Tag: prayer and intercession
Have You Heard?
Elijah became almost suicidal (1 Kings 19:4).
Epaphroditus became so ill he was practically at death’s door (Philippians 2:25-30).
Daniel was so overcome with heaviness by God’s revelations of future events (which wouldn’t even affect him), he couldn’t eat or drink (Daniel 10:2-3).
Even Jesus, having reached the end of his tether in the Garden of Gethsemane, felt so overwhelmed that his sweat became as drops of blood.
I say all the above, to bring your attention to the fact that prayer warriors are human, can become discouraged, sick, or overwhelmed by their zeal for God’s kingdom, by the weight of responsibilities, by the endless prayer needs they see around them.
So, my question to you today dear friend is this: Are you pulling your weight?
Abraham did his best to negotiate with God, in a bid to save any righteous people left in Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 18:22-33). And Epaphras, a fellow-prisoner with the Apostle Paul, was described as one who laboured fervently in prayer (Philemon 1:23; Colossians 4:12). You’d think he’d be too busy having a pity party!
When 1 Thessalonians 5:17 asks that we “pray without ceasing”, this request seems burdensome, even impossible. But the apostle Paul was not asking us to pray ad infinitum (without a break). He was giving the exact same instruction as Jesus had given but expressed in different words.
Jesus said we always ought to pray and not faint (i.e., become disheartened, weary, or give up). Easier said than done – right?
To be a prayer warrior, an intercessor, can often seem like a never-ending task, at times an onerous responsibility.
Take recent events involving Israel and the brutal invasion of HAMAS. Prior to this was the invasion of Ukraine by the Russians.
My dear Christian friend, how have you been responding to these issues? Are you hearing God’s clarion call to enter the spiritual battlefield in prayer? Can you appreciate the need for more volunteers to take their place on the intercessory frontline, to lessen the burden on others and provide more firepower against our Enemy?
I believe that since the appearance of Covid19 which upended normal life for everyone, right across the globe, plus the escalation of needless destruction and violence in the two regions of conflict mentioned above, it is clear we are moving towards (if not into) a season of perilous times.
I may be wrong, but if I am not and this is the case, will your relationship with the Lord and your current prayer life be up to the challenge?
Dear follower of Christ, if you know it will not, or if you are unsure, may I kindly suggest that you take stock now (not tomorrow, not when it seems more convenient), but NOW and get your prayer life in order?
Today, if you will hear His voice,
Do not harden your hearts…
(Hebrews 3:15 NKJV)
Understand my dear friend that I am not seeking to alarm you or be a harbinger of doom. I am just acting on what I sense in my spirit and what I believe the Lord would have me say, as a spiritual watchman.
So, as Jesus said to the various church communities in Revelation (paraphrased): Let him/her that has ears to hear, listen to what the Spirit is saying. And to the Lord’s warning, I would add this: hear NOW, act TODAY!
With love and deep concern,
Carol
Author, Blogger and Prayer Advocate
Dear reader, your visit is appreciated. Would you be so kind as to share your response to this post in a comment box below? And if you know anyone who could benefit from its message, please don’t hesitate to share it. Thank you.
Are you looking for a resource that will help you to draw closer to God and develop a consistent and confident prayer life? Then please don’t hesitate to check out the links below.
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Passionate, Prideful, or Petulant?
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SUPPLICATE:
Definition:
- ask humbly for something (Oxford English Minidictionary)
- 1. (Usually supplicate for something) to humbly and earnestly request it.
- 2. (Usually supplicate someone for something) to humbly and earnestly request them for it. (Chambers 21st Century Dictionary)
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Hello dear friends,
Are you a passionate, prideful, or petulant pray-er?
Do you pray in faith, with expectation, or do you pray from a sense of entitlement?
Many of you will be familiar with the idea of asking God for something. In fact, for most of us perhaps this is the only, or the main feature, of our prayer lives. To ask… and ask… and ask…
And there’s nothing wrong with that of course. Even Jesus in his teaching on prayer invites us to ask. He said:
Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
(Matthew 7:7 NKJV)
However, what I want to bring to your attention today is the way in which you ask. Because, in this modern age, we live in a world where a sense of entitlement is played out with regularity in our lives – upon our TV screens, digital devices and written publications, within relationships, mindsets and attitudes.
Entitlement is the name of the game, and it is reinforced in our hearts by the idea we can get something for nothing!
These days, that “something” sought, is not the piddly prize of a book or a gift token, but is more likely to be the grand, attractive, and desirable prize of becoming a lottery-win millionaire, or inheriting a large fortune, or becoming a Reality TV celebrity, a social media influencer, even an overnight music star.
Fame and fortune. Recognition and rewards. But even if our aspirations do not run along such lines, we can become subtly influenced (infected) by the superstar virus which drives such ambitions. We want things to happen quickly. We want mega-visible results, and we want it NOW! And this worldly attitude can seep out into our prayer lives.
I must admit that the Bible stories of Jesus’ miraculous accomplishments (the healings and displays of supernatural power that invariably occurred with immediate effect), had raised certain expectations, influencing my prayers, causing me to fall into this same entitlement trap. I wanted miraculous answers to prayer, and I wanted it NOW (within my timeframe). Can anyone relate?
Having embraced the prayer warrior mantle, it’s easy to start believing that effectiveness in prayer comes about simply because you’ve seen it, done it, and own the tee-shirt!
