Elisha was a man of unusual “God moments.” I’m still pondering the floating axhead story—and have absolutely nothing to write about that!
But I am especially struck by the details of two miracles involving Elisha: the widow with the replenishing oil and the Shunammite woman’s son who was raised from the dead. Both of these stories from 2 Kings 4 have a common thread that intrigues me.
In the first miracle story, the widow was in deep financial trouble. She called out to Elisha for help, acknowledging that she was down to her last few drops of oil. Elisha instructed her to gather up as many jars as possible in her home. Then he told her to go inside and shut the door. Behind that closed door, the oil began to flow and the widow was supplied with more than enough to sustain her family.
In the second miracle story, the woman from Shunem lost her son, perhaps to a brain aneurism. (Just my guess—the passage says that he died after a horrible headache.) She was distraught and went to find Elisha. Elisha’s servant got to the woman’s house first and tried to help the boy according to Elisha’s instructions. Nothing.
Then Elisha showed up, went into the room with the boy, and shut the door behind him. Alone in the room with the lifeless body, Elisha began to pray. He lay on top of the boy, mouth to mouth, hand to hand. As Elisha’s body covered the boy, a sense of warmth began to return. Elisha got up, paced around the room, and then stretched out over the boy again. Suddenly the boy sneezed seven times with the breath of life!
Both of these miracles were done behind closed doors. No crowds; no big fanfare. Just simple acts of obedience and prayer in times of desperation. One miracle resulted in provision; the other resulted in a revived life.
I’ve noticed in my own life that God is calling me to more times of intercession behind closed doors. It’s just me and my God. Mostly I’m pleading with Him for revival of the church and spiritual awakening of our nation. I’m praying for the dead to live again!
But perhaps the greatest miracle is what God is doing in my own heart and life when I shut the door and get alone with Him. I think I am living again!
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If you don’t believe we are in need of a spiritual awakening in our nation, you are not obsessed the news networks like I am! Seriously, you cannot live in this nation without some awareness that a movement of God is desperately needed.
Historically, this nation has experienced some powerful spiritual awakenings that have dramatically changed the spiritual climate of society. However, we are perhaps 150 years overdue for another nationwide, saturating awakening.
But there are hopeful signs! Before every great spiritual awakening, there were some common indicators that we’re beginning to see emerge once again. Billy Wilson of Awakening America Alliance shared some encouraging observations with me in an interview.
One of the first signs is an increase in the use of revival and spiritual awakening language. In the past few years, great movements of prayer have been rising up, including alliances of Christian ministries devoted to prayer for revival. Eighteen years ago I wrote my first article on revival. I wasn’t quite sure what it was, but I was aware that there had to be something more to faith in Christ than what I was seeing displayed in the Church. Now the call for revival is becoming commonplace in prayer circles.
Another sign is an increase in the fervency of prayer among the “remnant.” These are the pastors and intercessors who have prayed faithfully and sought God for a greater move of His power in our midst. More and more prayer warriors are joining the ranks of those praying fervently for revival. This is one of the most encouraging and hopeful signs, as almost all revivals have started with less than 12 people praying. God loves to work through a remnant!
As we close in on a desperately needed move of God in our nation, there are two more indicators that will increase just prior to revival breaking out:
- There will be an increase in united, extraordinary prayer. This prayer is passionate, fervent, and repentant in nature—and this is increasing exponentially!
- There will be a restoration of integrity to the pulpit. You will begin to hear greater boldness in messages based on the truth of the gospel, and it will include the message of repentance. Not only will the messengers of the gospel proclaim the integrity of the gospel more clearly, they will also experience their own repentance and transformation. This is something we should all long for our own lives.
Keep your eyes on the horizon. Revival fires are not far away. Keep praying; keep repenting. As we humble ourselves in brokenness, God will draw closer and closer to us. Come, Lord Jesus!
I was just settling into a comfortable spot on the floor in front of the fireplace on a bitterly cold winter night, with pillows perfectly positioned. I was reading a book written by a friend about dealing with disappointment when God seems to "disappear." *
Suddenly I had that thought...you know...the one where you wonder if it's God speaking or simply your imagination.
Go and read your book at Caribou Coffee.
I desperately hoped it was my imagination. It was cold and dark. I was warm and comfy.
Go read your book at Caribou.
Rats. It might be God.
I tried to ignore it. I tried to rationalize my way beyond it. Do I really have to?
But the thought wouldn't leave. So I got up, put on my winter coat, and stepped into the cold--pondering again the purpose of obedience.
As I walked into Caribou, I told the Lord I had no idea why He invited me here. But if it was simply to see if I would actually leave the warm fire--then so be it!
I ordered a caramel high rise. Figured I deserved it.
Then the guy behind the counter spoke up. "What book are you reading?" he asked.
Oh, my. That opened up a dialog that continued for several minutes with the interruption of a few customers passing through.
