PRINCIPALS OF INTERCESSION

by | Nov 24, 2016

PRINCIPLES OF INTERCESSION & SPIRITUAL WARFARE

By Candy Nuno

Definitions:

PRINCIPLE: 1. A guiding sense of requirements and obligations of right conduct 2. A basic law, axiom or doctrine

INTERCESSION: 1. The act or an instance of interceding 2. A prayer to God on behalf of another or others

SPIRITUAL WARFARE: 1. Of, relating to, consisting of, or having the nature of spirit; not tangible or material – in the waging of war against, to destroy, or undermine the strength of an enemy.

Principles Scriptural References
1. Humbling Ourselves Humility:(unpretentious, unassuming, unpresuming, submissive, meek, respectful.)

James 4: 6 But He gives a greater grace. Therefore {it} says, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”James 4: 10 Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.

2 Chr 7:14 and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray, and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Phil 2:5-9Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped,but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, {and} being made in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name.

1 Pet 5:5-11 You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety upon Him, because He cares for you. Be of sober {spirit,} be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in {your} faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world. And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen {and} establish you. To Him {be} dominion forever and ever. Amen.

2. Cleansing Our Hearts and Developing Fear of the Lord

Cleanse: purify, remove defilement, unadulterated, unmixed, sterile, become inoffensive, become blameless, virtuous.Fear: Extreme reverence or awe, as toward a supreme power

Ps 51:10-11 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.

2 Cor 7:1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

I Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

James 4:8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.John 9:31 “We know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is God-fearing, and does His will, He hears him.

Ps 19:9-11 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the judgments of the LORD are true; they are righteous altogether. They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them Thy servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward.

Isa 66:1-2 Thus says the LORD, “Heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool. Where then is a house you could build for Me? And where is a place that I may rest? “For My hand made all these things, thus all these things came into being,” declares the LORD. “But to this one I will look, to him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word.

Prov 9:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

Eccl 12:13-14 The conclusion, when all has been heard, {is:} fear God and keep His commandments, because this {applies to} every person. For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil.

Prov 2:1-5 My son, if you will receive my sayings, and treasure my commandments within you, Make your ear attentive to wisdom, incline your heart to understanding; For if you cry for discernment, lift your voice for understanding; If you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; Then you will discern the fear of the LORD, and discover the knowledge of God.

Prov 8:13 “The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; pride and arrogance and the evil way, and the perverted mouth, I hate.

Prov 3:5-7 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your body, and refreshment to your bones.

3. Relying on the Holy Spirit

Rely: depend on, count on, have confidence in, trust in.

Acts 1:8 but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”

1 Cor 2:9-10 but just as it is written, “Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and {which} have not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him.” For to us God revealed {them} through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God.

John 14:26 “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.

Rom 8:26-27 And in the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for {us} with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to {the will of} God.

4. The Heart of God is Praying with Love and Compassion

Love: Affection, friendship, devotion, regard, passion, sympathy, concern, care, sisterhood, brotherhood, appreciation

Compassion: Deep awareness of the suffering of another coupled with the wish to relieve it.

Isa 53:12 Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great, and He will divide the booty with the strong; because He poured out himself to death, and was numbered with the transgressors; yet He himself bore the sin of many, and interceded for the transgressors.

Matt 22:37-39 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

John 13:34-35 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

John 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

2 Tim 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

Heb 13:3 Remember the prisoners, as though in prison with them, and those who are ill-treated, since you yourselves also are in the body.

Mark 6:34 And when He went ashore, He saw a great multitude, and He felt compassion for them because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and He began to teach them many things.

Ezek 11:19-20 “And I shall give them one heart, and shall put a new spirit within them. And I shall take the heart of stone out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in My statutes and keep My ordinances, and do them. Then they will be My people, and I shall be their God.

5. Pitfalls of Intercession

Pitfall: trap, ambush, snare, danger, quagmire, dead fall, booby trap, land mine, toils, quicksand, stumbling block, hurdle

IGNORANCE: Many Christians are ignorant of the spiritual warfare they face. The danger of ignorance of the spirit world can lead to foolishness.

FEAR: One cannot be inwardly fearful of engaging the enemy. Satan loves sin, fear, and attention. Do not give him any of the three. Do not fear the power of the enemy. God is greater! Know who you are in Christ Jesus and know the Word of God.