However, as the above definition reveals, there’s a difference between asking with a sense of entitlement, and asking humbly, asking earnestly.
To ask humbly is to recognise that the answer is not dependent upon you, your knowledge or past prayer experiences. To ask humbly, is to recognise that the person to whom you are making your request is an almighty, awesome being, who is bigger, higher, wiser than you, the supplicant. To ask humbly is to recognise that God works to his own timetable – not yours!
And as implied in the definition above, as supplicants, we are to ask earnestly. Not selfishly. Not petulantly. And certainly not from an attitude of entitlement.
So, what does it mean to be earnest?
It means to show serious feeling and intention. It means to show determination, sincerity, strong emotion.
Like Moses, who when God threatened to wipe out the entire nation of Israel and start afresh with himself, was more concerned with God’s reputation than his promotion.
Like the apostle Paul, who preferred for himself to be excluded from God’s grace and favour, if it meant that the entire nation of Israel could be included (see Romans 9:1-3).
Like Elijah, who was so zealous for the spiritual well-being of his nation and for the reputation of God, that he challenged Israel to an incredible competition between Jehovah and Baal. In fact, Elijah is pointed out to us as an exemplar, when it comes to effective and fervent prayer (James 5:17-18).
And so, my dear friends, let me ask you today:
How do you pray?
- Like a child with a long wish list for Father Christmas?
- Like a fearful slave begging for scraps of favour from a hard-hearted master?
- Like an ungrateful child who has begun to take for granted their relationship and position of grace with their heavenly father?
Or
- Like a humble supplicant? – someone who respects their relationship with the Lord and recognises they are both a co-labourer with God, and a conduit, for His mercy and power.
We are privileged in that we’ve been made priests and kings in God’s kingdom. Let us not behave like King Ahab, with a sense of entitlement. Let us not pray like the Pharisee exposed in Luke 18:9-14, harbouring a secret sense of superiority that soon becomes evident by our prayers.
Let us choose to be like John the Baptist, humbly realising that Christ (his Word, his will, and his character), must increase in our hearts and lives.
Prayer Focus:
Let us pray for one another to be faithful, fervent supplicants, giving our Father God, the reverence and respect he is rightly due and reflecting such attitudes in our prayers.
PS: Are you wearing your spiritual armour daily? You need to, if you are to walk victoriously in life, remain resolute in your faith, and stand firm on the battlefield of prayer!
PRAYER:
Father God,
We want to honour you today, as the God who does all things after the counsel of your own will. We want to recognise that your thoughts and ways are much higher than our thoughts and ways. We choose to acknowledge that your plans are beyond our comprehension and finite capacity.
We exalt you in our hearts and in our lives, as the only true and Living God, the one who is in complete control of all events and situations, the one who is all-powerful, all-seeing, and ever-present everywhere.
We want to thank you for the privilege of being a co-labourer with you through our prayers and our deeds. We want to acknowledge that we are nothing of ourselves and can do nothing by our own efforts, which will make one iota of difference in the supernatural realm.
Jesus, it is in you we live and move and have our being. Holy Spirit, we acknowledge it is not by our personal might or prayer power that we can accomplish the Lord’s will or fulfil His purpose. We thank you in anticipation of your assistance, Holy Spirit.
Help us to pray effectively and fervently. Remind us to offer our supplications to God in a spirit of humility. Remind us that our prayers should serve God’s purposes and not our own. Let us not be prideful or petulant petitioners but enable us to pray in sincerity for others, in accordance with God’s will, in faith, and with the right attitude of expectation.
We ask this Father God in the matchless name of your son, Jesus. Amen.
© Carol Hind
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Sunday’s Supplications
Sunday’s Supplications invites you to not only read the posts but also participate in the prayers. Let’s pray for ourselves and for each other. Let’s obey God’s command to watch and pray for all the saints (Ephesians 6:18)
Please note, you do not have to be a blogger to participate in this praying community.
Women of Warfare followers and visitors I wish you a victorious week!
With love,
Carol,
Author, Blogger & Prayer Advocate
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Our God Is a War Veteran!
PRAISE, PRAYER & WORSHIP WEDNESDAY
Praise
Praise the Lord!
Praise, O servants of the Lord,
Praise the name of the Lord!
Blessed be the name of the Lord
From this time forth and forevermore!
From the rising of the sun to its going down
The Lord’s name is to be praised.
The Lord is high above all nations,
His glory above the heavens.
Who is like the Lord our God,
Who dwells on high,
Who humbles Himself to behold
The things that are in the
Heavens and in the earth?
(Psalm 113:1-6)
Prayer
Father God in heaven, may your name be exalted and magnified throughout the entire earth. You deserve all glory and honour, so we offer to you the fruit of our lips and render jubilant praise, with thanksgiving. We salute you, O Lord God of Angel armies.
Jehovah Nissi*, hear our petition today, on behalf of all those who are residents of war-torn lands. Summon your power O God, and reveal your awesome strength and might against those who bring bloodshed, fear and turmoil to law-abiding citizens and vulnerable communities. Spread your canopy of divine protection over those whose lands and lives have been invaded illicitly and without mercy. May your spirit of peace reign over these borders and battle fields.
