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Team Tuesday - January 28, 2014

1/28/2014

"Then God said, 'Let the waters abound with an abundance of living creatures, and let birds fly ... '"
"And God saw that it was good."
Genesis 1:20-21
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Dear Saints of His church,

Before we continue in our study on prayer, I have two things on my heart.

1. Correction
It’s a good thing, a very good thing. It’s one way you know you belong to God! (Hebrews 12:8) When God corrects it may be in study with the written word or hearing Him within. Mature Christians have learned it is better for them to quickly yield to His ways. Stubbornness and rebellion have consequences that are not necessarily from God but because they have entered Satan’s territory. “… to obey is better than sacrifice…”
1 Samuel 15:22

2. Faith
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for …” Hebrews 11:1
Faith operates in the present, to change the future to what is hoped for. “I am healed by His stripes, NOW!” That substance is required on this side, in the spirit realm, before it can be seen in the natural.
In other words, in order for you to see it in the future, you must do something in the present. Jesus said, “Believe you receive when you pray.” Mark 11:24
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This is Part 3 of a study on prayer. To read previous lessons, just scroll down.

2014: Increase in Light and Progress

For several years I have noticed that every January The Church moves forward, propelled in strength to make progress and multiply. This year I believe there is great momentum thrusting us forward, upward and inward to make advancement in the Spirit that will be seen in the natural.

The Church arising is The Church revived! And The Church revived is a glorious witness to the unsaved.

This year our maturity in Christ will take us all the way through in His strength to persevere and not retreat from our purpose. Saints, this is God’s year!

We have Someone, unseen to the world, who is right now working in the heart of every Believer in every nation on earth to correct, establish and increase their strength and their power. Praise God!

As we have seen in our previous two lessons, Jesus entire life was prayer, complete oneness with His Father’s will. He said, “I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek my own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.” John 5:30

Jesus, in His earthly ministry, set the example for His Church to follow so that we may do the greater works He desires and achieve the purpose of this end-days generation who have been predestined to live during this time. Ephesians 1:4-5.

In His present day ministry as Intercessor and Head of the Glorious Church, He is accelerating all things as He opens to us the mysteries of His Kingdom.

Each member of His magnificent Body has been born with a calling to fulfill their purpose to impact their city, county, and nation with the gospel of the Kingdom.

Why? His return is soon.

As we increase in strength and make progress, we can expect the Lord to change our prayer life from the traditional beggar’s mentality to the maturity of sonship which yields willingly to being led by the Holy Spirit.

“Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.” Galatians 4:7
“And the glory which you gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one.” John 17:22

So, we see the result of a life of prayer is Oneness with our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord. It is also oneness with each other, The Glorious Church!

My dear friend Norma, and PWP pray-er, graduated to Heaven nearly two years ago soon after celebrating her 90th Birthday. The last time her and her dear husband, Randy, were at our home for lunch, Norma and I were sitting on the couch and began to pray in the Spirit. It was not like any time previously. I don’t know why. It was just different.

As we continued to pray in tongues, we seemed to enter in to a holy unity of being one person in the Lord, and I knew we were touching the same thing but it was not made known to us what that was. Awareness of our surroundings was hardly noticed. There seemed to be no self-recognition. It was glorious!

Norma had met the Lord at the age of eight and spent her life devoted to Him. She served Him in different capacities over those years, alongside many of the well-known generals of faith, but I believe she would say of her life that above all, her life was prayer, following her Savior’s example.

Answered prayer is based on this: God is love. Love created the earth and supplied it with everything necessary to meet our every need, before man was formed.

The Creator is The Supplier of Everything! Everything!

We take so much for granted. Just think of this for a moment.

Your chair, desk, computer, and smartphone came forth from things in and on this earth. Your clothes, food, home, car, etc., were all once a different substance, in a different form from what God made when He created the Heavens and the earth. This magnificent planet can be traced back to a substance called faith, from which the worlds were framed by the Word of God. Hebrews 11:3

The next time you begin your prayer time, remember the chair you are sitting on was provided by Father. Your Father provided everything you would ever need before you were born, and is certainly capable of answering any prayer request that you might have need of.

And someone said, “Well then, why hasn't He answered my prayer?

If you asked that question you are not in faith believing you receive.

This is called doubt. We know the man who doubts will not receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. (James 1:8) No condemnation should be received with that scripture but correction should open our eyes so that the problem can be fixed!

We have all experienced this at one time or another but God is teaching us how the Kingdom operates. Faith is the connector. Go back to our lesson dated December 31, 2013 for further instruction about being double-minded.

