I love prayer! I mean, I absolutely LOVE prayer!
I'm actually amazed and surprised by how much I love to pray. When God first spoke to me about starting a prayer group, I was more than a little surprised. I wouldn't have classified myself as any kind of a prayer person. In fact...I thought most prayer meetings were boring. The picture I had in my mind was of a bunch of white haired old ladies ( no offense), sitting in a living room - boring!! At least ...boring to me!
But God had other plans! He introduced me to prayer that is interactive. He's taught me how to pray in a group...with a group...as well as to pray alone. It's awesome. It's exciting. It's fun! It can also be hard work. Yes...sometimes you have to 'work prayer' ( as one of my prayer mentors would say). And I've learned to do that..and love it too!
When I hear of prayer meetings ending, or closing down, I always feel sad. What happened? What caused someone to stop? Is it the style of prayer? People's personalities? What??
I think, in the days of ahead, we need to look at some prayer styles and prayer temperaments. It's important that we understand each other, so that we can work together, and pray together!
Yes, we need to defer to one another...and prefer one another...but we also need to learn how to pray together so that the force of our prayers are magnified! The prayer of agreement is a mighty weapon..and don't you think the enemy knows it - that's why he works so hard to stop it! To get us frustrated with each other in prayer, in prayer rooms, in prayer groups! He wants us to say ' forget it!'..and walk away!
So....hopefully, I'll be adding a few posts in the next few weeks about prayer styles and temperaments! Hopefully.....it will strengthen and encourage those that read this blog!
Blessings..
Pam
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Friday, October 2, 2009
Government Intercessors
Government Intercessors
Many times we hear people ask the question: "If God is so concerned about the nations, then why is there so many poor in so many countries, starving to death and living in complete chaos and ruin?" The answer? Prayerlessness!
There are more than 6 billion people on the earth ( and this is probably an old statistic) and of that at least 109 million Americans profess to be born-again Christians. ( Sorry I don't know the stats for Canada or other countries.) Just think what would happen if even 1% of those believers began to pray for the unsaved governments of the world! Remember the famous quote from Edmund Burke: " The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."
II Chronicles 7:14 is the encouragement that we can change a nation with our intercession.
"If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."This is a call to the Government Intercessors of the Church! God can and will heal our lands IF we are faithful to pray!
One office of government we are to pray for is Pastors!! If a pastor falls , part of the blame is shared with the congregation because we are the prayer shields for our leaders. We need to pray for holiness and wholeness of their love for both God and His children. If Intercessors truly understood their place of important, the whole congregation would reap the benefit of their sacrifice.
They are finding that pastors who have enlisted personal intercessor are reporting greater fruitfulness in every facet of their lives, including their own holiness. Pastors with a minimum of two or three pray-ers interceding over every service, exhibit a renewed strength in their teaching and preaching.
Another office of government we are to pray for, is in our own home. Talk to God about the things that need to change and allow Him to change the hearts of those involved. ( Prov.21:1 talks of ' the king's heart is like a channel of water in the hand of the Lord: He turns it wherever He wishes." The 'king' is referring to the person who is governing the situation.)
You may be called to pray for your city and all those involved in government there: eg. police departments, churches, fire station etc. You might not be a person who can pray over a daily list for leaders of your church, or your schools or your city, state or government. You might be a crisis intercessor who is called to respond to governmental kinds of emergencies.
God may be calling you to be a government intercessor by giving you specifics to pray for a teacher in your child's classroom. You may be called to pray over policies that will effect your school district. Start with what you know..and what you see! As you are faithful to pray over even the least significant-looking governmental issue, God will broaden your prayer power. God is not looking for powerful speakers; He is looking for speakers who will rely on His power to speak up and speak out. Who knows? You could be a voice for God that will change a government.
Are you a Government Intercessor?
