It is time to pray and fast for national revival for God’s presence to come and change the present atmosphere. We find ourselves as a nation in a similar crisis as in 1st Samuel. Eli did not pray and fast or refrain his sons from defilement. The Lord raises up Samuel, Samuel calls a fast, and Israel gets attacked by the Philistines (sometimes you still come under attack when you fast, it agitates the enemy!) Then just after another fast (1st Sam. 7:6) Israel demands a king and chooses one…we as a nation are in this same place…depending on who is elected we could open a wrong door morally and spiritually that we might not ever recover from. In lieu of this …Are you sensing the call that the Lord is putting out…. a call for intercessory prayer? Are you looking to get more involved on a prayer team in the evening? Do you want to pray with others that are like minded and pray intentional prayers for the same govermental purposes? Are you feeling the burden to intercede for the upcoming presidential elections? If you answered yes to any of the preceding questions ….we have the intercessory prayer team for you!!!! Below is a blog from Laura Kaino and Kathy Swapp who will be co-leading this team.

On 07-07-07, tens of thousands from across America will gather in Nashville to fast, pray and cry out to God for another Great Awakening!  40 years after the start of the Jesus Movement and 40 years after the rebellion of the Summer of Love, it’s time for a new generation to step forward and return to the Lord and to renew our covenant vows of love with Him.

In the Bible, the word for ‘oath’ literally comes from the word ’seven’ because they would repeat their vows seven times.  07-07-07 is a divine opportunity to divorce our false loves and remarry the Lord. 2007 is a covenant year for America, the 400th anniversary of the planting of the cross in Virginia.  We believe that if the Church will gather to fast and pray.  God will visit America in an historic awakening again. 

This is not a conference- it is a call to consecration with prayer, worship, and fasting. This is about impartation and  the necessity and value of intercession.  A govermental call to a holy war, a call to be radical lovers of Jesus, and a call to awaken your hearts to dream again.

Join us on Wednesdays as we prepare for this move of God by crying out for clean hands and pure hearts. The sancturay will be open @ 8:30AM on Wednesdays for prayer and seeking the Lord through out the day and will continue in our Wednesday Evening service @7:00PM.  

Section Two: Prayer as Intercession

Lesson Eight: Spirit-Directed Prayers

Praying with our human spirit and praying in the Holy Spirit involve several things (Eph. 6:18).

Praying with the Holy Spirit

Praying in the Holy Spirit first implies that we are praying in cooperation with the Holy Spirit. Praying with the Holy Spirit is to pray as He influences, prompts or stirs our hearts to pray. It is allowing the Holy Spirit to set our prayer agendas.

The Holy Spirit knows the heart of the Father. He knows what the Father wants to do on this earth. To pray with the Spirit is to allow Him to guide us to pray in line with God’s will. (Read 1 Corinthians 2:12.)

When I (Alice) was a teenager, I made every effort to read my daily Bible readings faithfully and to pray through the prayer calendar my church provided for me. However, there were times as I began to pray that I would be sidetracked into praying for nations, people or situations that weren’t on the list I had been given.

I felt like such a failure. Why couldn’t I focus? I would quickly capture my thoughts and retrain my mind to pray about the things I had been assigned.

Today I know what was happening. The Holy Spirit had found a teenage girl with a heart that desired to draw near to God. He knew I was committed to prayer. Furthermore, He knew what prayer issues God wanted me to address. He was the One who was leading me away from my list. He was the One who was guiding me to the issues that were on His heart.

Praying in the Spirit is to experience the intercession of the Spirit.

“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. —Ephesians 6:18″

What about the things on the list?

Those too were the Holy Spirit’s issues. I am convinced that He was prompting others to pray the things He was leading me to abandon at the time. The Lord is the great Conductor of God’s symphony of prayer. We must each play our part according to the movement of His divine baton.

Question: Describe a time when God directed you away from your prayer list and placed an urgency in your spirit to pray for something else. For what did He urge you to pray?

Did you discover later that He had directed you to pray in that way because of a specific need? Describe the need.

(No need to send us your answers. They are for your own study.)

More next week about the role of the Holy Spirit in our praying.

Blessings, Eddie and Alice “America’s prayer coaches”

In this section we will discover that:

* When we pray, we actually partner with the Spirit of the living God. * God does not hear prayers that are offered without faith! * Prayer and thanksgiving should be inseparable. * We cannot be effective prayer warriors unless we are effective Word warriors.

DID YOU KNOW THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT IS AN INTERCESSOR?   He is . . . “We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express” (Rom. 8:26).

