Acts 3 says: 1One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon. 2Now a man crippled from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. 3When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. 4Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” 5So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them.
6Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” 7Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. 8He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. 9When all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
They were going to the temple at the hour of prayer. We wonder why we don't see more miracles than what we are seeing today in a majority of our churches. It is because we do not go to the temple at the hour and times of prayer. When you see miracles and healings taking place it is because someone went to the house of God during the hour of prayer. This was their custom, they didn't miss prayer time. We miss our prayer times over and over again, and then we complain that God doesn't do much for us. Shame on us for accusing God when we were the ones that failed. We don't miss our place at the dinner table. We don't miss our favorite sports team. We don't miss our doctor's appointment. But we think it nothing to miss our time of prayer. This is why we as a nation are ripe for judgement.
We see a cripled man begging at the temple courts. He could have stayed home and waited on a government hand out. He could have said, "Just let me die, it's better than beggin'" He could have said no use going up there, I don't get much and it ain't worth the effort. How many people today become infirmed and just sit in a heap and give up. They often say, "It ain't better, it ain't going to get better, ain't no use trying" God never blesses a passive faith. A passive faith is one that says, "I guess I will just sit in one spot and eat worms until God does something for me." Get up off your pitty potty and get an active faith. An active faith is someone that presses in daily because they still have a will to go on.
We have a powerful combination here. Men who made their daily prayer time, and a crippled man who hadn't yet given up on life. He asked Peter and John for money, and those guys didn't have a dime to split between them. Don't go whining around about how you ain't got no money in your pocket. I see two men with no money and they ain't cryin' like some little baby, they are going to the house of God because it is time for prayer. Peter wanted this man to receive a miracle. He didn't pat the man's hand and say, "I'll be praying for you brother." He didn't take a prayer request and start a prayer chain. He didn't pray for him right there on the spot either. He told the man to get up and walk. He didn't have money for him but he had a miracle for him. Peter had the power of God on his life and it was his to give away as well. He didn't have to ask God, "Do you want this man to be healed?" Jesus said, "Freely you have received, freely give." He didn't ask God to heal the man, he simply told the man to get up and walk and took him by the hand to help him up.
Why do we spend hours trying to 'make sure' God wanted us to do this, or do that. There are hurting people all around you. Take them by the hand and tell them to get up and move ahead. We quit reaching out to others in the power of God for two reasons. First we don't go to the house of God at the time of prayer. Second, we don't want to take anyone by the hand and help them up. We are lacking in the love of God and the power of God that we need to make a difference in this world.
Monday, August 30, 2010
When the Enemy refuses to move
There are times when we are praying that the enemy, the principalites and powers in the Spirit realm, are hindering our prayers. Sometimes they refuse to let go of their strongholds, and it seems like we pray and pray and get no where. Jesus told a parable on how we ought always to pray and to never give up.
1Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 2He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. 3And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’
4“For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care about men, 5yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually wear me out with her coming!’”
6And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”
The judge that didn't fear God nor care about men represents the devil. This judge is not representing God because God loves us, and cares for us. When Satan deceived Adam he became the one that had authority and dominion on the earth. God had given all authority and dominion to Adam, but Adam forfeited that to Satan. The devil is referred to as the god of this world. Often we think that God is the one that is holding back the answer to our prayer, but, it is usually the devil that is blocking the answer to our prayers. The bible says, your adversary, the devil walks around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Alot of people don't even consider the devil when they are walking through life. They don't take it to heart that they have an enemy to their soul. The Bible says he is like an unjust judge, he has no respect for God, and he does not care for man either. He does not give justice, the bible says that he has come to steal, kill and destroy.
Jesus said in this parable that a little widow woman kept coming everyday saying, Give me justice. Note that this was a widow. She had to come herself, so that means she didn't have anyone in her family to take care of her. Woman had very little job opportunity in those days, so she likely didn't have much money. If a woman inherited any property at the death of her husband she was considered valuable. Each man being the next of kin would have the opportunity to take her into his home and provide for her, and then the property would become his. More than likely she did not have any wealth at the death of her husband, as no one took her into his home. She was likely just a poor widow woman and she was being oppressed by someone. She kept asking this unjust judge to avenge her of her adversaries, and each day the judge told her no.
What you see in this parable is the same situation that exsisted with Moses and Pharoah in the old testament. Moses kept saying, "God says let my people go." Pharoah kept saying "No." Yet, everyday God would send Moses back to say the same thing to Pharoah again. Today it is the same. Everyday you should speak in prayer your rights as a child of God. You should insist that the devil back off or yourself, off of your family, out of your life. Of course he is a lawbreaker with no repect for God, so you will have to be persisitant like this little widow.