Turns out the Caribou guy was exploring lots of things: Hinduism, reincarnation, Buddhism, and even Christianity. But his big issue? He wanted proof. If Christianity is true, he needed some answers to tough questions. A friend had encouraged him to read The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel, but he wasn't sure he could buy that Christianity is the only way.
I finally wrapped up the conversation by telling him that I would pray for him while he read the book. I said I would ask Jesus to prove Himself if He really is the truth.
"What's your name?" I inquired, just wanting to make my prayers a bit more personal.
"Thomas," he replied.
Oh, my. I suppressed a laugh, but my heart swelled with gratitude that God cared so much about Thomas and his doubts that he would send me out in the cold to pray for him.
Yes, we have to. We have to be obedient to those promptings of God if we want to see His amazing work!
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© 2010 Shekinah Today Ministries & "Pray, America! Pray!" All Rights Reserved
The cords of death encompassed me; the torrents of destruction assailed me; the cords of Sheol entangled me; the snares of death confronted me. In my distress I called upon the LORD; to my God I cried for help. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears. (7) Then the earth reeled and rocked; the foundations also of the mountains trembled and quaked, because he was angry. Smoke went up from his nostrils, and devouring fire from his mouth; glowing coals flamed forth from him. He bowed the heavens and came down; thick darkness was under his feet. He rode on a cherub and flew; he came swiftly on the wings of the wind. He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him, thick clouds dark with water. Out of the brightness before him hailstones and coals of fire broke through his clouds. The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Most High uttered his voice, hailstones and coals of fire. And he sent out his arrows and scattered them; he flashed forth lightnings and routed them. Then the channels of the sea were seen, and the foundations of the world were laid bare at your rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the breath of your nostrils. He sent from on high, he took me; he drew me out of many waters. He rescued me from my strong enemy and from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me. They confronted me in the day of my calamity, but the LORD was my support. He brought me out into a broad place; he rescued me, because he delighted in me.
Yes, Lord, You have released me form the bondage of sin. You have set my feet upon a level path and given me instructions to walk that path. You have given me a guide and a Teacher to open Your word to me and to show me how it applies to my life. The Docent of the Lord to lead me through the riches of the Word of the Lord. And the Mentor of the Lord to remind and admonish me when I stray. Your Gifts are boundless. You are the Mighty One and in Your Presence is Joy Forevermore.
Voices Together is taken from my daily meditations and is shared in the hope that others will be encouraged to use the Psalms as a basis for their own prayers, It is available in other formats including a daily e-mail, as a weekly bulletin insert for churches and for use in prison ministry, and published as an annual devotional.
Paul taught us that we all "see through a glass darkly", and we "prophesy in part". If a man who wrote multiple books of the Bible saw himself this way; I certainly see myself the same. I never assume that I absolutely know what God's saying.
We're told that things should be established by two or three witnesses. So, unless something is urgent and immediate (and personal), rather than act, I tend to wait on the Lord and look for His confirmations.
If you've offered something to your pastor and feel ignored, it may be that your pastor's lack of response could be one of the confirmations you need to show you that although it's a good idea, and possibly a prayer assignment for you, it's not one that needs be distributed across the United States.
As I watch and pray (waiting for confirmations), I assure God that I am ready and willing to do whatever He wants me to do. But, I "don't trust me", I only trust Him. I ask him to provide me with unmistakable confirmations. There have been many times, perhaps most times, that the confirmations weren't given, or negative confirmations were given, and I was freed from what I had assumed was "my word or assignment". There are others, not as many perhaps, when I received unmistakable confirmations. Although I could share many with you, I'll share one.
One morning, almost 20 years ago, I awoke with an impression that I was to coordinate 40-days of fasting and prayer for revival in the spring of each year. I did as always--I submitted it to the Lord for Him to confirm.
When I arrived at my office, my secretary announced that there was a doctor's wife on the phone (I still remember her name). She asked me if anyone had ever launched and led a 40-day fasting and prayer initiative across denominational lines. I told her I didn't know, but I'd find out and let her know. I called denominational prayer leaders to ask them. Some had done 40-day initiatives within their denomination, but none had done it with other denominations.
I reported my find to her and she asked if I would consider doing that. By this time, I assumed I had one possible confirmation. Her telephone inquiry.
I would never have considered myself a national leader. So, launching and leading something like this wasn't something I felt free or even qualified to do. But, for a week I couldn't shake the idea.
Finally, partly to get some relief, I sent personal letters to the top 50 prayer leaders in the U.S. and told them how I had been led and what I was feeling. (I was totally unknown to any of them.) I asked, "If you feel this is possibly a call of God for our nation and would be willing to do so; meet me in Chicago at O'Hare Airport for an all-day meeting on..." To my amazement, 35 of them came at their own expense to Chicago. Some from the east coast, some from the west. One even slept in the airport to make the occasion.
Alice, my wife, and I flew to Chicago to conduct the meeting in a room at the airport I had rented (via credit card) because we had no money for our flight or the room!
When the plane landed in Chicago, I received a call from my secretary in Houston. It seemed that the only unemployed board member we had, out of 22, had brought a check by the office. The amount of the check was: $7,000! That was the largest single gift we'd ever received! It paid for the room, the meals and our flight! This was a second condemnation.
I spent the morning with them in prayer. I presented to them what I sensed the Lord might be saying. Then we took a break for lunch. I had no idea how they'd respond or what they thought.
After lunch, they returned. One by one each shared their impression. They overwhelmingly endorsed what we chose to call "PrayUSA". To me, that was the third confirmation that I had indeed heard from God. Then they laid hands on us and commissioned us to launch and to lead it.
I would have never launched or considered myself leader of such an effort. But confirmations continued to arrive. Dr. Pat Robertson at CBN heard about it and invited me on the 700 Club. He and Dr. Bill Bright of Campus Crusade for Christ agreed to be honorary co-chairmen of the effort.
For the next six years we led PrayUSA! (ending in 2001). Dozens of denominations, hundreds of parachurch ministries, thousands of churches and millions of Christians participated each year in what CBN News reported was the largest prayer and fasting initiative in history.
What began as a personal impression, confirmed multiple times by the Lord, became a great success. I hope this inspires you.
When I miss it, it's no reflection on me. It doesn't mean I can't hear God. It doesn't mean that leadership doesn't support me. It simply means that I don't perfectly hear--I see through a glass darkly and prophesy in part. That's why I need you and other believers. That's also why I need the confirming work of the Holy Spirit.
I love you, O LORD, my strength. The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies.
How glorious it is Lord, for You are my my strength, rock, fortress, salvation, and stronghold. You are indeed worthy of my praise, I am safe and secure from all alarms, safe in the arms of Jesus, safe on His gentle breast. In You I have complete and perfect peace.
Voices Together is taken from my daily meditations and is shared in the hope that others will be encouraged to use the Psalms as a basis for their own prayers, It is available in other formats including a daily e-mail, as a weekly bulletin insert for churches and for use in prison ministry, and published as an annual devotional. As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness; when I awake, I shall be satisfied with your likeness.
O, Lord, the prospect before me, to be like You, to fully emerged from the chrysalis into Your glorious light and life. "To be satisfied" seems to be so weak a statement; I shall be satisfied and completed and fulfilled and perfected and gratified; I shall be exactly what You determined before the foundation of Creation that I should be.
Voices Together is taken from my daily meditations and is shared in the hope that others will be encouraged to use the Psalms as a basis for their own prayers, It is available in other formats including a daily e-mail, as a weekly bulletin insert for churches and for use in prison ministry, and published as an annual devotional.I recently finished re-reading a book that may well be my favorite book on prayer: The God Who Hears, by Bingham Hunter. I really appreciate the premise of the book that prayer begins with God, not with us. God is the one who draws us to prayer; we tend to see prayer as us coming to God when actually it's Him drawing us into His presence.
Hunter begins where prayer really should begin - with who God is. He deals with several aspects of God's character and how they impact our prayers. He asks questions like "If God is all-knowing, what is there to tell him?" and "How do I relate to a God who is Spirit?" He doesn't shy away from the tough ones, either, like "Why pray to a God who lets people hurt?".
I love Hunter's statement that "Prayer is not a means we use to get what we want from God; it's a means God uses to give us what He wants." Praying well, then, starts with understanding what God wants, and that begins with knowing who God is, what He is like, and having a personal relationship with Him. Hunter makes the observation that God responds not to our words but to our lives.
This book is not light reading, but it's the best perspective on prayer that I've ever read. Hunter's understanding of prayer keeps the believer from falling into "prayer fads"; he rejects formulaic approaches to prayer in favor of a relational approach. This is surely the way God meant prayer to be. Hunter sees prayer not as a separate activity but rather as a pervasive part of an overall relationship with God. If I could recommend one book on prayer for everyone to read, this would be it.
Psalm 119:39
Turn away the reproach that I dread, for your rules are good.
The reproach that I do dread is that of my family, friends and neighbors, the reproach that I should dread is Yours. It is so easy to sit here in the absolute quiet of the pre-dawn and vow obedience to Your word. It is another thing entirely to obey when faced with a disapproval of others because I am trying to adhere to Your word. There is no difference between me and the drunk who vows he will never drink again while he is sitting in the chapel in the prison, but after release ... Both of us need to throw ourselves upon Your mercy and cry, "Be gracious unto me, Lord, for I am a sinner."
Voices Together is taken from my daily meditations and is shared in the hope that others will be encouraged to use the Psalms as a basis for their own prayers, It is available in other formats including a daily e-mail, as a weekly bulletin insert for churches and for use in prison ministry, and published as an annual devotional.
"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).
Perhaps you are facing a difficult circumstance - financially, relationally or with your health. During challenging times it is not always easy to give thanks, but this is the very thing we must do in order to see God’s will accomplished in our lives. This is how we move into higher realms of faith for ourselves, for our city, and for our nations.
