#CST - Authority (#CST4)

Unlocking the Power of Prayer: Moving Beyond Spiritual Survival Mode

Have you ever found yourself praying with all your might, only to feel like your words are hitting a spiritual ceiling? Despite hours spent in prayer meetings, do you still feel spiritually drained instead of empowered? If so, you’re not alone. Many believers today are living in what philosopher Henry David Thoreau called “lives of quiet desperation”—not because God is withholding His power, but because we’ve misunderstood our identity and authority in Christ.

Imagine a passenger on a luxury cruise, surviving on dry crackers because he didn’t realize his ticket included access to the grand buffets. This is how many Christians live their spiritual lives—existing on crumbs, unaware of the spiritual abundance available to them through Christ. The problem isn’t a lack of access, but a lack of awareness.

At the heart of this crisis is a profound disconnect from God’s Word. When we don’t know the Scriptures, we can’t understand our position as children of God or grasp the authority He has given us. This spiritual gap often gets filled with religious rituals, exhausting performances, and desperate attempts to impress God—much like the prophets of Baal, who shouted, danced, and cut themselves in vain to gain their god’s attention. In stark contrast, Elijah’s simple, faith-filled prayer brought down fire from heaven, demonstrating the power of knowing your God and standing in His authority.

Jesus gave us a different model—a revolutionary approach to prayer that is both simple and profound. The Lord’s Prayer, which can be spoken in less than a minute, is not just a recitation but a powerful template for approaching God with both humility and boldness. It teaches us to pray with the confidence of sons and daughters, not distant beggars. When we align our prayers with God’s will, recognizing the authority He has entrusted to us, our words carry weight not because of their volume or passion, but because of our position in Christ.

True spiritual authority isn’t found in elaborate rituals, frantic shouting, or showy displays of “spirituality.” It’s found in the quiet, confident conversations we have with our Father throughout our day—simple, honest, faith-filled words that connect us directly to the throne of grace.

Are you ready to step out of spiritual survival mode and into the fullness of your authority in Christ? The feast has been prepared. The access has been granted. It’s time to leave the spiritual crackers behind and walk in the abundance of a life empowered by prayer.

Step into Your Authority. Pray with Power. Live in Freedom.

Transcript

Reverend Ben Cooper: 0:23

Good morning, wherever you are today, thank you so much for joining us here at #Christian straight talk. You're joining myself. Whatever my name is today and we got Simon whoever I am, who am I today, Jesus, where are my Lord, we are here, # Christian straight talk, we welcome you put your headphones on, turn it up in a car, wherever you are today, please, please share this stuff out. And as we always do, and we must say we just want to say thank you to everybody, that sharing this stuff out here#Christian straight talk, you know, you can grab the book, you can grab it on Amazon, you can get it on Kindle, all that sort of stuff. It's out there, please, please, please keep close to Jesus. But above all that stuff that we're talking about, about what we have been led to. It's the word of God, we are living in very powerful times. It can only be the authority of Christ, it can only be the word of God. So the question is, is Am I under the authority of God? Or am I under the thumb? The authority of Pharaoh governments leaders business? am I building towers? Or am I looking into the Word of God for what he's saying, Simon? Good morning.

Simon Pinchbeck: 1:35

Good morning, Ben. It's good to be back over the mics. And you know, if you don't know who you are, we did identity last week. I don't know if y'all worked out. Yeah, we had a chat about identity last week. And this week, we're going to talk about authority and it is bent. This is such a deep subject. There's so much in it. That I think we'll be touching it again on many other podcasts, I think, identity you know, it's I had I had Joe Rogan speak recently, you know, he's a powerful podcaster he probably the biggest podcaster biggest following in the world. Yeah, amazing. And he said he was talking about men at the time. But you know, we can equate it to men and women and and youngsters really just said men lead a life of quiet desperation. And I think that's true with men, a lot of men in the world. But it's certainly really sad when it's a Christian man or woman who's leading a life of quiet desperation. Why then because a they probably don't know their identity in Christ and be I don't know their authority in Christ, because we have an amazing offer OTO and God will give us that authority through His Son, Jesus Christ. And then I had a story been out related. This morning, about a guy who wanted to go on a cruise, he was spent all his life saving just a few quid a week to put together to buy a ticket to go on a cruise. And eventually, he got a two week cruise got enough money for the lowest cabin available. And all through the two weeks. All he ate was was crackers and cheese for breakfast, lunch and dinner. But you know, at the end of it Captain invited him to his table and he sat down and had a nice meal. But a captain said I've been watching you very carefully. He said, all you've done since you've been here every mealtime you've just had crackers and cheese and and the fella said, yeah, he said. I said that my foot my ticket was the lowest possible ticket. He said so. So I didn't think I was entitled to anything else. And the captain looked at him and said, did you not realize that once you bought a ticket, that ticket entitles you to everything in a buffet access, access. And I think that's how we live a lot of people live their lives been not realizing that there's so much more that they can get from being a Christian, a follower of Jesus Christ. And we said last week, Ben didn't we said, two words that don't normally go together. Was it as exciting in Christian and you could be an exciting Christian. Why? Because God wants to give you kingdom power to achieve his will will.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 4:37

