Roosevelt Ethridge - The Making of a Prayer Warrior

Attridge, Harold W., ed. The HarperCollins Study Bible New Revised Standard Version: Student Edition. New York: HarperOne, 1989.

Campbell, Ben. Hearing Gods Call. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans, 2002.

Day, J. Daniel. Seeking the Face of God. Macon, GA: Nurturing Faith, 2013.

Foster, Richard. Celebration of Discipline. New York: Harper & Row, 1978.

Websters Dictionary for Students Special Encyclopedic Ed. Darien, CT: Federal Street Press, 2007.

Yoder, John Howard. Body Politics. Nashville: 1992.

INTRODUCTION

. Richard Foster, Celebration of Discipline (New York: Harper & Row, 1978).

. J. Daniel Day, Seeking the Face of God (Macon, GA: Nurturing Faith, 2013).

. Websters Dictionary for Students Special Encyclopedic Ed. (Darien, CT: Federal Street Press, 2007), s.v. prayer.

. Websters, s.v. accountable.

. Foster, Celebration of Discipline.

. Harold W. Attridge, ed., The HarperCollins Study Bible (New York: HarperOne, 1989).

. Foster, Celebration of Discipline.

. Attridge, The HarperCollins Study Bible.

9. Foster, Celebration of Discipline.

CHAPTER 2

GENDERS IN PRAYER

. Foster, Celebration of Discipline.

CHAPTER 3

THE PERSONAlITY OF A PRAYER WARRIOR

. Attridge, The HarperCollins Study Bible.

. Foster, Celebration of Discipline.

. Ibid.

CHAPTER 4

INTERCESSION IN YOU

. Websters, s.v. intercession.

R OOSEVELT ETHRIDGE is a trusted Generation X voice at the forefront of international ministry.

Pastor of Living Word International Ministries in Wilson, NC, he serves as overseer of Intersecting Ministries, an umbrella of Living Word Ministries International. Globally, Overseer Ethridge serves as general overseer of River of Life Christian Church in Cagayan De Oro City, Philippines; MDOC Global Fellowship, Inc., Cagayan De Oro City, Philippines; and Ebenezer Iglesias in Naples, Italy. Overseer Ethridge is international advisor for Jesus for All Nations and Network International, Inc.; CMC Network, Inc.; and Lamp Foundation International, Inc., based out of the Philippines.

His zeal and compassion for Gods people have led him to reach out to the underserved and unapproachable. Overseer Ethridges primary focus is sharing the fundamentals of the Christian faith around the globe in simple language to prepare Christians to become disciples of Jesus Christ.

He is heard each week on the Pastors Round Table on WIDU Radio. He has authored two books, including Navigating from a Broken Place: A Life Map for Love, Relationship, and Singleness. Overseer Ethridge is proudest to father Roosevelt AmirRasheed Ethridge, III, whom he raises in the fear and knowledge of the Lord while equipping him to fulfill the destiny set before him.

Follow Overseer Ethridge at .

Email Address:

Web Address: www.reliveglobal.org

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P RAYER IS AN important factor in every aspect of humanity and society. Prayer is so readily used that we frequently fail to observe how often this discipline is practiced in everyday life. Prayer is used in meetings, sports, hospitals, government, and church. Every religion has a form of prayer. Even atheists pray. Communion with deities is important in every religion because access to them is often through prayer.

Prayer time with God should exude the power of His glory and verify His majestic omnipresence. Spending time with God multiplies His Spirit within us. Prayer is mans right to access the Father while being an instrument of His glory.

Prayer changes character and perception. How we have been taught to see things can either help us or hinder us from seeing the fruit and/or evidence of prayer. It is not uncommon for people to conduct prayer out of their immaturity. Culture and community can subliminally teach us appropriate ways to petition God, but these early disciplines of prayer are known to develop and change over the course of time.

Intercessors and people of prayer must develop prayer through practice. Real prayer is something we learn.diversity in basic disciplines. Many people consider what they know about prayer to be enough. Often, they search for teaching in areas of life and ministry other than prayer. Those who are taught during adolescent years will require apprenticeship in prayer as they grow in spirit and faith.

Identity and familiarity in prayer should not be depreciated by lack of character or difficulty in worship. Worship is about Godand God is not for sale, not a commodity to be marketed like aspirin through either high or low church services.

The twenty-first-century church has become lax in enforcing disciplines that should be practiced by intercessors. Though some people boast of their time spent with God, this boasting is not displaying the greater characteristics of God that should be readily evident in the life of an intercessor. Our character is often times on display for observation and critique. Character is a major part of our role in developing intimacy with the Father. Character is connected to integrity.

Once I was asked, Why is character so important if anyone can pray?

The question ignited a flame in me to address their concern. I provided the individual with a scenario: Suppose you or a family member was terminally ill, and you were accustomed to asking someone in your church or a family member that seemed to be devoted to God to pray for a miracle healing to happen. So, they agreed to your request. Two weeks went by after the prayer, and you ran into this individual at the beauty salon. You noticed the individual using vain language such as swearing, cursing, and other blasphemous actions and also mocking your request for agreement in prayer. Or, what if you overheard that individual openly display their lack of self-control by telling about enjoying sex with a lover the previous evening? How would you evaluate the respect you have for that individual?

Their response was, I would feel somewhat betrayed, and I would probably never go to them again and ask for them to touch and agree with me in prayer.

If we possess God-like character, then we are more certain of who we are and whose we are. If we know whose we are as intercessors, then we will be more conscious of the decisions we make in governing our lives.

Many prayer ministries and teams overlook character as being one of the foundational principles for governing and operating in prayer. Prayer ministry teams are attractive, and every ministry feels it must have one. However, we must not get caught in the whirlwind of just putting anyone in place to spearhead this ministry. People are vulnerable when interacting with the prayer ministry team or persons. So, as leaders, we must be prayerful and watchful of the management of this ministry. We mustnt choose just anyone; we must let their lives speak of their ability to qualify. Prayer can be engaged by anyone, but for prayer warriors, there are needed stages of growth that must be acknowledged. There are foundational values of which every prayer warrior should have knowledge: