Prayer is, in essence, communicating with God. It is not merely communicating to God—for He also wants to share with us in return.

Neither is prayer merely talking to God. Prayer is so much more than speaking words.

Prayer may be an attitude in our hearts before God; it may be the wordless communion of friends; it may be the ineloquent groans of a burdened heart. It can even consist of joyful shouts of praise.

Prayer comes in many forms and can be used for many purposes. Describing prayer is like describing a rainbow. You can speak of the rainbow as a whole, or you can describe the colours and spectrums that make up the rainbow.

In my article, 4 Ways To Pray: Exploring The Wonders Of Prayer, I share about relating prayer, requesting prayer, receiving prayer and ruling prayer—and that is just a start!

3 Reasons why we Pray

Here are three important reasons why we pray—I believe that God will speak to you personally through at least one of these today:

1. We Pray Because of Relationship

Communication is the lifeblood of any relationship—and it is the same in our relationship with God.

Did you know that it is the great desire of God’s heart to have a personal relationship with you?

In the beginning, Adam and Eve walked and talked with God in the garden. (Gen 3:8-9) When that intimate relationship was lost, God moved heaven and earth to restore it to us.

That is the primary reason that Jesus died on the cross—to restore our relationship with God. (John 1:12-13) He paid the penalty for our wrongdoing and sin, so that we could spend now and eternity with God.

Sometimes people see the Christian faith as way of settling their eternal destiny—or as a type of spiritual insurance—something to have in place for when a need arises in their lives. Sadly, they have missed the purpose of the cross.

We are created and saved for an intimate relationship with God, and communication—prayer—is vital to that relationship. (Rev 3:20)

2. We Pray Because it Makes a Difference

Imagine that someone in your family has an illness for which the doctor prescribes several types of medication. He or she receives the medicines—and then upon arriving home, only takes one of the medicines prescribed.

That would be crazy, wouldn’t it?

God, the Master Physician, the all-knowing One, our loving Father, has given us prayer to assist in times of need.

The Bible tells us to pray in circumstances of:

• Sickness (James 5:14-15)
• Trial (Phil 1:19, James 5:13))
• Danger (2 Cor 1:10-11)
• Temptation (Matt 26:41)
• Being mistreated (Luke 6:28)
• Need of provision (Matt 6:11)
• Spiritual warfare (Eph 6:10-18)
• In times of weakness (Rom 8:26)
• In every situation (Phil 4:6)

If prayer is prescribed to us by God—and is a means of releasing His grace and power into situations—why would we not participate in it? Why would we hold back the benefits of prayer from others and ourselves?

Today you can make a difference in your life and the lives of people around you—by praying.

3. We Pray Because it Fulfils our Destiny

‘Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.’ (Matt 6:10)

Prayer is not just for times of need. Jesus instructed us to pray in order for God’s will and purposes to be accomplished.

Watchman Nee once described prayer as being to the will of God what railway tracks are to a train. The train engine may be powerful, it may be able to go thousands of miles—but unless the tracks laid down, it will not go anywhere. [1]

God has set a law into place whereby His purposes can only be accomplished in conjunction with the prayers of His people.

When God created Adam and Eve, He gave them dominion in the earth. Psalm 115:16 tells us that, ‘The highest heavens belong to the Lord, but the earth he has given [assigned] to mankind.’

God’s purposes have never changed.  When we pray, we are exercising God’s rule—and our God-given Dominion on the earth—in partnership with him. [2]

Something deep within us yearns for significance. And this is why: we are created and destined to be royal sons and daughters of God—born to rule. (John 1:12-13) And in eternity to come, we are destined to reign with Him. (Dan 7:27)

Only in eternity will we fully understand the purpose of prayer, and see the results that our prayers have accomplished.

Notes:

[1] Watchman Nee, in his book ‘Let Us Pray’, 1977.

[2] I highly recommend the book, ‘Intercessory Prayer’ by Dutch Sheets for excellent teaching on this topic. (Regal Books, California, 1996)

Related Posts:

Release the Resources of Heaven Through Prayer

4 Ways To Pray: Exploring The Wonders Of Prayer

The Power Of Prophetic Prayer

© Helen Calder Enliven Blog – Prophetic Teaching

On team with David McCracken Ministries: Prophetic Ministry That Empowers The Church

Did you receive this from a friend? Read more from Enliven Blog or sign to receive our weekly prophetic teaching updates at http://enlivenpublishing.com/blog

Do you have any questions or thoughts on the topic of reasons why we pray? Do you have some requests for, or answers to prayer you would like to share? I would love to hear from you. Leave a comment on the comments box. If the comments box is not visible, click on this link and scroll down.

It consisted of two visions.