Thanksgiving breaks the power of the enemy. Whenever you give thanks to God, despite the most difficult circumstances, the enemy loses a big battle in your life. When you give thanks in the midst of hardship, you bring pleasure to God's heart and breakthrough begins. He is looking for Christians who live in a realm of praise and thanksgiving where the enemy no longer has an ability to hold or manipulate a person. Satan is defeated when we have a thankful heart because thankfulness during difficulty is a sacrifice, pleasing to God.
Are you thankful?
Are you thankful for your present circumstances?
Are you thankful for your salvation, your friendships, and your job?
Thankfulness is a key to a victorious prayer life. We enter His courts with praise. It is the key that turns your situation around because it changes you, your outlook, and your attitude. There is power in a thankful heart. Thanksgiving brings contentment. An attitude of thanksgiving accepts and embraces God’s will.
Begin to thank God for all the blessings he has given instead of dwelling on the negative. Discontent dries up the soul. Look at what Elizabeth Elliot - who lost her husband on the mission field and has faced multitudes of hardships - says about loving God's will and being content. In her book, Secure in the Everlasting Arms, she says:
"To love God is to love His will. It is to wait quietly for life to be measured by one who knows us through and through. It is to be content with His timing and His wise apportionment. It is to follow in the steps of the Master, as did Paul, who was able to say that he had learned contentment no matter what the circumstances. His circumstances when he wrote that? Prison. No easy lesson, but great gain which is the sum of godliness plus contentment (1 Timothy 6:6)."
Look at the example of Jesus. He followed the will of His Father to the very end. He obeyed without complaint. In Philippians 2:5-8 Paul says that we should have that same attitude. Jesus made himself nothing and took on the very nature of a servant. He humbled Himself and became obedient to death. We also are to have this same attitude with a humble and thankful acceptance of God’s will for our lives. Elizabeth emphasizes the fact that Jesus embraced hardship without a complaint:
"Jesus loved the will of His Father. He embraced the limitations, the necessities, the conditions, the very chains of His humanity as He walked and worked here on earth, fulfilling moment by moment His divine commission and the stern demands of His incarnation. Never was there a word or even a look of complaint."
The Duke of Wellington was the Great British military leader who regretted that he had not learned the secret of praise during his lifetime. He had many great accomplishments and even defeated Napoleon at Waterloo. He was a brilliant and demanding man and when he was older, he realized that there were areas in his life that needed to change. In his old age a women asked him this question,
“What would you do differently if you had your life to live over again?”
He thought carefully and said, “I would give more praise.”
This is a lesson for all of us. That we would learn to be people of praise and thanksgiving to God all the days of our lives would be a great accomplishment. William Law, who wrote the book A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life, stresses the greatness and the happiness of thanksgiving. He says:
“Would you know who is the greatest saint in the world? It is not he who prays most or fasts most; it is not he who gives most alms or is most eminent for temperance, chastity or justice; but it is he who is always thankful to God, who wills everything that God wills, who receives everything as an instance of God’s goodness and has a heart always ready to praise God for it… Could you therefore work miracles, you could not do more for yourself than by this thankful spirit, for it… Turns all that it touches into happiness.”
David writes in Psalm 116:17, "I will sacrifice a thank offering to you and call on the name of the Lord.”
Did you know that thanking God for a difficulty is actually an offering that He highly values? You are bringing a gift of thanks to Him. It makes Him smile. It’s so easy to complain and point the finger and find fault. But to come in the opposite attitude and gives thanks brings breakthrough and joyful contentment. Let each of us seek to have an attitude of gratitude and thanksgiving during this Thanksgiving season, and rise to a new level of holiness. Here are some ways to practice this attitude in everyday life:
*Thank and praise God for everything in your life - Thank Him for even the difficulties. It is a sacrifice to do this, but He can turn troubles to triumph. “Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise - the fruit of lips that confess his name” (Hebrews 13:15).
*Don’t allow yourself to complain about anything - During the difficult times, be very careful to watch your tongue. Instead of complaining, think of ways you can verbally offer God the sacrifice of thanksgiving. “Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe” (Philippians 1:14-15).
*Don’t compare yourself with others - Don’t wish your life were different. God knows what is best for you. The Bible says having a thankful heart is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. When we begin to thank God for what we have rather than comparing ourselves with others, it opens the door for God’s blessings. “Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else” (Galatians 6:4).
The Apostle Paul was a wonderful example of one who practiced thanksgiving in prayer. He didn’t complain about anything even when facing imprisonment. He didn’t fall into self-pity or compare himself with others. That would be hard for most of us. Instead, Paul thanked God in every circumstance, even the difficult ones. He was thankful in his prayers for others even when they were having trouble spiritually. See 1 Corinthians 1:4, Ephesians 1:16, Philippians 1:3, Colossians 1:3, 1 Thessalonians 1:2, 2 Thessalonians 1:3, 2 Timothy 1:3, and Philemon 4.
