“The Power of Prayer”

Words from the Daughter of Zion

“The Power of Prayer”

This week I’m going to begin some time on the subject of prayer, and I believe the study may continue for several weeks. We will see how it all goes. As well as the subject of praise that comes along with the subject of prayer.

I will start out with some scriptures here: James 5:16 says, “Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so God can heal you. When a believing person prays, great things happen” Also let us go to Luke 11:1-4, “One time Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his followers said to him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his followers”. Jesus said to them, “When you pray, say: ‘Father, may your name always be kept holy. May your kingdom come. Give us the food we need for each day. Forgive us for our sins, because we forgive everyone who has done wrong to us. And do not cause us to be tempted’.” Prayer is the expression of mankind’s dependence upon Father God for all things. Prayer is sweet communion that the Lord Jesus had with His Father. We also can have that same kind of sweet communion with Father God as well. We gain closeness, love, joy, power, strength through this awesome contact and relationship with God.

Hebrew words translated “prayer” in the Old Testament: There are 6 different words use to denote prayer, but the 1 most frequently used is “Tefillah” (tef il law), which means supplication or intercession. The other terms used carry meanings such as “to plead a cause”, “to interpose as mediator”, to “burn incense”, “to whisper”.

There are 5 Greek words translated “prayer” in the New Testament that carry meanings such as: “prayer for particular benefits”; confidence in access to Father God”; “petition, requests”; “prayer in general “; “a vow”.

Prayer is most simply talking with God. Talking also involves listening as well as speaking. We need to hear from Father God as well as talk to Him. Our talking to Him is for 2 major reasons; to develop our relationship to and with Him, and in our service to Him. Matthew 7:7-11 says, “Ask, and God will give to you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and the door will open for you. Yes, everyone who asks will receive. Everyone who searches will find. And everyone who knocks will have the door opened. If your children ask for bread, which of your would give them a stone? Or if your children ask for a fish, would you give them a snake? Even though you are bad, you know how to give good gifts to your children. How much more your heavenly Father will give good things to those who ask him”. Prayer is to share, to discuss our feelings, desires, needs, problems, and seek direction, with the Father. Prayer is to enable us to be effective in our service to Him. To overcome evil, and to cause Father God’s will to be done in the earth.

Along with prayer, praise and the attitude of praise involve 6 specific areas of praying to Father God. 1. Prayer begins with praise, so always have that praise in our hearts and minds. He is so worthy of our praise. No matter the situation, or the subject matter of our prayer time with Him, praise is the key to it all. 2. Prayer continues with thanksgiving. 3. Prayer involves confession. 4. Prayer delights in intercession. 5. Prayer invites petition. 6. Prayer surely does involve that time of listening. That is the utmost reason we go to Him, that is to hear His voice, to express our love to Him, and His will for us in our lives. Spending time in His presence is so awesome, learn well to hear His voice, to follow Him in all that we do to serve Him, and to bring others to salvation. Do not miss out on the blessing of prayer, on the communion of the Lord Jesus. The precious time of abiding in Him and walking with Him in all areas of our lives.

Luke 18:1 says, “Then Jesus used this story to teach his followers that they should always pray and never lose hope.” The Lord Jesus wants us to do this, to pray. This is where our hope is, it is our communion with Him and Father God.

The apostles exhorted the early believers to pray. Read Colossians 4:2, 1 Thessalonians 5:17, 1 Timothy 2:1 & 8, 1 Peter 4:7, Jude 20, Ephesians 6:18. The examples of the Old Testament Saints as well Read Genesis 4:26, Genesis 12:8, Genesis 13:4, Genesis 21:33, Psalms 1-72, Daniel 6:10, James 5:17-18. The examples that Jesus gave us are in Mark 1:35, Luke 5:16, Luke 6:12, Luke 9:18, Luke 11:1, John 17, Hebrews 5:17. Also go to these passages : Acts 1:14, Acts 3:1, Acts 6:2-4, Acts 10:9, Romans 1:9-10, Ephesians 1:15-18, Philippians 1:3-5 , 2 Timothy 1:3, Philemon 4-6. Then go to these passages: Colossians 1:3-4,& 9-10, Colossians 4:12, 1 Thessalonians 1:2, 2 Thessalonians 1:11. Acts 2:42, Acts 4:23-31, Acts 12:5.

