When I spoke with Michael afterwards, I found out that they had a rather phenomenal time together. It doesn't matter whether the group is big or small, so long as the Lord is present... They also decided to pray in a refreshingly different way - instead of the usual manner of supplication, they declared and appropriated the truth and promises of God with fervour and belief. As a result, God and His promises became very real and they received them in full measure. Praying like this, taking authority as rightful sons and daughters of God, certainly does something to one's faith! Faith literally rises up from within...
This last Friday, the momentum continues...
Susan shared on prayer, specifically the kind of prayer where the things and truths of God are spoken and declared into being. The key is to speak it out. Susan talked about how people are often pursuing the so-called 'rhema word' or the word in season, not realising that the rhema word can also simply be your spoken declaration of the word and promises of God. Your declaration makes the word real in your space and time. Your proclamation in others' lives makes the word real in their lives. We are partners with God to release the Word of Life - the word becomes real when we declare and appropriate it.
(1) Declare (Release) the Word
We don't just think that our families will be saved. We believe (in our hearts) and confess (with our mouths) that our families are saved! And so on...
Some of us who have been enthusiastically devouring Dr Yonggi Cho's The Fourth Dimension, recounted how Cho was in an utterly inadequate capacity at the beginning of his ministry, and how he bottomed out and decided one fine day on to just stand up (even in front of a mirror) and began declaring the promises of the word. How such faith and belief would turn things around for us!
"Declaration breaks Oppression". Resist the subtle advances of the enemy. Don't allow him to keep gaining ground in our lives. Let's take up our rightful authority in Christ, come against the adversary and declare 2 Cor 2:14 - God always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him.
So...
let's Read the Word, Declare it aloud, Appropriate it (believing you have received it).
(2) Be Specific in Your Request
Being specific in prayer does reveal our level of trust in the Giver. When we know that the person we ask is able to provide, we tend to be serious in our asking and therefore are specific.
Of course, we could be asking for things from a covetous angle but this is a separate issue. On this, we need to check our motives and go on maturing as Christians, grounding ourselves on the Word and Inspiration of God. As we grow and mature as Christians, what we ask for will quite naturally be aligned with His will. This is the point where the grand promise in Ps 37:4 will come to pass - "Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart".
Sometimes, we are hesitant to pray specific prayers because we aren't quite sure if what we are asking for is in line with God's plan for us. So, there may be a tendency to keep our prayers general. This is a reasonable sentiment. The answer?
- Get to know God better and deeply through simple, daily spiritual disciplines, so we begin to understand His ways and plans more clearly.
- Wait on Him, focusing on Him more than the answer we are seeking.
- Let Him know our predicaments (even our struggle to pray specifically over something we are unsure about) and be totally open and honest with Him. He understands, and will give us peace and the way out.
In a more wonderful sense, when we are more utterly lost in wonder (of our infinite God), we may not worry too much about our style of prayer... our very lives become prayer and aroma rising up to Him.
3 passages of scripture were released on Friday. Let's receive these words into our lives. Let's declare these promises aloud, believing the reality or the realness of the message that these verses proclaim, in spite of our present realities or unbelief.
(a) Psalm 37:1-7
1 Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong;
2 for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away.
3 Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
4 Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.
5 Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this:
6 He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.
7 Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.
(b) 2 Cor 1:20
For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.
(c) 2 Cor 2:14
But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him.
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