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REVEALING JESUS: LET US PRAY (THE RULES OF ENGAGEMENT)
### A Teaching by Apostle Joshua Selman | Koinonia Global
PART ONE: THE ORIGINAL TEACHING
REVEALING JESUS: LET US PRAY (THE RULES OF ENGAGEMENT)
Jesus Christ lived a life of consistent prayer, even as The Son of God. That alone teaches us that prayer is not optional. It is at the very fabric of our walk with God. There is no matter in life that prayer cannot attend to.
Prayer is communication with God, it is the principal channel of fellowship with Him, and the platform through which we express our will for divine assistance.
There are various kinds of prayer available to the Believer. Spiritual maturity requires that we know them, and understand when to apply each one.
1. Praying in The Spirit: This is the prayer language given to the Believer. It goes beyond natural understanding. It brings edification and spiritual growth, strengthens our capacity to receive from God, and aligns us with His wisdom. It is a divine advantage that helps to bring the will of God into our lives.
2. Faith-filled Declaration of Scripture: This kind of prayer is rooted in a rich understanding of The Word of God. It addresses situations that contradict His nature and will. It is not mere speech, but speaking The Word in faith to establish God’s reality. We enforce what He has said and create possibilities in alignment with Scripture.
3. The Prayer of Inquiry: There are times when we must seek direction. Due to our human limitations, we inquire of The Lord for strategy. Confusion and consistent struggle can be signs that vision and strategy are not aligned. When we maximise this prayer, we minimise wasted effort and live with certainty.
4. Warfare and Intercessory Prayer: Warfare is not fighting for victory. It is enforcing the victory already secured in Christ Jesus. It is the intentional use of God’s Word and spiritual resources to establish His will over lives and territories. True intercession requires understanding spiritual laws, discipline, and alignment with Scripture.
5. The Prayer of Thanksgiving: Thanksgiving keeps our hearts aligned with God. It expresses confidence in His faithfulness and acknowledges that His hand is at work.
What makes prayer effectual is alignment with the will of God. When our desires capture His will, our prayers produce results that reveal His glory.
To understand these rules of engagement in-depth and grow in the ministry of prayer, download and listen to the full message via the provided link, or watch the sermon on YouTube.
#RevealingJesus #TheRulesOfEngagement #KoinoniaGlobal
PART TWO: COMMENTARY ON THE TEACHING
Introduction: The Non-Negotiable Nature of Prayer
Apostle Joshua Selman opens this teaching with a profound observation: Jesus Christ, though He was the Son of God, lived a life of consistent prayer. If the sinless, divine Son of God needed prayer, how much more do we? This establishes from the outset that prayer is not optional—it is not a spiritual luxury for the hyper-religious or an emergency measure for times of crisis. Prayer is “at the very fabric of our walk with God.” It is the atmosphere in which relationship with God exists and thrives.
The scope of prayer is comprehensive: “There is no matter in life that prayer cannot attend to.” No problem is too small. No challenge is too complex. No situation is too hopeless. Prayer is the universal solvent for every human difficulty because it connects us to the unlimited resources of heaven.
The Definition of Prayer
Prayer is defined as:
– Communication with God
– The principal channel of fellowship with Him
– The platform through which we express our will for divine assistance
This definition is significant because it balances two essential elements: relationship and request. Prayer is not merely a shopping list of petitions; it is communion with the Living God. Yet neither is prayer only contemplative silence; it includes expressing our needs and seeking divine help. True prayer holds these in tension—intimacy with the Father and dependence on the Father.
The Five Kinds of Prayer
Apostle Selman identifies five distinct types of prayer, each with its own purpose, scriptural basis, and appropriate context. Spiritual maturity requires not only that we pray but that we know what kind of prayer to pray in each situation.
1. Praying in The Spirit
This refers to the prayer language given to believers, often understood as speaking in tongues. Selman highlights several benefits:
- It goes beyond natural understanding – When our minds are limited, our spirits can pray mysteries.
- It brings edification and spiritual growth – 1 Corinthians 14:4 states that he who speaks in a tongue edifies himself.
- It strengthens our capacity to receive from God – Spiritual sensitivity is heightened through Spirit-led prayer.
- It aligns us with His wisdom – The Spirit prays according to the will of God, even when we do not know what to pray (Romans 8:26-27).
This kind of prayer is a divine advantage, a secret weapon in the believer’s arsenal. It bypasses the limitations of human language and prays directly from the spirit to the Spirit.
2. Faith-filled Declaration of Scripture
This prayer is rooted in the Word of God. It addresses situations that contradict God’s nature and will. When sickness contradicts healing, we declare scriptures of health. When poverty contradicts provision, we declare scriptures of supply. When fear contradicts peace, we declare scriptures of courage.