Authority in Christ will release there has been lots of snares that have been laid out by the authorities, by leaders where the church in church business all over the place. We really have to know who we are and I'll say it again. I believe that the church within the UK a massive percentage centage of it is electric. Got to the Word of God. It doesn't know the Scriptures from one end to the other. I'm afraid to say, as we said off air, and as we have these open conversations on the mic, where are the preachers? Where is this, this voice of authority through the word of God? You know, where we are seeing great preachers and teachers disappearing as God calls them home. But there's, there's nothing coming through, are we going in a quietness in a wilderness position. So that puts the human that puts the believer I should say, into a position of I have to do what David done, I need to strengthen myself in the Lord. I've got to understand who I am. I've got to realize that the government don't owe me that I'm a slave to righteousness. I'm a son of the living God, and I have access. I have access from Genesis to Revelation of this Bible that our God spoke into being and we have all authority, all things are possible to those who believe.

Simon Pinchbeck: 6:07

When you're very right, the thing is, people you're right, that people don't know the word of God. I don't think I think a lot of people don't even think it's important to I have spoken. And see, and I was on Zoom, I've spoken recently to two groups of people. And, you know, I'll openly ask them, I said, you could tell me what sound so, you know, Matthew 633, you know, Seek first the Kingdom or Psalm 91, you know, common, well known scriptures. That's right, this is a blank look,

Reverend Ben Cooper: 6:44

foundational scripture that we are solid in. And I always have said this, and I'll keep saying this creation, Genesis, if I get a blanket understanding that creation is such an important place to start as a believer because it tells me everything from beginning to end. So if I know what creation is about, I find redemption I find the authority of God's Word, the power of his speech, I, I see that Lucifer is at the very beginning of time, not that I give him any weight whatsoever, but there is so much in creation. But we have preachers, well, I'll call them preachers and teachers, we have people lead in these Sunday clubs that we know as church that are just literally biblically illiterate, as in the doctrines, we've got all this razzmatazz. But there is no one talking about the blood. What does the blood of Jesus mean? What is creation? What is eschatology, the rapture the church. So no wonder we're in a society where it's like, Christianity is just thrown into a washing machine, and it's just all mixed up. And it's all over the place. So there's a lot of people that are lost, lost.

Simon Pinchbeck: 7:56

They're lost. You know, the Bible tells us done it. We're all like sheep and gone Australia. And even as Christians, they're lost, because there's no shepherds, there's no leaders, leading them to the actual word of God, Ben, and and if you don't know the word, yeah, then how do you know the mind of God? You don't know. You're not seeking God if we're not getting into his word, because it's this is this Bibles that we've got open here. We, which is a rarity, obviously, but they usually don't get into this amazing stuff. How do you not how do you not know who you are and what your authority is? And, and you know, you mentioned David there, you know, Ben, who, you know, at the time of pure desperation, strengthened himself in the Lord is God, well, if you don't know the Bible, if you've never been that bit in the Bible, then how do you know all this stuff out? You know that these famous people, you will have heard the names, but but you don't know the trials and the tribulations and the stuff they've come through, and the prayers that they said, to get to get them through? That's right. That is available to you. You don't know that, if you're not in the Word. And I don't know about you, Ben. But you know, just, personally, I just love opening the Word of God. And seeing what he's got to say and just meditating on on that, you know, and it kind of brought me to today to a scripture that the apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians. suppresion is one of 15 or 23, and it's a bit of a chunk, but we'll go for it. And it's a prayer for spiritual wisdom. That all sounds what we need, he says, Therefore, I also have I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus. As and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him. Amen. That's what we want in the eyes of your understanding being being enlightened. And that's what you were saying earlier been wanting? Yeah, yep, yeah, our eyes are being opened. They are in our eyes. But when

Reverend Ben Cooper: 10:34

our eyes get opened, that can also have an effect on us of going, God this, this church stuff, isn't what I thought it was. God, this, this is religious. This is really difficult. Because Romans 1017 says, So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God, I am not going to grow all the time, I'm not hearing God's word. The church has a responsibility of preaching the gospel, where will I hear the Gospel from the pulpit? What am I hearing from the pulpit, silence your motivational stuff and encouraging stuff, or not even encouraging Is it because

Simon Pinchbeck: 11:17

same old stuff Ben

Reverend Ben Cooper: 11:18

Its the same old stuff time after time after time, but the Scripture is clear. So then faith comes by hearing. So my faith will increase my faith will grow by hearing and by the word of God, I've got to hear the Word of God. So it comes back to David doesn't if the church and religion isn't delivering it, and eyes are being opened? What do I do? I'd be wise Thomas Psalms talking about being wise. So as a good steward, and as a believer, I come to the Word of God, I cannot afford to be outside of the Word of God, reading and studying. And as I read and study God gives me revelation or knowledge, He reveals His word, because the church I will say, a mass percentage of church and religion is not delivering the Word of God.