I like verses 4 and 5 it gives us a picture of how to win the battle. This widow wore the judge down. Yes, when you come daily in prayer and speak your rights, and insist on the devil moving o ut of your way...you will eventually wear the devil out. Every morning when I wake up, I want the devil to say, "O no, here she comes to prayer again, this woman is going to wear me out." The Bible plainly says, "Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." Yes, you can decide in your spirit to be persistant like this little widow and before long the devil will start complaining that you are just simply wearing him out. He will flee to bother someone else who won't pray so much. I have found that if I praise God and walk in faith and pray like I should that the enemy does not like to hang around me much. It is like he wants someone that has a pitty party, and somone that whines and complains. If you speak praise and thanksgiving the devil just gets up and leaves that party! He flees from us because our prayer simply wears him out.
Jesus ends the parable by saying, If even the devil will eventually give you what you want if you pray long enough, how much more will God give it to you speedily!
The last few sentences are the ones that grieve me the most. Jesus said, "When I return, will I find faith on the earth." He looked forward to the end times, the days we are living in now and he declared, "Will anyone on earth still be praying at all." The bible tells about the 10 vigins, 5 were foolish, and 5 were wise, but ALL of them went to sleep. How do we know that a church is asleep? A church that is asleep is a church that isn't praying. Dear God, help us to wake up, trim our lamps, and get back to praying. You WILL wear the devil out, and you WILL see your prayers answered.
1Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 2He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. 3And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’
4“For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care about men, 5yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually wear me out with her coming!’”
6And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”
The judge that didn't fear God nor care about men represents the devil. This judge is not representing God because God loves us, and cares for us. When Satan deceived Adam he became the one that had authority and dominion on the earth. God had given all authority and dominion to Adam, but Adam forfeited that to Satan. The devil is referred to as the god of this world. Often we think that God is the one that is holding back the answer to our prayer, but, it is usually the devil that is blocking the answer to our prayers. The bible says, your adversary, the devil walks around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Alot of people don't even consider the devil when they are walking through life. They don't take it to heart that they have an enemy to their soul. The Bible says he is like an unjust judge, he has no respect for God, and he does not care for man either. He does not give justice, the bible says that he has come to steal, kill and destroy.
Jesus said in this parable that a little widow woman kept coming everyday saying, Give me justice. Note that this was a widow. She had to come herself, so that means she didn't have anyone in her family to take care of her. Woman had very little job opportunity in those days, so she likely didn't have much money. If a woman inherited any property at the death of her husband she was considered valuable. Each man being the next of kin would have the opportunity to take her into his home and provide for her, and then the property would become his. More than likely she did not have any wealth at the death of her husband, as no one took her into his home. She was likely just a poor widow woman and she was being oppressed by someone. She kept asking this unjust judge to avenge her of her adversaries, and each day the judge told her no.
What you see in this parable is the same situation that exsisted with Moses and Pharoah in the old testament. Moses kept saying, "God says let my people go." Pharoah kept saying "No." Yet, everyday God would send Moses back to say the same thing to Pharoah again. Today it is the same. Everyday you should speak in prayer your rights as a child of God. You should insist that the devil back off or yourself, off of your family, out of your life. Of course he is a lawbreaker with no repect for God, so you will have to be persisitant like this little widow.
I like verses 4 and 5 it gives us a picture of how to win the battle. This widow wore the judge down. Yes, when you come daily in prayer and speak your rights, and insist on the devil moving o ut of your way...you will eventually wear the devil out. Every morning when I wake up, I want the devil to say, "O no, here she comes to prayer again, this woman is going to wear me out." The Bible plainly says, "Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." Yes, you can decide in your spirit to be persistant like this little widow and before long the devil will start complaining that you are just simply wearing him out. He will flee to bother someone else who won't pray so much. I have found that if I praise God and walk in faith and pray like I should that the enemy does not like to hang around me much. It is like he wants someone that has a pitty party, and somone that whines and complains. If you speak praise and thanksgiving the devil just gets up and leaves that party! He flees from us because our prayer simply wears him out.
Jesus ends the parable by saying, If even the devil will eventually give you what you want if you pray long enough, how much more will God give it to you speedily!