The first was of a fruitful land and a harvest. I believed that God was speaking of a future time when the church would flourish and many people would come to faith in Jesus.

The second picture was unusual—it was of a desert. And out from the middle of this dry land rose a pipe, with a tap. I knew that if the faucet were simply to be turned on, then the water would flow, and the desert transformed into a fruitful place.

I believed this second vision concerned prayer and intercession; that through prayer the church would partner with God for this future harvest to take place.

A passion for revival and prayer was birthed in me that has endured to this day.

A Life-long Call

Some ten years later, The Hunk and I were hosting Asian Christian leaders in our home and hearing first-hand reports of revival in Asia. One leader gave me a prophecy that was simply, ‘Tell Helen to start a prayer meeting for revival.’ [1]

The prophecy bore fruit, as in the years following I was used of God in small ways to start, or ignite, prayer meetings for churches, for leaders and for revival.

When we ministered throughout New Zealand in the 1990’s, I was intensely burdened for the nation. During that time I shed tears of intercession for revival—for a move of God to awaken and empower the church, that would result in the salvation of many—in every town and city that we visited.

And our Father arranged miraculously for us to visit centres of revival in Canada and the USA in the late 1990’s.

In 2002, I carried my passion for revival across the Tasman in our move to Australia.

The name of my blog—‘Enliven’—was chosen because it is a synonym for the word ‘revive.’

My Perspective Has Changed

The reason that I share the above story is to explain that Christian revival is not just a random topic of interest for me.

It is a lifelong passion—one in which I have invested a considerable amount of time, pursuit, and prayer.

I still believe in revival, and yet my interpretation of what revival means—in terms of my own call, as well as for the church globally—has changed considerably.

Here are some of the ways my perspective and prayers have changed.

1. From Pleading to Receiving

Two years ago, I encountered God as Father in such a powerful way that it revolutionised the way I perceived everything about my faith.

I realised that much of my Christian service and belief system had been based out of an ‘orphan spirit,’ rather than the position of sonship that Paul talks about in Gal 3:26-4:7.

An orphan mindset believes and fears that we are separated from the Father and His resources. [2]

As a prophetic intercessor, one of my favourite prayers used to be:
‘Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains would tremble before you!’ (Isaiah 64:1)

But I no longer see the move of God as something to plead for. The open heaven that I once cried out to God for, I now recognise is mine—and the church’s—by inheritance through Christ.

It is the privilege of sons and daughters to ask and receive. (Luke 11:9-13)

2. From Local to Global

For years, others and I sought revival based on what we knew about it from church history, as well as reports from around the world.

The picture I had of revival was of a season of Divine visitation—accompanied by miracles, signs, and conviction of sin leading to the salvation of many—in a church, city, region or nation.

I do still believe in the value of revivals that are localised outpourings of the Holy Spirit.

However, my present view of revival is best described in this quote from Dr. Vance Havner:

‘Revival is simply New Testament Christianity, the saints going back to normal.’

What excites me now is the way that the church globally is stirring. Christian believers across the earth are awakening to who they are and Whose they are, and acting accordingly.

3. From ‘Not Yet’ to Now

I now believe that I spent much of my life waiting and praying for God to begin something that He has already initiated.

But the prayers and tears that so many of us have offered up over the years have not gone wasted. To our great surprise we see that they have been sown into the Father’s plan, one that is so much greater than we could have imagined.

The revival that I spent a lifetime waiting for is here and now. It is coming as Christians and churches across the earth awaken to our inheritance and to the reality of Jesus’ prayer:

“Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matt 6:10)

I believe that the great harvest of people coming to faith in Jesus, and the fruitful church that I envisioned as a teenager is becoming a reality. And God is graciously enabling me both to live it and share it with others.

Next week I will be considering what an open heaven means, and how it relates to us as Christians today.

Do you have any thoughts about this topic you would like to share? I would love to hear from you. Leave a comment below. If the comments box is not visible, click on this link and scroll down.

Notes:

1.  My husband Malcolm ‘The Hunk’ was National Director of a mission agency from 1995-2004. We were involved on a volunteer basis for seven years prior to this, which involved serving and hosting overseas visitors.

2. I’m not saying that all prayer for revival is affected by this mindset, but it is something those of us who have prayed for revival for a long time need to be aware of.

© Helen Calder 2011 Enliven Blog

On team with David McCracken Ministries: Prophetic Ministry That Empowers The Church

A prophetic intercessor and prayer warrior, Marge had an accurate ability to detect when we were experiencing severe trials or spiritual warfare.

At those times, she would phone us and simply say, ‘What’s going on?’

The most memorable of those times occurred when we were on the road, doing itinerant ministry with our young family.

