John 12:24; Romans 6-(KJV)
John 12:24 says, "Verily, Verily, I say unto you; Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone but, if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit."
Romans 6:8, " Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him."
We are told in the scriptures that we are to die to self but, what does that mean? It means that as you invite Christ into your life , you no longer live but, Christ with in you lives. How you are to act, respond, live, spread the gospel, love others, etc. is through Christ ; not of your own accord. lest it be with a worldly or fleshly attitude. We are to no longer walk in the way we did before we came to Christ. We are to walk out our salvation through Christ.
When satan tempted Adam and Eve he brought sin into the world and with that sin is a desire to please self only. And we are called to please God not self. If we were meant to be self pleasing then we would not be made to bring glory to our King.
When you are saved you become a different person because now you have Christ living in you. Look at your life and think back to before you were saved. Did you care about others before, or did making yourself happy matter the most to you.? In your job were you ok with stepping on others to get ahead ? In your personal life did you have friends that weren't there to help you in some way or were you a friend to the helpless and homeless? Did you lie, steal, cheat to get anything you wanted ? Now look at your life with Christ. Are you that same person today? Or have you turned over your life to the one who lives through you for the glory of God?
Look around you, are there people in your life, in your church, that you would never be seen with or never have made part of your life before Christ?
To know how to live as Christ follow his example. Jesus never did things for his own personal gain. He lived his life entirely for the glory of God. He was not to good to be seen with or help the poor and the downtrodden. He had no problem hanging out with the unlikeable such as the tax collector , he even helped a roman soldier. He gave his life for everyone even those who didn't yet know him. He was always fair , honest, loving and kind.
What better example could we get of dyeing to self than that of Christ Jesus that lives within us!
Ephesian 4:22-24 tells us :to put off your old self,which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
Aug 17, 2011
Aug 15, 2011
Are you a chicken or an eagle?
Isaiah 40:31 says "BUT, THOSE WHO TRUST IN THE LORD WILL FIND NEW STRENGTH, THEY WILL SOAR HIGH ON WINGS LIKE EAGLES.THEY WILL RUN AND NOT GROW WEARY, THEY WILL WALK AND NOT FAINT."
Matthew Henry's commentary says that, " If we go forth in our own strength we will faint and utterly fall. But, having our hearts and our hope in heaven, we shall be carried above all difficulties, and be enabled to lay hold of the prize of our high calling in Christ Jesus."
Most times chickens hang out in packs. they follow along blindly behind all of the others. generally it is the rooster they are allowing to lead them. They don't choose where they go and they don't say hey this doesn't feel safe I'm not going there. So in essence they follow along even unto their deaths. If you cut the head of a chicken off it will still run around aimlessly for quite a while. As if in a state of confusion.
When a person hangs out with the crowd and goes wherever it goes and does whatever it does with no conscience and not choosing a better way they are in essence the same as a chicken. And when you separate them from the pack (symbolistically cutting their heads) off they run around in a state of confusion until they die.
Eagles fly solo and seek out the best of everything, food, nesting place. etc. They depend on no one except the great creator. They soar majestically higher than any other bird. and if you watch them you get the feeling of extreme peace. Like the eagle people who don't follow they pack , and keep themselves pure before God, and they put their complete hope and trust in the God above , they soar like eagles in a peaceful and tranquil life know that in their death they will be in the arms of Jesus.
Is your life like a dieing chicken; in a state of confusion and fear? Or are you soaring high and peaceful connected to the almighty God?
Chickens are not fliers and never get more than a few inches from the ground. They are gullible and easily under attack on a consistent basis.An eagle rarely fly but, does jump from perches depending on the air condition and they grace of God to keep it soaring. leaving itself totally in the hands of God.
Are you stuck in the danger zone , completely open and available for an attack from the enemy? Or are you placing your life and trust completely in the Hands of God; depending on Him to keep you soaring above all the dangers and garbage of this life?
Proverbs 3:5-6 says, " Trust in the Lord with all your heart, do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all that you do, and He will show you which path to take. " NASB
Matthew Henry's commentary says that, " If we go forth in our own strength we will faint and utterly fall. But, having our hearts and our hope in heaven, we shall be carried above all difficulties, and be enabled to lay hold of the prize of our high calling in Christ Jesus."
Most times chickens hang out in packs. they follow along blindly behind all of the others. generally it is the rooster they are allowing to lead them. They don't choose where they go and they don't say hey this doesn't feel safe I'm not going there. So in essence they follow along even unto their deaths. If you cut the head of a chicken off it will still run around aimlessly for quite a while. As if in a state of confusion.
When a person hangs out with the crowd and goes wherever it goes and does whatever it does with no conscience and not choosing a better way they are in essence the same as a chicken. And when you separate them from the pack (symbolistically cutting their heads) off they run around in a state of confusion until they die.
Eagles fly solo and seek out the best of everything, food, nesting place. etc. They depend on no one except the great creator. They soar majestically higher than any other bird. and if you watch them you get the feeling of extreme peace. Like the eagle people who don't follow they pack , and keep themselves pure before God, and they put their complete hope and trust in the God above , they soar like eagles in a peaceful and tranquil life know that in their death they will be in the arms of Jesus.
Is your life like a dieing chicken; in a state of confusion and fear? Or are you soaring high and peaceful connected to the almighty God?
Chickens are not fliers and never get more than a few inches from the ground. They are gullible and easily under attack on a consistent basis.An eagle rarely fly but, does jump from perches depending on the air condition and they grace of God to keep it soaring. leaving itself totally in the hands of God.
Are you stuck in the danger zone , completely open and available for an attack from the enemy? Or are you placing your life and trust completely in the Hands of God; depending on Him to keep you soaring above all the dangers and garbage of this life?
Proverbs 3:5-6 says, " Trust in the Lord with all your heart, do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all that you do, and He will show you which path to take. " NASB
Aug 14, 2011
The Priority of kingdom focused prayer- the conclusion
The urgent need for a new prayer focus
Acts 1:14-24; Acts 2:1,42, 46-47; Acts 4: 23-24,31; Acts 6:5-7; Acts 12:5
Have you ever stopped to think about how the apostle Paul managed to plant the gospel and establish so many churches without todays technology? The simple answer is that God Almigty was in it! The church was praying about GGod's agenda, instead of praying about it's own agenda. Who else besideds christians (the church) have the responsibility of bringing the kingdom of God to this earth? Yet, when the majority of local churches meet to pray, the focus is often on matters of perceived crisis (the church sick list, families with urgent needs , etc.) rather than matters of higher priority (the unsaved, what God is doing). Revival and spiritual awakening will not come to our communities or to our nation as long as the local church continues to place the focus of prayer on physical illnesses. Yes! prayer for the physically sick is biblical. Don't! stop praying for the sick. But, there is no scriptural justification for this kind of prayer to be the main emphasis when the church meets for prayer. It is often said that today's church is spending more time praying to keep the saints from going to heaven then praying to keep the sinners from going to hell. The enemy will not hinder the prayers of the church for sick people as long as those prayers continue torob the church of time that could be spent praying for lost souls and kingdom concerns.
Greg Fritzell wrote: "A church's prayer power will only be as great as it's prayer focus." We must encourage a shift of focus from our agenda to God's agenda when the church of Jesus Christ meets to pray. The people who are truly in critical condition are not the saints who are sick, but the sinners who are lost.
Mid-Week Prayer Meeting Survey
a) Do you spend more time naming, describing, and discusing requests than you spend in actual prayer?
b) Do your prayer requests primarily focus on the health-related needs of the saints?
c) Do you refer to your mid-week assembly as "pryaer meetin", yet spend the majority of the time doing something other than praying?
d)Do you sense the leadership of the Holy Spirit to move the focus of your prayer meeting from man's agenda to God's agenda?
e) Do you believe there would be a powerful move of God upon your church if the mid-week service became a time of kingdom-centered prayer?
God wants to show you great and mighty things which you do not know (Jeremiah 33:3) Call to Him, and listen as He reveals things you could never have thought of on your own. Pastors, you should always allow God to confirm His will and timing for making adjustments. If God does give you confirmation, be obedient and be consistent. You should expect to hear the devil's growl whenever you take an initiative like this one that sheds light on darkness and releases powerful prayer regarding the kingdom. It could be that something miraculous you have been asking God to do in your church will happen, as you lead your hurch to adjust it's prayer focus to being kingdom-centered.
Steps that Pastors may consider
1) Ask God to confirm this initiative in your heart.
2) Together with your congregation, agree that God's word teaches the priority of kingdom-focused prayer (Matthew 6:9-10, 33). Agree on the desire to see God glorified through the prayers of the church.
3)Preach and teach on the subject of God's kingdom, and on the need to focus the prayers and ministries of His church on His agenda.
4) Lead the congregation to make a unified decision to focus on kingdom concerns at the regularly scheduled weekly prayer meetings. Let the church hear you pray for the concerns of God's kingdom. Singing, and the reading of scripture can still be included, but consider spending the majority of the time in actual prayer.
5) use the twenty-one kingdom related topics list below for a guide. Take several weeks if necessary to explain and review the decision to focus on kingdom-centered prayer. Recognize this adjustment as an important teaching opportunity on the subject of prayer, not merely a new approach to a meeting.
6) Provide the opportunity for church members to publicly testify during worship services of answered prayer and of blessings from making kingdom- focused prayer a priority.
7) Prayerfully appoint a faithful, spiritually mature church member to the position of Church Prayer Coordinator. Develop a written job description for the coordinato that will help maintain kingdom-focused prayer as a priority ministry of the church.
Twenty-one Kingdom- Related Topics for Church Prayer meetings
Pray for:
1) the various ministries of your church, with a focus on those related to missions and evangelism
2) the predident, vice-president, cabinet, senators, congressmen, and supreme court judges of the United States
3)governmental leaders locally and throughout the world
4) the name of the Lord to be exalted in the community
5) the specific needs of specific missionaries
6) for your pastor and pastors everywhere who preach Jesus as the only way for salvation
7) the return of Jesus Christ
8) a loving, forgiving, unified spirit among ministers and churches in your community
9)Pray prayers of thanksgiving for what God is already doing in your community
10) divine intervention in community, national and global matters that dishonor God
11) christians currently experiencing persecution throughout the world
12) genuine spiritual awakening and revival to come to your church and to your ommunity
13)lost people by name
14) new converts will be discipled and will share their faith
15) sincere confession of sin and biblical repentance will occur in your heart, your family, your church , and your community
16) the churches in your area would consider hosting an area-wide evangelistic crusade
17) more laborers to enter the harvest, locally and abroad
18) your church will seek to discover, accept and carry out, God's will towards the establishment of God's kingdom in your community
19) currently unreached people groups around the world
20) denominational leaders and initiatives
21) your personal interest in lost people will grow from a concern to a burden
You are encouraging the church to pray outside the box. you are leading the people of God to pray with God's heart.
Fruit that remains
The far reaching ifluence of kingdom-focused praying will be immediately realized by prayer meeting participants.They will notice remarkable changes taking place in their own lives. Kingdom-focused intercessors sense the reality that their prayers are having a dramatic effect on the most important matters in the world. Kingdom-focused prayer means standing in the gap between fallen man and a righteous God. This kind of prayer produces much fruit that remains eternally. And best of all, our heavenly father will be glorified by our learning to pray the way Jesus taught us!
Acts 1:14-24; Acts 2:1,42, 46-47; Acts 4: 23-24,31; Acts 6:5-7; Acts 12:5
Have you ever stopped to think about how the apostle Paul managed to plant the gospel and establish so many churches without todays technology? The simple answer is that God Almigty was in it! The church was praying about GGod's agenda, instead of praying about it's own agenda. Who else besideds christians (the church) have the responsibility of bringing the kingdom of God to this earth? Yet, when the majority of local churches meet to pray, the focus is often on matters of perceived crisis (the church sick list, families with urgent needs , etc.) rather than matters of higher priority (the unsaved, what God is doing). Revival and spiritual awakening will not come to our communities or to our nation as long as the local church continues to place the focus of prayer on physical illnesses. Yes! prayer for the physically sick is biblical. Don't! stop praying for the sick. But, there is no scriptural justification for this kind of prayer to be the main emphasis when the church meets for prayer. It is often said that today's church is spending more time praying to keep the saints from going to heaven then praying to keep the sinners from going to hell. The enemy will not hinder the prayers of the church for sick people as long as those prayers continue torob the church of time that could be spent praying for lost souls and kingdom concerns.
Greg Fritzell wrote: "A church's prayer power will only be as great as it's prayer focus." We must encourage a shift of focus from our agenda to God's agenda when the church of Jesus Christ meets to pray. The people who are truly in critical condition are not the saints who are sick, but the sinners who are lost.
Mid-Week Prayer Meeting Survey
a) Do you spend more time naming, describing, and discusing requests than you spend in actual prayer?
b) Do your prayer requests primarily focus on the health-related needs of the saints?
c) Do you refer to your mid-week assembly as "pryaer meetin", yet spend the majority of the time doing something other than praying?
d)Do you sense the leadership of the Holy Spirit to move the focus of your prayer meeting from man's agenda to God's agenda?
e) Do you believe there would be a powerful move of God upon your church if the mid-week service became a time of kingdom-centered prayer?
God wants to show you great and mighty things which you do not know (Jeremiah 33:3) Call to Him, and listen as He reveals things you could never have thought of on your own. Pastors, you should always allow God to confirm His will and timing for making adjustments. If God does give you confirmation, be obedient and be consistent. You should expect to hear the devil's growl whenever you take an initiative like this one that sheds light on darkness and releases powerful prayer regarding the kingdom. It could be that something miraculous you have been asking God to do in your church will happen, as you lead your hurch to adjust it's prayer focus to being kingdom-centered.
Steps that Pastors may consider
1) Ask God to confirm this initiative in your heart.
2) Together with your congregation, agree that God's word teaches the priority of kingdom-focused prayer (Matthew 6:9-10, 33). Agree on the desire to see God glorified through the prayers of the church.
3)Preach and teach on the subject of God's kingdom, and on the need to focus the prayers and ministries of His church on His agenda.
4) Lead the congregation to make a unified decision to focus on kingdom concerns at the regularly scheduled weekly prayer meetings. Let the church hear you pray for the concerns of God's kingdom. Singing, and the reading of scripture can still be included, but consider spending the majority of the time in actual prayer.
5) use the twenty-one kingdom related topics list below for a guide. Take several weeks if necessary to explain and review the decision to focus on kingdom-centered prayer. Recognize this adjustment as an important teaching opportunity on the subject of prayer, not merely a new approach to a meeting.
6) Provide the opportunity for church members to publicly testify during worship services of answered prayer and of blessings from making kingdom- focused prayer a priority.
7) Prayerfully appoint a faithful, spiritually mature church member to the position of Church Prayer Coordinator. Develop a written job description for the coordinato that will help maintain kingdom-focused prayer as a priority ministry of the church.
Twenty-one Kingdom- Related Topics for Church Prayer meetings
Pray for:
1) the various ministries of your church, with a focus on those related to missions and evangelism
2) the predident, vice-president, cabinet, senators, congressmen, and supreme court judges of the United States
3)governmental leaders locally and throughout the world
4) the name of the Lord to be exalted in the community
5) the specific needs of specific missionaries
6) for your pastor and pastors everywhere who preach Jesus as the only way for salvation
7) the return of Jesus Christ
8) a loving, forgiving, unified spirit among ministers and churches in your community
9)Pray prayers of thanksgiving for what God is already doing in your community
10) divine intervention in community, national and global matters that dishonor God
11) christians currently experiencing persecution throughout the world
12) genuine spiritual awakening and revival to come to your church and to your ommunity
13)lost people by name
14) new converts will be discipled and will share their faith
15) sincere confession of sin and biblical repentance will occur in your heart, your family, your church , and your community
16) the churches in your area would consider hosting an area-wide evangelistic crusade
17) more laborers to enter the harvest, locally and abroad
18) your church will seek to discover, accept and carry out, God's will towards the establishment of God's kingdom in your community
19) currently unreached people groups around the world
20) denominational leaders and initiatives
21) your personal interest in lost people will grow from a concern to a burden
You are encouraging the church to pray outside the box. you are leading the people of God to pray with God's heart.
Fruit that remains
The far reaching ifluence of kingdom-focused praying will be immediately realized by prayer meeting participants.They will notice remarkable changes taking place in their own lives. Kingdom-focused intercessors sense the reality that their prayers are having a dramatic effect on the most important matters in the world. Kingdom-focused prayer means standing in the gap between fallen man and a righteous God. This kind of prayer produces much fruit that remains eternally. And best of all, our heavenly father will be glorified by our learning to pray the way Jesus taught us!
Aug 12, 2011
The Priority of Kingdom-Focused Prayer- Chapter 5
Kingdom-Focused Prayer and your life
Matthew 6:9-10
With over eighty New Testament references to the kingdom of God made by Jesus, it is clear that our Lord considered the subject to be taken seriously. What does the kingdom of God mean? It is not a reference to a certain geographical territory. Simply put, the kingdom of God is the reign of God by His authority.
Two rival kingdoms
There are two rival kingdoms in this world- the kingdom of God and the kingdom of satan. Satan's kingdom of darkness and evil is opposed to God's authority and glory. Kingdom prayer expresses the desire for the devil's kingdom to be demolished, and sends the devil a message that you have read and understood the last chapter.
Then there is God's kingdomscripture describes God as the " great king above all gods"(Psalm 95:3) and as the "King of glory"( Psalm 24:10). His kingdom is one of grace and glory. When you pray " Thy kingdom come", you show your desire for His grace to increase and for His kingdom to flourish in your own heart and in the hearts of all men.
God's kingdom is both present and future. It is present wherever Jesus is present. Christ said the kingdom of God is within you or in your midst. (Luke 17:21). Yet, God's kingdom is also future in that it is incomplete.Our world still contains lost people in rebellion against God and governments that do not acknowledge Him as king, resulting in widespread misery. For this reason we must understand the meaning and importancee of kingdom-focused prayer.
How to pray kingdom-focused prayers
When things that are eternal become your focus above things that are temporary, you have a new outlook on life. You want to reach the place in your prayer life where the name of God will be glorified and the purposes of God magnified over everything. A prayer warrior's primary focus adjusts from things that are temporal to things that are forever. Kingdom-focused prayer has the following characteristics:
a) A focus on the will of God and matters of eternal consequences.
b) An expressed desire for all men to acknowledge God as king.
c) A pleading for spiritual awakening and true revival throughout the world.
d) A desire to see spiritual maturity among church members and leaders.
e) A longing for all men to render loving, willing, and glad obedience to God.
f) A heart felt desire for His kingdom to be promoted in every department of social life, and in all governments and nations.
g) Specific, personal, persistent intercession for the lost.
h) An unselfish and humble attitude, and a willingness to fast as directed by the Spirit.
i) A petition for righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost (Romanss 14:17).
Kingdom-focused prayer may be divided into five specific areas of extreme importance: God's rule in your heart, God'ss rule in your family, God's rule in your church, the spread of the gospel throughout the world, and the return of Jesus Christ.
1) Praying for God's rule in your heart
The prayer for God to rule in your heart must precede prayer for His rule in any other place or person. (Psalm 66:18) says " If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me."It should be your desire for your personal king to rule your thought life, your behavior, and your attitude. It should be your desire to yield gladly to His authority and to give Him full allegiance. His kingdom comes into your heart to the extent that you adore and worship Him and are led by His Spirit.
The following verses may be used when praying daily for God's rule in your heart:
2 Chronicles 7:14-15; Matthew 6:33; Mark 12:30; Luke 9:23; 2 Corinthians 5 :15; Ephesians 1:4; 1 Thessalonians 5:22
2) Praying for God's rule in your family
It is the duty of every man to make certain that God rules in his own heart, so that in turn God can rule in his family. The bible tells us that God's rule in our homes is extremely important. Everry relationship in the home- the marriage relationship, the relationship between parents and children, the relationship between siblings, and the relationship with additional family members- needs to be under God's rule. The prayer "thy kingdom come" means that we desire to be just as close to the Father in our private lives as we are in our public lives. Daily family prayer and worship times should be established and maintained in every christian home. The following verses may be used when praying for God's daily rule in your family:
Joshua 24:14-15; Proverbs 22:6; Proverbs 24:3-4; Isaiah 54:13; Ephesians 6:1-3; Colssians 3:18-21; 2 Timothy 1:12
3) Praying for God's rule in your church
The local church is under relentless attack from the enemy because of it's significant role in the establishment of God's kingdom Even with all it's faults, the church still has the potential to do more for the kingdom of God than any other institution or organization. The following list can serve as a guide, but you should also pray specifically for your pastor's needs whenever unique circumstances arise in his life, in the church, or in the community.
a) Pray for your pastor to remain in the discipline of a daily quiet time for his own bebefits, rather than mainly for the benefit for others.
b) Pray for your pastor to prioritize his life with a discerning mind.
c) Pray for your pastor to be holy in every way.
d) Pray for your pastor to do the work of an evangelist and fulfill his minstry calling
e)Praying fo your pastor's family by name, for health, protection and blessing.
f) Pray for your pastor's preaching and teaching to be prepared in the closet of prayer, and delivered in the energy and power of the Holy Spirit.
g)Pray that your pastor will be delivered out of the lion's mouth.
h) Pray that your pastor will not become boastful, manipulative, or jealous.
i) Pray for God to set a guard over your pastor's mouth.
j)Pray that your pastor will be unhindered by feelings of failure and rejection.
k) Pray for God to forgive those who hurt and unjustly critisize your pastor.
l) Pray for your pasto's burden for lost souls to deepen.
m) Pray that your pastor's decision making will be the result of time spent in much prayer.
n) Pray for your pastor to resist following human traditions or religion that denies the power of God.