Prayer changes things: James 5:10 says, “Brothers and sisters, follow the example of the prophets who spoke for the Lord. They suffered many things, but they were patient.” The reading of the scriptures of James 5:13-18 are truly where we see the power of prayer. Take time to read, to study on this as well. Matthew 21:21-22 is a really good place to go to see the prayer of faith “Jesus answered, I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will be able to do what I did to this tree and more . You will be able to say to this mountain, ‘Go, fall into the sea.’ And if you have faith, it will happen. If you believe, you will get anything you ask for in prayer.” This is the passage where Jesus commanded the fig tree to dry up, because it was not producing figs.

We do have to have faith, determination in (time of) prayer and in our daily lives. It is really how we live and exist, how we breathe. In that total trusting in the Lord Jesus each and every day, prayer does change things. A lot of times it is our minds and hearts that do the changing, and we are then hearing the voice of the Father concerning the situations at hand. In that sweet time of communion with Him, He is leading us, and directing us in our steps to live this life.

In our prayer time we need to pray in faith believing, because doubt can not and will not change anything. It is the faith of believing, and thus receiving that is going to change things in our prayer life. When praying we need to be specific. We pray for the providence of our daily food. Matthew 6:11, Luke 11:3. In our prayer time we see the change of (environmental) conditions. James 5:17-18. In our prayer time we may even influence government leaders. 1Timothy 2:1-2. In prayer we bring release from prison, Acts 12:1-19, Philippians chapter 22. Hebrews 13:18-19. We may believe for healing in prayer, and there are a lot of scriptures on this subject of healing, for now go to James 5:14-15. In our prayer time we believe for deliverance from bodily harm- there is always Psalms 91, and then go to Romans 15:30-31, 2 Corinthians 1:8-11, 2 Thessalonians 3:2. Do not forget the passage in Ephesians 6, this is very important, for doing spiritual warfare. In prayer we have deliverance from spiritual attack – again Ephesians 6 does apply here as well, and again Psalms 91 is a very good passage for this, as well as Matthew 6:13, Mark 9:29, John 17:6-9,15, Luke 22:31-32, and other passages as you dig in the word and see His word. In prayer we have forgiveness of sins, Matthew 6:12, Luke 11:4, there are other scriptures on this as well. In prayer we protect our minds – there are loads of scriptures on this, for now go to Philippians 4:6-7. The whole book of Philippians is really good to read for seeing the joy of living this life with, and in Him. There is prayer for receiving the Holy Spirit – in Acts chapter 2. There are other passages on this as well. In prayer we gain the maturity of being a believer, and in living this life with Him. Passages to help us in this area are: Ephesians 1:15-19, Ephesians 3:13-19, Philippians 1:9-11, Colossians 1:9-12, Colossians 4:12, 2 Corinthians 13:9, 1 Thessalonians 3:10-13.

Watch and pray. Mark 14:37-38 says, “Then Jesus went back to his followers and found them asleep. He said to Peter, “Simon, are your sleeping? Couldn’t you stay awake with me for one hour? Stay awake and pray for strength against temptation. The spirit wants to do what is right but the body is weak.” Prayer keeps our ‘spiritual man’ awake and alert. Many believers, many Christians fall into temptation, and sin simply because they are spiritually asleep (caught off guard), through an obvious lack of prayer and spending that precious time with the Father. That time (is when) we all need to be in His word and hearing His audible voice, and we can only hear that when we are in the time of prayer and that sweet abiding in Him. As I have mentioned earlier, prayer is talking with, talking to our Father God, it is communication with Him. Communication builds relationship. There is no short cut to getting a relationship with Him. It takes time, it takes time in His presence, time in prayer that is so needed. Prayer opens the door to the supernatural in our lives. Everything we desire of Father God is available through the petition in prayer. Jeremiah 33:3 says, “Judah, pray to me, and I will answer you. I will tell you important secrets you have never heard before.” As a scripture I used here earlier- Luke 11:8 says, “So I tell you, ask, and God will give to you. Search(seek), and your will find. Knock, and the door will open for you.” As you pray, make prayer a time that you spend daily- it is so vital to living, so vital to living this life here on earth as a believer in the Lord Jesus. We need to spend time with the Lord, we need to spend time with our Father. We need to hear His voice, we need His love, His life, His direction for our lives. Prayer changes things as we follow in His obedience. Prayer renews, prayer refreshes. This world is so full of clutter. We need to get alone with Him to have that time to communicate, this is where we gain our strength in Him. We have delight in hearing His voice, just as He delights in hearing our voice.

