This week, I encountered something that stopped me in my tracks. Tope Koleoso, my friend and leader of Jubilee church in London, shared a message about prayer that left me both convicted and inspired. It was a profound journey through Scripture and church history that I believe could revolutionize how we approach our walk with Jesus.

The Biblical Foundation for Prayer

Let's start where Tope started - with Zechariah's simple yet powerful command: "Ask for rain in the season of rain." (Zechariah 10:1) His point: Sometimes we're waiting for God, when God is actually waiting for us to ask.

He took us through a powerful lineup of prayer warriors:

• Abraham - who dared to negotiate with God for a city
• Joshua - who had the audacity to command the sun to stand still
• David - who cried out "In iniquity I was born... if you will purge me, I will be clean"

In each case, prayer wasn't just about getting something from God. It was about being with God.

The Early Church Model

You know what's fascinating about the early church? Prayer wasn't an add-on to their program. Acts 1:14 tells us, "These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication with women and Mary the mother of Jesus and with his brethren."

Their prayer life was:
1. Corporate in nature - they prayed together
2. Constant in frequency - it wasn't a one-off event
3. Central to their culture - it defined who they were

The Raw Truth about Where we Are

Tope identified three major hindrances that resonate deeply with our current situation:

1. Overdependence on Pragmatism
"Frankly, the time is getting on and this thing needs to be done." Sound familiar? We've become so focused on getting things done that we've forgotten who does the real work.

2. Spirit of Lukewarmness
This one hurts. It's not dramatic failure that's killing our prayer life - it's the slow, corroding effect of apathy. We're not against prayer; we're just not that excited about it anymore.

3. Disappointments
Remember those disciples in Gethsemane? "Because of their sorrow, they couldn't wait and pray with Jesus." Sometimes our past disappointments keep us from present encounters.

The Five M's of Prayer

When we pray, Tope reminded us, we see:
• Manifest presence - God showing up
• Manifold wisdom - God's multi-faceted guidance
• Majestic voice - God speaking clearly
• Miraculous breakthroughs - God intervening
• Mighty power - God demonstrating His strength

Here's a story that hit home: Tope visited two churches. One was messy but filled with God's presence. The other was polished but... empty. "This is not an appeal for smallness," he said, "it's an appeal for His presence."

Practical Steps

So what do we do with this? Here's my challenge to our Raw Disciple community:

1. Start Small But Start Now
- Choose one consistent time for prayer each day
- Begin with 15 minutes
- Focus on presence over performance

2. Find Prayer Partners
- Connect with 1-2 others
- Set up a weekly prayer call or meeting - just 30 mins
- Stay focussed on praying for disciples to make disciples!

3. Document Your Journey
- Keep a simple prayer journal
- Note when and how God responds
- Share your stories with our community

The Prophetic Moment

Tope ended with something that I'm also seeing. He's seeing a shift in our culture - atheists saying "I'm giving up atheism for Lent," Mumford and Sons writing lyrics we could sing in church. "I see a cloud like a man's hand," he said, referencing Elijah's story.

Could this be our season of rain? Are we willing to ask for rain in the season of rain?

I believe we're at a crucial moment. We can keep "managing failure" as Tope put it, or we can dare to become a praying community that expects God to move.

I'm choosing the latter. Who's with me?

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"My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations." - Isaiah 56:7