FUNDAMENTALS OF PRAYER

Happy New Week Readers – on whatever time zone you might be! This brief post attracted a lot of interest on Facebook and has been shared here for those who do not use the platform. 

1.0  PHOTO

As usual this post starts with a photo – as it the favorite of many. The Photo was taken at the Equator area Nyahururu in the month of November, 2024. The occasion was a special prayer that had been scheduled for the historic location. For those not aware, this is the furthest North that the founder Baba Johane reached – it is the location he handed over global evangelism to his council (Dare Pitros) to travel worldwide with the House of Covenant (the Church Sisters or the Ark of this dispensation). The actual Equator signs are not visible in the photo, due to the direction the picture was taken.

This episode connects to the topic of prayer where a few key points will be mentioned – for a start. It describes the way prayers are done in Gospel of God Church – and also a few things that are not done - for the benefit of members, even our visitors, and the general public at large.

Since readers here are very diverse, this post, is just about how it is done in this institution. Feel free to explain whatever the practice is elsewhere. Nobody is being judged – if one prays facing Mecca or  Jerusalem, or wherever, they can also say so and explain.

2.0 HOW WE PRAY

There are three things that will be explained here. Why prayers are said facing eastward, what the main prayer times are, and why they are followed, and why shoes are not worn during prayers.

2.1 Facing Eastward

The reason why this is done, for those not aware, or who have done so without knowing is because the glory of God is in the East (Ezekiel 43:2, Mathew 2:1-2, Revelations7:2). Further, when the events of 1 October 1914 took place at 7 PM, a dominant star was seen rising from the East in Zimbabwe, and by some oral tradition, even in Kenya. The star that guided the wise men when Jesus was born came from the East – the same direction where an angel came from with a seal of the living God in Revelations. By the way, even the old Churches in Europe and elsewhere were built such as the congregation would pray facing Eastward.

2.2 Prayer Times

Although this is done in Gospel of God, it is not a new thing and was practiced in the Bible times(Lamentations 2:19, Acts 3:1, Acts 10:3, Acts 10:9, Acts 10:31, Acts 16:25). The early Churches in Europe and elsewhere had their worshipers sit facing Eastwards.  Thereafter, bells were rung during these times.

2.3 Without Footwear

This is because prayer draws the presence of God and thus the venue becomes Holy. (Exodus 3:5, Joshua 5:15)

3.0 HOW WE DO NOT PRAY

3.1 No Instruments, No Dances

Songs are a very essential part of prayer and worship in general. Most important in spiritual warfare. In Gospel of God Church, the two go together. There are however no musical instruments (Amos 5:23, Amos 6:5-6) used at all. No drums, not even clapping. There are no dances whatsoever. Not even during the annual New Year Celebrations on 1 October every year. If you see, people with similar outlook dancing, look again – if there is a label read carefully – ensure there is no suffix or variation.

3.2 No artifacts

There are no artifacts used no rosaries, handkerchiefs, no holy water. This particular one is interesting because over a decade ago, on New Zimbabwe Forums, some members thought that in Gospel of God, members or apostles prayed using water and stones. However, the truth is that churches or denominations called apostolic or vapostori or mapostori in Zimbabwe are many and diverse and unique in many respects. In Gospel of God, water is not used even for baptism because the baptism known is holy spirit baptism (Matthew3:11)