UNDERESTIMATING THE ENEMY: The Bible says do not be ignorant of satan’s devices. He comes as an angel of light to deceive. He is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. He binds the minds of men, etc. Be on guard, watchful and full of wisdom and light.

SPIRITUAL ARROGANCE: If we go into spiritual warfare and expect to have God’s power without humility on our part we are in trouble. The minute we begin to think we are doing it ourselves we become vulnerable to the enemy’s attack. We must stay in unbroken, intimate fellowship with the Lord and in His Word and relying on the Holy Spirit. Do not let go of your dependency on the Lord.

LACK OF PERSONAL INTERCESSION: Intercession, personal or otherwise, is one of your most utilized source of spiritual power and certainly the power of the Holy Spirit. Have definite assurance of being covered with intercessory prayer from others and by yourself for yourself.

UNGUIDED PRAYER: If you confine your intercession to your own understanding you may not only miss God’s intent, but may hinder His plan. Wait on God until he confirms His will to you. Listen to God in prayer.

POOR TIMING: When you get the revelation of God for prayer wait for His timing to pray it. Sometimes you will pray it within minutes, but may have to wait for hours, or even days or weeks before you are to pray. Hold His wisdom and guard it until he says to pray it.

GOSSIP: Biblically, a “gossip” is someone who reveals secrets and is compared to being a murderer. It is of utmost importance that when we are involved in an intercessory group that we steer away from discussing matters pertaining to personal issues. We can pray broad blessings over people but do not want to move into sensitive areas that might have the potential to turn our time of prayer into a time of gossip.

SCRIPTURES ON PRAYER

James 5:13-16 Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

1 Samuel 1:27 I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of him.

Matthew 5:44 .’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you

Mark 11:24-25 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”

Luke 18:1 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.

Acts 14:23 Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust.

Matthew 21:21-22 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, `Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”

Acts 1:14 They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.

Philippians 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Matthew 6:6-9 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. “This, then, is how you should pray: `Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. ‘ For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

SPIRITUAL WARFARE IN JESUS’ MINISTRY

In studying spiritual warfare the Christian’s positional security is to always remember to focus on Christ first, asking the question how is the Lord glorified in each and every situation. Just as people working in banks are taught to spot counterfeit bills by studying the real ones, we too are to keep our primary focus on the Lord and God’s Word and not get sidetracked into any sort of “demon chasing.” Jesus’ ministry however did include exorcisms or deliverances. More healings of Jesus are related to satanic influence than any other single factor. The Gospels are full of his actual conflict with satan, which reached its climax on the cross. A famous New Testament scholar, George Eldon Ladd summarizes the essence of Jesus’ ministry by saying, “God’s kingdom in Jesus’ teaching has a twofold manifestation: at the end of the age to destroy satan, and in Jesus’ mission to bind satan.” The apostle John characterized Jesus’ ministry the same way in 1 John 3:8 “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.” Jesus talked about, thought about, taught about and personally confronted the devil and the demons under His command regularly. To ignore or underestimate a wicked and aggressive enemy is foolishness. Some world leaders thought the best thing would be to appease Adolf Hitler when he first began his expansive European conquests, and by doing so they helped kindle World War II. It is not farfetched to understand Jesus’ coming to earth as analogous to a military invasion. He came with the kingdom of God, and He preached the gospel of the kingdom. Who was on the defensive? Satan, the ruler of this world. None of us should in any way forget that the ultimate owner of the whole world is God. Satan never has been, nor ever will be, the owner of planet Earth. His kingdom consists in the control he possesses over people who inhabit the earth, and he maintains that control by securing their allegiance through various means known as “the wiles of the devil” (Eph. 6:11) Likewise, the kingdom of God that Jesus brought is not a land that has territorial boundaries, but rather the reign of Jesus Christ over human beings. Wherever people declare their allegiance to Jesus Christ, the kingdom of God is in their midst. The battle between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of satan is essentially a battle for people and for their allegiance. Before Jesus came, virtually every person on the face of the earth had pledged allegiance to satan. The exception was the relatively small group of descendants of Abraham called “the people of God”, the Jewish people, but even they were not immune to serious problems with spiritual allegiance. When Jesus died on the cross, satan not only suffered his most crippling defeat, but from that time on his ultimate doom was sealed as well. No wonder satan did and continues to do everything he possibly can to prevent the spread of the kingdom of God. He lusts for people’s allegiance and their worship, but he is defeated and he is losing. Beginning from the days of Jesus until now, every significant step forward for the Christian movement has been won through spiritual warfare. The war is not over. Even though our enemies are already defeated they are not dead, not even sickly. Peter sees satan as walking around “like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Pet. 5:8). The best of spiritual warriors today avoid the mistake of naively underestimating the power of the devil. Satan is no wimp. The very first time Jesus ever allowed His 12 disciples to go out to minister on their own He did two important things relating to the spiritual warfare undergirding their evangelistic mission:

  1. He gave them power over unclean spirits (Matt. 10:1)
  2. He commanded them, “And as you go, preach, saying “The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers raise the dead, cast out demons.” (vv. 7,8)

When Jesus met Paul on the Damascus road, He sent him as a missionary to the nations, “to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of satan to God” (Acts 26:18). Because the devil gives up no one under his power without a fight, little doubt remained in Paul’s mind that he was in for a career involving heavy-duty spiritual warfare.

The task of evangelization today is the same as the day of Jesus and the apostles. Therefore, those among God’s people who are called to the front lines to take unbelievers from darkness to light will need the same spiritual equipment Jesus Himself had. Jesus said “He who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father” (John 14:12).

The only way such a thing could happen would be for us to drink from the same well from which Jesus drank. The water in this well is the Holy Spirit. Jesus also said, “He who believes in Me,…out of his heart will flow rivers of living water” (7:38), which John explains in this way: “This He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive” (v. 39). The Holy Spirit was the source of all of Jesus’ power during His earthly ministry. We can do the same or greater things than Jesus did because we have access to the same power source. Jesus also agreed to obey the Father completely during His time on earth. “He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross” (v. 8). Jesus’ obedience was voluntary and it was temporary. It consisted of the greatest display of humility ever known – agreeing to totally suspend the use (not the possession) of His divine attributes so that the only nature Jesus was using on earth was His human nature. That is why Jesus is called the “second Adam” (see 1 Cor. 15:45-47). Both Jesus and Adam were under a covenant of obedience to the Father. Neither one had been contaminated by original sin. And both were tempted by the devil in the same way – invited to break their covenant of obedience. Adam’s temptation was to eat the forbidden fruit, which he did. Jesus’ temptation was to violate His agreement of obedience by using His divine nature. He could have taken possession of satan’s kingdoms without worshiping satan, but He didn’t. If He had, He would have disobeyed the Father. The temptation ended, Jesus’ covenant of obedience had remained intact and the devil had been defeated. Afterward all of Jesus’ ministry was done as a human being. He depended entirely on knowing the will of the Father.’The Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do” (John 5:19). He depended entirely on the power of the Holy Spirit. “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power” (Acts 10:38). He said, “I cast out demons y the Spirit of God” (Matt. 12:28). He judged only because the Father had delegated that authority to Him (see John 5:22) We can do the same works as Jesus, as He said we would, if we, like Jesus, are entirely dependent on knowing the will of the Father and on the power of the Holy Spirit.

We will never do the works as well as Jesus because He enjoyed several advantages we don’t have. Jesus had no sin, either original sin or actual sin. Jesus had a completely unobstructed channel to the Father along with a combination of complete faith and complete obedience. The corollary is that although we may never reach the perfection of Jesus, the nearer we do approach it, the more powerful we can expect our ministry to be. Can we withstand the devil in a high-level power encounter as Jesus did? Can we cast out demons as Jesus did? Can we live holy lives and display righteousness as Jesus did? Why not? Jesus said we could. Our human nature is not the variable. The variables are our characters, our obedience, our faith and our fullness of the power of the Holy Spirit. In the context of the story where Jesus sent out the 70 to preach and minister the kingdom of God when they returned they said “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name” (Luke 10:17). Later in His debriefing session with the disciples, Jesus makes two significant points, one relating to priorities and one relating to authority. Regarding priorities, Jesus said, “Do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven” (v. 20).

