Tag Archives: Prayer

The Battle is The Lord’s

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“The LORD will fight for you while you [only need to] keep silent and remain calm.”. EXODUS‬ ‭14:14‬ ‭AMP‬‬

IMG_1454The children of Israel stood trapped … the Red Sea before them, the army of Egypt behind them. There was NOTHING they could do to save themselves! They needed a GOD sized miracle, and they got one. As soon as they stepped out in faith and their feet touched the water, the sea divided and “made a way when there was no way.”

As I read Exodus 14:14 this morning I was reminded of a recent situation where someone was literally spewing their anger toward God at me. Their friend had just lost a two month old baby and of course they were devastated and in shock at the seeming injustice of it all. As the young man continued to accuse God I felt the Lord tell me to be still. “I do not need you to defend me. Do not respond.”

You may not see the connection, but it felt as if I was being verbally attacked as a representative of God. It was not my battle to fight. Had I disobeyed the Lord, I could have done more harm than good.

When we feel helpless, we can be confident in the Lord. We can trust that He will fight FOR us. When we have done all that we can do, our battle becomes the Lord’s. As the Israelites had to step forward toward the sea, we are often called to fight in the war room of prayer.

PRAY:
Father, I thank you that “no weapon formed against me shall prosper.” As my Father, I can trust you to protect and provide for me. Nothing is impossible for You. Help me to recognize when I need to fight and when I need to simply be still and see the salvation of the Lord. When it feels like I am defeated remind me that I am not alone and that You will fight for me.

Speak Lord, I’m Listening – Day Five

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“Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down; and it shall be, if He calls you, that you must say, ‘Speak, Lord, for Your servant hears.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. Now the Lord came and stood and called as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!”
And Samuel answered, “Speak, for Your servant hears.” – I Samuel 9-10 NKJV

imageWe conclude our study of I Samuel 3 today with verses 9-10. At last Eli realizes that God has been speaking to Samuel and instructs him how to respond if the Lord calls out to him again. It is important to notice that Samuel heeded the instruction of Eli. He didn’t scoff. He was obedient to Eli, and moving forward he was obedient to the voice of God. 

This was a defining moment in Samuel’s life. It is the moment God reveals his destiny as a prophet. Samuel would later be the prophet who anoints David to be King of Israel, and the same prophet who confronted David with the sin of adultery. 

When God gives us a ‘Word’ it isn’t always going to be pleasant or easy to deliver. Can you imagine how difficult it must have been for Samuel to reveal what God spoke to him that first evening? (See verses 11-14) He loved Eli and served him faithfully.

The true test of the validity of prophecy in the Old Testament was whether or not the prophecy came to pass. It’s also important to note, one of the main purposes of the Old Testament prophets was to warn of impending judgment if the people did not repent. Today we live under the grace of Christ, and He sent the Holy Spirit to reside within us. The Holy Spirit will instruct us and correct us when necessary. He gently convicts us when we sin, leading us to repent. This doesn’t mean we will always escape the consequences of our sin, but we will be forgiven. 

Does it seem strange that the Holy Spirit could speak to you as distinctly as the Spirit spoke to Samuel that night? It is possible if we are willing to listen and obey. Pastor Blake Bennett said, “God’s voice is powerful and personal. The more time you spend with God, the more you learn that you can trust God. When you sit in a chair you trust that it will hold you. You trust it because of experience. Your faith in God grows with experience as well.”

Why is prayer and fasting such a powerful combination?

You are a three-part being. Body, soul (emotions/will) and spirit. Which one of the three is in charge? Are you controlled by your physical appetites, your emotions, or are you led by the Spirit. Prayer combined with fasting disciplines the body and soul to submit to the spirit. We are supposed to be Spirit led. Our spirit becomes stronger when we exercise authority over the body and soul. 

As we mentioned in the introduction post on 1/8/17, there are various types of fast. You should never abstain from all food and liquids for an extended period of time. But fasting over short periods can be very beneficial. When your body starts rebelling and you feel hungry, allow it to be a trigger to pray. Remind your body that you want God more than the food or distractions you have decided to put aside to seek Him. 

Prayer: Lord, I thank You that because the Holy Spirit lives within my I can hear You speak to me directly, powerfully and personally. Help me to train my body and emotions to be led by Your Spirit rather than my physical appetites or emotions. Help me to be faithful to obey the things You speak to me. I long to serve and please You more than anything this world has to offer. Here I am, Lord … Speak, Your servant is listening. 