You are the God, who sees and knows the hearts of men and their motivations. We ask that you frustrate those who muster their military might without just cause. We ask that you punish those who execute devastation and violence against the innocent. We ask that you bring a speedy resolution to the issues that triggered the conflict and acknowledge that there is nothing too difficult for you, nothing impossible to you.
O Lord God, comfort the afflicted and bereaved. Exercise your good, gracious and perfect will, so that it ultimately prevails in these combat zones.
We ask in faith, and in the name of your precious Son, Jesus – the Prince of Peace. Amen.
*The Lord God our banner
Worship
Wishing you all a blessed and victorious week.
With love,
Carol E. Hind – Author, Blogger & Prayer Advocate
Related Reading:
A World of woes – click here
Watch & Pray – click here
Dear reader, your visit is appreciated. Would you be so kind as to share your response to this post in a comment box below? And if you know anyone you could bless with its message, please don’t hesitate to share it. Thank you.
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Would you like to learn how to offer scriptural petitions to God that are effective? Would you like to develop a consistent and confident prayer life? Then please don’t hesitate to check out my book. You can buy now by clicking on the links below.
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Let Us Adore Him
Praise, Prayer & Worship Wednesday
Thanksgiving:
We give thanks to you this day O God that One so mighty, high and lifted up, One so awesome in holiness, One so glorious with the brightness of your splendour—would deign to think of us, care about our lives and stoop to rescue us from eternal damnation, and even lift us out of our pits of depravity, depression and self-centredness.
Our hearts are ever grateful to you O Father God.
Praise:
Exodus 15:11 (NKJV)
Who is like You , O Lord, among the gods?
Who is like You, glorious in holiness,
Fearful in praises, doing wonders?
Psalm 71: 19 (TPT)
For your glorious righteousness
Reaches up to the high heavens.
No one could ever be compared to you!
Who is your equal, O God of marvels and wonders?
Worship
Let us adore
The Ever-Living God
And render praise unto Him
Who spread out the heavens
And established the earth
And whose glory
Is revealed in the Heavens above
And His greatness
Is manifest throughout all the earth.
He is our God
There is none else.
He is our God
There is none else!
© Kent Henry (Lyrics)
Prayer
Father God,
Open our spiritual eyes and ears, and sharpen our perception regarding the magnitude of your greatness. Help us to remove you from the limiting cage of our human understanding. Extend our knowledge and personal experience of your greatness, since we desire to truly love and honour you to the maximum of our capability.
We ask this in the matchless name of your precious Son, Jesus.
Amen.
With love,
Carol (aka Lady Cee)
The effectual, fervent prayer avails much!
NKJV = New King James Version
TPT = The Passion Translation
Why not share in a comment box below, which aspects of creation, or what personal insight you have which helps you to appreciate God’s greatness. I’d so love to hear from you and perhaps your contribution could be just what someone else needs to help them today.
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Are you looking for a resource that will help you to draw closer to God and develop a consistent and confident prayer life? Then please don’t hesitate to check out the links below.
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Compassion Fatigue? Not On Our Watch!
The following is an intro to a previous post, which I’d like to draw to the attention of new followers in particular. However, those who have faithfully followed me from around 2016 when this post was originally written, may also wish to read and refresh their memories.
Whilst I am happy to re-purpose old material, my main desire is to stir up your hearts and galvanise you into action with regards to prayer and intercession.
Given the condition of our world following Covid-19, the implementation of lockdown measures, and the threat of virus variants, I am sure you’ll agree with me that the call to prayer, the call to seek God’s urgent and merciful intervention, is sorely needed.
Do read and please act. Send Jesus your kneemail today!
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Que Sera Sera?
Have you ever looked at this world in despair?
I can relate!
It is a rare event when media reports on current events raise a smile from me, or a sense of belief that all is well with the world. I think I can honestly say that most times after listening to a news channel, or reading a newspaper, I feel disgusted, disquieted or depressed. And sometimes I can even feel ashamed to admit that I belong to the human race – in fact, somebody stop the world – I wanna get off!
To read the rest of this post please visit HERE
Have a blessed week!
With love,
Carol (aka Lady Cee)
The effectual, fervent prayer avails much!
If you are looking for a resource that will help you to draw closer to God and develop a consistent and confident prayer life, please don’t hesitate to check out the links below.
AMAZON UK https://amzn.to/3ciUt1q
AMAZON US https://amzn.to/3bj6gM1
The call to prayer, the call to seek God’s urgent and merciful intervention, is sorely needed. Send Jesus your knee-mail today!
Tweet
7 Reasons Why You Need To Be A Woman of Warfare
- To secure and maintain possession of God’s promises
- To secure peace and protection for your loved ones
- Because Satan is roaming around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour
- Because God wants you to conquer the Goliaths in your life
- Because you are in a spiritual battle and you, plus your loved ones, are a direct target
- Because there are other believers who require your spiritual strength and prayer support
- Because sometimes we have to fight on behalf of others, so they can enter into their promised land.
Question:
Are you taking your place on the battlefield of prayer?
With love,
Carol (aka Lady Cee)
The effectual, fervent prayer avails much!
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If you are looking for a resource that will help and encourage you to develop a consistent and confident prayer life, please don’t hesitate to check out the links above.
What’s your response to this post? Do share your thoughts in a comment box below. And, if you know someone who could benefit from its message, please don’t hesitate to share it. Thank you.
