29 Nov 08 (Week 1 on the theme 'Prayer & Intercession')

"Speaking the Word into Being"

(A) Summary of Susan's Sharing

1. Speaking the Word into Being. Tonight, Susan shared on the power of speaking the Word into being. We read Ephesians 1:16-23 aloud together, declaring it in the personal voice and appropriating it to ourselves. Isa. 55:11 says My word shall not return to Me void. Herein lies the power of appropriating the Word - as we declare and proclaim it in our lives, circumstances and on behalf of others, things change both in the spiritual and natural realms and the Lord's purposes are accomplished and His people are safeguarded. Other passages of scripture on prayer were also shared (below).

2. When you read scripture, declare & appropriate it. When you speak scripture aloud, you are like a candle lited up. Always invite the Spirit of God to bless our reading and grant understanding. Memorise scripture, which is food for the spirit. Matt 4:4 "Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds from the mouth of God." Chew on the Word and digest it into our spirit - let the Word sink deep and take root in us. Ps 1:2-3 "But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers."

3. Release the Word & speak blessing into every circumstance. Saturate your home and life with the constant declaration of God's truth and promises, even when you don't feel like it, and see how perspectives and circumstances soon begin to turn around (Heb 4:12). Susan shared a number of anecdotes on how this is so true. Also, focus on the positive side of things rather than the negative, and move forward and upward to God's higher calling....the best is yet to be...

Power depends not on the size of our faith, but on the surpassing greatness of our God. Faith even the size of a mustard seed can summon mountain-moving strength.

I am always amazed at the spontaneity of Susan's prayers and how scriptures are constantly evoked and spoken into being -

"God, El Shaddai has given us HIS will and testament when we became HIS children, we have a full inheritance Psalm103. Let's be diligent in meditating, muttering scriptures that are God's promises pouring HIS blessings upon us as we start using it all to bless (speaking) others, especially to our enemies. God desires that none should perish! We the temple of the Holy Spirit, our mouth-HIS mouthpiece-speaks life and light into everyone's (lovely+unlovely) lives and situation. Eph6:19 Pray for me.... Praise God, for HIS son JESUS who paid in full once and for all! Redeemed us who believes Galatians 3:13-14! No more curses or complaining as we are too blessed, to be stressed. Rejoice, in the LORD always..again: Rejoice...Hahaha Phil4:4 The blessings of Abraham WILL come upon us-Deut28:1-14.and overtake us.... There's much more HE wants to do in our prayer life 24X7, no where we can be banished that God cant go! To our God and Father be All glory and honor, for ever and ever, Amen."

(B) Suggested Reading
"School of Prayers" by Lance Lambert

(C) The Lord's Prayer as Pattern & Guide for our Prayers (Matt 6:9-13)
"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 the evil one."

(D) Verses Quoted in our Discussions

Ephesians 1:16-23
"...do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all."

Ephesians 3:20
"Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us..."

Hebrews 6:18
"Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us."

1 John 4:4
"You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world."

1 Chronicles 17:19-20
"O LORD, for Your servant’s sake, and according to Your own heart, You have done all this greatness, in making known all these great things. O LORD, there is none like You, nor is there any God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears."

James 5:16
"Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much."

Isaiah 55:11
"So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it."