As the people of God assemble today, may they lift their voices, their hearts and hands and sing thanksgiving unto the Lord God for all His beneficent blessings toward us. For God is good and greatly to be praised. “[ A Song of Praise ] Come, let us praise the Lord! Let us sing for joy to God, who protects us! Let us come before him with thanksgiving and sing joyful songs of praise. (Ps.95:1-2, GNT)
When the church is truly the church, in all its God-ordained function and authority, and takes her place in culture, culture will place so much attention on the life and productivity that is flowing out of the church (please refer to the entire Book of Acts) that politicians will be reported and lauded very little. In the book of Acts the church was getting more press than were government officials. “…These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also.” (Acts 17:6) No politician or governmental entity was being given credit for “turning the world upside down” but the disciples of Jesus that He gave His authority to and the disciples He sent out. Jesus and His disciples (count them: 12) impacted the mighty Roman world and jolted its foundation so that He and they were deemed a national threat. It was not because they directly threatened Rome or Caesar but because they acted in an authority that, because of its results, was obviously a higher government than that of Rome.
Kathy — Some might be thinking, “Well, I’ve interceded for years. Where in the world is my harvest?” I believe it is possible to fail to recognize harvest. How many suddenlies and blessings to us or our families have we thought random, knowing we didn’t pray for them? Well, someone did! “We have not because we ask not.” (Js.4:2) So, if we do have — that means someone did ask!
God speaks the end while standing at the beginning (Isa.46:9-10). After speaking the end God must begin looking for some folks who will stay the course so that particular end may be realized. Someone must stay the course out of Egypt and remain standing before the Red Sea (without demanding relief) until it splits—so there can be witness to the fact that this God truly is a sea-splitter. Isa.46:9-10, TPT—“Remember the miracles of long ago. Acknowledge that I am God, and there is no other. I am God, and there is none like me. 10 I declare from the beginning how it will end and foretell from the start what has not yet happened. I decree that my purpose will stand, and I will fulfill my every plan.”
Kathy — A word of encouragement for those who intercede: Seedtime and harvest is an established law of God (Gen.8:22). That thought might surprise some, but how could God not perform His Word? Gal.6:7 promises a crop of whatever we sow. When we cover others in prayer, why would we doubt Father will stir others to prayer in our behalf? Gal.6:7, TPT — “Make no mistake about it, God will never be mocked! For what you plant will always be the very thing you harvest.”
Esau reached a point where he decided that he had resisted the now-demands of his belly long enough and also decided that his birthright just wasn’t worth living for something in the future (Heb.12:17). We may stay the course with hunger in our belly but we best stay the course. Moby Dick may be doing his best to chew the side off the boat but we must row, bail water & proclaim the promises of God above the racket of mighty molars crunching boat parts. To cease to stay the course is tantamount to selling one’s birthright. In ceasing, we trade the garments of a possessor for the rags of a beggar. Ps.121:1-3, TPT — “I look up to the mountains and hills, longing for God’s help. 2 But then I realize that our true help and protection come only from the Lord, our Creator who made the heavens and the earth. 3 He will guard and guide me, never letting me stumble or fall. God is my keeper; he will never forget nor ignore me.”
Kathy — God help us all if intercession is ever based on deserving or sinlessness. And God help us as intercessors that we never pray, or refuse to pray, based on our opinion or judgment of others. Help us Lord not to ever allow opinions to override obedience. Neither let our opinions be so loud that they deafen us to obedience. 1Sam.15:22, Amp — “Has the Lord as great a delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices As in obedience to the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed [is better] than the fat of rams.”
As the people of God assemble today may they assemble as a governing body. When we assemble as a governing body (ekklesia), there is a synergy created by the power of the Holy Spirit that brings us into the functioning of our destiny. If Jesus did not think that it would work, He would have never ascended to the right hand of the Father. He has, therefore, sent the Holy Spirit with the authority and the power of heaven to bring heaven to earth (Jn.16:7). Heb.10:25, TPT — “This is not the time to pull away and neglect meeting together, as some have formed the habit of doing, because we need each other! In fact, we should come together even more frequently, eager to encourage and urge each other onward as we anticipate that day dawning.”