The knowledge of Marge’s prayer support and her sensitivity to the Holy Spirit brought us continual encouragement.

Leaders rely on intercessory prayer to support them in the areas of protection, blessing, guidance and God’s anointing in their areas of ministry.

Last week I shared about how to make the most of prayer support from the leader’s perspective, and how you can take care of your relationship with your personal intercessors. [1]

Today I would like to share my heart with those of you who function as personal intercessors or prayer partners in some capacity.

Over many years, I have been a personal intercessor, the leader of an intercessory prayer team, and a receiver of intercessory prayer myself.

Here are 8 things that I have learned along the way and would like to share with you:

1. Keep Your Prayer Commitment

There are differing levels of commitment when it comes to personal intercession.

At the lowest end of the commitment scale, you may have signed up to receive a prayer newsletter from a leader or ministry that God has put on your heart.

In this case, the degree of prayer support you give is over to you.

At the highest end of the scale of commitment, you may be one of only a few intercessors or prayer partners. You may be in a close personal relationship with the leader you are praying for.

It is important that you faithfully pray, as you are able and committed.

If you receive an email, pray immediately upon receiving it, and print it out.

You can put alerts in your diary, or on your mobile phone or digital calendar to remind you to pray for specific events.

2. Embrace the way God has Wired you.

It is amazing to me how many intercessors struggle with feelings of inadequacy in their prayer gifts.

Not everyone has the same prayer style. You have a unique gift of prayer.

Some intercessors are structured and pray at regular times. Unstructured prophetic intercessors tend to pray when they perceive there is a need or sense a burden to pray from the Holy Spirit.

Other prayer warriors excel when there is a crisis or an urgent alert to pray.

All types of intercessors are valuable and needed.[2]

Don’t be afraid to be up-front about the kind of prayer commitment you bring to the table.

3. Be Light on Expectations

Remember that every leader communicates with their intercessors differently.

Do not place expectations on your leader with regard to relationship, communication, or involvement in their ministry. The least your leader will do is communicate their needs with you regularly.

Don’t expect more than this, even though some leaders are more relational and do communicate more regularly.

4. Feedback

Occasional feedback to the leader you are praying for is an important part of your role.

This doesn’t have to be a prophetic word or vision—it could be an encouraging comment or scripture, or simply a ‘praying for you’ note. By communicating regularly with your leader, you are indicating that your ongoing interest and prayers are still in place.

Even the smallest feedback can be a great encouragement.

5. Prophetic Insights

Any prophetic insights you bring to your leader are most welcome and have the potential to be a great blessing when they are timely and encouraging.

Remember that your prophetic words and pictures are subject to being weighed up. (1 Cor 14:29, 1 Thess 5:20-21) Don’t place any expectations on prophetic submissions being responded to or acted upon. This is especially important to remember if you are an intercessor in a church.

6. Confidentiality

Treat all communication from your leader as confidential, even when the material appears to be common knowledge. Take great care to retain trust in this area.

7. Be Part of a Church Community

Personal intercession is a private ministry. I know, because there have been countless times that I have prayed alone, pacing a room or on my knees as the Spirit has burdened me to pray for a leader.

I also know that if it were not for my involvement in church life, I would not be where I am today.

The ministry of intercession may be hidden, but it is vital that we engage in a church community and have accountability and leadership in our spiritual gifts.

Involvement is more than just attendance. It means helping to serve in the church, being under leadership, and being part of the church prayer community.

There are no ‘lone rangers’ in the body of Christ. We are a body, with different parts and different gifts and we need each other (1 Cor 12)

8. Take Time out.

Personal intercession can be hard work and intercessors (depending on the relationship) can carry a great burden of care.

When our intercessory team carried one of our pastors in prayer during long weeks of life-threatening surgery, I was very aware of their labour in prayer and the emotional nature of their concern.

As the one coordinating the prayer effort, I became very tired, and eventually realised that I needed to hand the organisational responsibility over to someone else.

Do not feel that you have to be on prayer duty 24/7. As with any ministry, put some boundaries around your time and energy.

If you feel that you no longer carry a burden from God to pray, don’t be afraid to be honest and to step out from the prayer commitment.

You will be greatly relieved when you do—and the leader will respect your decision.

You are not indispensable. God is faithful, and will provide others to step into your place.

Notes:

[1] See the post, ‘How To Increase Your Prayer Support Through Personal Intercession’

[2] A book on this topic that greatly blessed our prayer department is entitled Intercessors Discover Your Prayer Power, by FEMRITE, T; ALVES, E; KAUFMAN, K.  2000.  Ventura : Regal.

Do you have any experiences or questions to share on this topic? I would love to hear from you. Leave a comment in the comments box below. If the comments box is not visible, click on this link and scroll down.