Spiritual warfare is not to be regarded as an end in itself, but a means to the end of seeing lost souls taken from darkness to light, from the power of satan to God. Salvation is eternal, but spiritual warfare, at best, will give us only temporal results. Regarding authority Jesus said “Behold I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you” (Luke 10:19) Not only do Christians have the authority to war against these powers of darkness, but if called by God to do so, we have the responsibility to as well. If we do not pray against our spiritual enemies, they will, indeed, prey upon us. Perhaps the most outright indication that Jesus gives us power over all the manifestations of the enemy is the permission to use His name. Jesus said, “If you ask anything in My name, I will do it” (John 14:14). More specifically applying it to spiritual warfare: “In My name they will cast out demons” (Mark 16:17). When we enter into battle, we do so in the name of the Son of God. Our authority is awesome if we use it with the wisdom God gives to guide us. Jesus brought the kingdom of God to earth to displace the long standing kingdom of satan. He ministered through a human nature like ours under the authority of God the Father.

When he left, He transferred the authority to His disciples, and through His disciples to us. Jesus said, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations” (Matt. 28:18-19). Satan has from day one regarded that statement – the Great Commission – as a declaration of war. For that reason, Jesus said the kingdom of God comes with violence, “and the violent take it by force.” (11:12). One of the important ways we need to use this power if the kingdom of God is to advance in our church, our communities, in the nation and over the entire earth is to overcome or bind the strongman.

 

SEEK FIRST HIS KINGDOM

by | Nov 24, 2016

Seek first His Kingdom

In the book of Matthew, chapters 5 – 7 we read “The Sermon on the Mount.”  This is the longest piece of Yeshua’s teaching recorded in the New Testament.   In it we find truths about the blessings associated with the human condition, teachings on prayer, moral and ethical teachings, admonishments of who we are and how we’re to act in this world, and truths about Messiah’s position in relationship to the law.

There’s a profound depth of wisdom and richness in these teachings that nourish our spirits. They bring hope, guidance and comfort when read and applied to our lives. This proves that Yeshua was who He said that He was – God in flesh.

When God talks we’re to listen, right?  But do we?  How many times throughout our day do we hear God’s still small voice instructing us, but we ignore Him, choosing our own way instead?

I dare say we do this more often than not, and herein lies the reason that the world doesn’t know that we’ re Messiah’s disciples, or that Yeshua is in fact, the Son of God, and Savior of the world.

In the middle of the Sermon on the Mount, Yeshua gives some very practical help to reverse this trend. By heeding this instruction we’ll know God more deeply in the truth of who Messiah is, and we’ll experience profound blessings in all areas of our lives.  Do you want that?

Imagine no anxiety in your life.  Imagine a life of total peace, and no fear. Can you envision having all your needs met without striving after the common things of everyday life like food, shelter and clothing? You can live effortlessly and without struggle or concern.  What’s the secret?  Well, there’s no secret.  There’s only a discipline.  And that discipline is to seek God’s Kingdom and His righteousness first in everything that you do in life.

(Matthew 6:25-33)

What does it look like to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness? Well, let’s think about it practically.

When you first wake up in the morning what are you thinking about?  Are you thinking about the day ahead of you?  Are you thinking about what happened yesterday?  Are you looking at your phone checking email, or looking at Facebook? (Those are my temptations.)

Or, are you thinking about the Kingdom and the righteousness of God.

Maybe you could do what I do, and have a picture on your wall by your bed, at eye level, that quotes Matthew 6:33. However you do it, you need to train yourself to have your first thoughts on the Kingdom and Righteousness of God.  There are far too many distractions in our world that take our eyes off Yeshua. He’s our righteousness, and we need to always remind ourselves of that fact to protect ourselves from falling into the sin and danger of self righteousness.  We need to put tools in place that help steer our mind’s eyes off of ourselves and onto God.

Memorizing and meditating on Scripture is a great tool to help.  How about committing this Scripture to memory?:
(1 Corinthians 1:30)

OK, so you’ve gotten out of bed.  When you move throughout your day, and through the myriad of tasks, how can you seek God’s kingdom and righteousness first?  Well, how about backing away from the immediate task before starting it, and thanking God for the life, grace and power that He’s given you to accomplish that task? Then ask for the dominion of His Kingdom and His Righteousness to rule over the task at hand.

Throughout our day we need to continually talk with God and acknowledge His Presence in our lives.  That’s another way that we seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness.

Remember Deuteronomy 6:5-9.