This is not mere positive confession or human optimism. It is speaking the Word in faith to establish God’s reality in the face of contrary circumstances. Selman describes it as “enforcing what He has said and creating possibilities in alignment with Scripture.”
The effectiveness of this prayer depends on:
– A rich understanding of the Word
– Faith that believes what God has said
– Boldness to speak against contrary evidence
3. The Prayer of Inquiry
There are times when we do not need provision as much as we need direction. We do not need supply; we need strategy. This is the prayer of inquiry.
Selman notes that “confusion and consistent struggle can be signs that vision and strategy are not aligned.” When you are working hard but producing little, when you are moving but not advancing, when you are sowing but not reaping—these may indicate that you need to inquire of the Lord for fresh strategy.
The prayer of inquiry asks:
– Lord, what do You want me to do?
– Lord, which way should I go?
– Lord, what is the strategy for this situation?
When we maximize this prayer, we minimize wasted effort and live with certainty.
4. Warfare and Intercessory Prayer
This is one of the most misunderstood areas of prayer. Selman provides a crucial correction: “Warfare is not fighting for victory. It is enforcing the victory already secured in Christ Jesus.”
The battle has already been won at Calvary. Satan is a defeated foe. Warfare prayer is not trying to achieve victory; it is enforcing the victory that Christ has already accomplished. It is the “intentional use of God’s Word and spiritual resources to establish His will over lives and territories.”
True intercession goes beyond casual prayer. It requires:
– Understanding spiritual laws
– Discipline in prayer
– Alignment with Scripture
– A burden for others
5. The Prayer of Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving may seem simple, but it is profoundly powerful. Selman identifies two purposes of thanksgiving:
- It keeps our hearts aligned with God – Gratitude centers us on God rather than our circumstances.
- It expresses confidence in His faithfulness – When we give thanks before we see the answer, we demonstrate faith.
- It acknowledges that His hand is at work – Thanksgiving recognizes God’s activity even when it is not yet visible.
Philippians 4:6 connects thanksgiving with peace: “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”
The Key to Effectual Prayer
The teaching concludes with the foundational principle: “What makes prayer effectual is alignment with the will of God. When our desires capture His will, our prayers produce results that reveal His glory.”
This aligns with 1 John 5:14-15: “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: and if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.”
Prayer is not about convincing God to do our will; it is about aligning with His will. When our desires match His desires, our prayers become irresistible. Heaven backs what heaven authors. Results follow.
PART THREE: PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
For Praying in The Spirit
Set aside time daily to pray in the Spirit. Do not limit this to public gatherings; cultivate it in your private devotions. Let your spirit lead where your mind cannot follow.
For Faith-filled Declarations
Create a list of scriptures that address your specific situations. Declare them aloud daily. Speak to mountains, not about them. Address circumstances with the authority of God’s Word.
For Prayer of Inquiry
Before launching into any major endeavour, pause to inquire of the Lord. Ask for strategy. Ask for timing. Ask for wisdom. Do not assume that because something worked before, it will work again. Fresh situations require fresh direction.
For Warfare and Intercession
Identify territories and lives God has placed on your heart. Pray specifically for them. Understand that you are not fighting for victory but from victory. Stand in the finished work of Christ and enforce His will.
For Thanksgiving
Develop a lifestyle of gratitude. Thank God before answers come. Thank God during the waiting. Thank God after the manifestation. Let thanksgiving be as constant as your breathing.
PART FOUR: DECLARATIONS BASED ON THIS TEACHING
- I DECLARE that prayer is not optional in my life; it is the fabric of my walk with God.
- I DECLARE that no matter in my life is beyond the reach of prayer.
- I DECLARE that I pray in the Spirit regularly, edifying myself and aligning with God’s wisdom.
- I DECLARE that my declarations are rooted in Scripture and released in faith to establish God’s reality.
- I DECLARE that I inquire of the Lord for direction and strategy, minimising wasted effort.
- I DECLARE that I enforce the victory of Christ in warfare and intercession, not fighting for victory but from victory.
- I DECLARE that thanksgiving keeps my heart aligned with God and confident in His faithfulness.
- I DECLARE that my prayers are effectual because they align with the will of God.
- I DECLARE that my desires capture His desires, and my prayers produce results that reveal His glory.
PART FIVE: PRAYER
Father, I thank You for the privilege of prayer. Thank You for the example of Jesus, who consistently prayed and showed us that prayer is essential. Teach me to pray according to Your will and to apply the right kind of prayer to every situation.
Help me to pray in the Spirit, to declare Your Word in faith, to inquire of You for direction, to engage in warfare and intercession, and to overflow with thanksgiving. Let my prayers be effectual. Let them produce results that reveal Your glory.
In Jesus’ mighty name. Amen.
#KoinoniaGlobal #ApostleJoshuaSelman #RevealingJesus #TheRulesOfEngagement #Prayer #FiveKindsOfPrayer
