Saints,
I came across a passage in Philemon the other day which caused me to ask God to use me just as he used Philemon. Has that happened to you? Have you ever read a bible passage that seemed to cause your heart to resonate? Here is the verse which arrested my attention,
Philemon 1:7 (NASB)
7 For I have come to have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.
7 For I have come to have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.
Yes, I unashamedly admit it—I desire that God would use me to refresh the hearts of believers. And not just stop there, but that God would ignite a fresh fire in every believer to be compelled to chase after God in prayer—real intercessory, prevailing, Holy Spirit power prayer! I pray that God would literally remove any addiction or besetting sin from every believer. I ask God that He would remove all divorce from the life of every believer—yes, I am very serious! I implore God to cause every gospel-preaching church whether 10 people strong or 10,000 people strong to be completely united in purpose to reach this world for Christ, to make disciples who make disciples, and to actively and regularly witness. I ask God that every church would be compelled to pray because they see the magnitude of their task and know-that-they-know they cannot do anything apart from Christ.
Dear brother and sister, as we look to 2011, please do not be deterred from your primary mission by political, financial, or societal happenings. Remember your primary task—to chase after God’s heart. Fix your eyes on Jesus. Ask him to clarify your heart on His purposes. Ask Him to grant you a passion for those things that He desires. Ask Him for His heart. May we move forward in a fresh passion—even a strong compelling to pray (real spiritual warfare—eternal consequence prayer), to witness, and to chase after knowing God more. All of this is to God’s glory, not our own! This is a believer’s purpose! Let us embrace it.
You may say, “Steve, to ask God to remove all divorce is too big a prayer.” Or, “To expect God to take away every believer’s addiction to sin is not practical.” Dear saint, I disagree. We have been given every spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
Ephesians 1:3 (NASB)
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,
We all must pray like this is true—the stakes are too high. I challenge you to pray God’s Word. Don’t falter on this. As intercessors we have a great responsibility, but how much greater is the God we pray to. Is He mighty to save or not? Can He remove sin or not? Can he reconcile broken marriages or not? Can He save this world or not? Yes, He can! This is the fight. Right at this point is the rub. Will we have the faith to believe that God can? If we will have this faith, then we will pray. Faith and prayer go hand in hand!
These are big prayers, I admit it. So, pray them with me! Let us not only pray with power but be used by God to ignite the hearts of other intercessors.
Yes, God awaken your church. She adores You. She worships You. She calls out to You for revival. Please use her whether in Asia, Africa, Iran, Canada, India, Pakistan, North Korea, Ireland, Uganda, or in Sterling, Wiggins, Denver, Colorado Springs, Karval, Norwood, Security, Fountain, Manitou Springs Colorado to impact this world for Christ, to witness and to make disciples, to set the captives free, to deter enemy efforts to steal, kill, and destroy. Jesus, may You be honored as the way the way, the truth, and the life in every person’s heart!
May God grant us a compelling passion to know Him more—to go deeper with God in prayer.
Compelled to pray and desperate for God, Steve
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