Simon Pinchbeck: 12:09

And then this book Ephesians, and in a, in a lot of most of what Paul wrote, it's all about Christ in you, Christ in me in Christ and And if Christ is in you, then God was Mark, do you want is put the same spirit in you, as raised Christ from the dead? And what Where did he go after your razors for the day, he went to sit at the right hand of

Reverend Ben Cooper: 12:36

the fire of the Father, there we go, we have access we, we have access, but we got to be careful how we think that access is because we are slaves to righteousness. Each and every one of us has been called I mean, given the gift of salvation, but we have come to serve. So being a servant, but we've got lots of people in leadership that actually want their back scratch and they want us to give them a bath, fluffed up in cotton wall making no ministry but But Christ said I haven't. And I'm not here to be served. I'm here to serve. So Christ ministry was to serve.

Simon Pinchbeck: 13:16

So it's a real interesting and a very thin ice. Very thin. When when when Paul says in Hebrews, we can boldly come to the throne of grace, but with humility, we're not exactly come in.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 13:37

Yeah, striding this is all about me, Jesus. Father, now you can fulfill your word because I'm here, Jesus, bow Humble yourself. But

Simon Pinchbeck: 13:47

you really got to say you boldly come in your heart but crawling on your knees really good because of grace,

Reverend Ben Cooper: 13:55

you come. You know, you go into the garden of Gethsemane, you're on your hands on your knees and same Father, this has to be your will, Lord, I need to hear the Word of God because when I hear Your word, my faith grows. My understanding grows But Lord, You have given me access. But when I come into the throne room, I don't come in in arrogance and pride. I'm here Jesus, you can fulfill your work today. Lord, as Simon says, I come in, in humbleness, humble yourself before the Lord, it's

Simon Pinchbeck: 14:28

usually important to I had a WhatsApp message last week from a fellow who went to come on Mike. I'm ready to do God's work.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 14:39

Come on, I'm ready.

Simon Pinchbeck: 14:40

And I can't help. I went back to him, but I'm not saying God. I'm not a fountain of all knowledge, you know, you know, but I went back to him and, and said, Sure, the question is, Lord, when are you ready to use me? Yeah, there is it's, we used often think that God's waiting for us to go on ready? No, no, no, no, it's the other way around. You know, you've got the shoe. He's got to say when when when you're ready when you got to be that pride and ego is chipped away. And you've got Lord not my will but your will be done. You got to be on your on your face as

Reverend Ben Cooper: 15:22

the morning, the afternoon morning, Monday through Sunday, Friday, Saturday, all the time, Lord, what is your will? What is your purpose because when I come to that, and then I'll come in under authority,

Simon Pinchbeck: 15:34

and then NASA deal so you come in under authority, but you're also be given the authority to achieve what God wants to you to achieve. And this is, I think the problem we got in in the world is that man and I say man, but I mean men and yeah, and women, you know, we if you're not a Christian, you want to put your own perspective on reality. So if we see something we make up our own mind, what we see without you know, investigating stuff and and therefore you've got a media system that shows you stuff what from their perspective Brandon, Brandon, Dan may want

Reverend Ben Cooper: 16:18

you to believe in heard in we are herded we are and we accept that as reality. Yeah. And we just commute we commute for our life. We are just commuters walking through life when actually I'm not a commuter. I'm a son of the living God I'm not a Son

Simon Pinchbeck: 16:33

of the living God and and what Christians I believe do is they put their own perspective on God's reality. So if God says says, If God says you like he said to to Jonah, like you said to get in I want you to do this and when you do that, you we put our own human perspective or is it answer is it the enemy puts that? Close?

Reverend Ben Cooper: 16:59

Close line, isn't it? Lord, you are you sure you show economy that But Lord, I'm just I'm just spreading great grapes in a wide press? I've I'm the least in the family. Got it? Are you sure? I think that is great to reference when he says I'll tell you what we do. Look, just to make sure that this is not me here and wrong. Let's throw a bit of a fleece out. Let's just be this been a couple of nights just saying Lord, a fro the outlaw put you on it tonight, Lord in the morning, let the ground be dry that the fleece be dry. The opposite Lord, just show me that I've I think that's really good. And been very wise when we say Lord, Is this me? Or is this really your word? Am I fabricating this up because of perception? And that religion is very good at perception and anticipating and organizing and dictating.