© Helen Calder 2011 Enliven Blog

On team with David McCracken Ministries: Prophetic Ministry That Empowers The Church

I first encountered the ministry of personal intercession 16 years ago. At that time, the Hunk and I were ministering with a mission agency. We recognised the need to have prayer support, especially for his role as National Director, his frequent missions trips, and our itinerant ministry around New Zealand.

To this day, we reflect with gratitude on the significant role our intercessors played, as our ‘hidden’ partners in ministry.

More recently I spent 5 years leading prayer in our church, in which we organised personal intercession for our pastors and leaders. I have also been a personal intercessor myself.

Now in itinerant ministry again, I am again focused on nurturing significant prayer partnerships.

Personal Intercession

A personal intercessor is someone who prays regularly for another person.

At its simplest form, personal intercession can be the natural response of friends who support one another in prayer, or a prayer partnership.

Personal intercession can also be anonymous. For example, a person whose heart is moved upon by the Holy Spirit may pray once or continually for another, without the need of acknowledgement.

But the most well-known use of personal intercession occurs when leaders or ministers—recognising the need for prayer cover due to the nature of their ministry—seek those who will strategically partner in prayer with them.

The Power of Prayer

‘Brothers and sisters, pray for us.’ (1 Thess 5:25)

Personal intercession recognises that prayer is vital to the fulfilment of God’s purposes and plans (Matt 6:10). It also acknowledges that prayer is a means of spiritual protection (Rom 15:31, 2 Cor 1:10-11)

Throughout his letters in the New Testament, the Apostle Paul urged people and churches to pray for him and his ministry.

Paul’s requests for prayer give us an insight into the benefits and power of personal intercession. [1]

Tips for Making the Most of Your Prayer Support

Are you a leader who could benefit from having or increasing your prayer support? Here are some ideas that can help you:

Build Relationship with Your Prayer Supporters

Be specific about how you would like your prayer partners to pray. This empowers them and makes it easy for them to respond if they do not have a great deal of time.

Communicate in a personal way. Don’t just share your schedule and your prayer requests. Let them know what is on your heart and allow them see your humanness—they will relate to you and pray all the more. (2 Cor 1:8-11)

Express Appreciation. Thank them often and well—your prayer supporters are your hidden team, generous with their love and time.

Share testimonies and answers to prayer, don’t just send requests. Sharing the results helps them to feel part of your team and the stories cause them to praise God and spur them on to pray more!

Encourage feedback—let them know you would love to receive prophetic insights or scriptural words of encouragement. When you do receive feedback, respond to it, even if you can only manage a brief ‘Thank you.’

Pray for those who pray for you

Paul not only constantly asked for prayer, he also reciprocated it, earnestly praying for the people and churches on his heart. (Phil 1:4, Philemon 1:4, Eph 1:16)

This is the basis of true prayer partnership.

At David McCracken Ministries, we invite those who are praying for us to also share their own prayer requests. We make praying for these a priority as a team, together and individually. We also pray for our partners on a regular basis at our weekly meetings.

Recognise the Limitations of Email

Email is currently the most utilised means of communicating prayer requests.

However, these days, people are bombarded with requests and emails and we can’t assume that every person will read the email immediately—or read it at all.

Be creative with your subject header to pique interest. Make your email personal, concise and interesting.

For urgent prayer requests, or with a select group of prayer supporters who are close to you, SMS is a great way to gain immediate prayer support.

If you want your number to remain private, or have a large organisation, you can send bulk SMS (texts) via an online service.

Consider some other creative ways to gain prayer support, such as social media. Some, such as Facebook, have the capacity for closed (non-public) groups. I recently ‘tweeted’ a prayer request and had someone from the other side of the world stop and pray for me! [2]

Don’t expect all your prayer partners to pray the same way.

Appreciate the differences between your intercessors and take these into account. There are 3 main types of prayer partners. These are:

1. ‘Daily intercessors’ will pray for you most days, and may pray prefer to pray over a list.

If you have a large number of prayer supporters, consider having a general information sheet you can email or post out, with your photo, info about your ministry, your passion, your family (if you would like them prayed for), and general prayer requests.

2 ‘Alert intercessors’ will pray when you alert them to a particular need or remind them to pray.

Included in this group are some pray-ers have a special gift to pray specifically and powerfully in times of crisis.

3. ‘Prophetic intercessors’ will be open to the leading of the Holy Spirit as to when and how to pray for you.

These are most likely to feedback prophetic insights, and if they are gifted in discernment, will be of special assistance when spiritual warfare is occurring.

You don’t have to share the same information with all of your prayer partners.

