"For who has despised the day of small beginnings?"
Zechariah 4:10
(That's an avocado in the center of the photo.)
____________________________________________________________
Dear Praying Saints,
I hope that you are experiencing the power of praise and worship in your prayer closet!
As we saw in our last lesson, King Jehoshaphat and all of Israel experienced our Father’s power as they obeyed Him and sent forth the singers ahead of Israel’s army. The battle was the Lord’s!
King Jehoshaphat had victory because Israel obeyed God’s plan even though it must have seemed strange to send out people who sing ahead of all the soldiers. On the other hand, they must have heard how the walls of Jericho came down!
Last Days Strategies
We also are God’s chosen people. We have been called and separated to join God in praying out His plans. That mission requires us to seek God in how to pray and be open to new instructions in these last days.
One of those strategies that is powerful and effective in bringing change into our cities is to use Power Songs in prayer. If you have not read and participated in doing our last lesson, just scroll down and enjoy!
THIS WEEK’S LESSON:
DO NOT DESPISE SMALL BEGINNINGS
When you think about it, everything we see begins small, even you and me when we were conceived in our mother’s womb. All of nature, all of the animal kingdom, begins small. Inventions begin small…everything begins small…just like the tiny fruit on my avocado tree.
Spiritual things also begin small.
1. The Kingdom of God…(on the earth.)
2. God’s Word
3. Prayer
4. Faith
THE KINGDOM OF GOD
“And He said to them, ‘To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables…
The sower sows the word…
But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.’” Read Mark 4:11-32.
“Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.”
Luke 8:11
Progression
Jesus also went on to describe the Kingdom of God as a farmer who sowed seed.
The earth yields crops by itself, first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain. When it ripens it is ready to be harvested. He also described the Kingdom of God like a very small mustard seed, which when it grows up becomes greater than all herbs and shoots out large branches.
“Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord.
See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned. Behold, the Judge is standing at the door!” James 5:7-9
2015: THE TIME OF THE EARLY AND THE LATTER RAIN
The Glorious Church
The early church began small.
Just 120 Believers were gathered together in prayer in the upper room.
What if prayer was the only thing that had taken place that day?
Something or rather Someone who is magnificent, who is mighty in power, would have been absent. The book of Acts would not have been written nor any of the letters to The Church.
Jesus told His disciples to expect that Someone.
“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me—You shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit—the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans. I will come to you.”
See Acts 1:8, Acts 1:5, John 14:17-18.
The Dark Ages
Why were they SO dark?
It is He, the Spirit of God, who was boxed in by the traditions of men and not allowed to lead the church into its fullness of authority and power. If man says “No!” to God’s Spirit, man will experience the evil consequences that His absence will produce: people void of power.
Does God allow this resistance? Yes He does.
Why? Because in His sovereignty God gave man the right to choose his destiny, although He desires all men to be saved. See 1 Timothy 2:4.
That right to choose goes all the way back to Adam and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Genesis 2:16-17
Small Beginnings
Thank God for the people at the beginning of the 1900’s who were hungry and sought the baptism of the Holy Spirit in Kansas and those who, in 1906, assembled with Brother Seymour at Azusa Street in Los Angeles. Thank God for that same hunger that came forth in the 1960’s and 1970’s as the charismatic renewal brought multitudes of Believers out of the bondage of their denominations and into the fullness of the born again experience that God desires for His children.
Sin Also Has Small Beginnings
Denominations who are not Bible centered and have kept the Holy Spirit out of their churches in our present time are heading into deep darkness. Members ignorantly follow and embrace sinful doctrine that is blatantly against God’s written Word.
Even this is a sign we are in the latter days. See 1 Timothy 4:1.
Do not get discouraged Saints!
This is why our assignment is to pray for the church!
The good news is there are more than 300 million faithful Believers who are baptized in the Holy Spirit, studying the Word, and giving themselves to intercede for their nations.
This too is a sign of the latter days. Praise God!
Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth, as it is in Heaven!
“Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, ‘The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, “See here!” or “See there!” ‘For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.
.... for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.’” See Luke 17:20-21 and Romans 14:17.
That Kingdom which is resident in you started with a small seed!
THE KINGDOM
“But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God,
the heavenly Jerusalem,
to an innumerable company of angels,
to the general assembly
and church of the firstborn
who are registered in heaven,
to God the Judge of all,
to the spirits of just men made perfect,
to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant,
and to the blood of sprinkling
that speaks better things
than that of Abel.” Hebrews 12:22-24
The Apostle Peter said you were born of an incorruptible seed. 1 Peter 1:23
Multiply that by millions and millions of Believers and we can see the divine expansion of God’s Kingdom; the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven!
The Sickle
Only when the grain ripens is the sickle put in, because only then the harvest has come. Mark 4:29
WHERE IS THE CHURCH HEADED?
The Church on earth is presently being sanctified to meet her Beloved in the air. See Ephesians 5:25-32 and 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18.
THE FULLNESS OF HIM WHO FILLS ALL IN ALL
“And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.” Ephesians 1:22-23
Ephesians 3:19 reveals it this way: “to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”
How is this possible?
“For it is God who works in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” Philippians 2:13
Remember, spiritual things begin small; therefore, do not despise small beginnings, just hear and obey each day!
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Suggested Assignment
Saints, revelation knowledge needs to be studied and meditated on.
Why? Meditation of God’s wisdom renews the natural mind to God’s higher thoughts.
See Isaiah 55:9 and Romans 12:2.
There is much that the Holy Spirit is releasing in this lesson.
My prayer is that you receive it and digest it to expand your inner man…to be filled with the fullness of Him, Jesus Christ our Beloved.
PRAYER WITH PURPOSE
Praying for our counties:
The Church, the lost and elected leaders.
Copyright © 2013 – 2015 Prayer with Purpose; prayerwithpurpose.org
I hope that you are experiencing the power of praise and worship in your prayer closet!
As we saw in our last lesson, King Jehoshaphat and all of Israel experienced our Father’s power as they obeyed Him and sent forth the singers ahead of Israel’s army. The battle was the Lord’s!
King Jehoshaphat had victory because Israel obeyed God’s plan even though it must have seemed strange to send out people who sing ahead of all the soldiers. On the other hand, they must have heard how the walls of Jericho came down!
Last Days Strategies
We also are God’s chosen people. We have been called and separated to join God in praying out His plans. That mission requires us to seek God in how to pray and be open to new instructions in these last days.
One of those strategies that is powerful and effective in bringing change into our cities is to use Power Songs in prayer. If you have not read and participated in doing our last lesson, just scroll down and enjoy!
THIS WEEK’S LESSON:
DO NOT DESPISE SMALL BEGINNINGS
When you think about it, everything we see begins small, even you and me when we were conceived in our mother’s womb. All of nature, all of the animal kingdom, begins small. Inventions begin small…everything begins small…just like the tiny fruit on my avocado tree.
Spiritual things also begin small.
1. The Kingdom of God…(on the earth.)
2. God’s Word
3. Prayer
4. Faith
THE KINGDOM OF GOD
“And He said to them, ‘To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables…
The sower sows the word…
But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.’” Read Mark 4:11-32.
“Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.”
Luke 8:11
Progression
Jesus also went on to describe the Kingdom of God as a farmer who sowed seed.
The earth yields crops by itself, first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain. When it ripens it is ready to be harvested. He also described the Kingdom of God like a very small mustard seed, which when it grows up becomes greater than all herbs and shoots out large branches.
“Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord.
See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned. Behold, the Judge is standing at the door!” James 5:7-9
2015: THE TIME OF THE EARLY AND THE LATTER RAIN
The Glorious Church
The early church began small.
Just 120 Believers were gathered together in prayer in the upper room.
What if prayer was the only thing that had taken place that day?
Something or rather Someone who is magnificent, who is mighty in power, would have been absent. The book of Acts would not have been written nor any of the letters to The Church.
