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It is no surprise that Israel is a source of division and contention, both in the world and in the Church. It has always been so. For reasons, one could look to the unique geographic place of the nation, a bridge of land between warring empires for millennia. Or one could look to the exclusivist monotheism of the Jewish faith that set it apart through the ages. Modern analysts can perhaps look to the deep-seated antagonism between Jew and Arab as an outgrowth of tribal hatreds born centuries ago, even reaching back to the children of the Patriarch Abraham. Christianity’s emergence from the root of Israel has led to a confusion of relationship that has shifted like sand through the years, ranging from love and respect to outright persecution. Though all of these points are true to some extent, I believe there is a spiritual source, literally a demonic one that underlies the controversy. From the beginning, the great adversary, Satan has hated the Jewish people. They were the ones, chosen by God through which the purposes of God were to be carried out on planet earth. It was through the Jewish people that God’s redemptive plan for mankind was to be enacted, thereby assuring Satan of defeat. The persistence and ferocity of anti-Semitism through the centuries can only be explained by a supernatural force. Satan has tried to destroy the out-working of God’s grace by destroying the people God would use to demonstrate His greatest grace upon and through. From Haman to Hitler  might be a good, if chilling title to a book about the deadly nature of anti-Semitism. In the biblical days of Esther and her uncle Mordecai, the Jews faced an enemy in the person of a Babylonian official named Haman whose desire was to have all the Jews killed. Though Haman perished, the spirit behind his deadly schemes did not. History records again and again how hatred against the Jewish people erupted into violence and persecution. In recent history, the efforts of Hitler and his Nazis to eliminate all European Jews during the Holocaust was such a monstrous act that it is hard to imagine such large scale murder apart from demonic involvement. Certainly Christians who pray for Israel will want to deal significantly with issues of spiritual warfare on behalf of the Jewish people. This may be hard for some to believe, but even praying for Israel can be a point of controversy for followers of Christ. The significance of the existence of the modern State of Israel is a point hotly disputed among Christians. I am guessing that the majority of those reading this article, are those who believe that the founding of the State of Israel in 1948 was an astonishing fulfillment of biblical prophecy and that events surrounding Israel are key to understanding the Last Days. That is certainly my view! But I have many godly friends who hold firmly to the Word of God who believe differently. I am not here to convince people to my view, but to present effective ways to pray for Israel. Those who do not see modern Israel as a fulfillment of prophecy may well not have the sense of urgency to pray for Israel, but my encouragement to them is still to pray. At the very least, all Christians can join together in obedience to the biblical admonition to pray for the peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6). What does it mean to pray for the peace of Jerusalem? First I would suggest that a prayer for the peace of Jerusalem is not confined to the city alone, but includes the whole nation of Israel. In Old Testament times, the capital city of Jerusalem represented the entire nation. When times of trouble came, much of the nation came inside the walls of Jerusalem for protection. So, then, how do we pray for Jerusalem (Israel)? Certainly there is the aspect of protection from war, violence and terrorism that we would all desire for Israel. While it appears prophetically that there will come a time when God’s hand of protection is withdrawn for a time from Jerusalem, until that time we are to pray for God’s peace. This aspect of peace involves a cessation of hostility and attack. If, in spite of our prayers, it appears that violence still occurs, we can only imagine to what extent there would be unbridled violence without our prayers. In one way, Jerusalem will never completely know peace, until the Prince of Peace comes (again) to reign. There is however, a peace that comes to the human heart when Jesus is made Lord of that heart and life. I believe it essential that we pray for the peace of Christ to come into many hearts in Israel. It is this peace that will comfort and endure, even through times of great trial and tribulation. On the first Sunday in October of each year, many in the Church come together for the International Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem. If your church has not become involved in this prayer event, please check out their website at: www.daytopray.com . Praying for the peace of Jerusalem is so much more than a one day event, but this day of prayer can help ignite your prayers for the rest of the year on Israel’s behalf. Psalm 122:6: “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: ‘May those who love you be secure.’” With Israel having a central role politically, religiously, and prophetically in the Middle East, much effective intercession needs to be made on her behalf. My friend, Sandra Teplinsky, in her book  Why Care About Israel?  gives us some ways to pray for Israel: Blessing and strengthening of those in true spiritual authority Outpouring of grace leading to repentance for unsaved Jews and Arabs Revival and maturity in the Israeli body of Messiah Blessing and wisdom for government authorities and others in leadership God’s sending and sustaining of laborers into Israeli harvest fields, opening doors for Messianic Jewish aliyah (return) Sending of resources to the Messianic community in Jerusalem and the rest of Israel by believers in the nations Jerusalem’s (Israel’s) protection from enemy attack, physical and spiritual Jerusalem’s (Israel’s) enemies to be delivered from darkness into light Your particular nation’s blessing of Jerusalem and Israel The nations’ recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s eternal capital city Protection from the spirit of antichrist The fulfillment of Jerusalem’s redemptive purpose on earth as the City of the Great King, a city of peace that blesses the nations The gift of intercessory tears to be shed on her behalf until these things come to pass I love the balance of these intercessory pleas on behalf of Israel. There is no attempt here to accept everything that the modern State of Israel does as an act endorsed by God. Israel is a secular state that has made many mistakes. Nor is there anything that demonizes the opponents of Israel. Instead, in prayer, we choose to align ourselves with God’s redemptive and prophetic purposes to use Israel as an important part of what God is doing and is going to do on planet earth. Praying for Israel is ultimately about asking God to use this tiny nation to bring Him glory and to use the Jewish people to bring about His purposes as He has so many times in the past. God uses our prayer for Israel to advance His Kingdom and to bring honor to His Son, Israel’s largely unrecognized Messiah. Because your prayers for Israel are such a critical part of God’s end-time purposes, these prayers are to become more intense as the time approaches. I believe that the day and night prayer movement that began about ten years ago and continues to intensify is in itself, a sign of the approaching end of days. This 24-7 prayer movement is an act of obedience and fulfillment of the command of Scriptures: “You who call on the Lord, give yourselves no rest, and give Him no rest till He establishes Jerusalem and makes her the praise of the earth” (Isaiah 62:6-7). The ten days of day and night prayer in Jerusalem before Pentecost launched the Church in its mission two thousand years ago. In the early 1700’s, the 100 year day and night prayer meeting of the Moravians began the modern missions movement. I believe the current day and night prayer movement will usher in the fulfillment of the missi on of the Church, the glorious appearing of Christ. A Prayer God of Israel, how amazed I am at the way You have brought Your people back into the land of promise. In our day we have watched with our own eyes as You have restored Jerusalem to Your people Israel and, against all odds, have brought into being a nation that many have said could never exist again. Now Lord, pour out that spirit of grace and supplication upon Jerusalem (Zech. 12:10). May Jesus be recognized as Messiah by His own people. Bring peace to Jerusalem as the Prince of Peace is enthroned upon the hearts of the Jewish people and all who dwell in the land. Taken from  Prayer and the End of Days by Dave Butts – Church Prayer Leaders Network  (C) 2010 PrayerShop Publishing. Used by permission.