1. Do politics stimulate you?
2. Does your life revolve around the church?
3. Are you interested in policies for schools, churches, and political situations?
4. Would prayer walking the schools, churches and governments buildings in your neighbourhood excited you?
5. Are you called to intercession for your government as your read the newspaper or watch global news?
6. Do you keep apprised of government officials by name in any level of government?
Pitfalls of Government Intercessors:
-intolerance for those who appear ignorant about governmental matters
-Becoming so concerned about the government that people become a secondary issue - and so does the Lord
-Allowing recognition to be the motive for intercessory prayer rather than the call of God
-Compromising integrity and beliefs to please people
-Getting caught up in the spirits that are over the land, which are power and pride
-Taking offense when convictions are questioned
-Believing that you're the only one with the answer
-Letting bitterness take root when leaders do not live up to God's will
-Gossiping and grumbling about leaders instead of leading them into change THROUGH prayer.
Remember, that like Daniel, government intercessor need to remember their spiritual roots no matter who governs the environment in which they live or work. Government intercessors are the spiritual Daniels of our day. The key is to stand like Daniel with a disciplined focus at the windows of prayer!
Sunday, August 2, 2009
I'm on Sabbatical...
I'm sorry I haven't updated this. I'm on Sabbatical until September 1. ( Sabbatical, meaning a 'rest'.) My husband and I are not only taking a rest/break from pastoring our church, we are also taking a break from all other related responsibilities - which for me includes laying down my city prayer group, as well as doing the blogs. So...I'll be back on track, Sept. 1.
In the mean time, if you are someone who has been regularly read this and the other two blogs I do, I would really like to have some feedback from you. Are these articles helpful to you? Are you finding them informative and giving you some new understanding of you, your prayer style etc.? What's the most helpful? What would you like to know more about? I'd love to have a list of questions to blog on - so if you have anything you'd like to ask about, please send it through!
I'm wondering what other intercessors, from different places, or even from my own city but different churches, are hearing from the Lord right now?
Is anyone else sensing that God may be 'gathering' the Watchmen soon? My sense is there is some kind of gathering togehter that my be happening in the future. Like an army being called to War....or troops being mustered - there is just a sense of activity with purpose, about to happen. My sense also, is that it's possibly going to happen sometime this year. ( And for me, this 'year' usually means September to June..) Anyone else sensing anything? I'd be very grateful to hear some feedback. I am getting more and more pictures,a nd words that involve 'army' type words: troops, elite forces, special forces, trained....joint mission.
Hope I hear back from some of you. Otherwise, I'll 'see' you in September.
In the mean time, if you are someone who has been regularly read this and the other two blogs I do, I would really like to have some feedback from you. Are these articles helpful to you? Are you finding them informative and giving you some new understanding of you, your prayer style etc.? What's the most helpful? What would you like to know more about? I'd love to have a list of questions to blog on - so if you have anything you'd like to ask about, please send it through!
I'm wondering what other intercessors, from different places, or even from my own city but different churches, are hearing from the Lord right now?
Is anyone else sensing that God may be 'gathering' the Watchmen soon? My sense is there is some kind of gathering togehter that my be happening in the future. Like an army being called to War....or troops being mustered - there is just a sense of activity with purpose, about to happen. My sense also, is that it's possibly going to happen sometime this year. ( And for me, this 'year' usually means September to June..) Anyone else sensing anything? I'd be very grateful to hear some feedback. I am getting more and more pictures,a nd words that involve 'army' type words: troops, elite forces, special forces, trained....joint mission.
Hope I hear back from some of you. Otherwise, I'll 'see' you in September.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Praying with A Pure Heart
Remember the key to praying in faith..and with a pure heart is knowing the will of God. I Jn.5:14
How can we know His will?
1. Read it in Scripture . II Tim.3:15, 16
2. Asking Him ( and getting a response). Jn.14:26, 16:13, II Tim.2:7, James 1:5-7
Now..this gets easier as we spend more time with Him.
Why do we need a Pure Heart?
