THE HEAVY ARTILLERY OF OUR SPIRITUAL WARFARE

THE HEAVY ARTILLERY OF OUR SPIRITUAL WARFARE - "Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;" - Ephesians 6:18 The Priority of Prayer Referred to over 500 times in the Scriptures, everyone can exercise this fantastic resource. It's a ministry all of us are called to. In fact, it is the most important activity a Christian can engage in. It is absolutely incredible that we each have a priority connection directly into the Throne Room of the Universe! It is amazing to realize that this astonishing resource is so available and so rarely used. It is unquestionably the most powerful weapon we could possibly have. And it is the deciding factor in spiritual warfare. The Elements of Prayer One of the key elements of prayer is worship. This part is the most fun. How glorious it is to simply celebrate the greatness, the beauty, the majesty, of God. And His love. And the precision of His caring. This leads us to the petition(s). It may surprise us to realize that it is very appropriate to discuss with Him our own needs, and in detail. The "Lord's Prayer" includes, "Give us this day our daily bread." Indeed. Your needs come first, or you can't help others. "The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits,"( 2 Tim 2:6).  When you take a flight on an airline, the flight attendant will point out to you that if the oxygen masks should be released, and you are flying with a child, you first put on your own mask, and then assist the child. You can't give to others what you haven't got yourself. But the real labor of prayer is intercession for others; "...supplication for all saints." Artillery in Warfare You are, in effect, in the position of the "forward controller" in the battlefield, with a direct line to Command Headquarters, and you are commissioned to call in the fire you need. There are many types of fire. Enfilade: direct, offensive fire. Supporting outreaches. Pulling down of strongholds (2 Cor 10:4). Freeing captives. Removing trammels and shackles. Also, defilade fire: indirect, attacking the enemy's hidden assets; anticipating where the enemy may be lurking and hiding. And there is flanking fire. Are you about to be outflanked? An indirect assault from your most vulnerable side? What is your most vulnerable side? Self-_____? (Fill in the blank yourself.) Our "strongest suit" is usually our weakest suit. Remember Peter. Be very specific. "Win the war" isn't a very operative petition. "Hit the enemy" isn't very useful to a squadron commander. Be very specific. Direct the resources with precision. Pick your targets carefully. Use a rifle rather than a shotgun. Satan will yield only what he has to. Always go for the leverage. Recruit the radical. Interdict the most critical logistics. Go after the foundations. Know your mission and focus. Be strategic. Even pray for what is prophesied (thus, ostensibly inevitable). Prayer is God's way of enlisting us in what He is doing. Lord's Prayer: "Thy Kingdom Come." Knowing that the 70 years of captivity were almost over, Daniel prayed for his people (Dan 9:2ff). And Gabriel interrupted this prayer by giving Daniel the most fantastic prophecy in the Bible. Don't impute any limitations on your HQ. Don't assume any restrictions on the assets available (Mk 11:22-24; Jn 14:13-14; 15:7; 16:23-24). Don't ask for small arms fire when a blockbuster may be called for. Only prayer can really change things. The prayer closet is far more effective than the ballot box. The value of concentration is basic in military strategy. Coordinated fire is always more effective. "Where two or three agree..." But don't assume a solution with inadequate G-2.  Maybe an accurate assessment is our first priority. Remember, in accordance with His Will. Discover it through His Word. It is to be a dialogue, not a monologue. Always to the Father, through the Son (Matt 18:19, 20).  "With all perseverence." Hit and run tactics rarely yield any lasting results. Persistence is always a key to victory in any calling. Don't ever give up. A Few Hints You can't get a clear connection with headquarters with excessive static on the line. This can be the result of unconfessed sin, (Isa 59:1-2; Ps 66:18) an unforgiving spirit, selfishness, (James 4:3) etc. Be serious and organized. Use a notepad or notebook. Keep a battlefield record and also keep your Headquarters abreast of your awareness of victories! Don't be discouraged; that is a victory for the enemy. Realize that God finds many ways - each day - to ask you, "Do you trust me?" Recognize that God often will veto our requests for our own good. (Moses' denial of entry into the Promised land, Paul's "thorn in the flesh," et al. Even Christ in Gethsemane subjected His petitions to the Father's will.) Conclusion It's obvious that much more can be said on this crucial topic. However, we don't need more articles, books, videos, or conferences, on prayer. We need more prayer.    Related Links: ·         The Armor Of God: Our Heavy Artillery » - Koinonia House ·         Articles on Spiritual Warfare  » - Koinonia House

A Beautiful Heart – better than any model!