Religious Tradition

If a person learned that God is mean, hard to get to, or is trying to teach them something through disease, they might be waiting for their healing a very long time. They do not know the truth about Him, “… laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men …” Mark 7:8

Father is so good and desires to see His children in health with all their needs and desires fulfilled by Him. Faith in God’s love boldly declares, “My Father loves me so much, of course I can ask in faith believing I receive the answer.”

One thing that is vital to answered prayer:
It’s what you do after you have prayed.

You need to put on your prayer glasses! They cover your eyes to the natural realm and focus only on the answer, which is temporarily unseen. This is the time when patience and tenacity gird up your faith. Abraham was strengthened in faith by giving glory to God!

Take a few moments and read Romans 4:13-25 and write down the steps Abraham took to receive God’s promise of a son.

Never allow your circumstances to undermine what your heart believes.

Training is involved in this. It takes training not to allow what you see in the natural to eat away at your faith. “For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:18) If you begin to focus on what you don’t have yet, you’ll begin to speak what you don’t have and God’s promise will hang in the spirit realm without any connection to you.

Abraham and Sarah persevered with God’s promise to have a son even after their own carnal ways produced Ishmael. (Galatians 4:21-23) After thirteen years of silence, Almighty God visited Abraham again reminding Him of the promise. God changed their names and their identity. He instituted the sign of the covenant, circumcision, (Genesis 17:11), and they gave glory to God being fully convinced He was able to perform what He said. They praised their way into victory! Romans 4:11

We’re no different.

After our new birth, has not God changed our name to Christ-ian? Has He not given us a new identity as joint heirs with Christ? (Romans 8:17) Has He not circumcised our hearts? (Colossians 2:11) Is not the sign of our covenant the cross? Is it not our breakthrough behind the veil? Read Hebrews 10:15-23.

“For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen.”
2 Corinthians 1:20

“God is not a man that He should lie, nor a son of man that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do?" Numbers 23:19
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Continually Inquiring Within
Church, we are His Body the fullness of Him who fills all in all. See Ephesians 1:23
That fullness of Him—influencing every hour of our daily life—is prayer.

Let us no longer put God on the shelf when we have finished our prayer time, but release His Holy Spirit within us to affect every hour of our day’s activities. Why? Because the time is short!
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JANUARY ASSIGNMENTS:
For your edification, read one chapter of Revelation out loud every day. And remember that each Wednesday we are fasting and praying about the weather to bring order to the heavenlies. Scroll down to the lesson dated January 7, 2014 for complete details.

PRAYING FOR:
The Church—The Lost—Elected Leaders

Copyright © 2013 – 2014 Prayer with Purpose; prayerwithpurpose.org

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Team Tuesday - January 21, 2014

1/21/2014

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"... God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy."
1 Timothy 6:17
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This is part 2 of a study on prayer. If you haven’t read the previous lesson, please scroll down and read Part 1 before continuing.

Holy Brethren who pray,

As The Church matures, God is able to share with us deeper truths about prayer. Why? Because we have ears to hear. This is referring to hearing in your spirit. Read Mark 4:9-25.

In our last lesson, we said prayer is uncontainable and to try and define it and place it in a religious box is not describing prayer in its fullness, for the way Jesus operated in prayer was His very existence, His entire life. Every breath He breathed, all He said, all He accomplished through the anointing of the Holy Spirit (Acts 10:38) was based on His oneness and His submission to go inward to see and to hear the will of His Father. John 5:30

Jesus dominated the natural by living from the inside…out.

PRAYER AND THE WILL OF MAN
In the Garden of Eden man chose his own will over the Father’s will. No prayer involved.

In prayer at the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus, suffering in unimaginable torment, sought and yielded to His Father’s will.

Thank God! “By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” Hebrews 10:10

“And so it is written, ‘The first man Adam became a living being.’ The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.” 1 Corinthians 15:45

God made man with the right to choose.
That will is at the root of decisions we make, either following the:

old Adamic nature, which is carnality
or yielding to the higher ways of being led of the Holy Spirit within us

This study lesson we’ll be taking a brief look at two opposing topics: unanswered prayer and answered prayer.

Since the Holy Spirit is the Teacher of The Church, we will depend upon His leading and insight to give us direction in how this generation can pray more effectively.

Why?

To fulfill the Master’s command to do the works He did, and even greater works because He has gone to the Father. See John 14:12

The Carnal Nature: Genesis Chapters 25 - 32
Even in the womb of his mother Rebekah, Jacob fought with his twin brother Esau to be the first born.

