INSIDE THIS ISSUE
april 2010
the
HOSANNA!
holy spirIt
13
our pa r t n e r i n p r ay e r 15
Interceding for the lost
6
FEATURES 6 INTERCEDING FOR THE LOST After the fall of Adam, it was God’s purpose and plan to get man back to a place of relationship with Him. The plans for the defeat and demise of Satan was set in place and the redemption of man was ready to be revealed. Our prayers help to advance the salvation of people. 13 Hosanna Just as the great multitude cried out as Jesus, the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee, was coming to Jerusalem, we should cry out to Him as well. We should do so with an understanding that we declare triumph over all other gods when we loose this cry in worship. 15 the Holy Spirit: Our partner in prayer The Holy Spirit is key to the Christian life. In fact, our being “born again” occurs only by the marvelous work of the Holy Spirit. This was patiently explained to Nicodemus in John 3:3-8, that “unless one is born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.”
1
Prayer Matters Magazine 3 April 2010
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
april 2010
Ministry Spotlight
17 Calendar
25
MONTHLY
Book Reviews
04 FRONTLINE 11 KNOWLEDGE
23 Powerful Prayer Secrets
17 SPOTLIGHT 19 PRAYER SECRETS
19
21 Q & A SESSION 23 BOOK REVIEWS 25 CALENDAR
On The Cover: The Resurrection of Christ Author: ALBRECHT ALTDORFER Date: 1516 Technique: Oil on wood Location: Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna
April 2010 4 Prayer Matters Magazine
2
APRIL | contributors
From the desk of...
RICK THORP is a licensed and ordained minister that has been in church leadership for over 31 years. He is the inventor of a unique prayer program for churches called PrayerMap; is the publisher of Prayer Matters Magazine; and is the Director of a grass roots ministry that trains and deploys intercessory prayer groups called Prayer Move America. Pastor Rick is a popular speaker that is passionate about the things of God. He and his team make themselves available to conduct seminars and conferences on prayer, healing and revival. He also serves as a consultant to organizations that desire a stronger, more effective prayer ministry. Pastor Rick resides in the Pacific Northwest-USA with his wife Jennifer, has a daughter Ashley, and two grandchildren, Malachi and Rion. For invitation information, email: contact@thejohuagrouponline.org www.thejoshuagrouponline.org
3
Prayer Matters Magazine 3 April 2010
ROXANNE MILES is currently the Founding Director of Purposeful Progress Strategic Solutions, which is dedicated to helping faith and community based nonprofit organizations succeed through training, group facilitation, project management and strategic planning. Mrs. Miles has been in church leadership for almost 20 years and is a licensed evangelist, leader of intercession, Bible course instructor and regular conference presenter for women and prison ministries. Additionally, Roxanne uses her creative gifts via her ministry “Eden’s Gate”, to demonstrate God’s heart through illustrated sermons, drama and dance. She lives in Tacoma, Washington, USA, with her husband and two sons. TERRY HARRIS is the Founder and Senior Pastor of Tacoma Christian Center in Tacoma, Washington, USA. With Pastor Harris’ leadership, the church, with over 1200 members, has been a powerful force in the city and the entire Western Washington region. After close to 30 years of vision and commitment, the church campus encompasses over 1-1/2 city blocks, and along with the sanctuary and offices, it includes a restaurant and a stateof-the-art gymnasium named Winners. In addition to operating a large church, Pastor Harris has taught God’s Word via a weekly television broadcast, serves on numerous Boards, has authored a book and continues to be a integral leader of the community. ANTOINNETTE W I L L I A M S currently serves on the Board of Directors of The Joshua Group, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting Christian prayer, where she also holds the office of Secretary. Mrs. Williams is an active leader of her local church for nearly seven years where she is an ordained evangelist, Bible College teacher and Chief Intercessor. She uses her powerful gift of ministering the Word of God to empower and inspire people to become all that God has predestined them to be. Antoinnette impacts the Kingdom of God by sharing her ministry gifts at Women’s Conferences, Intercessor Seminars and area churches. She lives in Federal Way, Washington, USA, with her husband Michael.
APRIL | frontline
Christ is Risen!