God bless you. Stay in touch. If you need prayer, encouragement, just let me know.

Until next time, love and prayers, Teresa

Blessings to you all this week and stay in touch-

Send correspondence to this address:

208 N. Duncan Street, Apt. B, Marine, IL 62061

We appreciate your prayer and financial support. Stand with us as we minister His word and His love to those online and in our pathway.

If you are ever in the area, there is a Bible study at the above address each Thursday at 7 pm.

We are here if you need prayer, and know that we are here standing in prayer for you and with you concerning your needs. God bless you, until next time know that you are in my prayers, and be strengthened in His word and in His love.

Teresa Kay Abert

http://www.facebook.com/people/Teresa-Kay-Abert/573089659

“Occupy Until He Comes”

Words from the Daughter of Zion

“Occupy Until He Comes”

God bless you all this day. This week I am discussing “Occupy Until He Comes”

Luke 19:12-13 says to us “He said, a very important man went to a country far away to be a king and then to return home. So he called ten of his servants and gave a coin to each servant. He said, Do business with this money until I get back .”

The word ‘occupy’ is a military term. It evokes synonyms of capture, conquer, invade, obtain, seize, to take hold of, to possess, to keep. It also brings about the idea of being busy, to employ, engage, engross, monopolize, to use. It does not mean to tarry, to lodge, or to sojourn, loiter, delay, rest, stall, or to wait.

Jesus told this parable and used the word ‘occupy’ to exhort His disciples to spread the Gospel throughout the world. He wants us to be aggressive and a bit violent in our efforts to overcome the powers of spiritual darkness. It is possible to fulfill the Great Commission found in Mark 16:15. Matthew 24:14 says: “The Good News about God’s kingdom will be preached in all the world, to every nation. Then the end will come.”

To establish the return of the Lord Jesus Christ, this Commission must be fulfilled. Just like a farmer can not harvest his fields from his or her easy chair, so us as Christians can not stay in the pews, or sit around and watch television or whatever else is taking up our time, we must get out there and minister His love, and His word to a world that needs to know Him. Yes, we need training ground. We need training in discipleship, and in evangelism to a point, but we need to get on out there and touch souls, to see lives changed by the love and the power of the Lord Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit. We need to obey the call – we all are called. If you are born again, then you are called to the ministry of reconciliation. To see souls saved, to see people healed, set free, delivered and living a victorious life as a believer in Christ Jesus. We are truly the mouth piece that needs to minister this message, this life, this love to a world of people that need to know Him as Savior, Lord and Master of their lives. We need to “occupy” – to obey this call as a child of the Living God.

We need to see that His word is clear, and does not leave any room for slothfulness in the work left to be done in doing this Great Commission. We need to see that we have the courage to step on out and to do this, as individuals before the Lord, and together as the Body of Christ to unite in His love and power to see this done in Him. To do this in boldness, to “occupy” while there is still time, before ‘night’ comes. Praise the Lord, you all- let us do this! We have what it takes this day, this week, this month, this year! Let us make a declaration to reach these dear souls! Let us see lives touched and changed by His dear love, and share the Gospel of salvation, healing, and deliverance. Let’s see ourselves equipped to do this, and let us get the word of the Lord to a people that are so desperately looking for a direction, a life of fullness, and love .

Matthew 11:12 says “Since the time John the Baptist came until now , the kingdom of heaven has been going forward in strength, and people have been trying to take it by force.” (NCV)

Father God is calling His people into battle. He needs some “violent” soldiers now! Christians- believers need to rise up so that their witness – their lives shine in the dark places here on this earth, in our world that we do “occupy”. I am saying that a sleeping church is not what we are to be, we are to be awake to our call of the Great Commission. We have a job to do, and we are do all that we need to do to see this happen. Of course the devil does not want this to happen. So we need to stand up and to ‘violently’ stand when opposition comes, to go forth in His name to do what He has called us to do while there is still day time. J

In Ezekiel chapter 37 Father God led the prophet to the valley of dry bones, and told him to prophesy life. Yes- Life. When the prophet obeyed, things began to happen. Life gives way to life. The army began to take shape by a prophetic word from the Lord God.

