"Then He spoke a parable to them,
that men always ought to pray
and not lose heart."
Luke 18:1
______________________________________________________________
The Church:
the living body of believers, who have been separated unto holiness…for GLORY.
Before studying this important lesson, may I suggest you begin in worship ...
Song: “Lord, I Give You My Heart”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=501PP_2wlFY
We’re in the world but we’re very much different than the world.
That’s our lesson this week, continuing to find out more and more of who WE are.
It’s a vast, never ending subject because we are in God, the Eternal One. And it is in Christ where we are seated.
God “made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus…” Ephesians 2:6
Spiritual things must be spiritually discerned.
It’s the way God made us: spirit, soul and body. 1 Thessalonians 5:23
God has made our bodies to have the five physical senses: sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste. These are given so we can experience this natural world that we live in. Someone who has a deficit in one or more of these senses is terribly restricted from experiencing and enjoying life. On the other hand, our experiences with God, or our fellowship with Him, are most often in the spiritual realm.
SPIRIT TO SPIRIT
The Holy Spirit through Paul the Apostle revealed the deep things of this realm in his letter to the church at Ephesus: “we have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” Ephesians 1:3
Jesus told His disciples, “The Kingdom of God is within you.”
True worship comes out of this hidden realm. “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” John 4:24
Seek 1st the Kingdom of God Matthew 6:33
This is why our studying the Word of God is so vitally important every morning. It is spiritual food for the spirit of man. The spirit is feeble without it. This is where life resides.
“In the beginning…the Word was God…in Him was life, and the life was the light of men.” John 1:1-4 Christians without the word become carnally minded and cannot please God. See Romans 8:5-8.
THE BODY of CHRIST: You and Me!
“Now concerning spiritual gifts brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant…”
1 Corinthians 12:1
“But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased…”
1 Corinthians 12:18
“Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.” 1 Corinthians 12:27
MOVEMENT
Each individual of this great and glorious body of Christ have an assignment that affects and connects with other assignments. Ephesians 4:16
It’s like a grand and glorious tapestry!
Each assignment is moving The Church, not only horizontally in the natural realm where churches are rebuilding the ruined cities, but we are also expanding into the higher spiritual realm, for it is there that we have our citizenship for the power of dominion.
“… for in Him we live and move and have our being.” Acts 17:28
The End Days Church is about to move to advance into that glorious Body that is beyond what we can think. Ephesians 3:20-21 Praise the Lord!
God controls our movement. We can only advance according to what is revealed in the spirit.
Two Birth Certificates
One of our birth certificates claims an earthly birth and the other our Heavenly birth. Philippians 3:20 That means dual occupancy and dual citizenship. We certainly are a peculiar people!
Put this all together and we get the bigger picture of who we are in Christ: a nation called out of a nation. “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people…who once were not a people but are now the people of God…”
1 Peter 2:9-10
Uh Oh…There’s Opposition
Gates or hindrances come to oppose God’s people who are doing His will and moving forward to preach the gospel to the nations. Jesus had to deal with this in His earthly ministry. He didn’t fear or shrink back even when He knew the Pharisees and Sadducees were plotting ways to kill Him. His total trust and confidence were in His Father and His ability to see to it that the Son would fulfill His most important assignment on earth: the redemption of man.
A picture of this can also be seen as the children of Israel were sent to do God’s will.
“Go into the Promised Land and take it!”
Joshua led the armies of God in battle to rid the land of evil nations whose time had come for God’s righteous judgment. Giants had to be dealt with. How? God made provision: HIMSELF, the Great I Am, was with them. What else could be needed? Can anything overcome YHWH?
Before his death, Joshua said:
“Behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth. And you know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one thing has failed of all the good things which the LORD your God spoke concerning you. All have come to pass for you; not one word of them has failed.” Joshua 23:14
LOVE NEVER FAILS
Our war is a spiritual war. 2 Corinthians 10:3-6
The Church has an assignment from headquarters to take the land also: the saving of souls. We cry out to the world on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God. The price has already been paid!” 2 Corinthians 5:18-21
Our adversaries, principalities and powers, operate in the unseen realm. Our Commander in Chief has been given all authority over them and already stripped them. He has deputized The Church to bind them and cast them out.
Why doesn’t God do it? God’s will is to do it through the believer!
The Church is not to be terrified by the enemy!
If you have fear, study the following scriptures:
Genesis 1:26; Luke 10:19; Mark 16:15-20; Ephesians 1:21; Colossians 2:13-15; Philippians 2:28; 1 John 3:8.
