Another vital door the Holy Spirit can open through the prayers of God’s people is the door of utterance that allows ministers of the Gospel to fully and freely declare the Word of God. Many believers don’t even realize such a door is necessary. They think if a minister is called of God and if he is properly prepared, he can just preach up a storm anytime he wants. But that’s not true. It takes help from the Holy Spirit to preach effectively.
Nobody understood that better than the apostle Paul. That’s why in Ephesians 6:20 he asked the Ephesian Christians to pray for him to be able to preach boldly. The word boldly in that verse doesn’t just refer to being courageous and without fear. It is actually translated from a Greek word that refers to a reservoir. Paul chose that word because he knew there was a reservoir of the mystery of the Gospel locked up inside him, and if the floodgates weren’t opened, the revelation wouldn’t be released. He also realized that only the Holy Spirit working through the prayers of God’s people had the power to open those gates.
In light of that fact, it’s no wonder that Paul asked for prayer again when he wrote the Colossians and said:
Be earnest and unwearied and steadfast in your prayer [life], being [both] alert and intent in [your praying] with thanksgiving. And at the same time pray for us also, that God may open a door to us for the Word (the Gospel), to proclaim the mystery concerning Christ (the Messiah) on account of which I am in prison: that I may proclaim it fully and make it clear [speak boldly and unfold that mystery], as is my duty. (Colossians 4:2–4 Amp)
It’s obvious that if the apostle Paul—who had the greatest revelation of redemption any man has ever had with the exception of Jesus Himself—needed a door of utterance to preach effectively, then every other minister does too!
That’s why brother Halverson used to pray continually for pastors. He was always asking God to help them speak the rhema of the Spirit. Sometimes he’d even get a piece of paper and while he was praying in tongues, he’d fold it…and unfold it…fold it…and unfold it. I never asked him what he was doing but now I know. He was praying for God to help the ministers unfold the mystery of the Gospel to the people.
He was praying for doors of utterance. He was praying for the pastors to be anointed to preach.
Scripture Reading: Luke 4:14–19
On the chilly March night in 1972 when Lynne Hammond took her first step into a life of Spirit-led prayer, she had no idea what was about to happen. All she knew was the hunger in her heart for God wouldn’t let her sleep. In the few short months she’d been born again, her desire to fellowship with Him had grown so strong she could hardly contain it. “Help me, God!” she cried. “I want to know you. I want to be able to talk to you. Please, teach me to pray!”
Suddenly, a heavenly presence flooded the room. Lynne sensed waves of spiritual fire sweeping over her and a beautiful language began to flow like a river from within her. Although she’d never heard of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, she knew instantly, without a doubt—this was God!
What began that night soon blossomed into a life of prayer that ultimately became a ministry of prayer when, in 1980, Lynne and her husband, Mac, founded Living Word Christian Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Under Lynne’s leadership, the prayer ministry at Living Word has become an internationally recognized model for developing effective pray-ers in the local church.
A teacher and an author, Lynne publishes a newsletter called Prayer Notes, has written numerous books, and currently serves as the national prayer director for Daughters for Zion. Her passion for inspiring and leading others into the life of Spirit-led prayer continues to take her around the world to minister to believers whose heart cry, like hers, is “Lord, teach me to pray!”