Most of us are in need of breakthroughs in prayer. The enemy is fighting hard with fiery darts of discouragement and lies. The way we will begin to deal with the lies in our lives and the vicious ways he tries to destroy our joy is through cultivating a thankful heart.
As we cultivate a lifestyle of worship and praise, we will be able to break through the strategies of the enemy. A worshipful and thankful life permeates the atmosphere with the presence of God because worship is the atmosphere where God’s truth dwells. Thanksgiving turns all that it touches into happiness.
A Prayer for a Thankful Heart
“Lord, teach me to offer you a heart of thanksgiving in all my daily experiences of life. Teach me to be joyful always, to pray continually, and to give thanks in all my circumstances. I accept them as Your will for my life (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). I long to bring pleasure to Your heart. Break the power of the enemy in my life. Defeat Him through my sacrifice of praise. Change my outlook and attitude into one of joyful contentment with my present circumstance. Help me not to dwell on the negatives because discontent dries up my soul. I thank You for… (Name a difficult circumstance in your life presently and thank God for it). I offer this to You as my thank offering (Psalm 116:17).
Jesus, I want to be like You who obeyed the Father without complaint. You embraced the chains of humanity when you walked this earth. Convict me whenever I complain or compare myself with others. Give me Your attitude of humility and thankful acceptance. I want to be like the Apostle Paul who learned contentment in every circumstance. I choose to continually offer you a sacrifice of praise, the fruit of lips that give praise to Your name (Hebrews 13:15). I want to give You enjoyment through a life of thanksgiving. I long to bring a smile to Your face. Teach me the power of a thankful heart. I know that Your truth dwells in a thankful heart. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
"God smiles when we praise and thank Him continually. Few things feel better than receiving heartfelt praise and appreciation from someone else. God loves it, too… An amazing thing happens when we offer praise and thanksgiving to God. When we give God enjoyment, our own hearts are filled with joy." Rick Warren
Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise International
http://www.intercessorsarise.org
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Voices Together for Saturday, 14 August 2010
Psalm 17:10-14
They close their hearts to pity; with their mouths they speak arrogantly. They have now surrounded our steps; they set their eyes to cast us to the ground. He is like a lion eager to tear, as a young lion lurking in ambush. Arise, O LORD! Confront him, subdue him! Deliver my soul from the wicked by your sword, from men by your hand, O LORD, from men of the world whose portion is in this life. You fill their womb with treasure; they are satisfied with children, and they leave their abundance to their infants.
Those affections, selfish desires, willful disobediences that come between me and You are being moved under the authority of the Holy Spirit, discarded and sent to the middens of sin. You are stripping me of the old man, feeding and growing the new, bringing me into a mature life in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Voices Together is taken from my daily meditations and is shared in the hope that others will be encouraged to use the Psalms as a basis for their own prayers, It is available in other formats including a daily e-mail, as a weekly bulletin insert for churches and for use in prison ministry, and published as an annual devotional.
Meditations on the Psalms from John Nunnikhoven
Voices Together for Friday, 13 August 2010
Psalm 17:6-9
I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God; incline your ear to me; hear my words. Wondrously show your steadfast love, O Savior of those who seek refuge from their adversaries at your right hand. Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings, from the wicked who do me violence, my deadly enemies who surround me.
It is so hard, Lord, to release control of my life to You. But You are faithful, You lead me every step of the way, showing the steadfastness of Your love. Slowly, slowly, slowly, I am learning to trust You in all things, to seek You and Your righteousness first in all aspects of my life. And You respond with release from the grip of the Evil One and with the filling of Your peace that passes all understanding. Praise You, my Lord and my Master.
Voices Together is taken from my daily meditations and is shared in the hope that others will be encouraged to use the Psalms as a basis for their own prayers, It is available in other formats including a daily e-mail, as a weekly bulletin insert for churches and for use in prison ministry, and published as an annual devotional.
To be honest, when I read of violence like this, my first reaction is to be angry. I'd like to think that anger is righteous anger of the type that Jesus displayed in clearing the temple of the moneychangers, but in my more candid moments I know better. James says that man's anger does not bring about the righteousness of God.
So when I pray over situations like this, I first ask God to cleanse my own heart. I want to feel his grief for both the victims and the perpetrators. That's not an easy prayer; frankly, only God could do that.
Recently, I've begun to "go on the offense" in praying for the persecuted church. I realized that my prayers have been primarily defensive in nature: asking God to fix what was broken, to comfort grieving families, etc. These are important prayers, but for some reason God seems to be leading me to pray more aggressively these days.
In praying for the families of these murdered workers, I've been asking God to do for them what he did for Job - not just to restore what was taken, but many times more than that. I've been praying for an "abundantly more than all we ask or imagine" type of blessing for those impacted by persecution - something that only God could do, something that will bring honor to him by showing both his love and his power.
And in praying for the perpetrators of crimes like this, I've begun to pray for Damascus-road type experiences like Paul had: not just that the persecutors would stop persecuting, but that God would so change them that they become champions of his cause. We know that Paul's conversion caused no small stir in the early church - can you imagine the stir it must have caused among his former allies in persecuting the church? What better display of God's power and saving grace could there be than that he turns around the lives of those who have so set themselves against him?