We have the Holy Spirit, God’s divine intercessor, actually living inside us to teach us how to pray, to reveal God’s Word to us, to guide us into all truth and to actually pray for us!

What is an intercessor? The word intercede is from the Latin words inter, which means “between,” and cede, which means “to go.” To intercede means “to go between.” Between what? you may ask. As intercessors, we stand in the gap between what is (the need) and what should be (God’s will).

We intercede on behalf of people, crisis situations and nations. We also intercede for righteousness where we see unrighteousness, for mercy where we see unforgiveness, for love where we see hate, for grace where there is need, and so on. The Holy Spirit knows the gaps that the Father desires for us to fill. So He gives us a burden for that which we should pray.

Andrew Murray, the famous South African revivalist from the nineteenth century, describes how God breathes the life of Christ into our hearts through prayer:

“The Holy Spirit has been bestowed by the Father to breathe the very Spirit of His Son into our hearts. Our Lord desires us to yield ourselves as wholly to God as He did—to pray as He did, that God’s will of love would be done on earth at any cost. As God’s love is revealed in His desire for the salvation of souls, so also the desire of Jesus was made plain when He gave Himself for them. And He now asks that the same love would fill His people, too, so that they give themselves wholly to the work of intercession and, at any cost, pray down God’s love upon the perishing world.

Lest anyone should begin to think that this is beyond his reach, the Holy Spirit of Jesus is actually given into our hearts so that we may pray in His likeness, in His name, and in His power. It is the man who yields himself wholly to the leading of the Holy Spirit who will feel urged, by compulsion of a divine love, to surrender himself completely to a life of continual intercession, because he knows that it is God who is working in Him.

Now we can understand how Christ could give such unlimited promises of answer to prayer to His disciples: they were first going to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Now we understand how God can give such a high place to intercession in the fulfillment of His purpose of redemption. It is the Holy Spirit who breathes God’s own desire into us and enables us to intercede for souls.”

Although many feel that they must be good at praying, God requires only that we are available. If we will be faithful and step up to the plate, God will take our inaccuracies and inadequacies and hit a home run! When we pray, we actually partner with the Spirit of the living God! Our success in prayer is not based on how well we articulate the words of prayer, but simply whether we yield ourselves to the Holy Spirit so He can pray through us!

Are there times when you don’t even know how to pray for the things that burden you?

You will never miss the mark by praying the Scriptures. For example, if a riot had developed in your city after a rock concert, you could pray, “Lord, according to Your Word in Psalm 55:9, ‘Confuse the wicked, O Lord, confound their speech, for I see violence and strife in the city.’ And now I stand in the gap for the youth of our town, that they will see You as their salvation and help.”

Continue to ask God for breakthrough until you feel His peace.

Question: Please read the following Scriptures and list some situations in which you could pray using these verses. Psalm 91:5–7; Psalm 91:11–13; Colossians 1:13–14; 2 Timothy 1:7

Paul encourages us to “pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests” (Eph. 6:18). He set the example for us, because he practiced what he preached.

In 1 Corinthians 14:15, Paul explained, “I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind.” Jude 20 says, “But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.”

Until next week,

Eddie and Alice “America’s prayer coaches” ==========================================

Alice’s classic best-seller, Beyond the Veil: Finding Intimacy With God Through Prayer, is read in multiple languages in nations around the world. It has been described as a dressing room to equip the saints. Chapter after chapter Alice Smith teaches us about the lifestyle of intercession as she draws readers from the Outer Court of “self” into the Holy of Holies of “intimate intercession.” It will usher you into new dimensions of spiritual relationship with our heavenly Bridegroom, Jesus Christ! Order your copy at: http://tinyurl.com/k6shu

“. . . rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer . . .” — Romans 12:12, KJV

Too often prayer is our last resort rather than our first response. The apostle Paul challenged the Christians in Rome to be instant in prayer (Rom. 12:12, KJV). The next time you hear the whine of an ambulance’s siren or hear the report of a tragedy on the television news or listen to a troubled person pour out his heart to you, ask yourself, “How am I to pray?”

Do you think you are too busy to pray? Even nature needs to pay attention to the needs around it. Some years ago, many hives of bees were brought from a cold climate to the tropical island of Barbados. Right away the bees went to work, gathering honey for the winter, which their instinct taught them to expect. The winter didn’t come, however, and the bees became lazy. They stopped gathering honey. They spent their time flying about and stinging people. Those who do not produce anything else usually produce trouble.

Let’s not be church whiners, or those who sting with gossip and division. Let’s be producers—producers of effective and targeted prayers for the good of humanity and the glory of God.