Through Him we reign in life. Romans 5:17
END DAYS CHURCH: TAKING THE LAND
As we are making preparations for this massive end-time harvest of souls, the army of the Lord is moving forward, even when at times we are tempted by the devil to be weary and feel that nothing is happening. How we perceive things is very important.
We always want to stay in the truth of God’s wisdom and ways.
PERSPECTIVE: Zoom Out
Sometimes, in the spirit realm, The Church Body pushes forward and upward, taking new ground that allows an advance of the ground troops. That ground has to be guarded or we will slip back. As we attain new ground, there may be a pause or rest. That does not mean we become lazy or stop being watchful in the spirit. As we follow the plans of the Head of the Church, we continue to excel, moving forward and higher.
And for pray-ers, praying in the Spirit is vital to our strength in these evil days. This ever-advancing, glorious, living Body of Christ is moving ahead using the keys of Heaven to continue to make progress. Matthew 16:18-19
WE’RE NOT ALONE
The army that is at work on earth right now is surrounded in the spirit by the army that has already graduated to Heaven, the Saints that died in Christ.
“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:1-2
Perhaps the Saints in Heaven can see that our finish line is just ahead of us and are cheering us on! One day soon both groups will be caught up and meet the Lord in the air!
See 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.
SYNERGY
What is synergy?
It is the interaction of elements that when combined produce a total effect that is greater than the sum of the individual elements.
Synergy is cooperation, assistance, help, working together; combined activities of a group.
Synergy is the creation of a whole that is greater than the individual parts; it serves only to add, to build up, never to subtract or deflate.
Synergism: the potential ability of individual organizations or groups to be more successful or productive as a result of a merger.
Synergy of the Spirit
Our Generation:
Think about the millions of Christians on earth right now who have been lifting up prayers to God in intercession for those that are lost.
Imagine all those prayers joining with the prayers of the Saints who have preceded us: countless millions upon millions of prayers to God, prayers that have already been answered and some that are about to be answered in this generation.
It’s an amazing thought isn’t it?
“Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.” Revelation 5:8
PRAYER WITH PURPOSE:
Called to Prepare the Way—Isaiah 40:3-11
Concerning John
“But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet. For this is he of whom it is written:
‘Behold, I send My messenger before Your face,
Who will prepare Your way before You.’
“Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.
“And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come.
He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” Matthew 11:9-15
Praying for: The Glorious Church, the Lost, and Elected Leaders in every county.
Copyright © 2013 – 2014 Prayer with Purpose; prayerwithpurpose.org
the living body of believers, who have been separated unto holiness…for GLORY.
Before studying this important lesson, may I suggest you begin in worship ...
Song: “Lord, I Give You My Heart”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=501PP_2wlFY
We’re in the world but we’re very much different than the world.
That’s our lesson this week, continuing to find out more and more of who WE are.
It’s a vast, never ending subject because we are in God, the Eternal One. And it is in Christ where we are seated.
God “made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus…” Ephesians 2:6
Spiritual things must be spiritually discerned.
It’s the way God made us: spirit, soul and body. 1 Thessalonians 5:23
God has made our bodies to have the five physical senses: sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste. These are given so we can experience this natural world that we live in. Someone who has a deficit in one or more of these senses is terribly restricted from experiencing and enjoying life. On the other hand, our experiences with God, or our fellowship with Him, are most often in the spiritual realm.
SPIRIT TO SPIRIT
The Holy Spirit through Paul the Apostle revealed the deep things of this realm in his letter to the church at Ephesus: “we have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” Ephesians 1:3
Jesus told His disciples, “The Kingdom of God is within you.”
True worship comes out of this hidden realm. “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” John 4:24
Seek 1st the Kingdom of God Matthew 6:33
This is why our studying the Word of God is so vitally important every morning. It is spiritual food for the spirit of man. The spirit is feeble without it. This is where life resides.
“In the beginning…the Word was God…in Him was life, and the life was the light of men.” John 1:1-4 Christians without the word become carnally minded and cannot please God. See Romans 8:5-8.
THE BODY of CHRIST: You and Me!
“Now concerning spiritual gifts brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant…”
1 Corinthians 12:1
- “There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
- There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord.
- And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all.
- But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all…
“But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased…”
1 Corinthians 12:18
“Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.” 1 Corinthians 12:27
MOVEMENT
Each individual of this great and glorious body of Christ have an assignment that affects and connects with other assignments. Ephesians 4:16
It’s like a grand and glorious tapestry!
Each assignment is moving The Church, not only horizontally in the natural realm where churches are rebuilding the ruined cities, but we are also expanding into the higher spiritual realm, for it is there that we have our citizenship for the power of dominion.
“… for in Him we live and move and have our being.” Acts 17:28
The End Days Church is about to move to advance into that glorious Body that is beyond what we can think. Ephesians 3:20-21 Praise the Lord!