Jesus was shaking the present religious and political scene when He was recorded to say, “All authority (all power of rule) in heaven and earth has been given to Me. Go then…” (Matt.28:18-19a) and “…just as my Father has sent Me forth, so I am sending you.” (Jn.20:21) Key factors we must be aware of: (1) “all authority” and (2) “just as” and (3) “go then.”
Kathy — If we pray out of our opinions and judgments rather than the heart of God, we can bring ourselves under judgment rather than blessing. Also, we position ourselves for discouragement and unbelief because our prayers are hindered as Js.4:3 says, “You ask and do not receive because you ask with wrong motives.” (NAS)
Is the real need of this nation a great politician or a real church? Politicians would hardly ever get a mention in the news media if the church was being and doing everything Jesus was and did when He was on earth. One of the major factors that got Jesus crucified was that He was getting more press than Caesar. People were following and clamoring after Jesus because of His acts which so effectively represented the Father. When Jesus confronted and contradicted darkness through redemptive acts it got the nation’s attention. After consistently revealing the Father in this manner, there was a snowballing effort to make Jesus king. Simply put, Jesus was more representative of life and productivity than was Caesar with all his financial resources and all his millions of citizens. Needs were met and problems solved that Caesar had no capacity for.
Kathy — How do we fight for a corporate cause when we are fighting to survive individually? First, we must take hope that God has positioned gifts and strengths geographically and relationally for corporate wars ahead of time, and we must believe corporate agreement will defeat customized weapons as well as enemies with tenure that are attempting to protect ungodly strongholds. Secondly, we have to be confident that being the target does not mean we have to just take a right hook and then wait helplessly for a left jab every time the enemy gets upset. We are not a victim nor a God-authorized target. Once that is settled in us we can fight with confidence and win through time and perseverance. Heb.3:14, Msg — “If we can only keep our grip on the sure thing we started out with, we’re in this with Christ for the long haul.”
Preferred Government — Nebuchanezar was in office for an unlimited term. Nebuchanezar is the one who took the choicest of Israel’s future and enslaved them for the purpose of culturizing them to the values of Babylon. In spite of that fact the Hebrews Daniel, Meshach, Shadrach and Abednego triumphed and impacted the culture of Babylon with the precepts of Jehovah. (Let us not forget that much prayer was the habit of Daniel.) Saul was in office for an unlimited term. Saul is the one who attempted to murder the future of Israel’s government. In spite of that fact David triumphed. Saul was actually used as a catalyst to join the tribes of the nation to David and see that he was seated on the throne. (Remember: David is an Old Testament type of the New Testament Christ) After being under Saul’s government, Israel much preferred the government of David (NT Christ) over the government of Saul (Heb.: “desired”). He who was so desired became so undesired. (Let us not forget that much worship was the habit of David.)
Kathy — Warfare and Tipping Points — In the old western movies, when the town was too conditioned to the reign of an old foe, the lone sheriff (governmental agent) had to fight him alone. The governmental agent, (the God-appointee to the situation), moved forward and equipped them through example, inspiration and direction. Then “the few” stepped up to unify and finally brought the tipping point. The eventual key to victory was when enough of the townspeople and landowners decided to defy evil and stood together. However, realistically, the tipping point can take a long time to develop because victims are so conditioned to corruption or fear of bucking it. During the time it takes to unify a corporate tipping point, unfortunately, the government agent more often than not becomes the target of rulers of darkness who hold tenure. While being targeted by the enemy, there will be attacks on relationships, circumstances and health to the point that it can seem like the real challenge is keeping the governmental agents ALIVE for the mandate! Rom.12:11-12, The Message — “Don’t burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant. Don’t quit in hard times; pray all the harder.”
As the people of God assemble today, may they realize that they have been elected to an unlimited term of office. May they rejoice in God their Savior Who has elected them to be defended and to provide justice in their behalf. “And will not [our just] God defend and avenge His elect [His chosen ones] who cry out to Him day and night? Will He delay [in providing justice] on their behalf?” (Lk.18:7, Amp)
In spite of some past inferences we might have heard concerning prayer, God is not a celestial bellboy waiting in an anteroom for us to ring a bell to do what we require. Rather, in prayer, we partner with God for His purposes in our lives and in this earth. Jesus went apart from the crowd to pray so that He might find how to partner with His Father so He could glorify Him. Jn.12:27, (The Passion Translation) — “Even though I am torn within, and my soul is in turmoil, I will not ask the Father to rescue me from this hour of trial. For I have come to fulfill my purpose—to offer myself to God.”
