A nine minute audio teaching from Eddie Smith

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The small south Texas town where I grew up has Spanish
moss drooping from the trees, winding narrow streets, and
stifling humidity that in time I became accustomed to.  The
lazy days of summer brought us a good game of baseball,
fishing at the lake, or swimming in the Gulf of Mexico.
Children filled the placid streets with bikes, skates and
homemade go-carts. It was a simpler time; and our town—
population 5,000—was a simpler place.

The closeness we shared as friends and family gave us a
sense of security. Most everyone knew each other so there
was little need to lock our doors at night or to fear walking
the streets alone. Yet, in the summer of 1956, at the age of
six, I encountered a different kind of uncertainty—sexual
abuse.

One dark summer night I was in bed about to fall asleep,
when...

Continued...
http://goo.gl/1elrDJ

Dr. Alice Smith Allow me would like to share some thoughts with you today about intimacy with God. As the Bride of Christ, we will never experience a moment of life alone again. He longs to share as much with us as we are willing to receive. Not only do we have the joy of sharing in the Bridegroom’s victories, but Jesus often invites us to share His burdens. Suppose a mental picture of a family member crosses your mind. Most of the time we think about them, and then from our human perspective we ignore the reason why they came to mind. Instead, ask, “Lord, what about this loved one?”
            The Lord may tell you about a timely need they might have. If so, in faith agree with Him concerning this burden. He may also expose the enemy’s plans to harm your loved one.

For example, the Lord may reveal to you that the devil has designed an airplane disaster for one in your family. So with ambassadorial authority, enter spiritual warfare. “Powers of darkness, I now call your strategy to destroy my family member to a halt in the power of Christ.” If you do not know how to pray, simply agree with God. Pray, “Lord, preserve your purpose for my loved one’s life.”
            A more difficult intercessory assignment is when God places a burden on us without an attached assignment. In other words, we receive the burden from the Lord’s heart, but we have no idea what it concerns. In this case Jesus is asking us to bear His burden by faith and to intercede without knowledge (Rom. 8:26). Listen friend. This is another way the devil deceives us into aborting the process of prayer. We may wrongly assume it makes no sense to bear a burden for something about which we have no knowledge. A mature intercessor will be willing to bear the burden while God alone bears the knowledge. This is faith pressed to the limits!
            We Christians, who consider ourselves intercessory prayer warriors, godly Bible teachers or pastors, listen up! Beware of the trap of trying to acquire a bigger and better “high.” Whether it’s prayer, Christian service or spiritual warfare, this is nothing more than fleshly Outer Court striving. Experienced Christians willingly submit to the discipline of the dry times. Consider the seasons when the Lord is quiet in your life to be times of “spiritual tune-ups.” During transitions, when He chooses not to speak, your spiritual ears are being fine-tuned to hear His voice. In time, your spirit will learn to hear Him, even when He whispers.
            The Lord Jesus doesn’t have to be screaming at us. A secure relationship is one that sitting in each other’s presence without words spoken can be enough. Earthly thrills diminish once we taste the delicacies of this sweet relationship with the Lord beyond the veil.

Finally

For 43 years, Eddie and I have traveled the world sharing the good news of the gospel, and equipping believers in their relationship to Christ. Each year we’ve been blessed to have the support of fellow Christians who share our burden for souls.
            This year (2013), for the first time ever since we began ministry (for Eddie in 1960 and me in 1968), for reasons unknown to us, our ministry income has dropped 60%. This has forced us to make drastic changes in every area. A refiners fire has indeed pruned, refined, re-calibrated and restructured us. But the calling of God has not been rescinded (Rom 11:29); and like the Apostle Paul, we are “confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to...” (Phil 1:6).
            Today we are asking the Lord to increase the number of those who share our vision and who are willing to serve as “senders.” There are those who are called to “go,” and those who are called to “send.” (Rom 10:15)
            Will you come alongside and invest in the U.S. Prayer Center ministry? We have daily opportunities for ministry and see victories both here and abroad. But we need to hear from you. You know us! We rarely suggest a certain amount, but this month, would you send $100 or more? If you can’t, please send your best gift! When you do, enclose your greatest prayer burdens too. We will be honored to intercede for and with you for breakthroughs.

Sincerely serving our King with you!

By Phone:  1-800-569-4825  or  (713) 466-4009

Or make your check payable to:  U.S. Prayer Center

7710-T Cherry Park Drive, Suite 224

Houston, Texas 77095

Thanks you!

Spiritual Intimacy With God is Alice Smith's life message.

Her best-selling book, "Beyond The Veil," now a worldwide bestseller
is available in many languages.

Her newest book, "Spiritual Intimacy With God" is the sequel.

Here, Alice shares two minutes of video instruction.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=PZxBJpK6ExY#t=21

==================================================

Spiritual Intimacy With God
http://www.prayerbookstore.com/spiritual-intimacy-with-god/

Beyond The Veil
http://bit.ly/New-Edition-BEYOND-THE-VEIL

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NOTE:  Alice is also available to speak to your church or group.
800-569-4825

“God wants to perform in ways beyond our expectation. His desire is to respond ‘exceedingly above all that we can ask (pray) or think (imagine).' So, if we can imagine it, or ask it, it’s likely too small!”    

