12. When you have faith, you believe that God will answer you. Merge it with patience. Patience is standing on the ground of faith until results arrive. Church Gist. In patience, you are not talking doubts, you are not talking unbelief while you wait for answers. Hebrews 10:36-38. Don’t draw back, that is patience.
Listen, faith without patience equals aborted manifestations. When you have faith but you don’t add it with patience, what is meant to happen for you just gets aborted because people organize alternatives. Church Gist. So, there are people, men of faith, but no patience. On the other hand, patience without faith equals extended frustration. That is, he’s just waiting patiently, he doesn’t have any Scriptural light, he doesn’t have any audacity to let God know “This is why I am expecting this” He’s just waiting to ‘see-lically’ as if things should change by themselves. Extended frustration.
- That will never be your portion in Jesus precious name.
7: The presence of wrong living. Living wrong. James 5:16. “Righteous man” not ‘Wrongeous’ man, righteous. Psalm 66:18. Church Gist. When your life is wrong, your prayers are unheard. So, you approach God with a conscience that is clear so that the audience can be there.
2 things you must note and I round off there.
i: When your conscience is clear, His audience is there. Whose audience? God’s audience. Church Gist. Your conscience connects you with His audience according to Isaiah 59:1-2. When your conscience is clear, His audience is there.
ii: When your conscience is clear, your boldness is strong, especially at the place of prayer. Church Gist. Proverbs 28:1. Hallelujah!
- It’s a new day for somebody. Who is that ‘body’? Somebody, who is the ‘body’? Hallelujah!
Please, go on by virtue of counsel and clear every of these hindrances and you’ll begin to experience greater dimensions of prayers answered.
So, the first is the presence of doubt and unbelief, the second is the presence of fear, the third is the presence of wrong thinking, the fourth is the presence of wrong talking, the fifth is the absence of thanksgiving and praise, the sixth is the absence of patience and the seventh is the presence of wrong living.
Somebody is blessed! Who is the person? Stand on your feet and give the Lord a shout of praise!
—Prayers—
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