Inspired by the story of Esther.. How her courage and love for others changed history!

Esther chose to live for an audience of ONE – for the One who really loves all of us.. the first thing to establish in our hearts is His love for us is real and unchanging.. Just remember the cross when doubt comes about His love for us..

We serve the same King as Esther.. He provided all she needed to  accomplish her mission and He provided for us all we need to live out our purpose for Him.. Remembering that we cannot do it in our own strength .. We need to pray for our King to crown us with His love and compassion as He crowned Esther..

Lord, we pray for -

Compassion - for others

Courage -  to stand up for rightesousness

Conviction  -  to live for Christ

Character -  that reflects Jesus is in our hearts

Commitment - to  His call on our life..

Whats been stirring in my heart today is that we will receive whatever we ask for that is according to HIS WILL... Lets ask! He is faithful and He knows how to give good gifts!

I am asking Him for a beautiful heart.. that is full of his love and free to love others.. nothing is more beautiful than a woman who loves the Lord with all her heart and is free to give love to others..

 “The Lord answered, I can do anything!

Watch and you’ll see my words come true”

Numbers 11:23

God’s love reflected through our eyes is something even the best makeup artist could never re-create! Pure unselfish love can only happen in the power of the Holy Spirit working through us.. If we will allow our King’s love to accumulate deep within our souls and accept His forgiveness, we will be able to love others..

We will receive whatever we ask for that is according to God’s will.. If we ask, He will give you..

J In His Dust...xx

I'm the Apple of my Fathers eye!!!

You and me are the apple of His eye..He sees you as His most perfect creation..Your Heavenly Father loves you  so much...He gave it all just for you..

Parents see their own children differently than other people do. As believers in Jesus, it’s the same way with our Heavenly Father.

When we make mistakes and have messed up He is not far.. He is right by our side ready to pick us up, clean us off and bring peace to our soul again.. In His eyes we are overcomers, we are victorious, we are strong.. In His eyes we are pure and whole.. You see, when He looks at us, He sees His Son.. He has removed our transgressions....as far as from the east is to the west........:-)

Today, trust in His love, trust in His goodness, and trust that you can find safety and rest in His eyes..

He delights in you!

In this parable, Jesus is the merchant man and He found you.. You were bought with a price that no other could afford.. and remember, He gave it all..

Matthew 13:45-46:

"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls:

"Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it."

In the Old Testament the thing was, obey and I will bless you.. In the New Testament God is saying.. “I have already blessed you”, now out of a heart of love and relationship with me, obey Me...

I pray that we would choose this day to allow our Father to adjust our thoughts to His.. to renew our mind and destroy religious and traditional mind sets.. I pray also to our Lord that we would allow Him to  get our heart right with Him..A heart filled of awe and worship ... He longs for a loving intimate relationship with us..to go back to our first love...

He doesn’t want or need our ‘service’ our ‘money’ our ‘church attendance’ our ‘scripture memory verves’.. He longs to pour out unspeakable joy into our heart.. We cry out to Him, create in me a pure heart Oh Lord.. He longs for us to be filled with love and gratitude beyond our imagination.. He longs for us to fulfil our God-given purpose....

I am convinced, there is no greater joy then knowing our Father in Heaven and His love through our Lord and Saviour Jesus!

He wants us to know today, He loves us beyond, beyond!

Teach us your truth Lord, renew our spirit...

Teach us to worship You in Spirit and in Truth!