The church is at war. So yes, I pray for God to protect, to defend, to restore. But more and more these days, I sense God leading me to ask him to take the offense - to break down walls, to change lives, to expand the kingdom. The "armor of God" passage in Ephesians 6 contains both defensive and offensive weapons. I think God is teaching me now that prayer is intended to be the ultimate weapon on both defense and offense. What do you think?
Celebrating 50 years (this year) in ministry I can assure you that misunderstandings, mistrust and betrayals are unavoidable. In fact, as odd as it may sound, they are actually part of the plan. After all, if we're to reign with Him, we must first suffer with Him. It's in our suffering that we are conformed into His image.
For resurrection life to exist, something must die. It's not "if I'm ever betrayed". It's "when I'm betrayed". You see, many people blame the devil, when all along it's God who provides our "Judas'".
Why? God provides our Judas' to get us to our crosses. We must take up "our crosses daily and follow Him". Those are the crosses on which we die--to ourselves, our dreams, our desires, self-will and even self-esteem. "Accept" myself? Certainly. "Esteem" myself? Never. God says I'm to esteem others better than myself. Esteem ourselves and in every betrayal, we'll see ourselves as victims and wallow in self-pity. That is not the role of a kingdom Christian. We are more than conquerors!
Let's get to it. As long as we can be offended, God will see to it that we are. It's a measure of our death to self. Spiritual maturity is growing to a place where we are "un-offendable". It's a long-term process. I'd like to live at the place where I can say, "You may grieve me, you may hurt me, but you'll never offend me. I don't 'rent space to people in my brain'." But such maturity isn't easily gotten.
So the question is--what am I to do when others hurt me? Here are three things I notice that Christ did when He was betrayed.
1. Jesus didn't allow His immediate pain to distract Him from His ultimate purpose. He knew who He was and why He was here. He had come to die. Regardless of the pain of His betrayal, Jesus kept His focus. So should we. The enemy wants to distract us. He knows that as long as we're focused on our betrayal or our betrayer, we will never reach our kingdom destinies. We must keep our eye on the prize. No successful football running back focuses on those who are trying to tackle him. His focus is on the goal line!
2. Jesus didn't hate His betrayer. When Judas betrayed Him, Jesus said: "Friend, why have you done this?" Judas was still his friend. Can we say that about those who betray us? Remember, it was Jesus who said we are to love our enemies; bless those who curse us; pray for those who persecute us; and do good to those who despite fully use us. Perhaps these are the three least obeyed commands in Scripture! Paul adds. if our enemies hunger, we're to feed them; and if they thirst, we're to give them drink. Us?
Most of us, who escape the tendency to hate our betrayers, usually opt to ignore or disregard them. This is actually, in one sense, worse than hatred. Why? Because if one hates another, at least he assumes his or her existence!
Understand, we are called to be ministers of reconciliation. That's our God-given assignment. We are to be in the restoration business. Ignoring a broken relationship is ungodly.
3. Jesus didn't drop out of the ministry. The easiest option when one is betrayed is to drop out of the ministry (one's personal ministry, professional or not). Often, church volunteers (i.e. Sunday School teachers, etc.) who become offended often turn in their resignations. Pastors, who are betrayed by churches, often resort to selling insurance, used cars or real estate. The pain of betrayal causes many to turn aside from their heavenly calling.
Not Jesus. He picked up the ear of the high priest's servant and placed it back on his head. You remember, the ear that Peter had cut off with his sword. Why did Jesus do that? He did it for two reasons. First, He knew that the man's wife expected her husband to come home that night with two ears! More importantly, because Jesus was STILL The Healer.
Have you been betrayed? Don't allow your immediate pain to distract you from your ultimate purpose. Don't hate, resent or even ignore your betrayer. Seek reconciliation. And, don't you dare drop out of your ministry--your God-given assignment and calling.
Thank God for your Judas'. You need them. Everyone needs a Judas to get them to their cross!
(More on this and other timely issues in our book: Intercessors & Pastors: The Emerging Partnership of Watchmen & Gatekeepers, available at: http://www.prayerbookstore.com/intercessors-and-pastors/ )
Meditations on the Psalms from John Nunnikhoven
Voices Together for Thursday, 12 August 2010
Psalm 17:1-5 A Prayer of David.
Hear a just cause, O LORD; attend to my cry! Give ear to my prayer from lips free of deceit! From your presence let my vindication come! Let your eyes behold the right! You have tried my heart, you have
visited me by night, you have tested me, and you will find nothing; I have purposed that my mouth will not transgress. With regard to the works of man, by the word of your lips I have avoided the ways of the violent. My steps have held fast to your paths; my feet have not slipped.
