Good Morning Gifted Intercessors and Servants--Doers of the Word! Do you pray and intercede for friends, family, your church and nation? That is being a doer by serving as an intercessing pray-er. In James that we have been studying we came across the teACHING ABOUT SHOWING OUR FAITH BY OUR ACTIONS. ACTIVE FAITH IS WHAT PEOPLE SEE. Prayer is foundational and essential for anything of value to transpire in the Kingdom and our lives. We are all called to pray, even fast and pray, but some of us are gifted to pray and intercede. We all have gifted and empowered roles in God's Good News Delivery co. Do you know your role? Do you know and use your gifts that are supernaturally given and empowered by the Holy Spirit? Let us determine to step into our anointing by beginning to really use our gifts for God's glory and for why they were given to us. I think of the question, "Is there anything God would ask you to do that you would say no?" Hope not, but we often resist and say no because God leads us out of our comfort zones. Ask for a cooperating spirit in you and take those first small steps of faith. God has custom plans and gifts for you to use and do. Let us reason together as well and keep praying in power and effectiveness. Check out the link to Harvest Kim's blog . And then the Connection blog about prayer. God is calling and speaking to the heart for some of us to become prayer warriors. Is that you? Let's talk about it and process that with some friends.
I'd love to do another spiritual gifts class for a few weeks this fall. You can find spiritual gifts tests on line and they usually explain the gifts that are revealed as yours. Try it and let's talk and pray about using them and growing in them. There are two kinds of gifts: equipping and supporting. You will have one or the other or a combination of both. Think about what you like to do, are good at doing, and what God has gifted you to do. They should compliment each other and be something you find enjoyable as you serve the church, encourage others and walk with them. Who are your praying, processing partners? Seek some and follow God's supernatural gifts to you best future in Christ. You are His masterpiece made and empowered for such a time as this! PTL! Put on your new, gifted nature more fully and go love and love like Jesus as you are created and gifted to do. And keep praying and praying for us to become a House of Prayer. Amen! Teach us Lord! Move us! Empower us! Send us with love, peace and joy! Amen! Be willing and remember, God is able to do immeasurably more than we can imagine both in and through our lives and our prayers. Receive and live and go! I'm raying for you to discover and step into your gifts and purposes more fully. What are you praying for in the Kingdom?
"And I will do whatever you ask in My name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father" (John 14:13).
Learn how to pray God’s heart. Praying just for the sake of making a religious noise, is not God’s intent for prayer. Praying to get something from God is also not God’s plan. Studying the Word and paying attention to the world around you is a key. See what God is busy doing and what He desires us to do as His people. As we pray those things that are close to His heart, He is pleased to answer! We know He wants us to love Him with all of our hearts, and to love others as we love ourselves. He wants us to pray for the lost and that His people will experience revival. We know that He wants unity in the body of Christ…and you and your family can probably add many others to this list.
Humbly expect and be willing for God to use you to be the answer to your prayers: If your heart never expects God to answer, there is literally no point in praying. James states, "But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man [or woman, or child] should not think he will receive anything from the Lord…" (James 1:6-7). When you pray in the Name of Jesus, believing that He has heard and will answer, you will see Him do amazing things – sometimes in and through you! Always remember that the ultimate goal of answered prayer is to bring glory to the Lord: "And I will do whatever you ask in My name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father" (John 14:13).
Lord Jesus, prayer is sometimes a complete mystery to me, especially when You work through me to be the answer! I am awed by Your power that You so freely give to Your people. Give me a heart that is able to believe and not doubt…and help me to live in Your perfect presence, expecting You to move in, through and around my life continually.
Give praise to Jesus as the manna that has come down from heaven, the bread of life who nourishes the hungry with himself (Jn. 6:48-51).
Thank him for taking care of your spiritual as well as your physical needs.
Confess those times during the past week when you have failed to come to Jesus in prayer in order to receive all that you need.
Commit yourself to spending more time in his presence.
Ask Jesus to show you his power to take care of all the desires of your heart (Mt. 6:33).
Pray for generous giving to meet the desperate needs of those stricken with famine, earthquake, war, floods, or other disasters. Ask God to use such giving as a powerful witness to the gospel (2 Cor. 9:10-14).