In the Name of Yeshua, the Son of the Living God! Praise you Jesus.. Amen!

Mary J

We cannot IMAGINE!!

Would the God that of the descendants of Jacob living in Egypt could have imagined their God being big enough to free them from the grip of Pharoah? Could they possibly have imagined a God that could:

• turn a stick into a snake
• turn the water of the nile into blood
• bring darkness on the land but only on the Egyptians
• destroy the Egyptian army
• lead them through an ocean on dry ground
• feed them and provide water for them

Could Joshua have imagined a God that could deliver a city just by marching around it? Possibly he could have because he had seen the previous miracles. There are just so many miracles described in the bible that most people could not have possibly imagined that their God could be big enough to do them, and yet without a God big enough to do those miracles where would they have been? Still captive to Pharoah, thats where.

Could any of us have imagined that our God would come down to earth as a child, live and grow among us, eat, drink and sleep among us, and finally to allow himself to be killed for us? Could we have imagined that he would also rise from the dead and through this act pay for OUR sin allowing us to have eternal life with him? If we had not been told about it in the bible could we have imagined a God that created everything and yet knows the number of hairs on our head and cares for each one of us? I don't think so. The god that we could imagine in our mind would never be big enough to have done everything that he has - including paying for OUR sin and buying us eternal life. Even now we often fail to imagine a God that can heal our bodies without medicine or doctors, provide for our daily needs even when we don't have employment, or that can bind the forces of darkness through our prayers. We still don't fully grasp the power of our God as expressed in these verses:

Isaiah 50:2  Why, when I came, was there no man?
      Why, when I called, was there none to answer?
      Is My hand shortened at all that it cannot redeem?
      Or have I no power to deliver?
      Indeed with My rebuke I dry up the sea,
      I make the rivers a wilderness;
      Their fish stink because there is no water,
      And die of thirst.

Isaiah 53:5 

⁵ But He was wounded for our transgressions,
      He was bruised for our iniquities;
      The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
      And by His stripes we are healed.

Isaiah 40:29 

²⁹ He gives power to the weak,
      And to those who have no might He increases strength

Jeremiah 32:17 

¹⁷ ‘Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You.

Oh that He would increase our understanding I pray!!

The gap, the chasm between God and man is unimaginable!  The Lord God tells us in Isaiah55 that His thoughts and ways are so far beyond us that our only action is to seek and worship Him – for we certainly can’t understand Him.  Paul writes in 1 Corinthians that the foolishness of God is greater than the wisdom of man.  Paul witnesses to the Greeks that God doesn’t live in temples made by man neither is He worshipped by men’s hands as if He needed anything. (Acts 17)  Deuteronomy 29:29 states that there are secrets withheld from us, and our only action is to abide by what has been revealed – the Law (which of course we can’t do). “You sew the wind; you reap the whirlwind.” (Hosea 8:7) Adam’s rebellious sin infected and spread like a pandemic throughout mankind and is incorporated in our very being. Jesus warned of our downward spiral into apostasy. So when our sin abounds God’s grace abounds even more!  (Romans 5:10)  Think of the miracles He will perform during the Tribulation.  At the beginning there are no believers left on earth – the whole world is Satan’s - then He anoints 144,000 Jewish witnesses and by His grace there is a marvelous revival! So while theological and doctrinal arguments can be made it boils down to a heart-thing and not a head-thing.  By God’s grace we are given a new heart when we accept the fact of Yeshua, our Lord Jesus and His resurrection, when we repent of our worldly ways and fall on the mercy of God’s grace, when we acknowledge the only way to eternal life is by accepting the blood of Jesus as a covering for our sin, when we realize that God is perfect and therefore His plan is perfect – and that it must be taken on faith alone.  “So we set our eyes not on what is seen but what is unseen, for what is seen is temporary, what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:18)

Lord, increase our understanding of the fullness of your greatness and power and the size of your love for us.

Amen!!!!!!!!

Thoughts on Holy Spirit and Turning the World upside down!!!

Just pondering on the Holy Ghost!