Simon Pinchbeck: 17:49

It's also very good at saying Who do you think you are? Now you could do absolutely think you can do this. And, and the enemy wants us to look at God's reality through worldly eyes. So immediately we go both steps. I can't I can't do that. Did you really want me to go and speak to that? I can't do

Reverend Ben Cooper: 18:10

that. That's too big. It's too big. It's too big. It's too big. I'm on the run. Lord, I'm I'm off. I'm Jonah in it are gone. But

Simon Pinchbeck: 18:19

the Bible tells us that the father wants to give us kingdom power to do His will. And Adams whatever spirit Yeah, living godliness. And there's

Reverend Ben Cooper: 18:29

a fine line, there isn't a sign on what you just said. Because when you when you say that God, God wants us God wants us we have access, we have open access, then then religion and certain ministries come in, in the views that don't they and take it away from what it really is. The heavens have been torn the rent open for you. You can do what you want. When you want however you want whatever, you've got access, you are a little God. But they miss they miss that fundamental

Simon Pinchbeck: 18:58

fundamental point that is for God's purposes. So you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you for His purpose. Yeah, right. Yeah. So you're strengthened for your purpose gotta give you what you need to achieve what he will needs from you for the kingdom. Now that that may be bringing up a family that may be you know, working hard in the workplace, and being a shining light but wherever that is, God will give you that, that authority to do that. But you're right. It's can be it can be twisted. To say that you are the center it can be twisted to say that you can do it you got to give it everything you can be we have many famous infamous I'd say you know, prosperity teachers say just dream you want that house just dreaming on that card God wants to bless you with big into being time and time again. You are powerful you call you can do all All that sort of stuff. And when it does happen, it don't only your brain called gets the brunt of it, but it was never never yours. It was never gonna be in the first place

Reverend Ben Cooper: 20:12

and it wasn't in the will of the Father. So there's the differences,

Simon Pinchbeck: 20:15

wasn't you? It wasn't in the will for you in the form of a massive difference.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 20:20

Matthew 28, verse 18, says Jesus came. And he said to them, All authority in heaven, and on earth has been given to me. That's it. All authority on earth, Matthew, Matthew 28, verse 18. And Jesus said to them, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given. To me. That's a great Commissioner. Yeah. So he has given we have, he has, so we have to be very careful that he has complete control. He is in He is sovereign. There's another question, isn't it when we whenever we heard leaders talking about the sovereignty of God, He is sovereign. His way is just whatever he says his final that is it then it comes back then it took coming back to if I'm in His will and His purpose that's perfect. All His ways are just that's yeah, that's bad. But but but but salvation and we'll run together, salvation and purpose run together. I need to understand that I come under the authority of Christ. And rice doesn't come on the authority of me Oh,

Simon Pinchbeck: 21:38

totally. You're under that authority you're under his authority completely in that's why he says in John 15 Five you know, I'm the vine your gravity then you are can do nothing apart from me, you can do nothing apart from me. We can do nothing apart from Jesus it can be accomplished and and so so how do we get to know Jesus? How do we get to know the farmer? How do we get to into that situation? Where we get into it by reading the Word of God and praying with authority bent,

Reverend Ben Cooper: 22:08

don't we? That's correct. Yeah.

Simon Pinchbeck: 22:10

We pray with authority. You. You don't have to, you can still and it's a fine line. You can still be humble and pray. Well, you got to be humble and prayer for it. And we're scroll back, Ben in the Bible. We're dipping into that book again. This is getting a bit of a common thing, but in one kings spin 18 ran about 40 Come on, let's have it and tell us about it Elijah, and the challenge with the prophets of Baal because it's a fun I was a favorite but your Oh,

Reverend Ben Cooper: 22:44

I love Elijah. I love that old Elijah stuff

Simon Pinchbeck: 22:47

happening but you know

Reverend Ben Cooper: 22:48

he he's getting he's actually wonder map isn't he signed on? Come on. Cut yourself more dance sharp. Your God has gone on holiday. Come on. Where is your God where I II can't hear you.

Simon Pinchbeck: 23:02

Because the challenge is called God whose God is who is called down a fire in it.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 23:06

So they're they've got they've got to sacrifices. They're making two separate altars. He's calling all this stuff. He's laughing his gear and he's mocking them. And they are absolutely in a rage. And it's very interesting that that what you find from this is self harming you find self harming very clear in this. They are jumping and dancing on the altar. They're drawing blood and they're calling fire. Nothing is happening. And he says Elijah says, Where is your God? He's not listening to you. I love I love this. I love that text. Carol. Elijah just says, Come on, move aside now.