Your church staff, your deacons, and elders, your lay leadership, the missionaries and ministers you have sent out- should all be prayed for daily by name. God's rule in your church will be accomplished best through leadership that listens to and relies on Him. Praying for God's rule in your church begins with inviting the Holy spirit to bring powerful conviction of sin upon each individual. Unconfessed, unrepented sin in the camp robs the church of power and purity. Always remember that obeying Jesus' instructions found in (Matthew 18:15-17)- when done with a Christ-like compassionate spirit for the purpose of restoration- produces a cleansing effect on the congregation that permits God to do something lasting and powerful among you. The following verses may be used when praying daily for God's rule in your church:
Isaiah 56:7; Ezekial 33:30-33; Acts 6: 1-4; Ephesians 6:19-20; Colossians 1:9-14; Colossians 3:12-17; 1 Timothy 2:1-4
4) Praying for the spread of the gospel throughout the world
Praying people into the kingdom of God must become your priority because salvation was God's primary reason for sending His Son into the worrld(John 3:16-17). Therefore (Matthew 28: 18-20) is known as the great commision not the great suggestion. J.Sidlow Baxter said it well:"Men may spurn our appeal, reject our message, oppose our arguments, despise our person, but they are helpless against our prayers." "thy kingdom come" means praying for and rejoicing over evangelistic and mission work throughout the world. "God bless all the missionaries" is not a prayer that will have much effect. Pray specifically for more laborers (Luke 10:2), For safety, health, boldness, opportunity, success and favor among those sharing the good news, for the conversion of lost men, women, boys, and girls. Pray for the families of those who have recently died while serving on the mission fields. Pray that God's kingdom may come to every country and people group on earth. And don't forget to pray that God would use your witness, your boldness. your obedience, and your words to enlarge His kingdom where he has placed you at the present time.The following verses may be used when praying daily for the spread of the gospel throughout the world:
Psalm2:8; Matthew 28: 18-290; Luke 10:2: John 3:16-17; Romans 10:1; 1 Tomothy2: 1-4; 2 Timothy 2:26
5) Praying for the return of Jesus Christ
"Thy kingdom come" means asking for the return of Jesus Christto establish His kingdom on earth. The last prayer recorded in scripture is a prayer for the return of Jesus Christ:"Come,Lord Jesus " (Revelation 22:20).
Do you hope Jesus will tarry until some selfish desire is fulfilled or some self-centered goal is achieved in your life? God forbid! The heart of every true believer should long for the day when our Lord Jesus will come back again, and when the kingdoms of this world shall have become the kingdoms of God and of His Christ!The following may be used when praying daily for the return of Jesus Christ:
Matthew 24:44; Matthew 25:13; Luke 12:37; 1 Corinthians 4:5; 1 Thessalonians 5:6,23; Titus 2:13; Revelation 22:20-21
When God's rule comes to your heart, your family, and His church, the revival and spiritual awkening that occurs will without question overflow into the surrounding community. Kingdom-focused prayer- the prayer that puts the focus on God's priorities- brings you into a closer, more intimate relationship with the Father.
Matthew 6:9-10
With over eighty New Testament references to the kingdom of God made by Jesus, it is clear that our Lord considered the subject to be taken seriously. What does the kingdom of God mean? It is not a reference to a certain geographical territory. Simply put, the kingdom of God is the reign of God by His authority.
Two rival kingdoms
There are two rival kingdoms in this world- the kingdom of God and the kingdom of satan. Satan's kingdom of darkness and evil is opposed to God's authority and glory. Kingdom prayer expresses the desire for the devil's kingdom to be demolished, and sends the devil a message that you have read and understood the last chapter.
Then there is God's kingdomscripture describes God as the " great king above all gods"(Psalm 95:3) and as the "King of glory"( Psalm 24:10). His kingdom is one of grace and glory. When you pray " Thy kingdom come", you show your desire for His grace to increase and for His kingdom to flourish in your own heart and in the hearts of all men.
God's kingdom is both present and future. It is present wherever Jesus is present. Christ said the kingdom of God is within you or in your midst. (Luke 17:21). Yet, God's kingdom is also future in that it is incomplete.Our world still contains lost people in rebellion against God and governments that do not acknowledge Him as king, resulting in widespread misery. For this reason we must understand the meaning and importancee of kingdom-focused prayer.
How to pray kingdom-focused prayers
When things that are eternal become your focus above things that are temporary, you have a new outlook on life. You want to reach the place in your prayer life where the name of God will be glorified and the purposes of God magnified over everything. A prayer warrior's primary focus adjusts from things that are temporal to things that are forever. Kingdom-focused prayer has the following characteristics:
a) A focus on the will of God and matters of eternal consequences.
b) An expressed desire for all men to acknowledge God as king.
c) A pleading for spiritual awakening and true revival throughout the world.
d) A desire to see spiritual maturity among church members and leaders.
e) A longing for all men to render loving, willing, and glad obedience to God.
f) A heart felt desire for His kingdom to be promoted in every department of social life, and in all governments and nations.
g) Specific, personal, persistent intercession for the lost.
h) An unselfish and humble attitude, and a willingness to fast as directed by the Spirit.
i) A petition for righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost (Romanss 14:17).
Kingdom-focused prayer may be divided into five specific areas of extreme importance: God's rule in your heart, God'ss rule in your family, God's rule in your church, the spread of the gospel throughout the world, and the return of Jesus Christ.
1) Praying for God's rule in your heart
The prayer for God to rule in your heart must precede prayer for His rule in any other place or person. (Psalm 66:18) says " If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me."It should be your desire for your personal king to rule your thought life, your behavior, and your attitude. It should be your desire to yield gladly to His authority and to give Him full allegiance. His kingdom comes into your heart to the extent that you adore and worship Him and are led by His Spirit.
The following verses may be used when praying daily for God's rule in your heart:
2 Chronicles 7:14-15; Matthew 6:33; Mark 12:30; Luke 9:23; 2 Corinthians 5 :15; Ephesians 1:4; 1 Thessalonians 5:22
2) Praying for God's rule in your family
It is the duty of every man to make certain that God rules in his own heart, so that in turn God can rule in his family. The bible tells us that God's rule in our homes is extremely important. Everry relationship in the home- the marriage relationship, the relationship between parents and children, the relationship between siblings, and the relationship with additional family members- needs to be under God's rule. The prayer "thy kingdom come" means that we desire to be just as close to the Father in our private lives as we are in our public lives. Daily family prayer and worship times should be established and maintained in every christian home. The following verses may be used when praying for God's daily rule in your family:
Joshua 24:14-15; Proverbs 22:6; Proverbs 24:3-4; Isaiah 54:13; Ephesians 6:1-3; Colssians 3:18-21; 2 Timothy 1:12
3) Praying for God's rule in your church
The local church is under relentless attack from the enemy because of it's significant role in the establishment of God's kingdom Even with all it's faults, the church still has the potential to do more for the kingdom of God than any other institution or organization. The following list can serve as a guide, but you should also pray specifically for your pastor's needs whenever unique circumstances arise in his life, in the church, or in the community.
a) Pray for your pastor to remain in the discipline of a daily quiet time for his own bebefits, rather than mainly for the benefit for others.
b) Pray for your pastor to prioritize his life with a discerning mind.
c) Pray for your pastor to be holy in every way.
d) Pray for your pastor to do the work of an evangelist and fulfill his minstry calling
e)Praying fo your pastor's family by name, for health, protection and blessing.
f) Pray for your pastor's preaching and teaching to be prepared in the closet of prayer, and delivered in the energy and power of the Holy Spirit.
g)Pray that your pastor will be delivered out of the lion's mouth.
h) Pray that your pastor will not become boastful, manipulative, or jealous.
i) Pray for God to set a guard over your pastor's mouth.
j)Pray that your pastor will be unhindered by feelings of failure and rejection.
k) Pray for God to forgive those who hurt and unjustly critisize your pastor.
l) Pray for your pasto's burden for lost souls to deepen.
m) Pray that your pastor's decision making will be the result of time spent in much prayer.
n) Pray for your pastor to resist following human traditions or religion that denies the power of God.
Your church staff, your deacons, and elders, your lay leadership, the missionaries and ministers you have sent out- should all be prayed for daily by name. God's rule in your church will be accomplished best through leadership that listens to and relies on Him. Praying for God's rule in your church begins with inviting the Holy spirit to bring powerful conviction of sin upon each individual. Unconfessed, unrepented sin in the camp robs the church of power and purity. Always remember that obeying Jesus' instructions found in (Matthew 18:15-17)- when done with a Christ-like compassionate spirit for the purpose of restoration- produces a cleansing effect on the congregation that permits God to do something lasting and powerful among you. The following verses may be used when praying daily for God's rule in your church:
Isaiah 56:7; Ezekial 33:30-33; Acts 6: 1-4; Ephesians 6:19-20; Colossians 1:9-14; Colossians 3:12-17; 1 Timothy 2:1-4
4) Praying for the spread of the gospel throughout the world
Praying people into the kingdom of God must become your priority because salvation was God's primary reason for sending His Son into the worrld(John 3:16-17). Therefore (Matthew 28: 18-20) is known as the great commision not the great suggestion. J.Sidlow Baxter said it well:"Men may spurn our appeal, reject our message, oppose our arguments, despise our person, but they are helpless against our prayers." "thy kingdom come" means praying for and rejoicing over evangelistic and mission work throughout the world. "God bless all the missionaries" is not a prayer that will have much effect. Pray specifically for more laborers (Luke 10:2), For safety, health, boldness, opportunity, success and favor among those sharing the good news, for the conversion of lost men, women, boys, and girls. Pray for the families of those who have recently died while serving on the mission fields. Pray that God's kingdom may come to every country and people group on earth. And don't forget to pray that God would use your witness, your boldness. your obedience, and your words to enlarge His kingdom where he has placed you at the present time.The following verses may be used when praying daily for the spread of the gospel throughout the world:
Psalm2:8; Matthew 28: 18-290; Luke 10:2: John 3:16-17; Romans 10:1; 1 Tomothy2: 1-4; 2 Timothy 2:26
5) Praying for the return of Jesus Christ
"Thy kingdom come" means asking for the return of Jesus Christto establish His kingdom on earth. The last prayer recorded in scripture is a prayer for the return of Jesus Christ:"Come,Lord Jesus " (Revelation 22:20).