Let’s Think About It (Record your answers for your own reflection. No need to turn them in to us.)

Describe a time when you felt God was directing you to pray about something specific.

How did you respond to His promptings?

We learned the past several weeks about the importance of perseverance in prayer.

Describe a time when you prayed for something for a long time. What happened?

Can you think of a time when you prayed consistently for something, but the answer never came?

Why do you think your prayer was not answered?

We have learned about three kinds of people who do not pray. Describe why these types of people might not see their need for a prayer life.

1. A strong person

2. A satisfied person

3. A slothful person

Jesus said that He did nothing except what He saw the Father doing. How does this apply to your prayer life?

Your Time With God

In these lessons we learned some of the characteristics of prayer. Our method of praying should always be genuine, current and persistent. Remember what George Müller said. When he was persuaded that something was the will of God, he would never give up praying for it until the answer came.

Your loving heavenly Father is ready to hear and answer your prayers. Take time today to share your deepest burdens with the Lord. Pour out your heart freely as you express your desire for a closer and more intimate walk with Him. Ask God to teach you how to pray.

Why don’t you read aloud this prayer to the Lord?

“Lord Jesus, I am so happy to know You as my Lord and Savior. I long to know You better. Forgive me if I’ve felt intimidated in Your presence.

I want to be like the men and women of old who believed You for great things and saw them happen. I desire to pray current, genuine and persistent prayers. I want to live a clean life so You can use me.

Fill me with Your Holy Spirit, and empower me to pray the kinds of prayers that matter to the kingdom of God. Give me strength to resist believing that You don’t care about my needs or burdens, because I know You do care. You love me unconditionally, and I happily receive Your love, grace and encouragement to keep on keeping on.

I surrender to Your will for my life today, Lord.

In Jesus’ name, amen.”

Next week we’ll begin to look at the prayer ministry called “Intercession.”

Eddie and Alice “America’s prayer coaches”

Humility is an important secret to answered prayer. Prayer rising from a prideful heart is vanity. James writes to us, “But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble’” (James 4:6).

No one wants to plead a case in heaven’s court against God! Yet that is exactly the case of one who prays pridefully. God opposes him! Paul urged Timothy to recognize the peril of becoming prideful and arrogant:

But mark this: “There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God — having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.” —2 Tim. 3:1–5

Some people who are filled with pride and arrogance do pray. Their prayers no doubt sound like that of the proud Pharisee in Luke 18.

But there are several kinds of people who don’t pray. For example:

Strong people

Strong people don’t pray because the very essence of prayer is weakness and dependency. Our generation is so concerned about building our “self-esteem” that we have become like the church in Laodicea. In Revelation 3:17, Jesus said to that church, “You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.” The Laodiceans were too proud to realize how needy they really were.

Satisfied people

Satisfied people don’t pray because prayer is an attempt to see things change. Intercessors, God’s praying people, live in a state of holy discontentment. They are seldom satisfied with the status quo. They are visionaries who can see what things ought to be and labor in prayer until they see them come to pass.

Slothful people

Lazy people don’t pray because prayer is work. It’s much easier for us to turn our head, ignore the responsibility God has given us and hope for the best, than it is to draw aside and appeal a case in heaven’s court. For a lazy person, not praying is far easier than praying. Words that are often connected with the work of prayer include struggle, travail, wrestle and watch — all of which denote effort.

1. Read Galatians 4:19. Why do you think prayer is sometimes compared to childbirth?

2. Read Isaiah 62:6–7. What does the Bible say to those who are God’s watchmen?

3. Read Ephesians 6:12–17. How does the apostle Paul describe prayer?

When we pray, God works. But many of us don’t have faith to believe. We’d rather believe that when we work, God works. Because we think God puts a premium on our work, rather than on our prayer, we put our emphasis on our work (which we can control and for which we can receive credit) rather than on God’s work (which we can’t control and for which only He receives glory)!

Hudson Taylor, the noted missionary servant of the historic revival in China, once said, “You can work without praying, but that is a rather bad plan. You will, however, never be able to pray seriously without working.”

Along the same line, evangelist Billy Graham said, “First pray . . . then work! That’s the order of God. From one end of the Bible to the other, we find the record of people whose prayers have been answered — people who turned the tide of history by prayer, men who prayed fervently and whom God answered.”

The bottom line is this: God is not impressed with our work; He is only impressed with His own work. And He has directly linked His work with our prayer. Yes, God has chosen prayer as a link between Him and man in order to carry out His will and purpose for creation. God literally performs His miraculous work through us in prayer!

