by Ted Shuttlesworth
A woman fell over with a heart attack in church. Pastor Freni turned to me and said, “Go pray for her.” The prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available — dynamic in it’s working (James 5:16 AMP). Although I did not know this scripture at the time, the Lord taught me how to pray that day and get results!
When Brother Freni asked me to pray, I heard in my head these thoughts: “What will you do when you pray and nothing happens?”
As soon as I heard those words, I heard, “Ask the devil what’s he gonna do when you pray and she gets healed.” I knew that second voice was the Lord’s. I went back and prayed for her. Her husband was trying to put little pills under her tongue. I rebuked the spirit of death and she instantly came to and sat down.
I went back to preach for Brother Freni some months later and that little Italian man came up and kissed me on my cheeks. He was so happy. Brother Freni walked up and said, “Have you heard? God gave his wife a new heart. The X-Rays of this heart are completely different than the old ones.”
The Hour of Prayer
In the days of the Early Church a regular hour of prayer was established. Acts 3:1 tells us that, “Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.” Perhaps this went back to the instruction of Jesus when He told the disciples, “What, could ye not watch with me one hour?” (Matthew 26:40).
There should be a set time each day in which we fellowship with the Lord in prayer. Although you do not have to limit it to one hour, we should seek to pray at least one hour.
The Ministry of Prayer
We know that the Bible teaches us that the Spirit will show us how to pray. “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit Himself maketh intercession for us with gleanings which cannot be uttered” (Romans 8:26).
We need to yield to the Holy Spirit when we pray. Certainly, we can pray in the Holy Ghost. “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;” (Ephesians 6:18).
MOSES Prevailed in Prayer
The Children of Israel had sinned by worshipping the Golden Calf. God told Moses to get out of the way as He would destroy the people. Moses began to pray for God to spare the people. “Turn from Your fierce wrath, and relent from this harm to Your people” (Exodus 32:12).
Moses knew Israel’s sin, but he did not want the nation to perish. He spent forty days and nights fasting and praying. God heard Moses’ prayer and promised to spare Israel and that His presence would go with them. This is the power of intercession. We need people to learn to pray for others and not just themselves. We need God to change America before it is too late.
DANIEL Prevailed in Prayer
The story of Daniel gives us a lesson on the art of prayer. Daniel lived in a time when nations were falling and new kingdoms were rising. The Lord used Daniel’s prayer so that Nebuchadnezzar was converted to God. The real power that controlled this nation was not natural men, but it was a demon spirit that the Bible calls “the Prince of Persia” (Daniel 10:13).
When Daniel prayed, God sent an angel on the first day that he began to pray. However, there was a hindrance and the angel was unable to come to Daniel for three weeks! There was a hindrance to Daniel’s prayer, but he did not give up. Daniel fasted and prayed for three weeks. Then, on the twenty-first day, Daniel saw a breakthrough and prevailed in prayer.
“Then he said to me, “Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words” (Daniel 10:12).
Prayer That Stands in the Gap
The Church lacked pentecostal power at the turn of the century. There were men and women who stood in the gap for God to move again. The Power of God fell from Topeka, Kansas to Los Angeles. God moved from Toronto, Ontario to Dallas, Texas. When God’s people pray, the windows of Heaven are opened.
Today God is calling His people to stand in the gap. The nations are lining up for the prophetic end-time destruction. I believe that if we will stand in the gap that God can give us one more minute on His timeclock. If one day is as one thousand years, then one minute would give us approximately forty years or one more generation and Jesus could come today!
Prayer Secrets
“Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets” (Amos 3:7). Revelation knowledge comes from prayer. I have had the Lord show me things that would happen before they happened.
Gordon Lindsey was a great man of God. He prophesied before he died these words, You shall pray and a double portion of power shall come to you. This power shall continue: it shall spread even as waves spread upon the waters. You shall know that I am the Lord, that I am the same yesterday, today and forever. Warn others to humble themselves with fasting and prayer that the love of Christ would flow out to others go forth this day and arm yourselves in faith with the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand the wiles of the devil.
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Evangelist Ted Shuttlesworth has spent more than 35 years sharing the healing power of Jesus Christ throughout the US and several foreign nations in church settings, auditoriums and tent crusades with millions in attendance. To learn more, visit tedshuttlesworth.com
