IS PRAYER MORE POWERFUL AT MIDNIGHT?

Hi guys, I hope your weekend went well. Last week I posted this tweet and it brought up a lot of reactions on twitter and on a couple of blogs, so I decided to write a little more on the topic. Some people reached out and this post is for further understanding. Let us start by talking about what prayer is and what it means, then we can talk about a few of the common issues that were raised on the topic.

Let’s begin by defining prayer. Prayer is primarily a communication between you and God, a two way street. You speak to Him and He speaks to you. If your prayer does not involve God speaking to you, then your prayer is not quite complete. So all you do is talk and He talks back, like a two way convo on your mobile. You could talk about anything really, anything. Imagine the amazing opportunity that prayer offers to us. Don’t restrict yourself for to the occasional holla when you need something real bad or need to get out of a bad situation.
As saved Christians, we can now pray to God the Father, through Jesus. Why through Him? Well, we operate as Christians only because Jesus died and rose from death. John 20:17…his Father is now our Father, and his God is now our God. We now have a relationship with God, yayyyy! Ergo, everything we do must be through Christ.

So anyway, Jesus died, rose and ascended back into Heaven.   How do we then communicate with them now that Jesus is gone. Well, before he left, Jesus promised another comforter, the spirit of Jesus. He plays many roles really, the Holy Spirit, and one of the things he does is lead the Children of God to do certain things. He first convicts you of sin, then presents Jesus to you, he confirms to your spirit that you are God’s child, and then he leads you into all truth. Like I said, he does a lot. We communicate with God through the Holy Spirit.

Looking through the bible, there are a few things that are necessary for effective communication with God.

1. A relationship (sorts out your righteousness because God doesn’t listen to sinful people Heb 4: 15-16. In Matt 6:9, Jesus taught that a Father-Child relationship is our access point to God).

2. Faith (Well, you need to believe God exists and that you’re not talking to yourself. Also, you need to believe in His ability, nature and words. Heb 11:6. Faith comes by hearing…Rom 10:17).

3. His will (These are a web of things God plans for you as a person or part of a larger unit. His will could either be widespread or specific. If we pray according to his will, he hears us. 1 John 5:14-15. This applies when we are making requests).

Basically, this is what’s needed but a few things come in here and there. While prayer isn’t entirely requests, if you have a petition to make, do so in thanksgiving and in the name of Jesus. Phil 4:6 and John 14:13,14.

Practice the basics and you will be fine. You can speak to God all day and every day. We are not restricted to speak to God only during devotion or church services. That brings me to the tweet that started all this.

Waiting till a specific time in the middle of the night because you think that any prayer made at that particular time is more ‘powerful’, is not of God. You may believe it, God will answer you (as long as the basics we listed are in place), but it is NOT because you prayed at exactly 12am. Sometimes, God might wake you from sleep to pray or you might be led to pray at a given time by the Holy Spirit…fine, listen to that. However, the power of God to deliver is NOT dull in the day and sharper at night. Again, this does not say you shouldn’t pray at night. It says, God is NOT more powerful at night. Waiting till then to pray doesn’t therefore add efficacy to your prayer. Also, praying naked, by the stream, with a candle or wearing all white does NOT add efficacy to your prayer. That one is not found in the Bible and is just you mixing Christianity with some form of spiritism. OYO.
I thought to respond to a few recurring replies to that tweet.
Some folks spoke about how the silence helps them focus and hear God better before the bustle of the day. Great! If praying at night helps you receive information from God clearer and helps your focus, then go for it.
A few people said we should leave people to practice what they believe. Well, it is not our place to practice anything we believe.  You could be practicing things in ignorance or plain demonic things. There is a way that seems right to a man but at the end thereof, leads to destruction. Jesus died so we could believe in Him and His word. If your believe isn’t ratified by scripture, then error o. Kuku practice what you are practicing with your chest but as a Christian, you need to do better. It was never about us anyway, it is all about Him.

Some guys asked why witches work at night. Amam? Don’t ask a car mechanic about carpentry mbok. Ask me about the Bible.

A few folks said that if witches and evil people could wake at night then why can’t you as a Christian wake up to battle demons? First of all, Jesus did not come, suffer, die and rise from the dead so that we will copy devil worshippers. If the situation calls for persistence in prayer throughout the night then go for it. But we are not competing with witches and wizards. The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, they are mighty through Christ. This is not one of those ill-informed drawings where Jesus and Satan are doing some arm wrestling. LOL. No devil can stand in the presence of Jesus. As you grow in faith and revelation, you will realize that you don’t need to shout, violently gesticulate or tremble before the devil flees. They flee at the name of Jesus, not your spiritual shivering, the loudness of your voice or the time you woke up to pray.