Prayer Gem 23
God awaits you in his throne-room!
With love,
Carol (aka Lady Cee)
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Are you looking for a resource that will help and encourage you to develop a consistent and confident prayer life? If so, don’t hesitate to check out the links below.
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What’s your response to this post? Please share your thoughts in a comment box below and if you know anyone you could bless with its message, don’t hesitate to share it. Thank you.
F.A.Q.s
The above CC0 image comes courtesy of Pixabay.com
Unless you have just escaped from the dark ages, I suspect you will know what is meant by FAQs. If not, please click here for an explanation.
Now, for some reason, in the early hours of the morning one day this week, the acronym floated into my mind and I began to wonder, if God had a certain set of questions that He frequently ponders and would love to ask us, as his children, as Christ’s followers, what would they be?
I came up with the following and hope they give you pause for thought.
- Where are you?
This is the question God asked Adam and Eve after they sinned and hid from his presence.
Now, I am not accusing anyone of sinning, so please don’t get uptight and click away!
What I am wanting to know is, does God have occasion to ask you the above question – Where are you?
Is he often waiting for you to come visit and fellowship with him, yet ends up being disappointed?
To be invited to come into the Holy of Holies, into God’s very throne-room, is a wonderful privilege and an honour. Are you regularly snubbing the one who has secured a free entrance ticket for you, at a very high price (the unimaginable suffering and death of his Son)?
Could you improve on your visitation periods?
- Where are my Elijahs?
Are you concerned about the moral and spiritual decline of this world? Yes?
Then what are you doing about it?
“Me?” you ask. “What do you expect me to do about it?”
It’s not what I expect you to do dear reader, it’s about what God expects you to do.
In 2 Chronicles 7:14 he says this:
If my people, who are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
Again, in the book of James, we read that the “effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” Elijah is given as an example of someone with an effective prayer life (see James 5:16b-17).
Will you be an Elijah?
- Can I count of you?
So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but found no one.
(Ezekiel 22:30 NKJV)
Remember Abraham? He had such a great relationship with God that the Lord felt he could not destroy Sodom & Gomorrah without telling him first. It may have been because He knew Abraham’s nephew Lot, was living there. Once Abraham became aware of God’s plan, he sought to dissuade God by asking him to preserve the nation if there were at least 10 righteous people within it.
I believe if Abraham had continued negotiating and asked God to spare this wicked nation for just one righteous individual (Lot), God would have done so.
Abraham was not only deemed to be a friend of God but he is also considered to be our forefather of faith. As his offspring, are you prepared to emulate him and stand in the gap for others, who are in need of God’s grace and mercy?
- Are you prepared to trust me in the long haul?
The above question refers to a parable Jesus told, encouraging his followers that they should always pray and not give up. The parable is about a widow who seeks the intervention of an unjust judge. This man had no regard for God, nor did he care about the woman’s plight. However, because of her persistence, he eventually gave in and granted her the justice she sought. If you are not familiar with this story, you may read about it in Luke 18:1-8.
I wonder, when Jesus shared this parable, was he concerned that people gave up too easily? Is there a prayer request you have abandoned because God has not answered it within your required deadline?
Do you have confidence in God’s Word, or are you lacking in persistent faith?
- Do you believe that I love you and have your best interests as a primary concern upon my heart?
I am sure you have experienced disappointments in life. In fact, I’m positive there are things which have happened to you that do not reflect the abundant or victorious lifestyle you’d expected to enjoy, as a born-again Christian.
How do you feel about these instances? Do you harbour fears that God has abandoned you, or does not care?
Listen to what he has to say to you from his Word:
And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, who are the called according to his purpose.
(Roman 8:28 NKJV)
Joseph found himself in prison on a charge of rape, even though he was innocent. He would never have landed up there in the first place, if it were not for the malice of his own brothers, who sold him into slavery. And all this happened, despite God revealing to Joseph that his destiny was to be a prominent leader.
We know that all ended well, not just for Joseph but for his entire family and for his host country, Egypt, when a severe famine hit the land. This, and other similar stories in the Bible should encourage us that God is able to cause all things to work together for our good.
Do you feel forgotten? If so, ignore your feelings and trust God’s Word.
Commit your concerns into our heavenly Father’s hands. Trust Him to work out his purpose for your benefit and for the blessing of others around you.
Commit (in other words pray).
Trust.
And then rest!
With love,
Carol (aka Lady Cee)
Author of: Petitions From My Heart
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Prayer Gem 16
The above CC0 image comes courtesy of Gerd Altmann at Pixabay.com
God has made us a Kingdom of priests. As such, our responsibility is to rule by prayer.
Secrets of a Prayer Warrior – Derek Prince
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Self-Scrutiny:
Have you assumed your responsibility? How well are you ruling?
You are Served!
Ever been watching a film or TV drama when someone going about their business is approached by a stranger, or hears a knock on the door? They are asked their name and when they reply, an envelope is thrust into their hands whilst they are told: “You are served!”
I don’t know your name but I know you are either a follower or visitor to my site. And since you are, I suspect you have come for a reason. Whoever you are, and wherever you may be, I have a message for you. You are served!
You’ve been served with a summons to pray… to build yourself up on your most holy faith… to walk confidently in life as a victorious over-comer.
So what’s your response?
Don’t delay – take action TODAY!