Any sin is going to obstruct our intimate relationship with the Father. It will also reduce the effectiveness of our prayers! Read Isa. 59:1-2 . Vs. 1 says He can do anything...yet Vs.2 says 'our sins have separated us from God and he will not hear us' . The Lord deals with this in Matt.6:12.
Here's an example
. So often when we pray, we need to 'release forgiveness', rather than praying for God to show someone how much they've hurt us. Rather we need to trust God that He knows. I remember one day, kneeling at the side of the bed crying and weeping over a injustice that had been done to me. I was doubly distraught because the person involved had absolutely no awareness, nor wanted any, of the hurt they had caused.
Finally I heard the Lord say to me, " Isn't it enough that 'I' know how much it's hurt you?" .
I've never forgotten that lesson. I wasn't going to be at peace until the person 'knew' how much they'd hurt me. Some how I needed them to know! But even if they did, I realised it would never be enough anyways! Then I realised that only God can truly know the sorrow in my heart when an offense or wound has happend. How much better to go to Him for comfort and healing? He's the best source ! Once I let that go, it completely transformed my prayers, not only for that particular person, but for others. In allowing myself to be healed, I felt closer to God and His voice seemed clearer, in ways I hadn't experienced for weeks.
If we forgive, it purifies our heart. Answers to prayer don't depend on what my adversary does or does not do. They depend on what I do.
James says " You ask and do not receive." Why?
James 4: 2 sites wrong desires - ' you lust, fight and covet'
James 4:3 sites wrong motive
James 4:3 sites wrong objectives: to satisfy your own pleasures.
We ask for the Holy Spirit to give us
1. the right desire...which is intimacy with the Father
2. the right motive, which is to glorify God and
3. the right objective, which is to do God's will.
Lastly....sin will impede not only how we hear from God, but what we will hear! Our desire needs to be like Jesus, ' to do the will of Him who sent me'. How can we do that? Well...be like Jesus and only do what we see the Father doing - only speak what we hear the Father saying.
How can we know His will?
1. Read it in Scripture . II Tim.3:15, 16
2. Asking Him ( and getting a response). Jn.14:26, 16:13, II Tim.2:7, James 1:5-7
Now..this gets easier as we spend more time with Him.
Why do we need a Pure Heart?
Any sin is going to obstruct our intimate relationship with the Father. It will also reduce the effectiveness of our prayers! Read Isa. 59:1-2 . Vs. 1 says He can do anything...yet Vs.2 says 'our sins have separated us from God and he will not hear us' . The Lord deals with this in Matt.6:12.
Here's an example
. So often when we pray, we need to 'release forgiveness', rather than praying for God to show someone how much they've hurt us. Rather we need to trust God that He knows. I remember one day, kneeling at the side of the bed crying and weeping over a injustice that had been done to me. I was doubly distraught because the person involved had absolutely no awareness, nor wanted any, of the hurt they had caused.
Finally I heard the Lord say to me, " Isn't it enough that 'I' know how much it's hurt you?" .
I've never forgotten that lesson. I wasn't going to be at peace until the person 'knew' how much they'd hurt me. Some how I needed them to know! But even if they did, I realised it would never be enough anyways! Then I realised that only God can truly know the sorrow in my heart when an offense or wound has happend. How much better to go to Him for comfort and healing? He's the best source ! Once I let that go, it completely transformed my prayers, not only for that particular person, but for others. In allowing myself to be healed, I felt closer to God and His voice seemed clearer, in ways I hadn't experienced for weeks.
If we forgive, it purifies our heart. Answers to prayer don't depend on what my adversary does or does not do. They depend on what I do.
James says " You ask and do not receive." Why?
James 4: 2 sites wrong desires - ' you lust, fight and covet'
James 4:3 sites wrong motive
James 4:3 sites wrong objectives: to satisfy your own pleasures.
We ask for the Holy Spirit to give us
1. the right desire...which is intimacy with the Father
2. the right motive, which is to glorify God and
3. the right objective, which is to do God's will.
