Setting The Stage
II Cor. 10:3-5, “ 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.”
Paul is setting up for us the playing field on which spiritual warfare occurs. He emphasizes that the war has been waged over our inner man; it’s a battle over our minds and affections. However, Satan is not the equal opposite of God. The devil has already been defeated and he knows it. He is seeking, however, to get us to cast accusation against God by getting us to have wrong thoughts and ideas about who God is.
What Are Strongholds
The first step in spiritual warfare is realizing that we cannot wage this war according to the flesh. The second is pulling down strongholds.
4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,
Paul defines “pulling down strongholds” as the casting down of arguments that are exalted against the knowledge of God (verse 5). The word stronghold in the Greek is also translated as “castle,” or “wall”. It is used as both a positive and a negative in scripture. But here it is used as a negative.
These strongholds of the mind must be dismantled if one wants to move forward in the purposes of God. These strongholds of the mind are a collection of demonic, distorted ideas about God. These lies cause us, first, to accuse God and then ourselves and others. They are arguments or negative information about God’s beauty, character, power, and wisdom. When we believe lies about God then we believe lies about who we are in Him. We can only know the truth about ourselves as we understand the truth about God.
How Are Strongholds Established?
Personal strongholds are established by opening the door to Satan through sin and unbelief. Satan’s domain is the domain of darkness. He has no right or authority to enter the domain of our lives unless we give him permission. We permit this, or give
him access to us by filling our minds and hearts with sin, or in other words, sowing to the flesh.
Jesus gave Satan NO darkness, or access point to His life.
John 14:30, “…for the ruler of this world [Satan] is coming, and he has nothing in Me.”
How Do We Fight?
First of all, we cannot be naïve about the existence of evil. I see three wrong responses to the issue of evil.
1. First there is the “head in the sand” approach. We can simply pretend that evil doesn’t really exist, or at least it’s not really a big deal. As N.T. Wright puts it:
That’s about as much use as saying, when the house is on fire, that yes, it is getting a little warm, but if we all take off a layer of clothing and drink more iced water things will be just fine.
2. There is also the “wallow in evil” approach (which is more common than you might think). This approach sees only evil and sees it everywhere. This approach often leads to paranoia and a sense of being overwhelmed by the great forces of evil that are so abundant and overpowering. The common outcome of this is that our prayers begin focusing solely on the darkness of evil rather than the light and beauty of God.
3. Finally, there is the “self-righteous approach”. With this approach we say, like the Pharisees, “O Lord, thank You that I am not as other people.” We say that, yes, evil is out there, but it doesn’t have anything to do with us; we don’t struggle with that.
The correct response, however, is to recognize the reality of evil, expose it with the light and power of the kingdom of God, and begin operating in the opposite spirit. For example, Satan is the “father of lies”. So if we declare the truth of God and, by faith, walk in the truth of who God says we are, then we are waging warfare against the schemes of the enemy.
Since these strongholds are built of those things which seek to exalt themselves against the knowledge of God, then we can only pull them down by giving ourselves to the pursuing of the truth of who God is and declaring this truth over our lives. We do this by systematically ingesting the Word of God, agreeing with His heart, and walking as children of the light (Eph. 5:8-11).
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Spiritual Warfare
The Playing Field
II Cor. 10:3-5, “ 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,”
Paul is setting up for us the playing field on which spiritual warfare occurs. He emphasizes that the war has been waged over our inner man. True spiritual warfare consists of bringing ourselves into full agreement with Christ and pursuing the truth of the knowledge of God.
Much of the spiritual warfare that occurs in the body of Christ today is primarily focused on one’s ability to stir up an aggressive emotion, shout some very zealous phrases, energetically commanding spiritual forces to desist. There is nothing wrong with those who have this particular personality type to pray this way, but this behavior in-and-of itself is not spiritual warfare.
Gary Wiens states it this way:
Those who have authority don’t need to posture themselves as authoritative. They are authoritative. Successful spiritual warfare is not a matter of decibels and energy, power-packed phrases and prophetic gestures. Successful spiritual warfare is rooted solely and completely in our position of influence with Jesus Christ. And that position of influence comes only in the secret place of intimacy by receiving the Word of God implanted in the human heart.
Pulling Down Strongholds
So the first step in spiritual warfare is defining the battleground. The second, according to Paul is the pulling down strongholds.
4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,
Paul defines “pulling down strongholds” as the casting down of arguments that are exalted against the knowledge of God (verse 5). The word stronghold in the Greek is also translated as “castle”. It is used as both a positive and a negative in scripture. But here it is used as a negative. These strongholds of the mind must be dismantled if one wants to move forward in the purposes of God. Since these strongholds are built of those things that seek to exalt themselves against the knowledge of God, then we
can only pull them down by giving ourselves to the pursuing of the truth of who God is and declaring this truth over our lives. So how do we find the knowledge of God?
There is a promise given by God through Solomon concerning the knowledge of God. However, this promise is conditional.
Prov. 2:1-5, “1 My son, if you receive my words, and treasure my commands within you, 2 so that you incline your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding; 3 yes, if you cry out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding, 4 if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; 5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.”