I am not as sure as David that I can make these statements with the same confidence. I do know that the desire of my heart would be that it were so. I do know that this can only come through the work of the Holy Spirit transforming my mind, heart and conscience. And I know that He requires my complete submission and obedience. He will not argue with me -- I must submit. O, Lord, this is hard!
Voices Together is taken from my daily meditations and is shared in the hope that others will be encouraged to use the Psalms as a basis for their own prayers, It is available in other formats including a daily e-mail, as a weekly bulletin insert for churches and for use in prison ministry, and published as an annual devotional.
Have you ever been in a place and felt God was speaking everywhere you turned? A place where revelation was so tangible, it was like dew saturating the air? It was during a recent trip to Philadelphia, the birthplace of our nation, that God gave me a greater revelation regarding the benefits of Kingdom citizenship.
“We the people in order to form a more perfect union…” is how the preamble to the U.S. Constitution begins. The constitution was formed to bring 13 individual city-states together and create 1 governmental structure wherein the power resides with the people. This document was created to give a voice to the people; a document that outlined the benefits of being a citizen in this newly formed United States.
Benefits guarantee the citizenry certain freedoms and privileges.
- The freedom to practice religion
- The freedom of speech
- The freedom of life, liberty and to pursue happiness
So how does relate to being a citizen of the Kingdom of God? What privileges come with being a citizen of this eternal Kingdom?
- We have been adopted into a family, “For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.” Romans 8:15
- We are accepted for who we are, “To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.” Ephesians 1:6-7
- We have an inheritance, “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.” Romans 8:16-17
- We are overcomers, “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.” Romans 8:37
- We are always on the mind of God, “Can a mother forget the infant at her breast, walk away from the baby she bore? But even if mothers forget, I'd never forget you—never. Look, I've written your names on
the backs of my hands.” Isaiah 49:15-16a
How to become a Kingdom Citizen
- Admit we are sinners and need to be redeemed from sin, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23 “For the wages which sin pays is death, but the [bountiful] free gift of God is
eternal life through (in union with) Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23 - Believe that Jesus Christ died for our sins, “But God shows and clearly proves His [own] love for us by the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) died for us.”Romans 5:8; “Christ never sinned! But God treated him as a sinner, so that Christ could make us acceptable to God.”2 Corinthians 5:21
- Confess that because we are born into sin we need a savior, “Because if you acknowledge and confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and in your heart believe (adhere to, trust in, and rely on the truth)
that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:9
Welcome package, “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39
Think about these questions as you evaluate your personal relationship with God.
Are you able to endure silence?
Are you tuned into hearing God’s still, small voice?
Are you able to listen attentively to what He is saying above all the noise of your world?
In order to pray His will, it is crucial that we hear God’s voice clearly. We all know what it is like to talk with someone who never listens. It is absolutely frustrating! Likewise, God wants us to learn to listen to Him. It is as we spend time before Him in quiet listening that we are able to pray His will more fervently and with greater expectation, hitting the target effectively. We need to be certain of hitting our target as we pray for the situations we see around us. When you give God time in listening prayer, He will direct your prayers strategically, even when you don’t realize it. He will help you to proclaim His will in your prayers, and your level of faith will increase.
God has so much to say to us daily, but often we can’t hear the fine, quiet tones of His voice.
When I was growing up, my father used to make and sell hearing aids from our home. Individuals would come into our house with hearing aids that needed repair. We, as a family, would not even bother to go into the living room to talk with them, because we knew they were not able to hear our voices.
How many of us are in the same situation with God?
He can’t tell us things because our hearing needs repair or we are not taking the time to listen. He often can’t speak into our lives because we are not ready, nor able to discern the treasures of what He has to say to us. Just as we could not communicate with my father’s hard-of-hearing guests, God may feel the same way with us. He can’t share His secrets because we are not listening or are too distracted. We are not able to hear Him whispering in our ear. As a result, we are the ones that miss out and have chosen the lesser thing. And our expectation of what God can do does not increase.
Listening prayer builds expectation. Notice the difference between Mary and Martha in Luke 10:39-41: “She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made… ‘Martha, Martha’, the Lord answered, ‘you are worried about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better.’” Mary listened and sat at Jesus’ feet while Martha worked.
Let’s look at three dimensions of listening prayer. As you evaluate your own listening skills, answer these three questions.
Three Dimensions of Listening Prayer
1. The Ear Hears - Are you attentively listening?
It’s just too easy for us to make our plans and then ask God to bless them. But to be effective in prayer, we must learn to listen to His plans and cooperate with Him. We are then able to pray God-size prayers and join God in partnering with His answer. His blessing then follows because God’s plans will always bring tremendous blessing and fruitfulness. t may take time, but in due season we reap a harvest. Listening is key to being effective and watchful in prayer. It’s a skill to develop in all relationships, but especially in our relationship with God. If we don’t listen to God and hold fast to His word, the devil will continually attack and weaken us with His lies.