Lastly....sin will impede not only how we hear from God, but what we will hear! Our desire needs to be like Jesus, ' to do the will of Him who sent me'. How can we do that? Well...be like Jesus and only do what we see the Father doing - only speak what we hear the Father saying.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Four Rules of Prayer....
I'm sure many people could come up with lots of 'rules of prayer' but I'm going to share the four that my own mentor taught me to use.
* Pray with faith
* Pray with a pure heart
* Pray with power
* Pray with persistence.
Read James 1: 5-7 - it speaks of praying with faith. A most necessary ingredient when we are praying. Remember Mark 11:23 " faith could tell a mountain to move"...or Mark 11:24 that says ' Whatever you ask when you pray, believe you will receive them." That's faith!
Don't pray in doubt. Faith is believing in what we have not yet seen. Heb.11: 1. Remember the key is knowing the will of God ( IJn.5:14) How can we know His will? Read it in the scripture - II Tim.3:15- 16
An interesting example of praying in doubt, came to me from a wonderful friend of mine in Victoria. One day as we were talking on the phone about our children, I told her that my kids were driving back from a holiday and asked her to remember them in her prayers - that God would be with them while they drove. She rebuked me for praying in fear and doubt. When I asked her what she meant, she told me that God had been speaking to her about the way she often prayed as if there were 'vacuums' - like God wasn't someplace, until we asked him to be there. She then said, " Pam, God is with your kids! What you want to pray, is that their awareness of Him will increase, and His effect and protection of them would increase, while they travel. Don't pray as if He's not there! As for where He is, to increase, with them!" That talked changed my life! I never pray any longer, like there are 'gaps'. I acknowledge where God is in the situation I'm praying for, and I always ask for that part of Him that is there, that influence, to increase! It's made an amazing difference in not only my prayers, but the faith level of how I pray! Doesn't the Word say, that He is always with us? So, why was I praying like He wasn't there for my children? Now I always ask God to show me where He is working in someone;'s life and ask for that influence to increase.
Another example of this, was when He asked me to give a word to a couple of young men in a local restaurant. I could tell by looking at them that they were very probably part of the gang problem our city is suffering with. When I argued with the Lord about going to them and asked Him 'why' - He told me that someone in their family line was praying for them and I needed to be a part of those prayers, by delivering the word i had for them. Once I realised that someone had been praying for them, my faith soared and I asked God to increase their awareness of Him and their hunger for Him. I asked God to expand, increase and enlarge the deposit of God that was in each of them. And yes...I did go and give them my 'word'. Interesting to note, that a few days later there were on the front page of our local paper AND on the provincial paper - these boys were major crime figures! At the same time, I found out a few weeks later that one of them has a sister who is born again, and who has been praying for them! So....I just added my prayers to hers ( who knows who else) ...and also prayed in faith over the seeds of God that were lying dormant in them!
Since that time, I ran into another woman who told me she remember one or two of those boys from a Sunday School class, and yes, they did know Christ then! So...it's just another reminder to not limit God when we pray and to not pray 'as if' there is a lack...but pray as if God is working and ask Him to increase His effect on those we are praying for.
* Pray with faith
* Pray with a pure heart
* Pray with power
* Pray with persistence.
Read James 1: 5-7 - it speaks of praying with faith. A most necessary ingredient when we are praying. Remember Mark 11:23 " faith could tell a mountain to move"...or Mark 11:24 that says ' Whatever you ask when you pray, believe you will receive them." That's faith!