And before you rush off, may I invite you to visit God’s throne-room?
Women of Warfare followers and visitors, have an abundantly blessed week!
CREDIT: The above CC0 image comes courtesy of Pixabay.com
Women of Warfare – Arise!
Out of the huts of history’s shame
I rise
Up from a past that’s rooted in pain
I rise
(from: Still I Rise – Maya Angelou)
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Hello Women of Warfare friends and followers,
I recently came across an old journal entry and thought I’d share an edited version of it with you all. Hopefully, it will be of encouragement to someone.
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Yesterday I decided to put the phrase “victor or victim” into google and see what came up. I was surprised. There were a few blog posts on this, some of which I read then subsequently felt provoked to deal with my negativity once and for all.
It is hard to swallow the fact that I’m responsible for my own misery… that I have consistently made the choice to live in a perpetual cycle of anger, blame, resentment and unhappiness because of the mistreatment of others.
But I have to accept this.
I have to accept that although I cannot control what happens to me, what people do or say to me, what people think about me, I can control how I respond to the things that have happened.
It is a bitter pill indeed to swallow, to realise that me, myself and I have been responsible for years of wrong thinking, wrong attitudes and, wrong reactions. I have allowed other people to control my interior world (my thought life and internal responses) and I have allowed that interior world, to colour my views about myself, my life, my prospects, my future.
Yes – it is a bitter realisation indeed.
Now one of the posts I read gave a scenario about 2 single mothers who found themselves abandoned by their child’s father. The posts described how they chose to go through life thereafter. One emerged a victor and one became a victim. It was a matter of choice—pure and simple.
And so I decided yesterday evening that I was going to make that choice once and for all. I choose to be a victor!
I don’t imagine it will be easy. After all, I have ingrained, deeply entrenched negative habits. But, I am not fighting in my own strength and in fact, whilst I think about it, the battle has already been won. I just have to get on my battle gear and stand against the wiles of the Enemy, who just loves to goad me with his mind games.
Day after day he has told me (and will no doubt continue to tell me) that I am a loser, that I am rejected, disrespected, fighting a losing battle. But he is a liar. I am not a loser. I am going to win.
I need to win. Because there are other women out there who need my help, need me to share my insights and encouragement and wisdom and need me to motivate them, inspire them and support them.
And so Father God, I thank you for opening my eyes. I thank you for giving me your assignment to minister to wounded, hurting victims. Thank you for your promise to help me. Holy Spirit I thank you in advance and in anticipation of your help, counsel, direction and enabling power. Teach me. Anoint me. Help me. Give me new perspectives, new aspirations, new insights—a new victorious life!
I am excited! Excited to see how this turns out. Excited to see my life turn around miraculously and irrevocably. Excited to see lives that the Enemy has held in captivity turn around and be fully recovered from victimhood.
Things are going to change within me, within my life, within the lives of people around me to whom I have been assigned. This is a mega responsibility but it is also an honour and nothing will delight me more than to see women who have been held down, crushed and incapacitated by the Enemy coming out of captivity, being liberated, arising in strength.
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Dear reader,
After writing the above entry, Maya Angelou’s poem Still I Rise came to mind. You can listen to, or read the poem here.
Serena Williams recited it before her Wimbledon finals match in July 2016. She not only won but achieved sporting history by matching Steffie Graff’s record of winning 22 grand slams.
Dear reader, if the above words from my journal entry speaks to you where you are at, if the message of my posts and the ethos of this blog (Women of Warfare!) resonates with you, may I take this opportunity to encourage you?
Like Serena Williams, you too can win. And you too can arise.
Now if you are a Wimbledon fan, or any kind of sports fan, you will appreciate that it takes more than talent or ability to win. It takes mental strength and determination.
Beloved Child of God, if you are going to win against the lies of the Enemy, if you are going to rise above your negative circumstances, if you are going to walk confidently in life as a victorious overcomer, then as the Word of God counsels, you need to be transformed by the renewing of your mind (Romans 12:2). You need to choose to focus your thoughts upon those things which are in line with God’s Word and his will for your life.
Dear reader, you can change your psychological history. It is a matter of choice.
Precious woman of God, you were created to be a victor. So choose to be the woman of God that He has called you to be – strong, merciful, loving, productive, wise and victorious!
No matter what you have suffered in the past, no matter what you may be experiencing now, choose to believe God’s Word over what the Enemy says or shows you, over what abusers, liars, mockers and scorners say and do to you, over whatever your negative life experiences have been.
Choose to arise. Choose to be a victorious overcomer.
Why?
Because as the L’Oréal advert says: “You are worth it!”
This Week’s Prayer Focus:
Let us turn our thoughts and prayers this week towards those who are emotionally unstable—whether for yourself, or for someone you know, or anyone in the Body of Christ who feels victimised by others, who feels oppressed by the Enemy, who feels downtrodden by and despairing of their life’s circumstances.
PRAYER:
Father God,
You have said in your Word that those who are strong ought to bear the burdens of those who are weak.
I want to thank you for the examples in your Word, which show us how to overcome in the battles of life. I particularly want to bring to your remembrance the account of Aaron and Hur, who held up the weary arms of Moses, so Joshua and the Children of Israel could prevail in battle (Exodus 17:8-12).
