Tuesday, June 26, 2012

A FORTNIGHT OF PRAYER

DAY 6
ARE YOU A PRAYER WARRIOR?
In the past five days if deep personal searching of the Soul, we have come to recognize our shortcomings as humans as well as children of God. In Repentance and Humility, rejecting our pride and sinful selves, we have identified with the people of God of old. We parallel those who saw themselves coming up short, when Ezra the Man of God (Ezra Chapters 9 and 10), called the entire Remnant out. Ezra not only cried out in repentance and Godly sorrow, but he sought forgiveness, healing and restoration - personal and corporate. The Lord granted his request after the   Remnant purged their iniquity and found cleansing.


So it is with us, in this Fortnight of Prayer as we have prepared our hearts, according to Biblical Standards and Principles, to be able to not just live our lives each day with effective purpose. We have also positioned a collective spirit of freedom and dunamis - dynamic power - to pray as we ought for our families; our extended families; our communities and the unholy mess in these United States.


When Christ saved us, He did not say "now you're gonna be fine...no hassles...just sit there and I will come and take you away, like Calgon, in a Rapture to live and we will watch all those pagans running around down there!!" NO! Jesus did not say THAT. He said "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8 ESV). This is what the LORD actually said in His Last statement before going back up into Heaven!

Now, here is the most important part. In this verse - Acts 1:8, the Original Word Jesus used for "WITNESSES" is "martyres" in the Greek language! Yes, Jesus actually said " YOU WILL BE MY MARTYRS IN JERUSALEM (or your home town) all Judea and Samaria (your country) and to the end of the earth (worldwide missions)! Did Jesus mean all Christians will be martyred for the Cause of Christ? No. When a teacher tells a five year old that he can't sing a Christmas song about Jesus' birth....when this same kid is told he cannot wear a Tshirt with a Cross on it....when the public school system indoctrinates 11 year olds in filth and actual dysfunctional sexual conduct - this is martyrdom. The examples are endless, countless, too many to describe!

The very fact that we are inspired to live a "martyred" lifestyle by Christ Himself in Acts 1:8 is evidence that we are NOT in a pillow fight! We are in a war to the end for the very souls of our families and communities! While this war may seem to be against people, it is not really. Those people who oppose us - whether it is a mean manager or supervisor to a bullying co-worker to some too-powerful politician or executive imposing his/her secular will on you - they are representative of the Spiritual Warfare lined up against the TRUE saint/child of the Living God!

The key to combat this array of enemy lined up against us is to become a Prayer Warrior! There is no boot camp for this - all you do is enlist and immediately you are on the battlefield, under heavy "artillery fire"!  Our mortal enemy - the devil - does not play around! He is in this for keeps and wants to take as many of us, from inside the church, down with him before his time is up - for good!

The best definition of WHAT a prayer warrior is, that I could find on the web is from Yahoo Answers - "A prayer warrior is someone who earnestly lifts others in prayer. They ask in the Lord to release the troubles, pain and sorrow from their lives.
Prayer warriors positively pray with all supplication, endlessly and tirelessly to bring strength, endurance, patience, understanding and hope to all others unconditionally. This enables them to find peace, joy, freedom and also be lifted in His Light and Love. 

Therefore, Father God, in the Mighty Name of Jesus, I commit myself to the disciple of Praying without Ceasing as Your Word encourages in 1 Thessalonians 5! Lord I am willing to take the slings and arrows of a the enemy of old, who does not have Your interest at his core, only the destruction of Your saints all over the world.  Jesus take the wheel of my heart, my mind, my soul and all my strength and mold me into the person of prayer and power who will tap into Your Word of Endless Truth and Grace and Power. 

Let me be the intercessor like Christ is for me. 
Let me cry out to Heaven night and day, for as long as  it takes. 
Let me take hold of that which You have desired for me - that I may walk humbly and righteously while standing in the Gap for another...and then another...and then the city and nation until lives are changed and many are healed, physically and emotionally! Thank you my God and my King for Your Love and calling to each of us to be that repairer of the Breach, who is willing to serve as a bridge between You and another who is seeking you....and will be seeking you, yet still does not know it! Father, I am asking right now, that You lead me to that person for that divine appointment, that the healing process can begin. Grant us these, we pray, in Jesus Name, amen.

(images by google)

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