Seeking God’s Kingdom and righteousness first is just a byproduct of loving God.  When we love God we’re constantly thinking and talking about Him, and His Word.  We’re actively discipling others in God’s ways, and sharing with those who don’t yet know Him.  Everything we put our hands to is done for His purposes, and He’s always at the forefront of our eyes, minds and hearts.  Our focus goes from living with a focus on ourselves and the things of this world, to a Biblical, God centered focus.  This changes the experiences and the outcomes of our lives dramatically, and is the real key to seeking first God’s Kingdom and Righteousness. This is where Mission Discipleship can help you.  Mission Discipleship exists to help you make choices that help increase your “Kingdom/God” focus. Prayerfully ask God what role He wants you to play in obedience to His command to “go and make disciples.” Why is this so important?  Because, we want you to hear “well done good and faithful servant” when you see God’s Kingdom and His Righteousness face to face.

SHARING YOUR FAITH

by | Nov 23, 2016

SHARING YOUR FAITH... A HELPS GUIDE

When witnessing about the Gospel (Good News) of Jesus Christ (Yeshua HaMashiach)
here are some things to remember:

  1. It’s the Holy Spirit’s (Ruach HaKodesh’s) work to bring a person to faith in the Messiah, not ours.
  2. God doesn’t call us to be successful witnesses, only faithful ones.
  3. Prayer is essential when sharing your faith. Pray for God to give you wisdom in the words you speak. Also pray that the Holy Spirit would touch the heart of the person you’re witnessing to.
  4. Pray for divine opportunities to share your faith with people.
  5. Don’t be afraid to share your faith. That’s satan’s desire. Walk in faith not in fear. God will help you. Ask Him for help. Trust that He will give it.
  6. Don’t get discouraged. Remember that Jesus, Yeshua was despised and rejected by men. Sometimes when we’re witnessing people reject us, and what we have to say. This puts us in good company with the Lord. Find peace in that.
  7. Always listen and speak to people from a pure heart of love and compassion. Pray for God to help you in this area.
  8. If the person you’re sharing with is Jewish it’s good to know that the name Jesus may bring fear into a Jewish person’s mind. In those instances it’s good to use His Hebrew name Yeshua, which means ‘God is salvation.’  Also use the title Messiah, instead of Christ.  Both mean the same thing – Messiah is the English translation of the Hebrew word Mashiach, and Christ is from the Greek – Kristos.  Both mean the Anointed One.
  9. Also when sharing with Jewish people know that many dislike the word convert. That word makes them think that if they believe in Jesus they are no longer Jewish. This is not the truth. Try to avoid that word. It might be better to use the word completion instead of conversion.
  10. Don’t assume the person you’re witnessing to knows Scripture. Most people, including Jewish people do not know what it says in the Holy Scriptures.
  11. Know your Scriptures. Study the Bible and know what it says about Messiah. There are over 300 Messianic prophesies in the Old Testament alone that prove the Word of God is true and Yeshua/Jesus is the Messiah.
  12. Don’t be afraid to say ‘I don’t know’ if you’re asked a question you don’t know the answer to. Offer to research the answer and get back to the person. Your humility will be a greater witness than spiritual pride would.
  13. Many people do not understand the concept of sin, salvation or our need Savior. They don’t think they’re sinners. They see sinners as convicted criminals. It’s good to know the 10 Commandments and use them in your witness as a test to help people see for themselves whether they have broken God’s basic law and are therefore a sinner. Once they see that they have broken God’s law you can then tell them about God’s plan of salvation and the Savior, Yeshua HaMashiach. (Jesus the Messiah.)
  14. Know how to pray with someone to lead them into a ‘born again’ experience. Jesus/Yeshua tells us that unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. (John 3:5)
  15. Words that are simple to us, i.e.: faith, grace, repentance, works, righteousness, prophecy, etc…are not understood by unbelievers. Try not to use ‘Christianese’ when you’re sharing. Be simple. Explain the concepts that you talk about.
  16. People need to know that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is not about religion. It is about relationship with God. In order to be in good relationship with God He requires us to repent. Repentance requires taking in a whole new point of view; looking at things God’s way. God simply asks us to turn. This is the way we accept His gift of salvation.
  17. People do not believe that God has an adversary (satan) or that there’s an eternal place of torment (hell.) It’s good to know Old Testament Scriptures that talk about satan and hell: Job 1; Isaiah 14; Ezekiel 28; Deut. 32:22; Psalm 9:17; Eccl. 9:10; Dan. 12:2.
  18. People (Jews & Gentiles) need to be informed that there’s more to life than they think. It’s good to explain the fact that we’re born as triune beings with a body, soul (mind, will & emotions) and a spirit. Our spirits are dead because of the sinful nature of man. There is, however, a spiritual realm that is very real. This is the current realm of the Kingdom of God. Our faith in Yeshua as Messiah brings life to our spirits and allows us to perceive this spiritual realm.
  19. Most Jews and many Gentiles have never heard the story of Jesus Christ. They do not know that He was Jewish and that most of the 1st century believers were Jewish. Tell the story. Show how Christ’s death was foreshadowed in the Old Testament in the Passover story. Help them understand that each of the Jewish feasts foreshadow an aspect of Messiah, and that is a beautiful sign given to us by God to help point us toward the truth. Help them understand that His blood put into effect the New Covenant that the prophet Jeremiah spoke about.  (Jer. 31:31-33)
  20. In today’s society secular humanism (a humanist philosophy that upholds reason, ethics and justice, and denies supernaturalism) is the predominant worldview. It’s important for people to understand the truth about the Kingdom of God and God’s right to rule and reign over us. This is essentially what Yeshua came here to teach. It’s important for us to keep sharing that message.
  21. Use your own testimony to show how God has worked in your life when sharing the Gospel with people.
  22. When talking to people in order to witness to them maintain control of the conversation. Always steer them back to Jesus and talking about Him, and their need for salvation.
  23. Jewish people specifically, do not believe in Jesus because they believe He was a man claiming to be God. Help them try to see that He was in fact God, who came to earth in the form of a man. Challenge them to think about the fact that God can do anything He wants to do, and that He had come to earth before. (Genesis 11:5; Genesis 32:30)
  24. Jewish people also say they will not believe in Jesus because God commands them to believe only in 1 God and not 3 separate Gods. Be able to assure them that you believe in only one God too. God Himself though has revealed Himself to us as having different aspects of Himself. Jesus (Yeshua) being one of those aspects. Remind the Jewish person that the most used Hebrew name for God is Elohim and in the Hebrew language ‘im’ at the end of a word denotes a plurality. God even said in Genesis “Let us make man in our image.” (Gen. 1:26) God is a multi-faceted being, and yes there is only one God!
  25. Help Jewish people understand that God wants all people to be part of His family and that is why He allowed the Jews to reject Jesus – So that salvation would go to the Gentiles as well. In the last days the Jew’s eyes will be opened to the truth about Messiah. This is beginning to happen now. There are currently more Jewish believers in Jesus than ever before in history.
  26. Yeshua/Jesus is the world’s role model of how God wants us all to live our lives. Following Him by being obedient to His teachings leads us to live lives of righteousness and holiness in the power of God, and assures that we have salvation from eternal damnation and judgment. Having Messiah Yeshua as the foundation of all our work assures that we will accomplish things that will have eternal value in God’s sight.
  27. Don’t be afraid to just ask people the simple question: “Have you ever received Yeshua/Jesus as your personal Savior?” If they say “No.” simply ask them if you could lead them in a prayer to do that right now.