No one would argue that Christian service is important. Serving on teams and developing programs that help the church carry out its mission is vital. But we tend to be so activity-oriented that we often forget that the heart of Christianity is a relationship with a person, the person of Jesus Christ. This essential relationship often takes a backseat to our Christian service. Restoring this missing element in our prayer lives will rejuvenate us spiritually and enable us to carry on in our service to the Lord. There is a lot of discussion today about burnout in the church. Among those who serve and care and give of themselves, there seems to be a point of breakdown. An exhaustion, physically and emotionally as well as spiritually, saps them of their strength to continue service. I believe that many of the problems relating to burnout can be overcome by a restoration of relationship of intimacy with God in prayer. We are not the only ones who desire an intimate relationship. From Genesis to Revelation we read of a God who loves His people and desires to have fellowship with them. Since this is such an important matter to God, it also needs to be high on our list of priorities. As we commit ourselves to grow in intimacy with God through prayer, it is important that we examine biblical accounts of those who had this intimate walk with Him. It will help us better grasp how special a close relationship can be. How to Grow in Intimacy David provides one of the best examples of intimacy with God in prayer. In spite of his sins and problems, David longed for intimacy with the Lord. Feel David’s passion in this Psalm: “O God, my God! How I search for you! How I thirst for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water. How I long to find you! How I wish I could go into your sanctuary to see your strength and glory, for your love and kindness are better to me than life itself. How I praise you! I will bless you as long as I live, lifting up my hands to you in prayer. At last I shall be fully satisfied; I will praise you with great joy. I lie awake at night thinking of you— of how much you have helped me—and how I rejoice through the night beneath the protecting shadow of your wings. I follow close behind you, protected by your strong right arm” (Psalm 63:1-8 TLB). David cries out for God, expressing his desire for intimacy with Him. Could it be that we are not intimate with God because we either don’t want to be or lack the passion to seek after Him wholeheartedly? Have we never gotten thirsty enough to desire Him and Him alone? Are our lives so saturated with things and activities that we have never really missed being alone with God? Perhaps our prayer needs to be, “God, create a longing within me for You! Make me thirsty for the living water that is in You.” How can we grow in this area of intimacy and develop such a passion for God? Here are some practical ideas to help us get started: 1. Spend more time with God.  This may seem overly simple; however, how many of us, in our busy lives (including our service for the Lord), are willing to spend more time seeking to know the Lord in prayer? So often we rush into His presence with our long lists that are usually focused on us and those we know…and rush out again into the busyness of life. On a purely human level, when we are growing in our love for someone, we want to spend more and more time with that person. It is the same with the Lord. The more we know Him the more we will want to be with Him. This relationship requires something of us – a sacrifice of time that allows love to grow and deepen. 2. Spend time with people who are in love with God.  Wouldn’t it have been amazing to spend time with David as he worshiped and prayed? In addition to learning from him, I think his passion would be contagious. That kind of desire shows in the lives of those, like David of old, who love the Lord, especially in the way they pray and worship. Find the people who are chasing God wholeheartedly and love Him desperately – and hang around them! 3. Get to know God more in His Word.  There’s no better place to begin your walk of intimacy with the Lord than in the pages of His Word. The Bible is not just intended to give us facts and doctrine (though it does that very well). Its purpose is to reveal God. Jesus criticized the Pharisees because they studied the Bible, which spoke of Jesus, but would not come to Him. Use the Bible as a place of prayer. We need to allow scripture to teach us more about our great God. As the Word of God teaches you something about the nature of God, stop and praise God for what you just learned about Him. Meditate on all that He is as you find out new ways of knowing Him. Praying through the Bible should be one of the greatest experiences of your life. Pray John 17:26 This is a prayer request that will change your life! At the close of His great high priestly prayer, Jesus prays to His Father on behalf of His disciples: “I have made You known to them, and make You known in order that the love You have for Me may be in them and that I Myself may be in them.” How much does God the Father love Jesus the Son? We cannot even begin to imagine, can we? Yet, Jesus prayed that the love the Father has for Him would be in us. Because this is a biblical prayer, from the very lips of our Lord, we know that it is a prayer according to God’s will. And if we pray according to God’s will, we know that He will answer that prayer. What a great prayer for us to pray every day of our lives: “Father, I pray that You will help me to love Jesus as You love Him, that Your love for Jesus may be in me.” Imagine how our love for the Lord will grow as we pray this prayer and as God begins to answer. More on intimacy with God: Creating an Atmosphere for the Presence of Jesus Time in the Tent The Discipline of Solitude in Everyday Life Aloneness in Prayer Hearing God in Silence 6 Simple Ways to Deeper Intimacy with God through Prayer

The phone call from my doctor was a surprise to my wife Kim and me. We knew something was amiss with my health, but we had no idea the seriousness of it. It’s amazing how one phone call with unexpected news can realign our best-laid plans. The Lord has amazing timing! For several months prior, I had been pulling together resources and studying Scripture to write a devotional book on prayer, peace, and the presence of Christ. By the time I sat down to write, that peace was far more than just a topic to study. It was now an integral part of my life. I had no idea how important the truth of Philippians 4:7 would become to me: “The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” God Knows I often withdraw to other places to write, and I did so for this devotional book. The Holy Spirit was clearly at work as I wrote. It seemed like the devotionals flowed from my heart and mind as I wrote for several days. Then came the call I had been waiting for regarding medical tests a week earlier. The results showed that I have a rare form of cancer called B-cell mantle lymphoma. I confess that the writing stopped for some days while Kim and I scoured the Internet to discover all we could about this disease. As we learned about the rarity of this cancer—and often discovered things we didn’t want to know—God’s peace never left us. Now I’m back to writing again, this time about God’s peace in an imperfect world. Through His Word, God prepared me with His peace for the news I received. Far more than just an academic topic, His peace is a reality. It is a precious gift we have received, and we thank Him for it. On Guard This peace from God is beyond understanding. A cancer diagnosis typically brings much fear and anxiety—and I confess I have had anxious thoughts. But in a way I cannot understand or begin to explain, God’s amazing peace guarded our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. I think the key word is guard. Anxious thoughts and fears do arise. But God, through Christ, has supernaturally set a guard upon our hearts. This guard—awake and alert—prevents the natural thoughts and fears from gaining a foothold. Our minds and emotions do not have to be subservient to the circumstances around us. The peace of God is a strong guard that