Thank you for this picture of intercessory warfare. Thank you for this beautiful example of saints in Christ coming alongside those who are weary, discouraged or defeated, in order to bear them up with our prayers, in order to support them with our love.
Father God, thank you for your Word, which is living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword. Thank you that when we speak your Word in faith, when we meditate upon it daily, it does not return to you empty and unfulfilled but accomplishes your purpose in and through our lives.
I ask that you help all those who may be struggling right now, to stand with confidence upon your Word. I ask that you help all those who are mentally or emotionally defeated to awake to the truth and miraculous power of your Word, to resist Satan’s deceptive lies and to break free from the captivity of the Enemy.
Holy Spirit, I ask that you come alongside those who are weak, weary and defeated. I ask that you minister spiritual strength, comfort and peace throughout the coming weeks and months.
Lord Jesus, I thank you that you are the captain of our Salvation. I thank you that you have already disarmed the principalities and powers that have set themselves against us. I thank you that you ever live to make intercession for us. Enable us through your prayers and through the help of your Holy Spirit to stand strong in battle, to walk through life as victorious overcomers.
Father God, I ask this in the name of our all-conquering King. I ask in the mighty, matchless name of your Son, Jesus. Amen.
© Carol Hind
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Sunday’s Supplications
Sunday’s Supplications invites you to not only read the posts but also participate in the prayers. Each fortnight, I hope to introduce a new theme and prayer focus. Why not become a part of the WoW! community by participating in these prayers? Let’s pray for ourselves and for each other. Let’s obey God’s command to watch and pray for all the saints (Ephesians 6:18).
You are welcome to print off and use each prayer provided, either verbatim or adapted for your particular circumstance. Even better, why not construct your own prayer and share with others by linking to this post.
Please note, you do not have to be a blogger to participate.
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Women of Warfare followers and readers have a wonderful and victorious week!
CREDITS: The above CC0 images come courtesy of Pixabay.com
Sunrise image – by Jean Louis Tosque
Sunday’s Supplications
…praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—
(Ephesians 6:18 NKJV)
Hello visiting friends and followers,
I’d like to introduce a new feature and I do hope you will not only enjoy reading the posts in this new category but will also participate in the prayers.
On checking my dictionary today for the definition of “supplication”, I learned that it is a humble and earnest request made to someone for something. Further, I discovered that the word has Latin origins (supplicare, supplicatum), meaning “to kneel”.
Perhaps the idea of offering supplications seems a little alien to you but, if you were to cast your mind back to some of those old fashioned films, you might recall seeing a king, or some other figure of authority seated upon a throne, and a subject kneeling before that person to beg for their own life or the life of someone else, or to plead for a favour on behalf of another.
Indeed, in the Bible, we read of a situation, where Haman who had plotted to exterminate the Jews, finds the tables turned upon himself and in desperation he offers supplications to Queen Esther, pleading that she save his life (see Esther 7:7).
As children of God, we have a Heavenly Father to whom we can address our prayers and offer our supplications. As members of the Body of Christ, we clearly have a responsibility towards one another, as indicated by Paul in Ephesians 6:18 (see above quote).
I want to be obedient and I also want to encourage others to obey God in this regard. Now if you are already faithfully praying for all saints, then that’s wonderful. Continue your good work. I’d consider it a real honour, if you would also join in with this initiative.
However, if you are a born-again believer and this is not the case for you (i.e. you have neglected your prayer life), then whoever you are, wherever you are and at whatever time you choose, will you commit to praying regularly for other saints, as directed by Paul?
I believe there is no distance in the realm of the spirit and so I open this invitation to anyone who’d like to join their pleas to God, with mine. Will you pray with me? Will you offer God your earnest supplications alongside me and others?
I’ll endeavour once per week to bring the focus and a sample prayer. You can use this to pray verbatim, or adapt it, or even (here’s a blog challenge), construct your own and link to this post. Please note, you do not have to be a blogger to participate.
Now please don’t be alarmed or concerned at the thought of committing yourself. Jesus himself said “the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak”. You can make your commitment publicly (via the comment box below) or you can do so privately in your heart. You can commit for a week at a time, a month, 6 months, or a year. You can renew your commitment as and when you like. It is entirely up to you. I will not be holding anyone to account. Your decision to participate will be between you and God, unless you choose to share what you are doing.
If you are new to praying regularly, so that you don’t feel overwhelmed, I encourage you to take this step one day at a time, or one week at a time, whatever feels comfortable for you. The aim is to increase our current prayer lives, or to establish a regular prayer habit if you don’t already have one.
Potential prayer warriors and interns, welcome aboard. Let’s build a praying community together. Ready? Steady? Go!
Please don’t forget to put on your spiritual armour before entering the battlefield!
This Week’s Prayer Focus:
Let’s begin with ourselves and ask God to increase our desire to pray and establish us in a lifestyle of prayer. And let’s ask him to do likewise for the saints represented amongst our blog followers and visitors.
Dear Father God,
I want to thank you for the privilege of being able to come into your holy presence and make my requests directly to you. I want to thank you for your promise to hear my prayers. It’s my heart’s desire to obey your Word, which requires us to be watchful with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.
Father God, on behalf of myself and on behalf of my online brothers and sisters in Christ, who follow or visit this blog, I ask that you stir up within each of us a heart that is committed to obeying your command in Ephesians 6:18. I ask that you help us to establish a consistent, dynamic and fervent prayer life that is effective and avails much.