A Sample Explanation and Prayer:

As the Creator, God is King of all the universe. His Kingdom is also an eternal Kingdom. He has a right to rule in our lives, but in our pride we exalt ourselves as King. This pride is one example of sin (imperfection) and sin separates us from God, who is perfect. By faith (trust, belief) God puts His Holy Spirit into our spirit and makes it come alive. Having life in our spirit is what enables us to recognize and understand the truth about God’s Kingdom, communicate with Him and turn from our sin and live righteous and holy lives. This doesn’t happen automatically though.

God came to the earth in the form of a man, Jesus Christ, Yeshua HaMashiach (in Hebrew). He came to teach us about the Kingdom of God and to die on the cross so that the sins of humanity could be forgiven. Just as medicine prescribed by a doctor will not heal a sick person unless it’s taken, we too must believe in and ask the Messiah to cover our sin. There is supernatural power in His shed blood that allows this to happen. When we confess our faith in Messiah and appropriate His blood to our lives this is called receiving Yeshua, Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Our making this choice causes us to be ‘born again’ by the spirit and our spirits come alive to God and His Kingdom.

We know that there’s real power in the sacrifice and the blood of Jesus because though He was crucified and died, He rose from the dead. Hundreds of people saw Him alive. This proved that He conquered sin and death forever. The great healings that took place while Jesus lived on the earth also showed us the great compassion of God toward us, and the power of His Kingdom.