So do not be ‘dried up’, without hope, and cut off like the bones spoken of in Ezekiel 37:11. Instead, let us follow Him in obedience. Let us become soft and pliable, with hope and determination, plugged into the Source of Life. For the Lord says in verse 14, “And I will put my Spirit inside you, and you will ‘come to life’. Then I will put you in your own land. And you will know that I the Lord, have spoken and done it, says the Lord.” Take Matthew 11:12 that I just shared with you and lay hold of it, for the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men and women of the Lord God have (and will) lay hold of it. Let us become a vibrant, militant, and forceful army of the Lord Jesus, an army that our Father God is raising up today in Jesus’ name. He needs His Body to rise up in His name. He needs the Great Commission still to be going on. Souls are still living here on this planet, and they are still in need of a Savior, a Lord, a Master. They still need a reason for life, and that is in Christ Jesus. People in the church do not need to be timid and fearful in doing the Great Commission. The Spirit of the Living God is on the inside of us, and we need to be all counted a member of the militant army of the Living God speaking Life into ‘dry bones’ all around us!

Let us continue to seek, and to reach the lost souls that need the Lord Jesus. 2 Samuel 14:14 says, “We will all die someday. We’re like water spilled on the ground; no one can gather it back. But God doesn’t take away life. Instead, he plans ways that those who have been sent away will not have to stay away from him”(NCV). When Jesus passed through Jericho one day, He looked up in a tree, and he spotted a short man who had climbed there to get a better look at Jesus. This Jesus is the man of Galilee who performed all kinds of miracles. Imagine the man’s surprise when Jesus ordered him to come down, saying “I must stay at your house today”. Read in Luke chapter 19:1-9 about Zaccheus.

Zaccheus was the chief tax collector, and very wealthy. So imagine his further surprise when Jesus later said, “Today salvation has come to this house…. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost”. Look at verses 9 and 10 of Luke 19. No one at that time expected this to happen, but God does the unexpected. He also has the practice of meeting people at the point of their greatest need. Zaccheus so desperately needed a friend, as well as the most important need, salvation, and the very Presence of Jesus made him want to do good. Without any urging whatsoever, Zaccheus began to give from a grateful heart, and to make restitution in his dealings with the people. Jesus changes people from the inside out, and in so doing, removing all the facades. Let Him reside in us today. We have a job to do! That job is to “occupy”. It is to do the Great Commission until He comes. Life is what we need to see happen in those around us, and that life only comes through a personal relationship with God through the Lord Jesus.

God bless you all. I have this on my heart, look at James 5:20, “remember this: Anyone who brings a sinner back from the wrong way will save that sinner’s soul from death and will cause many sins to be forgiven.”

What could be more worth striving for than winning an eternal soul, a friend for all eternity? Proverbs 11:30 says “A good person gives life to others; the wise person teaches others how to live.” J

Remember this verse : King James Version -

Proverbs 11:30 :
"The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life;
and he that winneth souls is wise."

God bless you. Stay in touch. If you need prayer, encouragement, just let me know.

Until next time, love and prayers, Teresa

God bless you all . I am here if you need to talk or to pray.

Blessings to you all this week and stay in touch-

I am here if you all need to talk or to pray,

Send correspondence to this address:

208 N. Duncan Street Apt B, Marine,IL 62061

We are in need of prayer and financial support. Stand with us as we minister His word and His love to those online and in our pathway.

If you are ever in the area, there is a Bible study at the above address each Thursday at 7 pm.

We are here if you need prayer, and know that we are here standing in prayer for you and with you concerning your needs. God bless you, until next time know that you are in my prayers, and be strengthened in His word and in His love.

Teresa Kay Abert

http://www.facebook.com/people/Teresa-Kay-Abert/573089659

Words from the Daughter of Zion 2011