PEOPLE OF PRAYER As I was seeking a front cover photograph for this month’s publication, I was amazed at the results I got on our stock photo sources. I typed in the term, “resurrection” and was surprised at all of the Easter bunny and Easter egg photos that came up. In fact, it was difficult to sort through all of them while trying to find the true meaning of Easter. It was discouraging to be reminded that Easter has been commercialized. On the other hand, I had to ask myself, “is there anything wrong with spending quality time with kids and family dyeing eggs, then watching them in their brand new pastel-toned Easter clothes hunting through the grass to find a hidden treasure?” For me, the answer was a conditional, “no”. We taught our daughter and are teaching our grandchildren what the true meaning of Easter is. They all know we are celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. For me, it’s about balance; for others, they may want to get their rifle and shoot Peter Cottontail, but, in my mind, as long as our children know what the true meaning of Easter is, why not make it an opportunity to have some fun and get your fingers dyed blue, green and red? There are times to be radical about certain truths and there are times to be more balanced in our thinking. The most important thing is to make sure that Jesus Christ is glorified. RICK THORP, Publisher
PRAYER MATTERS MAGAZINE is a premier online publication that educates, empowers and engages Christians around the world. It challenges readers to take responsibility to advance the Kingdom of God. The mission of PMM is to equip individuals to become more effective in prayer, fasting and spiritual warfare. To submit an article to be considered for publication; if you have comments or questions; or for advertising opportunities, email: contact@prayermattersmagazine.org Copyright Notice: The written and visual contents of this magazine are protected by copyright. Excepting translations, you may not reproduce our articles online or in print without first obtaining written permission. Once you receive permission, inform us where and when the article will be reprinted. Prayer Matters Magazine articles cannot be reprinted without obtaining permission and notifying the magazine. Prayer Matters Magazine is a ministry of The Joshua Group. Copyright © 2010 Prayer Matters Magazine. All Rights Reserved. April 2010 4 Prayer Matters Magazine
4
S U R V E Y 5 
SURVEY Would you like to see a hard copy of Prayer Matters Magazine?
Prayer Matters Magazine 3 April 2010
CLICK HERE
APRIL | 2010
Interceding for the Lost By Pastor Rick Thorp
Easter day is the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. But there is also the “Easter season” which actually lasts for 50 more days after resurrection day: 40 days that Jesus walked on the earth after His resurrection to His ascension, then another 10 days until the Holy Spirt was poured out at Pentecost. As we celebrate and examine ourselves this time of year, it is good to refresh and renew our commitment to those that do not know Jesus as Saviour and Lord. Oftentimes, we are so busy with ‘ministry’ that we forget the fact that people who aren’t born again will be eternally separated from God. We are so busy praying for the Christian that we sometimes forget about interceding for the non-Christian. Obviously, it is scriptural and even a command to pray for our brothers and sisters in the Lord, however, we’ve got to understand that our prayers for the salvation of souls is key. (continued on page 7)
April 2010 4 Prayer Matters Magazine
6
APRIL | 2010 Why was Jesus sent to the earth? After the fall of Adam, it was God’s purpose and plan to get man back to a place of relationship with Him. Sin was separation, Christ was (and is) restoration. The plans for the defeat and demise of Satan was set in place, and the redemption of man was ready to be revealed. John 3:17 says, “For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved.” 1 John 4:14 states that, “the Father has sent the Son as Saviour of the world.” In Luke 19:10, Jesus is recorded as declaring that “the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” And 1 Peter 3:18 says, “For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God.
Don’t let God’s ultimate plan be in vain by not aligning yourself with His vision to spread the news of salvation. It is the most important thing that we as Christians can do. There is no higher calling than to intercede for the lost. Even our prayers for the Christians need to be done from a viewpoint that we pray for them so that they are spiritually and physically able to carry out God’s plan for their lives so that THEY can bring more people into His Kingdom. What should we do? How then, can God use our voices to help bring the salvation to people that God (and we) desire? How can we, as children of God, be used as a catalyst for other people to be saved? What can we do in prayer to maximize the possibility of the lost to be found?
These and many more scriptures clarify the work of Jesus Christ on the earth. He gave Himself as a ransom to justify, reconcile and make human- The answer is to pray strategically in perfect alignment with scripture. There is a monumental difkind righteous if they so choose. ference in praying, “Lord, please save John”, comThe Great Commission pared to spending time interceding for John by Matthew 28:16-20 records what we refer to as praying specific things that make a difference in “The Great Commission”. Jesus told His disciples bringing him to God. to “go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and Paul’s conversion on the road to Damascus gives us of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey every- some insight as to how we should pray for the lost: thing I have commanded you.” This commission applies to us today and should be a major priority in our lives. Jesus was not telling His disciples something that He didn’t do Himself. In fact, the very first act of Jesus’ public ministry was to find people to follow Him. As soon as Jesus came out of the wilderness after being tempted by Satan, it is recorded that He came to Galilee, “preaching the gospel of the Kingdom of God” (verse 14). Then, once Jesus found people to follow Him, He told THEM to go “fishing” for others (see Mark 1:917). We are to carry on the work that Jesus Himself started, and let there be no doubt, God wants ALL men to be saved. 1 Timothy 2:4 says that God “wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” 7
Prayer Matters Magazine 3 April 2010
Paul (at that time “Saul”) was speaking, 13“About noon, O king, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, blazing around me and my companions. 14We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, ‘Saul, Saul, why do
APRIL | 2010 you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ 15 “Then I asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ “ ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ the Lord replied. 16 ‘Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen of me and what I will show you. 17I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them 18to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me’ (Acts 26:13-18).
