Neil T. Anderson - Liberating Prayer: Finding Freedom by Connecting with God

HARVEST HOUSE PUBLISHERS

EUGENE, OREGON

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from the New American Standard Bible, 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org)

Verses marked ESV are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Verses marked NIV are taken from The Holy Bible, New International VersionNIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Verses marked KJV are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

Emphasis added to the Scripture quotations is the authors.

Cover by Dugan Design Group, Bloomington, Minnesota

Cover photo Vibe Images / Fotolia

Harvest House Publishers, Inc. is the exclusive licensee of the trademark, THE BONDAGE BREAKER.

LIBERATING PRAYER

Copyright 2003/2012 by Neil T. Anderson

Published by Harvest House Publishers

Eugene, Oregon 97402

www.harvesthousepublishers.com

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Anderson, Neil T., 1942

Liberating prayer / Neil T. Anderson.

p. cm.

Previous edition published: Praying by the power of the Spirit. c2003.

ISBN 978-0-7369-4665-0 (pbk.)

ISBN 978-0-7369-4666-7 (eBook)

1. PrayerChristianity. I. Anderson, Neil T., 1942- Praying by the power of the Spirit. II. Title.

BV210.3.A53 2012

248.3'2dc22

2011016827

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, digital, photocopy, recording, or any otherexcept for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior permission of the publisher.

Printed in the United States of America

12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 / BP-NI / 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

For nearly 70 years people have been building into my life. Books by authors I never met and tapes by people I never knew have contributed to my growth in Christ. Im grateful for all the teachers I have had over the years. Im sure each one has contributed something to this book. I also want to acknowledge Harvest House Publishers. They are the last of a dying breed, where relationships count most, and the bottom line is ministry and integrity.

I want to thank Dr. Wayne Grudem for reading through the rough draft and for the kind words he penned in the foreword. Dr. Grudem is a godly theologian who recognizes the reality of the spiritual world, and knows that having a biblical worldview shapes the way we pray.

Another man who deserves my thankson the other end of the academic spectrumis Chapo McCabe. His ancestors came from Ireland seven generations ago and helped settle the West. Chapo came from a long line of cowboys. He looked more comfortable on a horse than he did in a chair, and he was seldom seen without a pair of Levis, cowboy boots, and a Stetson hat. This rough and semi-illiterate man had given little thought to God and suffered a number of setbacks in life. A divorce left him feeling lonely and lost. But one day he stumbled into a pastors office and found the Lord. He was encouraged to attend a Bible study taught by a cowgirl named Peg. And that was the beginning of a true love story.

Peg and Chapo found their freedom in Christ. They moved to Springfield, Missouri, settled on a small farm, and ran a few head of cattle on the side. But their real work was establishing a community freedom ministry in the Springfield area, where they saw God set hundredsif not thousandsof people free by using the contents of this book. In October 2010, God took Chapo home. Im thankful that this busted-up cowboy died with his boots on. At his funeral, people spoke for nearly an hour and a half about how Chapo had helped them connect with God and their spouses. Even the men in attendance wept openly and unashamedly. For thirty years it was always Peg and Chapo, but now it is just my sister Peg who is continuing the work of setting captives free and binding up the brokenhearted.

With fond memories and a deep sense of gratitude I dedicate this book to the memory of my brother-in-law Chapo and his beloved wife, Peg.

This is an excellent book that will be of help to the prayer life of every Christian. I found my own relationship with God being renewed as I read chapter after chapter. Neil Anderson brings together the teachings of the Bible and his own years of experience as a pastor, counselor, and professor, and the result is a wise, down-to-earth, balanced, and biblically sound book that corrects many misunderstandings about prayer and the Christian life.

I found the eighth chapter especially significant. After living more than 50 years as a Christian, and after teaching more than 25 years as a professor of Bible and theology, I took about two hours to work carefully through Neils seven Steps to Freedom in Christ and apply each step to my own life, reading each suggested prayer aloud. God used that process to bring to mind a number of thoughts and attitudes that He wanted to correct, and then to impart to me a wonderfully refreshing sense of freedom, peace, joy, and fellowship with Himself.

Wayne Grudem, Ph.D.

Research Professor of Bible and Theology

Phoenix Seminary, Scottsdale, Arizona

T wo children were granted an audience with the king. Few had ever seen this king, but everyone had heard about him. His creativity and accomplishments were evident to all. He had the power to give and take away from his subjects whatever he wanted. Consequently, many feared his wrath and chose to keep their distance. Others wanted to gain his favor in order to enhance their worth and, they hoped, profit from his wealth. Some curious souls just wanted to know him and serve him. A few naysayers didnt even believe he existed, and chose to live as though he didnt. They questioned any sovereign rule over their lives.

Both children sought counsel from others. What should they say in his presence? How should they address him? Could there be any personal gain from such a privilege? But much of the advice only confused the matter. Some said the children had an opportunity to influence the king and suggest better ways for him to rule. Others said the king had the power to grant almost any wish, and that if you gained his favor he could make you prosperous. Some suggested that the two children keep a safe distance and speak only when spoken to, lest the wrath of the king fall upon them.

One child listened to the advice and compiled a list of issues he was concerned about. He prepared to petition the king with his requests, which included some small favors for himself. He wasnt going to miss this opportunity. When his time came to address the king, he shared with passion what was on his mind. The king listened with interest and thanked him for coming. When asked how the audience went, the child said, I think it went very well. He listened with interest to everything I had to say. He even thanked me for coming. Im going to see if I can talk to him again tomorrow.

The other child was just plain curious. Who was this man who had such power? Was it possible to have some kind of relationship with him? This child came with no fixed agenda. He simply marveled at the immensity of the palace and the beauty of the throne. And when he finally saw the king he couldnt contain himself. Words of praise burst from his mouth, and he fell on his face before his presence. He felt insignificant and unworthy of being in such a place. But the king leaned over and gently lifted his head, and the child looked up into the face of pure love. He was speechless. All he wanted to do was hug the king and learn all about him. Never before had he sensed such peace.