Don't pray in doubt. Faith is believing in what we have not yet seen. Heb.11: 1. Remember the key is knowing the will of God ( IJn.5:14) How can we know His will? Read it in the scripture - II Tim.3:15- 16
An interesting example of praying in doubt, came to me from a wonderful friend of mine in Victoria. One day as we were talking on the phone about our children, I told her that my kids were driving back from a holiday and asked her to remember them in her prayers - that God would be with them while they drove. She rebuked me for praying in fear and doubt. When I asked her what she meant, she told me that God had been speaking to her about the way she often prayed as if there were 'vacuums' - like God wasn't someplace, until we asked him to be there. She then said, " Pam, God is with your kids! What you want to pray, is that their awareness of Him will increase, and His effect and protection of them would increase, while they travel. Don't pray as if He's not there! As for where He is, to increase, with them!" That talked changed my life! I never pray any longer, like there are 'gaps'. I acknowledge where God is in the situation I'm praying for, and I always ask for that part of Him that is there, that influence, to increase! It's made an amazing difference in not only my prayers, but the faith level of how I pray! Doesn't the Word say, that He is always with us? So, why was I praying like He wasn't there for my children? Now I always ask God to show me where He is working in someone;'s life and ask for that influence to increase.
Another example of this, was when He asked me to give a word to a couple of young men in a local restaurant. I could tell by looking at them that they were very probably part of the gang problem our city is suffering with. When I argued with the Lord about going to them and asked Him 'why' - He told me that someone in their family line was praying for them and I needed to be a part of those prayers, by delivering the word i had for them. Once I realised that someone had been praying for them, my faith soared and I asked God to increase their awareness of Him and their hunger for Him. I asked God to expand, increase and enlarge the deposit of God that was in each of them. And yes...I did go and give them my 'word'. Interesting to note, that a few days later there were on the front page of our local paper AND on the provincial paper - these boys were major crime figures! At the same time, I found out a few weeks later that one of them has a sister who is born again, and who has been praying for them! So....I just added my prayers to hers ( who knows who else) ...and also prayed in faith over the seeds of God that were lying dormant in them!
Since that time, I ran into another woman who told me she remember one or two of those boys from a Sunday School class, and yes, they did know Christ then! So...it's just another reminder to not limit God when we pray and to not pray 'as if' there is a lack...but pray as if God is working and ask Him to increase His effect on those we are praying for.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Testing a Corporate Word over a City/Ministry or Territory/Nation
As more and more prophetic words are being released for the larger 'church' or for the nation, it makes sense that we need to learn again, how to test these words! Yes!! Prophetic words are to be tested! One of my amazing mentors, and good friend, Marilyn W. - just did a teaching time for my prayer group on this subject. I've asked her if I can publish her notes...and she said 'yes'. So..here is some good stuff you to chew on, regarding prophesy! If you have questions, please email me and let me know!
There are many tests for prophecy available. We need to be proficient in the use of these tests.
1 Thess. 5:19-22. Do not stifle the Holy Spirit. Do not scoff at prophecies but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good. Keep away from every kind of evil. NLT. 1 Cor. 14:29.
Some of these areas first to be checked are:-
The origin. 1 John 4:1-4 – test the spirits.
Is it from the Holy Spirit, an evil spirit or from the spirit of man? Sometimes it may be a mixture as we are not perfect yet. Our spirit bears witness to the truth and to the Holy Spirit. We discern the spirit of the prophecy before the words. John 4:23.
Examine the content. 1 John 4 5 – does it conform to scripture?
The Bible is our source of truth and we need to check the word in light of the whole Bible. We build our lives on our relationship through intimacy with Jesus and the revealed word of God – The Bible. Prophecy is never used to establish new doctrine or practices. It should never govern our understanding of scripture. If there is any contradiction of Christian doctrine and foundational truth then the prophecy is renounced.
Does it glorify Jesus?
Jesus is exulted over man’s ministry. Prophecy should reveal the true Jesus and help us to be conformed to His image. We are to hear God for ourselves and be led by the Holy Spirit. The prophetic highlights some specific area of our lives enlarging and confirming what Jesus has previously said to us.
Does it witness to you? Rom. 8:16.
What is your initial inner witness or response to the prophecy? The earmarks of peace, love and joy should be present. It should release a sense of freedom and empowerment into your situation. Also it can be judged by others in the body.
Discern the type of prophecy.
The final purpose of prophecy is always positive. We edify or build up people and we build up the church.
