P P P… of PRAYER!

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PRESENCE 

 For where two or three are gathered together in My name, 

I am there in the midst of them."

Matthew 18:20

PLACE

 And he was afraid and said, "How awesome is this place!

 This is none other than the house of God, 

and this is the gate of heaven!"

Genesis 28:17

Although Jacob thought that GOD was in a particular place, it is the person and the people that GOD is interested in. He comes, not to live in a place or a building, but in the hearts of individuals and among His people!

PEOPLE

Do you not know that you are the temple of God 

and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

1 Corinthians 3:16

 For the Lord's portion is His people; 

Jacob is the place of His inheritance.

Deuteronomy 32:9

PRESENT

 pray without ceasing,

1 Thessalonians 5:17

Therefore, we can pray anywhere, anytime, because we can enter into His presence with thanksgiving. He is ‘Jehovah Shammah’ -  He is there. He is ever present. He is not in a particular religious place, but in our heart. He is in our midst when we gather in His name. If two are gathered, He is the third Person. If three are gathered, He is the fourth person.

That is a powerful gathering!!

 Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he rose in haste and spoke, 

saying to his counselors, "Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?" They answered and said to the king, "True, O king." 

"Look!" he answered, "I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; 

and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God."

Daniel 3:24-25

Spiritual Warfare - 8

Taking my stand for people – Gaining territory

 Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses.   Joshua 1:3 (NKJV)


 Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. ² And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma   .Ephesians 5:1-2 (NKJV)

Once I have found my position of victory and security and know how to take my stand in that position, I need to progress from there to gain territory. Gaining souls is gaining territory. This we do, because of the love of Christ in our hearts for others. In  spiritual warfare, fighting for others is gaining territory. Bringing people from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light, bringing people to salvation in Christ Jesus, helping people to be established in the faith, set free from the snares of the devil, and causing them to walk in victory, is spiritual gain for us. Exposing and destroying the works of satan in the lives of people brings defeat to his kingdom.  Thus we progress in this path.

This we do, by preaching, teaching, interceding and helping with love.

We have been commanded and given the authority in Jesus, to preaching and teach.

 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. ¹⁹ Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.   Matthew 28:18-20 (NKJV)

 I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: ² Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.   2 Timothy 4:1-2 (NKJV)

We have been given the authority and power in Jesus to trample the enemy and set people free.

 And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”   Matthew 16:19 (NKJV)

 And He said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. ¹⁹ Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.   Luke 10:18-19 (NKJV)

We have been given the anointing in Jesus to set the captives free.

 “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, Because the Lord has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound; ² To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn,   Isaiah 61:1-2 (NKJV)

We have been asked to serve with love.

 For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.   Galatians 5:13 (NKJV)

Therefore in the spiritual battle, we fight for others.

 And I looked, and arose and said to the nobles, to the leaders, and to the rest of the people, “Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, great and awesome, and fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses.”   Nehemiah 4:14 (NKJV)

 For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”   Esther 4:14 (NKJV)

We don’t fight with people, but we fight for people.

We don’t fight for land or possessions, but we fight for people.

Since we have been saved by grace, we should desire to see that grace extended to others so that they also may be saved. The sufferings in this world cannot be compared to the eternal torment in hell-fire. We have a glimpse of it in the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, when the Lord rained down brimstone and fire and the smoke went up like the smoke of a furnace. God’s grace and mercy prevail before His judgment comes.

When the morning dawned, the angels urged Lot to hurry, saying, “Arise, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be consumed in the punishment of the city.” ¹⁶ And while he lingered, the men took hold of his hand, his wife’s hand, and the hands of his two daughters, the Lord being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the city. ¹⁷ So it came to pass, when they had brought them outside, that he said, “Escape for your life! Do not look behind you nor stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountains, lest you be destroyed.”   Genesis 19:15-17 (NKJV)

Rotorua in New Zealand gives us a picture of the place of eternal torment. It gives us a glimpse of bubbling, boiling mud and Sulphur. May we consider this and have our hearts filled with compassion to see many saved from being cast into hell.

But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, ²¹ keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. ²² And on some have compassion, making a distinction; ²³ but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.   Jude 20-23 (NKJV)

Spiritual Warfare - 4

Finding My Position With God

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31 (NKJV)

It is important for me to move till I come to God’s side. Then I know GOD is for me.

*I need to turn away from my waywardness.

Seek the LORD while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near. 7 Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the LORD, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon.  Isaiah 55:6-7 (NKJV)

*I need to turn away from my worldly and covetous ways.

 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” 6 So we may boldly say: “The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”  Hebrews 13:5-6 (NKJV)


*I need to turn from my pride and humble myself. Very often, we search for GOD and are unable to find Him because we are standing in pride, on a high platform. Unless we come down, we cannot receive His grace. Unless we receive His grace, we cannot see Him. As we humble ourselves before the Lord and submit to Him, we are positioning ourselves in line with GOD who is on the throne. This is the place of victory.

 Thus says the LORD: “Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, Let not the mighty man glory in his might, Nor let the rich man glory in his riches; 24 But let him who glories glory in this, That he understands and knows Me, That I am the LORD, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight,” says the LORD.  Jeremiah 9:23-24 (NKJV)

For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, With him who has a contrite and humble spirit, To revive the spirit of the humble, And to revive the heart of the contrite ones.  Isaiah 57:15 (NKJV)

Practical steps of humbling myself before God:-

1) Understand from the word and acknowledge the greatness of God.

The acts of praising God, exalting Him and thanking Him in every situation move me towards the right relationship with God.

2) Understand and acknowledge my fallen nature, weaknesses and unworthiness.

O my soul, you have said to the LORD, “You are my Lord, My goodness is nothing apart from You.”   Psalm 16:2 (NKJV)


O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?  Romans 7:24 (NKJV)


3) Humble myself and gratefully receive the grace of God which is the only way to connect with Him.

 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”  James 4:6 (NKJV)


*I need to take my right standing with other people. The question is not whether I am for GOD, but whether GOD is for me. When I fight against a brother or sister for GOD, I am unknowingly taking my place against GOD.

Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” 6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, 7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. 8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. 10 But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.  1 Peter 5:5-10 (NKJV)