Simon Pinchbeck: 23:42

And what does he do to what does he do to his altar? Ben, what does he do to his altar and his firewood.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 23:49

He soaks it. He saturates it in back barrel of the barrel of water. He makes it impossible for fire to start. But when prayer and faith come together, and you know, you're in the will of the Father, He prayed a prayer and how short and how powerful that prayer was. He prayed and fire fell. And the scripture says that the stones that they built the altar of and the water and the ditch that he dug, and he soaked everything in water, it says fire fell and it consumed everything to dust. See when the fire Gods on it is gonna erase everything.

Simon Pinchbeck: 24:32

There's a man, you know, he had his weaknesses because he didn't he ran out but there's a man that knew the authority or authority of God prayed in the authority. And I'm gonna let me ask you this. You're a church leader. Do you think we are weak in the church as praying for in authority? Do you think the church is weak?

Reverend Ben Cooper: 24:56

I think I do think it's weak because it goes into a chant. It's a lot. There's more chanting and calling on foreign gods and there is on the God of Israel. So what we haven't got the results that we should have in the hours in prayer that are spent, because we are not looking at the God of Israel. There are many books that are written by many people in different cultures. This is how you should pray. This is what you should do this, do this, do this, do that. And it's very pagan. There's a lot of witchcraft. There's a lot of biblical teaching in prayer. When you go to prayer meetings of certain cultures and certain trends and certain ministries, you will find that Jesus isn't even in the building, because Jesus says, When you pray, pray like this, our Father in heaven. So he taught his disciples to pray like that didn't He taught his there's one prayer? He is, but we have books and books and books and books and books have 101 ways to pray. And when you follow what a lot of these prayer guides are doing, they are very, very steeped in witchcraft. Who are you actually praying to? You're calling you're calling on, you're calling on a lot of foreign gods.

Simon Pinchbeck: 26:12

You and I both been in prayer meetings where you people are chanting only chant, and they're shouting, like light and demanding from God. Yeah, he does this. And God must be just looking and going. I'm sorry. You're not

Reverend Ben Cooper: 26:26

what you're talking about. Jesus gave it to me. Jesus gave you this prayer. Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. It is the most simplest of simple prayers that I've ever come across. When I really think about it, it is wrapped up in a handful of words, but it is devil rebuking. It is life giving, it is all authority. Christ taught us how to pray. And I go to 110 ways to pray. In witchcraft. Rather, it's just the same as these, the Prophet and the false prophets.

Simon Pinchbeck: 27:06

So what we what we've got here, and he taught us to praise the father dinner, yeah, and our Father, Father in heaven. And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those. So this forgiveness, forgiveness,

Reverend Ben Cooper: 27:19

there's hope. There's deliverance, everything there isn't any

Simon Pinchbeck: 27:23

authority in that prayer. And if Jesus told the disciples that prayer, why isn't it good enough for us

Reverend Ben Cooper: 27:29

now, right now? I would, I will put this out there at this moment. Anyone that captures this, has anybody been in a prayer meeting, when the only prayer that has been coming from the believers voice is a continuation of our father out? I have never been in a prayer meeting never been in the premise. When I think about it, that someone has just prayed that prayer. It has been elongated, long, great fancy words. In like this mantra in this weapon, just like what was talking at the base of Mount Carmel, it is like that. There's this frenzy frenzy in a Shan and an honor in be loud. I've got a jump up and down and dance. I got a vomit. Oh, Jesus said done. He said, Don't be like the Danby like the pagans, and Babylon beans, shall you? And that that's quite interesting, actually what he said, because at the beginning of the Lord's Prayer, he's talking to the Pharisees and the Sadducees. And he says, look at that lot standing on the corner, they love their own voice, then he gives us the Lord's Prayer. And he says, After that, don't be like the pagans that just go on babbling. So that's what a lot of I will say, religion, church, take out your like, however, you think there is a lot of prayer meetings that are literally praying to foreign gods.

Simon Pinchbeck: 28:48

So there's a lot of people wasting the total time wasting their time. And if you're like me, if you're out there, and you're like me, and you start to pray in, you know, in your private place, or wherever you are. Does your mind drift? Let me tell you always does your mind right. Yeah.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 29:10

That's why He gave us a short prayer. Because you can't be. See, it's very interesting when you're chanting, when you're chanting your mind don't drift. Because you are driven. When you are praying is this is a very deep spiritual press. When you when you listen to chanting, you are off in the demonic world and you are being driven by the demonic but when you are praying, you are trying to focus but when you try to focus your mind is trying to take you off of what you should be praying for.