Alice and I hope your summer 2013 has started smoothly and that it will hold many blessings for you and your family. We’re looking forward to some fun times with friends and family, woven into our work and ministry schedule. Summertime usually brings financial challenges to ministries as ours. Please pray with us that won’t be true this year.
        Have you ever been told, or heard someone told, “You are never satisfied, are you?” Well, has it ever occurred to you that dissatisfaction with the status quo is a basis for petitionary prayer (intercession)?
        You see, praying Christians like us will never be satisfied until God’s kingdom comes and His will is done on earth as it is being done in heaven. We continually live with a holy dissatisfaction with what exists, and are committed to, as Alice wrote last month, see it changed through prayer.
        If this describes you, here are three tips that may help. In this letter, I’m offering more along the line of Alice’s excellent May letter.

• Discern and accept the burdens of the Lord.  Perhaps one of the most difficult things for us to do today is to discern that for which we are to pray. Because of the Internet and other modern conveniences, we can be easily overwhelmed with requests and the needs around us. We must remember we aren’t primarily here to meet needs. We are here to engage with the Father in what He is doing. (Jn 5:19) What is the Father doing? What does He want to do?

We can only know this if our hearts are closely entwined with His. We can’t share the burdened heart of someone we hardly known. God, as a gentleman, will never force us to bear burdens unwillingly. Instead, He invites us to co-labor with him in His kingdom work. He is looking for co-laborers. (Isa 59:16) That’s why we describe His assignment as “the great CO-mission.” (Mt 28:19-20)
        Notice the burdens we are called to bear are His burdens--“the burdens of the Lord.” True God-assigned prayer begins in the heart of God. When He deposits His burdens into our hearts, if we don’t understand what He’s doing; what we should do and how we should do it; we may easily miss the point. In fact, we are saddened to see how many of the Christians who are diagnosed as emotionally or mentally depressed are in reality experiencing the Father’s call to intercede. They neither know that what they sense is the burden of the Lord, nor how they should respond to His call to intercede. One of our mandates is to offer training resources. Once we discern and accept a burden from the Lord, we are to…

• Identify with God’s desire to intervene in the matter. (2 Pet 3:9)  God shares His burden with us to orchestrate a “heavenly intervention.” Satan is at work today to destroy people, and to disrupt God’s plans on the earth. (Jn 10:10b) Much of what is happening around us today breaks the Father’s heart. His desire is to expose and defeat evil, and to extend mercy and grace. (Jas 2:13).

        However in His plan, the Father has limited Himself to some degree by giving us responsibility for what happens here. (Gen 1:28; Psa 115:16) So mysteriously, He awaits our prayerful invitations to operate in the earth realm. As His kingly priests (Rev 5:10), if we are to see His activity here, we must discern and accept His burden and desire regarding the people, places and things around us; and invite Him to operate accordingly. Notice that Revelation 5:10 doesn’t suggest some of us are kings, and some are priests. All who are in Christ are kingly priests, or priestly kings (male or female). Remember, there is no “laity” in the body of Christ. All are ministers. (Eph 4:12)

• Pray in faith for a breakthrough.  God wants to perform in ways beyond our expectation. His desire is to respond “exceedingly above all we can ask (pray) or think (imagine). So, if we can imagine it, or ask it, it’s likely too small! But there is a fight of faith in prayer.

    Wouldn’t it be amazing if Jesus would ask the Father on our behalf? Great, perhaps, but that isn’t the way it works. Jesus said, “In that day...the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name…Ask and you will receive…you will ask, I’m not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf.” (Jn 16:23-26) So, to ask is clearly our responsibility.
    IMPORTANT:  The following does not apply to what’s commonly referred to as the false teaching: “name it and claim it.” Remember our premise. We are praying according to the Father’s desire, His burden-- our heaven-given assignment. Got it? Great! Now hold on.   
    Do we really believe that He hears us when we ask in His name, according to His will? If so, then He commands us to consider it done. Amazing, isn’t it? He specifically says, “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it (already), and it will be yours.” (Mark 11:24) One of the most difficult verses of Scripture for us to believe is Mk 11:24, where Jesus said, “…whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have (already) received it, and it will be yours.”
    There is clear evidence that we understand and practice prayer that is based on our belief that we have received that for which we are asking. What is the evidence? Paul said, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer…, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” If we truly believe we have received that for which we are asking our praying will be void of anxiety and filled with gratitude to the Father for His faithfulness.

    What about perseverance? What about wrestling in prayer? There is perhaps no greater struggle, no greater spiritual warfare, than the battle against our fleshly minds, the faithless testimonies of others, and the contrary things that we see around us that say “your God doesn’t hear, and isn’t going to answer you.” Our fight of faith is to stand convinced that He already has heard us, and that we already have that for which we’ve prayed in His name, according to His will. He is the Only Faithful One!
    If this lesson has blessed, enlightened or encouraged you, will you ask the Father how you can support the ministries of the U.S. Prayer Center? Thank you SO MUCH for standing with us financially this summer.

In His love,
Eddie and Alice

How can we serve you?  CLICK HERE

Phone Donation:  800-569-4825

Postal Donation:
Make check or money order payable to:
U.S. Prayer Center
7710-T Cherry Park Dr, Ste 224
Houston, TX 77095

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 When we intercede in prayer, we plead our case before the eternal judge of the universe. Every case we present to God calls for genuine preparation. Without proper preparation a lawyer would make a fool of himself before the judge, his client, his adversary and the gallery of people. Personal Preparation

Before we prepare a case, we must first prepare ourselves. We do this by experiencing salvation, coming to know God and recognizing our position in Christ.

