Hanging out with Jesus V: His Powerful Secret

Hanging out with Jesus V: His Powerful Secret

Mark 1:35 – 38

We live in a culture that talks a lot about prayer. We have numerous books on prayer and run countless seminars on prayer. What we have not done is to pray. Jesus said that His house is to be a house of prayer. He did not say it was to be a house of preaching, healing, accumulating material things, etc only.   He did not even ask us to understand prayer but to watch and pray. What we do not need is human effort, louder volume, added programs, symbols, theatrics and gimmicks but … prayer. If we practice prayer and live connected with God, then the things we do take the nature and power of God.

You cannot win by doing nothing or doing anything else other than pray. When you pray you gain assurance and awareness that God is leading and his goodness and mercy are following behind. Prayer is the key to full spectrum dominance for his eyes are on you all the day and all the time (365/24/7 surveillance). The more you love him the more you want time with him and want what he wants. The more you know him by revelation and catch his vision. 

Jesus was prayerful. He  operated with a priestly and prophetic anointing.  He integrated the priestly, prophetic and the kingly ministries. The kingly authority depends on both the priestly and prophetic power. In the old Testament, Kings of Israel relied on the priests and prophets for the maintenance of spiritual matters and for the word of the Lord to confirm their authority and direct their leadership. Prophets brought the mind and word of the Lord to the people. The prophets relied on the priests to maintain a relationship with God where they could hear the word of the Lord for themselves and for the people.As prophet,  Jesus reveals God to us like no one else can.   He is the Word which came down from heaven.

The priests kept the fire of worship burning. The priests entered the Holy place and the Holy of Holies in worship and intercession. They kept God at the center of the nation. As Priest, Jesus was touched with the feelings of and infirmities of people. He has entered heaven with His own precious blood and is now seated at the right hand of the Father making intercession for us. As priest, Jesus maintained an active personal altar or fervent personal devotional life where he offered sacrifices of dedication, thanksgiving and praise as a priest. At the altar where he met with the father in prayer, he also as a prophet enquired of him for direction and his mind on issues he was facing. 

The grace of God through Christ has made us kings and priests unto God (Revelation 1:6).  We need to serve as priests to rule as kings.  Christ is the best role model on prayer. Whatever Christ expects he has modeled and is enabling in your life. He was Spirit led. Spirit led integrates the priestly, prophetic and kingly dimensions of faith. What you give to God is priestly and what God gives is kingly and prophetic. Trusting God is priestly and the result is kingly power. Faith is priestly and grace is kingly. Enquiry is prophetic and obedience is kingly.

In Mark 1:35 – 38 after a hectic ministry program at the end of the day he would have been exhausted. But early in the morning, he rose up and went to a solitary place, and took time to pray. Prayer is spending time with God in conversations that maintain your relationship with him. It is a product of a ceaseless heart attitude of dependence, love and faith in God. It is acknowledging God in one’s life (Proverbs 3:5, 6). It is dependence on God. It is a sign of great faith. When you have so much faith that you pray less and less, you are in deception that your faith is more than that of Christ. Yet we know he modeled the highest level of faith and that made him pray more and more.  He had so much faith that he prayed.  Often we are so busy we have no time for dedicated prayer time. But for Jesus the busier he was the more he needed the Father and the more he prayed.   Some lessons from the prayer example in Mark 1:35

         He rose up early in the morning. He put first things first. To him prayer time was a priority and a precedence.  It was a serious matter. It was so important that it came first. He believed personal growth is vital before trying to grow multitudes. Priestly faithfulness was the key to his kingly success. That sleep and exhaustion could not keep him from prayer time. He just did it without asking for people’s thoughts. Peter would have rather have them go and minister to the crowds that were waiting. Even though he was God and man, he modeled for us how we should also depend and call on the Lord. He knew the transcending power of prayer. Prayer is the only way to go above all obstacles in your way.  Prayer is the only way to know the power of God in your life. Jesus confronted life challenges with prayer. Jesus was a true descendent of David. David ruled and had a life full of grace through building altars to God and consulting him, praising, writing psalms and trusting in him.  He never trembled before his enemies. Saul on the other hand trusted in his own strength and even built a monument unto himself and as a result, he trembled before his enemies such as Goliath, He panicked before them and resorted to short cuts.

         It was a while before day. He had to overcome excuses why not to have prayer time. Instead of asking can I afford prayer time, ask can I afford not to have prayer time. The issue was not prayerfulness or praying, for praying is something that ought to be done without ceasing. The fight is for prayer time. Time dedicated to God. His excuses could have included the risks of being out alone at night, depriving himself of the personal convenience and comfort of sleep.   In addition, he could have argued that he had a busy teaching and healing program. He however believed prayer time was transformation time. Prayer time was crucial recharge time. Prayer is strategy download time.

         He spent dedicated alone time with God. He left the crowd. He went away, apart from business, people and distractions. He went out to a place where he could be alone with the Father. He set aside uninterrupted time to fellowship and consult with the Father. He made himself unavailable to the world and demands around him. You also need times when you are unavailable because you are busy with God. The disciples had to look for him. They said to him, all men seek for you.

         He had the discipline to do it. Discipline is doing what is right and has to be done whether you feel like it or not. It is overcoming laziness and procrastination. It is ‘removing’ the snooze feature from your alarm.  It is following through things you start to a successful finish. He was disciplined to manage his time in a way that ensured he allocated time to what was important. He knew that sleeping is not the only way to rejuvenate yourself. Spending time in God’s presence is more rejuvenating.

         He used the time to pray. With the help of the Holy Spirit, he used it to talk and listen. Prayer is a dialogue. He consulted, gave thanks, he worshipped, and heard from God. He meditated on God’s word and promises. He prepared for his next assignments by prayer. He prayed for souls. He prayed the model prayer (Mathew 6:19). May God receive something straight from the oven of your heart, for mercies from his heart are new every morning? Give him new praises every morning and receive fresh grace every day. Pray for the peace of the land where you find yourself. It's prosperity is your prosperity. Prayer is an opportunity to receive mercy, righteousness, grace, peace, and joy.

The result of prayer

And he said unto them, Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also: for therefore came I forth [product of enquiry]. 

The result of effective prayer is peace or an instruction/rhema word.  Prayer gives the awareness that God is in control and therefore it is well. Prayer also gives the wisdom and awareness of the next steps to take. Prayer is receiving a work plan from God. When Peter eventually found Jesus, he was quick to point out that everyone was looking for him. They needed to continue with the work of healing the sick and casting out demons where they were the previous day. Jesus was peaceful about the situation he had an instruction about he next step to go to the next towns.

Stillness precedes a rhema word. A rhema word precedes power. Power precedes victory. Victory precedes progress - promotion, prosperity, protection, provision, production/fruit. When you pray, more than saying things desire the word of the Lord.  It brings all you need. God gives you the word for all the things you need. When you take your place of worship, you will hear his voice. When you hear his voice, you will receive his grace. His voice carries his grace and is for a place. When you receive grace, you will enjoy peace.

Prayer pleases God. And when God is pleased, people are amazed.  The next lesson has more on this.

Message by Dr. Kurai Chitima.

Faith Ministries – Johannesburg Faith Life Center.

Ground and First Floors Sunset Bay Building,

204B Bram Fischer drive,

Randburg, Johannesburg, South Africa