Do you hope Jesus will tarry until some selfish desire is fulfilled or some self-centered goal is achieved in your life? God forbid! The heart of every true believer should long for the day when our Lord Jesus will come back again, and when the kingdoms of this world shall have become the kingdoms of God and of His Christ!The following may be used when praying daily for the return of Jesus Christ:
Matthew 24:44; Matthew 25:13; Luke 12:37; 1 Corinthians 4:5; 1 Thessalonians 5:6,23; Titus 2:13; Revelation 22:20-21
When God's rule comes to your heart, your family, and His church, the revival and spiritual awkening that occurs will without question overflow into the surrounding community. Kingdom-focused prayer- the prayer that puts the focus on God's priorities- brings you into a closer, more intimate relationship with the Father.
Aug 11, 2011
The Priority of Kingdom-Focused Prayer - Chapter 4
Priorities that honor God
Matthew 6:33, 1 Corinthians 10:31, Ephesians 5:15-17
Phillipians 3:13-14, Colossians 3:2-3, Revelation 2:4
Priorities are those things you intentionally decide are most important in your life. You probably spend a significant amount of your time and your money on your priorities. They are things that matter most to you. The bible instructs you to set godly priorities and then live by them. Christians should order their lives after the things God says are dear to His heart instead of things offered and emphasized by this world. Establishing kingdom priorities ivolves recognizing God's agenda and then carrying out His agenda.
How to establish Godly priorities
Prayer provides the relationship with God through which you will hear His heart and see His priorities. There are 3 important choices that will enable you to establish Godly priorities for your life.
1) Be most interested in the things of God rather than in the things of this world.
The Apostle Paul established Godly priorities, writing " But this one thing I do... I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." (Phillipians 3: 13-14) Your primary interests directly affect your central focus. Rest assured the devil and his accomplises will make every effort to move your focus away from God's primary activity and desires for your life.When the minds of believers are on things other than God's priorities, we are distracted and become an easy grooup on which the devil can work. Therefore it is very important to understand and be alert to kingdom issues so that we are not vulnerable to satan's deception. Make no mistake about this: your primary interests determine your focus. Whatever or whomever you love, will motivate you. The more you get to know God, the more you will love Him. And the more you love Him, the more you will be motivated toward kingdom-centered prayers rather than self-centered prayers.Kingdom issues will become more of a priority in your prayers when they become more of a priority in your thoughts. So you must make a conscious effort to bring your thoughts and your desires to the point where kingdom issues take absolute priority over evrything else. Paul said it plainly, "Set your affection on things above, not on things of the eart." (Colossians 3:2)
Some suggestions for Kingdom Thinking
a) Read slowly and prayerfully through the parables, noting the primary lesson Jesus taught in each.
b) Believe by faith, that when you are right with God, all that God can do for you will be done. (Matthew 6:33)
c) Honestly answer this question as you review your life: Will it matter to the kingdom of God that I lived.?
d) Place more emphasis in your prayer time on matters of eternal importance rather than on matters of temporal importance.
e) Ask yourself; How can I be at work to establish the kingdom of God where I am?
f) Learn everything you can about, pray for, and ask God to show you where you can become involved in missionary and evangelistic work.
g) Identify the areas of your life that are in special need of the Lord's rule and authority.
h) If your life on earth ended tonight, would you be able to saywhat Jesus said: "I have glorified thee on earth: I have finished the work thou gavest me to do" (John 17:4)
i) Give careful thought as to how you can be certain it is God who receives the glory in everything you do.
2) Take the right cues
Charles F. Hummel explains how easy it is to take our cues from what seems urgent instead of from what is actually important. "Here is the secret of Jesus' life and work for God. He prayerfully waited for His Father's instructions and for the strength to follow them. Jesus had no devinely-drawn blueprint; He discerned the Father's will day by day in a life of prayer. By this means He warded off the urgent and accomplished the important."
Be aware that wrong cues may also emerge from your own reasoning (Proverbs 3:5)says:" Lean not unto your own understanding", the secular media, urgent phone calls or e-mails, and at times, well-intentioned friends and family. The best cues for recognizing and establishing Godly priorities have always been a life of prayer, obedience to the Holy Spirit and the study of the Word of God. Pray that the Holy Spirit will supernaturally enable and empower you to establish His desires in your life.
3) Carefully study the high priority of prayer in the life of our Lord
Jesus.
Our Lord didn't pray simply to instruct or to set an example for everyone. (John 5:19-20) From this passage we learn that there is an intimate relationship the Father had with His Son. It is a relationship He wants to have with you because He loves you so deeply. Through a prayer-centered relationship, your heavenly Father wants to reveal to you what He is doing and how you can join Him in what He is doing. This close relationship through which God's priorities are revealedcome about when kingdom-focused prayer becomes priority, as it was in the life of our Lord. Before He began His earthly ministry, before He chose His disciples, before He taught the multitudes, before He healed people, before He performed miracles, at every major crisis, before He died on the cross- Jesus prayed. Prayer was a necessity. Prayer was His life. And He continues in prayer. (Hebrews 7: 25)
He made it clear that prayer is the great factor in the spreading of His gospel. The most defining statement in scripture regarding the prayer life of Jesus is found in (Hebrews 5:7) " Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto Him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared." Praise God for hearing the prayers of our Lord Jesus, and for hearing our prayers when we are rightly come before Him!
Matthew 6:33, 1 Corinthians 10:31, Ephesians 5:15-17
Phillipians 3:13-14, Colossians 3:2-3, Revelation 2:4
Priorities are those things you intentionally decide are most important in your life. You probably spend a significant amount of your time and your money on your priorities. They are things that matter most to you. The bible instructs you to set godly priorities and then live by them. Christians should order their lives after the things God says are dear to His heart instead of things offered and emphasized by this world. Establishing kingdom priorities ivolves recognizing God's agenda and then carrying out His agenda.
How to establish Godly priorities
Prayer provides the relationship with God through which you will hear His heart and see His priorities. There are 3 important choices that will enable you to establish Godly priorities for your life.
1) Be most interested in the things of God rather than in the things of this world.
The Apostle Paul established Godly priorities, writing " But this one thing I do... I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." (Phillipians 3: 13-14) Your primary interests directly affect your central focus. Rest assured the devil and his accomplises will make every effort to move your focus away from God's primary activity and desires for your life.When the minds of believers are on things other than God's priorities, we are distracted and become an easy grooup on which the devil can work. Therefore it is very important to understand and be alert to kingdom issues so that we are not vulnerable to satan's deception. Make no mistake about this: your primary interests determine your focus. Whatever or whomever you love, will motivate you. The more you get to know God, the more you will love Him. And the more you love Him, the more you will be motivated toward kingdom-centered prayers rather than self-centered prayers.Kingdom issues will become more of a priority in your prayers when they become more of a priority in your thoughts. So you must make a conscious effort to bring your thoughts and your desires to the point where kingdom issues take absolute priority over evrything else. Paul said it plainly, "Set your affection on things above, not on things of the eart." (Colossians 3:2)
Some suggestions for Kingdom Thinking
a) Read slowly and prayerfully through the parables, noting the primary lesson Jesus taught in each.
b) Believe by faith, that when you are right with God, all that God can do for you will be done. (Matthew 6:33)
c) Honestly answer this question as you review your life: Will it matter to the kingdom of God that I lived.?
d) Place more emphasis in your prayer time on matters of eternal importance rather than on matters of temporal importance.
e) Ask yourself; How can I be at work to establish the kingdom of God where I am?
f) Learn everything you can about, pray for, and ask God to show you where you can become involved in missionary and evangelistic work.
g) Identify the areas of your life that are in special need of the Lord's rule and authority.
h) If your life on earth ended tonight, would you be able to saywhat Jesus said: "I have glorified thee on earth: I have finished the work thou gavest me to do" (John 17:4)
i) Give careful thought as to how you can be certain it is God who receives the glory in everything you do.
2) Take the right cues
Charles F. Hummel explains how easy it is to take our cues from what seems urgent instead of from what is actually important. "Here is the secret of Jesus' life and work for God. He prayerfully waited for His Father's instructions and for the strength to follow them. Jesus had no devinely-drawn blueprint; He discerned the Father's will day by day in a life of prayer. By this means He warded off the urgent and accomplished the important."
Be aware that wrong cues may also emerge from your own reasoning (Proverbs 3:5)says:" Lean not unto your own understanding", the secular media, urgent phone calls or e-mails, and at times, well-intentioned friends and family. The best cues for recognizing and establishing Godly priorities have always been a life of prayer, obedience to the Holy Spirit and the study of the Word of God. Pray that the Holy Spirit will supernaturally enable and empower you to establish His desires in your life.
3) Carefully study the high priority of prayer in the life of our Lord
Jesus.
Our Lord didn't pray simply to instruct or to set an example for everyone. (John 5:19-20) From this passage we learn that there is an intimate relationship the Father had with His Son. It is a relationship He wants to have with you because He loves you so deeply. Through a prayer-centered relationship, your heavenly Father wants to reveal to you what He is doing and how you can join Him in what He is doing. This close relationship through which God's priorities are revealedcome about when kingdom-focused prayer becomes priority, as it was in the life of our Lord. Before He began His earthly ministry, before He chose His disciples, before He taught the multitudes, before He healed people, before He performed miracles, at every major crisis, before He died on the cross- Jesus prayed. Prayer was a necessity. Prayer was His life. And He continues in prayer. (Hebrews 7: 25)
He made it clear that prayer is the great factor in the spreading of His gospel. The most defining statement in scripture regarding the prayer life of Jesus is found in (Hebrews 5:7) " Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto Him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared." Praise God for hearing the prayers of our Lord Jesus, and for hearing our prayers when we are rightly come before Him!
