At the recent Midweek Power Communion Service, Pastor Dr. Paul Enenche, founder and senior pastor of Dunamis International Gospel Center, delivered a sermon titled "The Prayer Altar," emphasizing the importance of a deep, continuous relationship with God over sporadic, issue-driven prayers.
Pastor Enenche cautioned believers against only seeking God in times of crisis. He likened this superficial approach to a stranger asking for a favor without establishing a relationship.
“If my wife asks me for something, easy. My children ask, easy. But if I see a total stranger on the road trying to ask me for something, I have to investigate him. 'Who are you? What do you want? Are you a fraud? Are you a crook?' Relationship is the basis of request,” he explained.
He stressed that a strong, vibrant relationship with God makes one's prayers more effective and confident. "When the relationship is strong, the request is cheap. There are many people trying to ask a God they're not in talking terms with for things," he said.
Pastor Enenche emphasized that God may not respond to those who only approach Him during crises if they do not maintain a consistent prayer life during peaceful times.
Highlighting the primary purpose of prayer, Pastor Enenche urged believers to focus on building intimacy with God rather than solely making requests. “The major bulk of prayer is the prayer where you come and you didn't ask for anything. It's prayer where you came to know God and God knows you. It's the prayer where you are servicing your intimacy and relationship with God,” he noted.
Pastor Enenche also introduced the concept of a "consecrational fast," a period of fasting not to ask for anything but to strengthen one's relationship with God. He suggested incorporating this practice once or twice a week to "tighten up your grip with God."
Also, Pastor Enenche urged the congregation to prioritize their relationship with God in their prayer lives, ensuring that their voices are familiar to God in both peaceful and challenging times.
Fast forward the VIDEO to 1 hour 2 minutes for the sermon