If we are going to combat the enemy and pull down the strongholds in our lives, we must systematically ingest the Word of God, taking it deep into our hearts by the ministry of the Holy Spirit.
Paul tells us that we can be filled with the Spirit through singing, speaking, and making melody in our hearts to the Lord.
Eph. 5:18-19, “18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.”
Releasing God’s Purposes Through Singing
Psalm 149:5-9 tells us of the power that the saints have when they declare the goodness, the kindness, the beauty, the awesomeness, power of God through singing – more importantly, singing the word.
Psalm 149:5-9, “5 Let the saints be joyful in glory; let them sing aloud on their beds. 6 Let the high praises of God be in their mouths, and a two-edged sword in their hand, 7 to exercise vengeance on the nations, and punishments on the peoples; 8 to bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; 9 to execute on them the written judgment – this honor have all His saints. Praise the Lord!
It is God’s design that the songs of the saints, energized by the power of the Word, defeat, confuse, and ultimately destroy the kingdom of darkness. Psalm 8 and Matthew 21 give us another great example of the power released through song.
Psalm 8:2, “Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have ordained strength, because of Your enemies, that You may silence the enemy and the avenger.”
Matt. 21:16, “…and Jesus said to them, ‘Yes, have you never read, “Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have perfected praise”?’”
Praise going forth, even from the mouths of babies, is a weapon of warfare against the enemy.
Another example of the power of praise:
II. Chron. 5:13-14, “13 …it came to pass, when the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord, and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the Lord, saying: ‘For He is good, for His mercy endures forever,’ that the house, the house of the Lord, was filled with a cloud, 14 so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God.”
II Chron. 20:21-22, “21 And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the Lord, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying: ‘Praise the Lord, for His mercy endures forever.’ 22 Now when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushes against the people…who had come against Judah; and they were defeated.”
There are many other examples of this in scripture. I encourage you to search them out. I want us to get a grasp of what it is that we do here at the International House of Prayer. We are warring in the heavenly battle through our songs of praise. We combat the enemy when we engage in the opposite spirit and actions of the enemy. If Satan is the father of lies, then as we simply proclaim truth over our region we push back the spiritual forces of darkness. For darkness has to yield to even the smallest amount of light.
If you want darkness out of your life, city, school, or country, just turn on the light! Proclaim the power of the “Father of lights” (James 1:17), and sing of the One who wraps Himself in “light as with a garment” (Psalm 104:2).
II Cor. 10:3-5, “ 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,”
Paul is setting up for us the playing field on which spiritual warfare occurs. He emphasizes that the war has been waged over our inner man. True spiritual warfare consists of bringing ourselves into full agreement with Christ and pursuing the truth of the knowledge of God.
Much of the spiritual warfare that occurs in the body of Christ today is primarily focused on one’s ability to stir up an aggressive emotion, shout some very zealous phrases, energetically commanding spiritual forces to desist. There is nothing wrong with those who have this particular personality type to pray this way, but this behavior in-and-of itself is not spiritual warfare.
Gary Wiens states it this way:
Those who have authority don’t need to posture themselves as authoritative. They are authoritative. Successful spiritual warfare is not a matter of decibels and energy, power-packed phrases and prophetic gestures. Successful spiritual warfare is rooted solely and completely in our position of influence with Jesus Christ. And that position of influence comes only in the secret place of intimacy by receiving the Word of God implanted in the human heart.
Pulling Down Strongholds
So the first step in spiritual warfare is defining the battleground. The second, according to Paul is the pulling down strongholds.
4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,
Paul defines “pulling down strongholds” as the casting down of arguments that are exalted against the knowledge of God (verse 5). The word stronghold in the Greek is also translated as “castle”. It is used as both a positive and a negative in scripture. But here it is used as a negative. These strongholds of the mind must be dismantled if one wants to move forward in the purposes of God. Since these strongholds are built of those things that seek to exalt themselves against the knowledge of God, then we
can only pull them down by giving ourselves to the pursuing of the truth of who God is and declaring this truth over our lives. So how do we find the knowledge of God?
There is a promise given by God through Solomon concerning the knowledge of God. However, this promise is conditional.
Prov. 2:1-5, “1 My son, if you receive my words, and treasure my commands within you, 2 so that you incline your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding; 3 yes, if you cry out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding, 4 if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; 5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.”
If we are going to combat the enemy and pull down the strongholds in our lives, we must systematically ingest the Word of God, taking it deep into our hearts by the ministry of the Holy Spirit.
Paul tells us that we can be filled with the Spirit through singing, speaking, and making melody in our hearts to the Lord.
Eph. 5:18-19, “18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.”
Releasing God’s Purposes Through Singing
Psalm 149:5-9 tells us of the power that the saints have when they declare the goodness, the kindness, the beauty, the awesomeness, power of God through singing – more importantly, singing the word.
Psalm 149:5-9, “5 Let the saints be joyful in glory; let them sing aloud on their beds. 6 Let the high praises of God be in their mouths, and a two-edged sword in their hand, 7 to exercise vengeance on the nations, and punishments on the peoples; 8 to bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; 9 to execute on them the written judgment – this honor have all His saints. Praise the Lord!
