Lord, Teach Me To Pray: The Covenant of Prayer
Prayer is an essential part of a Christian’s life and for Mothers of Nations, an absolute necessity. Prayer admits that we need God and acknowledges that He is ultimately the One in charge. Jesus taught His disciples to pray, and He demonstrated the necessity of prayer. “So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.” (Luke 5: 16) We also read in Luke 6: 12, “Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.”
In the example of my prayer experience for Peniel Bible College that I shared about last week, I had partnered with the Holy Spirit to create opportunities for God to work. Prayer opened up the heavens, brought about change in the land of India, delivered salvation to souls, and created a conduit for teaching God’s Word -- a Bible school. Prayer is not only a calling, but a necessity. God needs a vessel to pour His heart into and people to speak into existence His will and His Word.
Sometimes when I meditate on that time of learning regarding the prayer for Penial, I am reminded of the word “covenant.” A covenant is a commitment and it means “to cut until the blood flows.” Entering a covenant means that we exchange coats as a symbol of our identities being merged. We exchange weapons and vow to protect each other. We exchange names, giving each other access to the other’s property and rights.
That night that I earlier shared about when God so sovereignly baptized me in the tongues of the nations, He and I made a covenant. I learned to yield to the Holy Spirit, allowing Christ’s blood, Christ’s heart, and Christ’s compassion and grace to flow through my being. I was bonded to Him and willing to give my all to Him in prayer. I got to know Him, being guided by Him and learning His ways.
One way I have learned more about God is through studying His names. There are many names for God, and each reveals a part of Him to us. Each part also reveals what we have covenant with. For example, Jehovah means “the Great I Am.” This name tells us that I Am is in covenant with us. He is, He was, and He ever shall be God.
Jehovah Jireh “the Provider” tells us that provision is part of our covenant. We provide ourselves and all we know and can do for His use, and in turn, He gives us all the provision we will ever need in Him.
El Shaddai gives us His almightiness that blesses us forever. Adonai encourages our faith and tells us that we are protected. God does not need any protection, yet our heart is to honor His name and protect it from harm or disgrace by living a godly life.
Jehovah Rophi is the covenant of healing. Jehovah M-Kadesh is the covenant of righteousness, and Jehovah Nissi is the covenant of the Lord our Banner. When we enter into covenant with Him, we pray in His name, exercising our right to healing, peace, salvation, protection, deliverance, holiness, and faith.
As we close today, are there any of these Names of God that have been particularly meaningful to you in your life experiences? Let’s take a few moments right now to thank and praise the Lord for our incredible covenant with Him.
Dr. Sharon Predovich