Jesus told His disciples to expect that Someone.
“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me—You shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit—the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans. I will come to you.”
See Acts 1:8, Acts 1:5, John 14:17-18.
The Dark Ages
Why were they SO dark?
It is He, the Spirit of God, who was boxed in by the traditions of men and not allowed to lead the church into its fullness of authority and power. If man says “No!” to God’s Spirit, man will experience the evil consequences that His absence will produce: people void of power.
Does God allow this resistance? Yes He does.
Why? Because in His sovereignty God gave man the right to choose his destiny, although He desires all men to be saved. See 1 Timothy 2:4.
That right to choose goes all the way back to Adam and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Genesis 2:16-17
Small Beginnings
Thank God for the people at the beginning of the 1900’s who were hungry and sought the baptism of the Holy Spirit in Kansas and those who, in 1906, assembled with Brother Seymour at Azusa Street in Los Angeles. Thank God for that same hunger that came forth in the 1960’s and 1970’s as the charismatic renewal brought multitudes of Believers out of the bondage of their denominations and into the fullness of the born again experience that God desires for His children.
Sin Also Has Small Beginnings
Denominations who are not Bible centered and have kept the Holy Spirit out of their churches in our present time are heading into deep darkness. Members ignorantly follow and embrace sinful doctrine that is blatantly against God’s written Word.
Even this is a sign we are in the latter days. See 1 Timothy 4:1.
Do not get discouraged Saints!
This is why our assignment is to pray for the church!
The good news is there are more than 300 million faithful Believers who are baptized in the Holy Spirit, studying the Word, and giving themselves to intercede for their nations.
This too is a sign of the latter days. Praise God!
Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth, as it is in Heaven!
- This is the will of God.
- This is the call of The Church.
- This is the foundation for all ministry.
- This is the root of our prayers.
“Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, ‘The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, “See here!” or “See there!” ‘For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.
.... for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.’” See Luke 17:20-21 and Romans 14:17.
That Kingdom which is resident in you started with a small seed!
THE KINGDOM
“But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God,
the heavenly Jerusalem,
to an innumerable company of angels,
to the general assembly
and church of the firstborn
who are registered in heaven,
to God the Judge of all,
to the spirits of just men made perfect,
to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant,
and to the blood of sprinkling
that speaks better things
than that of Abel.” Hebrews 12:22-24
The Apostle Peter said you were born of an incorruptible seed. 1 Peter 1:23
Multiply that by millions and millions of Believers and we can see the divine expansion of God’s Kingdom; the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven!
The Sickle
Only when the grain ripens is the sickle put in, because only then the harvest has come. Mark 4:29
WHERE IS THE CHURCH HEADED?
The Church on earth is presently being sanctified to meet her Beloved in the air. See Ephesians 5:25-32 and 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18.
- We are advancing forward and about our Father’s business which is to harvest the earth.
- We’re about to see God’s Kingdom expand exponentially.
- The gates of hell shall not prevail against God’s Kingdom in The Church!
THE FULLNESS OF HIM WHO FILLS ALL IN ALL
“And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.” Ephesians 1:22-23
Ephesians 3:19 reveals it this way: “to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”
How is this possible?
“For it is God who works in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” Philippians 2:13
Remember, spiritual things begin small; therefore, do not despise small beginnings, just hear and obey each day!
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Suggested Assignment
Saints, revelation knowledge needs to be studied and meditated on.
Why? Meditation of God’s wisdom renews the natural mind to God’s higher thoughts.
See Isaiah 55:9 and Romans 12:2.
There is much that the Holy Spirit is releasing in this lesson.
My prayer is that you receive it and digest it to expand your inner man…to be filled with the fullness of Him, Jesus Christ our Beloved.
PRAYER WITH PURPOSE
Praying for our counties:
The Church, the lost and elected leaders.
Copyright © 2013 – 2015 Prayer with Purpose; prayerwithpurpose.org