• Strongholds must be torn down • Every argument and pretension against the knowledge of God must be demolished • Thoughts must be taken captive to be made obedient to Christ
The pertinent question here is, “how can spiritually blinded people see?” The answer is that they can’t see on their own accord. They need help. The power of God via the Holy Spirit, angels and human intercession will defeat the darkness, lift the veil over their spiritual eyes and they will see Jesus, the Truth. Once they the see truth, it will be up to them to choose it, and the truth will set them free Paul was suppose to open the eyes of the blinded, (John 8:32). We must fight for those who are lost turn them from darkness to light, and turn peo- by praying the veil of darkness be lifted. ple from the power of Satan to God Armed with this type of knowledge, we can now be2 Corinthians 4:3-6 states, 3“But even if our gospel gin to intercede for the lost in a new way. Rather is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, 4 than praying, “Lord, save Emily”, we can pray acwhose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. 5 For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10: 3-6 says, 3“For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 6And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.” The above three passages tells us the following: • Non-believers are blind to the truth • They are living in darkness and not in the light • They are under the power of Satan • There is a veil over those who are perishing • The light of Jesus must penetrate their blinded eyes
cording to the Word of God with power by breaking the hold of darkness and commanding the veil of deception to be lifted. Prior to praying for the unsaved, I encourage you to first worship God, put on your spiritual armour (Ephesians 6:10-18) and go to God as a representative, speaking on behalf of the person that you are praying for. I encourage you to journal your experience when praying for people in your life that are unsaved. It is also a great testimony to journal the changes in the person that you are praying for as you watch God work in their lives and ultimately become born again. The next page contains a prayer guideline for interceding for the lost. I pray that it will help bring forth a harvest for God’s Kingdom. v April 2010 4 Prayer Matters Magazine
8
An Intercessory Prayer for the Unsaved Father, I come to you on behalf of _____________________________________. I pray for their salvation and ask that you would lift the veil of blindness from their minds. I pray that the light of Jesus Christ penetrate the darkness of unbelief placed on them by Satan. I ask that the Holy Spirit hover over them and protect them from physical or spiritual harm. Please place Godly people in their pathway every day. Now, by the power and authority given to me through Jesus Christ, I cast down pride, rebellion, or anything else that exalts itself against the knowledge of God in ___________________. According to 2 Corinthians 10, I demolish strongholds in __________________. I tear down incorrect thought patterns, deceptive opinions of God, materialism, and fear. In Jesus name, I bind Satan from taking _________________ captive, and bind all wicked thoughts and lies that the forces of darkness would try to place in their mind. I pray that ___________________ will see the truth of the Gospel and be drawn toward the light, and that they accept Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Saviour. Father, I praise your holy Name and rejoice that ____________________ will be a part of the family of God and will have eternal life through Jesus Christ the Lord.
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
WHAT IS THE The Tanakh is a name used in Judaism for the canon of the Hebrew Bible (“Old Testament”). The Tanakh is also known as the Masoretic Text or the Miqra. The name “Tanakh” is a Hebrew acronym formed from the initial Hebrew letters of the Masoretic Text’s three traditional subdivisions: The Torah (“Teaching”, also known as the Five Books of Moses), Nevi’im (“Prophets”) and Ketuvim (“Writings”)—hence TaNaKh. The name “Miqra” is a Hebrew word for the Tanakh, meaning “that which is read”, derived from the word qara meaning to read aloud. The elements of the Tanakh are incorporated in various forms in Christian Bibles, in which, with some variations, it is called the “Old Testament”. The Old Testament does not use the traditional Hebrew subdivisions, though the distinction “Law and the Prophets” is used several times in the New Testament. According to Jewish tradition, the Tanakh consists of twenty-four books. The Tanakh counts as one book what are sometimes counted as two in Christian Bibles (e.g. 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings and so forth), and counts Trei Asar, the Twelve Prophets; though literally, “twelve”) as a single book. Torah Torah, literally “teaching”, consists of five books commonly referred to as the “Five Books of Moses.” Printed versions of the Torah are often called Chamisha Chumshei Torah, literally the “five fifths of the Torah”, and informally “a Chumash.” In Hebrew, the books of the Torah do not have names. They are identified by the first prominent word in each book. The English names are derived from the Greek names given to the books in the Septuagint, which are based on the thematic content of each of the books, as follows: 1. Genesis - Bereshith 2. Exodus - Shemot 3. Leviticus - Vayikra 4. Numbers - Bamidbar 5. Deuteronomy - Devarim Nevi’im Nevi’im, “Prophets” consists of eight books. This division includes the books which, as a whole, cover the chronological era from the entrance of the Israelites into the Land until the Babylonian captivity of Judah (the “period of prophecy”). However, they exclude Chronicles, which covers the same period. The Nevi’im are often divided into the Earlier Prophets, which are generally historical in nature, and the Later Prophets, which contain more exhortational prophecies. 11
Prayer Matters Magazine 3 April 2010
TANAKH?
