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Here’s the second “I” of prayer…

Invade

First, let’s see what ‘invade’ means. Although some of the dictionaries’ definitions of the word ‘invade’ have a very negative connotation, some of the other definitions mean to enter as if to take possession, to permeate or penetrate, descend upon, go in, access, or to crowd into.

When we think of prayer, we must possess a certain characteristic to invade or crowd into the God’s throne room. What do you think it is? It’s boldness!

‘Boldness’ defined in Greek means all unreservedness in speech, frankness, confidence, assurance, or the absence of fear in speaking boldly.

As children of God, we have permission to access our heavenly Father’s presence in boldness and without fear or rejection to make our requests of Him. Cringing is not necessary for God accepts us as we are and does not sit on His throne with a rolled up newspaper waiting to swat us. He welcomes us with a knowing smile, a loving heart, and open arms.

Scripture says…

* “Let us then fearlessly and confidently and boldly draw near to the throne of grace,” (Heb. 4:16a AMP)
* for “We can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus,” (Heb. 10:1 NLT)
* “in Whom, because of our faith in Him, we dare to have the boldness (courage and confidence) of free access (an unreserved approach to God with freedom and without fear),” (Eph. 3:12 AMP)
* for it is the righteous who “are bold as a lion.” (Prov. 28:1 NKJV)

Down through the ages, God’s righteous people have gone before Him in boldness. The disciple John said, “Dear friends, if our conscience is clear, we can come to God with bold confidence.” (1 John 3:21 NLT)

With this bold confidence, we are able to pray the kind of prayers James talked about, “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” (James 5:15 NKJV) The Greek translation says, “The prayer of a righteous one has great strength, having been made effective.” It literally says, “Much strong a petition of one righteous being made effective.”

The Greek word for ‘avails,’ ‘strength,’ and ‘strong’ means to have or exercise power, prevail, be a force, capable of producing results, and so on.

The word for ‘effective’ and ‘fervent’ is the word ‘energeo,’ which means to show self to be active, operative, or efficient, be mighty in, work effectually, putting forth power, and so on.

In other words, of great strength, prevailing force, and capable of producing results is the petition of a righteous one, which is made active and operative, mighty in its working.

Those who prayed effective prayers prayed boldly because they expected God to reply. Joshua and Elijah are two examples.

When Joshua and his army faced the Amorite kings, the Lord told him not to fear the opposing armies for He had given Joshua victory over his enemy. Joshua prayed and the sun (and moon) stood still for twenty-four hours, giving Joshua time to defeat all his foes.

Elijah prayed that the rain would cease because of King Ahab’s allowance of prolific idolatry. God answered that prayer. Three and one half years later, after another confrontation with Ahab and his prophets of Baal, Elijah went to the top of Mount Carmel (meaning the fruitful or plentiful place) where he bowed down with his face between his knees and prayed again. From that fruitful place, he said he heard “the sound of abundance of rain,” (1 Kings 18:41 NKJV) even before a single cloud was seen or a drop of rain had fallen.

James reassures us, “Elijah was a man just like us.” (James 5:17a NIV) What an awesome thought! The same spiritual power available to those righteous ones of yesteryear, scripture says is within our reach today. Granted, not all prayers necessitate boldness, however, it is ours to use.

But do we pray with confidence and boldness? Do we truly invade the heavenlies in behalf of some request? Are we as bold as Joshua? Do we have a fruitful place like Elijah? Are our prayers effective, having force and producing results?

Worth thinking on, isn’t it?

I pray boldly that your prayers will become bolder, more effective, and more fervent every day as you build your confidence to enter in God’s throne room and present Him your requests.

~~Blessings to you and keep dancing, Lynn~~