It is God’s design that the songs of the saints, energized by the power of the Word, defeat, confuse, and ultimately destroy the kingdom of darkness. Psalm 8 and Matthew 21 give us another great example of the power released through song.
Psalm 8:2, “Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have ordained strength, because of Your enemies, that You may silence the enemy and the avenger.”
Matt. 21:16, “…and Jesus said to them, ‘Yes, have you never read, “Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have perfected praise”?’”
Praise going forth, even from the mouths of babies, is a weapon of warfare against the enemy.
Another example of the power of praise:
II. Chron. 5:13-14, “13 …it came to pass, when the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord, and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the Lord, saying: ‘For He is good, for His mercy endures forever,’ that the house, the house of the Lord, was filled with a cloud, 14 so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God.”
II Chron. 20:21-22, “21 And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the Lord, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying: ‘Praise the Lord, for His mercy endures forever.’ 22 Now when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushes against the people…who had come against Judah; and they were defeated.”
There are many other examples of this in scripture. I encourage you to search them out. I want us to get a grasp of what it is that we do here at the International House of Prayer. We are warring in the heavenly battle through our songs of praise. We combat the enemy when we engage in the opposite spirit and actions of the enemy. If Satan is the father of lies, then as we simply proclaim truth over our region we push back the spiritual forces of darkness. For darkness has to yield to even the smallest amount of light.
If you want darkness out of your life, city, school, or country, just turn on the light! Proclaim the power of the “Father of lights” (James 1:17), and sing of the One who wraps Himself in “light as with a garment” (Psalm 104:2).
Friday, September 21, 2007
Journey to Holy Passion II
I. Transformation in the Inner Man
Our journey to become wholehearted lovers of God begins with our understanding of who God is, what He’s like, and who we are to Him. Our ideas and perceptions of who He is directly effect not only the way we relate to Him in our daily walk, but how we relate to others around us. It is vital that we have a correct understanding of the characteristics, attributes, and emotions of God.
It’s important that we know that God is mostly glad and happy with us when He relates to us in our weakness. He is tender and long-suffering with us in our immaturity. However, He does not want us to remain “babes” but rather grow to perfection, lacking nothing.
James 1:4, “…that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”
In order for our hearts to grow in full maturity we must be “transformed” on the inside by the renewing of our minds.
Rom. 12:2, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind…”
This is an important part of living a life of worship and service to God. A change in our outward behavior and actions will be the natural expression of the change that has taken place in our inner man. Wiersbe paints a picture of this reality when he says, “You would never produce a butterfly by pinning wings on a worm!” In other words, there must be a fundamental change that originates on the inside if we are to change or grow on the outside.
II. Beholding and Becoming Principle
So how do we do this? How can we experience change in our inner man? According to the apostle Paul, if we are to be transformed into the image Christ, we should go no further than Christ Himself. This seems like the obvious place to start, but the subject of God is one of the least taught subjects in the body of Christ. Other subjects such as morality, ethics, relationships, and ministry skills often eclipse the study of God. However, Paul says that if we want to live a transformed life, we must behold the glory of the Lord.
Whatever we behold in God’s heart towards us becomes awakened in our heart back to God (transformation). To behold God’s heart refers to studying it, or meditating on it, until we understand it more and thus encounter God.
II. Cor. 3:18, “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.”
How do you expect to be changed if you neglect the main point and the main character in the whole Bible? On every page of the Bible, the main character is God, and the Bible is meant to communicate to us His glory.
We cannot neglect the subject of God, because He is the central figure and object of our worship. What we are and what we do are both determined by our worship. In other words, we become like that which we worship.
Psalm 115:8, “Those who make them [idols] are like them; so is everyone who trusts [worships] them.”
III. How Can We Get To Know Him
Jesus is the perfect representation of the Father.
John 14:9, “…He who has seen Me has seen the Father…”
Col. 1:15, “He is the image of the invisible God…”
By gazing or beholding the character, the emotions, the attributes of Jesus, we are transformed into the same image (become Christ-like).
King David declared that the primary preoccupation of his heart was to gaze upon God’s beauty. God’s beauty was the powerful force that empowered and conquered David’s heart.
Psalm 27:4, “One thing I have desired of the Lord, that will I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple.”
When Mary of Bethany “sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word” instead of serving like her sister Martha, Jesus validates her actions as “needed” and “good.”
Luke 10:42, “But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part which will not be taken away from her.”
We must become a people of “one thing” if we want to truly live a transformed life. Our sole passion must be Christ, and becoming more like Him must be our aim. We must be a “Proverbs 2” people who “understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God” by seeking Him as a hidden treasure.
IV. Common Arguments To Draw Back
We must be wise to the tactics of the enemy. Satan’s goal is to get us to quit (discouraged/spirit of heaviness), feel disqualified (impurity/lack of faithfulness), stay spiritually shallow (mismanagement of time/pursuing too many things), and/or become cynical (jaded/angry). There are many arguments that empower people to draw back from perseverance in pursuing a deeper life in God. Each argument can easily be overcome by truth.