Jesus knew this very well. He said, “I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day” (John 9:4, KJV). Jesus saw His role on earth as doing His Father’s work, not His own. He said, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does” (John 5:19).

If Jesus could do nothing by Himself, wouldn’t the same be true of us? In order for us to do the works of the Father, we must receive His instructions. We will, as Jesus did, receive the Father’s instructions in prayer.

Doesn’t it just drive you crazy when small children ask over and over again for the same things? It may bother us, but most of the time we honor the pleas of our babies. Your heavenly Father never tires of hearing your ongoing prayers, and He loves to bless His children. Real prayer is continuous, not a hit-or-miss proposition.

Frequency reveals priority. The fact that we eat three times a day proves that eating is very important to us. Prayer was a high priority to Jesus. How do we know? Because He prayed frequently. It is said, “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed” (Luke 5:16, emphasis added).

As gasoline fuels our automobiles, prayer should fuel our lives. The apostle Paul summarized it in two words: “Pray continually” (1 Thess. 5:17)! The King James Version says it this way: “Pray without ceasing.” You can and should pray any time, any place. The apostle Paul suggested that we never cease praying. It should be a nonstop, two-way conversation throughout the day.

PAUL PRAYED—ALWAYS

As you might expect, Paul practiced what he preached! He prayed continually for others as the following verses describe:

“But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord. . .” —2 THESSALONIANS 2:13

“God, whom I serve with my whole heart in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you in my prayers at all times . . .” —ROMANS 1:9–10

“We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers. We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.” —1 THESSALONIANS 1:2–3

Those who “prayed in” Pentecost prayed constantly: “They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers” (Acts 1:14).

When Peter was in prison, the church prayed for him without ceasing. “Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him” (Acts 12:5, KJV). If New Testament saints practiced the secret of continual prayer, shouldn’t we?

Prayer is Specific

A friend of ours recently went through a difficult illness, which included an extended hospital stay. Rather than simply praying for her healing, she asked the doctors each day exactly what it was that they needed to see happen next.

They would tell her the primary immediate issue, and she and her family and friends spent the day asking God for that one specific thing to happen. She was healed and released more quickly than her doctors ever expected!

Too often our vague generalities in praying hinder our receiving heaven’s answers. We seem hesitant to say exactly what we really want. If you desire to see answers to your prayers in a greater measure, learn to pray specifically for what you need.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God… And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” —Phil. 4:6, 19

In many cases our failure to pray specific prayers prevents us from receiving God’s blessings.6 For example, someone who is about to be evicted from their apartment because they are behind in their rent may ask for God’s blessings instead of asking for $967, which is the actual amount of the past due rent! We receive not, because we ask not!

Question: What do you need God to do in your life or in the life of someone close to you?

Write down one very specific request for which you need to pray, and then pray it now. (If you are doing this Bible study in a group, share your prayer requests with each other.)

Great lesson next week!

2. Persistence in prayer gives God time to make adjustments. Persisting in prayer may be necessary because God is reshaping us. Sometimes God delays giving us His answer while He makes adjustments in our lives. Your waiting on the Lord is sometimes necessary because the Lord is waiting on you. (Read 1 Samuel 1:10.11.)

He may be testing your faith, your sincerity and your desire. (Read 2 Chronicles 7:14.15; Isaiah 64:1.2, 7; Hebrews 11:6.)

This was certainly the case with the prophet Elijah, who prayed until it rained. He had to send his servant out seven times to look for a rain cloud before it appeared (1 Kings 18:43).

3. Persistence in prayer removes demonic resistance. Sometimes demonic resistance requires persevering prayer. We call this spiritual warfare (Eph. 6:11.12). It was certainly true for Daniel. (Read Daniel 10.) Daniel prayed and fasted for three weeks. During that time God revealed many things to him about the last days. These revelations were so great that Daniel fell on his face trembling. The angel of God strengthened him, because demonic princes were opposing Daniel’s prayers.

Understand that all prayer is war! Many of us give up the fight before winning the battle! The angel told Daniel that although God had heard his prayer the first day, it required twenty-one days of persistent prayer with fasting for God’s angel to get through with the answer!

Persistence is continuing or staying with a job until it is done.

In honor of my (Eddie) grandfather Rufus Smith, who drove the last steam engine on the Frisco Railroad before his retirement in the late fifties, I would like to tell the following true story of persistence in prayer.

On the front page of the “Endeavor World” a few years ago was the picture of an engineer about to mount an engine. Beneath the picture was this statement: “George Bemis, of Indianapolis, is here shown about to board his engine for his last run after fifty-three years of service with the Big Four Railroad. In all that time he has not had a single accident.