I ask this in Jesus’ name and thank you for granting my request. Amen.
© Carol Hind
ACTION:
Have you been encouraged to step up your prayer life? Would you like to become a part of the WoW! prayer community? Please let me know in the comment box below and don’t hesitate to share this post/invitation with your social media contacts.
CREDIT: The above CC0 Image comes courtesy of Pixabay.com
Prayer Gem 11
The only currency God trades in is faith and ‘faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God’ (Romans 10:17 KJV).
As you immerse yourself in Scripture, faith takes root and begins to grow. And faith is what makes your prayers effective.
(Bob & Debby Gass – UCB Word for Today)
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Self-Scrutiny:
Are you spending quality time in God’s Word?
Are you allowing the word of Christ to dwell in you richly? (Colossians 3:16)
Prayer warriors and interns, be sure to put on God’s protective armour each day!
Women of Warfare readers – may God’s hand of divine protection rest upon you and your loved ones throughout this week.
Watch and Pray!
“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men should do nothing.” Edmund Burke
My previous post, Don Your Armour, reminded us all of Paul’s words in Ephesians 6:10-18, where he encourages us to put on the whole armour of God.
God’s armour comprises not only the six elements of protective armoury and offensive weapons but also the requirement that we watch and persevere in prayer (see Ephesians 6:18).
Jesus himself, warned that we are to ‘watch and pray’ – Matthew 26:41.
So what should we be watchful about?
- Watch our hearts and attitudes. Proverbs 4:23 tells us we are to guard our hearts because it is from this central area (our inner being), that the current of our lives flow.
- Watch so that we do not enter into temptation—the temptation to be apathetic, complacent, slothful. The temptation to complain, or give up on our stance of faith. The temptation to walk in disobedience or pride. The temptation to belittle others, gossip or judge.
- Watch over the spiritual climate of your nation. Pray for your leaders, for those who occupy roles of significant responsibility. Pray for the liberty of Christians to live lives that are conducive to the moral absolutes of our faith.
- Watch over members of the body of Christ—those in your fellowship, those whom you interact with in your day-to-day life, those bearing the name of Jesus in your nation, not forgetting those who are suffering in far-off lands.
- Watch over the current affairs issue that tugs at your heart (e.g. brutality of dictators, persecuted Christians, the heinous crimes of sexual predators and religious extremists).
- Watch over our loved ones. Be diligent to ask for God’s protection over them as they go to school or work, as they travel to and fro, as they engage with individuals, who may or may not mean them harm.
- Watch over the happenings in Israel. Pray for that nation’s peace. Pray for the members of Christ’s body in that land. Pray for peaceful co-existence between believers in fellowships comprising both Jews and Arabs.
Why watch and pray?
Because, as Edmund Burke is attributed as saying (see above quote), the only thing we need to do for evil to prevail, is to simply do nothing!
Are you feeling helpless, even hopeless, about the injustices, mounting depravity and evils of this world?
Call on Jesus. Petition Jehovah. Summon the Holy Spirit.
We serve a God who is able to intervene, able to transform, able to thwart the spirits of wickedness that are at work in this earth.
Do you believe? If so, are you adding works to your faith? Are you praying?
Jesus asked: ‘. . . when the Son of Man comes, will he really find faith on the earth’ (Luke 18:8).
Well, what is your response?
More to the point, where will Jesus find you? Fighting in the field of faith, or despairing in the dungeons of doubt?
Children of the Living God, spirit-filled believers, Women of Warfare, come – let us do our part. Let us watch and pray!
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PICTURE CREDIT: the above CC0 Image comes courtesy of Jay Clarke at Pixabay.com
Don Your Armour!
If you know your Bible and are familiar with teaching on prayer and intercession, then I’m sure you will have come across Paul’s direction to the body of Christ in Ephesians 6:10-18.
You will know that as members of the body of Christ, we are encouraged to put on the whole armour of God.
How do we do this?
Pretty much like everything else we have to do when it comes to the supernatural things of God’s kingdom. We do so by faith and through confession (speaking God’s Word).
How did you get saved? You spoke (confession), when you invited Christ into your life and asked him to become your Lord and Saviour.
You believed (faith) that he would hear you and respond.
Whether immediately, or eventually, you experienced the reality. You received an inward witness. You knew that you were saved. You knew that you were changed. You knew that by some marvellous and mystical act, the Spirit of Christ had taken up residence within you.
And in a similar way, that’s how you put on your spiritual armour.
Put it on daily. Put it on before you go out into the fray of daily living. Put it on before you enter the battlefield of prayer. Put it on through confession. Put it on in faith.
If you’d like help in doing this, here’s a prayer you may use.
Victorious overcomers, prayer warriors and prayer interns – have a blessed weekend!
Do you agree with this post? Let me know your response in the comment box below.
Prayer Gem 9
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.
1 Peter 5:8-9
In my Bible (Spirit Filled Life Bible – NKJV), the above passage has the following explanatory footnote below:
Resist: The active imperative indicates an assertive stance against the Adversary’s operations. Because of the Devil’s aggressive hostility, Christians must be spiritually alert, not only to withstand his attacks (employing the armor described in Eph. 6:10-18), but in prayer and spiritual warfare opposing him.
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Question:
- Are you asserting the authority Christ has given you?