Aug 8, 2011
The Priority of Kingdom Focused Prayer- Chapter 3
You are what you pray!
Mathew 6:19-21; Mathew 12:34
Jesus says how and what you speak is a revelation of what fills your heart. Robert Murray McCheyene put it this way "What a man is alone with God, that is what he is. Nothing more, nothing less." Proverbs 23:7 says, *For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.*James 5:16 says "The effevtual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." Only in Christ do we become "righteous". 2 Corinthians 5:21To be in Christ means having a heart that is completely lost in satisfying Him.Praying takes it tone and vigour from the life of the man or the woman excercising it. Prayer and sinning can not keep company with each other. One, or the other, must, of necessity , stop." Who you are presently, at this stage of your precious walk with Christ Jesus, directly affects how you are now praying. You are what you pray!
Prayer and your Conduct
In 1 John3:22 notice that there is a definite relationship between your conduct and answered prayer. R.A.Torrey spoke candidly about "corner-cutting christians" when he said "A true child of God does not demand a specific command. We are not making it the study of our lives to know what would please our Father, and so our prayers are not answered." Godly living is the fruit of Godly praying. Prayer rules conduct. Does your conduct affect your praying? Yes! And does your praying affect your conduct? Yes!
Prayer and your desires
As you continue to seek God with all your heart, the desires of your heart change and become more pleasing and acceptable to Him. Here are 4 things that a mature christian should desire:
1) Genuine delight in the Lord.- Psalm 37:4, Psalm 51:12
E.M. Bounds wrote, "Alas for us! The fire burns altogether too low. True prayer, must be aflame. Our hearts need much to be worked over, not only to get the evil out of them, but to get the good into them." Do you have a burning desire for intimate fellowship with God, for continous Holy Spirit revelation and power, for all the fullness of Jesus Christ? Prayer, which is fellowship with God, is intended to be both joyous and intimate. Victorious, Spirit filled living is simply impossible without the relationship to God you will obtain through intimate prayer. Being in harmony with the Holy Spirit enables you to hear His promptings and His desires at any time. The leadership of the Holy Spirit delivers you from rote, canned, mimicked praying and introduces you to joyful communion with the Father. Delight-filled prayer is not something out of your reach. Confess your lack of true delight in the Lord and settle it in your heart to spend more time in His presence.
2) Increase Faith- Matthew 7:7, James 5:15, 1John 5:4
In our time of need, you and I have turned to everyone and everything before turning to God in prayer. We return quickly to medicines that have worked in the past, but we are slow to remember the God who has never failed us. We behave this way because of our unbelief that God is who He says He is, and that God will do what He says He will do. When your situation looks impossible, Satan still asks the old question he used in the garden, "Indeed, has God said...?" The devil wants your lack of faith in the integrity of God and His word so that he can tempt you away from prayer. It issatan's voice that tells you prayer will do no good.Don't listen to the father of lies! Put your trust in the promises of God, for He neither lies nor fails!
3) Right Motive- John 14:13, James 4:3
You must be honest with God and honest with yourself about your purpose when you pray. Admittedly, it is difficult to understand your own motives because your heart is"decietful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" (Jeremiah 17:9) Ask for God's spirit to fill your heart with pure motives. Your prayers probably give you the most accurate look at your heart. What you choose to speak about alone with God reveals your strongest intincts, desires, and priorities. You are never more honest than when you are in humble prayer to God.Have you often tried to tell God what you think He wants to hear, so that He will give you what you want? Does the thought of God receiving glory in your prayers even enter your mind? Sincerely pray Pslam 139:23: "Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts."The glory of the Father must become your motive when you pray- not some of the time, but all of the time. Motive is not something you can work up when it is time to pray. It is a matter of the heart. It is a matter of living for the glory of God. You will need the power of Jesus to accomplish this. Andrew Murraywrote:" Only the presence and rule of the Lord Jesus in our hearts can cast out all self-glorification, replacing it with His own God-glorifying life and Spirit.
4) Discipline and sincerity-Joshua 24:14, Matthew 15:8, Mark 12:29-30
If you lack discipline or persistence when it comes to making time for prayer, look with God at your lack of sincerity.O God, bring us to the place in our fellowship with You where we can sincerly say:"Did not our hearts burn within us, while He talked with us by the way, and while He opened to us the scriptues?"(luke 24:32). Once again it is time to search your heart- this time, for a laodicean lukewarmness toward God that is causing your prayers to be anything but red hot. You must want more than anything, to be on firefor God.You must desire His fullness and His companionship more than you crave your favorite foods when you are physically hungry. Prayer must become more than a wish and a hope. Focus on your sincerity, and the disciplines of prayer will follow because the God who knows your heart will provide.
Prayer and repentance
You can not go to the next level of prayer if there is unconfessed, unrepented sin in your life right now. You will first need to repent of those sins.Repentance occurs when you evaluate your sin by looking at God's holiness rather than at your desire to satisfy fleshly appetites. By God's grace, the view of sin changes from fun to filthiness. The attitude toward sin changes from "nobody's perfect" to "woe is me, for I am undone." The condition of the heart changes from rebellious to broken. This soul-searching process brings deep sorrow and mourning, and a hatred and abandonment of sin.This is not something you can do for yourself. You will not wakeup one morning and suddenly decide to abandon your favorite sin. Simply deiding to turn over a new leaf or to make a new start is not repentance. Most of us are full of good intentions concerning how we should be living. You will make a decision to repent only as the Holy Spirit does His convicting work in your heart. With all brokenness and sincerity, pray that the Father will reveal to you by His Spirit everything in your life that dishonors Him.Prayerfully read through the following scriptures that may reveal areas of unrepented sin. Romans 1:28-32, Galatians 5:16-21, Colossians 3: 8-9, 2Timothy 3: 1-5. True biblical repentance results in a turning away from known sin and a change of mind regarding the necessity of forsaking sin. Spiritual awakening begins with the realization that you have indeed moved far enough away from God to require repentance.
The subject of repentance is not often mentioned today for several reasons. First, people do not want to be made uncomfortable by an examination of their lives before a Holy God. Second, to many preachers assume there will be negative consequences affecting them personally if they speak directly concerning sin.Third, people today view sin as just a part of life, a part of human nature, and therefore noting to be alarmed about. And fourth, a large number of christians associate the word repentance with an action required only of lost people who desire to be saved. But, biblical repentance is not a one time act never to be repeated after we have been saved. The truth is, the longer we walk humbly with a holy God, you will see things in your life that are filthy and undone that must be abandoned. Finally, you must understand that repentance is not a negative experience, Nicham, the Hebrew word for repent means to take comfort. When God desires to clean you up so that He can bless you beyond your hopes and dreams, you are about to have a positive experience. Turn from your sin, receive His wonderful forgiveness, and God can bring you to amazing new heights in your relationship to Him.
Prayer and His Provision
Jeremiah 33:3, Matthew 7:7, James 4:2
His provision is Himself- as the vine. In reality, branches do not strive to be connected to the vine; they just are.Your Lord Jesu has told you that you are already a branch(John15:5)- you don't have to strive to be a branch. You need only to remember that Jesus is the vine and that you are one with Him, with all His fullness. And whaat is the purpose of being joined to the intercessor if we do not intercede? Once you realize, believe, and act upon the fact that you are a part of Him, He will provide you great freedom and power in the life of prayer. Your new life in Christ must be maintained. Oswald Chambers once said: "You may not need to pray, but Jesus Christ within you does. Jesus is the only one who can take you from where you are in your prayer life, to where you need to be. You are already in living union with the vine. Allow His thoughts, His desires, His purposes, His priorities, His affection to flow into the branch. Then your prayers will be, in accuality, Jesus praying in and through you.
Your prayers really do expose your heart. You are what you pray!
Mathew 6:19-21; Mathew 12:34
Jesus says how and what you speak is a revelation of what fills your heart. Robert Murray McCheyene put it this way "What a man is alone with God, that is what he is. Nothing more, nothing less." Proverbs 23:7 says, *For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.*James 5:16 says "The effevtual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." Only in Christ do we become "righteous". 2 Corinthians 5:21To be in Christ means having a heart that is completely lost in satisfying Him.Praying takes it tone and vigour from the life of the man or the woman excercising it. Prayer and sinning can not keep company with each other. One, or the other, must, of necessity , stop." Who you are presently, at this stage of your precious walk with Christ Jesus, directly affects how you are now praying. You are what you pray!
Prayer and your Conduct
In 1 John3:22 notice that there is a definite relationship between your conduct and answered prayer. R.A.Torrey spoke candidly about "corner-cutting christians" when he said "A true child of God does not demand a specific command. We are not making it the study of our lives to know what would please our Father, and so our prayers are not answered." Godly living is the fruit of Godly praying. Prayer rules conduct. Does your conduct affect your praying? Yes! And does your praying affect your conduct? Yes!
Prayer and your desires
As you continue to seek God with all your heart, the desires of your heart change and become more pleasing and acceptable to Him. Here are 4 things that a mature christian should desire:
1) Genuine delight in the Lord.- Psalm 37:4, Psalm 51:12
E.M. Bounds wrote, "Alas for us! The fire burns altogether too low. True prayer, must be aflame. Our hearts need much to be worked over, not only to get the evil out of them, but to get the good into them." Do you have a burning desire for intimate fellowship with God, for continous Holy Spirit revelation and power, for all the fullness of Jesus Christ? Prayer, which is fellowship with God, is intended to be both joyous and intimate. Victorious, Spirit filled living is simply impossible without the relationship to God you will obtain through intimate prayer. Being in harmony with the Holy Spirit enables you to hear His promptings and His desires at any time. The leadership of the Holy Spirit delivers you from rote, canned, mimicked praying and introduces you to joyful communion with the Father. Delight-filled prayer is not something out of your reach. Confess your lack of true delight in the Lord and settle it in your heart to spend more time in His presence.