protects us and allows us to overcome a situation through the thoughts that come from Him. The key to all this is desiring God’s peace and asking for it. We can read Philippians 4:7 and feel good about the potential for peace. But if we do not receive it into our lives through prayer and faith, we are allowing this truth to be nothing more than a nice thought. God’s peace is available for all followers of Christ if we will ask and receive. Then we can cultivate His peace through a life of intimacy in prayer and studying the Word. As I began my cancer treatments, a good friend wrote to assure me of his prayers. He asked how I was doing, then he followed up his question with “Really, how are you doing?” This was my response: “Alan, How am I doing? That’s harder to answer than you might think. Everything radically changed in my life with the diagnosis of a stage IV rare form of lymphoma. The things I thought were critical are not so critical. All my speaking engagements are either cancelled or put on hold. For a guy who has spent his career living by the calendar, the calendar is irrelevant, except for doctor visits. But how am I doing? Hate to say it this way, but I’m in an amazing place! God is so good to me. I’m experiencing His peace day by day and He has removed any and all anxiety from me. The only tears I have shed have come not from cancer, but from the amazing care and love shown by the Body of Christ. God’s people have provided finances, care, and above all, an avalanche of prayer that covers me continually. I am in an amazing place! Even ministry-wise, I am able to write and connect with prayer leaders around the nation and even the world. I’m convinced that this temporary illness will sharpen me for far greater effectiveness in ministry and compassion than ever before. I do believe it is “an illness not unto death,” but even if I’m wrong, I can’t lose on this one. I don’t pretend to enjoy what I’m going through. The chemo last week was really intense because I have a very aggressive cancer. I’m paying the price for it this week. And in two more weeks I get to do the whole thing over again, for 6–8 cycles. Then we see whether the chemo killed the cancer or it killed me. I’m believing the cancer is going down! How am I doing? I certainly cannot complain. I am on a journey with the Lord that is exciting and daunting at the same time. I am already watching Him do some amazing things and am committed to keeping my eyes open and to learning more of His ways as we go together. Thanks for asking. Didn’t mean to get carried away. I appreciate your prayers and friendship. Blessings! Dave” The only way I can explain the ability to deal with cancer is the supernatural peace that Christ gives to His followers. Jesus said to us, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27). This kind of peace is not a temperament type, nor is it the result of carefully cultivating a peaceful lifestyle. It is a gift from God to be received. And it is an important aspect of God’s will for each of us. The peace that Jesus speaks of is closely associated with His presence. The 23rd Psalm is a favorite for many people. It has become life-giving for me. You see, I am walking through the valley of the shadow of death. Though I firmly believe I will experience physical healing, the truth is that I currently am in stage IV lymphoma—and death shadows me. But like King David, I can say that I am not afraid. The reason? Because Jesus is walking with me through this valley. The rod and the staff that comfort me (Ps. 23:4) are symbols of a king and a shepherd. My King and Shepherd is walking with me—and that provides perfect peace regardless of outward circumstances. Benefits of Walking in Peace Kim and I have discovered the amazing benefits of peace as it impacts others. Many people who are struggling with illness or other difficulties have shared ways our peace in our circumstance has encouraged them in whatever they are facing. Several of the medical staff at the hospital told us that they look forward to our every-three-week stay because we don’t come in complaining. They notice the way we are filled with joy—and that has opened the doors for us to pray with nurses and share about Jesus. With God’s peace, despite serious illness, you can focus on others and on ministry to the Lord. There are other by-products of this peace: Peace gives rise to worship. I often find myself up in the early hours of the morning, walking and worshiping the Lord. My infirmities have allowed me to be more compassionate toward others who are struggling with illness. My appreciation for the prayers of others on my behalf has led me to greater prayer for others. God has been so gracious to me in this time of illness. The prayers of thousands and the release of the power of God, along with the best of medical science, have brought me rapidly to remission. Though the medical community says that mantle cell lymphoma is “incurable,” I worship a God who doesn’t recognize that word. My trust and hope is in Him for complete healing. But the Lord also provides peace and strength to deal with what amounts to a chronic disease. Ministry continues unabated and with even greater effectiveness because of the peace God has given to Kim and me. The presence of Jesus brings peace to whatever circumstances any of us are walking through. As we daily draw near to the Lord and commit ourselves to deeper intimacy with Him, His peace becomes a guard that banishes fear and gives joy. When the Prince of Peace reigns in believers, a supernatural peace marks their lives—and that speaks volumes to the world! –This article is based on the book,  Prayer, Peace and the Presence of God  and appeared in Prayer Connect, Issue 31, Hope for a World in Turmoil.

My favorite Bible story is found in 2 Kings 6. It is the story of the prophet Elisha and his involvement in the war between Israel and the Arameans. The king of the Arameans had declared war against Israel, which wasn’t a good thing for Israel with its smaller army. The Aramean king called his generals together and gave them the battle plans for the attack on Israel. The one thing that the king hadn’t planned on was that God was listening to the strategy as well. He told Elisha the enemy plans, who then immediately passed the information on to the King of Israel. With his much smaller army, the Israelite king simply moved his army out of the way and avoided defeat. After a couple of fiascoes like this, the king of the Arameans became suspicious. He called his generals in and demanded to know who was leaking information to the Israelites. His generals explained that it wasn’t any of them, but the prophet Elisha who had revealed the plans. They explained to the king that Elisha knew everything that went on, even the things in the king’s own bedchamber. Upset over this information, the king began to make plans to take care of the prophet who was interfering in his attempts at conquest. The king’s new strategy was really simple. Go after one man…. Elisha! In 2 Kings chapter six, the story continues with Elisha and his young servant in the little village of Dothan. We can imagine what it must have been like that morning. The servant got up first, as was his custom, to go outside and prepare breakfast for his master. As he walked outside he looked in terror about him, as he saw the entire army of the Arameans surrounding the tiny village. He rushed back in and woke up the prophet. Can’t you see Elisha walking outside the hut, muttering and rubbing the sleep from his eyes? The first words out of his mouth were amazing, “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” His young servant had to be thinking, “Wait a minute. There are just two of us. Prophets must be lousy mathematicians.” Then Elisha began to pray. What is astonishing in his prayer is what he didn’t pray. He didn’t begin to panic by praying, “Oh Lord, save us from this army.” Instead, there was this calm, yet amazing request: “Lord, open this young man’s eyes.” I believe the implied meaning was, “Lord, open this young man’s eyes so that he can see what is already there.” Elisha’s prayer was answered immediately as his servant’s eyes were opened and he saw