- Are you opposing the advances of the Enemy against you and your loved ones?
Spiritual warriors and prayer-interns, be sure to put on God’s protective armour before doing so!
Your Country Needs You!
Lot chose to live in Sodom and Gomorrah but the inhabitants’ ungodly behaviour vexed his righteous soul. However, if it were not for Abraham’s appeal to God, Lot may well have been destroyed alongside those degenerate souls (see Genesis 18:16-33).
Fast forward to today’s world and I think many of you readers will agree that it has reached a similar state of lawlessness and depravity.
The Bible declares that “…the whole world lieth in darkness” or “under the sway of the wicked one” (1 John 5:19). Certainly, as Christians and prayer warriors, the reprehensible acts of so-called Church leaders who abuse their power and position, the various international crises, the troubling escalation of social ills, can seem utterly overwhelming and unresolvable.
But hallelujah! We serve a God who is able (and willing) to heal our lands and deliver the ungodly from the grip of the Enemy (2 Chronicles 7:14). He is merely looking for someone to step into the breach, to seek his assistance, to plead for his mercy, to make a demand upon his miraculous might.
So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one. Ezekiel 22:30 (NKJV).
Will you be that person? Will you allow God to transform your concerns into compassion? Will you don your spiritual armour today and pray?
Dear WoW! follower and visitor, your country needs you! Not as a critic. Not as a self-appointed judge. But as a committed soldier in Christ’s army, as a stalwart warrior. Please don’t hesitate to enrol and take your place on the battlefield. Your prayers can make a difference!
Wishing you all a blessed and victorious week!
Prayer Gem – 3
The only power that overcomes Satan and releases souls from his stranglehold is the power of the Holy Spirit, and the only power that releases the energy of the Holy Spirit is the power of believing prayer.
Paul E. Billheimer
God awaits you in his throne room!
The Power of Perspective
I used to see squirrels as cute creatures. Like other people, I enjoyed watching these tame animals scamper around park grounds, leap from bough to branch of a tree, or enjoy the adoration and hospitality of children. On occasion, I’d even feed them nuts or scraps from my picnic fare.
As far as I was concerned, squirrels were fully paid up members of an acceptable community of creatures (unlike flying ants, snakes or spiders). That was until I read that they came from the rodent family. All of a sudden, my perspective changed. I now saw these creatures as giant rats with bushy tails. In my heart and mind they were re-classified as vermin. And, when I became a gardening enthusiast, well that was it! I disliked them even more and promptly added them to my personal category of “mega-annoying animals”.
Just like that, my positive perspective of squirrels changed to a negative one. Knowledge contributed to that change.
Did you know that knowledge of God can alter your perception of any adverse situation you may be facing? Not head knowledge (mere mental assent) but heart knowledge, revelation knowledge.
God desires that we “know” Him (i.e. become intimately acquainted with him). John 17:3 reveals that eternal life is knowing the only true God and his Son, Jesus Christ, whilst Daniel 11:32b declares that those who know their God will be strong and carry out great exploits for Him. I like to think of some of those exploits as something prayer warriors accomplish – either conducting bold combative resistance against the Enemy of our souls, or presenting passionate petitions to our Father in the court room of Heaven.
Whatever difficulty we may be facing in our lives, or whatever circumstance we may be enduring, we need the strength of God to be able to overcome and emerge a victor.
If you are in a good place right now (experiencing no distressing worries), then wonderful! Great! Why not use your spiritual strength to encourage, pray for and support others? Is there a colleague, a neighbour, a friend or family member who is ill? In debt? Experiencing an insurmountable problem? Can you come alongside them and help? Will you show them the compassion and love of Jesus by supporting them with your prayers and intercession?
If you are already doing this – excellent! Continue the great work.
I faced a situation a little while back, where someone sought to unjustly penalise and discredit me. It undermined my peace. I called upon my best friend and her husband to stand with me in prayer. They also enlisted the help of their prayer group.
Fear and negativity had skewed my perspective regarding my circumstances. However, these godly friends were able to share scriptures with me, which changed that perspective. They could not have done this without their own knowledge of God, gained through their personal relationship with him. They could not have done this without a knowledge of his Word. And I could not have accepted the rhema* word God gave to me through them, I could not have been comforted and strengthened, if I had not previously acquired personal knowledge of his attributes, loving nature and character.
“The only thing you sometimes have control over is perspective. You don’t have control over your situation. But you have a choice about how you view it.” Chris Pine
Just suppose you were drowning and someone dived in to help you, someone whom you knew could not swim and had a fear of water, would you be confident that person could save you? Now substitute that individual with someone whom you know to be a champion swimmer and your perspective of the predicament you are in changes. Your confidence in his/her ability to help you, perhaps even save your life, increases.
Similarly, in times of trouble, your experiential knowledge of God, gained through intimate acquaintance with him will make all the difference as to whether you sink below your problems, wade/swim fearlessly through them, or should the occasion demand, allow Father God to rescue you. Furthermore, what you triumphantly overcome today, equips and enables you to help others tomorrow.
God promises: When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you… (Isaiah 43:2a)
Dear reader, let me ask you something: how well do you know God? What steps are you taking to increase your knowledge of him?
* Rhema = a specific promise from the Word of God, brought to mind by the Holy Spirit
Women of Warfare! (WOW!) 