2) Increase Faith- Matthew 7:7, James 5:15, 1John 5:4
In our time of need, you and I have turned to everyone and everything before turning to God in prayer. We return quickly to medicines that have worked in the past, but we are slow to remember the God who has never failed us. We behave this way because of our unbelief that God is who He says He is, and that God will do what He says He will do. When your situation looks impossible, Satan still asks the old question he used in the garden, "Indeed, has God said...?" The devil wants your lack of faith in the integrity of God and His word so that he can tempt you away from prayer. It issatan's voice that tells you prayer will do no good.Don't listen to the father of lies! Put your trust in the promises of God, for He neither lies nor fails!
3) Right Motive- John 14:13, James 4:3
You must be honest with God and honest with yourself about your purpose when you pray. Admittedly, it is difficult to understand your own motives because your heart is"decietful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" (Jeremiah 17:9) Ask for God's spirit to fill your heart with pure motives. Your prayers probably give you the most accurate look at your heart. What you choose to speak about alone with God reveals your strongest intincts, desires, and priorities. You are never more honest than when you are in humble prayer to God.Have you often tried to tell God what you think He wants to hear, so that He will give you what you want? Does the thought of God receiving glory in your prayers even enter your mind? Sincerely pray Pslam 139:23: "Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts."The glory of the Father must become your motive when you pray- not some of the time, but all of the time. Motive is not something you can work up when it is time to pray. It is a matter of the heart. It is a matter of living for the glory of God. You will need the power of Jesus to accomplish this. Andrew Murraywrote:" Only the presence and rule of the Lord Jesus in our hearts can cast out all self-glorification, replacing it with His own God-glorifying life and Spirit.
4) Discipline and sincerity-Joshua 24:14, Matthew 15:8, Mark 12:29-30
If you lack discipline or persistence when it comes to making time for prayer, look with God at your lack of sincerity.O God, bring us to the place in our fellowship with You where we can sincerly say:"Did not our hearts burn within us, while He talked with us by the way, and while He opened to us the scriptues?"(luke 24:32). Once again it is time to search your heart- this time, for a laodicean lukewarmness toward God that is causing your prayers to be anything but red hot. You must want more than anything, to be on firefor God.You must desire His fullness and His companionship more than you crave your favorite foods when you are physically hungry. Prayer must become more than a wish and a hope. Focus on your sincerity, and the disciplines of prayer will follow because the God who knows your heart will provide.
Prayer and repentance
You can not go to the next level of prayer if there is unconfessed, unrepented sin in your life right now. You will first need to repent of those sins.Repentance occurs when you evaluate your sin by looking at God's holiness rather than at your desire to satisfy fleshly appetites. By God's grace, the view of sin changes from fun to filthiness. The attitude toward sin changes from "nobody's perfect" to "woe is me, for I am undone." The condition of the heart changes from rebellious to broken. This soul-searching process brings deep sorrow and mourning, and a hatred and abandonment of sin.This is not something you can do for yourself. You will not wakeup one morning and suddenly decide to abandon your favorite sin. Simply deiding to turn over a new leaf or to make a new start is not repentance. Most of us are full of good intentions concerning how we should be living. You will make a decision to repent only as the Holy Spirit does His convicting work in your heart. With all brokenness and sincerity, pray that the Father will reveal to you by His Spirit everything in your life that dishonors Him.Prayerfully read through the following scriptures that may reveal areas of unrepented sin. Romans 1:28-32, Galatians 5:16-21, Colossians 3: 8-9, 2Timothy 3: 1-5. True biblical repentance results in a turning away from known sin and a change of mind regarding the necessity of forsaking sin. Spiritual awakening begins with the realization that you have indeed moved far enough away from God to require repentance.
The subject of repentance is not often mentioned today for several reasons. First, people do not want to be made uncomfortable by an examination of their lives before a Holy God. Second, to many preachers assume there will be negative consequences affecting them personally if they speak directly concerning sin.Third, people today view sin as just a part of life, a part of human nature, and therefore noting to be alarmed about. And fourth, a large number of christians associate the word repentance with an action required only of lost people who desire to be saved. But, biblical repentance is not a one time act never to be repeated after we have been saved. The truth is, the longer we walk humbly with a holy God, you will see things in your life that are filthy and undone that must be abandoned. Finally, you must understand that repentance is not a negative experience, Nicham, the Hebrew word for repent means to take comfort. When God desires to clean you up so that He can bless you beyond your hopes and dreams, you are about to have a positive experience. Turn from your sin, receive His wonderful forgiveness, and God can bring you to amazing new heights in your relationship to Him.
Prayer and His Provision
Jeremiah 33:3, Matthew 7:7, James 4:2
His provision is Himself- as the vine. In reality, branches do not strive to be connected to the vine; they just are.Your Lord Jesu has told you that you are already a branch(John15:5)- you don't have to strive to be a branch. You need only to remember that Jesus is the vine and that you are one with Him, with all His fullness. And whaat is the purpose of being joined to the intercessor if we do not intercede? Once you realize, believe, and act upon the fact that you are a part of Him, He will provide you great freedom and power in the life of prayer. Your new life in Christ must be maintained. Oswald Chambers once said: "You may not need to pray, but Jesus Christ within you does. Jesus is the only one who can take you from where you are in your prayer life, to where you need to be. You are already in living union with the vine. Allow His thoughts, His desires, His purposes, His priorities, His affection to flow into the branch. Then your prayers will be, in accuality, Jesus praying in and through you.
Your prayers really do expose your heart. You are what you pray!
Aug 5, 2011
The Priority of Kingdom Focused Prayer- Chapter 2
Why we believe better than we behave concerning prayer!
Why is it so difficult for us to establish prayer as a priority in our lives? It is because what we say we believe, compared to how we behave, are two very different things.The reason why christians believe better than they behave concerning prayer is that they fail to take four subjects seriously: the reality of spiritual warfare. satan's initiatives concerning prayer,the manner in which Jesus taught us to pray, and what God's word says concerning prayer.
Take seriously the reality of spiritual warfare.
2 Corinthians 10:4
Some christians think spiritual warfare is silly, others think it is only symbolic language that should not be taken literally, However, most christians simply do not understand what the bible means when it speaks of being a good soldier of Jesus Christ.(2 timothy 2:3) Both the reality of spiritual warare and the ability to recognize the enemy are difficult concepts to a large number of christians. Of this we can be certain: christians find themselves in a real war that is vividly described in scripture. We are at war for the souls of men, fighting against an enemy who is a master of disguise and deception.Prayer is the greatest weapon of spiritual power and victory that is available to christians. The devil fears the prayers of God's saints more than anything on earth because prayer presents the greatest danger to his activities. It is not difficult to understand, why the devil will make it his business to see that the prayer life of an individual, of a family, of a church, never become a priority.While satan cannot prevent God from answering prayer, he can and does affect circumstances in such a way that God's answers can be delayed. O.Hallesby wrote: "The secret prayer chamber is a bloody battleground. Here violent and decisive battles are fought out. Here the fate for souls for time and eternity is determined, in quietude and solitude." If we are going to be victorious against a real devil, we must take the reality of spiritual warfare more seriously. This will involve recognizing the movements and schemes of the enemy.
Take seriously satan's Initiatives concerning prayer.
2 Corintians 2:11
Satan has a game plan when it comes to hindering the prayer life of a believer. He takes certain initiatives that are designed to frustrate the christian from developing a powerful prayer life. Recognizing the devil's anti- prayer schemes will help you prevent him from getting the upper hand.
1) The devil provides excuses.- your to busy, you have a full plate, you will be labled "super spiritual",you can't pray as well as others, you will please God more by your ministry than by spending time in prayer, your prayers won't get past the ceiling because of your former sinful life. etc.
2) The devil provides interruptions and distractions.- pressure of duties, constant interruptions, poor health, concerns regarding loved ones, an unannounced visitor, your car suddenly needs maitenance, your pet has needs, you scheduled to many things in a day. Even when you begin to pray your mind wanders off about some worldly concern. The only way to deal with satan's interruptions and distractions is to keep your thoughts centered around Jesus at all times, maintaining a spirit of prayer even during the distraction.
3) The devil provides discouragement. Satan says: all things are working against you.God's word says the opposite. (Romans 8:28) Most of the time when you have a thought that says, "give up"it is the devil speaking. Remember some people will not reach heaven unless we refuse to give up on them in prayer.
4) The devil provides threats, growls, and fears. Yes, satan is a mighty foe, but, our God is Almighty.The devil and his helpers will try everything they can to send fear into the minds of believers, often taking particular aim at prayer warriors. Our part is to claim the protection of the name and the blood of Jesus. (Proverbs 18:10)
5) The devil provides strongholds where he is given permission. Satan interprets your lack of true repentance to be yopur permission for him to remain. Strongholds are one of the devil's favorite anti- prayer schemes for two reasons. One - they rob you of confidencein prayer by keeping you in sin. two- strongholds make it easier for you to at your favorite sins rather than to turn from them. Strongholds can exist in other areas besides a person's life. There are religious strongholds that exist in different countries or locations through out the world. And there are political or governmental strongholds that can be just as prohibiting. The most effective methos of destrying and tearing down personal strongholds is to :
a) Identify the strongholds to God in prayer, confess the stronghold as sin, turn away from that sin and recieve His forgiveness.
b) Ask God through prayer and believe Him, for the destruction of the stronghold by His devine, miraculous power. Fasting is a worthy weapon, or ask a few friends who are mighty prayer warriors to agree with you for victory concerning a spiritual need.
c) Turn toward God by reading, memorizing, and praying selected scriptures, so that your attention will be focused on truth. True repentance involves not only turning away from sin, but also, turning toward God.
2Corinthians 10: 4-5 contains the keys to victory over strongholds. Bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ is literally the way of escape when you are tempted. It takes divinely powerful weapons to destroy strongholds and here is some wonderful news: those divinely powerful weapons (prayer and God's word) are always available for your use.
6) The devil provides a casual attitude toward prayer.
Satan may blind ou to the truthabout the power and necessity of prayer, leading you to consider prayer as a last resort."What good will prayer do" is a question straight from hell.. We come against the devil by using the truth of God's Holy Word.For how can we think casually about anything that Good says is important enough to do, always, without ceasing, first of all. to be continuing in, and to do everywhere?
7) The devil provides a focus on circumstances.