A now word. This word highlights a situation we are presently going through. By emphasizing this God is revealing how He is always with us and that He sees every step we take. He is aware of our needs. Psalm 139. This prophecy stimulates an area that God wants to work on at this moment in our lives.
A confirming word. God has been leading us daily and sometimes He needs to say “Yes this is Me. Don’t be afraid.” It is not wrong to ask for confirmation so that when we are sure this is God, we can be obedient. But remember there is always a step of faith needed. 2 Cor. 13:1b. Through two or three witnesses, the power of agreement and confirmation we are strengthened to do what we know is right. Fresh life and faith come in to us.
A future word. This type of word sets the next vision goal for us. It opens up a time of new direction, development and training towards its end. It should be a natural unfolding of the way God has led us in the past. We may not be at that place yet but the word may come in present tense as if we are already there.
A new word. 1 Cor. 2:9-10. This word may have little or no link to our present situation. It will open up our hearts and mind to the things we could not imagine. The timing of this word is strategic and an awareness is awakened for God to build upon it in the future.
6. Check the fruit from the word. Matt. 7 15.
Remember, fruit takes time to grow but faith and love comes as deposits as well as growing attributes of Christ’s life in us.
Even though prophecy may be personal it always affects the whole body of Christ. It often needs to be incorporated into the whole to be fulfilled. It may even extend into the generations to be completed.
These tests need to be done first.
TESTING A CORPORATE WORD
These areas listed above need to be checked with a corporate word.
Have the prophecy available. If you are not trained in this process, I would recommend you do this with a group of people and learn together.
This testing involves prophecies of all types that are being freely distributed, especially those that are distributed through the Internet and have the potential to go unchecked and untested. My hope that this will bring into this area accountability and responsibility for those all actively involved.
NOW CONTINUE THE TESTING PROCEDURE
Do you know the Background of the word? If possible find out..or ask about it. As well there are other questions to ask:
1.When was the word given?
2.What was the situation at the time it was given?
3. Who spoke it and to whom?
Tests
1. When God speaks He has a purpose.
What is His purpose in this prophecy?
What prayer initiative is released with the prophecy?
2. Who is this prophecy for?
Who is expected to respond to the word?
3. Test the spirits?
Does it witness to you?
What is your initial response?
Do you feel you can exercise your authority as a believer to test it?
4. What is the response of intercessors who pray for the area?
5. What is the response of leaders such as spiritual and community leaders?
6. Has the group who received the word tested it? Does it line up with their prophetic history and the way God has led them?
7. Level of the word.
i. edification, exhortation & comfort
ii. the ministry of a select group
iii. prophet’s voice perhaps bringing correction and reconciliation in love
iv. to the national corporate body of Christ bringing a destiny or strategic word
8. What is the potential outcome of the word? Is it a continuation of how God has led in the past? If it is a new word does it fit in with historical flow of those involved?
9. What conditions apply?
If repentance is required, is it clearly understood?
Does it follow the model of Revelation & the 7 churches in correction and God’s response to it? How is God’s heart represented in the prophecy? What will be the results of repentance?
10. Is the prophecy consistent with God’s character?
11. What is the season of the word?
Now/future (See 1st section)
Specific situation
General encouragement
Is it tied to the past?
12. Is the language a fit?
It needs to be clearly understood and articulated. The Holy Spirit will bring His communication in a way that fits the person hearing it, not the one delivering the word.
Prophet
What is his/her territorial influence & mandate?
What aligns him/her to this area that the word is directed to?
Who is he/she accountable to in the area the word is given?
Was it pre-discerned?
Who discerned the word when it was given?
Who is he/she accountable to where he/she fellowships?
People who distribute the prophetic word
What is your reason for distributing this?
Have you asked permission to the ones you are sending it to?
Have you followed up by checking their response?
Internet distribution site
Is there a place to question this word or dialog about it with the people involved?
Testing the Corporate Word over a City/Ministry/Terriotry or Nation
by Marilyn W.
There are many tests for prophecy available. We need to be proficient in the use of these tests.