Salvation. Personal preparation to plead a case in intercessory prayer before God's throne begins with the new birth (see John 3:1-5). Without salvation, we are not prepared to face our own trials or anyone else's. But exactly what is salvation?

Salvation begins with a revelation of the absence of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and the overwhelming awareness of our personal sin before a perfect God. It is vital that we each settle this in our own hearts.

But salvation is more than the forgiveness and removal of our sin. We are empowered to live because the Holy Spirit moves in. A Christian is a person in whom the Holy Spirit lives.

Knowing God. Through the new birth we can truly know God. Being born into His family, we become His children. As children of God who spend time in His Word and in His presence, we begin to know Him as He really is, not as we have supposed Him to be.

We asked several lawyers what makes a good attorney. One of them said, "A good attorney is one who knows the judge and knows how he tends to rule." We might add that a good intercessor is one who knows God and knows how He tends to rule!

An attorney who knows the judge and how he tends to rule has a distinct advantage over an attorney who does not. One can have no stronger position in the heavenly court than to be one of the judge's own children. Who would dare challenge us? Or, as Paul wrote, "If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Rom. 8:31, NKJV)

Position in Christ. In every state an attorney must meet certain requirements, which include a very difficult bar exam. So it is with we who pray. We need to be properly equipped (see Eph. 4:11-13).

The courtroom is an adversarial place. It is a place of confrontation and conflict. As our friend Mickey Bonner used to say, "All prayer is warfare."

If we don't know our position in Christ, we may be easily intimidated by the devil. If we are to be effective in intercessory prayer, we must be secure in Christ. If we are to expect to win a case against Satan we must know that Christ is in us.

It is important to know not only what Scripture says about the case we plead, but also what it says about us. Paul writes to the Christians in Colosse, "For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority" (Col. 2:9-10, NIV). The New King James Version of verse 10 says, "You are complete in Him!"

Knowing your position in Christ fortifies you before the bar of God. It also fortifies you before your adversary.

Qualities of a Good Advocate

Below is a list of personal and professional qualities that make good attorneys. Let's see how these qualities also help make good intercessors.

Dedication. An intercessor must be committed to Christ, to others and to the task of intercession. There simply is no substitute for dedication. As Phillips Brooks once said, "If man is man and God is God, to live without prayer is not merely an awful thing; it is an infinitely foolish thing."

Reliability. It's not our ability that God looks for, but our availability. Paul Daniel Rader once said: "If you can beat the devil in the matter of regular daily prayer, you can beat him anywhere. If he can beat you there, he can possibly beat you anywhere." Or as a country preacher once said, "If your day is hemmed with prayer, it's less likely to come unraveled."

Integrity. In my book Beyond the Veil, I (Alice) write: "If we accept an assignment from God, we can be sure that He will attempt to build integrity into our lives. I love Psalm 26:11-12: 'But I lead a blameless life; redeem me and be merciful to me. My feet stand on level ground; in the great assembly I will praise the Lord.'

"My paraphrase would read: 'In all my public trust I will walk uprightly and pay strict attention to truth, honesty, justice and mercy. I will not plan evil schemes or use myself to promote my own cause. I will be true to the integrity of the Word. I will live a moral life in private and in public. I stand firmly on principles of proper conduct, and I will not turn aside.'"

Objectivity and empathy. Objectivity and empathy are tricky. Both are necessary, but they must be kept in balance.

If we are empathetic intercessors who cannot find objectivity in prayer, we will soon be consumed emotionally and ultimately overwhelmed with the prayer needs we bear. Remember the words of the old song "Leave It There" by Charles Albert Tindley: "Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there."

On the other hand, if we are objective intercessors without empathy, who cannot feel the needs of those for whom we have been commissioned to pray, our prayer life will grow stale and eventually dry up.

Kind. Kindness is a necessary commodity for the intercessor-advocate, as illustrated by the following story.

An old man carried a little can of oil with him everywhere he went. If he passed through a door with squeaky hinges, he put a little oil on the hinges. If the gate was hard to open, he poured a little oil upon the latch.

Every day he found a variety of ways to use his pocket oilcan to others' advantage. Neighbors thought he was eccentric, but he went on his way, doing all within his power to lubricate the hard places and make life easier and more enjoyable for others.

Do we carry with us the oil of human kindness? When the traffic is backed up, the grocery clerk is rude or your boss decides to come down on you, are you exercising the oil of gladness? Go ahead and do it. It will make your day.

Discipline. The intercessor will not be successful without applying discipline to his or her work of intercession. As the next story illustrate, discipline is vitally important.

A visitor to a famous pottery establishment was puzzled by an operation that seemed aimless. In one room there was a mass of clay beside a workman. Every now and then he took up a large mallet and struck several smart blows on the surface of the lump. Curiosity led to the question: "Why do you do that?"

"Wait a bit, sir, and watch it," was the reply.

The visitor obeyed, and soon the top of the mass began to heave and swell. Bubbles formed upon its face.

"Now sir, you will see," said the modeler with a smile. "I could never shape the clay into a vase if these air bubbles were in it, therefore I gradually beat them out."