Many people say many things about eternity and how many lives we live etc…but the Bible says we live only once and then we will be judged. If we have ever lied, stolen, coveted, or gone against any of the other 10 Commandments in God’s law, we will be condemned to eternal separation from God and will spend eternity in torment. When we accept the forgiveness of the Messiah by believing in Him, and hope in what He can do in our lives, God brings life to our spirits. We learn the truth that our eternal destination and home is with our Heavenly Father, God and that God’s Kingdom (a place of great joy and love) exists both here on earth, and in Heaven.

By proclaiming and living the truth that Yeshua, Jesus is Lord we come into right alignment with the Kingdom of God and reap all the benefits that God, the Creator of the universe has to offer us. Our lives become fulfilled and we begin to live out the unique destinies that we each were created for. It doesn’t mean that we won’t have problems or hardships, but we are assured that when we walk in God’s ways of living, as outlined in the Bible and when we apply ourselves to know God more (through prayer and Bible study) we begin to live lives of fulfillment and abundance no matter what life brings our way.

If you’ve never prayed to receive Jesus/Y’shua as your personal Lord and Savior just read this prayer and mean it in your heart. (Prayer is simply speaking and listening to God.):

Lord, God, my imperfection is called sin. You are perfect God and I understand that You came to earth in the form of the man Yeshua HaMashiach, Jesus Christ, to die, as payment for my sin. I believe that You were raised from the dead and I have a hope that through my faith You can set my life on a better path. Forgive me of my sins. Come into my heart. Cleanse me. Turn my life around and guide me. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit, Your Ruach HaKodesh. Help me to walk in Your ways. Prepare me for my eternal home in heaven. Use me on this earth now for Your glory, Your honor and the furtherance of Your Kingdom on earth. Thank you for saving me. It’s in Yeshua, Jesus’ name that I pray. Amen.

SPIRITUAL GIFTS

by | Nov 23, 2016

SPIRITUAL GIFTS ARE AS DIVERSE AS ARE PEOPLE
EVERYONE RECEIVES THEM AND IS ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEM

The Holy Spirit is the one who our gifts come from.  He can give you whatever gift He wants in any given situation, or instance.
Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. (1 Peter 4:10-11)

5 Questions To Ask Yourself

1. WHAT are my spiritual gifts? We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. Rom 12:6-8 Diligently seek to know and develop your spiritual gifts through prayer and Bible study.

2. WHERE am I supposed to be using them? Spiritual gifts were given for special tasks in and through the churches. 7Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. (1 Cor. 12:7) Look for special tasks where the Holy Spirit can use you.

3. WHEN am I supposed to be using them? 2 Peter 3:9-12   2 Corinthians 5:10  Look for places that you can use your gifts NOW!

4. HOW do I develop my spiritual gifts? Philippians 4:9 The development of any gift only comes with diligent practice.

5. WHY should I be concerned with my spiritual gifts? Because your gift is used to built up the Body of Messiah. Ephesians 4:11-16, Romans 12:3-9

All spiritual gifts come from the Holy Spirit. He can choose what gift to give you, whenever and wherever He wants.

God created you for a special purpose inside the Body of Messiah.

What you are is God’s gift to you. What you make of yourself and how you allow the Holy Spirit to use you, is your gift back to God.

 

Scripture Passages to Study:

Ephesians 4:11-16

Romans 12:3-9

1 Corinthians 12

Discuss where and when you have seen God giving you spiritual gifts in the past.  What spiritual gifts have you been given?

 

 

SPIRITUAL WARFARE FOR THE LOST

by | Nov 22, 2016

SPIRITUAL WARFARE FOR THE LOST

From “How to Pray for Lost Loved Ones” by Dutch Sheets

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (NLT) 3 We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. 4 We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. 5 We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ.

Strongholds are not demons; they are places from which demons rule. Satan has a place of strength within unbelievers from which he can imprison or hold on to them strongly. They are prisoners. Luke 4:18 tells us that Yeshua came to “proclaim release to the captives.” We participate in the destruction of the “prisons” through prayer.