Throughout his life, he was after the blessing, first tricking Esau to get his birthright, later deceiving his father Isaac to get his blessing, and finally his personal encounters with God when the Lord gave Jacob the blessing of Abraham and then changed his name to Israel.

Jacob craved for the blessing but sought it by the works of the flesh, twisting and conniving this way and that way to achieve his desire.

The Influence of Religious Tradition
For hundreds of years, Christians grew up under religious teachings that relied on the doctrines of men to try and reach God to get their prayers answered. Imagine paying money for answered prayer and forgiveness of sins! Thank God for the reformation and also the invention of the printing press that brought about the spreading of Bibles throughout all Europe beginning in the year 1547. Knowledge of the truth brought correction to set men free! Interesting note: Only 71 years later, after people could read the Bible for themselves, the Puritans traveled to America’s shores to worship Almighty God in freedom.

Multitudes in our generation have heard the word of truth and have chosen to seek God’s word and disconnect from lies. We have been very blessed with anointed leaders and Christian media that have been on the advance, teaching people the right way into God’s Presence and the principles He requires for answered prayer.

Beware if you’re trying really hard, like Jacob, wrestling with God to get Him to answer your prayers.

No child of God has to jump through hoops and perform tricks to get His attention; after all, He lives with you. You are one with your Father, just as Jesus is one with Father. John 17:21

Renew your mind to what the New Covenant teaches about your covenant rights because that will impact your life of prayer.

Knowledge of the truth and acting on it brings liberty.

Did you know that you can only grow spiritually according to what you hear?
Why is that?

“How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed?
And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard?
And how shall they hear without a preacher?” Romans 10:14-15

Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God—by a preacher who really believes it! Romans 10:17

Saints, pray often for your Pastors/Preachers.

Two preachers I highly recommend are Kenneth Copeland and Keith Moore. To hear and study more about your covenant rights, go to KCM.org or FLCBranson.org and search for teachings on this subject. This will affect your right standing with God and your confidence and faith to produce answered prayer.

On the other hand, to hear the traditions of men, just visit any small church on the corner of Main Street, USA, that hasn't grown in 50 years and teaches that healing passed away with the Apostles. Choosing the tradition and error of men hinders the work of the Holy Spirit and the spreading of the gospel.

This is what separated the believing Jews from the unbelieving Jews.

And, this is what made our Savior weep over Jerusalem.

“Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, saying, ‘If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation.” Luke 19:41-44

So then, we can see how man’s will to choose tradition over the truth of God is a decision: a bad decision!

Uncovering Tradition:
As we enter this New Year, let’s take some time with the Lord in prayer and ask Him if we unknowingly are holding onto religious doctrine not founded on God’s Word. It could be, as they say, “the fly in the ointment.” Ecclesiastes 10:1

Read out loud the “Who I Am in Christ” scriptures slowly and ask yourself after each one, “Do I really believe this is me?” Here’s that link: Who You Are Scriptures

It’s easy to change. It just starts with a decision and a dependence on our Helper, the Holy Spirit.

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.” 2 Corinthians 3:8

ANSWERED PRAYER
In our last lesson, we learned that prayer is a life of communion—communication with God the Father through and with His Son, Jesus Christ.

Since no man can come to the Father except by Him, (John 14:6) answered prayer is dependent upon the new birth. Even the prayer of salvation relies on faith in what Jesus did on the cross.

So then, answered prayer is based on a covenant which you entered into when you asked Jesus into your heart. You gave Him your life, He gave you everything He has.
Old Testament prayers and New Testament prayers are different because of different dispensations and differences in the position of God’s people. We, The Church, have boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, through the veil, His flesh. Hebrews 10:20
We have been raised up and made to sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 2:6) An example of New Testament prayer can be found in Ephesians 1:15-23 and 3:14-20.
Prayer is the communion of God’s will and man’s will united as one.
Prayer is working with God for His will to be done on earth as it is done in Heaven.
The prayer of faith transfers God’s promise, what has been granted in the written Word, into this natural world to meet every one of your needs and the needs of those you intercede for.
Prayer is a declaration of your dependence on God. “Without Him we can do nothing.” John 15:5
Effective prayer is two-fold: abiding in Jesus and His word abiding in us. “Ask what you desire and it shall be done for you.” John 15:7

Jesus also said:
“For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.” Matthew 7:7-8

“And whatever you ask in my name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” John 14:13

“And when you pray you shall not be like hypocrites…that they may be seen by men… do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do for they think they’ll be heard for their many words.” Matthew 6:5-7

God’s Part — Our Part
Sometimes we get confused about prayer. Our part is to have a surety in our heart that when we pray, He hears us and He will do it. This is faith and faith is a requirement to answered prayer.