It sounded in the ears of the visitor like an allegory of Romans 5:3-5, "Tribulation produces perseverance...character...hope" (NKJV). Is not the discipline of life, so hard to bear sometimes, just a beating out of the bubbles of pride and self-will, so the Master may form a vessel of earth to hold heavenly treasures?

Leadership ability. In his book Wind and Fire, Bruce Larson points out some interesting facts about sandhill cranes:

"These large birds that fly great distances across continents have three remarkable qualities. First, they rotate leadership. No one bird stays out in front all the time.

Second, they choose leaders who can handle turbulence. And then, all during the time one bird leads, the rest honk their affirmation.

"That's not a bad model for the church. Certainly we need leaders who can handle turbulence and who are aware that leadership ought to be shared. But most of all, we need a church where we all honk encouragement.

It is safe to say that some of our prayer assignments are also being borne by other Christians. Let's guard our hearts against feeling that we--and our prayers--are "the only reasons" something happens.

The apostle Paul warned us that we are "not to think of [ourselves] more highly than [we] ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith" (Rom. 12:3).

High moral character. A Buddhist monk in Sri Lanka, who was acquainted with both Christianity and Buddhism, was once asked what he thought was the great difference between the two. He replied, "There is much that is good in each of them, and probably in all religions.

"But what seems to me to be the greatest difference is that you Christians know what is right and have the power to do it, while we Buddhists know what is right but have not any such power."

The monk was right. True freedom is not the right to do as we please. It is the power to do what is right!

A lawyer who lived in the chambers of the temple told a story about an old gray-haired man in the room next to his who knelt down every night and said his prayers aloud. The partition between their rooms was thin, and he heard what the old man said quite distinctly. He was greatly surprised to hear him always say this prayer: "Lord, make me a good boy."

This may seem rather ludicrous. But if you think of it, you will be touched by its beauty. Long years before when, as a little child, that old man had knelt at his mother's knee, she had taught him this petition, "Lord, make me a good boy."

And through the years with their trials and temptations, he still felt the need of offering that cry in the old, simple language of childhood, knowing that in the sight of the ageless God he was still a child.

Just as a good advocate should be a person of high moral character, an effective intercessor must also live a holy life of high moral character.

A team player. Corporate intercession is almost an unknown art. In most places it is individual intercession in a corporate setting. Thankfully, the church is beginning to understand how to gather as a group and approach God as one person!

We are also beginning to network as intercessors. We realize that the more testimonies we have in court, the stronger our case will be. We are grateful for the 61 personal intercessors who faithfully serve us and our ministry in prayer. We take seriously the hours they spend in court on our behalf.

We never cease to be amazed at the self-discipline exerted by intercessors. The abilities to work well under pressure and with minimal supervision are grace gifts that God has given most intercessors. People of prayer, we admire your faithfulness to voluntarily spend the time you do in prayer on behalf of others.

We can experience transformation of our families, cities and nations if we will be willing to labor together.

Eddie Smith is the founder and president of the U.S. Prayer Center, and his wife, Alice, is the executive director. They are best-selling Christian authors and internationally known conference speakers. They are available to churches in the U.S. for weekend conferences, seminars, leadership training, etc. This article is based on their book Spiritual Advocates available here:  http://www.prayerbookstore.com/spiritual-advocates

If this ministry has blessed you, prayerfully consider offering your support:    DONATION

Most women would be happy to have a praying husband. But what if the sounds of intense intercession keep you awake night after night?"Could you come down out of the heavenlies long enough to give me a hand with this dirty laundry?"

Have you ever uttered those words in your home? Some wives have trouble pulling their husbands away from the TV set. Others struggle to keep them from bringing work home from the office. But a growing number of women these days are asking: "How do I deal with my husband, the intercessor?"

First, let me congratulate you women who are married to intercessors. Of all the ministries to which a man could be called, none is more important than the ministry of intercessory prayer. Thank God for men who are committed to intercede for the needs of others, for revival and for spiritual awakening in our world! These men give their families the priceless gift of prayer.

But let's admit it: Having an intercessor for a husband can present its share of challenges.

Tools of the Trade
Communication in marriage is difficult for all couples at times. But understanding a spouse's intercessory burden can be particularly trying.

"He's too emotional" is a common complaint I hear from the wives of intercessors. These women are concerned that their husbands are frequently tearful, weepy or burdened—many times for no apparent reason! Actually, the men themselves may be worried about the same thing. Some male intercessors don't understand intercessory travail and therefore resist the assignment when it comes upon them—especially if they know their wives will think they're weak or strange.

Men have a natural inclination to present a strong, "macho" image to their families. But a posture of weakness before the Lord makes any intercessor effective. This challenge—remaining strong before their families and at the same time weak before God's throne—is difficult for some men.

The husband of one of our closest friends is an intercessor. For some time, he and his wife were both perplexed by what seemed to be his emotional instability. He was apt to burst into tears at the most inopportune moments. His tender heart had become an embarrassment to both of them.

I explained to them that just as wrenches are essential equipment for an auto mechanic, tears are the tools of an intercessor's trade. "Tears are a language God understands," Dottie Rambo's song declares.

And Scripture promises: "He who continually goes forth weeping, bearing seed for sowing, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing" (Psalms 126:6, NKJV). When tears have watered the soil into which the seeds of prayer are planted, we can expect a harvest!

It is true that male intercessors, like their female counterparts, are often preoccupied with spiritual things. They seem to be always stuck in the prayer room—if not physically, then mentally. At times they may seem out of touch with reality and so committed to prayer that they are oblivious to the everyday needs of their families.