APRIL | knowledge
Although most versions of the Old Testament count the number of books as totalling 21, counting the books of Samuel and Kings as two books each, and the “Twelve Prophets” (or the minor prophets) as 12 books, Jewish tradition does not: 6. Joshua / Y’hoshua 7. Judges / Shophtim 8. Samuel (I & II) / Sh’muel 9. Kings (I & II) / M’lakhim 10. Isaiah / Y’shayahu 11. Jeremiah / Yir’mi’yahu 12. Ezekiel / Y’khezqel 13. The Twelve Prophets: Hosea/Hoshea; Joel/Yo’el; Amos/Amos; Obadiah/Ovadyah; Jonah/ Yonah; Micah/Mikhah; Nahum/Nakhum; Habakkuk/Havakuk; Zephaniah/Ts’phanyah; Haggai/ Khagai; Zechariah/Z’kharyah; Malachi/Mal’akhi Ketuvim Ketuvim, “writings” or “scriptures”, are sometimes also known by the Greek title “Hagiographa” and consists of 11 books. These encompass all the remaining books, and include the Five Scrolls. They are sometimes also divided into such categories as Sifrei Emet, literally “Books of Truth”) of Psalms, Proverbs and Job (the Hebrew names of these three books form the Hebrew word for “truth” as an acrostic, and all three books have unique cantillation marks), the “wisdom books” of Job, Ecclesiastes, and Proverbs, the “poetry books” of Psalms, Lamentations and Song of Solomon, and the “historical books” of Ezra-Nehemiah and Chronicles. In the Jewish version, Ketuvim consists of 11 books, counting Ezra and Nehemiah as one book and I and II Chronicles as a single book. The “Sifrei Emet” or “Books of Truth”: 14. Psalms/Tehillim 15. Proverbs/Mishlei 16. Job/Iyov The “Five Megilot” or “Five Scrolls”: 17. Song of Songs/Shir Hashirim 18. Ruth/Rut 19. Lamentations/Eikhah 20. Ecclesiastes/Kohelet 21. Esther/Esther The rest of the “Writings”: 22. Daniel/Daniel 23. Ezra-Nehemiah/Ezra v’Nechemia 24. Chronicles (I & II)/Divrei Hayamim Information obtained by Wikepedia v April 2010 4 Prayer Matters Magazine
12
APRIL | 2010
Hosanna,Hosan by Antoinnette Williams
world offers alternatives to church, but we must be aware of the schemes of the enemy; he would have you deceived to think that Sunday is just another day. Woe to the enemy and his tactics, he was defeated by Christ himself when Jesus rose on a Sunday! The cares of this world can consume the believer with false beliefs and religions. There are so many other gods to serve and these gods take many forms – such as the pursuit of mammon with lavish idols of gold and silver. Idolatry is worshipping pseudo-gods. An idol is an image or a phantom in ancient time that was cast as the actual physical image of a god. Idolatry is a direct attack against the basic nature of God. Idols are anything that causes people to deviated from the gospel of Jesus Christ (I John 5:18-21) and to worship something that is holding the place God Imagine your Sunday morning without should in one’s life. Idols reinforce tradia place to worship our Saviour Jesus Christ. tions, customs, and even rituals that pull us Some folks may not care if they don’t know from the truth of God. Some acts of worship him as Saviour, or some may begin to worship have been twisted from their original intent other gods, however, those of us who need to by the original deceiver, Satan. Idolatry is be in the presence of our Lord and King, would foolishness!, says Isaiah the Prophet (Isaiah have to go into action. We would be destined 44:9-20). Verse 9 states, “those who make an to gather together, worship and build a taber- image, all of them are useless, and their precious nacle to worship the Saviour. Just like Moses and the children of Israel, we’d be so anxious we would have to find a way to build something so our Lord would come. We’d yearn for the King, the Messiah, the son of the living God as much as the children of old! (Exodus 35) Sunday is a time that belongs to the Most High God. He established a place on earth for us to worship and fellowship with our brethren. Some may say that there are so many other things to do: sports, grocery shopping, cleaning or just surfing the channels. This
13
Prayer Matters Magazine 3 April 2010
APRIL | 2010
nna,Hosanna!
