He who loves gives and serves. It is proof of our love for God when we bring Him something that is of value to Him. Jesus declares in Matthew 22:37-38, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.” This commandment is not optional but central. Love for God is manifested in our actions, not just our words.
This love is not manufactured – it was communicated to us by God who first loved us.
And to love Him is to pray and work for His kingdom to come. God is waiting for us to pray. Intercession is the gateway to divine intervention. Praying according to God's heart means putting His concerns before our own, knowing that He cares for our needs.

Discover this powerful message on praying in love below. Below are Bible study questions.

5 CONCEPTUAL MCQs

1. According to the teaching, why does the comparison with the “fetishist” reveal a fundamental problem in the relationship of some Christians with God?

A) Because they use occult practices in their prayer
B) Because they have a transactional rather than a relational relationship with God
C) Because they don't pray often enough during the week
D) Because they ask for material things rather than spiritual things

2. Why is obedience presented as the “first proof of love” rather than other spiritual expressions such as praise or giving?

A) Because obedience requires more effort than other expressions
B) Because obedience reveals whether we truly love God or simply what He gives us
C) Because God prefers obedience to other forms of worship
D) Because obedience is mentioned more often in the Bible

For what ?

3. What is the theological reason why God requires human prayer to intervene on earth, according to the teaching?

A) Because God is limited in His power without human cooperation
B) Because God gave the earth to the sons of men and respects this delegation of authority C) Because God tests our faith before acting in situations
D) Because prayer first changes the one who prays before changing the circumstances

4. What spiritual truth does Isaiah 66:9 establish concerning intense intercession?

A) That all prayers will be answered if we pray long enough
B) May God guarantee the delivery of what He leads us to carry in prayer
C) May the pains of childbirth prove our spiritual maturity
D) That emotional intensity in prayer is proportional to the answer

5. Why can't the command “submit to God, resist the devil” (James 4:7) be reversed to achieve spiritual victory?

A) Because it is the chronological order of actions in time
B) Because authority over the enemy stems from our total submission to God
C) Because God refuses to help those who do not submit first
D) Because the devil is stronger than us without prior submission

12 DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Quote the key verse of the sermon found in Matthew 22:37-38. According to Pastor Bola, what really makes the difference between two Christians?

REFLECTION : On a scale of 1 to 10, where would you currently rate your love for God? What areas of your life demonstrate this love in concrete ways? What areas reveal a more transactional relationship with God? What specifically do you need to change this week to move from a “fetish” relationship to an intimate relationship with the Father?
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What verse from the Gospel of John Pasteur Bola did she quote to demonstrate the connection between love and obedience? Recall the comparison she made between the obedient Christian and the one who is not. She expressed her astonishment at Christians who, after years of faith, continue to ask questions like, “Why can’t I do this?”

REFLECTION: Identify a specific area where you still resist total obedience to God. What fear or desire lies behind this resistance? If your obedience were motivated solely by love for Jesus and not by fear of consequences, how would your behavior change? What concrete steps will you take this week to obey out of love in this specific area?
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What specific revelation did the Lord give to Pastor Bola about how to pray? Complete: “Don’t pray according to your __________, but pray according to his __________.” Relate the example she gave of someone who wanted to pray his list but God wanted him to pray for Belinda.

REFLECTION: What does your regular prayer time look like—a list of requests or a Spirit-led conversation? Ask the Lord now, “Father, what do you want me to pray for today?” Wait quietly. What has He placed on your heart? How will you restructure your daily prayer time to prioritize His heart before your needs? Make a specific commitment.
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Quote the passage from Isaiah 66 that Pastor Bola read about childbirth. Which passage from Galatians also mentions the pains of childbirth? What does God promise about the labor of a pregnant woman according to Isaiah 66:9?

REFLECTION: Have you ever experienced this dimension of intense intercession where the Spirit has seized you with inexpressible groanings? If so, briefly describe. If not, what is preventing you from entering this dimension? What person or situation is God calling you to “bear in prayer” to spiritual birth? Are you willing to pay the price of agony in prayer to see God’s will manifest?
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Complete her quote in English: “If you bow before God, you will __________.” Comment on this quote. Why did she say that the devil does not run away from some Christians?

REFLECTION: In what areas are you still standing up to God instead of submitting completely? Why is it difficult for you to bow before Him in these specific areas? How would your spiritual authority be different if you first submitted completely to God? What will you do today to submit in this specific area and then exercise your authority against the enemy?
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According to the message, what is behind every grace received by a human being, always the unilateral work of God?

REFLECTION: For whom or what is God specifically calling you to stand in the gap? Are you willing to sacrifice your time, comfort, and sleep to intercede? What is currently holding you back from becoming the intercessor God is seeking? Make a commitment to God today: For which person, family, neighborhood, or situation will you stand in the gap daily?
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Explain the notion of God's glory as an obsession? Explain what the pastor said about refusing certain things not because they inconvenience us, but because they do not glorify Jesus.

REFLECTION : Are your daily choices motivated primarily by your own comfort/interest or by the glory of God? Identify a habit, relationship, or activity that you should give up not because it is “sinful” in the strict sense, but because it does not glorify Jesus. What will those around you say about your life six months from now if you are truly living for the glory of God? How will you adjust your priorities starting this week?
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What prayer did the pastor say she often prays regarding her stubbornness in the face of the devil? What did she teach about emotions in spiritual warfare? Give the example she used of someone who begins to pray and then has pain in their finger.

REFLECTION: When have you given up on a spiritual battle because you felt tired, discouraged, or “nothing was changing”? Are you too emotional in your spiritual warfare? How will you cultivate the holy spiritual stubbornness that perseveres despite sensations? What specific battle will you resume with renewed determination this week?
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What is the fundamental lesson about prayer that we learn from Romans 8:26?

REFLECTION: Do you trust the Holy Spirit to guide you in prayer beyond your understanding? How can you become more sensitive to the Holy Spirit in your prayer time? What is preventing you from entering this dimension of Spirit-led prayer?
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What is the ministry given to all Christians, what is the role of each Christian in evangelization?

REFLECTION: Who in your life needs to hear the gospel? Name three specific people. Which of these people do you pray for daily? What is your excuse for not sharing your faith with them? If you truly love them, can you let them go to hell without doing anything? What concrete step will you take this week to be a witness to at least one of these people?
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Recall the eight manifestations of love for God listed in the sermon (obedience, service, soul winning, prayer, worship, consecration/sacrifice, fighting against darkness, living for His glory). What did Pastor Bola say at the beginning of the message about the Word being given to transform and not just inform?

REFLECTION (60%): Honestly evaluate your life in each of these eight manifestations (1-10 for each). Which is your greatest strength? Which is your greatest weakness? After hearing this message, what specific transformation is God calling you to experience? Write a concrete, measurable commitment for the next 30 days. Share this commitment with someone who can hold you accountable. How will you know six months from now that you have truly been transformed by this message?
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What lesson do you draw from this teaching on prayer in relation to revival and in relation to the pastor's announcement concerning international missions and monthly healing meetings?

REFLECTION: What is your personal vision for revival in your city, your country? How does your daily intercession contribute (or not) to this revival? If God were looking for someone in your neighborhood to spark a revival, would He find you available and engaged in prayer? What concrete things are you willing to sacrifice to see God's glory manifested in your generation through your church? Commit yourself now before God: what will be your specific contribution to the revival God wants to bring?