How many times have you let your circumstances directly affect your happiness, your attitude, the way you treat people, your composure, your health, your witness, your prayer time, or your personal relationship with God?The devil wants us to believe that the cares of this world outweigh those of the kingdom.When the enemy tempts you to focus and dwell on your circumstances to the point of worry and anxiety, he is tempting you away from prayer.The devil's desire is for you to rely on your own understanding and limited vision of your circumstances. But, your heart and mind are kept by the peace of God in Christ Jesus.(Phillipians 4:7) provided you are careful for nothing and bringing your circumstances by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving to Gos.(Phillipians 4:6)
Take seriously the manner in which Jesus taught us to pray.
Matthew 6:5-7,9
The Lord's prayer contains two important teachings that reveal the manner in which you should pray. One teaching addresses the content of prayer. There are six petitions in the Lord's prayer. Each of the 6 petitions represents an important concern of a christian. A second teaching, more likely to be overlooked, addresses the priority of one prayer concern over the other. Jesus did not name these petitions arbitrarily; there is a purpose for the order in which these petitions are given. The first three petitions focus on God, the remaining three focus on you. That is no accident. Jesus commands you to "seek first the kingdom of God." This means that you are to be earnest and intense in your initiative to focus on His kingdom. You believe better than you behave, when you consider yet fail to obey the Lord's specific instructions about prayer.
Take seriously what God's word says concerning prayer.
2 Chronicles 7: 14-15
There are atleast 4 evidences that many christians do not take seriously what God is saying concerning prayer.
1) We do not understand that prayer is relationship. Prayer is being with God. We know God only so far as we enter into relationship with Him through prayer.
2) We do not understand the scriptural commands to be alert concerning prayer. Unless we are alert in prayer, we will miss God's warnings and lack Hid discernment regarding satan's attacks.Alertness in prayer enables us to recieve God's prompting to intercede for kingdom concerns. When we are alert in prayer we will hear the cries of lost people, and we will pray faithfully for missionaries, evangelists, and pastors.
3)We do not understand the scriptural warnings regarding wrong motives and hindrances to prayer. We need to consider if we have:
an ungenerous spirit- Proverbs 21: 13
unconfessed, unrepented sin- Isaiah 59: 1-2
idols in the heart - Ezekial 14:3
an unforgiving spirit - Mark 11:25
lack of persistence - Luke 18:1-8
unbelief - James 1:5-7
a selfish motive - James 4:3
unrighteousness - James 5:16
wrong relationship to spouse - 1Peter 3:7
The intercessor should look for these potential hinderances before he prays.
4) We do not understand that prayerlessness is sin. Samuel said to the children of Israel, "God forbid that I should sin against the Lordin ceasing to pray for you."(1Samuel 12:23). Jesus commanded us, "Watch ye and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak."(Mark 14:38) Prayerlessness is the act of ignoring and rejecting God. It is the attitude that we want the things He has to offer but, we don't want Him.And not only is prayerlessness itself sin, but it invites all other types of sin. Prayerlessness results in God's people not having what they are supposed to have, God's work suffering, revival tarrying, and countless souls going to hell. Therefore prayerlessness is not a weakness, a shortcoming, a bad habit, or something to work on; it is plainly sin against God. Not only does prayerlessness expose the condition of your heart, but what you pray and how you pray when you pray reveals much about who you are. Jesus was a very busy man, but, He never let God's work crowd out time set aside for prayer. May you and I follow His example!
Why is it so difficult for us to establish prayer as a priority in our lives? It is because what we say we believe, compared to how we behave, are two very different things.The reason why christians believe better than they behave concerning prayer is that they fail to take four subjects seriously: the reality of spiritual warfare. satan's initiatives concerning prayer,the manner in which Jesus taught us to pray, and what God's word says concerning prayer.
Take seriously the reality of spiritual warfare.
2 Corinthians 10:4
Some christians think spiritual warfare is silly, others think it is only symbolic language that should not be taken literally, However, most christians simply do not understand what the bible means when it speaks of being a good soldier of Jesus Christ.(2 timothy 2:3) Both the reality of spiritual warare and the ability to recognize the enemy are difficult concepts to a large number of christians. Of this we can be certain: christians find themselves in a real war that is vividly described in scripture. We are at war for the souls of men, fighting against an enemy who is a master of disguise and deception.Prayer is the greatest weapon of spiritual power and victory that is available to christians. The devil fears the prayers of God's saints more than anything on earth because prayer presents the greatest danger to his activities. It is not difficult to understand, why the devil will make it his business to see that the prayer life of an individual, of a family, of a church, never become a priority.While satan cannot prevent God from answering prayer, he can and does affect circumstances in such a way that God's answers can be delayed. O.Hallesby wrote: "The secret prayer chamber is a bloody battleground. Here violent and decisive battles are fought out. Here the fate for souls for time and eternity is determined, in quietude and solitude." If we are going to be victorious against a real devil, we must take the reality of spiritual warfare more seriously. This will involve recognizing the movements and schemes of the enemy.
Take seriously satan's Initiatives concerning prayer.
2 Corintians 2:11
Satan has a game plan when it comes to hindering the prayer life of a believer. He takes certain initiatives that are designed to frustrate the christian from developing a powerful prayer life. Recognizing the devil's anti- prayer schemes will help you prevent him from getting the upper hand.
1) The devil provides excuses.- your to busy, you have a full plate, you will be labled "super spiritual",you can't pray as well as others, you will please God more by your ministry than by spending time in prayer, your prayers won't get past the ceiling because of your former sinful life. etc.
2) The devil provides interruptions and distractions.- pressure of duties, constant interruptions, poor health, concerns regarding loved ones, an unannounced visitor, your car suddenly needs maitenance, your pet has needs, you scheduled to many things in a day. Even when you begin to pray your mind wanders off about some worldly concern. The only way to deal with satan's interruptions and distractions is to keep your thoughts centered around Jesus at all times, maintaining a spirit of prayer even during the distraction.
3) The devil provides discouragement. Satan says: all things are working against you.God's word says the opposite. (Romans 8:28) Most of the time when you have a thought that says, "give up"it is the devil speaking. Remember some people will not reach heaven unless we refuse to give up on them in prayer.
4) The devil provides threats, growls, and fears. Yes, satan is a mighty foe, but, our God is Almighty.The devil and his helpers will try everything they can to send fear into the minds of believers, often taking particular aim at prayer warriors. Our part is to claim the protection of the name and the blood of Jesus. (Proverbs 18:10)
5) The devil provides strongholds where he is given permission. Satan interprets your lack of true repentance to be yopur permission for him to remain. Strongholds are one of the devil's favorite anti- prayer schemes for two reasons. One - they rob you of confidencein prayer by keeping you in sin. two- strongholds make it easier for you to at your favorite sins rather than to turn from them. Strongholds can exist in other areas besides a person's life. There are religious strongholds that exist in different countries or locations through out the world. And there are political or governmental strongholds that can be just as prohibiting. The most effective methos of destrying and tearing down personal strongholds is to :
a) Identify the strongholds to God in prayer, confess the stronghold as sin, turn away from that sin and recieve His forgiveness.
b) Ask God through prayer and believe Him, for the destruction of the stronghold by His devine, miraculous power. Fasting is a worthy weapon, or ask a few friends who are mighty prayer warriors to agree with you for victory concerning a spiritual need.
c) Turn toward God by reading, memorizing, and praying selected scriptures, so that your attention will be focused on truth. True repentance involves not only turning away from sin, but also, turning toward God.
2Corinthians 10: 4-5 contains the keys to victory over strongholds. Bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ is literally the way of escape when you are tempted. It takes divinely powerful weapons to destroy strongholds and here is some wonderful news: those divinely powerful weapons (prayer and God's word) are always available for your use.
6) The devil provides a casual attitude toward prayer.
Satan may blind ou to the truthabout the power and necessity of prayer, leading you to consider prayer as a last resort."What good will prayer do" is a question straight from hell.. We come against the devil by using the truth of God's Holy Word.For how can we think casually about anything that Good says is important enough to do, always, without ceasing, first of all. to be continuing in, and to do everywhere?
7) The devil provides a focus on circumstances.
How many times have you let your circumstances directly affect your happiness, your attitude, the way you treat people, your composure, your health, your witness, your prayer time, or your personal relationship with God?The devil wants us to believe that the cares of this world outweigh those of the kingdom.When the enemy tempts you to focus and dwell on your circumstances to the point of worry and anxiety, he is tempting you away from prayer.The devil's desire is for you to rely on your own understanding and limited vision of your circumstances. But, your heart and mind are kept by the peace of God in Christ Jesus.(Phillipians 4:7) provided you are careful for nothing and bringing your circumstances by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving to Gos.(Phillipians 4:6)
Take seriously the manner in which Jesus taught us to pray.
Matthew 6:5-7,9
The Lord's prayer contains two important teachings that reveal the manner in which you should pray. One teaching addresses the content of prayer. There are six petitions in the Lord's prayer. Each of the 6 petitions represents an important concern of a christian. A second teaching, more likely to be overlooked, addresses the priority of one prayer concern over the other. Jesus did not name these petitions arbitrarily; there is a purpose for the order in which these petitions are given. The first three petitions focus on God, the remaining three focus on you. That is no accident. Jesus commands you to "seek first the kingdom of God." This means that you are to be earnest and intense in your initiative to focus on His kingdom. You believe better than you behave, when you consider yet fail to obey the Lord's specific instructions about prayer.
Take seriously what God's word says concerning prayer.
2 Chronicles 7: 14-15
There are atleast 4 evidences that many christians do not take seriously what God is saying concerning prayer.
1) We do not understand that prayer is relationship. Prayer is being with God. We know God only so far as we enter into relationship with Him through prayer.
2) We do not understand the scriptural commands to be alert concerning prayer. Unless we are alert in prayer, we will miss God's warnings and lack Hid discernment regarding satan's attacks.Alertness in prayer enables us to recieve God's prompting to intercede for kingdom concerns. When we are alert in prayer we will hear the cries of lost people, and we will pray faithfully for missionaries, evangelists, and pastors.
3)We do not understand the scriptural warnings regarding wrong motives and hindrances to prayer. We need to consider if we have:
an ungenerous spirit- Proverbs 21: 13
unconfessed, unrepented sin- Isaiah 59: 1-2
idols in the heart - Ezekial 14:3
an unforgiving spirit - Mark 11:25
lack of persistence - Luke 18:1-8
unbelief - James 1:5-7
a selfish motive - James 4:3
unrighteousness - James 5:16
wrong relationship to spouse - 1Peter 3:7
The intercessor should look for these potential hinderances before he prays.
