By Sidharth Mohandas

I thank God that His Word has eternal revelations that will cause us to stand in awe of Him. Around three or four months back I had a dream of a pregnant lady crying out and singing, “Send Revival! Send Revival!”, after this I saw a wall break open with a fresh river gushing out. The explanation the Lord gave me was: “Travail in prayer as a woman in pains of child birth”. He spoke to me through many verses [Romans 8:26; Romans 15:30], but the one that moved me the most was where Jesus agonized in prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane before His trial. The following days and weeks I remember the Holy Spirit doing exactly what He spoke to me- He was agonizing and groaning through me. Though the burden was heavy, I felt good as I knew He was trusting me with His grief. I remember one time where He was groaning through me… because of the heaviness of His presence I fell flat on the ground. The Lord immediately started speaking to me prophetically. Since He spoke after the groaning- I knew His message was one that was born out of great anguish. He first spoke on how He wanted His people to pursue holiness and the second was on prayer. Though the message came a while back- I am prompted by His Spirit to share the message on prayer again. Here’s the second half of prophetic message I received from the Lord:

“I Am not able to pour out Myself through weak prayers; I Am not able to pour out Myself through empty prayers; I Am not able to pour out Myself through prayers that do not touch My heart, saith the Lord”

My mom told me two days back “Our prayers shouldn’t be focused on our needs, but on bringing God’s kingdom in our midst”. This is exactly what the Lord is speaking to me and I believe this is His message to all those who will read this. Let me take you to the early Church and show you how we need to change our way of praying.

I take you to Acts 4:24-30:

And when they heard that they lifted up their voices together to God , and said, “Lord, You are God, which has made heaven, earth and sea and all that is in them: Who by the mouth of Your servant David has said, ‘Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things? The kings of the earth stood up and the rulers were gathered against the Lord and against His Christ’. For of a truth against Your holy Child Jesus whom You have anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, For to do whatsoever Your hand and Your counsel determined before to be done. And now, Lord, consider their threats: and grant Your servants that with all boldness they speak Your Word, by stretching forth Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of Your holy Child Jesus”

Prior to this we find the Jewish priests threatening these believers not to speak in the name of Jesus. I want you to look closely to their response. Read their response a number of times… Did you notice that in this 6 verse prayer, in only half a verse do they bring up their need before God? ” Lord, consider their threats…” That’s it! They were bent on bringing God’s will and His kingdom to that situation. The Holy Spirit asked me a while back, “Did I ever ask you children to seek Me for your needs?”. I say again, seek to bring His kingdom, rather than seeking to fulfill your needs. Look at the focus of the disciples: they prayed, “Grant us boldness to speak Your Word!”. They were mission-oriented. I look around and find Christians picnic-oriented! Believers, do you see how we need to change our focus in prayer?

Shibu asked me to write on the oneness of purpose of the believers in prayer. I want to point here that in the “Lord’s prayer” [which is not actually the Lord's prayer but the disciples' prayer], Jesus teaches His disciples to pray, it’s interesting He uses the words “OUR Father”, “Give US “, “Forgive US” rather than “MY Father”, “Give ME”, “Forgive ME”. This oneness in purpose is so important. Did you notice in the passage above the Bible says that “they raised their voices TOGETHER to God”? Can we get back to the pattern that Jesus is showing us?

We need to grow out of the “bless me” prayers to “Thy Kingdom come” prayers. No wonder God calls our prayers “weak” and “empty”.

When we align our prayers with the purpose of expanding His kingdom on earth, God’s heart is moved and He pours out His presence into the area of need.