Kathy—When we are in a hard place the first decision we have to make is to trust God or harden our hearts & handle things our own way. The only recourse you have if you don’t trust God is to take control of the situation. Control is about ME, my feelings, my rights, and my desires. To trust God we must embrace the truth about His character and His ways consistently until belief is consistent in us. Prov.3:5-6, KJV — “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.”
Martin Luther said that prayer is not overcoming the reluctance of God but it is laying hold of the willingness of God. Why didn’t he say “finding the willingness of God”? There is a lot more in laying hold than in finding. You may find gold, but you have not laid hold of it until you have dug. Let us dig in and find His willingness. Js.5:17, TPT — “Elijah was a man with human frailties, just like all of us, but he prayed and received supernatural answers. He actually shut the heavens over the land so there would be no rain for three and a half years!”
Kathy — Why is our trust in God sometimes in pieces? I think it is because of all the times it’s been shaken. I’m talking about every time that we followed our emotions through a trial and we “trusted” God to come through like we felt He should…. but He didn’t. Our trust was shaken if not shattered, not because He’s not trustworthy, but because He did not allow us to manipulate the situation or Him. Ps.18:2, TPT — “You’re as real to me as bedrock beneath my feet, like a castle on a cliff, my forever firm fortress, my mountain of hiding, my pathway of escape, my tower of rescue where none can reach me. My secret strength and shield around me, you are salvation’s ray of brightness shining on the hillside, always the champion of my cause.”
Start your own spiritual history. Lack or infirmity may be just about all the generational history you have. You be the one to break the cycle. You be the one who refuses to embrace that old history. Matt.16:19-”whatever you bind on earth.” It has already been done in the heavenlies. Start walking and talking it on the earth. Eph.1:19-20, TPT — “I pray that you will continually experience the immeasurable greatness of God’s power made available to you through faith. Then your lives will be an advertisement of this immense power as it works through you! This is the mighty power 20 that was released when God raised Christ from the dead and exalted him to the place of highest honor and supreme authority in the heavenly realm!”
Kathy — When you are mistreated or attacked or accused or scared or you step in the neighbor’s dog droppings in your own yard you might not deliberately think, “Back off God, I’ll handle this.” In fact, you’re not likely to think of dog droppings and God in the same thought! The point is that there’s no time to hear God when emotions erupt. That tells us that emotions are one of the big reasons that we harden our hearts. 2Pe1:6, Amp — “For this very reason, applying your diligence [to the divine promises, make every effort] in [exercising] your faith to, develop moral excellence, and in moral excellence, knowledge (insight, understanding), 6 and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, steadfastness, and in your steadfastness, godliness.”
As the people of God assemble today and they sing out praises and worship and they hear the powerful Word of God taught, may they realize it is time to take yet another step. May each one take a step more in the direction the Lord has them headed in within their bent, their calling, their purpose. This is the season for stepping up to the next level of purpose and function in the Kingdom of God. Prov.3:5-6, Amp — “Trust in and rely confidently on the Lord with all your heart And do not rely on your own insight or understanding. 6 In all your ways know and acknowledge and recognize Him, And He will make your paths straight and smooth [removing obstacles that block your way].”
We are celebrating Reformation Day! On October 31, 1517 Martin Luther nailed his Ninety-five Theses to the Wittenberg Church door in Germany. What had been covered over by centuries of profitable and manipulative tradition, was exposed and the truth of God’s Word, the Gospel of salvation by grace (Eph.2:8), was made known. There is ONE Mediator between God and man, not a Mediator plus someone or some religious/ecclesiastical system (Heb.10:10). That Mediator, JESUS, alone was appointed by God to make atonement for the sins of men by His death. His atonement alone gives only Him authorization to be our Intercessor with God in our behalf. All persons (no matter race or creed) are to go directly to that Intercessor JESUS (Heb.7:25) and trust only in this Mediator alone. “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1Tim.2:5).
Kathy — At God-intersections, when He reveals His doings, we witness not only His acts but also His might and love and faithfulness. Seeing beyond the “what” to the “who” He will most certainly stir us to worship and our worship is a sound of agreement from the earth regarding who He is in Heaven! I don’t know yet all that His breakthroughs have prepped and set in motion, but I believe we will recognize them as the Intervener intervening in the weeks to come.
martygabler 