The Importance of Prayer

A short Prayer:

Thank you Jesus for such an opportunity to share what you have laid on my heart with your people. I thank you because as they are ministered to, you will show up strong and mighty in every situation they may be facing. Show them Lord that you are the mighty God who fetches water with a basket to disgrace the bucket...Thank you Jesus...

Over the past month I have been re-introduced into a whole new dimension on what prayer can do in a believers life. Therefore you can take my account as first hand gist and experience or better still using the well known expression: this account is gotten from the Horse's mouth.

I was in one of those moods whereby you think of everything going on around you. The busyness of it all and you are searching for some peace and tranquillity. Have you ever wondered like me why everything seems to go on well for others around you even though most of the time the others around you don't have the same faith or moral standing as you? Yes I know what just popped into your minds: Don't compare yourself to others...True, word!!!!!!!!!!!!!

However that's where we ought to call the spirit in. This is because fleshy thinking can lead us to depression, self pity and also a hint of inferiority complex may set in. In order to tap into the spirit and be set aside from fleshy thinking the bible encourages us in Phillipians 4 v 6: not to fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God.

Now what say you my learned friends: when such an offer has been made to you why not make the most use of it. This verse was given to us by El Shaddai specifically because Ephesians 6 v 12:For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Of late I have experienced first hand that before things happen in the physical they have usually already taken place in the spirit. That is why it seems everything goes well for a long while and then at a point BOOM everything then seems to start going down hill. Whatever happened, happened in the spirit first before revealing itself in the physical. That is why we have been ordered in 1st Thessalonians 5:17 to: Pray without CEASING.

Now let me take you through my journey with my greatest and 'bestest' lover: The Ancient of days, The lily of the Valley and The rose of Sharon: God Almighty.

Morning Prayer: I have a new devotional I have been using for the past few months and to God be the Glory it has blessed me tremendously: Our Daily Manna by Rev. (Dr) Chris Kwakpovwe. It also has an accompanying prayer book: Prayer Bullets for Winners (War Against Haman)by the same author.

Prior to my newly revived love for prayer,my morning prayer used to be very serene. Up from bed I quickly mumble through my 'thank you Jesus for another day' routine. It became one of the things I had to do everyday as part of my to do list. I can't really remember adding any sort of great importance to it. Don't get me wrong I meant every word in my prayer but it just didn't feel easy. I thank God for where I am now because all that has changed. I wake up in the morning and I can't wait to start my prayers. I don't rush I just have a long talk with my father who sits on the throne and watches over my affairs. Psalm 88v13:But I, O LORD, have cried out to You for help, And in the morning my prayer comes before You.

I have observed that committing your day into the hands of the One who created it works wonders...really I am not exaggerating. When we wake up every morning it is a gift and not something we are freely entitled to by right. So why not dedicate it to Him. Many things had happened the night before in the spirit which ought to be counteracted in the first few minutes or hours of rising. Usually I commit my day into God's hands. My life, family, career, academics and relationships into His hands. I prophesy blessings into my life and family. I ask for me to meet Godly individuals and pray against wasters, blockers, suckers, emptier's and users of my destiny. This prayer is specifically important because not everyone you meet with or smile with is interested in your progress or happy with your present position. Therefore it is important to fortify yourself spiritually.

Also loosing productivity, fruitfulness and uncommon wisdom into my life and my family for the day is very important. This is because everyday is a day which ought to be enjoyed to the fullest. God has so much blessings in store for us to enjoy in each day so we have to make the most of it.

Afternoon Prayers: These are more subtle as I usually meditate on the Psalms and prophesy the verses into my day, life and family. Some Psalms I pray with are: Psalm 133, 84, 71,20,25,91,126,141,93,5,27,59,121,140

Night Prayers: I remember when I was younger, my family used to have evening devotions as opposed to morning devotions most of my friends at school had. This taught me that in ending your day, you always have to thank your creator, the one who gave you the day and in thanking Him for the day you are surrendering it back to Him.

Psalm 74v16:Yours is the day, Yours also is the night; You have prepared the light and the sun.

Night prayers are usually more intense than morning or afternoon prayers. This is because it is in the night that most spiritual battles are fought Judges 7v19: So Gideon and the hundred men who were with him came to the outskirts of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, when they had just posted the watch; and they blew the trumpets and smashed the pitchers that were in their hands.

Commit your day to Him and ask Him to correct any errors you might have made that may hinder the blessings He has in store for you. Ask for your night to be covered by the blood and that angels on assignment go out and fight for you and on your behalf. Wherever any evil has been or will be discussed concerning you must be disgraced and brought to fruitlessness. Ask Him to show up in those areas of you life that need strengthening and peace.

Question: Has this worked?
Answer: 100%.

I am a true testimony that praying continuously and at every opportunity works. First you feel lighter like all the weight has been lifted off. Secondly, you have this peace in you that everything is going to work out irrespective of things that are happening around you. Thirdly, you fill fulfilled and protected.

