The most desperate people on earth are those with closed hearts and closed eyes, who live behind closed doors, under a closed heaven. They have hardened hearts and veiled eyes and live in spiritual prisons. They do not know God’s blessings, for the heavens above them are shut, as tight as brass. The people of God have the power to change that. They pray and the heavens open, prison doors open, blind eyes open, and people’s hearts open. Then people experience God’s love. Everything changes and spiritual death turns to life in Christ. That is the power of open-heaven prayer.
Effectual prayer opens things that are shut. No door or ceiling over a person’s life is unmovable and no one’s eyes or heart are sealed beyond the power of a saint who will partner with God. The Lord gives special keys to his children to open things. (Matthew 16:19)
I began to prove this when I was still a teen. I continue to see thousands of open-door and open-heaven miracles 40 years later. Every week I see the Gospel change lives and release blessings because we pray. There are so many stories to tell. I can only mention a few. In each case, prayer provided an open heaven.
In 1968 I thought my brother and sister were so hardhearted, that they would never surrender to God. I prayed and the same week, the Lord surprised me with their salvation.
In 1970 I prayed regularly in the secret place and forty students were saved from our high school.
In 1971 I watched more than a hundred young people receive Christ in one sovereign answer to prayer. They had resisted the preacher’s messages at youth camp, but some of us prayed through the night. The heavens opened and the power of the Holy Spirit fell on the camp. During the night, children were woken from sleep and every person was converted and filled with the Holy Spirit before the morning came.
In 1972, in answer to prayer, I watched the Lord miraculously save and physically heal a young lady named Joy. Later, she became my wife.
In 1974, I was greatly surprised because God supernaturally launched me into fulltime ministry, as I was praying for direction.
Since then, Joy and I have seen thousands of people come to Christ, and many thousands healed and delivered from demonic strongholds and curses.
You too, have been given a set of keys. You have been called to prepare an open heaven for those in desperate need. Your prayers can also open the heavens for those who do not know Christ. Here are four scripture passages which teach us about open heavens, open doors, open eyes and open hearts.
Open Heavens
1. “I tell you the truth, you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending.” Jn.1:51
Jesus told Nathanael that he would see heaven open and the angels would be busy going back and forth between heaven and earth. Angels are sent with blessings from God and answers to our prayers. When we pray, angels get busy and the gates to heaven swing open.
Miracles follow. Pray for permanent open heaven over your life, your family and your church.
Open Doors
2. “And pray for us too that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ.” Col.4:3
Paul asked his friends to pray for open doors so he would have
successful opportunities for the Gospel. Open doors are needed to reach the unsaved.. We should not accept closed doors for individuals who God brings across our path. We pray for open doors to reach our friends, families and communities. Pray and be prepared to act. Go through the open doors that God provides with the ministry of Christ.
Open Eyes
3. “I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God.” Acts 26:17-18
Jesus sent Paul to open the eyes of people who were spiritually blind.
Opening people’s eyes gives them a revelation so they will be able to receive Christ. This is our third prayer directive. Like Paul, we are sent with powerful keys to open the heavens, to walk through open doors and to open the eyes of the blind. We can open people’s eyes and turn them from the power of Satan to God.
Open Hearts
4. “…the vail is upon their heart… The vail shall be taken away… we all with, open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory.” 2Co. 3:15-18 KJV
An open face reflects an open heart. Paul says, that a veil covers the hearts of people. The Spirit of the Lord will remove the veil and soften hearts. He removes rebellion, hardness, and insecurity and replaces them with a tender heart.
Then people can have an open face. They do not need to hide from God. They can stand before him with honesty and adoration. When they pray and worship with an open face they are changed from glory to glory into the image of Christ.
These four things provide a powerful pattern for prayer.
This is how the early disciples prayed for families, friends, and communities. It is how they prayed when they traveled on missionary journeys. We would do well to pray like them.
1. Pray for an open heaven over friends, families, churches and communities. An open heaven will release God’s power and miracles will follow.
2. Pray for open doors so that we, and those we partner with, may be unhindered in sharing the Gospel and reaching people with the love of God.
3. Pray for open eyes because we cannot argue anyone into the kingdom of God. People need a revelation in order to come to God. Satan has blinded people so they cannot see the Gospel. (2Co.4:4) Like Paul, we have the power to undo the devil’s work and open people’s eyes.
4. Pray for open hearts. Pray for your own heart. Open your face (heart) before the Lord and you will be changed from glory to glory as you fellowship and worship him. Then pray for others to have an open face before God. An open face before God is the starting place of powerful prayer. That is where we establish open heaven and create open doors.
Take the keys of the kingdom and unlock the heavens. Open doors, and open blinded eyes. It is time to come with an open face before Almighty God.
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