Dharius Daniels - Who Left The Gate Open

There’s a scripture I want to read found in Matthew chapter 21, beginning at verse 1. Matthew chapter 21, starting at verse 1. I’m really excited about this one today! If you’re ready to receive, say yes! This is what it says: As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, «Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you’ll find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.» This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet: «Say to daughter Zion, 'See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.'» I want to talk from this subject as we conclude this series called Air Force. I want to talk from this subject: Who left the gate open? Clap your hands if you’re ready for God’s word!

Every family, throughout this series, we’ve been articulating what I think to be an extremely important yet often overlooked spiritual reality, and that is, quite simply, that if we’re going to experience God’s best spiritually, emotionally, relationally, professionally, and financially, we must be willing to work in two realms. We’ve articulated that the scriptures are clear: Faith without works is dead. So my willingness to work on it is an indication of my belief in it. In other words, if you believe in God for it, work on it, because my working on it is an indication that I’m believing for it. If I believe it’s going to rain, work on building an ark. Does that make sense?

However, family, the work must not just be relegated to one realm. We must do work in the realm we can see—the natural realm. We call that ground game; that is exerting human effort and doing what you are able to do. But this work cannot be relegated to that realm because my experiencing God’s best spiritually, emotionally, relationally, professionally, and financially is not just predicated on what happens on the ground—it’s also impacted by what happens in the air.

There are times when you can do all that you can do, yet at the same time, not get the results you desire because what happens with you is not just dependent on you. Am I making sense here? Yes! You can control how well you interview; you cannot control if they hire you. You can control how well you perform on the application; you cannot control if they accept it. You can control how effectively you perform; you cannot control whether or not they promote you. You can control how safe you are when you drive; you cannot control how irresponsible someone else is when it comes to their driving.

Watch this: You can control how good you are in a relationship, but people’s goodness toward you is not an expression of your goodness toward them. People can love others but abuse them. The way they treat you isn’t just based on their love; it’s also based on their character. There are people who have strong love but poor character, and that’s why they exploit others. Are you hearing me? That’s why they manipulate people. So it means that there are factors beyond what I can control that impact what happens in my life. Therefore, I need more than a ground game; I need an air game. I need air force. I need prayer because prayer engages, produces, and invites divine intervention.

I work on the ground to do the things I can control, and then I pray about the things I can’t control. Makes sense? That’s working in two realms. However, in our time together today, as we explore this subject of prayer, I want to inform some and remind others that not all prayer is created equal. All prayer is equally important, but all types of prayers aren’t equally impactful because certain types of situations require certain types of prayer.

The Apostle Paul tells believers in Ephesus that they need to pray all types of prayers because certain situations require different expressions of this practice called prayer. There is a prayer of supplication. What does that mean? It means that when I’m making a request of God, I am asking God to do something for me. Then, there are prayers of intercession; that’s when I stand in the gap as a bridge, asking God not to do something for me, but rather to do something for somebody else.

Then, there are prayers of thanksgiving, and this is where I’m not requesting anything. I’m recognizing what God has already done, whether that’s in a natural or spiritual sense. So I am prophetically, in advance or with gratitude afterward, thanking Him for what He has done or what He is getting ready to do. When you thank Him in advance, that’s not just regular praise; that’s what’s called prophetic praise. You’re saying, «God, I haven’t even seen it yet, but down on the inside of me, I believe You’re going to bring it to pass.» So I’m not going to wait until I get it to thank You for it; I’m going to give You a prophetic praise. Why don’t we just pause right now? If you believe in God for anything, I said, if you’re believing Him for anything, why don’t you just pause right now?