there, surrounding the army of the Arameans, the army of heaven–a host of angels, decked out in battle armor, ready to move at God’s command. I’ll let you read the conclusion of the story on your own. It has a fascinating finish. The point of the story for our purposes is that Elisha did not ask God to send angels. With his prophet’s discernment he saw or sensed their presence. His prayer was for his young servant, that he too, would be able to know of the protective presence of God’s angels on their behalf. The Bible teaches, from beginning to end, of the existence of the invisible world, the world of the spirit. A world of angels and demons, yet a world that we touch daily as those who have been given not merely a body, but a spirit. This invisible world is difficult to believe in for many of us today. We tend to focus on that which our senses tell us is real. Things we can touch, taste, smell, hear, or see are real to us. An invisible world of the spirit seems a bit unreal or mystical. One of the things I love about the way God’s Word presents the things of the spirit, is the way it stays away from the mystical or unreal. It presents the unseen world as simply a matter-of-fact. There are things that are seen; there are things that are unseen. Both are real. One is not more real than the other. The invisible world is not a matter of myth but of solid, well-grounded reality. Jesus had a firm grasp of this reality. He was aware of and interacted with this invisible world on a regular basis. After His baptism, Jesus went into the wilderness for forty days of prayer and fasting. During this time He encountered the Devil and was faced with a time of temptation. The battle is not presented with a flourish as if to say, “This was a unique, once-for-all battle reserved only for the Son of God.” Instead, it almost seems as though it is a model of what may happen to any believer who makes a decision to follow at all costs, the direction of God. At any rate, the battle in the wilderness was not waged with miraculous signs, but with a clear-headed use of the Word of God to counter the suggestions of the Enemy. As Jesus moved through His years of ministry in His earthly body, He encountered the invisible realm a number of times. There was the time He was preparing to go to Jerusalem and Peter spoke up against the trip. Jesus turned to him, and we can almost see Him pointing His finger in Peter’s direction as He said, “Get behind Me Satan.” How unnerving that must have been for Simon Peter! I don’t believe Jesus was calling Peter, “Satan,” but rather was responding to Satan himself. Jesus understood how Satan could put words into the mouths of others, like Peter, and simply went to the root of the problem with His rebuke. By the way, if Satan could put his thoughts into the mind of the Apostle Peter, do you suppose he can do the same to us? I’m convinced that one of the major reasons for the many commands given in Scriptures regarding watching what we say, is the possibility that our words, unchecked, may contain the thoughts of the Enemy. There is another encounter with the unseen world that gives great insight into Jesus’ beliefs concerning the role of the Enemy in human affairs. It concerned the healing of a woman who had been crippled for 18 years. She was so bent over that she couldn’t stand up straight. Jesus healed her on the Sabbath. In response to His critics, He said, “Should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?” Jesus believed and taught that, at least some illness can be caused by the Enemy. He did not teach that all illness is from Satan, but that some may find its source in the spirit world. Have you ever noticed, as you read the Gospels, how many times demons manifest themselves in the midst of Jesus’ times of teaching? Jesus gave us a great model for dealing with the demonic. He interrupted His teaching just long enough to get rid of the distraction, then turned immediately back to His teaching. His focus was not on the kingdom of darkness, but on God’s Kingdom. Jesus did not have a deliverance ministry, in the sense that He went out looking for demons to cast out of people. He went about proclaiming the Kingdom of Heaven. When a demon had the audacity to interrupt, Jesus dealt decisively with it. The Apostle Paul continued the attitude of his Master toward the invisible world. He clearly saw Satan as a real, created being, who was scheming against God and those who followed the ways of God. In 2 Corinthians 2:10-11, Paul spoke of the importance of forgiveness, “in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.” Later in 2 Corinthians he spoke of the god of this age (a clear reference to Satan) who is blinding the minds of unbelievers. In 1 Timothy 4:1, Paul warned us that in later times (ours?) some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. It is Paul who began to develop a military terminology for this spiritual conflict. He referred to Christians as soldiers. He told us that we do not wage war as this world does, but rather we use spiritual weapons. Then in Ephesians 6:10-18, he gave us this great treatise on spiritual warfare with special emphasis on putting on the armor of God. Not to be left out, the Apostle Peter added his teaching concerning the battle in 1 Peter 5:8-9: “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him.” In his second letter, he wrote of angels who sinned, whom God sent to hell to be held for judgment (2 Peter 2:4). In his short letter, Jude also spoke of these fallen angels, and gave us the amazing story of how the archangel Michael got into a dispute with the devil over the body of Moses (Jude 9). It’s obvious the New Testament authors took spiritual warfare seriously. We ignore it to our detriment and danger. Certainly some may go too far in their practice of this doctrine. We often hear reference to some Christian teacher who sees a demon behind every bush. I doubt demons are much interested in bushes, but the point is well taken. If we are not careful, we can end up focusing more on the devil than Jesus. But much of the Church in the last century has taken the opposite tactic of simply ignoring or denying the devil. There is however, a growing awareness today in the Church that our battle is real and against that ages-old Enemy whom the saints have always faced. The good news of the Bible is that our victory is sure and is based on the victory of Jesus over the enemy at the Cross and the empty tomb. Our job in prayer is to walk in that victory, putting on the armor of God, and watchfully praying for God’s Kingdom to triumph in our day.

“‘And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.’ And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them. While He was blessing them, He parted from them and was carried up into heaven. And they, after worshiping Him, returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple praising God” (Luke 24: 49-53). Jesus instructed His followers to stay in Jerusalem to await being “clothed with power from on high.” They could never have imagined the mighty rushing wind of the Spirit and the Shekinah glory of God coming upon them and so many others. The world would never be the same. God had come to dwell in the hearts of people forever! Thousands of Christians have been finding ways to pray night and day throughout the ten days following the day marking the ascension of Jesus, and leading to the Global Day of Prayer, celebrated by many believers on Pentecost Sunday. We watch and pray following the pattern of Christ’s followers in Jerusalem before the first Pentecost. Here is a powerful prayer for the world to celebrate this season of waiting, which for believers today, precedes His return! This prayer can be used in part or as a whole, prayed in unison or responsively. Take time to pause and reflect after each section: Prayer: “I have posted watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; they will never be silent day or night. You who call on the Lord, give yourselves no rest, and give him no rest till he establishes Jerusalem and makes her the praise of the earth” (Isaiah 62:6-7) . Almighty God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit, You alone are holy