So you want to be spiritual? It all happens in prayer. In Acts 10:9, it was while Peter was secluded in a place of private prayer, "Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about noon . . . he fell into a trance." So confident was the Apostle Peter because of what he had seen in the Spirit WHILE PRAYING, that he without a shadow of a doubt closed his prayer time with God and went downstairs to meet the men who sought him. Acts 10:21, "Then Peter went down to the men who were sent unto him . . . said unto them, 'Behold, I am he whom you seek, why have you come?'" God gave Peter a video clip of what He (God) was about to do. This event would be earth-shattering because Gentiles were about to join this wonderful Apostolic church. It would be theologically revolutionary in the days to come.
One of the most important things that takes place when we pray is what we see when we pray. The language of the Spirit world of God is pictures and visions, and, yes, even trances, according to the Bible.
When Paul was converted, within 72 hours he experienced a vision in Acts 9:12 which says, "He (Paul) has seen in a vision a man, named Ananias, coming in and putting his hand on him that he might receive his sight." How did this happen? The best to describe this incident is to say that God gave Paul a video clip of his immediate future. So precise was this video clip from the Holy Spirit, that Paul knew exactly how this event would transpire. Remember, Paul was a new convert and knew nothing about laying on of hands to be healed.
There are different levels of prayer into which we may enter. As we begin praying, we are often distracted as many things vying for our attention. And that is precisely where many wonderful Christians give up. They often condemn themselves and walk away from prayer saying, "I just must not be spiritual." Don't fall for that lie from the enemy. You ARE spiritual because you possess the Spirit. We are easily distracted when first begin to pray, but stay with it. As you go deeper and deeper, all distraction fade away and soon it is just you and Jesus, talking.
I Corinthians 14:2 "He that speaks in an unknown tongue . . . is speaking unto God." It is well worth the battle of fighting distractions, because soon you will be ushered right into the Presence of God. There is just nothing to compare to having a dialogue with God . . . just you and Jesus.
While you pray, God will often speak to you in visions and pictures. Remember all eternity has been laid out before God and He can see the future (your future) as easily as he can see the past and certainly the present. Certainly the Holy Ghost will "show you things to come." John 16:13.
Want to be spiritual? Pray!
Thomas Suey
International Coordinator
World Network of Prayer
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MINISTRY
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MINISTRY: E.J. Kim (South Korea/China), David and Kelley Dibble (Micronesia West/Regional Evangelist - Pacific), Jonathan and Darla Sherry (Middle East), Colleen Carter (Ghana), Nick and Pam Sisco (Ghana) , Crystal Reece (Toaga), Rick and Von de Leigh Robinson (Middle East)
A.I.M. - Associates in Missions: Amber Hackenbruch - Austria (EME), Mary Hammonds - El Salvador (CAC)
FULL-TIME EVANGELIST: Doyle W. Mangum - Bastrop, LA, O.C. Marler - Gray Court, SC, Timothy J. Marshall - Holly Springs, MS, Timothy W. Massengale - Indianapolis, IN
BIBLE SCHOOLS: Urshan Graduate School of Theology, Apostolic Bible Institute
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What God Hates.....
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As Christians we are constantly searching the Word, reading books and taking notes from sermons on way to improve our walk with God. That is all well and good, but the Bible is also very clear that there are some things God hates. Continue to seek new ways to improve your relationship with Him, but this week read Proverbs 6:16-19 and pray from a different perspective. I challenge you to search your heart this week. Continue to pray for the fruit to grow and be present in your life, but also do some preventive prayers. While growing in Christ, let us not be guilty of things that displeases our Master.
"There are six things that the Lord hates; seven that are an abomination to Him."
1. A proud look, arrogance, the feeling of superiority
2. A lying tongue: saying things which are untrue, biased, exaggerated, deceiving.
3. Hands that shed innocent blood: the deliberate killing of innocent people.
4. Hearts that devise wicked plans.
5. Feet that run towards evil.
6. A lying witness who gives false testimony against someone.
7. A person who deliberately sows discord
God hates these things - and we should too! Each of us need to examine our own lives before God and see if any of these things are present and if so, repent of them, confess them to the Lord and ask for His forgiveness. We also need to pray about these things in our society and sadly to say, in some of our churches. While hopefully most of us aren't murderers, we may be guilty of some of the other things that Jesus says are just as bad like ....pride, arrogance, lies, violence, wickedness and evil hearts, lies, people who deliberately try to set people against each other by sowing discord, gossip, and slander.
I want to please him......and that includes doing the things He likes AND not doing the things He hates.
Blessings,
Lisa Marshall
Strategic Prayer Coordinator
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WNOP'S PERSONAL REQUESTS
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To minister to the needs of others through prayer, click here to pray over WNOP's personal prayer list.
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STATE FOCUS - Idaho
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The state focus this week is Idaho. Please pray for Governor Butch Otter and Senators James Risch and Mike Crapo. Please pray for all district officials, home missionaries and pastors.
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WORLD NEEDS
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Six months after Haiti's devastating earthquake, one of the largest Christian humanitarian organizations in the world says much has been done to help the people of the Caribbean country. The road to lasting recovery, however, will take many years.
"Our relief efforts continue at full pace, providing clean water, education for children, temporary shelter, job training and more. However, the long-term needs of Haiti remain daunting," reported Ton van Zutphen, the response director for World Vision. "Our priority now is getting transitional shelters up and doing all we can prepare for hurricane season."
As aid groups in Haiti transition from relief to recovery efforts, one of the most pressing and complex challenges now facing aid workers is reportedly providing sturdy, safe shelter to survivors. With the hurricane season already underway, better shelter is also one of the most urgent needs for families.
For the past few months, World Vision has been working with the government of Haiti and other international organizations on a contingency plan to prepare Haiti for the hurricane season. After distributing more than 82,000 tarps and tents in the early months of the response, World Vision is currently working to jumpstart transitional shelter projects while continuing to explore new sites, suggest options to repair houses, and mediate in camps to prevent evictions.
Multiple challenges, however, have reportedly slowed the process of moving displaced people from emergency shelters to sturdier transitional shelters, including issues around land rights, rubble removal, and determining the most appropriate, durable transitional shelter design for families in Haiti.
July 12th marked the six-month commemoration of the quake, which destroyed most of Port-au-Prince and surrounding cities and killed a government-estimated 230,000 to 300,000 people. At least 1.3 million were made homeless as a result of the quake. |
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PRACTICAL PRAYERWALKING
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Many Christians have been learning to quietly pray in the places that they live, work or play. We've come to call this sort of on-site intercession "prayerwalking."
Prayerwalking is simply praying in the very places we expect God to bring forth his answers. Prayerwalking is usually a low-profile affair: Friends or family stroll two-by-two through their own neighborhoods, schools and work places, praying as they go. Once in a while the prayers can be demonstrative, but most prayerwalking is fairly quiet. It's usually being on the scene without making one. more
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PRAYER QUOTE
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Prayer and praise are to the Christian as the two wings are to the bird. Don't expect the bird to fly if one wing is broken. Even so the Christian needs both prayer and praise. - J. Wesley Adcock
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FIND US ON FACEBOOK
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World Network of Prayer and Kids Prayer are now on Facebook. We will be posting pictures, urgent prayer needs, and prayer helps. Search for us and become a fan on the World Network of Prayer page and the World Network of Prayer Kids page.
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