Are “Power Prayers” Necessary?

In a previous blog, I mentioned that it is normal for us to go through struggles in life. Jesus even says that in this world, we will have trouble (John 16:33). Some of our everyday struggles may include finding a job, poverty, illness, not dating, not getting married, and infertility, among others. So, what brings these struggles into our lives? In the traditional African worldview, we tend to blame one or a combination of four forces: generational curses, witchcraft, demonic forces, and ancestral problems. These four forces might take different shapes or forms depending on where you’re from, but we’re generally told they cause many of life’s struggles. This belief is usually strengthened through cultural understandings of the world passed down to us through our grandparents, parents, aunts, and uncles. They can frequently interpret life’s struggles happening because of either a generational curse, witchcraft, demonic forces, or an issue with our ancestry. 

Can Power Prayers Work Against the Four Forces?

Many African Christians believe that these four forces are the causes of harm in society. The four forces are powerful and are an ever-present reality in the lives of many of us. Why else would we be suffering with so many struggles? Since it is believed that these four forces are so strong, we must not take them lightly. But what is the best weapon to defeat the four forces? For many, the answer is usually “power prayers.” 

Power prayers can be described as prayers that involve shouting to God with lots of emotion. Power prayers include words like “I declare blessing over my life” or “I speak healing in Jesus’ name.” Power prayers will quote scriptures as if they are their promises to claim, such as “I declare Deuteronomy 28:13 in my life, I am the head and not the tail.” Other verses commonly quoted in power prayers are Isaiah 60:1, Jeremiah 29:11, and Isaiah 54:17. Power prayers take literally the verse found in Ephesians 6:12 that we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against rulers, authorities, cosmic powers, and dark spiritual forces in the heavenly places. Frequently, you hear power prayers in churches. For example, whenever someone is praying in church, they will say a general prayer, but then they will start rebuking the four forces, and the congregation will loudly say “Amen” or “Yes, Lord” in agreement. 

Enhance Power Prayers through Fasting, All Night Prayers, and Financial Sacrifices

Power prayers are also believed to gain more potency to break through the four forces by fasting, all-night prayers, and giving a financial “sacrifice” as an offering to get God’s attention. Many Christians will continually do power prayers and amplify them by returning to fasting, all-night prayers, and giving financial sacrifices to stop the four forces in their tracks. They will become more adamant about strengthening their prayers if they do not see some blessings flowing in their lives. It can become exhausting for many to try and get God’s attention amidst all the believed havoc caused by the four forces. 

Deep down, people who practice power prayers believe that blessings must be wrestled out of the bondage of the four forces. They think that you must fight the four forces with power prayers; otherwise, they will destroy your life. Believers in power prayers seem to have little belief in the sovereignty or providence of God (Isaiah 46:8-10, Ephesians 1:11-12, Genesis 50:18-20, Proverbs 16:33). They seem to struggle with the truth that as Christians, we’re God’s children and that no evil force is stronger than him to curse us where he has blessed us (John 1:12, Galatians 3:13-14, 1 John 3:8, John 1:4-5). It is almost as if they must continually work through power prayers to maintain their spiritual blessings and relationship with God. 

A Word of Caution

Before moving forward, I want to clarify that I am not against praying continually (even late into the night if necessary) because scripture calls us to do that (1 Thessalonians 5:17, Luke 18:1-8). I’m also not saying that we should not fast because Jesus (Luke 4:1-3), Moses (Deuteronomy 9:9), Elijah (1 Kings 19:8), David (2 Samuel 12:14-16), and the Apostles (Acts 13:2-3, 14:23) all fasted. But praying with the mindset that you must do something to overwhelm the four evil forces, otherwise, your prayers won’t reach God is the problem I am trying to address. I want us to pray in faith, believing that Jesus has already overwhelmed the four evil forces, giving us victory (Hebrews 4:15-16).

The Gospel and the Four Forces

As we have established, we need not perform power prayers to get our prayers heard and answered, to break the strongholds of the four forces or to get God’s attention for the blessing to flow. The gospel teaches us that Jesus has, on our behalf, overcome generational curses (2 Corinthians 5:17), curses from witchcraft (Galatians 3:13-14), demonic forces (1 John 3:8, Colossians 2:13-15), and ancestral problems (1 Peter 1:18-19). Further, through Jesus’ resurrection, there are four truths that we must treasure. These are that Jesus is our mediator (1 Timothy 2:5), our advocate (1 John 2:1), our High Priest (Hebrews 4:14), and lastly, he sits at the right hand of the throne of God, making intercessions for us (Romans 8:34). 

  1. Mediator – As our mediator, Jesus ransomed us from our sins (1 Timothy 2:5-6, Mark 10:45). We were once slaves to sin, but now we’ve been bought with the precious blood of Jesus to live a life free from the penalty and power of sin (Romans 6:3-4,17-18). If ever one of the four forces stands against us to condemn us in God’s eyes, our meditator, the risen Jesus Christ, says we are forgiven, and the curse of sin is completely lifted. 
  2. Advocate – The risen Jesus is our advocate such that whenever we fall into sin, he stands in our defence, declaring we’re forgiven because of his finished work on the cross. God’s wrath is entirely removed from us, and the four forces cannot awaken God’s wrath to come upon us ever again. 
  3. High Priest – The risen Jesus is our High Priest who became the “propitiation” for our sins (1 John 2:2, Hebrews 2:17, Hebrews 4:14). Priests made sacrifices to help appease God’s wrath (Hebrews 10:11). Still, Jesus our High Priest made a single sacrifice of his blood to perfect us for all time in the eyes of God (Hebrews 10:11-14). As a result of Jesus’s high priestly work, we can confidently approach the throne of God to receive grace and mercy in times of need (Hebrews 4:15-16). The four forces cannot block our prayers because of Jesus’s position as High Priest.
  4. Right Hand of God – The risen Jesus is interceding for us at the right hand of the throne of God (Romans 8:34). We cannot be overwhelmed by the four forces because of Jesus’ intercession. God is actively working good into our lives. Therefore, no charge against us will stand since Jesus is at the right hand of God’s throne and can give us everything pertaining to our holiness (Romans 8:31-33, Romans 8:32). 

Considering these four amazing gospel truths about Jesus, Christians should be at rest since the four forces cannot stop our prayers from reaching God. In faith, we’re directly connected to the one who sits at the right hand of the throne of God. No dark force, including the four forces, can overcome Jesus (1 John 3:8, John 16:7-11). We are in Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17), and nothing can separate us from his love (Romans 8:38-39, John 6:37-40).

Therefore, don’t feel desperate to work for your own freedom with ‘power prayers’ as you try to get God’s attention. You already have God’s attention through Christ Jesus. You do not need to enhance your prayers through continuous fasting, all-night prayers, and giving a financial sacrifice. You certainly are God’s own because of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection. He lives and is sitting at God’s right hand, even praying to God on your behalf (Romans 8:34). Therefore, approach God’s throne confidently. He will grant you mercy and grace in your time of need (Hebrews 4:16). That is all possible not because of power prayers but because of all that Jesus has done for you through the gospel. For this, place your trust in Christ, not in some ‘power prayers’. Worship our Lord and Savior for all he’s done to bring every spiritual blessing to you unhindered by any force (Ephesians 1:3-14).

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