Speak Lord, I’m Listening – Day Four

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“(Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, nor was the word of the Lord yet revealed to him.) And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. So he arose and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you did call me.” Then Eli perceived that the Lord had called the boy. – 1 Samuel 3:7-8 (NKJV)

img_0951As we continue our study in Samuel, chapter 3 we see that the Lord persisted in pursuing Samuel, calling on him a third time. This is a beautiful example of God’s patience toward those who don’t know him. If you have been praying for someone who hasn’t given their life to the Lord, don’t give up, and don’t get discouraged. God loves them even more than you do and He will continue to reach out to them. 

I Corinthians 1:18 tells us, “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” It takes the Spirit of God to open the eyes of the blind to the truth of the gospel. Continue to plant seeds of faith and trust that God will send others to water and harvest those seeds.

This should also be an encouragement to believers who have concerns about their inability to hear God clearly. He will continue to pursue you as well. I feel like I go through seasons of time where I hear God more distinctly than others. At times I feel He is silent. I have learned that I cannot trust my feelings. Instead I must trust His Word. He doesn’t punish us by giving us the silent treatment. He is constanting wooing us and calling us to come away with Him.

“He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm,
And carry them in His bosom” Isaiah 40:11 NKJV

The third thing to note in this passage is that it wasn’t until the third time Samuel came to Eli that he realized the Lord was speaking to Samuel. This could be a message in and of itself, but here are a few tidbits to take from this:

  • Don’t rely on someone else to tell you when God is speaking to you.
  • Your pastor (or priest) is a messenger of God to you, but they cannot replace the voice of God in you.
  • God will speak to anyone who is willing to listen. You don’t have to be prophet or an ordained minister to hear from God.
  • God will often use the leaders in your life to ‘confirm’ the voice of God.

Prayer: Lord, I thank You that You pursue me with passion. I praise You because You are worthy of my praise, and it is such an honor to be Your child. Lord, thank You that you feed me like a shepherd, gather me with Your arm and carry me in Your bosom. I am safe and secure in Your loving embrace. 

Thank you Lord, for leaders who speak into my life. I ask You to bless them for their service to You and to the sheep You have given them. Give them wisdom and most importantly Your anointing. Help me Father to be a support and encouragement to them as well. 

Thank You Lord for Your love and desire for relationship. Forgive me for the times I have neglected You or allowed the cares and distractions of the World to steal away time I should have been spending with You. 

Lead, guide and direct my life, Father. Speak Lord – I’m listening.

 

Speak Lord, I’m listening

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img_0816Join me for a time of prayer and fasting over the next 21 days as we seek to hear God’s vision for our lives in 2017.

Each day I will be sharing a segment of my pastor’s weekly message, along with my thoughts and a daily prayer.

Jesus showed us by example that prayer and fasting play a vital role in the life of a Christian.

Notes from Pastor Blake Bennett at TheCity.church

4 types of fast:
▪️A supernatural fast (no consumption of food or liquid for an extended amount of time. Example: Jesus’ 40 day fast at the beginning of His ministry. Not humanly possible.
▪️Total fast (no food/liquid for a very short time – 2-3 days)
▪️A liquid fast, (no solid foods)
▪️A partial fast (example: The Daniel fast)   http://daniel-fast.com/

Fast for your soul as well as your body.
▪️Disconnect from secular entertainment, social media, tv, or whatever God leads you to do.
▪️We cannot afford not to participate. YOU may be one word away from your destiny.
▪️DO NOT try to impress people. This isn’t about showing others how spiritual you are. It is about connecting with God.
“Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.” – Matthew 6:16 NKJV
▪️Pray and decide what type of fast God is calling you to do. (See 4 types of fast)
▪️Tell someone – have an accountability partner.
▪️Abstain from addictions.
▪️Expect big things!

My intent is to post around noon each day, so be sure to check back tomorrow for:   Day 1.

Blessings,
Deb

Tefillah: Examine Yourself

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imageI learned an interesting Hebrew word today: tefillah. While the English translation is pray the Hebrew and English have very different meanings. When we hear the word pray we think of conversing with God. However, the Hebrew meaning for tefillah is to examine yourself.

We need a balance of both. We need to continually converse with God and we also need to examine ourselves. When the Holy Spirit convicts me of sin, I am quick to repent and ask the Lord to forgive me but I confess, there are also times I say a quick “please forgive me of my sins” prayer that really holds no conviction.

As I contemplated this word I wondered how I would respond to someone who came to me and apologized but really had no idea why. I don’t think I would put a lot of value in their words.

Isaiah 59:2 tells us, “But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.” (KJV)

If your conversations with God seem one-sided lately, perhaps it’s time for a little self examination.