Simon Pinchbeck: 29:46

Certainly why that is because Because prayer Yes is the most effective weapon that we've got against the enemy and yeah, and the enemy will try and keep you off your knees and try and keep you from praying incorrectly Yeah, it will try and take your mind off. And what

Reverend Ben Cooper: 30:03

is praying correctly for our father,

Simon Pinchbeck: 30:05

our father simple aren't in heaven simple, then why do people try and complicate it? Why do people think they've they've got this secret backdoor access to the father throws

Reverend Ben Cooper: 30:18

the glory. That preacher that teacher prayed for me and I was healed through his prayer. I was healed through their ministry they look to they look to I was delivered through that deliverance ministry. I believe one of the biggest instruments that the devil is used is been deliverance ministry within the context of church. We have given that demonic force more time, more airplay, more teaching than the teaching

Simon Pinchbeck: 30:45

of Jesus Christ completed time wasting at times in Christ ology

Reverend Ben Cooper: 30:50

study Christ, study Christ, that Christ did not teach us and talk to us. And explain to us about demonic forces. It just says it is written, it is written and the demons came to him and said, What are you going to do with us? We don't need to tell the demonic forces. We don't need to wrap all that up. All we got to do is be faithful and come under the authority. And the Lord's Prayer is the devil rebuke in prayer that will make hell shake

Simon Pinchbeck: 31:19

my house shake. Yeah. Because, well, that's the prayer that Jesus gave. So why wouldn't it make?

Reverend Ben Cooper: 31:25

So why am I going to prayer meetings for 48 hours in a prayer closets, reading a prayer that a man has written more than what Christ has given and

Simon Pinchbeck: 31:36

sitting there thinking, you've got to come up with something sounds super spiritual in your prayer, when the O or the father once is, is it's a conversation with you, he wants you to praise Him, He wants you to praise His Son Jesus, you know, and say that without father, your might your holy, you're worthy. And without your Son, Jesus, I'm nothing Do you know, is yes, just a simple prayer. And he knows what your needs are. Before you've called and called. And so that that gives us the authority it gives us the gives us the access and the authority. Yeah. Because, you know, I believe that that the reason, I believe, but I think that the reason churches are weak is because of this weak prayer. Yeah. And they're not you can't speak with authority. Where do you go, you can speak the scriptures, you can speak the words of the that God has given you. And you can, you can just have a conversation with Lord,

Reverend Ben Cooper: 32:48

because that's what prayer is. It's not about going into a building when the leader says, prayer is speaking all the time you can be. So now we get an understanding where the Scripture says, Pray without ceasing. Well, I can't be in the building. Lord, I've got to go to work. Now you've got it wrong, Ben. Lord, I can't pray because I've got to take the children's from it. No, you've got it wrong. No, you haven't got to be in that religious building. When you're driving. Lord, I thank you for today in the name of Jesus. It's simple. Prayer is conversation. It's

Simon Pinchbeck: 33:17

a conversation. It's a conversation, but it's a conversation with from your heart, from your heart to your Heavenly Father and their money, Father, you know, just a simple, every now and again, Father, I love you. I love you. I love you, Jesus, thank Thank you. You know, your word says you never leave me or forsake me forever and beyond me a day. Just before you go into some of your own domain,

Reverend Ben Cooper: 33:39

no, that's not going to work today, Lord, or just just get that. Let's turn to the Bible again. Matthew chapter six, verses nine through to 13. This is this, then is how you should pray. Our Father in heaven, hallowed be thy name, your kingdom come your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts as we also forgive our debtors and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. So it has everything wrapped up in a hand full of words. You have deliverance there, but deliver us from the evil because he's the deliverer. There's no chanting, there's no rebuking and shouting and hollering by naming and claiming and taking my territory back. Yeah. The Church, the Church, where are we very thin, biblically illiterate. Now we might we I haven't got a clue. I'm starting to learn about God. He's starting to reveal all this to me again, and I'm repenting of the years and the years and the years of babbling like pagans,

Simon Pinchbeck: 34:53

and to be honest with you have been the enemy or keep you there. It was. So as I go on back Give it an out loud gonna have a clap for our typing. Day Ben, give it to him. shout from the rooftops a day, when all God's saying is my son, I just want you to come to me with your heart.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 35:12

When you think about this the Lord's prayer Jesus has given clear instruction to the whole world. This then is how you should pray, call if Jesus is going to teach me to pray. This is going to be laced with so much power lad, our Father in heaven.

Simon Pinchbeck: 35:29

It's always we've been in prayer meetings with people stomping around the room and

Reverend Ben Cooper: 35:32

naming and claiming, laying hands on you're pushing you over.

Simon Pinchbeck: 35:37

Trade on that serve, come

Reverend Ben Cooper: 35:38

out. Hang on a minute. I do not find Christ being violent in prayer. You know, when he was in the Garden of Gethsemane, the guest m&e prayer Father, let your will be done. If it is possible, take this cut for me.