The whole point of this thread was to tell you to work on the basics. Deepen your relationship with God, grow your faith and learn to unleash it, then spend more time hearing him in order to understand his will for you. When you do these, prayer will be effortless and enjoyable.

What are your thoughts on prayer and specific times? Drop a comment so more people can learn.

God bless you.

My Easter Story 3

Hello everyone. This is the final episode of my Easter story. Thank you for all the encouragement from everyone who followed the series. I hope you find your own meaning in the words. Happy Easter folks!
***
Full scale pandemonium had broken out. All the princes of darkness unfortunate enough to be on duty scurried to safety while urging their minions into harm’s way. How do you fight an enemy you can’t get close to? It seemed as if He was moving things and beings out His way by sheer thought.
Truth is, that’s what He was doing. The very light of his countenance disarmed the personal guard of the devil himself. A lowly deceiving being watched from a crevice as Rulers of Darkness bowed and lay flat before the prisoner.
***
Sensing the rumbling at the earth’s core, the man in the olive grove rose to his feet and half ran, half flew to the stone tomb. The regiment of demons guarding the grave had swelled into a multitude of warriors on this Resurrection morning. They too, had felt the rumbling for they were all uneasy. Gnarls and frantic hisses seemed to come from every one of the taloned beasts. Swords sliced carelessly in the air as two mighty angels descended on the tomb. The legion of Roman soldiers charged with guarding the tomb had become restless too. To them, something was happening around them, and it didn’t help that they couldn’t see or hear any of it.
***
On the altar of records, the Lamb burned with the fire of his eyes, every ordinance that worked against the saints. He regained the keys of death and Hades. The higher echelons of the Council of Darkness had abandoned the fight and were fleeing to earth. The devils’ quick flight was closely followed by the victorious Lamb. One thing still remained.
***
The scene at the tomb is thick with anxiety. Maton and Syracuse had rolled away the stone at the entrance of the tomb and stood where it once was. The Spirit of Elohim hung in the very air and filled the edgy demons with dread. Suddenly bursting through the tomb’s roof, Satan and his Council are shocked by what they see. He halts in his tracks and tries to weave a quick escape from Elohim. His efforts are futile and he falls limply to the ground, held in place by an Archangel.
The light of a thousand suns fills the small enclosure as the hill quakes in the presence of the Risen Lord. He walks to the door of the tomb; His head and his hairs as white as snow; and his eyes as a flame of fire.
Every demon in sight lay prostrate unable to take in the Glory that had been revealed in this quiet Jewish countryside, the Roman soldiers too. Reluctantly, the devil hands him the Right of Adam.
It is a public show. The devil has lost his power.
***
I rolled over in bed and stretched, all the while, smiling to myself. I’m really grateful that Easter happened: the Cross, the grave, and the Resurrection.

My Easter Story 2

In the late hours of the Passover evening, the sun cast its orange glow on this olive grove just outside the city walls. A man sits listlessly on the rich black soil, drawing circles on the ground with the tip of his sword. He had been sent into this place a couple of days earlier to cover the Lamb in strength. One whose name is Strength was broken under the sins of Adam’s sons. Before then, Elohim had spoken of his plan: he would save mankind by first making his Son to taste death. He would die, and then live again! Only Yahweh could understand these things.
Today is the second day since he died. He is probably in need of some more strength at this very moment. He sighs in exasperation and looks across the valley in to the quiet city.
“If only they knew whom they had killed,” he mutters to no one in particular.
***
The chains rattle again. The sentries at the door had tired of their mirth and grew more frustrated with every rattle. Why couldn’t he just be still?
“Be quiet!” shouts the one closest to the prisoner’s cell. He doesn’t trust this prisoner at all. He had always found a way to outsmart them since the beginning. Besides, there is the matter of that prophesy. Three days!
Rattle.
No, he couldn’t possibly escape from this part of Hades. Not with all the extra sentries on guard today.
Rattle. Rattle.
He turned just in time to see the chains fall off the prisoner’s wrists. The gates begin to open on their own accord. The chains on his legs fall off too.
“No,” he squeals out loud; with no trace of authority in his voice. And thus began the Manifestation of the Son of God.
***
John 1v5: and the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.