I can not begin to explain the miracles I have received. My faith has been revived and I have experienced the presence of God in a whole new dimension. Its like one minute I'm down the next minute I feel great because the Holy Spirit has ministered to me in one way or the other. It's amazing.

Faith is also very necessary as well when it comes to prayer. Remember
Hebrews 11v1:Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see

Hebrews 11v6: And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.


Give prayer a chance in your life. You will definitely experience what I feel on a regular basis. I will advise that as part of your daily prayer plan you get yourself a good devotional. There are lots out there so take time to check out for one that you feel you can understand well enough.

Ok then I've given you my experience: Go find out about it.And congratulations in advance because your life is about to experience a change like never before.

Love you darlings,

Yours Truly,

Patience Virtue

Friendship!!!!

Apologies for being absent for a while.....

Academic work took the better part of my time....

However in that time, I thank God for using little happenings to intimate me on issues which occur in our everyday life and how that later on affects us. Today's topic will be centred on friendship.

Friendship is the cooperative and supportive relationship between two or more people. In this sense, the term connotes a relationship which involves mutual knowledge, esteem, affection, and respect along with a degree of rendering service to friends in times of need or crisis....
(en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friendship)

I have had friends...trust me I'm a friend person...

However of late I have looked around and wondered whether the people I called friends are actually friends or just mere acquaintances. There is a huge difference. An acquaintance is someone you happen to know on a formal basis. The casual hello how are you person. Work colleagues, school colleagues and the likes.

However a friend is different. A friend is closer than an acquaintance. A friend is someone you can be real with and absolutely feel free with. I need you to take time and think about people in your life who you consider friends. Then create a mental sieve and separate who you can actually call a friend and who you would take as an acquaintance. Trust me if you have more than ten people on your friends list...you are one extremely lucky and good person. If you don't have up to ten friends under your friends list then don't worry it doesn't mean you are not a good person.

The essence of such a mental separation is to establish the people you can really hold on to in times when you need a helping hand or you want to let yourself go. However in order to have friends you have to be a friend. I have found that the book of proverbs gives a whole lot on the topic of friendship and these attributes will be discussed here. Remember Jesus Christ called the twelve His friends however one still betrayed Him. This did not mean that Jesus was not a friend it meant Judas was not a friend. We have been told in John 15 v 13 that greater love had no man than this that Christ laid down His life for His friends: now I know in this day and age it may be a bit extreme to lay your life down for someone else but can realistically can you think of someone or a category of people who you will be willing to lay down your life for: the first names that pop into your head are those you consider friends...

Being a friend is not easy. Like the parties to a male female relationship it is a full time job. You may laugh but it's true. Understanding is the first thing. Parties to a friendship have to understand each other. There is no basis to any friendship be it in the relationship aspect or not without the parties understanding each other...To me what's the point.

Communication: This is very essential. What people say to each other may easily be mis-interpreted.This is the main reason why relationships are broken because people fail to communicate effectively. A simply explanation solves a lot of issues. Proverbs 15 v 1: A gentle answer turns away wrath but a harsh word stirs up anger. If something is said and needs further explanation the receiver friend ought not to jump into a conclusive notion that it should be interpreted in the wrong way. The giver friend should also try to give their friend the information in such a manner as not to impute ideas into the others head. And if there's strife...Please and Please let peace reign. Try not to cause anything that will bring more strife or throw more salt on the injury.

Patience/Perseverance: This is my ultimate motto for this year and beyond to be patient. I do not in anyway want to hurt anybody and hinder my blessing from coming down from heaven. So if a friend says something to me that hurts me I choose not to react immediately and try not to take it too close to heart. I activate my patience gear on and relax. Then later in a more cheerful mood and not governed by the emotions of what I felt when the word was spoken I gently tell my friend how I felt and why I didn't take what was said as appropriate. This has helped a lot as most times we react to quickly to what has been said and don't get a chance to think of what has been said. This is what causes the issues/brawl to go on for longer.

Also when you have friends you know their strengths and abilities. For me I have a friend who when she gives advice she doesn't know how to give it in a way whereby she is not harsh. I mean that's her nature and in as much as I want her to be more understanding in giving criticisms I leave her to do as she is because that's what makes her her and I love her as that. Just because I am not that way doesn't mean her way is not right. For example, I was going through a trying period a few weeks ago and all she could say was that she had noticed I had been moody and that I shouldn't be and that I should know that sometimes she too goes through things...blah blah blah...

When she finished...I wanted to speak because I felt this is someone who should understand me for me. I am not her and I believe she shouldn't judge me on the basis of how she handles things. However the Holy Spirit laid it on my heart not to speak. I didn't and I let it go. Sincerely I think she was expecting a reply from me but I never gave it. This is what came to my mind: She does not know what I am going through so I shouldn't judge her for that. And from there I moved on. You know your friends so try to handle and manage their idiosyncrasies. Remember being patient and silent does not make you weak, it shows how strong you are to handle a situation.