1 Thess. 5:19-22. Do not stifle the Holy Spirit. Do not scoff at prophecies but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good. Keep away from every kind of evil. NLT. 1 Cor. 14:29.
Some of these areas first to be checked are:-
The origin. 1 John 4:1-4 – test the spirits.
Is it from the Holy Spirit, an evil spirit or from the spirit of man? Sometimes it may be a mixture as we are not perfect yet. Our spirit bears witness to the truth and to the Holy Spirit. We discern the spirit of the prophecy before the words. John 4:23.
Examine the content. 1 John 4 5 – does it conform to scripture?
The Bible is our source of truth and we need to check the word in light of the whole Bible. We build our lives on our relationship through intimacy with Jesus and the revealed word of God – The Bible. Prophecy is never used to establish new doctrine or practices. It should never govern our understanding of scripture. If there is any contradiction of Christian doctrine and foundational truth then the prophecy is renounced.
Does it glorify Jesus?
Jesus is exulted over man’s ministry. Prophecy should reveal the true Jesus and help us to be conformed to His image. We are to hear God for ourselves and be led by the Holy Spirit. The prophetic highlights some specific area of our lives enlarging and confirming what Jesus has previously said to us.
Does it witness to you? Rom. 8:16.
What is your initial inner witness or response to the prophecy? The earmarks of peace, love and joy should be present. It should release a sense of freedom and empowerment into your situation. Also it can be judged by others in the body.
Discern the type of prophecy.
The final purpose of prophecy is always positive. We edify or build up people and we build up the church.
A now word. This word highlights a situation we are presently going through. By emphasizing this God is revealing how He is always with us and that He sees every step we take. He is aware of our needs. Psalm 139. This prophecy stimulates an area that God wants to work on at this moment in our lives.
A confirming word. God has been leading us daily and sometimes He needs to say “Yes this is Me. Don’t be afraid.” It is not wrong to ask for confirmation so that when we are sure this is God, we can be obedient. But remember there is always a step of faith needed. 2 Cor. 13:1b. Through two or three witnesses, the power of agreement and confirmation we are strengthened to do what we know is right. Fresh life and faith come in to us.
A future word. This type of word sets the next vision goal for us. It opens up a time of new direction, development and training towards its end. It should be a natural unfolding of the way God has led us in the past. We may not be at that place yet but the word may come in present tense as if we are already there.
A new word. 1 Cor. 2:9-10. This word may have little or no link to our present situation. It will open up our hearts and mind to the things we could not imagine. The timing of this word is strategic and an awareness is awakened for God to build upon it in the future.
6. Check the fruit from the word. Matt. 7 15.
Remember, fruit takes time to grow but faith and love comes as deposits as well as growing attributes of Christ’s life in us.
Even though prophecy may be personal it always affects the whole body of Christ. It often needs to be incorporated into the whole to be fulfilled. It may even extend into the generations to be completed.
These tests need to be done first.
TESTING A CORPORATE WORD
These areas listed above need to be checked with a corporate word.
Have the prophecy available. If you are not trained in this process, I would recommend you do this with a group of people and learn together.
This testing involves prophecies of all types that are being freely distributed, especially those that are distributed through the Internet and have the potential to go unchecked and untested. My hope that this will bring into this area accountability and responsibility for those all actively involved.
NOW CONTINUE THE TESTING PROCEDURE
Do you know the Background of the word? If possible find out..or ask about it. As well there are other questions to ask:
1.When was the word given?
2.What was the situation at the time it was given?
3. Who spoke it and to whom?
Tests
1. When God speaks He has a purpose.
What is His purpose in this prophecy?
What prayer initiative is released with the prophecy?
2. Who is this prophecy for?
Who is expected to respond to the word?
3. Test the spirits?
Does it witness to you?
What is your initial response?
Do you feel you can exercise your authority as a believer to test it?
4. What is the response of intercessors who pray for the area?
5. What is the response of leaders such as spiritual and community leaders?
6. Has the group who received the word tested it? Does it line up with their prophetic history and the way God has led them?
