#ElevateDay : Prayer with Pastor Tunde Usidame

#ElevateDay is a live Twitter event that takes place 6pm every Tuesday @elevationng. It is an open forum for learning, sharing and impacting lives. On this episode, we talk about prayer.

Elevation Church: Welcome to #ElevateDay with Pastor Pastor Tunde Usidame of The Elevation Church. Today, he'll be sharing important perspectives about prayer

Elevation Church: Is there a prescription for effective prayer? Really? 

Pastor Tunde: I believe prayer is really about relationship with God. You don't have set methods for relating with your parents

Elevation Church: And what's a parent-child relationship like in prayer? 

Pastor Tunde: Well.. it's like any other good relationship between parent/child. There is love, trust and honesty. Trust will mean letting God lead you even when it's against your personal agendas.

Elevation Church: We like the word 'honesty'. But, can you really tell God EVERYTHING? And, does He talk back? 

Pastor Tunde:  You should tell God everything. He knows already anyway, the creator knows the creature James 1:5 but the essence of relationship is us coming to Him and vice-versa. God talks back to us; through His word (Bible) & in other ways as we grow closer in our relationship with Hi.

Elevation Church: What's the place of fasting in prayer?

Pastor Tunde:  Fasting is about you, not God. It's really about depriving "self" periodically to hear God more clearly. The flesh and daily grind is too much "noise" at times.

Elevation Church:  The next Q is quite important - how do you develop very personal intimate conversations with God?

 Pastor Tunde: It starts with trust and regularity. Trust is a function of faith. If you trust your dad and talk to him a lot, you'll get intimate. Trust also means you know you won't be condemned even when you go wrong.

Elevation Church: How do you know your prayers have been answered, when you can't yet see the results?

 Pastor Tunde: How do you know your dad has paid your school fees even when you haven't seen the receipt? Faith & Trust are key here. Mark 11:23-24 says believe that you receive and you will have.


YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS

Zjolt: How can a christian become consistent in the Place of Prayer? Practical tips please! 

 Pastor Tunde: Really you can only be consistent by being consistent. Pray daily even when you are not sure you're being heard. Your consistency will also translate to trust.

Olumide: Is there any particular posture that one has to keep to while praying?

 Pastor Tunde: I don't believe there is, God is always with us. Of course we should love and reverence Him. In prayer always remeber the parent/child, father/son relationship.

Olumide: Are there prayers that God will not answer?

 Pastor Tunde:  1 John 5:14 says we have confidence in prayer when we ask according to His will.  So 1 John 5:14 means God won't answer prayers that are not according to His will & His will is His word. sometimes God's will for us is not our will for ourselves.

Stephen : What is the difference between "God's will be done" & "grant us our heart desire"? And which is the right way to pray?

Pastor Tunde:  As you relate better to God, you start to want the same things. 1 John 5:14, just ensure what you are asking is in line with God's will.

CONCLUSION

Pastor Tunde : Prayer starts with trust and regularity. If u trust your dad and talk to him a lot, you'll get intimate. A function of prayer is to maintain our relationship with God.