Argument 1: The Word is too boring – Press through by staying in the word with a plan and help from study guides, books, commentaries, small groups, etc.
Argument 2: The worship sets are too boring – Engage your spirit by singing to God, not the air. Simple statements like, “Jesus, I worship You” or “I love You, Lord” have a powerful impact on the heart when directed to God.
Argument 3: I don’t have enough time – One of the greatest hindrances to spiritual depth is not necessarily a lack of time, but rather a mismanagement of time.
Argument 4: I don’t know what to do in the place of prayer – Getting an action plan is very important. For example: read 10 chapters of the New Testament per day (6 days a week) to read through the entire New Testament once a month (journaling as you go), make a personal prayer list to focus on receiving a breakthrough in your own heart, make a prayer list for others (praying for things such as revival in our families, city, school, and nation).
Argument 5: I am too tired – Develop a lifestyle that helps you worship hard by understanding that what you did and ate last night and even five days ago affects how you feel today. In other words, you prayer life is at the top of your priority list and not an inconvenience to your “other life.”
Argument 6: I need to be realistic and practical – Seeking to do the work without contending for the anointing or getting/maintaining oil of intimacy in your lamps of ministry (Matt. 25) will lead to burn out. Nothing is more practical than developing a tender and passionate heart for God.
Argument 6: I need to draw back because I am under a lot of spiritual warfare – We have only two options in our spiritual lives (not 3 as some believe). Option #1 is to press in and keep our vision high, resisting the onslaught of darkness, until God releases the breakthrough. Option #2 is to draw back by lowering our vision and resolve. This will result in being unnecessarily overcome by temptations or Satan’s attacks. Options #3 does NOT exist. It is a deception to think that we can draw back and lower our vision and gain peace and safety. Satan has no times when he ceases to attack. He will not call a “time out” or “cease fire.”
V. Action Plan
Getting Started
Pick your top 10 “most wanted” books of the Bible to study.
Study one book at a time.
Select the specific times in the week that you will dedicate for study.
Print out a schedule of your week with the “study time” included.
How To – Five Simple Steps
1. Select two commentaries on the book of the Bible that you are studying, read each one, highlighting the key sentences. Do this for one paragraph at a time. Go slowly.
2. In your own words, write a title for each paragraph that you study.
3. Write insights from the commentary for the key verses from each paragraph.
4. Keep a journal, writing down your personal meditations and observations.
5. Write a brief prayer from the passage when applicable.
Materials and Helps
Here is a list of internet resources that I have found helpful in my study:
www.ccel.org
www.crosswalk.com
www.soniclight.com
http://vines.mike-obrien.net/
http://www.biblegateway.com/
http://eword.gospelcom.net/comments/
http://www.spurgeon.org/mainpage.htm
Our journey to become wholehearted lovers of God begins with our understanding of who God is, what He’s like, and who we are to Him. Our ideas and perceptions of who He is directly effect not only the way we relate to Him in our daily walk, but how we relate to others around us. It is vital that we have a correct understanding of the characteristics, attributes, and emotions of God.
It’s important that we know that God is mostly glad and happy with us when He relates to us in our weakness. He is tender and long-suffering with us in our immaturity. However, He does not want us to remain “babes” but rather grow to perfection, lacking nothing.
James 1:4, “…that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”
In order for our hearts to grow in full maturity we must be “transformed” on the inside by the renewing of our minds.
Rom. 12:2, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind…”
This is an important part of living a life of worship and service to God. A change in our outward behavior and actions will be the natural expression of the change that has taken place in our inner man. Wiersbe paints a picture of this reality when he says, “You would never produce a butterfly by pinning wings on a worm!” In other words, there must be a fundamental change that originates on the inside if we are to change or grow on the outside.
II. Beholding and Becoming Principle
So how do we do this? How can we experience change in our inner man? According to the apostle Paul, if we are to be transformed into the image Christ, we should go no further than Christ Himself. This seems like the obvious place to start, but the subject of God is one of the least taught subjects in the body of Christ. Other subjects such as morality, ethics, relationships, and ministry skills often eclipse the study of God. However, Paul says that if we want to live a transformed life, we must behold the glory of the Lord.
Whatever we behold in God’s heart towards us becomes awakened in our heart back to God (transformation). To behold God’s heart refers to studying it, or meditating on it, until we understand it more and thus encounter God.
II. Cor. 3:18, “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.”
How do you expect to be changed if you neglect the main point and the main character in the whole Bible? On every page of the Bible, the main character is God, and the Bible is meant to communicate to us His glory.
We cannot neglect the subject of God, because He is the central figure and object of our worship. What we are and what we do are both determined by our worship. In other words, we become like that which we worship.
Psalm 115:8, “Those who make them [idols] are like them; so is everyone who trusts [worships] them.”
III. How Can We Get To Know Him
Jesus is the perfect representation of the Father.