If preferred, you can have levels, or circles, of prayer support. Your innermost circle will be those who are closest to you, with whom you can trust confidential information and personal requests.

An outer circle can receive general prayer requests, and information such as itineraries. Nurture both.

Don’t Rely Solely on Intercession by Others

We need to ensure that our own prayer life (as well as that of our organisation, church or ministry team) is active and that we ourselves are praying for the things we are asking our prayer partners to cover.

A gift to my Prayer-Loving Readers

My e-book, ‘Pray for the Lost’ is available for free download at the David McCracken Ministries website for a limited time. It is my joy to share it with you.
Check it out at the DMM free resources page here: http://www.davidmccracken.org/Resources—FREE-This-Month.php

Notes:
[1]

The Apostle Paul’s Prayer Requests:

• For help, for deliverance from external hardships, as well as internal pressures (2 Cor 1:8-11)

• For boldness and for God to give him words to speak as he preached the Gospel (Eph 6:18-20)

• For doors of ministry to open, for the ability to preach the gospel clearly (Col 4:2-5)

• For release from persecution, imprisonment and difficult circumstances (Phil 1:19-20, Philem 1:22)

• For protection and favour (Rom 15:31)

• For the rapid spread and reception of the Gospel message (2 Thess 3:1)

[2] To view my Twitter account, click here. I also especially recommend David McCracken’s Twitter account for daily inspiration.

Do you have any experiences or questions to share on this topic? I would love to hear from you. Leave a comment in the comments box below. If the comments box is not visible, click on this link and scroll down.

Posts on the topic of Prayer:

Release The Resources Of Heaven Through Prayer

Pray For Those You Love And Unleash The Power Of God

4 Ways To Pray: Exploring The Wonders Of Prayer

© Helen Calder 2011 Enliven Blog

On team with David McCracken Ministries

As we prayed, my sister-in-law said she had a picture of angels ‘outside his bedroom window.’

Soon afterwards, we heard that Grandad was miraculously well again. He later shared with us that he had a vision of angels that came into his bedroom and surrounded his bed. Strength flowed back into his body.

After this experience, Grandad’s faith in Jesus became vibrant and unshakeable. He could not be dissuaded from the reality of his angelic encounter.

When we pieced the story together, we realised that the heavenly visitation had taken place at the time we had prayed.

The Power of Prayer for Loved Ones who Don’t Know Jesus

As Christian believers, we have the privilege of taking the names of those we care about before the very throne of God, the highest authority in heaven and earth. There, we can petition our Father to release heavenly resources on behalf of those we love.

Like presenting a cheque to our bank that has been made out to us, prayer draws on the resources that are available to you and me through the bank of heaven.

We have access to all that has been purchased by Jesus’ shed blood on our behalf, in Jesus’ Name.

God wants to draw people to Himself. He desires to release heavenly resources to do so. He wants to convict people by his Spirit. He is waiting for us to pray. He is waiting for us to simply ask, in Jesus’ Name.

What are some of these heavenly resources that are ours for the asking?

1. Prayer Releases the Spirit of God

In the book of Acts, the church was in prayer, and in response to that prayer there was an outpouring of the Holy Spirit. And in response to the outpouring of the Spirit, thousands of people came to know Jesus and were born again.

There are things that only the Spirit can do. Jesus said in John 16:8 that it is the Spirit of God who brings conviction to people, who reveals the truth. We can have all the right words, we have truth on our side, we can talk to people until we are blue in the face, but only the Holy Spirit can show them truth and cut through their consciences.

The great evangelist Billy Graham understood this principle. He writes,
‘I am always deeply conscious that I am absolutely helpless and that only the Holy Spirit can penetrate the minds and hearts of those that are without Christ. All I am doing is sowing seed. It is God—and only God—who can make the seed bear fruit… We stress that prayer is an indispensable element in preparation for a crusade, and we seek to organise in advance as many prayer meetings as possible. It is the mightiest force in the world.’[1]

2. Prayer Releases God’s Miraculous Power

In Acts 4:30 the church asked in prayer,
‘Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.’

God responded to their prayer and in the following chapter we read, ‘The apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders among the people’ (Acts 5:12).

The Hunk and I see God do miraculous things in the lives of unbelievers that we have been praying for. The power of God is available to us through prayer. This was a prayer that the early Church prayed, and so can we.

3. Prayer Releases People into Ministry

In Luke 10:2 Jesus said to His disciples:
‘The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.’

Through prayer, God will position people around your loved one at significant times who will be witnesses of Jesus to him or her. But know that the very act of asking is also enlisting, for in the next breath He said, “Go! I am sending you.” If we are praying, we must also be prepared to speak when the opportunity arises.