The call to intercession, however, is not a measure of spiritual maturity. Intercession is an assignment from the Lord, like any other assignment. Intercessors need to grow in wisdom and discernment, just like the rest of us—and wives of intercessors need to be patient and prayerful in that process.

In extreme cases, a prayer warrior may refuse to hold a job or provide for his
family, using his call to intercessory prayer as an excuse. But a mature, godly man knows that his spiritual responsibilities do not release him from his physical responsibilities.

Paul wrote that a man who fails to provide for his own family is "worse than an infidel" (1 Tim. 5:8, KJV.) If God calls a man to pray instead of holding an outside job, God's provision for his family will be the evidence. In other words, God's provision usually confirms God's direction.

Some male intercessors are impulsive. They "get a word from God" and act on it immediately. But to assume that they have heard God clearly, have correctly interpreted what they heard Him say and are applying it rightly is presumptuous! With that tough-guy, John Wayne mentality, they overlook the fact that, at best, "we prophesy in part...we see through a glass, darkly" (1 Cor. 13:9,12).

Refusing to wait for the Lord to confirm the word or for their wives to come into agreement actually breeds marital resentment. It doesn't take much of a man to win an argument or walk all over his wife's feelings. It takes quite a man to trust God!

It is crucial that male intercessors allow their wives time to process and participate in important decisions. As Ephesians 5:21 says, we must submit to one another.

A Lesson I Learned
In 1979 my family was living comfortably in a nice house on a beautiful lake in North Texas. The occasional concert or revival meeting paid the bills. Only nine months after moving into our new home, however, I was offered a job in Houston, as the executive director of an evangelistic association.

I felt strongly that God wanted me to take the job. To my surprise, Alice felt just as strongly that He didn't.

I knew there was no use trying to "railroad" her. I had to act from a position of truth.

According to the Word, Alice and I are one. We are to be of one mind—especially regarding something as important as selling a house and moving to another city. And that one mind is to be the mind of Christ.

"Honey," I told her sweetly, "I really believe that the Lord is calling us to this new position. However, it's clear to me that you disagree. So here's what I'm going to do.

"First, tomorrow I will call the ministry in Houston and explain to them that we are unable to accept the job at this time and that more prayer is needed for us to come to a decision. Second, I will not mention this offer to you again. I'm not going to bug you with this.

"Finally, I'm going to trust the whole situation to the Lord. If God has spoken this to me, He can just as easily communicate it to you. And if and when He does, you let me know."

Understand, I knew I could be wrong. Perhaps the job wasn't God's will. God has often used Alice to keep me from making stupid mistakes. At the same time, it could be that she was wrong.

What if, while waiting for Alice's agreement, someone else got the job and I missed God's plan for my life? Was I confident in God's ability to speak to my wife—confident that I could leave this issue in His hands until He had finished working out all the details?

It wasn't easy, but I kept my word not to mention the job again. I was determined not to whine about it, and I refused to say, "If it weren't for you, I could be doing God's will right now!"

Late one night about six months later, Alice came into my study wiping tears from her eyes.

"Eddie," she said, "The Lord has told me that you are to take that job in Houston."

"Oh, Alice, I'm certain that the job was taken by someone else long ago," I replied.

"No, the Lord told me that it is there for you," she said. "Call them tomorrow, and you'll see."

The next morning I called the ministry in Houston and learned that the position, amazingly, had not yet been filled. I also learned that the night before, at the same time Alice had heard from the Lord, the ministry leaders were in prayer, asking God to confirm His will in our hearts.

I accepted the job offer, and we moved. The pay, the housing—literally everything about the job—was better because we had waited those six months. That experience proved to me that Alice and I can submit to each other in the fear of the Lord—because we have a faithful God!

Being a Helpmate
How can you support your husband in his ministry of intercession? Here are some ways to start:

• Avoid the urge to judge or criticize him. Intercession is a difficult job. It is a heavy responsibility to represent life-and-death issues before God's throne. Don't become an additional burden to him. Be a help, not a hindrance.

• Find ways to assist him. Perhaps you can offer to assist more with the administration of the family. I'm not suggesting that you replace him. Nevertheless, there may be ways you can help him when you sense he is under a particular spiritual burden or when he is fasting.

• Guard your heart against jealousy. Don't be jealous of his relationship with Christ. If you don't experience the same level of intimacy with the Lord that your husband shares in intercession, that's OK. Thank God we are all different!

Pursue your own intimate relationship with Christ. Find your own rhythm of prayer. After all, intimacy with Jesus is a journey, not a destination; learn to accept yourself and where you are on the journey.

• Release him to learn. Today there are many opportunities for your husband to learn from other intercessors and teachers. Conferences, seminars and books offer a wealth of necessary training for him. Your generosity in allowing your spouse to learn from others will have far-reaching effects in the kingdom.

Remember, the fruit of your husband's prayers and tears—measured in transformed lives—will be applied to your heavenly account as well. Why? You're partnered with him so he can be a more effective minister of intercession.

Your praying husband is a precious gift, not only to you and your family, but also to the church. Understand him. Help him. Pray for him. And enjoy the blessings of your ministry together.

