V-MAIL TO THE FRONTLINE

Part 40

PRAYER I: REVELATION AND DETERMINATION

“I exhort therefore, that first of all, supplications (humble request) prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for ALL men; for kings and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior”. (I Timothy 2:1-2)

What if I told you that it is possible the church of Jesus Christ could guide the government of this country and through the leading of the Holy Spirit, oversee the legal system with all laws and decisions flying under the Christian flag?

Now brother, Christendom teaches that Satan has been the prince and power of the air since Adam and Eve fell, and now the secular humanistic default system is managed by his kingdom of darkness all over the world.

I know, I’ve always heard that also and I am not disagreeing with how things are, but my point is trying to find the truth about how powerful prayer “can be” and whether or not we “could have” changed the world! Did you notice that I used past tense because I can see through biblical prophecy how the story ends and quite frankly I am very disappointed at what I am beginning to understand. I realize we are too late to change what is written but I also cannot help but think that if all Christians would have “walked the talk”, they would have been more enthusiastic about prayer – and our future “history” would have been different! We know there have been pockets of disciples that felt the burden to seek God’s face which resulted in revivals and higher levels of passion but the saints in general seem to struggle with consistent intensity. God’s perfect will is that each of His children would grow in knowledge and maturity as they develop into a constant, roaring spiritual fire! “And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he has committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Confess your faults one to another and pray one for another, that you may be healed. The EFFECTUAL (unceasing) FERVENT (hot, burning, glowing, boiling, earnestly intense) prayer of a RIGHTEOUS person availeth (accomplishes) much”. (James 5:15-16) Are prayers to be like labor pains?

If we can see the problem AND the result, it is time to decide which group of Christians we are going to side with; the ones who put on their battle gear and started marching in the mud and cold toward the frontlines of faith or the ones that enjoyed their carnal comfort zone of sleepiness and self-indulgence! Father gave us the key that could unlock any door, breakdown any stronghold and open any treasure chest of blessing but many would rather put it on the shelf and play crossword puzzles! To think about how prayer can open up the divine appointment for the power of the Holy Spirit to convict a heart to reach out to Christ for salvation is thrilling! But how many of us have a notebook of all the names of everyone we know that desperately need God and do we have the burden to commit ourselves to standing in the gap for them? How many Christians in our network need healing or need blessings that we could be asking the Lord to help them? How many children are connected to all of these people that urgently need the hedge of spiritual protection and encouragement? If God’s people would receive the revelation of their prayer responsibility and become DISCIPLINED in their “frontline” DUTY to abide in this awareness, the windows of miracles would open as never before! It is not God’s will that is holding back an ocean of power to CHANGE – it is the love of self! Selah. Why does He not intervene on His own? Many times He does – but remember He is moved by faith – not necessarily need and this is what the confidence in our prayers is all about! We know all of this is true but yet for the love of God, we still cannot find motivation. What is wrong with those who say they are hungry and can see the meal prepared in the kitchen but are too lazy to get up and eat? I want to say that as much as God reminds me of my own failures and the depravity of our old nature, actually the fleshly body will serve whoever gives the command whether from our spirit or our brain. Our flesh can heavily influence our mind when it cries and acts like a big baby but ultimately the decision will always come down to OUR WILL which chooses its master. We are our will! Selah. When other people are being controlled by their brain they are acting as puppets to demonic persuasion, thus the truth being that we should acknowledge the spiritual power or “puppet master” is actually Satan governing their conscience and that is who we are to pray against – not their flesh. “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles (cunning devices) of the devil. For we wrestle NOT against flesh and blood but against principalities, against powers, against rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places”. (Ephesians 6:10-12) This is not patty cake day care; this is the difference between LIFE AND DEATH – literally! People’s souls are at stake – people are going to hell all around us! Prayer can transform minds and open the eyes of hearts. When parents become enlightened to God’s Word, He can raise them up to lead their children to God. Look at all of the dysfunctional families, the abused children, alcoholism, drug addiction, pornography, poverty, disease, demonic bondage and torment, emotional disorders, the sadness, chaos and confusion, hopelessness, loneliness, the lack of biblical knowledge, divorce, denial, unforgiveness, resentment, hatred and misery. We have been called to be the light holder in a world of darkness and the death of sin – but it is more than just sticking a fish on the back of our car or singing in the choir! The closet of prayer and fasting is all about spiritual love. Selah.

My intention is not to be depressing by revealing our guilt but to always observe reality under the microscope of God’s discernment. I am seeing that I have not understood the big picture of prayer because I have not had the revelation. The burden to pray must become engraved on the tables of our heart or we will not do it. It must become a burning passion to love others enough to make it a priority to pray for them, but if it is not we will just remain a potato peeler! Do you believe there are limitations to the power of praying according to God’s will? Do you believe that prayer could have changed the world? Do you believe that interceding, fervent prayer can move the hand of God to convict and save a soul? These questions are not intended to chase meaningless rabbits across a wintry field but are focused on seeing the difference between the Father’s “pre-destined ideas” and His foreknowledge. I believe we can agree that God has a specific PLAN for all things throughout time. But have you ever considered that even though He can see with His foreknowledge, many of His blueprints will not turn out like He would have desired. I believe that as each person is born they come with an instruction manual and their own unique course that is charted out by the Master designer and navigator. But included in the fine print is the clause that bases the effectiveness of a spiritual life on the decisions made by the free-will of the conscience. The creator leaves quite a bit of the decision making process up to us (the creation) and the more obedient the individual is to God’s directions the more of His blueprint is fulfilled. Those who learn to “trust and obey” are pleasing in His sight and have learned the true meaning of life.

Now, brother everyone knows that everything that happens is God’s will and we do not need to worry about it. Oh really? How many miracles of life has He given in conception that has been terminated with abortion? Did He ever predestinate anyone to commit suicide? Is it His will that innocent children be abused? Is it His perfect will that children starve to death? No! Because His people fail to pray and live obedient to His Word, many times He is left to sweep up the broken pieces of lives that were NOT supposed to be shattered. Selah. “The thief comes not but for to steal, and to kill and to destroy: I (Jesus) am come that they (us) might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly”. (John 10:10)

My opening statement was not based on a hope that God’s Word is true and that prayer might work, but I declare this day that anything is “possible” with faith in Jesus. Looking to the end of this age, I cannot comprehend that it was Fathers pre-destined, burning passion to slaughter the inhabitants of this realm and burn the planet with scorching fire from the foundations of the world. I believe with His foreknowledge He saw through time and always knew that sin would continue to infect and corrupt the human race to the point where He would have to do it – but that does not mean He wanted it to happen. He gave His Word to His followers and the authority to walk and rule in the power of His Holy Spirit and the commission to live and set the standard of truth for the glory and honor of His Name. But evidently many of His followers could not endure the difficulty of peer pressure and the spiritual discipline that was needed to stand strong in the heat of temptation. If each Christian family throughout history had lived and prayed according to the uncompromised teachings of the Lord, the omniscient presence of Christ would now be feared and respected instead of a target for the modern media to laugh at! The church slowly became drowsy and allowed tiny baby steps of compromise to deteriorate the standards of holiness. When God’s people stopped praying they lost their spiritual sense of direction. The brokenness, humility and sensitivity were voted out as old fashioned. And when the gates were left open – the enemy freely plundered the house. “Therefore to him that knows to do good and does it not, to him it is sin”. (James 4:17) We can make a difference now – if we really want to.