4. Prayer Prepares the Environment for the Sharing of the Gospel

Through prayer, God moves in our political, cultural and spiritual environment, preparing the way for the spread of the Gospel. [2] Through prayer, the Lord sets up circumstances in the lives of those we care about that will confront them with the truth of the Gospel. He can turn even difficult circumstances into opportunities for His grace.

We can participate with the Holy Spirit in prayer to set up Divine appointments. Like dominoes, people and circumstances move into place that will lead our loved ones closer towards a decision for Christ. I call these ‘God-incidences,’ although at the time they may seem like coincidences.

5. Prayer Releases Angelic help

‘Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?’ (Heb 1:14)

In Matt 26:53-54, Jesus said, ‘Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?’ In Acts 12, an angel broke Peter out of jail as the church was praying and asking God for his release. [3]
We have learned that God calls us to partner with Him through praying for His will to be accomplished ‘on earth as it is in heaven.’ The Psalmist reminds us that angels are the means that God uses to fulfil His plans. [4] When we pray, angels are activated into bringing about God’s purposes.

‘Praise the LORD, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word. Praise the LORD, all his heavenly hosts, you his servants who do his will.’ (Ps 103:20-21)

[1] Billy Graham, Just As I Am, San Francisco : HarperCollins 1999

[2] 1 Tim 2:1-5

[3] Acts 12:6-13

[4]  Psalm 103:20-21

See also, The Power Of Prophetic Prayer

The above article is excerpted from my e-book: Pray for the Lost: Impact the Eternal Destiny of Your Loved Ones Through Prayer.

Have you experienced any miraculous answers to prayer you would like to share with us? I would love to hear from you. Leave a note in the comments box below. If the comments box is not visible, click on this link and scroll down.

© Helen Calder 2011   Enliven Blog  http://propheticpeople.com/

Now on team with David McCracken Ministries

What comes to mind when you think about the word ‘prayer’?

Some reasons that many people struggle with the concept of prayer include:

• Prayer has become a religious term in our culture today
• We have a preconceived idea as to what kind of activity prayer involves and we can’t relate to that activity
• We may associate prayer with a group or person in the church who seem very spiritual and don’t think that we could ever be like that
• We feel inadequate when it comes to prayer.

The great news is—prayer is simple and you can be yourself with God!

The Journey Of Prayer

Prayer is a bit like Jesus inviting you into a mansion to spend time with Him. You enter one room, and its treasures captivate you. You could spend months there—and you do.

Gradually you realise that there are other rooms to explore with the Lord that contain different wonders. When you are ready, you can investigate them.

To help you get started on this exciting journey, or to reflect on what more might be available to you, here are 4 essential types of prayer:

1. Relating Prayer

The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend (Ex 33:11).

In the relating type of prayer, we approach God as our friend.

Just as in any relationship, you can choose whether or not you relate at a surface level or whether you will trust enough to disclose the real issues in your heart.

Sometimes people hold back from doing this because they think that God knows everything about them anyway, so why tell Him how they feel? However, God wants to share an intimate relationship with us—He wants us to tell Him what is really going on inside.

Relating with God also includes dealing with anything that might get in the way. This means:

• Forgiving anyone who has hurt you or done you wrong (Mark 11:25) and
• Repenting of any sin—wrong thoughts, acts or attitudes in your life (Matt 6:12).

We can also take time to thank Him for what He has done through Jesus and in our lives, just as we would thank a friend for something they have done.

As with any friendship, meaningful communication in prayer is not just one way. Besides talking to God, we can also listen to what He is saying. This is where journaling can be beneficial, as it enables us to keep a record of what God is saying to us.

2. Requesting Prayer

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. (Phil 4:6)

In this kind of prayer, we relate to God as our Father. (Matt 7:9-11)

Prayer is where transactions are made that will bring about needed change in your life and in the lives of those you care about.

The Bible calls this ‘petition.’ This is where we make requests about people and needs that concern us. We are looking for God’s help and intervention. We ask in Jesus name. (John 15:16, John 16:23-26)

Through relating prayer and studying the Bible, we discover God’s plans for our lives. In requesting prayer, we ask for His plans to come to fruition. (John 15:7, 1 John 5:14-15)

3. Receiving Prayer

‘If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.’ (John 7:37)

Here, we relate to God as our Source—our life-giver and baptiser in the Holy Spirit

This type of prayer is not focused on tasks or requests, but is about enjoying and benefiting from God’s presence. Ps 91:1, Ps 63:1-8

Receiving prayer enables you to be refreshed and filled with the Holy Spirit. It includes:

• Personal times of worship or adoration (having accompanying music can help but is not necessary)
• Positioning yourself to receive a fresh infilling of His Spirit
• Enjoying God’s presence without agenda

Like intimate friends or family members who can enjoy each other’s company in silence, you do not always have to talk to God. In receiving prayer, your relationship has moved beyond the place where you have to fill it with words.