God’s part is to bring it to pass.

It’s not our job to strive and toil to try and make the prayer come to pass. Answered prayer is not based on works or the arm of the flesh. What is answered prayer based on? Faith working through love! See Galatians 5:6.

“Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. For I rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as you walk in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.” 3 John 2-4.
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JANUARY: An Important Month
Let us continue in our assignments:
For your edification, read one chapter of the Book of Revelation out loud every day—without studying it.
Each Wednesday we are fasting and praying about the weather to bring order to the heavenlies. Scroll down and read the January 7, 2014—Bible Study for further details.

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The Glorious Church:
Praying for our cities and counties:
The Church —The Lost—Elected Leaders

Copyright © 2013 – 2014 Prayer with Purpose; prayerwithpurpose.org

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Team Tuesday - January 14, 2014

1/14/2014

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"When you said, 'Seek My face,' my heart said to You,
'Your face, LORD, I will seek.'"
Psalm 27:8
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Holy Brethren who pray,

What is prayer?
Many might have a very good definition of what prayer is, place it in a nice square box and put a lid on it. But really, prayer is uncontainable.

We can make an attempt to describe what prayer is and how to operate in it, but things that are truly of the Spirit are a challenge to interpret.

As Jesus Christ continues in His present day ministry to sanctify and cleanse His church with the Word of God (Ephesians 5:26), we can expect Him to remove prayer out of the box of religious traditions of men and take us up into the higher realms of prayer that He experienced when He ministered on earth.

Prayer was not only the foundation of His ministry, it was His entire life. Prayer was in every breath He breathed, in what He heard, how He saw things, and what He spoke. As Jesus was the Word made flesh, Jesus was prayer in the flesh. He is our example of prayer and His church is called “a house of prayer.”

THE CHURCH: Dual Citizenship — Dual Occupancy

When Jesus ministered on earth He ministered under the Old Testament, fulfilling all the Law. He said it was to man’s advantage that He go away, for if He did not leave the Helper would not come. We know The Helper, the Holy Spirit, came on those gathered in the upper room on the Day of Pentecost, baptized them with fire and with power, and so began The Church, the called out ones. Read Luke 3:16 and Acts 1:5 & 8.

We are living under the New and Better Covenant in the dispensation of grace, where every member is cleansed by Blood, born of the incorruptible Word of God, made a new creation, the temple of the Holy Spirit. We have been raised up and made to sit together in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus, not of works, lest anyone should boast. We are created in Christ Jesus and given the gift of grace to do good works. See Ephesians 2:4-10.

Seated in Heavenly Places
This is the seat that we have been given to pray from, which we access by going inward. This glorious seat is reserved and only the Blood-bought church can assemble there, individually and corporately. This seat is our Headquarters, the official place where The Glorious Church is to govern, rule, and reside over earthly affairs, over the nations, to bring manifestations of God’s Heavenly Kingdom to the earth realm. “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10) And really, we can go all the way back to Genesis 1:26-30, for God’s original intent for man to have authority.

Just as an Ambassador is sent to another country to represent his government, we are Ambassadors for Christ, representatives of the Kingdom of God. Prayer is our continual connection into Father’s Kingdom and His Presence within to direct and instruct us in His higher ways that have no earthly limitations.

Jesus said, “The Kingdom of God is within you.” Luke 17:21 Praise God!

The Storm
“On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, ‘Let us cross over to the other side.’ Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, ‘Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?’

“Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, ‘Peace, be still!’ And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.

“But He said to them, ‘Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?’ And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, ‘Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!’ Mark 4:35-41

Was prayer involved in what Jesus did?

The Fig Tree
“Now in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. And Peter, remembering, said to Him, ‘Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away.’” (Was prayer involved?)

“So Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.

“Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.” Read Mark 11:12-24 for the complete passage.

JESUS—One with His Father: A Picture of Prayer
Let’s look at what Jesus said about Himself and His Father in the book of John.

“Then Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.’” John 5:19

“I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.” John 5:30

“Then Jesus said to them, ‘When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things. And He who sent Me is with Me.’” John 8:28-29

“For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak. And I know that His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak.” John 12:49

“Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.’” John 14:9-11

Jesus said He could do nothing of Himself. His will was totally submitted to His Father for what He should say and what actions He should take.

