In the previous part of this discourse, I explained that the dark shades cast on our gatherings and services, even the special Sunday services like Pentecostal service is because we have lacked wholesome following towards God. Today’s church is no more the kind of church Jesus had established by teaching and lifestyle because we have abandoned the disciplines of Christ.

Now, someone could redundantly ask, “In what way have we shown God unfaithfulness in being disciples?” Number one example is in the way of laxity towards establishing a firm prayer infrastructure in our local parishes. My house shall be called a house of prayer said the Lord. Not a house of miracles, not a house of prophetic declarations, not a house of praise, not a house of dancing and rejoicing, not a house of fanciful and eye-popping magnificent structure. It is simply prayer; every other thing is secondary.

I live in a society in which established churches make fun of prayer houses and speak ill of them to say they are fake. But I beg to differ even though I am currently a church pastor in a big wig denomination. If those prayer houses will decide to firmly maintain biblical standards, and be word based instead of the prophetic abracadabra we see today, even God would prefer and pitch His glorious tent with them instead of our established Churches that will not yield themselves to His way. For God does not show favouritism, neither does He respect persons and name. He accepts those who do what is right wherever they may be.

Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him. (Acts 10:34-35, KJV)

How today’s church believe they can harness the power of God without adequate and effective church prayer infrastructure is proof that we read scriptures, study history and have learnt absolute nothing. Even on the day of Pentecost, the baptism of fire and power did not come until men waited on God for gruesome ten days. And after they prevailed, Pentecost power came!

I have been privileged to read about some historical accounts of revivals, outpourings and the move of God. And history has not failed to avail us knowledge and understanding that the Holy Ghost’s power cannot come down without prayer.

The prayer that birth the Hebrides revival was carried on for months until the Lord visited the land through the Church. John Knox prayed fervently for long before the Scottish revival was born. The Welsh revival happened when a man of prayer waited on God for twelve years. Nothing, I repeat nothing pulls Pentecostal power like prevailing prayer. Not songs, not chants, not worship, not bible classes, not programs, not the prophetic and charismatic displays we have today. Not the standard of the music equipment, nor the aesthetics of the church house moves the Spirit one bit.

I agree that worship, songs and powerful teaching can steer the hearts and water the soul but that is if the presence of God is already trapped in that house. And this presence is only trapped by a praying church. I say this without a flinch of thought because one of the graces the Lord availed me is the ability to trap God’s presence when I pray. It took many nights and days of prayer for such congregational grace to be put upon an individual.

Without adequate prayer that traps God’s presence, the song and worship will be very entertaining and artistic. And because the flesh loves entertainment, it will dance and find happiness in good music. But the soul is only moved by the Spirit of God. And if we are privileged to have good instrumentals, the place will be full of sparkling aura but also full of death. Only the Spirit gives life.

Again, without adequate prayers the sermon could be so wonderful and mentally intriguing but full of death darts. Only the Spirit can give life. For the letter killeth, and that is no matter how skilled the scribe, teacher or preacher is. So Jesus started with prayer, did his work close to His praying altar and ended his ministry with prayer.

I grew up listening to the song “Prayer is the key!” Who has bewitched us to switch off the fire of our vigils? The very nights that lit up our local churches and powered her for Sunday service. Today I see pastors looking for every reasonable excuse not to burn the night fire. But no excuse is enough reason not to keep the fire burning; especially when we already know the will of the Master.

Today we have successfully substituted the master key that unlocks all spiritual gates, which also unlocks the doors of church growth, and unlocks the Holy Ghost’s power. We have effectively replaced the master key which unlocks the hardened hearts of our youths, and which also dismantles the yoke of satanic oppression. Today we have chosen empty charismatic activities, crowd pleasing prophetic declarations and major entertainment over diligent seeking and waiting on God. We hope to trap our youths with entertainment, sight seeing and special service. We plan to use improved equipments to keep men. We may succeed in keeping men but souls are only kept by the Spirit of God.

And if we use man-made methods or carnal means to keep the people in the fellowship, we will continue to need and use more carnal means or methods to keep theme. But when we engage the true ways of the discipled church, we will get to keep and fellowship with true believers. But we truly are ignorant.

Don’t you see the boasting of many pastors today? The projects they carried out, those who became rich during their pastorship, the number of couples wedded, etc. Can we also take count of the youths and teenagers who left the church and abandoned Christ while they chased after vain glory? Can we take inventory of those who fell into sin and spiritual death in the course of their pastoring? What about those who were locked up and held behind demonic prison bars during the years of kingdom-wise unfruitful church leadership because the methods of Christ were not utilized in leading the church.

Dear Christian, observe and learn that all these things they boast of are possible without the Holy Spirit. But when the Spirit comes upon us, the testimony for souls won for the kingdom will outshine the other frivolities that have no eternal value. There will be power for signs and wonders, healing and miracles will be paramount. Salvation and revival will be the portion of our morally and spiritually degraded membership and youths.

I want to conclude by telling us what happened some time ago. I once approached God and asked him to come down and grace the department where I currently serve as an associate pastor. Jesus then told me that we have not as a department prayed enough for Him to come down and show his strength amongst us. We were a praying church but we still needed more months of faithful perseverance and commitment in prayer to see his power.

From the reply Jesus gave, we could establish the fact that God’s power will be forever absent in our gatherings and special services until we begin to wholly follow the way that Christ taught the early disciples, which was transferred to the early church, and was practiced by the early Pentecostal churches, and that system is that the church must always pray and not faint.