My hubby recently was sharing about a part of his life experience some years ago, where his heart was so broken.. Where he was asking God to take him home because the pain he was in was too much for him... He felt such depression from being betrayed...

 I have heard his testimony many times.. When you look at him today, he is whole, healed completely from that experience.. he says it was something that took a while to walk through.. he goes to finish that he felt one day the Hands of God just hug him and heard the Father say ‘I love you son’..

When we are in pain it is good to focus on the Love of God..

But it’s not the love of God I want to write about.. Tonight what’s on my heart is the Holy Ghost!

To witness my husband  being healed and walking in the Spirit more than anyone I know after the ‘dark’ season of his life, shows me that it is the work of the Holy Spirit..

The Spirit gives us power and abilities we didn’t think we had! He gives us insights that are impossible to have without Him..

After Jesus established that the Holy Ghost was a personal counsellor, He went on to say “I tell you the truth; it is for your good that I am going away.. Unless I go away, the Counsellor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.”

1 Corinthians 6:19 “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?”

Jesus friends were probably thinking.. This is not a good thing.. You’re the greatest motivational speaker we’ve ever heard! You do incredibly powerful things like healing people! You conquer demons and put religious people in their place!!

But Jesus was saying that his presence and power were limited by time and space while He was in human form.. Jesus couldn’t physically be in two places at the same time! He couldn’t always be with both His friend Peter and his friend John! But if He left, the Holy Ghost could come upon and dwell inside each of them and never leave them! That’s why you could say I’d rather have the Holy  Ghost in me that Jesus with me!!

You may think that if Jesus were physically with us it might be easier to believe in Him.. It’s hard to deny the existence of flesh and blood.. But there isn’t any evidence from the Bible to support the idea that it would be easier if we had lived during His time.. If fact, the evidence in the Bible shows us that people who witnessed a physical manifestation of God lost their faith very frequently.. The OT shows again and again how God’s people see miracles but the next day rebel!!

Thinking of Peter.. Jesus tells Pete that within twenty four hours he will deny Him!! Peter can’t believe this! He’s experiencing a momentary buzz from being around Jesus But as Jesus is arrested that night and is no longer by Peters side... Peter doesn’t have the internal power to count himself as a friend of Jesus... Three times he denies Him... And just hours before, he had sworn he would never leave Him...

This same guy, Peter, goes on to do unbelievably bold and powerful things in the years after Jesus is physically gone.. How?  Because what Jesus said would happen did happen! The SPIRIT literally SETTLED into people who had given their lives to Christ, so they had power that transcended normal human experience... how else could you explain an emotionally unstable flake like Peter transforming into one the main leader of the early church? Or a broken man like my hubby, willing to ‘go home’ being so filled with the love and joy of God!

Galatians 4:6 “And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.”

My point is this! When we have decided to follow Jesus and have a relationship with Him, we have the Ghost in us! We have the same power Peter had... We have everything we need to be one of  the spiritual greats that people will talk about for generations to come! We have power now beyond our normal physical abilities!

Will you believe it!!

Mark 16:17-20:  "And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."

Let us then choose to believe in Him and His Mighty power and once again allow His Spirit through us to TURN THE WORLD UPSIDE DOWN!!!!!!

Ephesians 4:6 “One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.”

 and Remember... It's ALL about JESUS :-) xx

"These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also."—Acts 17:6.

You Have The Power...to choose! :-)

 

The Power to choose!!!

Some time ago, I received a revelation about the power of choice!

I remember from my experience that this idea lay ‘asleep’ within me! So it was so freeing for me and liberating to ‘know’ that I have the power within me to choose and it’s  God that has given me this  ‘power’ through the indwelling of His  Holy Spirit!  I can  execute  this God-given gift of choice from my moment to moment existence!!

And for this I am grateful and give God the glory!!!!!!

It has been and continues to be at times very challenging..so it’s good to be encouraged and reminded !!

Choice!  It just came to my heart this morning as I was driving my son to school and we talked about peer pressures and the other life matters!  I love the way Mark Butler writes about this!