7. Level of the word.
i. edification, exhortation & comfort
ii. the ministry of a select group
iii. prophet’s voice perhaps bringing correction and reconciliation in love
iv. to the national corporate body of Christ bringing a destiny or strategic word
8. What is the potential outcome of the word? Is it a continuation of how God has led in the past? If it is a new word does it fit in with historical flow of those involved?
9. What conditions apply?
If repentance is required, is it clearly understood?
Does it follow the model of Revelation & the 7 churches in correction and God’s response to it? How is God’s heart represented in the prophecy? What will be the results of repentance?
10. Is the prophecy consistent with God’s character?
11. What is the season of the word?
Now/future (See 1st section)
Specific situation
General encouragement
Is it tied to the past?
12. Is the language a fit?
It needs to be clearly understood and articulated. The Holy Spirit will bring His communication in a way that fits the person hearing it, not the one delivering the word.
Prophet
What is his/her territorial influence & mandate?
What aligns him/her to this area that the word is directed to?
Who is he/she accountable to in the area the word is given?
Was it pre-discerned?
Who discerned the word when it was given?
Who is he/she accountable to where he/she fellowships?
People who distribute the prophetic word
What is your reason for distributing this?
Have you asked permission to the ones you are sending it to?
Have you followed up by checking their response?
Internet distribution site
Is there a place to question this word or dialog about it with the people involved?
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Why do We Pray?
Why do we pray??We pray because we know who God is!
"We are beginning to see that if God's people are going to come together to implement His will in this decade prayer will likely be the primary force." II Cor. 10 ' our weapons are not the weapons of the world. They have divine power to demolish strongholds. Our weapons are: prayer, faith,hope, love, God's word, forgiveness and repentance.
Do you believe that prayer can change things?
Moses prayed - even after he was offered a better group to lead - and God heard his cry for mercy and didn't kill the people in the desert. ( Ex.32:14)
God desires to do many things, but He will not do them unless or until, Christians use their God-given freedom to pray and ask Him to do it! James 4:2
No one can change God, but our prayers can have a direct influence on what God does or does not do. Jer.33:3 ' Call to me and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know." Now....suppose we do not call? What then? The answer is obvious! We will not know or be shown those things that are hidden from us right now, but that He's longing to reveal to us! If we don't ask...we don't get!
II Chron.7:14 "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray"
My mentor once quotes this scripture to me and asked me this question: " If it is a people who are humble, that pray - then what does it say about a people who don't pray?" The answer she was looking for was obvious. She was teaching me that prayer ( or praying) would keep me humble dependent on God. She was also teaching me that not praying, made me thinking that I could do it on my own....and that smacks of pride! I've never forgotten that lesson!
"We are beginning to see that if God's people are going to come together to implement His will in this decade prayer will likely be the primary force." II Cor. 10 ' our weapons are not the weapons of the world. They have divine power to demolish strongholds. Our weapons are: prayer, faith,hope, love, God's word, forgiveness and repentance.
Do you believe that prayer can change things?
Moses prayed - even after he was offered a better group to lead - and God heard his cry for mercy and didn't kill the people in the desert. ( Ex.32:14)
God desires to do many things, but He will not do them unless or until, Christians use their God-given freedom to pray and ask Him to do it! James 4:2
No one can change God, but our prayers can have a direct influence on what God does or does not do. Jer.33:3 ' Call to me and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know." Now....suppose we do not call? What then? The answer is obvious! We will not know or be shown those things that are hidden from us right now, but that He's longing to reveal to us! If we don't ask...we don't get!
II Chron.7:14 "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray"
My mentor once quotes this scripture to me and asked me this question: " If it is a people who are humble, that pray - then what does it say about a people who don't pray?" The answer she was looking for was obvious. She was teaching me that prayer ( or praying) would keep me humble dependent on God. She was also teaching me that not praying, made me thinking that I could do it on my own....and that smacks of pride! I've never forgotten that lesson!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)