PRAYING WITH YOUR THOUGHTS
(week 20/11)
Olubi Johnson
Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV: Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; (6) in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.
Here, the scripture tells us to acknowledge God in all our ways; and the only way we can do this practically is by praying to Him with our thoughts throughout the course of each day, fulfilling what the Lord said in
Luke 21:36: Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
This same instruction of the Holy Spirit is echoed through Paul in
1Thessalonians 5:17 KJV:Pray without ceasing.
Praying without ceasing with our thoughts is the only practical way to keep in constant communion with God and this will keep us in perfect peace:
Isaiah 26:3 KJV:Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.
Now, the power that makes praying with our thoughts effective is released when we fill our hearts with the life of God, speak God’s Word, pray in tongues and with travail. The more effective these prayers are, the more powerful and effective your prayers with your thoughts will be.
This is what will cause the scripture in
2Corinthians 10:4-5 KJV: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) (5) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
to be fulfilled in our experience.
For example, Esther and Mordecai used the spiritual power generated through fasting and prayer (Esth. 4:15-16) to bring into captivity the thoughts of King Ahasuerus and Haman to the obedience of God: to enforce the will of God for the Jews in Persia.
Esther 6:1-10 NIV:That night the king could not sleep; so he ordered the book of the chronicles, the record of his reign, to be brought in and read to him. (2) It was found recorded there that Mordecai had exposed Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s officers who guarded the doorway, who had conspired to assassinate King Xerxes. (3) “What honor and recognition has Mordecai received for this?” the king asked. “Nothing has been done for him,” his attendants answered. (4) The king said, “Who is in the court?” Now Haman had just entered the outer court of the palace to speak to the king about hanging Mordecai on the gallows he had erected for him. (5) His attendants answered, “Haman is standing in the court.” “Bring him in,” the king ordered. (6) When Haman entered, the king asked him, “What should be done for the man the king delights to honor?” Now Haman thought to himself, “Who is there that the king would rather honor than me?” (7) So he answered the king, “For the man the king delights to honor, (8) have them bring a royal robe the king has worn and a horse the king has ridden, one with a royal crest placed on its head. (9) Then let the robe and horse be entrusted to one of the king’s most noble princes. Let them robe the man the king delights to honor, and lead him on the horse through the city streets, proclaiming before him, ‘This is what is done for the man the king delights to honor!'” (10) “Go at once,” the king commanded Haman. “Get the robe and the horse and do just as you have suggested for Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the king’s gate. Do not neglect anything you have recommended.”
In our article next week, we will see how to mix praying with our thoughts with praying with our natural words and praying with tongues and travail.