The last few sentences are the ones that grieve me the most. Jesus said, "When I return, will I find faith on the earth." He looked forward to the end times, the days we are living in now and he declared, "Will anyone on earth still be praying at all." The bible tells about the 10 vigins, 5 were foolish, and 5 were wise, but ALL of them went to sleep. How do we know that a church is asleep? A church that is asleep is a church that isn't praying. Dear God, help us to wake up, trim our lamps, and get back to praying. You WILL wear the devil out, and you WILL see your prayers answered.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Eyes of the Spirit
Sometimes life can seem like a constant struggle. A never ending battle, a fight for survival at times. We go through the motions of everyday living and often we think, 'How much more can I endure?" And there are many times that we look at the ground we have covered and realize we have barely gained ground. There may even be times when we realize that even with all the effort we have put into, we have lost ground somehow. We can be plagued with the idea of giving up, thinking that our fight is not worth the effort.
In any battle it is possible to work hard, yet, get no where. If you are watering your garden and you get a spoon, and fill it with water, and then carry it to the garden, how much work would it take to water an entire acre of land? If you want to eat soup in your kitchen, and you pick up a fork, you may get some food in your mouth, but how much of it will be lost? If we are going to spend time in prayer, we need to pray an effective prayer. Often we pray and have absolutely no understanding of what we are doing.
Ephesians 6:12 says that our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, and against Spiritual wickedness in high places.
The powers and principalities, rulers of darkness and Spiritual wickedness are demons, which were the angels that fell from God's presence. The nature of an angel is to serve and protect you. The nature of a fallen angel, a demon, is to hinder and harm you. When we begin to understand what is going on in the spirit realm, we begin to understand prayer.
The nature of a demon is to torment. We often think that people are the problem, or lack of finances is the problem, or that lack of health is the problem. The root of the problem is not found in the earthly realm, but it is found in the Spiritual realm. When you look at a fly, you can understand how a demon attacks. Flies will buzz around and annoy you. We get the fly swat, or we spray or do whatever necessary to get rid of the fly. However, in some countries where people are poor and do not have the water to bathe properly flies are in greater numbers. Often the battle with flies are so great these people will let the flies land on their faces or other parts of thier bodies and they don't even swat them away. They give up the battle of fighting them, they just live with the flies and let them lite upon thier bodies. This is how it is in the Spirit realm. Some people just yeild to demonic powers, they are tired of the struggle.
The book of Ephesians says to put on the whole armour of God that you may be able to stand. If we don't have God's armour on, we are not even able to stand against the whiles of the devil. Often when we are praying to God we come to him with a list of things that we want changed. We look at the situation as if those things were the issues. In every situation that you face, the real issue is the principalities, and powers, the rulers in the Spirit realm, the demonic powers. These things must be addressed in prayer before your victory will come through.
In any battle it is possible to work hard, yet, get no where. If you are watering your garden and you get a spoon, and fill it with water, and then carry it to the garden, how much work would it take to water an entire acre of land? If you want to eat soup in your kitchen, and you pick up a fork, you may get some food in your mouth, but how much of it will be lost? If we are going to spend time in prayer, we need to pray an effective prayer. Often we pray and have absolutely no understanding of what we are doing.
Ephesians 6:12 says that our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, and against Spiritual wickedness in high places.
The powers and principalities, rulers of darkness and Spiritual wickedness are demons, which were the angels that fell from God's presence. The nature of an angel is to serve and protect you. The nature of a fallen angel, a demon, is to hinder and harm you. When we begin to understand what is going on in the spirit realm, we begin to understand prayer.
The nature of a demon is to torment. We often think that people are the problem, or lack of finances is the problem, or that lack of health is the problem. The root of the problem is not found in the earthly realm, but it is found in the Spiritual realm. When you look at a fly, you can understand how a demon attacks. Flies will buzz around and annoy you. We get the fly swat, or we spray or do whatever necessary to get rid of the fly. However, in some countries where people are poor and do not have the water to bathe properly flies are in greater numbers. Often the battle with flies are so great these people will let the flies land on their faces or other parts of thier bodies and they don't even swat them away. They give up the battle of fighting them, they just live with the flies and let them lite upon thier bodies. This is how it is in the Spirit realm. Some people just yeild to demonic powers, they are tired of the struggle.
The book of Ephesians says to put on the whole armour of God that you may be able to stand. If we don't have God's armour on, we are not even able to stand against the whiles of the devil. Often when we are praying to God we come to him with a list of things that we want changed. We look at the situation as if those things were the issues. In every situation that you face, the real issue is the principalities, and powers, the rulers in the Spirit realm, the demonic powers. These things must be addressed in prayer before your victory will come through.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
When the Heaven's are brass
When the heavens are brass it seems like praying is a chore. During these times it can feel as if our prayers hit the ceiling, and then fall back down into our laps. Deuteronomy 28: 15-68 list the curses that would come upon us if we disobey the Lord. God declares in verse 23 of the same chapter: "The sky above you will be brass; and the ground below you as hard as iron."