This article is loosely based on a chapter in "Help! I'm Married To An Intercessor," a book by Eddie Smith, who is co-founder and president of the U.S. Prayer Center in Houston. Eddie is also an internationally known conference speaker and best-selling author. He and his wife, Alice, are available to minister in churches and conferences. http://USPrayerCenter.org

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Corporate prayer loses its effectiveness when intercessors get off track. Here's how you can stay in the flow of the Holy Spirit.As I walked down the corridor toward the large prayer room, several women rushed past me in a panic. They had been praying with more than 50 intercessors from various denominations for pastors in the United States. Eager to find out what was happening, I hurried into the room.

An unbelievable sight met my eyes. Lying on the floor in the middle of the room was a woman intercessor, curled up in a fetal position and groaning as though she were being tortured. Crouched over her was a male intercessor, who was stroking her hair and speaking words of encouragement.

Standing around “the entertainment” were dozens of intercessors—watching. No one was praying now. Their faces revealed many emotions: Some were in shock; others didn’t know what to think; most were simply disgusted.

Asked to correct the situation, I bent down, asked the man to move away and softly whispered into the intercessor’s ear: “Please stop what you are doing. This is not the way the Holy Spirit would lead.”

Gruffly the woman turned her head toward me and growled, “This is the Holy Spirit.”

These kinds of activities are becoming too common in prayer rooms across the nation. If the prayer movement does not establish biblical boundaries and acceptable corporate conduct within the next few years, the work of prayer could be drastically derailed.

Here are some of the flaky intercessory activities with which we should be concerned:

1. Competition in prayer. Moses’ and Aaron’s authority to lead was challenged by Korah and his band with the argument, “You take too much upon yourselves, for all the congregation is holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord? So when Moses heard it, he fell on his face” (Num. 16:3).

Notice Moses’ answer to Korah and his rebellious associates: “Hear now, you sons of Levi: Is it a small thing to you that the God of Israel has separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to Himself, to do the work of the tabernacle of the Lord, and to stand before the congregation to serve them; and that He has brought you near to Himself, you and all your brethren, the sons of Levi, with you? And are you seeking the priesthood also? Therefore you and all your company are gathered together against the Lord” (Num. 16:8-11).

Intercessors have a unique position. We are called to draw near to the throne, hear the voice of God and stand on behalf of others. We who occupy this position should set an example of love, grace, mercy and humility.

Yet I find that among intercessors there is sometimes strife, jealousy and competition, just as there was among Korah and his band. In some cases, the prayer room resembles the New York City stock market trading floor, with each participant trying to pray more frequently, prophesy longer and shout louder than the others do.

Why the spiritual tug of war?

No doubt about it—all intercession is war! But like all of life, intercession has its ebbs and flows. Our friends would wonder about Eddie and me if, after three decades of marriage, we were passionately kissing every time they saw us in public. You might see this type of thing in the movies, but meaningful, real-life relationships are developed in private. Eddie and I don’t need to impress anyone or prove our love to others. Our outward displays of affection are merely an indication of an already secure and stable private relationship.

There are times when, in the heat of battle, the corporate prayer room seems intense, loud, demanding and pushy. After all, Scripture says the violent take the kingdom by force! (See Matt. 11:12). But constant warfare should not be the way every prayer time is handled.

Effective, sincere corporate prayer should reveal all the attributes of God—His gentleness, His tender mercy, His unconditional love and His burden for the lost. There are times when the group will experience total silence before God. At other times, a deep travail for the condition of lost souls will be felt. Joy, expressions of love and celebration should occur occasionally among the intercessors. To reduce group prayer to anything less reveals our immaturity in the private place before God.

2. Emotionalism. Our emotions are a part of our soul (mind, will and emotions). They were given to us by God to serve His purposes. But to function properly, they must be brought under His dominion. Paul instructs us, “Since then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts [emotions] on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things” (Col. 3:1-2, NIV).

Our emotions are as flexible and undependable as an elastic measuring tape. One minute we feel happy; the next, we’re sad. We can have a wonderful time of intimacy in prayer, and in five minutes be yelling at our child for spilling milk on the carpet. Emotional expressions are not necessarily an indication of either the presence, or the lack of the presence, of God.

Amazingly, some corporate prayer groups base their entire prayer time on emotions. Hebrews 11:1-2 tell us, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it [faith] the elders obtained a good testimony.” It is faith that moves the heart of God, not emotion.

By faith the elders obtained a good testimony. Yet some of these giants of the faith were tortured, jeered at and flogged, while others were chained and put in prison. They were stoned, sawed in two and put to death by the sword (see vv. 35-37).

Most of these mighty men and women didn’t flinch when they were mistreated, misunderstood, persecuted or left destitute. Hebrews 11:38-39 (NIV) says of them, “The world was not worthy of them...These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised.” Their mind-set was one of faith, not feelings.

God knows I am emotional. Eddie calls me radical. In his book Help! I’m Married to an Intercessor (Regal) he describes me in his own terms:

“Alice is radical about everything! This woman would rather watch the Houston Rockets professional basketball team play than eat. She was a cheerleader in school when her father was the football coach. Alice is a Dallas Cowboys football fanatic as well. When the Cowboys game is being televised, everything at our house comes to a screeching halt.

“Now, I like football. I tend to watch the game casually from my recliner. I drink coffee, read the paper and talk on the phone during the game.

Not her! Alice watches the game on her feet—even in our living room! Pacing, lunging, warning and encouraging the players and coaches, my radical wife is not bothered at all that they can’t hear a word she’s saying!”