John 14:9, “…He who has seen Me has seen the Father…”
Col. 1:15, “He is the image of the invisible God…”
By gazing or beholding the character, the emotions, the attributes of Jesus, we are transformed into the same image (become Christ-like).
King David declared that the primary preoccupation of his heart was to gaze upon God’s beauty. God’s beauty was the powerful force that empowered and conquered David’s heart.
Psalm 27:4, “One thing I have desired of the Lord, that will I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple.”
When Mary of Bethany “sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word” instead of serving like her sister Martha, Jesus validates her actions as “needed” and “good.”
Luke 10:42, “But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part which will not be taken away from her.”
We must become a people of “one thing” if we want to truly live a transformed life. Our sole passion must be Christ, and becoming more like Him must be our aim. We must be a “Proverbs 2” people who “understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God” by seeking Him as a hidden treasure.
IV. Common Arguments To Draw Back
We must be wise to the tactics of the enemy. Satan’s goal is to get us to quit (discouraged/spirit of heaviness), feel disqualified (impurity/lack of faithfulness), stay spiritually shallow (mismanagement of time/pursuing too many things), and/or become cynical (jaded/angry). There are many arguments that empower people to draw back from perseverance in pursuing a deeper life in God. Each argument can easily be overcome by truth.
Argument 1: The Word is too boring – Press through by staying in the word with a plan and help from study guides, books, commentaries, small groups, etc.
Argument 2: The worship sets are too boring – Engage your spirit by singing to God, not the air. Simple statements like, “Jesus, I worship You” or “I love You, Lord” have a powerful impact on the heart when directed to God.
Argument 3: I don’t have enough time – One of the greatest hindrances to spiritual depth is not necessarily a lack of time, but rather a mismanagement of time.
Argument 4: I don’t know what to do in the place of prayer – Getting an action plan is very important. For example: read 10 chapters of the New Testament per day (6 days a week) to read through the entire New Testament once a month (journaling as you go), make a personal prayer list to focus on receiving a breakthrough in your own heart, make a prayer list for others (praying for things such as revival in our families, city, school, and nation).
Argument 5: I am too tired – Develop a lifestyle that helps you worship hard by understanding that what you did and ate last night and even five days ago affects how you feel today. In other words, you prayer life is at the top of your priority list and not an inconvenience to your “other life.”
Argument 6: I need to be realistic and practical – Seeking to do the work without contending for the anointing or getting/maintaining oil of intimacy in your lamps of ministry (Matt. 25) will lead to burn out. Nothing is more practical than developing a tender and passionate heart for God.
Argument 6: I need to draw back because I am under a lot of spiritual warfare – We have only two options in our spiritual lives (not 3 as some believe). Option #1 is to press in and keep our vision high, resisting the onslaught of darkness, until God releases the breakthrough. Option #2 is to draw back by lowering our vision and resolve. This will result in being unnecessarily overcome by temptations or Satan’s attacks. Options #3 does NOT exist. It is a deception to think that we can draw back and lower our vision and gain peace and safety. Satan has no times when he ceases to attack. He will not call a “time out” or “cease fire.”
V. Action Plan
Getting Started
Pick your top 10 “most wanted” books of the Bible to study.
Study one book at a time.
Select the specific times in the week that you will dedicate for study.
Print out a schedule of your week with the “study time” included.
How To – Five Simple Steps
1. Select two commentaries on the book of the Bible that you are studying, read each one, highlighting the key sentences. Do this for one paragraph at a time. Go slowly.
2. In your own words, write a title for each paragraph that you study.
3. Write insights from the commentary for the key verses from each paragraph.
4. Keep a journal, writing down your personal meditations and observations.
5. Write a brief prayer from the passage when applicable.
Materials and Helps
Here is a list of internet resources that I have found helpful in my study:
www.ccel.org
www.crosswalk.com
www.soniclight.com
http://vines.mike-obrien.net/
http://www.biblegateway.com/
http://eword.gospelcom.net/comments/
http://www.spurgeon.org/mainpage.htm
Monday, August 27, 2007
Derek Loux
If you missed Derek Loux and his Kansas City team this past weekend, you really missed out :( God was so gracious to us this weekend, via the team from IHOP-KC. They served all weekend long and with such grace. We at IHOP-SS are so blessed to be able to network with IHOP-KC in this way. We are blessed to have laborers come and serve and invest in our lives. My vision for the HOP was renewed and fanned into flame as I began to sense God's promises for our community, in a personal way. I know He will not leave us behind, Siloam Springs! He has begun a good work and is faithful to complete it.
Just wanted to share that with ya'll. I believe they have CD's available for purchase at Antioch church, of the services Derek led. For more information, contact Bonnie @ Antioch, 524-0221, during normal office hours.
Just wanted to share that with ya'll. I believe they have CD's available for purchase at Antioch church, of the services Derek led. For more information, contact Bonnie @ Antioch, 524-0221, during normal office hours.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Journey to Holy Passion 8.17.07
Confidence in Love
I. Who Is God To Me, And Who Am I To Him?
A.W. Tozer once wrote that whatever comes to your mind when you think about God is the most important thing about you. What a simple yet profound statement. Our ideas and perceptions of who God is directly effect not only the way we relate to Him in our daily walk, but how we relate to others around us. It is vital that we have a correct understanding (though limited by our feeble minds) of the characteristics, attributes, and emotions of God.
