Prayer * Holiness * Righteousness
I have been looking back over my prayer life and I've realized that I've been fighting wrong. I haven't had a lot of answered prayers lately and it has caused me to reevaluate. Now don't get me wrong with what I am about to say. Prayer is vital in our life, but we can wear ourselves out in prayer. I want to pray effectively! I have been wearing myself out in prayer for years; if I'm honest. I bring my list, dug this scripture and this, and spoke this by faith and into existence over and over and over. While yes, this is what we are supposed to do to an extent; it's not all we are supposed to do. I have been looking back over my prayer life for quite some time; hitting some roadblocks and questioning some things w/ the Lord. He will oftentimes let us go through the cycles until we begin to look back at things and wonder what isn't working. Sometimes there have to be some trials to conquer, battles to fight and overcome, maturing, and faith to increase. We will not move forward until we have passed the test. We get to choose how long we go around the same mountain. If I had not realized this I don't think I would have gotten to the revelation I have had the last couple of weeks. Please don't get me wrong. We need to cry out to the Lord w/ our needs! I've often times looked back over my personal private prayer time w the Lord and noticed that I spoke more in English than I did in tongues and I did more talking than I did listening. Sometimes I would only give the Lord just a few short moments to speak w me and rush off to tend to my family. I've had it backward! It's not me coming in telling Him all my requests! It's intimacy w Him that He wants from us! If we have a relationship w/ someone and all they do is the talking...it's not gonna be a really good relationship. The Lord finally had to tell me that I've been putting my house and kids before Him. He just wants me and all of me....sometimes w/ my mouth shut! LOL He already knows just what I need and IF I will seek Him first and put Him first...He will take care of all of the rest through my trust and faith in Him. He is a jealous God and He wants our attention. He wants intimacy w us! Yes, we should and can pray while doing the dishes, laundry, driving, and mowing, but it's not the same as when we come before Him, shutting the door, shutting off all distractions and just making room for Him alone. Matt 6:6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door, and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. It's not always easy. We are going to have to fight for time to be w Him. Oh, but when you do it leaves you wanting more and more of Him. I have had to learn to try and have some of my chores done the night before, laying my clothes out, etc, so I can wake up and go straight to Him....is what I'm working on! I'm thankful for His grace and mercy! We know the things we are supposed to do and it's easy to check those marks off as done and move on and expect God to move.
So here is what I think the Lord wants from us:
ASK ONCE:
He hasn't forgotten our requests. I think I need to learn to pray and ask for something once and then thank Him ahead of time like it's already been answered.
Philippians 4:19- He will supply our every need because He is our every need!
Proverbs 18:21 - Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. DO NOT SPEAK ILL OVER YOUR REQUESTS. MAY NEED TO CANCEL ANY WORD CURSES.
Matthew 21:22 - And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.
Romans 4:17 - (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were. 2 Corinthians 4:18 - While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
Ask the Holy Spirit what the PURPOSE of my prayer is:
and we also need to pray in the Spirit and be led by the Spirit. We also need to consult the Holy Spirit to lead and guide our prayer session w the Lord. What is the purpose of our prayer time? Intersession, warfare, requests, or thanking Him? We need to be doing all of those actively.
WAIT PATIENTLY AND REST:
Psalms 37: 3 Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. 4 Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
5 Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this:
7 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him;
Be Still Psalm 46:10 10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; 2 Corinthians 13:5-11 5 Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test? 6 And I trust that you will discover that we have not failed the test. 7 Now we pray to God that you will not do anything wrong—not so that people will see that we have stood the test but so that you will do what is right even though we may seem to have failed. 8 For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth. 9 We are glad whenever we are weak but you are strong, and our prayer is that you may be fully restored. 10 This is why I write these things when I am absent, that when I come I may not have to be harsh in my use of authority—the authority the Lord gave me for building you up, not for tearing you down. 11 Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, and live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you. NIV
Hebrews 12:14-15 Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness, no one will see the Lord. 15 See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.
Instructions for Christian Living Ephesians 4:17 So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. 18 They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. 19 Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.20 That, however, is not the way of life you learned 21 when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. 26 “In your anger do not sin”[d]: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold. 28 Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, so that they may have something to share with those in need.
29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
1 Timothy 4:15—We are to meditate on the Bible and godly precepts, making them the focus of our thoughts. Titus 1:15—Purity comes from God. We cannot think of holy thoughts if we have an unholy mind, and a holy mind is the result of a holy heart.
It's about the HEART:
Isaiah 29:13; Ezekiel 33:31; Matthew 15:7–9 Jeremiah 17:9;
Matthew 6:21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Ephesians 5:27 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and
blameless.
2 Corinthians 7:1
Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.
1 Peter 1:15-16
But as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
1 Thessalonians 5:23 Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 1:13-16
Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
Revelation 19:7 7 Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready.
I Never Knew You
Matthew 7:21-23 21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
We must know and listen and obey His voice. We must stay close enough to hear that small still voice. We have to quiet ourselves to hear it. We must ask the Holy Spirit to train and empower us to hear it.
John 10:27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.
The Vine and the Branches WE MUST BEAR GOOD FRUIT
John 15:17 15 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes[a] so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me, you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17 This is my command: Love each other.
FIGHT- ON GUARD
tear down every stronghold of deception in our minds! Read out of Spiritual Warfare book-
2 Corinthians 10:3 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have the divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 6 And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.
We must search our hearts and ask God to purge them. Ps 51 & Ps 139
Pray against lust, pride, and deception!
We must be willing to die to our flesh daily, put away those things displeasing to Him, and put on that new man! We must know and use the Word of God and use discernment in these last days.
NOW THAT WE'VE GOTTEN OURSELVES FIXED UP>>>>GO WIN SOULS there's a bigger purpose!
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