Growing up in a Pentecostal church shaped my life and spiritual journey from an early age. In my church, I experienced worship that was vibrant, preaching that was passionate, testimonies that were stirring, and the altar was active.
People would go to the altar for many reasons. Some would come in before service and cry out to God for His presence and purposes to be accomplished in the coming services. Others would flock to the altar during worship services physically pressing into God’s presence, many were invited to come and be prayed for, and all were encouraged to come to the altar following the message for their own personal encounter with God. The altar represented the most sacred space to connecting with God for spiritual transformation.
My friend Rick DuBose has written a masterpiece on building a life and ministry of prayer. He reminds us that prayer is something the enemy does not want us to participate in, because whoever controls the altar controls the outcome.
People today are desperate for a sacred space to connect with God.
In Jesus’ Name is not a book on the theology of prayer—yet it is loaded with a lot of theological truths—instead, it is an inspirational piece to help you catch a glimpse of the power of your effective, fervent praying. As you begin to understand the personal altar, the home altar, the core altar, the miracle altar, and the salvation altar, I’m confident prayer will become more than good intention but a regular habit.
My prayer is that you won’t just read this book on prayer, but you will step into an activity of prayer and discover how prayer will help you reach your potential in Christ.
—Doug Clay, general superintendent of
the Assemblies of God