Do we view God as mostly mad, sad, or frustrated with us when He relates to us? Does He just tolerate us when we mess up? Does He give us the cold shoulder when we don’t “measure up”? If the answer to these questions is yes, then we will never stand confidently in love before God, because we will approach Him with a guarded heart, never entering into true intimacy with Him.
As we walk in the reality that God likes us and even enjoys us in our weakness and immaturity, we will approach Him with confidence, boldness, and hearts overflowing with love for Him. This reality draws us into a place of intimacy in God’s heart that we will never experience if we come to Him under the threats of fear of punishment.
II. Give Me A Drink
John 4:6-14, “6 …Jesus therefore, being wearied from His journey, sat thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour. 7 A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, ‘Give me a drink.’ …9 Then the woman…said to Him, ‘How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?’ For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans. 10 Jesus answered and said to her, ‘If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, “Give me a drink,” you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.’ 11 The woman said to Him, ‘Sir, You have nothing to draw with…13 Jesus answered and said to her, ‘…14 whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst…”
Here is a great example of Jesus lovingly and patiently wooing a sinful woman (see verses 16-19) into the heart of the Father as she tries to run and hide in her shame.
It is important to notice that this woman came to draw water at noonday. In the culture of the day, women would go to the wells to draw water early in the morning or in the evening after the sun went down. This woman came at the hottest part of the day, thinking that she would not have to encounter anyone, especially the other women from her town. What she didn’t know is that destiny was sitting at the well waiting on her.
Jesus begins by asking the woman for a drink. This is significant because of the history of animosity between Jews and Samaritans. He not only talks to her, but also asks to share a drinking vessel with her.
Here we see the heart of God in Jesus longing for passionate, voluntary love and devotion from a weak and sinful woman. Jesus said, “Give me a drink”. In other words, God is saying to you, “Fulfill this longing in Me. Satisfy this desire of my heart.”
Her response is not much different from ours when God seeks to draw us into a deeper place in His heart. She runs and tries to hide in her shame.
“…How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me…”
After Jesus reveals to the woman that he knows of her sins (verses 16-19), He gives her the invitation to be a wholehearted lover of the Father (verses 23-24). She accepts.
III. And You Are Clean
Another example of the idea that we are enjoyed even in our weakness comes at the Last Supper as recorded in John 13.
Jesus had begun to wash the disciples’ feet and, Peter refused to let Him.
John 13:10, “Jesus said to him, ‘He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but no all of you’.”
But then we see this remarkable exchange between Peter and the Lord. Jesus calls him clean! This is astounding because later in the same conversation, Jesus tells Peter that he will deny Him three times that very night.
John 13:38, “Jesus answered him [Peter], ‘Will you lay down your life for My sake? Most assuredly, I say to you, the rooster shall not crow till you have denied Me three times.’”
Jesus looks at Peter in verse 10 and tells him that he is clean and then proceeds to tell him in verse 38 that he will deny even knowing Him that night. Jesus calls Peter clean (pure, beautiful, lovely) knowing that he is weak and immature.
Jesus, later that same night, delivers this message to Peter yet again.
Matt. 26:41, “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
IV. Dark, But Lovely
One of the clearest examples of God liking us even in the process of growing in maturity is found in the book of Song of Solomon. This beautiful love song is a picture of holy romance between Jesus and the sincere believer.
This journey of the Shulamite woman (who represents the believer) begins with a spiritual crisis that I like to call the “paradox of grace”. As she runs head first into her own sin and weakness, she also discovers that she is lovely to Solomon (who represents God).
Song 1:5, “I am dark, but lovely, O daughters of Jerusalem, like the tents of Kedar, like the curtains of Solomon.
It is essential for our spiritual growth to see that we are lovely even as we see more of our own sinfulness. When this revelation hits our heart we will grow in confidence and gratitude in our relationship with Jesus.
Knowledge of our weak flesh is an important aspect of the truth about who we are, although it is not the whole truth. God knows about the depth of our sin before we are saved. He does not discover our sin just because we do.
Psalm 139:1-2, “1 O Lord, You have searched me and known me. 2 You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off.
Psalm 139:14, “I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are your works, and that my soul knows very well.”
Psalm 139:17, “How precious also are Your thoughts to [toward, or about] me, O God! How great is the sum of them!”
David knew this truth well. He understood the delight that God has for him.
V. How Then Shall We Live
Many have sincerely repented yet lack confidence that they are beautiful to God, not realizing that God is looking at the willing spirit on the inside. Others, however, have seen the truth of our loveliness to God and sometimes live presumptuously by claiming God’s beauty without seeking to live in sincere repentance and wholeheartedness. The issue is how to relate to God when we discover our own sinfulness. Will we run from God or to God?
