Audio Length: 51:49 Ministered @ Grace Community Church, Arroyo Hondo New Mexico 1/6/19

The month of January is recognized in the Assemblies of God Church as prayer and fasting month. I believe every born-again Christian should sanctify ourselves to prayer and fasting this month especially. Prayer is the key to unlocking the heavens to seeing the great things of God this year, like revivals, and long-lasting salvation.

1). US Military will legally bar transgender men and or women 
2). Friday a US Judge ruled Obama Care as unconstitutional
3). A friend of mine been clean and sober 2 years
4). Great revivals of our past

What do these have in common? The Lord told me, “These things have come to pass because the power of fervent prayer in the Holy Spirit. We look to the things of God that has happened in the past, the present and what we want in the future with God. These are the great clouds of witnesses

Opening Scripture: Hebrews 12:1-3 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him that endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

As Jesus Christ paid the price for the salvation of sinners, we must also endure the times, and pray the price to see the power of God move and save sinners by praying the price in prayer.

We have an infirmity, Romans 8:26-28 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

And He that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because He maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.

Talking about the great clouds of witnesses, not just in the Holy Bible, but we should also reflect on the great men and women of our times past. Who has gone before us and were successful in ministry and learn from them.

For these are our great examples, because they have set before us how they were successful, and how they reached people for Jesus Christ.

I personally reflect on great ministers around this time of year. One comes to mind in this personal season of mine, Charles Finney. Who was successful in leading people to Christ where ever the Lord sent him. But Charles Finney always humbly pointed to Jesus Christ and Daniel Nash for his success in ministry.

Prevailing Prince of Prayer (Daniel Nash)

Written by: J Paul Reno. Excerpts can be found originally @ https://www.hopefaithprayer.com

Daniel Nash was born in 1775 and died in 1831 while praying. He was 56 years old. No books tell his life story, no pictures or diaries can be found, his descendants (if any) cannot be located, and his messages are forgotten. He wrote no books, started no schools, led no movements, and generally, kept out of sight.

Yet this man saw revival twice in his pastorate, and then was a key figure in one of the greatest revivals in the history of the United States. In many ways he was to the U. S. what Praying Hyde was to India. He is known almost exclusively for his powerful prayer ministry.

In this day of apostasy with many decisions but few true conversions, with many programs but little prayer, with much organizing but little agonizing, we would be wise to learn lessons from the past. One of our godly forefathers whose life can teach us such is Daniel Nash

His early years seem mostly lost from the records. This much we do know-he was born November 27, 1775, and by November 11, 1816, at the age of 40 he had accepted the pastorate of the Stow’s Square Congregational-Presbyterian Church, Lowville Township.

He had moved there from Onondaga County (the area around Syracuse), and had a farm at least by 1825, the time of the first census in the area.

At the Age of 46, he was voted out of the pastoral position by his congregation because they believed Daniel Nash was too old to Pastor. This devastated Daniel Nash and shook him to the core. His experience teaches us this Biblical principle today, “When God closes one door, He will open up a new door.”

Such rejection by those he loved and had ministered to did its crushing work, and by 1824 he was so damaged spiritually that any human hope of a prayer ministry seemed impossible. At this time Charles Finney was to be examined for a license to preach, and he records his first meeting with Daniel Nash as follows:

“At this meeting of the presbytery I first saw Rev. Daniel Nash, who is generally known as ‘Father Nash.’ He was a member of the presbytery. A large congregation was assembled to hear my examination. I got in a little late, and saw a man standing in the pulpit speaking to the people, as I supposed. He looked at me, I observed, as I came in; and was looking at others as they passed up the aisles.

As soon as I reached my seat and listened, I observed that he was praying. I was surprised to see him looking all over the house, as if he were talking to the people; while in fact he was praying to God. Of course it did not sound to me much like prayer; and he was at that time indeed in a very cold and backslidden state.”

After this meeting Nash was struck with a serious case of inflamed eyes. For several weeks he had to be kept in a dark room where he could neither read nor write.

During this time “he gave himself up almost entirely to prayer. He had a terrible overhauling of his whole Christian experience; and as soon as he was able to see, with a double black veil before his face, he sallied forth to labor for souls.”

His labors did not take the form of personal evangelism or of evangelistic preaching. Instead he began one of the greatest ministries of prayer evangelism recorded in history. This rejected and broken former preacher gave himself to a labor that would influence praying people to this day. Charles Finney and Daniel Nash teamed up in ministry by this point.

When God would direct where a meeting was to be held, Father Nash would slip quietly into town and seek to get two or three people to enter into a covenant of prayer with him. Sometimes he had with him a man of similar prayer ministry, Abel Clary. Together they would begin to pray fervently for God to move in the community. One record of such is told by Leonard Ravenhill:

“I met an old lady who told me a story about Charles Finney that has challenged me over the years. Finney went to Bolton to minister, but before he began, two men knocked on the door of her humble cottage, wanting lodging. The poor woman looked amazed, for she had no extra accommodations.

Finally, for about twenty-five cents a week, the two men, none other than Fathers Nash and Clary, rented a dark and damp cellar for the period of the Finney meetings (at least two weeks), and there in that self-chosen cell, those prayer partners battled the forces of darkness.”

2 Corinthians 10:4-5 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

That’s what prayer does! It pulls down strong-holds in the spiritual realm, and brings them into captivity and obedience to Jesus Christ! Where people will have to get saved and healed, because they were praying down the presence of God in the Holy Ghost! This is what these men were doing in that dark cellar!