God controls our movement. We can only advance according to what is revealed in the spirit.
Two Birth Certificates
One of our birth certificates claims an earthly birth and the other our Heavenly birth. Philippians 3:20 That means dual occupancy and dual citizenship. We certainly are a peculiar people!
Put this all together and we get the bigger picture of who we are in Christ: a nation called out of a nation. “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people…who once were not a people but are now the people of God…”
1 Peter 2:9-10
Uh Oh…There’s Opposition
Gates or hindrances come to oppose God’s people who are doing His will and moving forward to preach the gospel to the nations. Jesus had to deal with this in His earthly ministry. He didn’t fear or shrink back even when He knew the Pharisees and Sadducees were plotting ways to kill Him. His total trust and confidence were in His Father and His ability to see to it that the Son would fulfill His most important assignment on earth: the redemption of man.
A picture of this can also be seen as the children of Israel were sent to do God’s will.
“Go into the Promised Land and take it!”
Joshua led the armies of God in battle to rid the land of evil nations whose time had come for God’s righteous judgment. Giants had to be dealt with. How? God made provision: HIMSELF, the Great I Am, was with them. What else could be needed? Can anything overcome YHWH?
Before his death, Joshua said:
“Behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth. And you know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one thing has failed of all the good things which the LORD your God spoke concerning you. All have come to pass for you; not one word of them has failed.” Joshua 23:14
LOVE NEVER FAILS
Our war is a spiritual war. 2 Corinthians 10:3-6
The Church has an assignment from headquarters to take the land also: the saving of souls. We cry out to the world on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God. The price has already been paid!” 2 Corinthians 5:18-21
Our adversaries, principalities and powers, operate in the unseen realm. Our Commander in Chief has been given all authority over them and already stripped them. He has deputized The Church to bind them and cast them out.
Why doesn’t God do it? God’s will is to do it through the believer!
The Church is not to be terrified by the enemy!
If you have fear, study the following scriptures:
Genesis 1:26; Luke 10:19; Mark 16:15-20; Ephesians 1:21; Colossians 2:13-15; Philippians 2:28; 1 John 3:8.
Through Him we reign in life. Romans 5:17
END DAYS CHURCH: TAKING THE LAND
As we are making preparations for this massive end-time harvest of souls, the army of the Lord is moving forward, even when at times we are tempted by the devil to be weary and feel that nothing is happening. How we perceive things is very important.
We always want to stay in the truth of God’s wisdom and ways.
PERSPECTIVE: Zoom Out
Sometimes, in the spirit realm, The Church Body pushes forward and upward, taking new ground that allows an advance of the ground troops. That ground has to be guarded or we will slip back. As we attain new ground, there may be a pause or rest. That does not mean we become lazy or stop being watchful in the spirit. As we follow the plans of the Head of the Church, we continue to excel, moving forward and higher.
And for pray-ers, praying in the Spirit is vital to our strength in these evil days. This ever-advancing, glorious, living Body of Christ is moving ahead using the keys of Heaven to continue to make progress. Matthew 16:18-19
WE’RE NOT ALONE
The army that is at work on earth right now is surrounded in the spirit by the army that has already graduated to Heaven, the Saints that died in Christ.
“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:1-2
Perhaps the Saints in Heaven can see that our finish line is just ahead of us and are cheering us on! One day soon both groups will be caught up and meet the Lord in the air!
See 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.
SYNERGY
What is synergy?
It is the interaction of elements that when combined produce a total effect that is greater than the sum of the individual elements.
Synergy is cooperation, assistance, help, working together; combined activities of a group.
Synergy is the creation of a whole that is greater than the individual parts; it serves only to add, to build up, never to subtract or deflate.
Synergism: the potential ability of individual organizations or groups to be more successful or productive as a result of a merger.
Synergy of the Spirit
Our Generation:
Think about the millions of Christians on earth right now who have been lifting up prayers to God in intercession for those that are lost.
Imagine all those prayers joining with the prayers of the Saints who have preceded us: countless millions upon millions of prayers to God, prayers that have already been answered and some that are about to be answered in this generation.
It’s an amazing thought isn’t it?
“Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.” Revelation 5:8
PRAYER WITH PURPOSE:
Called to Prepare the Way—Isaiah 40:3-11
Concerning John
“But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet. For this is he of whom it is written:
‘Behold, I send My messenger before Your face,
Who will prepare Your way before You.’
“Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.
“And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come.
He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” Matthew 11:9-15
Praying for: The Glorious Church, the Lost, and Elected Leaders in every county.
Copyright © 2013 – 2014 Prayer with Purpose; prayerwithpurpose.org