“The first stage of Moses’ prayer training was wearing the noise of Egypt out of his ears so he could hear the quiet, fine tones of God’s voice. He who would become skilled in prayer must take a silence course in the university of Arabia”. S. D. Gordon
2. The Voice Persistently Claims - Are you persistently claiming?
Sometimes God tells us things in the secret place of listening, but we fail to persist in claiming His promises. We may pray for a time, but then we give up. We fail to proclaim the truth in His Word. However, when we do move into that dimension of knowing what God wants and as we pray His Word with His unction and anointing, the answers will surely come. Our faith will rise up to that level of proclamation, and we shall see the fulfillment of our dreams. Listening prayer builds an assurance in our inner being of God’s will in the here and now. This moves us into new dimensions of faith and victory.
“When we so absorb this Book (the Bible), and the Spirit of Him who is its life that people cannot tell the line of division between the man, and the God within the man, then shall we have the mightiest power as God’s intercessors in defeating the foe. God and man will be as one in the action of service against the enemy. S. D. Gordon
3. The Eye Expectantly Looks - Are you expectantly looking?
It’s easy to lose an expectant heart when we are bombarded by bad news on a daily basis. We don’t want to live in the place where we listen to the lies of the enemy. We want to have ears that hear the sounds of heaven and eyes that look with expectation of victory in all that is before us. We are soon stepping into eternity, a wondrous place to live. Now is the time to rise up in prayer and see what God has for each one of us as we work to pray in His kingdom. We are made to reign with Him, and one day all our tears will be turned into joy. Learn to listen now and the heartbeat of God will empower your prayers of proclamation, and you will look expectantly for the fulfillment of those prayers.
“Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always” (Psalm 105:4).
“Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always” (Psalm 105:4).
Moses learned to listen in the desert. He learned the value of solitude. God had him in a training program. Early this morning I got up, got a cup of coffee, and sat outside listening - listening to God, to the many sounds of nature, to a natural wonderland of birds and animals right in my own back yard. It was a rich experience and as I did this, my expectation level in God rose.
When we begin to listen to the voice of God through a trained, attentive ear, then we shall be able to walk in a new level of Holy Spirit-inspired productivity and anointing. Let’s ask God to help us to slow down and listen in prayer, that He may empower us with Godly proclamations of life and truth that bring freedom into the lives of all those we touch through intercession. Learn to touch heaven with your prayers by learning the secret of listening prayer. Learn to live on this level of expectancy in prayer. We can learn from the example of Moses as we seek to be God’s watchman in prayer.
To view this article or send it to your friends - http://ignitingthefireofprayer.blogspot.com/2010/08/listening-prayer-and-expectation.html
“There were two distinct stages in the training of His (Moses) ears. First there were the forty years of solitude in the desert sands, alone with the sheep, and the stars, and - God. His ears were being trained by silence. The bustle and confusion of Egypt’s busy life were being taken out of his ear. How silent are God’s voices. How few men are strong enough to be able to endure silence. For in silence God is speaking to the inner ear.” S. D. Gordon
By Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise
deb@intercessorsarise.org
http://www.intercessorsarise.org
To subscribe to Intercessors Arise, click
intercessorsarise-International-subscribe@strategicnetwork.org
When we begin to listen to the voice of God through a trained, attentive ear, then we shall be able to walk in a new level of Holy Spirit-inspired productivity and anointing. Let’s ask God to help us to slow down and listen in prayer, that He may empower us with Godly proclamations of life and truth that bring freedom into the lives of all those we touch through intercession. Learn to touch heaven with your prayers by learning the secret of listening prayer. Learn to live on this level of expectancy in prayer. We can learn from the example of Moses as we seek to be God’s watchman in prayer.
To view this article or send it to your friends - http://ignitingthefireofprayer.blogspot.com/2010/08/listening-prayer-and-expectation.html
“There were two distinct stages in the training of His (Moses) ears. First there were the forty years of solitude in the desert sands, alone with the sheep, and the stars, and - God. His ears were being trained by silence. The bustle and confusion of Egypt’s busy life were being taken out of his ear. How silent are God’s voices. How few men are strong enough to be able to endure silence. For in silence God is speaking to the inner ear.” S. D. Gordon
By Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise
deb@intercessorsarise.org
http://www.intercessorsarise.org
To subscribe to Intercessors Arise, click
intercessorsarise-International-subscribe@strategicnetwork.org
Meditations on the Psalms from John Nunnikhoven
Voices Together for Wednesday, 11 August 2010
Psalm 16:9-11
Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure. For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption. You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Lord, there has been a day of resurrection and transformation for my soul; a day where You brought me out of the mire and corruption and set my feet upon solid ground; a day where I began to allow You to direct my footsteps and where I began to realize the pleasures if Your company.
Now I can look forward to the Day of Your coming, when I will be with You and know You in all Your fullness. Then there will truly be pleasures for evermore.
Voices Together is taken from my daily meditations and is shared in the hope that others will be encouraged to use the Psalms as a basis for their own prayers, It is available in other formats including a daily e-mail, as a weekly bulletin insert for churches and for use in prison ministry, and published as an annual devotional.