Being radical is not bad as long as you work to maintain balance in all areas of your life.

3. Inappropriate behavior. Intercessors have a responsibility to represent the Lord both inside and outside the prayer room. We need to learn that that which is biblical is not always appropriate. Ongoing “weird” activity in the prayer setting is likely to be soulish, if not demonic.

An undisciplined mind confuses soulishness and spirituality, allowing the soul to rule over the spirit. An unruly mind has to be “renewed day by day.” The apostle Paul reminds us: “Be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit” (Eph. 5:18, KJV).

To be filled with the Spirit is to exercise the qualities of the Holy Spirit. What are they? “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law” (Gal. 5:22-23).

Egrates, the Greek word for temperance, is translated “self-control.” The Holy Spirit will not control you. You must control you!

One form of inappropriate behavior I am concerned about is an alarming manifestation I will call “ecstasy.” This manifestation is misdiagnosed as travail, but it is not genuine godly travail. When it occurs, a glazed expression forms on the intercessor’s face, and he or she voices utterances resembling expressions of sexual gratification. I have actually seen intercessors positioned in a manner that suggests a sexual act is happening.

Beware, women! We must ask the Lord for spiritual discernment concerning such matters. Proper travailing prayer will not cause physical arousal.

Dutch Sheets makes an interesting point about travail in his book, Intercessory Prayer (Regal):

“First, I believe biblical travail is an important, if not essential, part of intercession for the lost. Second, I don’t believe it is defined by groaning, wailing, weeping and hard work. Natural travail certainly is, and spiritual travail can include these things. I do not believe, however, it must include them, and I’m convinced it is not defined by them.”

Dutch goes on to define travailing intercession. It is “a form of intercession that releases the creative power...of the Holy Spirit into a situation to produce, create or give birth to something.”

Not long ago at a conference, I called for repentance by all intercessors who had ever experienced false travail such as I have described. One woman who came forward for prayer told me that she was a seasoned intercessor who had been praying for over 20 years. But recently she went to a conference where a person laid hands on her for impartation. Impartation is right!

After that incident, whenever she tried to pray she would see Jesus as her lover and experience a physical orgasm. She had opened herself to a false spiritual experience she did not ask the Lord about first. At the conference she received deliverance from the evil spirit that had seduced her.

It is clear that we must be discerning. Ephesians 5:15-16 tell us to “walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil” (NKJV).

Evil or not, these are exciting days in which to live, for spiritual awakenings are being seen throughout the earth. I pray we see one here in the United States! To help bring this about, we must be committed to maintaining our credibility in prayer. Decide now to keep a spiritual eye on what’s going on in the prayer room and be a Spirit-led—not a flaky—woman of prayer.

Alice Smith is co-founder and executive director of the U.S. Prayer Center in Houston. She is also an internationally known conference speaker and  best-selling author. Consider booking Alice for your next prayer conference, leadership training, banquet speaker, retreat leader, etc. Books and other resources by Alice can be found at:  www.PrayerBookstore.com

Alice and Eddie

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By Eddie and Alice Smith
U.S. Prayer Center, Houston, Texas

Sadly, as we enter 2013 we can’t help but notice that much of the twenty-first century church is in disarray.

Despite Paul’s 2,000-year-old admonition against division in the church (1 Cor. 12:22-25), it’s plain to see that the body of Christ is severely splintered. Among the divisions are:

•  Denominationalism

•  Racial tensions

•  The gender gap

•  The Charismatic versus non-Charismatic issues

•  Minister and laity distinctions

Although in the past twenty years we’ve seen some encouraging reconciliation in the church, the lost world might rightly ask, “Why are these Christians trying to reconcile me to God when they are not even reconciled to each other?”

It’s an excellent question, and one that deserves an answer. After all, reconciliation implies relationship!

But there is something else. Along with the need for reconciliation, we must offer the Lord new wineskins. God wants to pour out the new wine of revival upon his church. In fact, he has saved the best wine until last. It is a purifying wine, a healing wine, and an empowering wine. New wine however, requires new wineskins. (Mark 2:22) As someone has rightly said, “All new wineskins have one thing in common. They are freshly dead.”

To become new wineskins and truly live, we must die to ourselves and abandon the old. So the church today is in a state of flux. The only thing we can count on in the future is change! But as long as the church looks like a sieve, fraught with disunity, it will never hold water, much less new wine.

We are on the brink of what may be history’s last great revival and a worldwide harvest of souls. God is renewing the nature of the church (his bride) as he prepares her for earth’s final spiritual battle to be followed by the marriage supper of the Lamb.

However, Jesus said, “A house divided against itself will fall” (Luke 11:17). As unity enables, so also disunity disables. For 2,000 years, a disabled church has tried,

• To reach a disabled world

• To fight against the kingdom of darkness

• To complete the Great Commission

As a result of our divisions, not surprisingly, we have accomplished little. After 2,000 years of opportunity, much of the world is yet to know God and the eternal salvation that could be theirs through his Son, Jesus Christ. Two thousand more years of the same from the church will produce the same pitiful results!

That is precisely why we need watchmen (intercessors) who will “stand in the gap in prayer,” and for gatekeepers (pastors), who will move into their Kingdom positions to work effectively with them.

