BY DR. PAUL ENENCHE
DATE: FRIDAY, 16TH JANUARY, 2026
SCRIPTURE: “And Abraham gat up early in the morning to the place where he stood before the Lord:” (Genesis 19:27)
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: The relationship between man and God is serviced through prayer.
I. THE CRISIS OF THE BROKEN ALTAR
As we move further into January 2026, the Holy Spirit is raising a “Clarion Call” for the restoration of the prayer altar. It is a heartbreaking confirmation that in our contemporary generation, the prayer altars of many Christians are either severely fractured or entirely non-existent.
The reason for this spiritual “drought” is a fundamental misunderstanding of what a prayer altar represents. Many have reduced prayer to a “vending machine” experience—you insert a request and expect a miracle. But the altar of prayer is not primarily a place for “Shopping Lists”; it is the Altar of Presence. It is the specific geography in the spirit where a man stands to get to know his Maker. When the “lists” become the focus, the “Lord” is forgotten. When the “hand” of God is sought more than the “Face” of God, the altar begins to crumble.
II. PRAYER AS RELATIONSHIP MAINTENANCE
The relationship between man and God is not a static contract; it is a dynamic, living bond that must be “serviced.” Just as an engine requires oil to function without friction, the bond between the Creator and the created requires the “oil” of communication.
Consider the human family. When I communicate with my wife and children, it is rarely because we have a list of demands for one another. We talk because our relationship is buoyant—it is full of life, air, and intimacy. We share thoughts, feelings, and presence.
- If I only spoke to my wife when I needed a meal, our marriage would be a transaction, not a relationship.
- If you only speak to God when you need a breakthrough, your Christianity is a contract, not a covenant.
Prayer is the “service station” of the soul. It is the spiritual frequency where the distance between the finite and the Infinite is bridged.
III. THE POSTURE OF “STANDING BEFORE THE LORD”
Our anchor scripture tells us that Abraham “stood before the Lord.” In 1 Kings 17:1, Elijah declared, “As the Lord God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand…” Notice the language: they weren’t “asking before the Lord” or “petitioning before the Lord”; they were standing.
1. The Stand of Fellowship
To stand before God means to be available. It is a posture of readiness and companionship. Zechariah 4:14 speaks of the two anointed ones who “stand by the Lord of the whole earth.” This implies a proximity that is constant.
2. The Moses Model: “Show Me Thy Way”
In Exodus 33, Moses had a desperate request, but it wasn’t for gold, silver, or the destruction of his enemies. He cried out, “If I have found grace in thy sight, show me now thy way, that I may know thee” (v. 13) and “I beseech thee, show me thy glory” (v. 18). Moses understood that if he had God’s Presence, he had everything. If he knew God’s heart, he didn’t need to worry about God’s hand.
IV. THE CONSEQUENCES OF COMMUNICATION BREAKDOWN
Any relationship that lacks communication is destined for a “free-fall.”
- When words cease, walls rise: Silence between you and God creates a vacuum that the enemy is happy to fill with doubt and fear.
- When openness fades, distance grows: You cannot be intimate with someone you are not transparent with.
The tardigrade, a microscopic animal mentioned in today’s “Amazing Fact,” can survive extreme pressures and the vacuum of space. However, a Christian cannot survive the “spiritual vacuum” created by a prayerless life. To be “vacuum-sealed” in the Spirit, you must be “Presence-soaked” in prayer. Understanding and trust are not formed in the heat of a crisis; they are formed in the quiet of the morning when you “get up early” to stand before the Lord.
V. CONCLUSION: THE TRANSFORMATION FACTOR
Intimacy is the “womb” of transformation. You cannot spend time with God and remain the same. The quality of your life on the outside is a direct reflection of the quality of your relationship with Him on the inside. In this season, prioritize the Relationship over the Request. Service the bond. Rebuild the altar. Stand before Him until His glory becomes your identity.
ASSIGNMENTS
Altaring the Altar: Dedicate a specific time and place today solely for “Standing.” No lists, no requests—just you and the Lord.
Continuous Communion: Practice the presence of God throughout the day. Whisper His name in the middle of your work.
Read the Heart: Spend time in the Word specifically seeking to know God’s character, not just His promises.
PRAYER
Father, I thank You for the invitation to intimacy. I repent for the times I have treated our relationship as a transaction. Today, I come to “stand” before You. Draw me closer than I have ever been. Let my prayer altar be a place of buoyant fellowship. I want to know Your Way and see Your Glory. Help me to service our relationship daily, in Jesus’ Name. Amen!
FOR FURTHER UNDERSTANDING, GET THIS MESSAGE: PRAYER ALTAR BY DR. PAUL ENENCHE
DAILY BIBLE READING: Exodus 26-30
QUOTE: “Being transformed by God is a function of the quality of your relationship with Him.” — Culled from THE PROTOCOL OF THE ARK by Dr. Becky Paul-Enenche.
AMAZING FACT: The tardigrade can survive the vacuum of space. As a believer, you are designed to survive the “space” of this world, but only if you are pressurized by the Presence of God through prayer!
PROPHETIC DECLARATION: I decree that your prayer life is resurrected today! Receive a fresh baptism of the Spirit of Grace and Supplication. Your “Standing” shall produce your “Lifting” in Jesus’ Name!