Simon Pinchbeck: 35:54

I would honestly, honestly, I would, I would implore embrace anyone to, to really take this on board that's coming out this morning. Because this is how we develop a personal relationship with Jesus. This is how we develop this personal life through constant simple prayer during the day Father, Jesus, thank You, Father, thank you. Just a simple prayer before whatever you're gonna do, probably with me a day and all of a sudden, do you know what happens when or when when you say that? From the heart all of a sudden peace comes? But yeah. Peace. How many times you got peace when you've been in prayer meetings where people

Reverend Ben Cooper: 36:34

were getting absolutely exhausted and emotionally drained and wrapped up and tied up in all this pagan charge and go

Simon Pinchbeck: 36:44

home and mantra? What's wrong with you? You're all uptight, because

Reverend Ben Cooper: 36:49

he'd been chatting all night. He'd been strange, and lost me voice I'm broken. I'm tired. When Jesus, Jesus said, Our Father in heaven, hallowed be thy name, your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also forgive debtors and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. I've done it. I mean, by the time I put my socks on, I prayed the prayer.

Simon Pinchbeck: 37:24

But you know, so what we're talking here is total quality, not quantity.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 37:30

Yeah. Because the church one wants to make everything eloquent, it wants to make everything loud, it wants to be be in the devil with a stick.

Simon Pinchbeck: 37:41

Look, look at that story. Sorry to go on and on. But look at that story where you just read out with Elijah. Exactly,

Reverend Ben Cooper: 37:49

exactly.

Unknown: 37:51

He said, all this noise Father,

Reverend Ben Cooper: 37:54

let Fire For Fire for let rainfall.

Simon Pinchbeck: 37:57

Where was Shannon and

Reverend Ben Cooper: 37:58

where was where was all the chant in the shot? And and then the

Simon Pinchbeck: 38:02

last thing that was coming from the Prophet, so that was

Reverend Ben Cooper: 38:05

coming from the false prophets. It's quite interesting, isn't it? When you look at that text, really, the power of prayer, and he prayed a simple prayer. They were shouting for hours. They were slicing themselves drawing, drawing glad. So it shows you're done it a lot that there is a lot of witchcraft. There is a lot of paganism. And there is a lot there is a lot of dark stuff labeled with a prayer meeting. But actually, who am I praying to?

Simon Pinchbeck: 38:39

And do you know what Ben is? Exactly? How many times have you heard? You know, he's a great prayer warrior, that fellow and when you go in in the shower in Babel, you know that some of the some of the most amazing prayer worries are the little ladies sitting in the corner, let's say the Lord's Prayer, say the Lord's Prayer and just go, Yeah, I'll pray

Reverend Ben Cooper: 39:00

for you. Yeah, pray for our father, who

Simon Pinchbeck: 39:04

put your hand on here. There's a few soft words and you feel well hang on a minute. There's something going on here because when Giza who's stomping around champion and

Reverend Ben Cooper: 39:13

pushing me and rebuking me and shaking me trying to get me to be sick, trying to, you know, rolling around on the floor like a snake, you know, I mean, we have to really question deliverance don't Yeah, we have to question that deliver the deliverance. Like when you look at the deliverance ministry, what I find in in the Word of God through scripture, when Christ is is just Christ in go looking for devils. They found him because when he showed up, they knew the authority, what we're talking about. They know that they had no authority over him.

Simon Pinchbeck: 39:52

But it's interesting what you said in a previous podcast and you know, if you've got The Spirit of the Living God living inside, he's not going to share that.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 40:04

Share that space. So he's not gonna know as

Simon Pinchbeck: 40:07

a Christian, you know, if yours if you're saved. If you got a relationship with Jesus Christ, and He is your Lord and Savior, you are

Reverend Ben Cooper: 40:17

thought, you our fall is no Bedroom Tax with Jesus ain't gonna invite a refugee in. You ain't got to do this, you ain't got to do that. And when God is in your house, God is in your house.

Simon Pinchbeck: 40:30

You know, I've seen it. I've been with guys who have, you know, been well known for fetching demons out of people. And you know, Gen seven came out on this than ever, and it was filling up buckets with sick and all that sort of stuff and screaming and it's weird, man.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 40:48

It because it's witchcraft, is witchcraft. It's witchcraft. You know, it's very spiritual, because it's witchcraft. It is black magic, white magic. It's witchcraft. It's paganism is Masonic, it is fierce in dark Masonic activity, when you actually look at that, they are doing the exactly same thing. As they done at the base of Mount Carmel, they were shouting and hollering, chanting, screaming, slicing themselves drawing blood, when this little profit just rolls up, he walks up to these barrels of water, this would drip in, dripping in water, didn't even have a match in his pocket. But then suddenly, fire fell from heaven, it consumed the stone and the stone became dust.

Simon Pinchbeck: 41:43

And they said that that is that God

Reverend Ben Cooper: 41:46

is God.

