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PURSUE 

What are the people of the world pursuing? 1 Tim 6:6-10

What am I pursuing? 

 But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, 

godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. 

Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called 

and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

1 Timothy 6:11-12

What are we pursuing in our prayers?

Come, and let us return to the Lord; For He has torn, but He will heal us; 

He has stricken, but He will bind us up. After two days He will revive us; 

On the third day He will raise us up, That we may live in His sight. 

Let us know, Let us pursue the knowledge of the Lord. 

His going forth is established as the morning; 

He will come to us like the rain, 

Like the latter and former rain to the earth.

Hosea 6:1-3

Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord:

Hebrews 12:14

Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.

1 Corinthians 14:1

Following is a dictionary definition of Pursue:

to follow in order to overtake, capture, kill, or defeat

 So David inquired of the Lord, saying, 

"Shall I pursue this troop? Shall I overtake them?" 

And He answered him, 

"Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them and without fail recover all."

1 Samuel 30:8

 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, 

certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, 

that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, 

that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin. 

Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him,

Romans 6:5-8

For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 

When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.

Colossians 3:3-4

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PERSIST

Persistence means to go on resolutely.

 And He said to them, "Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, 

and I have nothing to set before him'; and he will answer from within and say, 

'Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; 

I cannot rise and give to you'? I say to you, 

though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, 

yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs.

Luke 11:5-8

Unlike man, GOD does not have inconveniences in answering our prayers!

When we request something that is good that is in GOD’s will to meet the need of someone who comes to us, we must persist in that prayer and believe, so that we may receive it!

Don’t we need wisdom to give counsel to those who come to us with various issues? 

 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, 

and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, 

for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 

For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 

he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

James 1:5-8

Don’t we need the power of GOD to release people from all kinds of bondages? 

 And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, 

to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease.

…Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. 

Freely you have received, freely give.

Matthew 10:1, 8

Let us also receive His forgiveness and love, given freely to us, so that we may freely forgive and freely love!

Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, saying: "There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man. 

Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, 

'Get justice for me from my adversary.' And he would not for a while; 

but afterward he said within himself, 'Though I do not fear God nor regard man, 

yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.' " Then the Lord said, "Hear what the unjust judge said. 

And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, 

though He bears long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. 

Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?"

Luke 18:1-8

 Then Jesus answered and said, "O faithless and perverse generation, 

how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him here to Me." 

And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him; 

and the child was cured from that very hour. 

Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, "Why could we not cast it out?" 

So Jesus said to them, "Because of your unbelief; 

for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 

'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. 

However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting."

Matthew 17:17-21

We should not stubbornly insist on having our way in our prayers to the LORD. The LORD also gives in to such prayers and those answers will not be a blessing to us.

 But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, "Give us a king to judge us." So Samuel prayed to the Lord. And the Lord said to Samuel, "Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them.

1 Samuel 8:6-7

Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, "No, but we will have a king over us, that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles." And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he repeated them in the hearing of the Lord. So the Lord said to Samuel, "Heed their voice, and make them a king." And Samuel said to the men of Israel, "Every man go to his city."

1 Samuel 8:19-22

Now the Lord said to Samuel, "How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go; I am sending you to Jesse the Bethlehemite. For I have provided Myself a king among his sons." 

1 Samuel 16:1

When we persist in knowing GOD’s will in every situation, and yield to His will, our mindset will change. Then we will become powerful instruments in His hand, as we persist in prayer to see His Kingdom come and His will done on earth! 

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 heal their land.

2 Chronicles 7:14

Let us constantly turn and turn to the LORD, seek His face and re-turn to Him!

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. "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," says the Lord.

Isaiah 55:7-8

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PROGRESS

It is important that we progress in our prayer life. Changes in the tone and substance of our prayers are indications of our spiritual growth. We see this progress in the following people:

Job:

 Then Job answered the Lord and said: "I know that You can do everything, And that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You. You asked, 'Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge?' Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. Listen, please, and let me speak; You said, 'I will question you, and you shall answer Me.' "I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, But now my eye sees You. Therefore I abhor myself, And repent in dust and ashes."