When the sky above us is brass and the earth below us is hard as iron our path is difficult upon this earth. How do we get an open Heaven above us and a fertile earth below us? Daniel had the same problem. Daniel was living under a heaven of brass. Daniel's country was the nation of Isreal, and they had disobeyed God and had been taken captive into another land. Whenever we disobey God the enemy takes us captive. We can become captive to many things. Anger, Fears, Drugs, Addictions, financial difficulties, lonliness, depressions, and the list could go on for a long time. In our captivity the heavens above us becomes brass, but why? It is because demonic spirits control these things. When you are depressed, there is a demonic spirit in the atmosphere around you. When you are angry, or fearful or on drugs or any of these hardships of the flesh, demonic spirits control the atmosphere around you. Since the demons control these things they are a torment to us when we are taken captive by them.
Daniel prayed to God seeking an answer. But no answer came the first day. Why? Because the heavens were brass, blocked up above him, by demonic powers. He continued to pray the 2nd, 3rd, 4th day and still no answer. Why? The heavens were brass above him because they had disobeyed God and had been taken into captivity. Daniel began to fast for an answer, and after 21 days of fasting and prayer, the heavens opened up above him and the answer came through.
In Daniel 10:11-13 An angel told Daniel that from the FIRST day that he had prayed, that God had heard him and sent the answer, but that it had been delayed by the prince of the Persian Kingdom (the devil, or demonic spirits), and that Michael the angel of war had to come and help him get the answer through to Daniel.
Sometimes when we pray we want to blame God if the Heavens seem brass. We get mad because our answer does not come. Have you ever thought that God heard you and did answer the moment you prayed, but the demons hindered the answer from coming to you. How the devil laughs when he blocks your answer and then you turn around and declare, "God isn't real, my prayer went unanswered." The devil blocked Daniel's answer to prayer for a full 21 days.
When you pray you not only have to move heaven, but you have to move hell out of the way as well. Demons will try to hinder you from receiving your answer from God. When we have disobeyed God we give the devil the power to make the Heavens brass above us. It blocks God from getting through to us. We must repent (turn to God) and pray and fast until the devil's power over us is broken.
If you feel like your prayers are not going anywhere, it is because demonic powers are over you making the heavens brass. You will need to pray and fast before you will get your break through. It is worth it. There is NOTHING like an open Heaven above you.
When the sky above us is brass and the earth below us is hard as iron our path is difficult upon this earth. How do we get an open Heaven above us and a fertile earth below us? Daniel had the same problem. Daniel was living under a heaven of brass. Daniel's country was the nation of Isreal, and they had disobeyed God and had been taken captive into another land. Whenever we disobey God the enemy takes us captive. We can become captive to many things. Anger, Fears, Drugs, Addictions, financial difficulties, lonliness, depressions, and the list could go on for a long time. In our captivity the heavens above us becomes brass, but why? It is because demonic spirits control these things. When you are depressed, there is a demonic spirit in the atmosphere around you. When you are angry, or fearful or on drugs or any of these hardships of the flesh, demonic spirits control the atmosphere around you. Since the demons control these things they are a torment to us when we are taken captive by them.
Daniel prayed to God seeking an answer. But no answer came the first day. Why? Because the heavens were brass, blocked up above him, by demonic powers. He continued to pray the 2nd, 3rd, 4th day and still no answer. Why? The heavens were brass above him because they had disobeyed God and had been taken into captivity. Daniel began to fast for an answer, and after 21 days of fasting and prayer, the heavens opened up above him and the answer came through.
In Daniel 10:11-13 An angel told Daniel that from the FIRST day that he had prayed, that God had heard him and sent the answer, but that it had been delayed by the prince of the Persian Kingdom (the devil, or demonic spirits), and that Michael the angel of war had to come and help him get the answer through to Daniel.
Sometimes when we pray we want to blame God if the Heavens seem brass. We get mad because our answer does not come. Have you ever thought that God heard you and did answer the moment you prayed, but the demons hindered the answer from coming to you. How the devil laughs when he blocks your answer and then you turn around and declare, "God isn't real, my prayer went unanswered." The devil blocked Daniel's answer to prayer for a full 21 days.
When you pray you not only have to move heaven, but you have to move hell out of the way as well. Demons will try to hinder you from receiving your answer from God. When we have disobeyed God we give the devil the power to make the Heavens brass above us. It blocks God from getting through to us. We must repent (turn to God) and pray and fast until the devil's power over us is broken.
If you feel like your prayers are not going anywhere, it is because demonic powers are over you making the heavens brass. You will need to pray and fast before you will get your break through. It is worth it. There is NOTHING like an open Heaven above you.
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