Forgive and let go: Please just forgive and let go and let peace reign. its had but remember that Proverbs 10 v 12 says Love covers all wrongs and if you have a friend you ought to love them. Please half of the times when we hold on go little squabbles we can be enjoying the finer things of life...So please Let go and if it hurts talk to your friend after exercising patience and if your friend is truly your friend they would understand and share your sentiments. If not please leave it to God to be the one to sort it out....

People always remember Proverbs 18 v 24: A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

Yes go to Him who knows all for everything and please be a friend....

Love you all and it sure feels good to be back

Yours Truly
Patience Virtue

REJOICE!!!!!

I can see the question that comes into mind (especially if you are going through a rough season in your life)is what is there to smile about? Theres a lot of suffering in the world: financially, politically, emotionally and physically ....So PLEASE WHAT IS THERE TO SMILE ABOUT?

1st Thessalonians 5 v 16: Be joyful always

Joyful: elated; full of high-spirited delight
(wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn)

1st Thessalonians 5 v 18: Give Thanks in ALL circumstances for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus

To Give Thanks: Showing appreciation and Gratitude
(en.wiktionary.org/wiki/thankful)

To some the meaning of these passages may not make any sense because we are hurting too much or too tired to see the sense in it. The world has made the word joy seem like a verb which only occurs when good things happen. When you buy a car, you have to be joyful. When you get married, its a joyous occassion and the endless list of moments when we ought to be joyful goes on. However what of those times when it seems 'inappropriate' to be joyful. For example, when you have been waiting for a promotion and suddenly it passes you by...Will you be grateful,thankful or Joyous? When the results you expected was not what you got and it seemed you were the only one out of your crew in that category...will you be grateful, thankful or joyous? When that breakthrough you have been praying for is about to go through and at its point of maturity it vanishes right before your very eyes...what do you do...?These are just some common areas which we experience in our daily lives.

I recently went through a set back and it hurt more than anything I have ever felt. I felt alone and this crippling fear of rejection and not being able to match up to standard engulfed me. It was not as if I hadn't prayed through it all or accorded myself any selfish praise but it just didn't work out for me. I felt crushed and I mean crushed. I didn't know what to do or how to feel. I began to cry. Not that crying helps but the pain was too much...I began to consider all the ridicule, the embarrasment....Lord why me I cried why me. I suddenly remembered a song I love...Donnie McClurkin's version of STAND...and I remembered what I was supposed to do...

You have to STAND up to that situation. No matter how traumatic it may be. After you have done all you can, all you can do is STAND... Why? Its not easy...you may be like me and cry, or get angry and look for someone to blame, or begin to harbour jealousy and spite...NO.... just STAND and watch the Lord see you through...Be sure in the Lord... All you need to do is endure that present season; God has a purpose; God has a plan...Do not give up through the storm or the rain. Do not bow to the situation, hold on and be strong; God will step in....Yes these are the words of the song but take a seat and meditate on it.

Is there a time the Lord has spoken and not kept to his word? God is not a man that He should lie neither is He the son of man that He should repent. I will rather rely and rest in the arms of my Lord than succumb more to the pressures of this world. If things have happened God must have allowed it...Why? Because He will neither leave me nor forsake me.The thoughts He has for me are of good and not of evil: Jeremiah 29:11 It is at this stage of STANDING that we should give thanks. The bible says in ALL things (yes I am saying all things) give thanks. It may be an inappropriate situation to give thanks in but yet still give thanks. Why? Because it could have been worse. For the person waiting for the promotion that passed by you, it could have been worse because you may not have had a job or worse still got fired....for the person with the resulyts which weren't expected, it could have been worse as you may have had to go through a resit or yet fail the entire course...for the person waiting for the breakthrough, it could have been worse if you were not even at the starting point and had nothing to aim for...

My analysis may seem far fetched or unrealistic, but as a christian, walking in the light and way of God and believing on His every word, I have decided that when set backs occur in my life I wil not be sober but give thanks to Him in advance for being gracious to me and allowing me not to have been in a worse position and thank Him in advance for that position I am aiming for.

It may be hard...but thats why we lean on Christ our solid rock. The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run in and are safe. Whatever God has said about me in His word will be established in my life. Greater is He who is in me than he that is in the world. This should be our daily prayers.

A set back is not the end of the world. It is only the beginning of the next chapter to our life stories on how we were able to achieve our destinies in christ. I will always bless the Lord at all times...Because when the Praises go up, the blessings come down... Remember He will never put more on you than you can bear.... So in the clear words of Apostle Paul's letter to the Phillipians, chapter 4 v 4 Rejoice in the Lord Always and again I say REJOICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!