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The Prayer Of Faith :
http://christian-faith.com/html/page/the_prayer_of_faith
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[Description] Prince Guneratnam talks about the characteristics of the
prayer of faith, taking the example of the prophet Samuel. [Keywords]
prayer of faith [Path] Home / Articles / Republished Articles / The
Prayer Of Faith [Editors] Michael and Kalessin [Copyright] Michael
Fackerell [Generated] Thu, 02 Sep 2010 13:35:59 -0600
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  Let us learn from the Prophet Samuel, one of the heroes of faith in
the eleventh chapter of Hebrews. Samuel had to pray the *"Prayer of
Faith" *for Israel as they were spiritually backslidden for about
twenty years, and they were in bondage and living in fear of the
Philistines. **So it was that the ark remained in Kirjath Jearim a long
time; it was there twenty years. And the house of Israel lamented after
the LORD** (1 Samuel 7:2). When Israel longed for God and His blessings,
the Prophet Samuel urged the Israelites to get rid of their foreign
gods. He called them together and prayed for them*. *"Gather all
israel to Mizpah, and I will pray to the LORD for you **(1 Samuel *7:5).
 **  What are the characteristics of the "Prayer of Faith"?  
*1. THE PRAYER OF FAITH MUST BE WITNESSED BY THE ACTION OF WHAT YOU
CONFESS* *AND* *REPENT*!  **   *

**So the children of Israel put away the Baals and the Ashtoreths, and
served the LORD only... So they gathered together at Mizpah, drew water
and poured it out before the LORD. And they fasted that day, and said
there, 'We have sinned against the LORD.' And Samuel judged the children
of Israel at Mizpah* *(1 Samuel 7:4-6). The Israelites obeyed what the
Prophet Samuel told them to do. They threw out all their idols. They
confessed and repented of their sins. They demonstrated genuine
repentance, humility and the desire for God's forgiveness and
blessings.*  *

* Sin hinders the prayer of faith,* *If I regard *iniquity in *my heart,
the LORD will not hear *(Psalm 66:18). **Behold, the LORD's hand is not
shortened, That it cannot save; Nor His ear heavy, That it cannot hear.
But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have
hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear** (Isaiah 59:1-2).
Only when such hindrances are removed can we pray the *"Prayer of
Faith*". For the Israelites, pouring water on the ground
"before the Lord" was a sign of repenting from sin, turning
from idols and determining to obey God alone. This symbolized their
willingness to give of themselves and to spend themselves for the Lord. 
 **2.*** *THE PRAYER OF FAITH WILL BE CHALLENGED***.  ***Now when the
Philistines heard that the children of israel had gathered at Mizpah,
the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the
children of Israel heard of it, they were afraid of the Philistines. So
the children of Israel said to Samuel, 'Do not cease to cry out to the
LORD our God for us, that He may save us from the hand of the
Philistines'* *(1 Samuel 7:7-8).  

*"Prayer of Faith". *When? When you look at the difficult
circumstances, the problems and the enemies. You become fearful as Peter
walked on the water but started to sink when he looked at the waves
surrounding him. Jesus immediately stretched out His hand, caught him
and said to him, **"0 you of little faith, why did you
doubt?"** (Matthew 14:31). What should you do when fears and doubts
come? Keep praying. The *"Prayer of Faith" *is persistent.
Samuel cried out day and night to God for the Israelites (1 Samuel 7:9).
  **3. THE PRAYER OF FAITH MUST BE BASED ON* *THE* *BLOOD* *SACRIFICE*. 
**    *

**And Samuel took a suckling lamb and offered it as a whole burnt
offering to the LORD. Then Samuel cried out to the LORD for Israel, and
the LORD answered *him *(1 Samuel 7:9). We see the cross of Calvary in
the Old Testament. There is only one way to be heard, by the blood of
the Lamb,* *and according to the law almost all things are purified with
blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission** (Hebrews
9:22). Cain's way failed but Abel's succeeded. Cain's prayer was based
on what he did. He brought his own works and God said, *"Cain, I
can't* *hear you." *Abel brought a lamb. He asked for forgiveness,
and God heard his prayer. There is no other way into the presence of God
but by the blood of the Lamb. Similarly, in one of Jesus' parables, we
see that the Pharisees relied on self-righteousness, but the publicans
asked for forgiveness. It is at the cross of Calvary that we find mercy
and acceptance.  

  

*"Prayer of Faith"*. When your prayer is challenged, don't
stop praying. Persist in prayer. Keep praying and base your prayer on
the blood of Jesus, and something powerful will happen! Expect divine
intervention. God honours the *"Prayer of Faith".  *

* *Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty
things, which you do not know** (Jeremiah 33:3).  ***  ***Prince
Guneratnam** is the Senior Pastor of *Calvary Church* in Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia. He also serves *on the Board of Directors for *Church Growth
International*.   *

**

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