“On one occasion when I got to town to start a revival a lady contacted me who ran a boarding house. She said, ‘Brother Finney, do you know a Father Nash? He and two other men have been at my boarding house for the last three days, but they haven’t eaten a bite of food. I opened the door and peeped in at them because I could hear them groaning, and I saw them down on their faces.

They have been this way for three days, lying prostrate on the floor and groaning. I thought something awful must have happened to them. I was afraid to go in and I didn’t know what to do. Would you please come see about them?’ “‘No, it isn’t necessary,’ Finney replied. ‘They just have a spirit of travail in prayer.’”

If you want to see revival, if you want God to transform and change communities and Nations, than we have to be a praying body of Christ, travailing in the Spirit of God in intercessory prayer. Because this is the only way we are going to reach America for Jesus Christ. God is not satisfied with half-hearted praying and preaching!

January is the month of prayer and fasting. I know we hate the sound of fasting. Especially those who work hard. I told the Lord, “I cannot fast because I need all my energy and soul to get my work done and on time.”

The Lord asked me, “What do you spend most of your time doing besides working, study the Holy Bible and prayer? Lay that down!”

There are people who can’t fast food because of medical reasons. What ever you spend a lot of time doing besides working, communing with God and praying. What ever it is, lay that down as your fasting this month. And really start getting into prayer, more than usual, this month in the Holy Ghost.

You see, this is what these men of God were doing, they were fasting and travailing in the Spirit for souls. They were calling down the presence of God and pulling down strong-holds of all principalities of darkness.

They were crying out to God for revival to begin, for revival to stay in order for God to save, deliver and set people free in the power of the Holy Ghost.

“Charles Finney so realized the need of God’s working in all his service that he was wont to send godly Father Nash on in advance to pray down the power of God into the meetings which he was about to hold.”

Brother Nash gave himself up almost continually to prayer.’ Often while the evangelist preached to the multitudes, Nash in some adjoining house would be upon his face in an agony of prayer, and God answered in the marvels of His grace.

With all due credit to Mr. Finney for what was done, it was the praying men who held the ropes. The tears they shed, the groans they uttered are written in the book of the chronicles of the things of God.”

If you lay aside something that the Lord is speaking to you about, for one more hour in prayer in the Holy Ghost. I guarantee you, it will not be in vain. We got to keep that fire burning in our souls of the Holy Ghost. How do we keep the fire of the Holy Ghost burning? By praying in the fire of the Holy Ghost!

It is said of Finney that “his evangelistic party consisted of prayer partners, who went before him and sought the Lord in some secluded spot. And when Finney was preaching Father Nash and Mr. Clary were hidden away somewhere praying for him. No wonder cities were stirred and a vast harvest of souls reaped.”

This concept of an evangelistic party made up of praying men has nearly been lost in these days of organizers, promoters, big names, etc. Such praying men not only sustained Finney’s ministry, but explain the power in preaching and long-lasting results.

Prayer And Evangelism Goes Hand-in-Hand

We find this reality of real conversions of souls, chronicled in the Book of Acts due to prayer and evangelism.

Acts 1:14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brethren.

They continued in prayer before Pentecost. Praying for the promise of the Holy Ghost to come to pass since they did not know when it will. They were waiting and praying. Then, in Acts 2, the Holy Ghost came down and baptized them in power to evangelize the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And thousands gave their hearts to Christ and were baptized in the Holy Ghost.

Acts 3:1 Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.

Peter and John were going to the Holy Temple in Jerusalem to pray as they always do. When they saw a crippled man who is always there, begging alms. They prayed for him and the crippled man was healed. Everyone saw this miracle of healing God performed, Peter and John evangelized Jesus Christ and many people believed that day

Acts 12:12-17 And when he (Peter) had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark; where many were gathered together praying.

And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a damsel came to hearken, named Rhoda. And when she knew Peter’s voice, she opened not the gate for gladness, but ran in, and told how Peter stood before the gate.

And they said unto her, Thou art mad. But she constantly affirmed that it was even so. Then said they, It is his angel. But Peter continued knocking: and when they had opened the door, and saw him, they were astonished.

But he, beckoning unto them with the hand to hold their peace, declared unto them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, Go shew these things unto James, and to the brethren. And he departed, and went into another place.

The Apostle Peter’s deliverance out of prison, took place while Jesus’ disciples were praying in the power the Holy Ghost. Why? Because the power of prayer, so Peter can continue to evangelize the Gospel of Jesus Christ, in order for many more people can be saved and converted through his ministry.

You see, prayer and evangelism really do go hand-in-hand, because it is the will of God. This lack of prayer commitment is the reason for lack of revival and salvation today.

Prayer breaks up and prepares the ground, while the called, (evangelists) appointed and anointed by God to plants seeds. Prayer waters seed in order for God to get the harvest.

You want to know why there is much weeds in God’s fields with little to no harvest? Because there are very few laborers to no laborers. What happens to the field with no laborers? Weeds grow there (weeds are the children of the devil)

Matthew 13:38 The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;

Now God is not looking for numbers. He is looking for and expecting His people to be available, to do things Gods way. He is looking for those who will be committed in prayer and allow Him to work through us. Full of His fire of the Holy Ghost, in order for revival to break forth in our churches, community and throughout this entire Nation.

James 5:16 The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much

2 Chronicles 7:14 If My people, which are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.