and righteous. We gather with believers all over the world, to humble ourselves before You, to pray, to seek your Face and to turn from our wicked ways, to intercede for the lost, the hopeless, the helpless and the world. Lord, have mercy on us. (Pause) Our Father in heaven, Thank You for loving the world so much that You gave Your only Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross for our sins so that we could be reconciled to You and adopted into your Family. Lord, have mercy on us. Let your Kingdom be established in every nation of the world, Your will be done through the transformation among peoples of all tribes and languages, so that righteousness and justice will prevail. We call on You for the salvation of the unsaved, for the unreached and for those who have never heard about Jesus Christ, our Lord. May Your Name be great, from the rising of the sun to its setting. (Pause) Father of mercy and grace, We have sinned. Our world is gripped by the power of sin. Our hearts are grieved by injustice, hatred and violence. We are shamed by oppression, racism, corruption, rape, theft and bloodshed in our land. We mourn all loss of life in murder, abortion, war and terrorism. Lord, have mercy on us, forgive our sins and heal our land. (Pause) Lord Jesus Christ, You destroyed sin, conquered death and defeated Satan. Deliver us from demonically-inspired financial, religious and ideological systems, from poverty, slavery and tyranny. Remove the veil of darkness that covers the peoples. Restrain the evil that promotes violence and death. Lord, have mercy on us and deliver us from evil. (Pause) Holy Spirit, Spirit of Grace, Spirit of Truth, Anoint us to bring healing to the sick, deliverance to the oppressed and to comfort those who mourn. Strengthen those who care for the sick. Fill us with love and compassion for the homeless, the hungry, the orphans, the elderly and the marginalized. Lord, have mercy on us and heal our diseases. (Pause) Lord Jesus Christ, Head of the Church, We confess that our homes are broken and our churches divided. Our lives are polluted by selfishness, greed, idolatry and sexual perversions. We draw near to You for forgiveness, healing and restoration. We need wisdom and insight for the global financial crisis and how to use the resources of the Earth for the well-being of all. Lord, have mercy on us, sanctify and consecrate us. (Pause) King of Glory, Come and finish Your work in our cities, our peoples and our nations. From all continents and islands, we cry: Lift up your heads, O you gates! Be lifted up ancient doors so that the King of glory may come in! Come fill the earth with the knowledge of Your glory as the waters cover the sea. The Spirit and the Bride say: Amen! Come Lord Jesus! *Prayer from Global Voice of Prayer

One of the more disturbing verses in Scripture concerns Cain, the second man to ever live – the eldest son of Adam and Eve. After Cain killed his brother Abel, he is put under a curse that makes him a wanderer. The ground, which received his brother Abel’s blood, will no longer produce for Cain. A worker of the soil, Cain is cut off by his own actions from his means of livelihood. Following his conversation with God after Abel’s murder, comes an action that foreshadows much of future human history. It is found in Genesis 4:16: “So Cain went out from the Lord’s presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden.” We don’t know where Nod was. There is no recollection in any historical account of where this land was. But the Hebrew meaning of the word “nod” tells us much about the spiritual condition of Cain. Nod means “wanderings” in the original Hebrew. Cain went out into the land of wanderings…. wanderings apart from the presence of God. We don’t know if Cain had a choice here. Maybe he was driven from the Lord’s presence, though the text does not clearly state that. It seems more likely that Cain chose to leave the Lord’s presence because of his sin and feelings of guilt. It certainly seems that way when you consider the resultant generations and their wickedness and rebellion against God. What Cain did physically, mankind has since done spiritually. We have left the presence of the Lord, wandering off in our ways, doing what seems right to us. Ignoring our Maker, we live in the land of Nod. It is easy to understand how those who have never encountered the grace and mercy of God through Jesus Christ can wander off. It is almost beyond belief that Christians can do the same. But I would suggest to you with sorrow that much of the Church today is asleep in the Land of Nod. They have left the presence of God for a life of wandering apart from Him. Harsh words? Perhaps! But consider the warnings of Scripture about just such a possibility. Jesus asked if He would find faith on earth when He returned. The Apostle John in the letters to the seven churches in the Book of Revelation warns about the danger of a church failing to remain a church. The author of Hebrews warns against the danger of drifting away from the faith: “We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away” (Hebrews 2:1). Perhaps that phrase “drifting away” may be helpful to us as we try to understand the dangers here. We may not be like Cain and simply leave God’s presence. It may be more of a drifting away. Less time with Him today…even less time tomorrow. Suddenly it seems we are so far away that it might not be worth the effort to try and return. Have you ever been in a rowboat on a good-sized lake? The boat isn’t far from shore, so it wouldn’t take long to row back to the dock. But the sun is hot and it feels so good beating down on you that you decide to close your eyes and take a bit of a nap. You awake from your nap, astonished at how far away the dock is now. It’s no longer a short row, but a long distance requiring strenuous effort. You didn’t so much decide to leave the shore as you simply decided to let things drift. The third verse of the old hymn, “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing” speaks much to us of this tendency toward drifting: O to grace how great a debtor Daily I’m constrained to be! Let Thy goodness, like a fetter, Bind my wandering heart to Thee: Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, Prone to leave the God I love: Here’s my heart, O take and seal it; Seal it for Thy courts above. – Robert Robinson This leaving the presence of the Lord can obviously happen to an individual, but it is of great concern that it can happen to a body of believers as well. The Lord’s warning to the Ephesian Church in Revelation 2 is directed at the whole congregation. Together they had served the Lord and held on to the right doctrines, but had lost their first love. As a church, they had left the Lord’s presence and were dwelling in the land of Nod. How many congregations today are asleep in the land of Nod? Isn’t it interesting that there are outward similarities in the Hebrew word for wanderings (nod) and our English word “nod”? Webster’s dictionary defines the English word “nod” as: “a quick downward motion of the head as one falls off to sleep.” Sleepy churches drift off to sleep, moving away from the presence of God, not so much by intention, as by inaction. These spiritually sleepy churches may in fact be very noisy – filled with loud songs and much activity. But in fact, a spiritual drowsiness has come over them as they drift away from any true interaction with the Christ who is their Head. What will wake up sleepy Christians in the Land of Nod? Only a fresh awakening to the presence of Christ in their midst! This is not a call to a new program for waking the sleeping. Enough of our programs! It is a call for repentance and a return to the presence of Christ. This happens as pastors and church leaders lead their congregations in prayers of humility and repentance for trying to do the Lord’s work apart from His strength and empowerment. It happens as preachers covenant to preach Christ and Him alone! It happens as individual believers resolve to seek His face in a fresh, new way. It happens as our hearts join with the heart of David as he prays: “My heart says of you, ‘Seek his face!’ Your face Lord, I will seek” (Psalm 27:8).

If your home is like most, life can be hectic. You often wonder, “What did I accomplish today?” Perhaps there were constant interruptions which kept you from things you were determined to complete, and your “to do” list got longer instead of shorter. Or, it could be that you spent much of your time chasing after little ones, or driving children from activity to activity. Maybe you are determined at the end of each day that you will spend your time more wisely so that you can accomplish more tomorrow. If this sounds familiar, then take a minute to stop and reflect on these questions: • Did my activities today accomplish anything for the Lord? • Did my striving today please the Father? • Did anything I focused on today draw me closer to the heart of God? • Did I become more like Jesus today than I was yesterday? • Was I a good representative of Jesus Christ today? Did I reflect His character to my family, or to my co-workers? • Was I obedient to do the things I know He wants me to be doing? Have the other members of your family answer these questions also. If you are honest, this list probably caused you to stop and think. If your answer to any or all of these questions was, “No,” then it is time to re-evaluate what is important. If in “doing” you are not accomplishing the plans and purposes of God, perhaps you are not spending enough time “being” the person He wants you to be. If our personal lives and the lives of our families do not reflect His glory through peace and joy, then we are out of balance spiritually, and most likely emotionally and physically as well. What would it take for your family to be different enough from the culture to live out who you are in Jesus Christ the way He has instructed us so clearly in His Word? I want you to know that I’m writing this knowing that change must take place in my own life too. I’m too busy to be still, and yet, I must learn to “be” in the presence of Christ. My striving is separating me from His Presence – the one thing I desire most. So, together, let’s examine how we might wrestle our busyness to the ground and hold it down until it quits struggling to “do” more! We must learn to “be” more for Christ. Then all of our activity will flow naturally out of the overflow of our peace-filled, joyful, holy and blessed lives. Oh, how I long to function from the heart of Jesus and not from the drivenness of “doing” things for His kingdom. I believe we will all do more to advance the cause of Jesus by sitting at His feet rather than careening through life striving to accomplish more and more. How the enemy must be sitting back laughing in glee at God’s people surging through life rather than walking in constant awareness of Christ in us, “the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27). If we wish to live the way of Jesus Christ, then we must reflect upon the fact that nowhere in Scripture do we see Jesus in a hurry. The Son of God did not rush around. He did not look for more things to do. His example was one of patiently waiting upon the Father in prayer so that He could get His instructions for every step He took and every word He spoke. Is that how you and your family members live your lives? My guess is that if I were to live as Jesus did, focused upon His Word and connected to the Lord continually in the two-way love relationship that is prayer, I would accomplish more in less time, and be more contented. How about you? Learning from Mary We’ve all heard the story of Mary and Martha in Luke 10:38-42, but let’s take a closer look at the activities of these two sisters during this dinner gathering. Martha definitely had the gift of hospitality. She opened her home to Jesus and His entourage, then cooked and served a meal for all of them. However, Scripture says that Martha was “distracted by all the preparations that had to be made.” She came to Jesus with the complaint, “Lord, don’t You care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” Most of us are sympathetic toward the cause of Martha rather than aspiring to live our lives more like her sister, who sat at Jesus’ feet with her eyes fixed upon His face – taking in every word He spoke. When Martha objected to what she perceived as laziness on Mary’s part, Jesus gently rebuked her and said, “Martha, Martha…you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” Ouch! Like Martha, I am often distracted by all of the things that need to be done. Like Martha, I am continually worried and upset about many things! Sitting at the Lord’s feet sounds wonderful. It also sounds like something that should be done when one has time left over, and yet Jesus told Martha that just being in His presence was better than cooking in the kitchen, even if she was doing it for Him. Interestingly, a little over a week before the crucifixion, a similar dinner party took place. The location was once again at the home of Lazarus, Mary and Martha in honor of Jesus. You can read the full account in John 12:1-8. Scripture states that Martha once more was the one to serve the meal while Lazarus reclined at the table with Jesus and the disciples. However, this time Mary’s role was different: “Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume” (John 12:3).Let’s look at the significance of Mary’s simple act of devotion: •  It was an extravagant act  – worth a year’s wages, according to Judas Iscariot, who voiced objection to what he viewed as a waste of money on Mary’s part. He asserted that the money should have been spent on the poor instead. •  It was an unusual act  – Mary poured the perfume on Jesus’ feet rather than His head, which was the usual custom. She also wiped His feet with her hair. Respectable women did not take down their hair in public. • It was a humble act  – generally, servants attended to the feet of visitors. • It was an obedient act  – Mary most likely had other plans for her expensive perfume; however, she felt compelled to offer this act of service. Her motivation could have been from gratitude. Jesus had recently raised her brother, Lazarus, from the dead. However, Jesus’ response to Judas indicates that she was acting out of simple obedience to the Lord’s purposes: “Leave her alone…It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of My burial. You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have Me” (John 12:7-8). Mary had no way of knowing that the crucifixion was just a few days away, and yet she acted as the Lord intended her to. She could have selfishly clung to her perfume, or she could have had a servant pour it on Jesus’ feet. However, Mary did not refuse God because she had been spending time getting to know the character of her Messiah. Mary wasn’t so busy “doing” that she missed the importance of “being.” King David understood this well. He wrote, “One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple” (Psalm 27:4). He understood the importance of being. I often ask the Lord for strength to keep doing more and more for Him. Rarely do I humble myself before Him and truly seek His beautiful heart just for the sake of knowing Him more deeply. I am a busy kind of person. It’s against my nature to sit still for too long of a time. And yet, my Lord says it is the most important discipline of all. So, I am determined to learn Mary’s lesson of quieting my spirit, ceasing my busyness and just breathing in His loveliness. Be Still Being still does not require any activity on our part. Stillness is enjoying the presence of the Father without asking Him for anything. It is quieting our spirits, our minds and our emotions and simply resting. • “But I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with its mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me” (Psalm 131:2). A little child walks trustingly beside his mother, knowing that she will take care of all of his needs. This is the kind of trust we need to place in the Lord, casting all of our cares upon Him and being filled with peace. • “Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for Him” (Psalm 37:7a). Is it difficult for you to quiet your spirit…to just sit and soak in His beautiful presence? • “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth” (Psalm 46:10). Cease your striving and acknowledge the God who has conquered through His Son, Jesus Christ. He is King of heaven and of earth. Worship Him! • “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still” (Exodus 14:14). You may ask, “What if I have lots to do – deadlines and responsibilities? How can I take time to just sit and do nothing?” You can take time if it is “divine” nothing. When the Israelites were being pursued by Pharaoh’s army they allowed themselves to be overwhelmed by their circumstance instead of filled with faith. They panicked and blamed their situation upon Moses. Although he must have been greatly irritated at their lack of faith, Moses calmed their fears and told them to set aside their fear. He urged them to let God deal with what seemed to be an impossible situation. Do you have an impossible situation to set aside today? Be still and let the Lord fight for you. • “You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in You” (Isaiah 26:3). Does peace characterize the climate of your home today? Trust the Father without doubt or wavering and watch Him transform your family. • “My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, He is my fortress, I will never be shaken…Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from Him” (Psalm 62:1-2, 5). Listen and Obey What You Hear It is impossible to do what the Lord desires unless we take time to listen to Him. We can only do this by being still and ceasing our busy activity-filled lives. Sometimes all God wants to speak to us are words of love and affirmation. Many times He may require nothing of you but to sit and enjoy His company. However, it is a very clear command from God that we are to listen to His Son: “Then a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and a voice came from the cloud: ‘This is My Son, whom I love. Listen to Him!’” (Mark 9:7). It is implied that listening involves obeying. Truly hearing God is to be obedient to what He says: “Do not merely listen to the Word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says” (James 1:22). Jesus expressed confidence that those who will be still before Him will live lives that are filled with divine “doing” that is birthed out of divine “being”: “My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of My hand” (John 10:27-28). Your children are watching how you live your life. Are they learning the lifestyle of Martha…or Mary? “…Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:42).

Here are some scriptural ways to pray with confidence and effectiveness! Why not take one a week and practice each principle so that you can learn to apply it to your life of prayer? Confess and break with all conscious and unconfessed sin so that your prayers are birthed out of righteousness and will accomplish much. Take time to confess before God and to meet with a trusted person or persons to confess to and ask for prayer:  “God has no use for the prayers of the people who won’t listen to him… You can’t whitewash your sins and get by with it;you find mercy by admitting and leaving them” (Proverbs 28:9, 13 MSG). “Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much” (James 5:16 NASB). Remember that prayer is relationship with God:  God is our Father and we are His children. He is the greatest Love we can ever know or try to comprehend. Come before Him as a loving parent who desires to spend time with you. If you haven’t experienced this kind of parental love, draw near and ask God to show you His great love for you. He has adopted you into His family. “For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father” (Romans 8:15 NASB)! Pray according to God’s will…not your own. “ This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us  in  whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him” (1 John 5:14-15 NASB). “Not my will, but Yours be done” –  an important lesson from the lips of Jesus, who wanted the cup of death to be taken from Him, yet was willing to endure the cross before Him because it was God’s will: “And He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and  began  to pray, saying, ‘Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done’” (Luke 22:41-42 NASB). In prayer, your job is to ask, and learning how to ask the things that line up with what God wants you to have. Many of us want what we want rather than wanting what God wants: “Where do you think all these appalling wars and quarrels come from? Do you think they just happen? Think again. They come about because you want your own way, and fight for it deep inside yourselves. You lust for what you don’t have and are willing to kill to get it. You want what isn’t yours and will risk violence to get your hands on it. You wouldn’t think of just asking God for it, would you? And why not? Because you know you’d be asking for what you have no right to. You’re spoiled children, each wanting your own way” (James 4:1-3 MSG). Look for things in scripture that are on the heart of God and pray those things because you can always know they are His will! For example, God wants unity in the body, He wants all to be saved, He wants us to love one another, He wants us to pray for those in authority over us, and He wants us to pray that workers will be sent into the harvest field! Whenever you come across something that God clearly wants, pray! Looking for what God wants us to pray about even changes our desires as we pray. We learn to pray for want what He wants instead of what we want. Also, God has also told us He will give us what He knows we need: “Remember, your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him” (Matthew 6:8b). 4. Persevere in prayer: “ One day Jesus told his disciples a story to illustrate their need for constant prayer and to show them that they must keep praying until the answer comes. ‘There was a city judge,’he said, ‘a very godless man who had great contempt for everyone. A widow of that city came to him frequently to appeal for justice against a man who had harmed her. The judge ignored her for a while, but eventually she got on his nerves. “‘I fear neither God nor man,’ he said to himself, ‘but this woman bothers me. I’m going to see that she gets justice, for she is wearing me out with her constant coming!’” Then the Lord said, “If even an evil judge can be worn down like that, don’t you think that God will surely give justice to his people who plead with him day and night? Yes! He will answer them quickly! But the question is: When I, the Messiah, return, how many will I find who have faith and are praying” (Luke 18:1-8 TLB)? Persevere in prayer with God! 5. Ask with right motives: “ You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend  it  on your pleasures” (James 4:3). Examine your heart before you ask God.   6. Pray with confidence:  “Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). This scripture tells us that when you pray, you are entering the very throne room of heaven! The King is sitting on His throne ready to listen! That should give us all confidence!   7. Resist the devil: “ Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). The devil will do anything he can to keep you from prayer. Once you know this and are continually aware of it, you can resist his distractions and temptations! Don’t allow the devil to derail your prayer life!   8. Allow God to work : “For in the day of trouble He will conceal me in His tabernacle; in the secret place of His tent He will hide me; He will lift me up on a rock” (Psalm 27:5). Trust that He is working on your behalf. When you worry and try to do things in your own strength, you are keeping God from doing what He desires to do. Allow the peace of His presence to overshadow your prayer life: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).   9. Pray in Jesus’ Name  “Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do  it”  (John 14:13-14). This does not mean simply tacking a phrase on to the end of every prayer. It means recognizing that your prayers go through Jesus, who made it possible for you to have direct access to God.   10. Pray in faith : “And Jesus answered saying to them, “Have faith in God.Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be  granted. Therefore, I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be  granted  you” (Mark 11:22-24 NASB). It’s difficult to believe God for some things, but if we have faith to know He has our best interest in His heart, we can have great faith that He will move to accomplish that purpose…even when it may not be the answer we are hoping for in our flesh.   11. Pray according to God’s promises:  “For as many as are the promises of God, in Him they are yes; therefore also through Him is our Amen to the glory of God through us” (2 Corinthians 1:20 NASB). Be alert for promises you see in Scripture, and remind God of His promises as you pray. For example, God’s word says, “Don’t be obsessed with getting more material things. Be relaxed with what you have. Since God assured us, ‘I’ll never let you down, never walk off and leave you,’ we can boldly quote, God is there, ready to help; I’m fearless no matter what. Who or what can get to me” (Hebrews 13:5-6 MSG)? 12. Don’t try to dictate to God:  “This plan of mine is not what you would work out, neither are my thoughts the same as yours! For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than yours, and my thoughts than yours” (Isaiah 55:8-9 TLB). And Proverbs 16:9 TLB says, “We should make plans—counting on God to direct us.” 13. Recognize that God is Almighty:  The power and authority of God is way beyond anything we could ever hope to comprehend. Remind yourself that there is nothing too great or too small that He cannot accomplish. Embrace this prayer of Paul:  “ That is why, ever since I heard of your strong faith in the Lord Jesus and of the love you have for Christians everywhere, I have never stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly, asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you wisdom to see clearly and really understand who Christ is and all that he has done for you. I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can see something of the future he has called you to share. I want you to realize that God has been made rich because we who are Christ’s have been given to him! I pray that you will begin to understand how incredibly great his power is to help those who believe him. It is that same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in heaven, far, far above any other king or ruler or dictator or leader. Yes, his honor is far more glorious than that of anyone else either in this world or in the world to come” (Ephesians 1:15-21 TLB). 14. Pray with expectation:  When we pray, we should always eagerly anticipate and expect God to answer. Sometimes His answers surprise us because they are different than what we think: “Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know” (Jeremiah 33:3 NASB).   15. Praise and thank God for answers:  As God answers prayer, don’t forget to give Him thanks! “Shout with joy before the Lord, O earth! Obey him gladly; come before him, singing with joy. Try to realize what this means—the Lord is God! He made us—we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Go through his open gates with great thanksgiving; enter his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and bless his name. For the Lord is always good. He is always loving and kind, and his faithfulness goes on and on to each succeeding generation” (Psalm 100 TLB).   16. Obey God and live a holy life:  “Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God;and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight” (1 John 3:21-22 NASB). Of course, no one can live a perfectly holy life; however, God looks at our hearts and knows our thoughts. He is a good Father who desires to give good gifts to His children. As we live out lives of holiness, we will naturally begin to align our prayers more and more with God’s will and see more and more answers to prayer.   17. Saturate your prayers in praise and worship : “Oh, what a wonderful God we have! How great are his wisdom and knowledge and riches! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his methods! For who among us can know the mind of the Lord? Who knows enough to be his counselor and guide? And who could ever offer to the Lord enough to induce him to act? For everything from God alone. Everything lives by his power, and everything is for his glory. To him be glory evermore” (Romans 11:33-36 TLB). God desires our worship. To pray without giving Him praise and honor is to forget that He is the Almighty, who sits on the throne!   18. Spend time waiting upon the Lord:  If we rush into God’s presence with our prayer lists and then rush back out again, we are not honoring prayer as relationship with God. His presence should be so important that we can even forget what we wanted to pray about. It should always be enough to simply be in the presence of the Father, recognizing the One who sits on the throne before us as we make our requests. Consider being like King David, who said, “I’m asking God for one thing: to live with him in his house my whole life long. I’ll contemplate his beauty; I’ll study at his feet” (Psalm 27:4 MSG). God has a promise for those who wait upon Him: “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31).   19. Be honest with God in your prayers : God knows everything about you because He created you. Sometimes we are hurt, angry, depressed or defeated. We need to lay those feelings before Him. “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test my thoughts. Point out anything you find in me that makes you sad, and lead me along the path of everlasting life” (Psalm 139:23-24 TLB).   20. Pray continually:  “Always be joyful. Always keep on praying. No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18 TLB). When you have a relationship with someone you want to spend time with them. Prayer is relationship with God. The more you spend time in prayer, the more you will want to grow in your prayer life…because it means being in the presence of the One you love and who loves you.

Hunger and thirst are natural expressions of the basic human desire and need for food and water. One of the clear indicators that something is wrong physically is when we lose our appetite. It is the same spiritually. To hunger and thirst for God is at the very root of our being. It’s the way God made us. When there is no hunger for the presence of God, it is an indicator that something is wrong spiritually. Because that hunger is so basic to human nature, it often finds fulfillment in other areas rather than in seeking God. Much as eating unhealthy junk food can dull physical appetite, so that which is not of God can dull our spiritual appetite. This happens to non-Christians as they look for happiness and fulfillment in any area except in their relationship with God. It may be in human relationships, quest for power or money, or escape to physical pleasure. The saddest examples, however, are of  Christians  who allow their appetite for God to be dulled by other things . . . even religious things. Our churches are filled with believers who are so satiated by activities, programs and projects that they no longer have a hunger for God. So many Christians today snack their way through the day on “junk-food” activities and then find they have no time to “feast” with God. We complain about our “busyness” and tiredness, but that is typically a spiritual problem more than a problem of schedule. We desire everything except God. We take God in small doses throughout the day and week and somehow hope that on Sunday we can “catch up” on our time with the Lord. Let’s look at the Scriptures which speak of developing this hunger and thirst for God. Consider praying through each one: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled” (Matthew 5:6). “. . . whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:14). “Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and who believes in me will never be thirsty” (John 6:35). “On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, ‘If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him’” (John 7:37-38). “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy?” (Isaiah 55:1-2). “O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water” (Psalm 63:1). “The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ And let him who hears say, ‘Come!’ Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life” (Revelation 22:17). It is obvious that the imagery of hungering and thirsting after God is a scriptural concept. From the prophets of the Old Testament to Jesus and on through to the book of Revelation, the people of God are depicted as those who have developed a desire for God. Could it be that the missing element in the Church today is that desire for God Himself? Ben Patterson writes, “Since the best teacher of prayer is the Holy Spirit, the best way to learn to pray is by praying. Whether, and how much we pray is, I think, finally a matter of appetite, of hunger for God and all that He is and desires.” C.S. Lewis wrote in  The Weight of Glory,  “We are far too easily pleased. That, in the end, is the reason we do not pray more than we do. Nothing less than infinite joy is offered to us in God’s kingdom of light. He has promised that we will one day shine like the sun in that kingdom (Matthew 13:43).” “We have become satisfied with mere church, mere religious exertion, mere numbers and buildings—the things we can do. There is nothing wrong with these things, but they are no more than foam left by the surf on the ocean of God’s glory and goodness.” [Ben Patterson,  Deepening Your Conversation With God,  171.] How then, can we begin to develop that hunger for God? If we find ourselves lacking in desire, can it be rekindled within us? Perhaps the best way to look at this is to again make a comparison to physical hunger and the way we handle it. When we get hungry, many of us begin to look for something to appease the hunger. Here in our country, if we are at work we may head to the snack machine in the hall, or if we are at home, we go to the cupboard or the refrigerator, looking for a snack that will take away the feeling of hunger. Hunger prompts us to seek something to fill us up, even if it is something that is not really good for us. Spiritually speaking, there is a hunger for God that is often not recognized for what it is. It may be an empty feeling, a sense of longing, even loneliness in the midst of people. We start looking for ways to make the feeling go away…to fill up the emptiness. In a sense, we begin to look for the junk food that will mask the pangs of hunger within. The danger of this type of behavior is that we dull our sense of hunger for God. In the same way that continued snacking through the day can dull our appetite and cause us to pass up a good, nutritious meal that our body needs, so we can fill up our schedules and desires to the point that we do not even realize that we no longer desire the presence of God. It is no accident that one of the great spiritual disciplines of the Church is to fast. When we fast (Matthew 6:16), we become acutely aware of our physical hunger. That physical hunger can lead to a spiritual hunger as well. Christians today are returning to fasting and prayer as a means of waking us up to our great need for the presence of God. It may be that we will need to fast from other things than food in order to restore our spiritual hunger. There may need to be a slowing of our hectic lifestyles that are crowding out our time with the Father. We may need to fast from some forms of entertainment to devote time to seeking the Lord. Those heavily involved in ministry may need to say “no” to that which is good, in order to seek that which is best. We may even need to reevaluate our family schedules. Tommy Tenney, in his devotional,  Experiencing His Presence: Devotions for God Chasers,  prays a prayer that we all may need to use daily to build our hunger for God: “Lord Jesus, my soul aches at the mere mention of Your name. My heart leaps for every rumor of Your coming, and each possibility that You will manifest Your presence. I’m not satisfied with mere spiritual dainties. I’m ravenously hungry for You in Your fullness. I’m desperate to feast on the bread of Your presence and quench my thirst with the wine of Your Spirit.” May hungering and thirsting for God drive us to a passionate, relentless pursuit of Him.

God can hear our prayers anytime, anywhere, and at any volume! He is able to hear us even when we think  our prayers to Him rather than voice them. Yet, so many of us struggle and would like to be able to verbalize prayers in a group setting. Here are a few tips on how to stretch yourself a bit and grow in this area: One of the best ways to grow in praying out loud, is to practice listening to yourself reading prayers from Scripture. You could start with the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6:9-13. Hearing your own voice as you pray out loud is an important step. Some people find it helpful to stand in front of a mirror to build confidence. Read Psalm 145 out loud back to the Lord and then say, “Lord, You are___(fill in the blank with some of the attributes you find in this Psalm). Looking for ways to praise God in His word is a powerful way to express your love for Him out loud. The more you know about Him and His goodness and love, the more you will want to express what’s on your heart to Him. After using Scripture to help you pray out loud for awhile, try to voice your own prayers based on those you have been praying. Here is just one way: try looking at pictures of some of your family members and tell God what you want to pray for each of them. For example, “Father, my daughter Emily is really struggling to make friends in her new school this year. Would you bring her some godly young women to get to know?” Or, “Lord, my husband/wife has such a stressful job. Please help him/her to feel Your presence and to be filled with peace instead of anxiety.” When you are ready to try praying in a group, first recognize that you are talking only to God, and not to the other people around you. Flowery or “super-spiritual” language is not required. Talk to Him as your Father and good friend about the person or situation you are concerned about. Don’t worry about how others view your prayer…it is between you and God alone. Spend time with others who are in love with Jesus and listen to them pray. Ask them how they learned to pray out loud and see if they can give you some good ideas as well! As with anything new you undertake, the more you practice praying out loud, the more confident and comfortable you will become.