But the quality of his service may be judged from the fact that he never made a run without first kneeling in the cab of his engine and praying that the Lord might help him to bring the passengers to their journey’s end. He was seventy years old when he retired with this unique record.

God’s Word speaks:

Elijah said to his servant, “Go up now, look toward the sea.” So he went up and looked, and said, “There is nothing.” And seven times he said, “Go again.” —1 Kings 18:43, NKJV

“Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” —Ephesians 6:11–12, NKJV

There is simply no substitute for persistent prayer!

1. Question: List a few things for which you have been praying a long time.

2. What one thing will you commit to pray for persistently until the Lord answers or releases you from asking?

Until next week, Eddie and Alice “America’s prayer coaches”

Lesson Two: Prayer is Current and Persistent (Part One)

Prayer is as current as today’s newspaper. It is as real as this book you are holding and as fresh as the breath you are now breathing. In fact, we hope this book will help move you toward the place where prayer becomes your breath! Praying about current events can be fun and powerful.

Sometimes the prayer assignments are serious and difficult. In 1997 several of our closest church families gathered to pray about a serial killer who had committed five murders in the city of Houston. On that particular Wednesday night the children and youth joined the adults in fervent intercession for this man to be captured prior to the ten o’clock news.

Later that night as we prepared for bed, suddenly from another room we heard our youngest daughter, Ashlee, squeal with delight. As we rushed to see what had happened, she was jumping up and down in the living room pointing at the television. “They caught him! They caught him!” she shouted. The news reporter explained that at about 8:45 P.M. that evening, the police had received an anonymous tip as to where the killer was hiding. When they arrested the man, they were able to verify immediately that he was the murderer, for in his pocket was the class ring of the man he had murdered the night before.

For current and engaging prayer breakthroughs to occur like this one, we may have to lay aside some of the old habits of prayer we have learned. It’s time to risk, stretch and ask God for new and fresh approaches to prayer. Contrary to what you may feel or have been taught, not all of your prayer assignments will require years to complete!

In our formative years, sometimes we heard it taught that to pray twice for the same thing was a sign of unbelief. We were even taught that it was “vain repetitions” (Matt. 6:7, NKJV). But that’s not true! Let’s all learn to dig deeper into the Scriptures and not believe everything we’re taught— or everything we read, for that matter—until we confirm it through the Word of God.

Christ taught us to pray repeatedly and persistently when He said: “Ask [keep on asking] and it will be given to you; seek [keep on seeking] and you will find; knock [keep on knocking] and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” —MATTHEW 7:7–8 ==========================================

WHAT GOD’S WORD TELLS US ABOUT PRAYING

Pray persistently

Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, saying: “There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man. Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ‘Get justice for me from my adversary.’ And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, ‘Though I do not fear God nor regard man, yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.’” —LUKE 18:1–5, NKJV

Pray earnestly

“And being in agony, He [Jesus] prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” —LUKE 22:44, NKJV

Pray always

“Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.” —EPHESIANS 6:18, NKJV ===========================================

In Matthew 26:44 we read that Jesus “left them [His disciples] and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.” Jesus was not the only person in Scripture who prayed for the same thing three times. The apostle Paul also prayed for the same thing three times: “Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me.” —2 Cor. 12:8, NKJV

We must understand that all prayer is war!

Perseverance is a primary requirement for effective prayer. The British intercessor George Muller said, “When once I am persuaded that a thing is right, I go on praying for it till the end comes. I never give up till the answer comes. The great fault of the children of God is that they do not continue in prayer. They do not persevere. If they desire anything for God’s glory, they should pray until they get it.”

Anything less than persistent prayer is lifeless prayer.

Why is persistence so important? There are at least three reasons persistence in prayer may be necessary.

• Persistence in prayer sets the stage for His response.

God often postpones His answer in order to prepare the person or the situation for which we are praying to receive His response. (Read Luke 22:31.32; Acts 2:14, 32.33.)

Charles H. Spurgeon said, “We must be careful not to think that delays in prayer are denials. Unanswered prayers are not blown away by the wind; they are treasured in the King’s archives where every prayer is recorded.”

(More on persistent prayer next week!)

See ya then,

Eddie and Alice “America’s prayer coaches” ===========================================

Intercessors, like “spiritual defense attorneys,” plead the cases of others in prayer before God’s throne. Eddie and Alice present their readers fresh insights into effective intercessory prayer as they view it through “another lense.” The Advocates: How to Plead the Case of Others in Prayer may be their most unique book yet! For more info, or to order goto: http://tinyurl.com/bgt7f