Strategic, Preemptive Prayer, and Life!

Here is a verse that was on my mind as I was contemplating this subject:

Matt 16:18-19 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."

And this verse:

Matt 11:12 "And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force."

The word for "suffers violence" means to inflict violence, not suffering in the sense that it is in pain. Inflicting on whom? The kingdom of this world. The violent ones are the ones who are the disciples of Jesus, changing this world to look like the Kingdom of Heaven!

One night a few weeks ago, I heard these words in my sleep; "Strategic, Preemptive Prayer". God brought to my mind in the days that followed the above verses, and is continually showing me what they mean.

Jesus said that "from the days of John the Baptist until now, the Kingdom of God is violently active, and the violent are taking action!" Think about what was happening when He spoke those words, (Matt 11:5) The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them.

Every miracle that Jesus performed was pounding on satan's territory, this world's idea of how things must be. Jesus was the first "violent one" that was inflicting violent change through the changed lives He left in His wake. Every change, where it was a physical healing, or spiritual eyes opened to His Kingdom, was a glimpse of the way He intended for life to be, free of sickness, pain, darkness, hopelessness! I believe with all my heart this is what Jesus means when He tells us to pray "Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven!" We accomplish it through a process of continually "seeking first the Kingdom of God, and His Righteousness"!

Can you imagine if a group of people decided that this is the way to pray, and to live their lives? Think about it, praying people that declare His Kingdom in every area of society; Government, Education, Economy and Business, Media, Arts and Entertainment, Religion, and Family! What if a group of people were not satisfied to see a sick person anywhere? (This has happened in the past, where hospitals were emptied because of healing)People praying for the sick in department stores and gas stations! Just imagine if a group became so bold as to declare an entire region "Cancer Free!" It is happening in parts of the US now. What about unemployment, declaring a region so blessed that everyone who lives there has a job, and righteousness in the practice of those businesses! Imagine Government seeking Righteous solutions to the problems of their people, instead of greed for power? Imagine children growing up learning about who they are in relation to a loving God, instead of humanism?

Jesus said that He would give the keys to the Kingdom to such people, and the gates of hell would not prevail against such people! What about you? Are you willing to become one of the "violent ones" Jesus spoke about?

In order to do this, you must learn to live in response to the Holy Spirit, not in reaction to darkness! Its time we stop reacting to evil, and respond to the call of Jesus, declare it with me! "Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven!"

http://stragicprayerteam.org

Another Gospel?

Here is the verse that is going through me this morning:

Galatians 1:9 "As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed."

And this one from Romans 12:2 :"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." The word I am concentrating on is "prove", which means to recognize as genuine after examination, to approve, deem worthy, the example given is a coin collector comparing the real coin to a potential counterfeit.

In light of the first verse, we should compare what we are hearing purported to be the gospel to that which we received and know to be accurate, that would be the gospel that Jesus gave.

In order to do this accurately, we need to shed the religious "translations" or traditions of His Gospel and look at the pure word for what it says, no tradition, no twisting or misrepresenting. According to Paul, the only way to do this is to have a renewed mind, the kind that transforms you. Paul wrote much about the transformation that a follower of Christ should experience.

What sorts of "gospel" are we receiving today from our pulpits? It seems that much time and effort is based on "salvation" with the goal of going to heaven when we die. So the gospel has become not much more than an insurance policy of sorts, powerless for this world, all the focus on a life to come!

What is the Gospel that Jesus taught that is different from what we are hearing from our pulpits today? A few verses:

Matt 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Repent: metanoeō, to change one's mind for better. Change the way you think! (Sound's like Paul saying "Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind!")

Luke 4:18,19: "The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD."

Matt 6:9,10 "In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven."

Matt 6:33 "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you."

Do you get the idea? Jesus was obsessed with bringing the Kingdom of Heaven to earth, not vice-versa. Re-read the Gospels, especially the direct words of Jesus. Then as Paul says, compare them with what you hear from your pulpit. If the gospel that you are hearing is different from the Gospel that Jesus presented, run, run like mad from that place, because:

Matt 12:36 "But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment."