Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Intercession

Intercession

I put on my armor this morning
     Each price lovingly placed.
A ritual, yet not a habit.
A daily occurrence,
     Sometimes with more thought than others.

Each piece examined,
     polished
     cleaned,
     repaired
                through prayer. But.......

today my armor seems heavy.
It seems too big for me,
it makes my heart ache. Lord,
     where is the repair for that?

Today I want to be a child again,
     with five stones 
                  and a slingshot
     or dancing with all my might
                  before your throne. Yet,

because of obedience, I put my armor in place.
Because of love I raise up to take my position
                   in Your unseen Army and 
the ache once again
causes intercession to begin.

8/6/86

Sunday, March 18, 2012

Are you Fighting the Right Enemy


Ephesians 6:12 KJV
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil. He gave us weapons to help us carry out His victory over satan. When the USA went to war in WWII we did not say it was Patton’s war or any other general’s war--it was America’s war. Everyone helped, men enlisted, women went to work in arenas they had never considered, kids planted victory gardens, everyone read the news, listened to the radio…It was OUR war. But the victor was the USA—and we all won. This is a war. This is our war.  We all need to be involved. Find out where the Lord wants you to serve. Help those around you. Realize this is our war and fight the right enemy. If Germany had gotten us to destroy ourselves with infighting we would not have won WWII. Satan wins skirmish after skirmish because we fight the wrong enemy—he has us fighting each other. Do not be deceived, we may lose an occasional battle but we will win the war.

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (AMP)
      For though we walk (live) in the flesh, we are not carrying on our warfare according to the flesh and using mere human weapons.
    4For the weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood], but they are mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds,
    5[Inasmuch as we] refute arguments and theories and reasonings and every proud and lofty thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God; and we lead every thought and purpose away captive into the obedience of Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One),

Is your wrestling is as effective as you would like? Or, in fact, you are beat up? Carrying baggage from the past? Wounded and fighting like a “one-armed-paper-hanger”? Some of you have some HUGE wounds that are leaking blood. Others have smaller ones that don’t appear to be too bad but you are hemorrhaging blood.

When Jen was little she was washing dishes (remember the days before electric dish washers? Back when kids were considered dish washers?) She was about 6. I was studying and heard her yell—nothing too serious, not blood curdling or anything. Jason went to check. He yelled that she had broken a glass and had a tiny cut. He offered to get a Band-Aid. They were laughing their heads off. I was busy studying and am pretty disciplined so I did not go in there but asked what they were laughing about. Jen said I should come look cuz it was really cool. I went and Jason headed for the Band-Aid. She was standing by the sink. With her right finger on her left wrist. I teased her that she wasn’t getting out of the dishes because of some little cut. I started cleaning up the glass. She said, “Look this is really cool.” and took her finger off the cut. It was small, not even a quarter of an inch but when she removed her finger blood spurted in a nice steady rhythm. Strong, steady about 10 inches into the air. She cracked up and put her finger back. She kept taking her finger off and watching the fountain then stopping it and laughing. I told her to press tight, got a wash cloth and my purse and we headed for the ER.

Just because someone’s hurt seems small to you doesn’t mean it isn’t life threatening to them. This wound was so small it only took 1 stitch but that one stitch kept her from bleeding to death. The thing is, the enemy of your soul wants to keep you bound by the past, by hurts, hemorrhaging blood so you cannot wage war against his minions. He wants you to focus on other peoples’ injury and dismiss it as not worthy of your attention.

The body is not your enemy. Infighting only gives a victory to the enemy of our Lord and Savior. Know your enemy—be aware of his tactics. 

Fight the right enemy and take the Kingdom by force.


Monday, March 12, 2012

Jewels in the Desert

We went to good friends for dinner last night. I love to go to their house. They live on a hill out in the country. When you come out of the house the sky is right there! I always feel like I could just reach up and grab a star. Mike showed me 2 planets without a telescope! While Mike drove home, I talked to God about how magnificent and how awesome I think He is in every area I can comprehend. 


When we went around one corner I saw the lights of the valley. I began to weep  and reminded God that the first time He showed me the lights He said, "These are my jewels in the desert. Pray salvation over every home. Warfare over the heavenlies. Change the atmosphere. Bring in the harvest." I wept and asked God if I had been diligent enough. Were my prayers making the difference they needed to make? I prayed for the families represented by each light. I prayed over the marriages, the children, the jobs, the incomes, the strongholds that have held this area. 


Then I looked the opposite direction and saw a lit cross. It had to be huge because it was far away. It was solid not just an outline. It was back up against a mountain. There were no other lights around it, no house, no church, just a cross shining in the dark rock. I heard the Lord say, "When someone comes to me this is what I see. The Cross and the Light of the Word shining in the dark rock of the world." What a beautiful sight that was.

What a beautiful sight you are. 

Sunday, March 11, 2012

It is a Lifestyle....

Intercession is a lifestyle for me. I have read about it, taught about it, been to seminars about it but in all reality it is who I am. Just like you, there are a lot of facets to my personality. But intercession is so much more than a facet to me. 

For a long time I thought that intercession was not important. But it turns out it is who I am and what I do. I suppose that was a reflection on what my self image was at that time and I finally realized that would be like saying that  breathing is not important to living.  

As I pray each day I get tidbits--they have taught me so many things about myself, people and my surroundings but most importantly they have taught me about God and how He loves us---

Drop in from time to time--let me know what you think--teach me, talk to me, offer me the privilege of praying for you.