(Source: Eddie and Alice Smith’s book, Intercessors & Pastors: The Emerging Partnership of Watchmen & Gatekeepers, pages 5-6)

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Whether you make New Years resolutions or not, I hope you'll benefit from this article.

 10 Tips For Your Resolutions

Eddie Smith

Can you believe it? It's almost 2013! What in the world happened to 2012? Some of us are on Christmas vacations visiting loved ones. Others’ homes are packed with loved ones and their suitcases. Most are probably still trying to finish off the pies, cakes and cookies from Christmas! Alice and I are at home in Houston recovering from Thanksgiving and Christmas meals. We enjoyed a fun day with most of our children and grandchildren on the 24^th. It’s increasingly harder by the year to get everyone together on the same day. Now it’s on to 2013.

New Years is typically thought of as a time for renewed hope. At this time of the year most of us focus on new goals and opportunities. Perhaps like us, you are praying for and looking for God’s direction in the new year. If so, let’s continue to trust Him faithfully and do what is at hand. We should never open the door to worry. Worry is calling into question God’s integrity; or as our sweet friend, the late Zig Ziglar would say: “It’s paying interest on a bill that’s not yet due.” Truth is that very little of what most of us worry about ever comes to pass. Likewise, let’s not become so focused on the future that we lose sight of the present opportunities that we have. Instead, let’s take the next step that the Lord places in front of us, no matter how insignificant it may seem at the moment.

New Years is an exciting time for all! The custom of celebrating the end of one year and the beginning of another is celebrated around the world, and goes back thousands of years into the Roman and Babylonian times. People ring in the new year with lots of noise and fun. Unfortunately, in many cases, it’s also accompanied by drunkenness. Perhaps the most obvious celebrations to those of us who live in the U.S. are the local celebrations in our towns; the watch night New Years Eve services in our churches; and the celebration which is televised from New York’s Times Square each year.

New Years Day is possibly the most celebrated holiday in the world. Here in the U.S., there are many locally- and nationally-televised New Years Day parades. When I lived in Hollywood, California in the 1960s I remember how my neighbors would take their sleeping bags to sleep on the streets in Pasadena to secure a good spot from which to watch the Rose Bowl Parade. I like football and parades. But I don’t love them enough to exchange my warm bed for a night on the sidewalk! 

Many people believe that eating a lucky food on New Years Day is the key to a Happy New Year. While Alice and I will eat black eyed peas and cornbread on New Years Day, which is customary here in the South, we won’t do it for luck. Our steps are ordered by the Lord, not “luck.” <smile> We’ll do it because it’s absolutely delicious!

One New Years tradition is the making of resolutions. I never believed much in New Years Resolutions. My New Years Resolution was usually NOT to make any New Years Resolutions. But I admit that it does offer a good opportunity to pause and reflect on our lives. That tradition dates back to the early Babylonians who some believe made New Year's resolutions as promises made to the gods, like bargaining in hope that the gods would grant some favor in return, like a good harvest. Not surprisingly then it was also believed that to break a New Years resolution brought bad luck. 

The Bible doesn’t speak for or against the concept of New Years resolutions. But it does encourage us to examine ourselves. And gives us many “to dos.” But as we all know, making New Years resolutions is only one half of the battle. Keeping the ones we make is the hard part. Christian researcher, George Barna and his Barna Group, report that 30% of those who make resolutions resolve to improve their health. That’s certainly a worthy goal, since we are stewards of our own bodies. However, we’re told that only 46% of those who make resolutions actually stick with them after six months. 

However, if you are inclined to make some resolutions this year, I’d like to offer 10 suggestions.

1. Most resolutions are based on little more than wishful thinking. Ask the Lord to lead you in the matter. He offers His strength to that which He initiates.
2. Don’t set goals out of emotion or ego; or emulate others. Pick realistic goals, things that you feel equipped to achieve.
3. Don’t allow discouragement from any failure to reach last year’s goals dissuade you from setting goals this year.
4. Don’t pick too many goals. That only indicates a lack of priorities.
5. Be flexible. Life is about balance. These aren’t laws. Be willing to adjust along the way. Goals that increase your stress to unhealthy levels are not good, even if you are able to accomplish them.
6. “Don’t bite off more than you can chew.” Break larger goals into smaller goals. Remember what Jesus said in Luke 14:28 about how a man who builds a tower should first sit down and estimate the cost. 
7. Don’t select vague, uninspiring goals. Be specific. It’s not about “losing weight.” It’s about “weighing 15 pounds less by March 1^st.”
8. Write your resolutions down and keep them where you can see them. The resolutions we keep and goals we achieve are those that become habitual.
9. Don’t think that New Years is the only time you can make resolutions. Every day is a day that the Lord has made (Psa 118:24). Rejoice and be glad in it and make it count for His glory!
10. Consider God’s ultimate purpose. He wants to conform us into the image of His Son, Jesus. (Rom 12:1-2) So, perhaps a good place to start would be with the “the fruit of the (Holy) Spirit,” which is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, meekness, temperance and faith. Give yourself a grade for each of these. Which one(s) need improvement? If in doubt, ask someone who knows and loves you enough to help. What are some resolutions you might make to reinforce that/those part(s) of your life?  

Finally, make your resolution commitments to yourself. Always be careful and take your vows to God much more seriously. Ecclesiastes 5:4-5 tells us: “ When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow. It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it.”

Enjoy an abundant 2013!

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God bless you!
Eddie and Alice