I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:5)

Our natural tendency in our busy, service-oriented life is to downgrade the importance of this kind of prayer. However, it is a vital way to receive power to live the Christian life. Placing yourself in a position to be receiving from God in prayer may be the most unselfish thing you can do.

4. Ruling Prayer

‘Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.’ (Matt 6:10)

In this kind of prayer, we relate to God as King.

Ruling prayer is where we discover and use the authority God has given us as His sons and daughters.

We remember that God is and has the ultimate authority. We praise Him for who He is, and the power that He has.

We then step up to use the authority God has given us in the name of Jesus. We get bold, reminding the Lord of His promises and declaring His Word for our lives. We speak out scriptures and prophetic promises that have personal meaning and application.

In ruling prayer, we are saying we are not putting up with the status quo of circumstances and our enemies. We can address forces of darkness, resisting Satan’s plans for our lives, or the lives of others (Eph 6:10-18). We exercise spiritual warfare.

The benefit of this type of prayer is that it helps us grow in our spiritual authority. Through ruling prayer, we can shift situations where others or we have become immobilised. It helps us break through to a better place.

If this kind of prayer is new to you, trying it with others might be helpful (Matt 18:18-19). Remember it is okay to write out prayers and proclamations and to read them when you are learning.

Questions to Consider

Note that although I have identified these as four distinct types of prayer, they can be used together. Here are some questions to reflect on:

• Which type of prayer are you most familiar with?
• Which type of prayer are you least familiar with?
• Which types of prayer could you focus on to bring positive change or refreshment in your devotional life?

For Further Study:

Would you like the opportunity to study these 4 types of prayer further in a small group setting? Review my e-book here:

Encounter God: Change Your World Through Prayer

This study will also take your group through basic training on how to pray for each other for healing and other needs.

Related Posts:

Prophetic Prayer Training Session

Pray For Those You Love And Unleash The Power Of God

© Helen Calder  2010  Enliven Publishing

Now on team with David McCracken Ministries

If you have any thoughts or experiences to share on the topic of ways in which we can pray, I would love to hear from you.  Leave a comment below. If the comments section is not visible, click on this link and scroll down.

This week I am going to share with you a lesson from the prophetic training that I’ve recently launched. This particular session is on the topic of ‘Prophetic Prayer.’

Overall, the course is more than just how to’s on prophecy, it is about developing a prophetic lifestyle, starting with our personal relationship with God, and progressing through topics about personal prophecy, prophetic dreams and prophetic evangelism–sharing the good news about Jesus using prophetic gifts and guidance.

Before I started developing the online prophetic training, I felt that the Father was encouraging me to do something creative and different, something that had never been done before.

Recognising that we all learn in different ways, I have included a number of different expressions and media in the training, including:

• Reading – providing insightful articles and links on the topics
• Writing – personal journal and forum
• Listening – a new podcast for every lesson
• Sharing the journey – relationally with others on the forum
• Coaching and mentoring – on the forum
• Activation – in daily life

It has been a thrill for me to see participants already engaging on the forum, sharing testimonies and needs, praying for each other as well as working through the topics.

I am about two-thirds through developing this training and expect it to be completed by the end of November. Here is a bonus preview of Topic 2: Prophetic Prayer:

(Note to visitors: most of the forum is only accessible to registrants, so you will only be able to view a few topics. The privacy settings are there to provide a safe place for trainees)

Click on the message title below to listen to the podcast in MP3 format. To save the file to your computer right click on the link and select “Save Link As …” (Firefox) or “Save Target As…” (Internet Explorer).

Topic 2: Prophetic Prayer

Note you may have to wait a few moments for this message to load.

This week we are continuing our focus on prophetic ministry as it relates to our personal relationship with God. Last week, our context was receiving a prophetic message (hearing His voice) for ourselves personally. This week, our focus is prophetic prayer.

1.   Listen to the explanations of the different types of prophetic prayer in the podcast. In brief, these are: Receiving, Interceding, Warfaring, Ministering, Proclaiming.

Think about which type of prophetic prayer you could personally benefit from becoming stronger in, or could help you in a current situation you are facing.

For more encouragement to help get you started, read the following blog post:
Need A Breakthrough? Uncover The Mysteries Of Heaven

You may like to use a prophecy given to you by someone else. If so, here is an article that can help:
Is it Time to Birth Your Prophetic Word in Prayer?

