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!"

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