We know Jesus would separate Himself to be alone with His Father. Times of secluded fellowship with God provided strength, restoration, and direction. Yet, Jesus never disconnected from God when He came down the mountain and He was again teaching, preaching, and healing multitudes.

Our Father should never be placed on a shelf after we have had our prayer time with Him. As busy as we are with daily activities, that is precisely what Father wants to be involved with—not separated from. Why? To manifest the Kingdom and the greater works through you!

We are His body, The Church, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
Ephesians 1:23

That fullness of Him influencing all of our being in our daily life is—prayer.

The Lord’s Prayer: John Chapter 17
The culmination of prayer is the fulfillment to what Jesus asked His Father for:

“that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.” John 17:21

Let us inquire of the Lord, seeking His instruction throughout our day, and take prayer out of that religious box so we may "do the greater works!"

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January Assignments:
Let us continue in our assignment to read one chapter of Revelation out loud every day.

And remember that each Wednesday we are fasting and praying about the weather to bring order to the heavenlies. For more details see the end of the last Bible Study.

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OUR ASSIGNMENT IS TO PRAY FOR:
The Church —The Lost—Elected Leaders

Copyright © 2013 – 2014 Prayer with Purpose; prayerwithpurpose.org

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Team Tuesday - January 7, 2014

1/7/2014

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"... not forsaking the assembling of ourselves
together, as is the manner of some ... and so much
more as you see the Day Approaching."
Hebrews 10:25

Dear Saints,
Over the Christmas break I had a couple of experiences that were not at all pleasing to me, but the Holy Spirit has reminded me more than once not to rehearse what the devil is doing in this world system. Why? Complaining doesn't change evil but the effective fervent prayer of the righteous avails much.

2014: THE CHURCH ARISING!
I’m sure you have heard some exciting words coming forth for the year 2014. Here are some things I have heard:

2014 is the Year of Victory over Death and the Year of Manifested Love
2014 is the Year of the Greater
2014 is the Year of Miracles
2014 is the Year of the Supernatural
2014 is the Year of the Open Door

In my spirit I hear: God is going to show Himself and His Glorious salvation.

We’re hearing about so many good things that are going to happen for The Church this year. Yet, at the same time, I also perceive God is telling us to beware, for the world is descending into uncertain times. Be wise. Be steadfast. As we go further into 2014, part-time Christians who live life on the fence are open targets to the enemy’s schemes and lies, “giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons.” 1 Timothy 4:1

Born For a Plan
It’s quite a unique time which you and I have been appointed to serve God. That must mean it’s because we are a people who don’t give up but fight the good fight of faith; pioneers who are rebuilding ruined cities and overcoming evil with the weapons of warfare that are mighty in God. God does have an army in the land, full of His word, full of His Holy Spirit, and fervent to stand and continue to do God’s will no matter what!

If you have times when you feel outnumbered and alone, remember... that is not the Spirit of Truth speaking to you but the deceiver who wants to back you into a corner of despair and weakness. Jesus has already stripped the kingdom of darkness (Colossians 2:14-15) and we have been translated out of its grip of “bondage again to fear.” Rehearse the truth and what you have on your side as a member of Christ’s body. You and I are never alone!

As we see the Day approaching, do not forsake the assembling of one another but gather together even more. Read Hebrews 10:24-25

Think of this:

The Father loved you so much He gave you His greatest gift: Jesus.
Jesus loved His Father so much He gave His life to get you to His Father.
The Father and Son love you so much that they gave you their Spirit to abide in you.
Furthermore, they have given you the power of the written Word of God, the Kingdom of God, the armies of Heaven, Praise and Worship, citizen rights and benefits provided in the New Covenant, Eternal Life, the fellowship of the Saints, etc.

Combating Fear
“And when the servant of the man of God arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, ‘Alas, my master! What shall we do?’

“So he answered, ‘Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.’ And Elisha prayed, and said, ‘LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.’

“Then the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha …” 2 Kings 6:16-18

Saints, that’s not just a cute Sunday School sermon but the reality of what is in the unseen realm.

Who We Are:

a chosen generation
a royal priesthood
a holy nation
His own special people

“… that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy. Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.” See 1 Peter 2:9-10

The Day of Visitation
When Jesus was in the synagogue in Nazareth He was handed the book of Isaiah and began to read. Before He closed the book, He quoted Isaiah 61:19, “To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” Then He said,

“Today, this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

The people of His hometown reasoned in unbelief, “Is this not Joseph’s son?” Even though they desired to throw Jesus off a cliff, He passed through their midst and went on with His assignment to preach, teach, and heal in the cities and towns.

Jesus was not deterred from His call. Neither are we.

Our generation is not like other generations. Most of us have seen immorality and lawlessness take hold of the land in our generation. That puts us right on target, for this same generation also has a grand assignment to participate with God in bringing in the harvest before the catching away of The Church.

This year is not business as usual.

We are coming into a season of things being very defined, like black and white. Jesus put it this way, “He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad.” Matthew 12:30 Remember the Lord’s teaching of the Tares and the Wheat? Matthew 13:36-43

Saints, there's two opposing teams in the earth.
Both are on the advance.
Only one will win!

Gideon’s Day of Visitation
There was one day that completely changed the course of a man and his nation.

The Angel of the Lord came to Gideon while he was hiding in fear of Israel’s enemies and said, “The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor!” What follows in the next few chapters is an amazing account of what God can do when the time is fulfilled for a change in power. Gideon and his army of three hundred men obeyed God’s instruction to go to the edge of the enemy’s camp, blow their trumpets, break the pitchers that held their torches, and cry out “The Sword of the Lord and of Gideon!” The enemy fled in fear and confusion and Israel had a great victory. And not once did Gideon take his sword out of its sheath. Read Judges 7:1-25. There was a lot more going on here then what was visible in the natural.

God did not share all He would do for Gideon when the Angel of the Lord spoke to him. God’s plan unfolded as they went. This is how the just shall live, by faith.

“The Lord is not only with you mighty Christian of the Lord, but His Spirit resides inside you!”

God has a plan for His Church. God calls things that be not as though they were. “The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor!” Just as God changed Gideon’s identity and reason for living, He has given us a new, TRUE identity in Christ Jesus. This must take root for the bigger plans of God to be accomplished in 2014.

Let’s get serious about renewing our minds and hearts to the truth of who we are in Christ so that we may serve Him in boldness. Here is the direct link to those scriptures: Who You Are Scriptures.
Accusations and condemnation must be cast out of your path! These daily disciplines produce strength for overcoming perilous times.

Where Are We Headed? The Perfect Man!
“And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;

“that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.” Ephesians 4:13-16

"But you , beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit." Jude 20

ASSIGNMENT: Edification
Read one chapter of the Book of Revelation out loud every day for this month of January. Just read it without studying it. You will be blessed. I will be blessed. We will be blessed!

PRAYER AND FASTING:
I would like to ask you to join me in prayer every Wednesday for this month of January. Pray-ers who live on the East Coast and those in the Central States are experiencing extreme cold while we here in California have been experiencing 80 degree temperatures. That's unusual even for California and we need rain. Los Angeles received only 4 inches of rain last year. We can change these things if we join together in faith and are led of the Holy Spirit and pray. I have found it helpful to get out my U.S. map and pray over our nation. Let's include Canada and the area over the Pacific Ocean as well. It's our time to be like Jesus and bring order to the heavenlies! See Romans 8:19 and Genesis 1:26-28.

Other nations, please join us in praying for your nation's weather. The effective fervent prayer of the righteous avails much! James 5:16-18

PRAYING FOR:
The Church — The Lost — Elected Leaders

Copyright © 2013 – 2014 Prayer with Purpose; prayerwithpurpose.org

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Team Tuesday - January 28, 2014

"Then God said, 'Let the waters abound with an abundance of living creatures, and let birds fly ... '""And God saw that it was good."Genesis 1:20-21_____________________________________________________________________________

Team Tuesday - January 21, 2014

"... God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy."1 Timothy 6:17________________________________________________________________________________________

Team Tuesday - January 14, 2014

"When you said, 'Seek My face,' my heart said to You, 'Your face, LORD, I will seek.'"Psalm 27:8________________________________________________________________

Team Tuesday - January 7, 2014

"... not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some ... and so much more as you see the Day Approaching."Hebrews 10:25

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"Then God said, 'Let the waters abound with an abundance of living creatures, and let birds fly ... '"
"And God saw that it was good."
Genesis 1:20-21
_____________________________________________________________________________

"... God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy."
1 Timothy 6:17
________________________________________________________________________________________

"When you said, 'Seek My face,' my heart said to You,
'Your face, LORD, I will seek.'"
Psalm 27:8
________________________________________________________________

"... not forsaking the assembling of ourselves
together, as is the manner of some ... and so much
more as you see the Day Approaching."
Hebrews 10:25