Knock down – καθαίρεσις kathaíresis, kath-ah’-ee-res-is; from G2507; demolition; figuratively, extinction:—destruction, pulling down….a pulling down, destruction, demolition

2 Cor. 10:3-5 (KJV) For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

God’s plan is for us to become demolition agents, tearing down satan’s strongholds through a systematic, ongoing, ‘one blow at a time’ war against the enemy’s strongholds in people’s lives. Our intercession may be strategically placing the dynamite of the Spirit for days, weeks or months. But every time we take up our spiritual weapons and use them against the strongholds of the enemy, we are placing our explosive charges in strategic places. Like demolishing buildings, eventually the strongholds will crumble to the ground and people will fall to their knees.

2 Cor. 10:3-5 (NASB) For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, 4 for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. 5 We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,

There are three major components of the fortress, or prison. These are the things we will begin to call out in prayer and demolish as we pray over individuals.

The first aspect of the stronghold is “imaginations/speculations – logismos.

This word speaks of human reasonings, wisdom or logic. It’s the sum total of the accumulated wisdom and information learned over time. Our prayers focus the attention of God’s powerful weapons on the logismos fortresses of satan in the minds of unbelievers. Speculations become what one really believes – the person’s mind-set. Other translations refer to them as “theories.” The word logismos includes philosophies (conscious or unconscious), religions, humanism, atheism, Judaism, materialism, roots of rejection, perversions, alcoholism, other addictions and anything that causes a person to think a certain way.

Logismos blind individuals and veil truth because when people hear the gospel, before they even have time to think or reason about what they’re hearing, it’s filtered through the subconscious or memory where all other information is stored. This means that unbelievers don’t hear only what we’re saying. They hear what we are saying plus what they already believe. What they hear is filtered through a belief system – a veil that causes them to hear something totally different than what we may be communicating to them. They simply do not see the same image of Messiah that we do. To clearly see Him is to love and want him.

We need to pray for people and ask the Holy Spirit to remove the veils and tear down the logismos, allowing them to see clearly. Perhaps you already know what these logismoi are in the people you are praying for. If not, ask the Holy Spirit to reveal them to you. When He does, call them by name, quoting 2 Cor. 10:3-5 saying, “In the name of the Lord, Messiah, Yeshua I am destroying you, stronghold of….” Do this regularly until those people come to Messiah.

The second part of the stronghold we must demolish is “every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God.”

High or lofty thing is the Greek word ὕψωμα hýpsōma, hoop’-so-mah; from G5312; an elevated place or thing, i.e. (abstractly) altitude, or (by implication) a barrier (figuratively):—height, high thing.

By disobeying God, humankind, like satan, exalted themselves to a place of equality with the Most High. We became however, not the Most High but our own most high, filled with pride. This word encompasses all mind-sets that exalt themselves against the knowledge of God and involve a desire to rule our own lives, decide for ourselves right and wrong and basically be our own god.
The good news is that we can also tear down this stronghold in people through prayer so they can humble themselves and bow their knees to Messiah.

A strategy is to begin praising the Lord that people are going to become a brother or sister in the Lord to us. Stop begging God but continue to thank Him for the work He will do the people’s lives we are praying for.

Pride is a desire to rebel against authority and rule our own lives. We need to tear this down and demolish this through intercession.

2 Cor. 10:3-5 (TLB) It is true that I am an ordinary, weak human being, but I don’t use human plans and methods to win my battles. 4 I use God’s mighty weapons, not those made by men, to knock down the devil’s strongholds. 5 These weapons can break down every proud argument against God and every wall that can be built to keep men from finding him. With these weapons I can capture rebels and bring them back to God and change them into men whose hearts’ desire is obedience to Christ.
The third aspect of strongholds involves taking “every thought captive to the obedience of Messiah.”
The word “thought” is noema, which also means plans, schemes, devices or plots. It refers to the spontaneous thoughts and temptations satan uses to assault the unbelievers, as well as the schemes and plans he uses to keep them in darkness. In prayer we must declare boldly that no weapon of satan’s will prosper. We must bind his plans and stand against them through prayer. We can and should pray that the unbeliever be shielded from satan’s thoughts and temptations.

We can turn unbelievers “from darkness to light and from the dominion of satan to God.” (Acts 26:18) We are called to enforce and make effectual the freedom Messiah procured. The unbeliever cannot war for himself. He cannot and will not overcome the strongholds of darkness, or understand the gospel until the veil lifts. Remember it is the Lord who is great and awesome and who fights for those we pray for.