“In the beginning God created everything (even though it doesn’t always seem that way), and gave two human beings a mandate to rule the Earth and reproduce after their own kind.  When Adam and Eve were in the garden, God gave them a choice: choose His way (a loving relationship), or choose their own way (autonomy via broken relationship)....

As we consider ourselves and how we are wired, and those close to us with their unique personalities and traits, it’s clear that each of us is given a certain measure of different traits.  I often picture it that God came up with every single trait possible, and dished out to each of us a measure of each one and that is how we are configured.  Of course this is pure fiction but you get the picture!

But in the Genesis story, we see one thing very clearly: all of us have the ability to choose.  Now some of us have a measure of certain skills, and others have a measure of certain physical features, and others have certain traits and abilities to varying degrees.  But as a human being, you are born with a full measure of the ability to choose.  You can’t decrease it, you can’t trade it in for anything else, you can’t increase it or take someone else’s away from them; you have it and that’s that.

Indeed, this ability to choose is one of the clearest indications that we are unique from the animal kingdom.  A cow can choose this tuft of grass or that one, and an anteater can choose this ant or that one, but they do not have the ability to choose this life, or eternal life.  You my friend have that choice, in full measure.

This ability is so powerful it will determine your eternal destiny.  The sad fact of life is that many people do not have the awareness to make this choice, or simply by default will not choose to enjoy the life God has for them, both now and in eternity.

If you were the enemy, wouldn’t you do everything you could to distract, confuse, blind, and even turn people against God and His redemptive plan for humankind?  Wouldn’t you make this choice the prime target of every single one of your plans and schemes?  Of course you would, so guess what?  We need to take responsibility for our faith, not take it for granted.  Because the enemy of your soul will do anything he can to get to that choice!

Love Mary J *”˜˜”*°•.ƸӜƷ✫...•°*”˜˜”*°•.ƸӜƷ✫...•°*”˜˜”*°•.

 *”˜˜”*°•.ƸӜƷ✫Love ...•°*”˜˜”*°•Freedom .ƸӜƷ✫...Truth •°*”˜˜”*°•.

♪♫It was for freedom that Christ has set us free
No longer to be subject to a yoke of slavery
So we’re rejoicing in God’s victory
Our hearts responding to His love.. ♪♫

Trials...counting it joy!!!!.. well...x

I honestly find it difficult to ‘count it all joy’ when I go through trials.. but I believe that encouragement is a good medicine  for us when we are in a storm... so if  you are going through a trial.... as I am at the moment..I pray that these words will lift our weary heart........xxxx

My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing

this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her

perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

James 1:2-4

What I sometimes find just amazing is that Paul is in Mammertime Prison, knowing his execution is near, and is encouraging Timothy… We are promised persecution

Like you would think the guy would want some encouragement for himself!!!!!!!!!!

The Truth is in the Word of God! If we are Christ followers!.....

Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution

2 Timothy 3:12

Rom  8:18 says “consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us”

And in 2 Corinthians 4:17 "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all".

I pray if you are reading this and going through a trial that these words of encouragement from the Word of God will go deep in your spirit and lift it up..

Here is a list of Why we Have Trials.. I am sure more can be added!

Why Do Christians Have Trials?

1. To glorify God Dan 3:16-18, 24-25

2. To Discipline for known sin Heb 12:5-11; James 4:17

Rom 14:23; 1 John 1:9

3. To prevent us from falling into sin 1 Pet 4:1-2

4. To keep us from Pride 2 Cor 12:7-10

Paul kept from pride by his “thorn in the flesh.” Gal 4:15; 6:11

5. To build faith 1 Pet 1:6-7

6. To cause growth Rom 5:3-5

7. To teach obedience and discipline Acts 9:15-16; Phil 4:11-13

8. To equip us to comfort others 2 Cor 1:3-4

9. To prove the reality of Christ in us 2 Cor 4:7-11

10. For testimony to the angels Job 1:8; Eph 3:8-11; 1 Pet 1:12