things shall not profit. They are their own wit- ing charge to the soon-to-be church and know nesses; they neither see nor know, that they may what a privilege and responsibility we carry. be ashamed.” Let’s get it right, for He is worthy of all we have to offer, and any requirement of sacriWe are to be people of God, the living God, fice. the one and only true God! According to Jeremiah 10:8, “Inasmuch as there is none like You, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He O lord. You are great, and Your name is great in who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna might. Who would not fear You, O King of the in the highest!” nations? For this is your rightful due. For among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their Just as the great multitude cried out as Jesus, kingdoms, there is none like You.” the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee, was coming to Jerusalem, we should cry out to Him as We are in a time where the Lord is shaking well. We should do so with an understanding the nations to recognize Him and to separate that we declare triumph over all other gods from those things that are not of Him. We when we loose this cry in worship. The pasare to honor the Creator and not His creation. sionate calling out to the Blessed One is a We cannot exchange the truth for a lie (Ro- demonstration of us being counted with the mans 1:25). children of Israel, the children of Isaac and Abraham. Hosanna is an outpouring of the When the people came to worship at the tem- heart of the sons and daughters of the King. ple in the Old Testament, they needed animal Hosanna is a cry of proclamation that no other sacrifices, wood, oil and other items. Stalls god (including any idol or falsely prized poswere set-up at the temple to sell necessities, session or goal in our life), comes before the but since these objects sold for the temple King of Kings and Lord of Lords. This Resurcurrency, people needed to exchange their rection season, let us all cry out Hosanna! v money. It was for this reason that the temple, designed as a house of prayer (Matthew 21:13), had become a market-place where all kinds of bargaining took place. Jesus definitely had an opinion of this. He was outraged that they had lost the respect for the house of God and had tried to make gain out of the commandments of our God. Today, we have to ensure we are not doing the same. Have we gotten too comfortable with the music and structure of church? Do we go into a building and forget Who we came to visit? Do we consider regular attendance as our only duty? Christ gave man the responsibility to fulfill the Great Commission. Look at the end of each of the gospels and ponder Christ’s partApril 2010 4 Prayer Matters Magazine
14
APRIL | 2010
The Holy Spirit Our Partner in Prayer By Roxanne Miles
The world changed the day a young man was baptized in the Jordan River. He went into the water without God’s Spirit abiding in Him and arose to have it descend upon him like a dove. We all know from Matthew 3:16, that this was Jesus; this was the carpenter from Nazareth receiving the baptism by water and of the spirit at the same time. At this defining moment a ministry with the power to change us all was born. It was this moment that Jesus, living on this earth within the limitations of humanity, became empowered to do miracles and fulfill his destiny. The first thing Jesus did under the influence of the Holy Spirit was to go into the wilderness to pray and fast for forty days. It was only with the Spirit in Him, and with 40 days of prayer and fasting, that Jesus took on his enemy and came out victorious.
were made supernatural by the descent of the Holy Spirit into Him. Thus, giving us a model of faith, service and prayer as means of pleasing God. Jesus lived within human limitations to show us what the Spirit of God can do in partnership with mankind. He said that when He departed, that the Holy Spirit would be sent to us. The Holy Spirit is key to the Christian life. In fact, our being “born again” occurs only by the marvelous work of the Holy Spirit. This was patiently explained to Nicodemus in John 3:3-8, that “unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” After the Day of Pentecost described in Acts 2, the message of the gospel changed. Peter went forth preaching redemption just as Christ had, however, Peter had a new revelation to share.
I love to think of firsts and whys in the Bi- “Then Peter said to them, Repent, and let every ble. We know that Jesus became man to come one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ and die for our sins, but why was his minis- for the remission sins; and you shall receive the try three years long? Why did He pray? Why gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2:38). did He need the Holy Spirit? Simply, Jesus was the perfect demonstration to give man- Upon repenting and being forgiven, mankind kind a living, breathing example of humanity was now imparted the gift of the Holy Spirit. living within the Will of God. Jesus was the Ephesians 1:13-14, reinforces this, “In Him you first to have the Holy Spirit dwell in Him; He also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, was the first to demonstrate to us the power the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having of what the Spirit can accomplish in a will- believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of ing, submitted human life. He showed us the promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance way. His whole ministry was benchmarked by until the redemption of the purchased possestwo things – prayer and power – both of which sion, to the praise of His glory.” The Holy Spirit
15
Prayer Matters Magazine 3 April 2010
APRIL | 2010
is in us as proof of our Sonship with God. The Holy Spirit dwelling in us is part of our salvation and our daily life. We should never doubt that the Holy Spirit is alive and well in us. We should have the effects of His indwelling showing fruits in our lives; just like the wind – the effects should be heard and seen. It is the Holy Spirit in me that marks me as a child of God. With this being the case, we need to explore what we can and should be doing with our partnership with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit in us is positioned to continue to do the same type of work he did in Jesus --and the disciples, and the followers, and the New Testament church. The workings of the Spirit were never limited just to Jesus. The workings of the Spirit have been evidenced in man since Jesus proclaimed the Kingdom of God to be at hand. The New Testament is rich with proof that God put a piece of Himself in us so that we could do the marvelous things Christ did here on this earth. We are to heal the sick, set captives free and have visible signs of the Holy Spirit abiding in us (Luke 4:18, Mark 16:15-18). Just like with Jesus, the Holy Spirit brings us power and an opportunity for a rich and fruitful prayer life. How do we begin to get to know this guest of ours? How do we, like Jesus, tap into a partnership with the Holy Spirit? Scripture tells us not to grieve the Spirit in us – and to ignore him and not allow him to do his work would certainly be cause for grief (Ephesians 4:30). I challenge you to consider the work of the Holy Spirit in us as it relates to prayer: • The Holy Spirit helps us when we don’t know how to pray (Romans 8:26-27). • The Holy Spirit can actually pray for us – making groaning and utterances that we cannot speak for ourselves.