Simon Pinchbeck: 41:49

And so, you know, I think as we guests come in to land on this one, just a couple of things, men that that will enhance our authority when we're praying and also is one is purity of heart. Because really, sin makes us a weak data. So for involved in sin that makes us weak we have to, and a big one, Ben is purity of motive. Okay, the right motive to pray, because we've, we've, we've gone through that because we have to have the right motive. We're not praying for an extra bedroom in our house or a brand new car or you know, this, that and the other. No, we have to have the right motive. And we have to be persistent in our prayer, don't we? But yeah, to get that authority, we have to be persistent, like what we just said, you know, you can pray wherever you are, anytime, anyplace, anywhere, anywhere, literally. And just a few words of the old prayer. I don't know, you probably do the same. Sometimes I've been, you know, driving around and got to go to the meeting, Lord, just that'd be a pocket space.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 43:01

Please, Lord and Mike Mike away, Lord, help me and cause a citation to the Father. conversation that goes through Christ goes through and listen

Simon Pinchbeck: 43:11

to Father wants to bless you. That is the truth. But he doesn't want to bless you. If you're seeking the blessings. If you're seeking a person's you've got to seek

Reverend Ben Cooper: 43:20

him. Yeah. Where's your treasure? Where's your heart?

Simon Pinchbeck: 43:22

Where's your heart? Yeah,

Reverend Ben Cooper: 43:24

it's quite interesting. The scripture says Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father. What is he doing at the right hand of the Father? He's interceding for the saints. Now, this baffles me. If Christ is interceding for the saints, if I pray these crazy prayers, is Christ gonna fuel that and push that through? Course he's not. He's interceding. How does Christ intercede? Very interested in the study of prayer? Christ is not at the right hand of the Father shouting and hollering and chanting and screaming, and all that stuff that we see in this, this world that is labeled up with prayer, you are praying, all right, but who are you praying to? What authority are you coming under? When Christ intercedes, the Bible actually says, when you're exhausted and you're tired, and you're weary, this Holy Spirit, God's Spirit, speaks in a language that is foreign to man. The Holy Spirit is the one when we're tired and weary when we can't pray when we're all prayed out, when we've gone and just thought, I can't pray. The spirit prays with groans and utterances that the human being can't define or understand. So certainly Christ is not seated at the right hand of the Father shouting and chanting. What we shout and chant down here. He is praying gently and powerfully because when you pray, the Father's will just say, Father, your will and your purpose

Simon Pinchbeck: 44:59

and I think that has got to be the message is gently, powerfully with authority, humbly, coming to the throne of grace, speaking and praying to the Father, I don't think you'll find anyone in the Bible, those prayed a chanting sort of prayer whose sherried from, you know, the, you've just got a group together and they've been they've been champions, you know, I don't think it is it. It says in Ephesians, it says, that you may know what is the hope of his calling? What are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints? Well,

Reverend Ben Cooper: 45:43

that's us. That's us. It's very simple. And what

Simon Pinchbeck: 45:47

is the exceeding greatness of His power towards us who believe according to the working of his mighty power, which he worked in Christ, and when He raised Him from the dead, and the seeds in him at the right hand, in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also which is to come. So he's put everything under his feet.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 46:11

Everything, all authority, all heavens, is on earth, under the earth through the earth is given to him. And if he is, as the Bible says that He is, the Lord's Prayer is more than enough that I need the Lord's Prayer, give me what the authority, what does authority give me peace? What does peace give me? Access? It's so it just goes together, doesn't it? But I think the word arching over this, we'll just say one thing on it, the word is all what is submission. Submit, just give you just a low today. Today I repent, Lord of the prayer meetings I've been in. I've been a waste of time, Lord, I repent of all that religious stuff. You know, I don't think we've got nothing to worry about with the church or with the world. It's what what is happening in a religious order. That's what I've got to keep away from. I've got to keep away from the religious rigidness. Yeah, that's

Simon Pinchbeck: 47:12

scary. Because that'll send you down, down that really the wrong path.

Reverend Ben Cooper: 47:17

Follow Jesus.

Simon Pinchbeck: 47:18

Be very careful what if something don't fit right or sit right within your spirit? Then you've got this you've got the right to question it. Find a church that is following please. Yeah, find a church that's got the right doctrine that's following Jesus and stay out or chanting premier hints. Yeah, because you're wasting your time. Yeah, you

Reverend Ben Cooper: 47:42

are. You are you're just babbling, babbling, babbling on Babylon. Let's have a great day. Whatever your timezone is, Simon has bought a lovely scripture to the table this morning. And the simple word is just all authority, or authority, you have authority you have access, not in the true evangelical and the Pentecostal style, but because Jesus has all authority and power, and you are a Jesus follower. God bless you. Take care in Jesus name, Amen.