New-Covenant Prayer

Sept. 18, 2017 | By Creflo Dollar

Prayer is a conversation with God, but most people don’t know how to pray properly. Many of us have learned to pray according to the old-covenant Law of Moses, which is now expired. Jesus’ death and resurrection marked the beginning of the new covenant, and we must pray according to this agreement if we want our prayers to be effective. He has done everything that needed to be done for us to have a life like His, and new-covenant prayer puts us in a mode to receive all that His grace has made available.

This type of prayer radically influences every area of our lives. We can talk with God any time and any place about anything; nothing is off-limits. God has provided healing, prosperity, abundance, deliverance, peace, joy, and everything else we could ever need or want, with no need to beg Him for it. Because of this, praying and giving thanks should be as automatic as breathing. “Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, NLT).

Jesus gave us victory over everything the devil throws at us, and our prayer lives should reflect that. Nothing just happens by coincidence; there are unseen forces at work, both good and evil, that we can’t see. “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Ephesians 6:12). We’re engaged in a spiritual battle, but Christ has already won it. Therefore, we don’t pray for victory in this battle, we pray from victory.

As believers, we have the authority to command what already exists on the spiritual level to appear on the physical level. Heaven is simply waiting for us to give the orders; but, like builders waiting for the permit before beginning work, prayer is necessary to provide heaven with the permit it needs to cause manifestation in our lives. God is waiting for our authorization to get involved, and we give it when our prayers confirm what He has already said in His Word.

Keeping in touch with God in good times as well as bad strengthens us. Even though we pray from a place of victory, we should still be on the alert for any sneak attacks from the devil. Combining perseverance with a grateful heart in our prayer life is like a one-two punch against the enemy. “Be earnest and unwearied and steadfast in your prayer [life], being [both] alert and intent in [your praying] with thanksgiving” (Colossians 4:2, AMPC).

When we pray, we don’t always have to focus on ourselves. Intercessory prayer on others’ behalf is a powerful tool. Lifting up our spouses, our children, our families, and our loved ones puts them before God. “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much” (James 5:16). Prayer brings healing on many different levels, not just in the physical realm.

The shift from the old to the new covenant has put all the power of heaven at our disposal. The lines of communication are wide open, and God is waiting to hear from us. The authority our grace-based prayers now have removes all limitations.

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