• The Holy Spirit intercedes for us according to the will of God in those cases when we aren’t sure what God wants for us or others. • Praying in the Holy Spirit builds up our faith (Jude 1:20). • The Holy Spirit guides us into what is the Truth. The Holy Spirit reveals what God considers to be right and just. The Holy Spirit shows us God’s desires for the future (John 16:13). • The Holy Spirit teaches us spiritual things. He reveals things that our natural mind wouldn’t figure out for itself or which might have a different meaning in the spiritual, rather than in the physical world (1 Corinthians 2:13-15). These are just a few ways that a strong relationship with the Holy Spirit in you makes your prayer life more effective. Having a spirit-filled prayer life connects you with the same source of knowledge, power, and confidence that Jesus experienced. The Holy Spirit is our direct link to God’s will and ways. Our prayers, and our partnership with the Holy Spirit in prayer, are God’s method of establishing His will on earth. As ambassadors, our job is to pray forth God’s will into the earth. We need direction, wisdom, and teaching to do that well – that is why we were given a partner that knows the mind, heart, will and power of God. The Holy Spirit shares this burden with us. It is only in partnership with the Holy Spirit that we can effectively deliver our duty of prayer and bring forth protection, blessings, and transformation to the saints of God. If Jesus didn’t do his work without the Holy Spirit and prayer, we certainly cannot. Grab hold of your prayer partner, the Holy Spirit, and enter into a new dimension of experiencing power and effectiveness in prayer. v
April 2010 4 Prayer Matters Magazine
16
Introduci
MINISTRY | spotlight
WATCHMAN MINISTRIES INTERNATIONAL
Operation Rolling Thunder
Operation Rolling Thunder (ORT) is a proven kingdom strategy to unite and mobilize the body of Christ to transform their communities. Leaders and those passionate about transforming their community are gathered together from the seven spheres of society to develop strategic prayer and action plans. As local prayer targets are developed, power is dramatically increased as congregations strategically align with National and Global Days of Prayer through a simple yet effective 24/7 prayer strategy. ORT serves as a force multiplier that harnesses the momentum from these events turning them into a long term campaign to transform. Presbyterians to Pentecostals and Charismatics to Catholics are united as one body by a passion to see the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ presented in power. Those who have utilized this strategy have seen God mark their efforts with signs, wonders, miracles and measurable results such as: increasing salvations, decreasing crime, economic prosperity, droughts broken, thunder, snow and much more. v
K now someone to s p o
ing...
MINISTRY | spotlight
Commander Tim Taylor, USNR-Ret. and his wife Brenda were called into the ministry after his return from Desert Storm. During that war the Lord imparted a vision to Tim regarding coming events in the body of Christ. Watchman Ministries International was founded in 1992 with a vision to declare the coming revelation of God as the “Lord of Hosts”, and with a mandate to prepare His church to function together as an army. God taught Tim about the apostolic principles of spiritual warfare in local churches and city reaching efforts. They knew that one day God would give them a larger territory to utilize these principles to prove God’s word. In December 2004, Tim accepted the assignment to lead Washington State as the State Coordinator for the National Day of Prayer (NDP) and Global Day of Prayer (GDOP). He pioneered the Operation Rolling Thunder (ORT - a mobilization strategy ) during that time which connects NDP with the GDOP through 24/7 prayer. Brenda is gifted as a teacher/prophet and carries a revelation of “the heart of a worshiper.” Tim is recognized by many to carry an anointing representing the Ephesians 4 gifts of apostle, prophet and teacher. Tim and Brenda currently make their home in Renton, Washington, USA. Watchman Ministries International 4004 NE 4th Street, Suite 107-350 Renton, WA 98056 (425) 687-0994 www.WatchmanMinistries.com
tl i g h t?
click here to nominate
(12)
Twelve Powerful Throughout my life and study of scripture, I began to notice that God loves His people to stick with it. God loves His people to be go-getters. Faith without works is dead. Throughout Jesus’ three year ministry, He never quit. He stuck with it and overcame ridicule, criticism, and obstacles. Jesus stayed with it; He got up on that cross and finished His work. Jesus is the picture of diligence.
a bigger mess out of 100. You have to be diligent in your affairs. So the first part of this is just down to earth, being diligent in the business of your household and your life.