Job 42:1-6

Jacob: 

 Then Jacob made a vow, saying, "If God will be with me, and keep me in this way that I am going, and give me bread to eat and clothing to put on, so that I come back to my father's house in peace, then the Lord shall be my God. And this stone which I have set as a pillar shall be God's house, and of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You."

Genesis 28:20-22

From asking for possessions and positions we will progress to asking for a greater revelation of GOD Himself. 

And He said, "Let Me go, for the day breaks." But he said, "I will not let You go unless You bless me!"

Genesis 32:26

The Apostles:

 Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem, and sent messengers before His face. And as they went, they entered a village of the Samaritans, to prepare for Him. But they did not receive Him, because His face was set for the journey to Jerusalem. And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, "Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?" But He turned and rebuked them, and said, "You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives but to save them." And they went to another village.

Luke 9:51-56

From praying for obstacles to be removed, we will pray for strength and faith to overcome hurdles.

Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus."

Acts 4:29-30

Freshness in a person’s prayers and enthusiasm to pray indicate a growing vibrant relationship with the Heavenly Father.

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PENTECOST

 

 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Acts 2:1-4

Cretans and Arabs-

-we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God."

Acts 2:11

 POWERFUL

 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

James 5:14-16

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Ephesians 3:20-21

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PRIDEFUL 

 Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves 

that they were righteous, and despised others: 

"Two men went up to the temple to pray, 

one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 

The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself,

'God, I thank You that I am not like other men--extortioners, 

unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. 

I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.' 

And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, 

but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!' 

I tell you, this man went down to his house justified 

rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled,

 and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

Luke 18:9-14

PENITENT  

The Pharisee thanked GOD for his own acts of righteousness, comparing himself to others who were sinners in his eyes. He had nothing to receive from GOD. The tax collector was convicted of his sinful state before a Holy GOD and humbly pleading for mercy, was justified.

But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. 

Yet indeed I also count all things loss 

for the excellence of the knowledge of 

Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, 

and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, 

not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, 

but that which is through faith in Christ, 

the righteousness which is from God by faith;

Philippians 3:7-9 

PARDON 

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 55:7

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PRIVATE 

 Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.

Mark 1:35

Now when it was day, He departed and went into a deserted place. And the crowd sought Him and came to Him, and tried to keep Him from leaving them;

Luke 4:42

So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.

Luke 5:16

 "And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

Matthew 6:5-6

The LORD JESUS set the example for us to follow. Private prayer is the most important habit in our lives. Public prayer and corporate prayer should flow out of our close and intimate communion and communication with the LORD.

PUBLIC

There are times when we are led to pray in public, but our motive should not be to glorify ourselves, but to glorify the LORD. At the tomb of Lazarus, JESUS prayed to the Father in public. He addressed the following words to His Father, while being conscious that the people were also listening.

Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me."

John 11:41-42

A poor widow's jar of oil

 A certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, saying, "Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the Lord. And the creditor is coming to take my two sons to be his slaves." So Elisha said to her, "What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?" And she said, "Your maidservant has nothing in the house but a jar of oil." Then he said, "Go, borrow vessels from everywhere, from all your neighbors--empty vessels; do not gather just a few. And when you have come in, you shall shut the door behind you and your sons; then pour it into all those vessels, and set aside the full ones." So she went from him and shut the door behind her and her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured it out. Now it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said to her son, "Bring me another vessel." And he said to her, "There is not another vessel." So the oil ceased. Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, "Go, sell the oil and pay your debt; and you and your sons live on the rest."

2 Kings 4:1-7

This woman was bereaved, indebted and was in fear of losing her two sons to slavery. What a hopeless situation! In her desperation, she reaches out to the prophet of GOD. 

While we live in this fallen world, most people we meet are spiritually dead and many of them are in slavery and bondage to the devil. Even many Christians are living under the oppression of the enemy.

Whatever our situation, whether we need comfort, finance, guidance or legal advice, we should first seek the counsel of GOD before running to man. Only GOD is able to save us from the wiles of the devil and set us free.

 "What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?" And she said, "Your maidservant has nothing in the house but a jar of oil."