I. Who Is God To Me, And Who Am I To Him?
A.W. Tozer once wrote that whatever comes to your mind when you think about God is the most important thing about you. What a simple yet profound statement. Our ideas and perceptions of who God is directly effect not only the way we relate to Him in our daily walk, but how we relate to others around us. It is vital that we have a correct understanding (though limited by our feeble minds) of the characteristics, attributes, and emotions of God.
Do we view God as mostly mad, sad, or frustrated with us when He relates to us? Does He just tolerate us when we mess up? Does He give us the cold shoulder when we don’t “measure up”? If the answer to these questions is yes, then we will never stand confidently in love before God, because we will approach Him with a guarded heart, never entering into true intimacy with Him.
As we walk in the reality that God likes us and even enjoys us in our weakness and immaturity, we will approach Him with confidence, boldness, and hearts overflowing with love for Him. This reality draws us into a place of intimacy in God’s heart that we will never experience if we come to Him under the threats of fear of punishment.
II. Give Me A Drink
John 4:6-14, “6 …Jesus therefore, being wearied from His journey, sat thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour. 7 A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, ‘Give me a drink.’ …9 Then the woman…said to Him, ‘How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?’ For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans. 10 Jesus answered and said to her, ‘If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, “Give me a drink,” you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.’ 11 The woman said to Him, ‘Sir, You have nothing to draw with…13 Jesus answered and said to her, ‘…14 whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst…”
Here is a great example of Jesus lovingly and patiently wooing a sinful woman (see verses 16-19) into the heart of the Father as she tries to run and hide in her shame.
It is important to notice that this woman came to draw water at noonday. In the culture of the day, women would go to the wells to draw water early in the morning or in the evening after the sun went down. This woman came at the hottest part of the day, thinking that she would not have to encounter anyone, especially the other women from her town. What she didn’t know is that destiny was sitting at the well waiting on her.
Jesus begins by asking the woman for a drink. This is significant because of the history of animosity between Jews and Samaritans. He not only talks to her, but also asks to share a drinking vessel with her.
Here we see the heart of God in Jesus longing for passionate, voluntary love and devotion from a weak and sinful woman. Jesus said, “Give me a drink”. In other words, God is saying to you, “Fulfill this longing in Me. Satisfy this desire of my heart.”
Her response is not much different from ours when God seeks to draw us into a deeper place in His heart. She runs and tries to hide in her shame.
“…How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me…”
After Jesus reveals to the woman that he knows of her sins (verses 16-19), He gives her the invitation to be a wholehearted lover of the Father (verses 23-24). She accepts.
III. And You Are Clean
Another example of the idea that we are enjoyed even in our weakness comes at the Last Supper as recorded in John 13.
Jesus had begun to wash the disciples’ feet and, Peter refused to let Him.
John 13:10, “Jesus said to him, ‘He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but no all of you’.”
But then we see this remarkable exchange between Peter and the Lord. Jesus calls him clean! This is astounding because later in the same conversation, Jesus tells Peter that he will deny Him three times that very night.
John 13:38, “Jesus answered him [Peter], ‘Will you lay down your life for My sake? Most assuredly, I say to you, the rooster shall not crow till you have denied Me three times.’”
Jesus looks at Peter in verse 10 and tells him that he is clean and then proceeds to tell him in verse 38 that he will deny even knowing Him that night. Jesus calls Peter clean (pure, beautiful, lovely) knowing that he is weak and immature.
Jesus, later that same night, delivers this message to Peter yet again.
Matt. 26:41, “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
IV. Dark, But Lovely
One of the clearest examples of God liking us even in the process of growing in maturity is found in the book of Song of Solomon. This beautiful love song is a picture of holy romance between Jesus and the sincere believer.
This journey of the Shulamite woman (who represents the believer) begins with a spiritual crisis that I like to call the “paradox of grace”. As she runs head first into her own sin and weakness, she also discovers that she is lovely to Solomon (who represents God).
Song 1:5, “I am dark, but lovely, O daughters of Jerusalem, like the tents of Kedar, like the curtains of Solomon.
It is essential for our spiritual growth to see that we are lovely even as we see more of our own sinfulness. When this revelation hits our heart we will grow in confidence and gratitude in our relationship with Jesus.
Knowledge of our weak flesh is an important aspect of the truth about who we are, although it is not the whole truth. God knows about the depth of our sin before we are saved. He does not discover our sin just because we do.
Psalm 139:1-2, “1 O Lord, You have searched me and known me. 2 You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off.
Psalm 139:14, “I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are your works, and that my soul knows very well.”
Psalm 139:17, “How precious also are Your thoughts to [toward, or about] me, O God! How great is the sum of them!”
David knew this truth well. He understood the delight that God has for him.
V. How Then Shall We Live
Many have sincerely repented yet lack confidence that they are beautiful to God, not realizing that God is looking at the willing spirit on the inside. Others, however, have seen the truth of our loveliness to God and sometimes live presumptuously by claiming God’s beauty without seeking to live in sincere repentance and wholeheartedness. The issue is how to relate to God when we discover our own sinfulness. Will we run from God or to God?
Sunday, August 12, 2007
New Blog!