Scripture has many examples: Abraham was diligent (you know somebody is diligent to believe God to have a baby at 100 years old!); Moses was diligent (he persevered through the combat with Pharaoh); Joshua was diligent (he saw the conquest of Canaan land through, even though he had to deal with all the doubt and unbelief of the people). What about Daniel and the Hebrew boys? They went into the fiery furnace. They would not give up or give in. They said, “if it means we’re going to die, just throw me in the furnace. I’m staying with the Lord.” Throughout scripture you find men and women of God that have stayed tough through the hardest of times, regardless of what is going on. Proverbs 22:29 says, “Do you see a man who excels in his business? He will stand before kings; He will not stand before unknown men.” Studying this scripture and seeing the examples of heroes of faith, caused me to research and seek diligence. Being diligent has led to incredible dividends in my private and business life. You want to have the testimony from God that you were diligent. You want that spoken about you in heaven. Being diligent pleases God. Proverbs 22:29 uses the term “business”. When you break it down, it means all of the business of your personal life. God wants us to be diligent in taking care of our household and everyday things. We have to be diligent in taking care of the business of life. Stay on top of things. Be faithful in small things and He will make you ruler over larger things. If you can’t handle 100, how can He give you 200? If you’re messing up 50, you’ll only make 19
Prayer Matters Magazine 3 April 2010
The Hebrew word for diligent refers to tending to the business of life (finances, home, job, career, interactions with people). God says, “Saints, I want you to be like liquid. Flow easily in your business.” This means that things are not stressed or chaotic, but are tended to so they flow. Become very comfortable with the requirements of your responsibilities. Next, be prompt; on time; conduct your business in a timely manner; be quick to move and handle what needs to be handled efficiently; be ready, skillful and smooth. This is how God wants you to conduct the business of your life. It is His Word. He wants you to be diligent. Don’t be afraid and don’t look at the business of your life as a burden. Instead, walk in skill and be prompt and ready to deal with whatever comes. 2 Corinthians 8:7 says, “As you abound in everything, in faith, utterance, and knowledge and in all diligence and in your love to us, see that you
Prayer Secrets
(part 6)
By Pastor Terry Harris
abound in this grace also.” What is “abound in eve- or miss church for a couple of weeks in a row, you rything”? It is ALL things, EVERY part of your life. start feeling like you have to get back to church. The Greek word for diligence means: to be earnest That’s because of the spirit man in you who is conor demonstrate an earnestness. As you abound nected with God. Your spirit man wants to be fed. in everything, let there be earnestness about you. Your spirit man is craving God. We need to be a Let there be an eagerness about you; have some craver of God so that we diligently seek Him and zeal! Don’t be a bump-on-the-log Christian. Have receive the rewards of the relationship. some excitement in you! For example, show diligence in praise and worship to God. If you abound You can see that diligence is the way to please God. in zeal in your praise and worship week after week, Therefore, it is important to choose diligence as a you won’t quit regardless of how you feel. You’ll lifestyle and to pray for it. This is what I pray: be into it even if you’ve had a bad week; even if you’ve been under satanic attack or experienced “Father I come to you with thanksgiving and praise. craziness in your home, family or finances. If you God I ask that you would bless me. I ask that you bless show diligence, earnestness and zeal in your praise me to be like liquid and flow easily in and out of my and worship, you are going to get a major blessing. daily business. Father bless me to be prompt, on time, God will say, “look at them. I see all that they are skillful, ready and smooth in all of my business affairs; going through and they are still diligent in their the business of life; the business in my home; the busipraise and worship. Let Me reward them. With all that is going on in their lives, they are still singing praises unto Me. I’m going to bless them.“ God rewards diligence. Some people only honor and praise God when things are going good. That’s when they want to praise Him. Then a month later when there is a spiritual attack, they change their stance to a “who cares “ attitude. They might praise, they might not. That doesn’t’ move God. God wants you to abound in this, in the good times as well as the tough times. Be diligent, don’t get into praise and worship just because life is good. Get into praise and worship as a habit regardless of your circumstances. Pray that you will abound in diligence, earnestness, eagerness and zeal in everything. God wants us to be filled with diligence in everything. ness of taking care of kids; the business of living. Father, as I abound in everything in my life, I ask that Hebrews 11:6 says, “But without faith it is impos- you bless me to do it with earnestness, eagerness and sible to please Him, for he that comes to God must zeal. Father, I ask you to help me to search You out, to believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of them crave and seek after You. I thank You Father for doing that diligently seek Him.” The word “diligently” this work in me. In Jesus Name, Amen.” means to search God out; to investigate Him. Get into scripture, learn all about Him. Scripture says Pray the prayer, put action to your faith, and posito crave God; to seek Him out; to search after; to tion yourself for the rewards. v want more and more of Him. If you’re travelling April 2010 4 Prayer Matters Magazine
20
Q APRIL | q and a
Should I take spiritual warfare seriously?
21 
Prayer Matters Magazine 3 April 2010
A APRIL | q and a
Spiritual warfare is something that all Christians need to understand. The scriptures are clear that we have an adversary. We must be equipped for this battle. Below are just a few scriptures that support that fact that we must be educated on this subject and take it very seriously:
• Ephesians 6:11-12: “Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against enemies of flesh and blood, but against rulers, against authorities, against cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” • 1 Thessalonians 2:18: “For we wanted to come to you--certainly I, Paul, did, again and again, but Satan stopped us.”
• Matthew 6:13: “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”
• John 17:15: “My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.”
• James 4:7: “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
• Acts 5:3: “Then Peter said, ‘Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land?” • 1 Peter 5:8,9: “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.”