GOD begins His work of restoration with what we do have.

This woman would have had plenty of empty vessels. Her flour bin, oil jar, sugar bowl, rice bag, milk bottle, spice containers, fruit bowl, cereal boxes, dish washing and laundry detergent containers and so on. Each time she saw these, she would have been preoccupied with the emptiness of her life! She became consumed with self pity. She had nothing to offer even her sons.

Is your life empty? It may not be financial need, but spiritual and emotional need that makes you feel worthless and empty.

You may feel so empty and desperate.

Don't worry about the nothing, but do something with the one thing you have!

The one thing this poor woman had was a jar of oil.

Do you have the Oil of the  Holy Spirit in yourself - in your Jar of clay? 

 And Jesus answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her."
Luke 10:41-42

The LORD JESUS counselled the rich young ruler, thus:

Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, "One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me."

Mark 10:21

Following a mission trip, the LORD asked His disciples, "When I sent you without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, did you lack anything?" So they said, "Nothing."

Luke 22:35

That one thing we need is faith that connects us to the One Who is Faithful for eternity.

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"Go, borrow vessels from everywhere, from all your neighbors--empty vessels...

The woman was asked to borrow empty vessels from everywhere from all her neighbors. Rather than being preoccupied as to how she could have her empty vessels filled, she began to borrow empty vessels from her neighbors! She did not realise that her neighbors also had empty vessels! All their vessels were not full.

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 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
Romans 5:5 

Has the Holy Spirit been poured out in your heart? 

But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
Titus 3:4-7

The Holy Spirit has also been poured out on us abundantly!

We must spend time with GOD in prayer and His word so that we may receive His Spirit of love into us and on us so that we may pour out to others His love through good works.

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And when you have come in, you shall shut the door behind you and your sons; then pour it into all those vessels, and set aside the full ones." So she went from him and shut the door behind her and her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured it out.

When we reach out to others with love, we will find many broken and empty lives. When we walk around with a spiritual mindset, the Holy Spirit will enable us to see people in need. We should then 'borrow in our mind' those empty vessels and take them into our  prayer closet and shut the door behind us. Through prayer and intercession, our hearts will be filled with GOD's love for the people. When we pray as led by the Holy Spirit, the burden will lift and we will know that our prayer has been answered. That jar is then full! We can leave that person - that jar aside and take on another jar - another person to the LORD in prayer!

 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.
1 John 5:14-15
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There is not another vessel." So the oil ceased

GOD's goodness and blessings will keep flowing into our lives as long as we allow them to  flow through us to others, just like the oil in the jar of the woman.

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Go, sell the oil and pay your debt

The woman went to the neighbors and returned their jars which were now full of oil! She sold the oil and they paid her for it. That income settled her debt.

All of us are indebted to GOD because He paid the price through the LORD JESUS to save us from eternal damnation. He has bought us for Himself. We can never repay the LORD but He desires that we give our lives to Him that He might live through us.

We may have to leave the comfort of our home to bring a blessing to someone. In answer to our own prayers for our neighbors and others, the Holy Spirit may lead us to acts of kindness. We may be prompted to send a text messages, call or visits someone in need. Thus we become channels of GOD's love and allow Him to fill their hearts with His love. We may be asked to leave our own child briefly to minister to a needy child of someone else. Thus, there is enlarging of our spiritual family and we gain many souls for GOD's Kingdom.

Those who are blessed through our ministry, will also bless us in practical ways and with gifts. They become channels of GOD's provision to us!

 So He said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life."
Luke 18:29-30

When we seek to put the LORD first in our lives and love Him above all and walk in obedience to Him, He gives us much more than what we let go of, for His sake. GOD is no man's debtor. We can never outgive Him!

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and you and your sons live on the rest."

When we put the Kingdom of GOD as priority and seek to serve Him and live for His purpose, He promises to meet all our earthly needs as well. 

 Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
Matthew 6:31-34

Let us therefore focus our mind on GOD's Kingdom and give ourselves to live for Him each day and experience the abundance of His provision and love.

BE BLESED AND BE A BLESSING!