4) We do not understand that prayerlessness is sin. Samuel said to the children of Israel, "God forbid that I should sin against the Lordin ceasing to pray for you."(1Samuel 12:23). Jesus commanded us, "Watch ye and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak."(Mark 14:38) Prayerlessness is the act of ignoring and rejecting God. It is the attitude that we want the things He has to offer but, we don't want Him.And not only is prayerlessness itself sin, but it invites all other types of sin. Prayerlessness results in God's people not having what they are supposed to have, God's work suffering, revival tarrying, and countless souls going to hell. Therefore prayerlessness is not a weakness, a shortcoming, a bad habit, or something to work on; it is plainly sin against God. Not only does prayerlessness expose the condition of your heart, but what you pray and how you pray when you pray reveals much about who you are. Jesus was a very busy man, but, He never let God's work crowd out time set aside for prayer. May you and I follow His example!
Aug 4, 2011
The Priority of Kingdom Focused Prayer Chapter 1
The Priority Relationship by: Rick Astle
In Jeremiah 9:23-24 God identifies wisdom , might and riches as things that have the potential to become more important to you than the priority of understanding and knowing God in a personal way. In Matthew 10:37 and Luke 14:26 Jesus selected family members and our own self as examples of relationships that are often cherished deeper than a relationship with Him. As your love for Jesus deepens, you will begin to glorify God in the way that you love and treat your family, and you will become less selfish in your relationships.
The fact that God created us in order to have fellowship with us, coupled with the fact that He sent His only Son Jesus to earth to restore that fellowship after it was broken, tells you something about the priority that God places on relationship. There is no doubt about it, God wants you to know Him on a deeper level than just a "casual acquaintance". His priority goal is to reveal Himself to you.
You share your most intimate thoughts and feelings with close friends, well Jesus considers you His friend, and wants to share with you all that He has heard from his Father(John 15:15), speaking to you by His spirit (John16:13). Jesus wants you to know Him in a relationship that is priority and personal.
So if you want to love the Lord more deeply and obey Him more readily, you will need tto begin with knowing Him more intimately. The believer's "Divine Domino Theory" is very simply and works as follows: Priority time given to bible study and prayer moves you to know God> knowing God moves you to love God> loving God moves you to worship and obey God.
According to A.W. Tozer, "What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us." How we reverence and consider God has a direct influence on the priority we will place on prayer. Here are 3 areas of study that will require further research on your part, but will help you give God the consideration that He deserves.
1) Spend time studying the "considers" in God's word.
Deuteronomy 4:39, 1 Samuel 12:24, Job 23:15;37:14, Psalm 8:3-4;50:22-23;64:9; 119:95, Ecclesiastes 7:13-14, Isaiah 1:3;5:12; 41:20, Hosea 7:2, Haggai1:5;7, Luke 12:24-31,Hebrews 12:3
2)Spend time studying God's attributes
Since He is infinite, any list would be incomplete but here are some of His attributes:
His faithfulness-Psalm 119:90; Lamentations 3:21-23
His goodness- Psalm 31:19;145:9
His grace_ Romans 11:6; Ephesians 2:8-9
His holiness-Romans 3:23; Revelations 4:8
His unchanging nature- Malachi 3:6; James 1:17
His love- Jeremiah 31:3; Romans 5:8
His omnipotence- Psalm 115:3 ; Jeremiah 32:17 (unrestrained power)
His omnipresence-Psalm 139:7; Jeremiah 23:23-24 (unrestricted closeness)
His omniscience- 1 Corinthians2:11; Hebrews 4:13 (unlimited knowledge)
His sovereignty-Acts 17:24-26; Revelation 19:6 (total control)
3) Spend time studying God's names.
Instead of just jumping right into our "want list" our prayers should begin with a reverent acknowledgement that reveals that we realize to whom we are speaking. In order to consider God as He desires to be known, it is necessary to understand the meaning of His names. Here is a list of God's names that you should learn:
Adonai- the Lord
El Elyon- the Most High God
Elohim- the Creator God
El Olam- the Everlasting, Unchanging God
El Roi- the God Who Sees
El Shaddai- God Amighty, Full of Grace
Jehovah- The God who keeps His Covenant
Jehovah Jireh- the Lord will provide
Jehovah Kadesh- the Righteous One
Jehovah Raah-the Lord, My Shepherd
Jehovah Rapha- the Lord who heals you
Jehovah Sabbaoth- the Lord of Hosts
Jehovah Shalom- the Lord, My Peace
Jehovah Shammah- the Lord who is always near
Walking with God means abiding in His presence with the desire to know Him through intimate fellowship. This is accomplished through your prayer life. We walk with God not primarily to get answerss from Him, but to be with Him.Your walk should not be limited to a daily quiet time or to participation in prayer meetings at church. Brief periods of private and public prayer are only a small part of walking with God. What we are after is a continuous walk. walking with God involves 1) listening to God long enough for Him to tell you what He meant by what He said. 2) meditating over what He meant long enough to understand what He is revealing to you 3) obeying the Holy Spirit's prompting to put into action what He has shown you will be your role in what He is doing.
Obedience to the Lord remains the single strategy that has ever been discovered for effective kingdom work. And obedience comes as the results of a deep love developed by a consistent walk. Walking with God means humbly desiring Him to develop your character before He gives you an assignment. Walking with God causes you to realize that fellowship with Him is far more valuable than anything you do for Him. Walking with God means that prayer has become your vital breath.Oswald Chambers wrote: "If we think of prayer as the breath in our lungs and the blood from our hearts, we think rightly. The blood flows ceaselessly, and breathing continues ceaselessly; we are not conscience of it but, it is always going on. The man who walks with God sees in every new experience, every new reading of scripture, every new circumstance,an occasion to make haste tp prayer.
In Jeremiah 9:23-24 God identifies wisdom , might and riches as things that have the potential to become more important to you than the priority of understanding and knowing God in a personal way. In Matthew 10:37 and Luke 14:26 Jesus selected family members and our own self as examples of relationships that are often cherished deeper than a relationship with Him. As your love for Jesus deepens, you will begin to glorify God in the way that you love and treat your family, and you will become less selfish in your relationships.
The fact that God created us in order to have fellowship with us, coupled with the fact that He sent His only Son Jesus to earth to restore that fellowship after it was broken, tells you something about the priority that God places on relationship. There is no doubt about it, God wants you to know Him on a deeper level than just a "casual acquaintance". His priority goal is to reveal Himself to you.
You share your most intimate thoughts and feelings with close friends, well Jesus considers you His friend, and wants to share with you all that He has heard from his Father(John 15:15), speaking to you by His spirit (John16:13). Jesus wants you to know Him in a relationship that is priority and personal.
So if you want to love the Lord more deeply and obey Him more readily, you will need tto begin with knowing Him more intimately. The believer's "Divine Domino Theory" is very simply and works as follows: Priority time given to bible study and prayer moves you to know God> knowing God moves you to love God> loving God moves you to worship and obey God.
According to A.W. Tozer, "What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us." How we reverence and consider God has a direct influence on the priority we will place on prayer. Here are 3 areas of study that will require further research on your part, but will help you give God the consideration that He deserves.
1) Spend time studying the "considers" in God's word.
Deuteronomy 4:39, 1 Samuel 12:24, Job 23:15;37:14, Psalm 8:3-4;50:22-23;64:9; 119:95, Ecclesiastes 7:13-14, Isaiah 1:3;5:12; 41:20, Hosea 7:2, Haggai1:5;7, Luke 12:24-31,Hebrews 12:3
2)Spend time studying God's attributes
Since He is infinite, any list would be incomplete but here are some of His attributes:
His faithfulness-Psalm 119:90; Lamentations 3:21-23
His goodness- Psalm 31:19;145:9
His grace_ Romans 11:6; Ephesians 2:8-9
His holiness-Romans 3:23; Revelations 4:8
His unchanging nature- Malachi 3:6; James 1:17
His love- Jeremiah 31:3; Romans 5:8
His omnipotence- Psalm 115:3 ; Jeremiah 32:17 (unrestrained power)
His omnipresence-Psalm 139:7; Jeremiah 23:23-24 (unrestricted closeness)
His omniscience- 1 Corinthians2:11; Hebrews 4:13 (unlimited knowledge)
His sovereignty-Acts 17:24-26; Revelation 19:6 (total control)
3) Spend time studying God's names.
Instead of just jumping right into our "want list" our prayers should begin with a reverent acknowledgement that reveals that we realize to whom we are speaking. In order to consider God as He desires to be known, it is necessary to understand the meaning of His names. Here is a list of God's names that you should learn:
Adonai- the Lord
El Elyon- the Most High God
Elohim- the Creator God
El Olam- the Everlasting, Unchanging God
El Roi- the God Who Sees
El Shaddai- God Amighty, Full of Grace
Jehovah- The God who keeps His Covenant
Jehovah Jireh- the Lord will provide
Jehovah Kadesh- the Righteous One
Jehovah Raah-the Lord, My Shepherd
Jehovah Rapha- the Lord who heals you
Jehovah Sabbaoth- the Lord of Hosts
Jehovah Shalom- the Lord, My Peace
Jehovah Shammah- the Lord who is always near
Walking with God means abiding in His presence with the desire to know Him through intimate fellowship. This is accomplished through your prayer life. We walk with God not primarily to get answerss from Him, but to be with Him.Your walk should not be limited to a daily quiet time or to participation in prayer meetings at church. Brief periods of private and public prayer are only a small part of walking with God. What we are after is a continuous walk. walking with God involves 1) listening to God long enough for Him to tell you what He meant by what He said. 2) meditating over what He meant long enough to understand what He is revealing to you 3) obeying the Holy Spirit's prompting to put into action what He has shown you will be your role in what He is doing.
Obedience to the Lord remains the single strategy that has ever been discovered for effective kingdom work. And obedience comes as the results of a deep love developed by a consistent walk. Walking with God means humbly desiring Him to develop your character before He gives you an assignment. Walking with God causes you to realize that fellowship with Him is far more valuable than anything you do for Him. Walking with God means that prayer has become your vital breath.Oswald Chambers wrote: "If we think of prayer as the breath in our lungs and the blood from our hearts, we think rightly. The blood flows ceaselessly, and breathing continues ceaselessly; we are not conscience of it but, it is always going on. The man who walks with God sees in every new experience, every new reading of scripture, every new circumstance,an occasion to make haste tp prayer.
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