• Revelation 13:7: “He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation.” The Word of God is plain; the Word of God is true. We must take this spiritual warfare seriously.
If you are not familiar with spiritual warfare, here are some recommended books to gain knowledge about this subject.
Dressed to Kill - Rick Renner Possessing the Gates of The Enemy - Cindy Jacobs T.D. Jakes - Overcoming the Enemy Prayers That Rout Demons - John Eckhardt
April 2010 4 Prayer Matters Magazine
22
EDUCATION | bookshelf
read
BOO B book
learn Authority In Prayer Dutch Sheets
You don’t have to allow sin, Satan, or the circumstances of life to weigh you down. You can take charge of your thoughts, body, actions, and ultimately your God-ordained destiny. Then, because God established and so honors the principle of authority, He will back you as you walk in the government He has delegated to you concerning your extended world. God’s plan is for you to partner with Him on the earth in broader realms of influence and authority – your universal world. Jesus, the sovereign King over the earth, wants to rule institutions, cultures, societies, and governments through you and your prayers. Authority in Prayer will show you how to take hold of God’s promises and pray with the authority He wants you to have.
23
Prayer Matters Magazine 3 April 2010
OKS BOOKS ks
EDUCATION | bookshelf
ENJOY
educate
GROW study
For these and other Spirit-led books, go to www.arsenalbooks.com
Beyond Jabez Bruce Wilkinson
Bruce Wilkinson’s breakthrough teaching in The Prayer of Jabez captivated millions and continues to lead to changed lives around the world. This follow-up message discusses in greater detail the specific steps to take in making this scriptural passage part of your prayer life. For each of the prayer’s four sections, Wilkinson explains important biblical distinctions, answers misconceptions about the prayer, offers practical steps to praying the prayer, and shows potential results in readers’ lives. New content, exciting Jabez-inspired stories, and enriched commentary from Dr. Wilkinson make this a must-have for anyone who wants to live a worldchanging life for God.
March April 2010 4 Prayer Matters Magazine
24
H
APRIL | calendar
ap penings
april-may APRIL 6-9 | Santa Rosa Beach, FL WATCHMAN INTERCESSORS ASSEMBLY Dr. Bill Hamon, Cindy Jacobs, Dutch Sheets, Chuck Pierce, Barbara Yoder, Jane Hamon www.watchmanintercessor.com Christian International 177 Apostles Way Santa Rosa Beach, FL APRIL 8-10 | Melville, NY GLORY SIGNS & WONDERS Matt Sorger, Heidi Baker, Randy Clark, Patricia King, worship with Steve Swanson & Catherine Mullins www.mattsorger.com Melville Marriott Long Island 1350 Old Walt Whitman Road Melville, NY 11747 631 696-4950
25
Prayer Matters Magazine 3 April 2010
APRIL 14-17 | Spokane, WA TAKE YOUR MOUNTAIN Cal Pierce, Jim White, Mark & Pam Walker www.healingrooms.com Healing Rooms Ministries 112 E. First Avenue Spokane, WA 99202 Fax: 509-456-8674 APRIL 15-16 | Orlando, FL BAPTISM OF FIRE WORSHIP GATHERING
Jacob Toback, Beaulah Thomas www.wotlgministries.org Holiday Inn, 5750 T G Lee Blvd Orlando, FL 32822l To Reserve 516-840-0800
APRIL 29-5/1 | Castle Rock, CO LIVING FROM HEAVEN’S VIEW Leif Hetland & Lance Wallnau www.globalmissionawareness.com The Rock 4881 Cherokee Drive Castle Rock, CO 80109 256-272-7022
APRIL || calendar December.09 calendar
MAY 1 | Washington D.C. A CRY TO GOD FOR A NATION IN DISTRESS! Cindy Jacobs, Janet Porter, Dutch Sheets, Jim Garlow, Harry Jackson, Members of Congress, & more www.mayday2010.com Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. 405-796-PRAY May 7-9 | Jackson Hole, WY WYOMING GLORY INVASION David & Stephanie Herzog www.thegloryzone.org Diamond Cross Ranch Moran, WY 83013 www.diamondcrossranch.net 307-543-2477 May 13-15 | Middletown, OH MOBILIZING THE TRIUMPHANT RESERVE: LET THE PROPHETIC SOUND GO FORTH! Peter Wagner, Chuck Pierce, Kimberly Daniels, Jane Hamon, Tim Sheets www.globalharvest.org The Oasis Church Middletown, OH 888-965-1099
May 27-29 | Fort Mill, SC HEART OF DAVID WORSHIP & WARFARE CONFERNCE Cindy Jacobs, Ray Hughes, Rick Joyner www.morningstarministries.org MorningStar Fellowship Church at Heritage International Ministries 375 Star Light Dr. Fort Mill SC 29715 877-446-3836
got an event? let us know by emailing: contact@prayermattersmagazine.org
April 2010 4 Prayer Matters Magazine
26
partner with us. help change the world... www.thejoshuagrouponline.com