Welcome to our blog! This will serve as the location for all Friday night teaching notes as well as any relevant words from the Lord concerning the house of prayer. Please feel free to leave comments and to print out the notes if you'd like.
Hope you enjoy!
Hope you enjoy!
Awe Worship 8.10.07
8-10-07 Teaching
Joshua Rushing
Awe Worship
Getting Lost in the Wonder and Beauty of God
1. Worship & Intercession
Throughout the Word of God, the acts of worship and prayer are closely linked. One example is Psalm 27 v. 4. David was writing this Psalm after He had been made King over all of Israel.
Psalm 27:4 "One thing I have desired of the Lord, that will I seek; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in His temple."
The highest goal in David's life was to know God and to be in God's house with 4,000 musicians and 288 singers worshipping Him. (1 Chr. 23:5 & 25:7) This was for the purpose of worship (beholding the beauty of the Lord) and intercession (inquiring in His temple).
Notice how David declared that the primary preoccupation of his heart was to seek God's beauty. God's beauty was the powerful force that empowered and conquered David's heart.
I believe that it is this unbridled passion for the beauty and wonder of the Lord that is the fuel and foundation of sustained intercession. If we are not captured with wonder and fascination, our hearts will grow weary in the place of prayer, because we will try to maintain steadiness and faithfulness by our own strength.
2. A Childlike Heart
Perhaps Jesus was speaking to this very issue when he told his disciples to become like a little child.
Mark 10:14-16 "But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it." And He took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them."
Children live in a state of perpetual wonder. Everyday and with anything, a child discovers and is amazed by even the simplest thing.
Studies show that a child's creativity, which includes both imagination and wonder, diminishes by 90% between the ages of 5 and 7. And when adults reach the age of forty, they have, on average, about 2 percent of the creativity they had when they were 5 years old.
As Warren Wiersbe says in his book, Real Worship, this sense of wonder and awe that exists in children is the reason why we see them singing to Jesus in the temple while the "theologically trained adults tried to silence them."
Matthew 21:15-16 "But when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that He did, and the children crying out in the temple and saying, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" they were indignant and said to Him, "Do you hear what these are saying?" And Jesus said to them "Yes" Have you never read, "Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have perfected praise?"
3. Rediscover the Wonder
In Revelation 4 the creatures and the elders are moved to extravagant worship with each new revelation of the One upon the throne. They erupt into a song filled with aw and wonder of the uncreated Creator.
Rev. 4:9-11 "Whenever the living creatures gives glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne saying, "You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and by your will they exist and were created."
Notice the phrase "who lives forever and ever" is repeated twice by John in describing this heavenly worship service. It's as if John himself is discovering anew the eternal nature of God. God is from everlasting to everlasting!
This outburst of spontaneous praise by the creatures and elders is centered on a most awesome and wonder-inducing subject - the God who "created all things."
The Wonder of Creation
Have you ever just sat and stared at the stars on a cloudless night? Have you ever stood atop a mountain peak and scanned the horizon as far as your eyes could see? Have you ever seen a storm coming across a field and felt the wind blow through your hair with great force? It doesn't take much, if we open our hearts, to see the power and glory of God in creation and recapture a sense of wonder.
The Universe
Scientists believe, as best they can guess, that our universe is at least a hundred billion light-years across, or a million million million million miles across (that's 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 miles). To give you an idea of how big that is, a light year is the distance that a particle of light (photon) will travel in a year. That is about 10 trillion kilometers (6 trillion miles). The nearest star to our sun is four light years away, and our galaxy is about 100,000 light years across.
All of this to say that there's more space that we can even imagine. So lets look at just our won solar system. it is impossible, in any practical terms, to even draw our solar system to scale (as we've seen in rendition in our modern test books). If you added lots of foldout pages to your textbook or used a really long sheet of poster paper, you wouldn't come close. On a diagram of the solar system to scale, with Earth reduced to the size of a pea, Jupiter would be over a thousand feet away and Pluto would be a mile and a half away. Even then, Pluto would be about the size of a bacterium, so you wouldn't be able to see it anyway.
Now, lets consider just our planet, Earth. From the bottom of the deepest ocean trench to the top of the highest mountain, the zone that covers nearly the whole of known life is only something over a dozen miles - not much when set against the roominess of the cosmos.
We know from junior science class that matter is made up of atoms. And protons are the infinitesimal part of an atom. Protons are so small that a little dib of ink like the dot on this "i" can hold something in the region of 500,000,000,000 of them. Protons are an essential part of the building blocks of our existence.
King David was right when he wrote:
Psalm 19:1-2 "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night reveals knowledge."
And Asaph, the great songwriter, wrote a song that starts:
Psalm 75:1 "We give thanks to You, O God, we give thanks! For Your wondrous works declare that Your name is near."
It is key for us at International House of Prayer, Siloam Springs, to remain steady and faithful in efforts to see our 24-hour prayer arise from this place. This can only be accomplished is we maintain a sense of wonder and holy fear. To echo the thoughts of C.S. Lewis, God is not a "tame" God, but He's good. God wants to reveal Himself to us in bold, radical new ways. It is in our best interest to let Him!
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