3. Tell us which type of prophetic prayer you would like to work on and (if you feel comfortable doing so), share why.

The Power of Prophetic Prayer

Your Prophetic Word and Spiritual Warfare

*Do you have any experiences or responses to share with us on this topic? I would love to hear from you. Leave a comment in the box below. If the comment box is not visible, click on this link and scroll down.

For more information on the Enliven Prophetic Training, check out the Prophetic Training page.

© Helen Calder 2010    Enliven Publishing

Now on team with David McCracken Ministries

Some are yellowing with age. On a couple, the typed print is fading and I can barely make out what is written there. A few are on audiocassette tapes.

A number of the prophecies have been fulfilled to varying degrees. Others speak of times yet to come—of things that we carry in our hearts but have not yet seen with our eyes.

Igniting a Prophecy with Prayer

A prophetic word from God is like a notice to us of His intentions. However its fulfilment will only take place as we partner with Him—as we pray, listen and obey.

Jesus taught us to pray,

‘Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.’ Matt 6:10

Everything God does on the earth He accomplishes in partnership with His people through prayer. As John Wesley said,

“God does nothing but in answer to prayer, and everything by it.”

Elijah understood this. He prophesied to King Ahab that the drought would be broken immediately by rain. What happens next? We see him immediately birthing the prophetic message in prayer. As James says:

‘Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.’ James 5:17-18

Elijah prophesied—and then He prayed. When the prophecy and prayer were combined, in God’s timing, ignition took place. God’s power was released to fulfil His Word.

Discerning the Timing of God

‘In the first year of [Darius’] reign, I, Daniel, understood from the Scriptures, according to the word of the LORD given to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years. So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes.’ Dan 9:1-3

Here we see Daniel using Jeremiah’s prophecy to pray, repent, and remind God of His mercy and promises.

Daniel was gifted himself in prophetic ministry. But he recognised that Jeremiah had received a message from God that pertained to the current time in which he, Daniel, lived.

It was time to birth that prophecy in prayer.

Nehemiah reminded God of the prophetic promise made through Moses—that God would restore His exiled people to their land when they returned in obedience to Him. (Neh 1:8-9)

Nehemiah’s prophetic prayer was so powerful that it propelled him into becoming a leader in answering that prayer.

Sensitivity to the Holy Spirit

It is not enough to prophesy or simply receive a prophecy.

Many times we receive a personal prophecy and we say, “That’s nice.” We might even get excited about it, because it speaks to something that is already on our hearts.

We may pray about it as we weigh it up. But then, we shelve it where it gathers dust. After all, the ultimate test of whether it is actually a word from God is whether or not it comes to pass. And so we wait.

Now here is the challenge that I believe the Bible makes to us:

There comes a time when we should begin to birth that prophecy in prayer. And we need to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit as to when that time is.

In 1 Chronicles 12:32, we read about the sons of Issachar, who ‘understood the times and knew what Israel should do.’ This ability to sense God’s timing is a quality and gift that we should seek as prophetic people.

The Holy Spirit directs the timing of prophetic prayer to bring to birth God’s purposes at the right moment in history.

We need to ask Him for sensitivity to the times and seasons of God, so that like Daniel, Nehemiah and Elijah, we will know when it is time to pray for God’s prophetic word to be brought to pass.

A Neglected Prophecy

Last week, I led a study in prophetic prayer. As I was preparing for it, I realised that we have neglected to review and pray over our prophecies.

A prophecy that was given to us more than 10 years ago came to my attention. A visiting prophet to our church in New Zealand brought a word over my husband and me. He said that God was going to increase the prophetic anointing in our lives.

Now I have a confession to make right here. Because we have other, more dramatic and exciting prophecies, I have never paid much attention to this one.

However, we discussed the prophecy last week and realised that this was indeed stirring in us right now.

I shared the prophecy at our training night and demonstrated some different ways we could pray and proclaim it. Within 24 hours something happened that confirmed to us that the timing of that prophecy is for our current season.

A message from God that we had shelved has suddenly been brought to the forefront.

Here is a challenging question for you to consider:

What prophecy have you shelved—but it is now time to birth it in prayer?

Some Ways to use a Prophecy in Prayer:

1.    Use the prophecy to remind God of His promises in prayer and ask Him for their fulfilment

2.    Turn the prophecy into a declaration of what God will do—and speak it out

3.    Use the prophecy to wage spiritual warfare

4.    Consider the power of praying and proclaiming prophetic scriptures (e.g. over yourself and family members)

Related Posts:

Dealing With Prophetic Disappointment

How To Make The Most Of Your Personal Prophecy

How Do I Know A Personal Prophecy Or Dream Interpretation Is From God?

The Power of Prophetic Prayer

© Helen Calder    Enliven Blog

Now on team with David McCracken Ministries

I loved my country of birth with a passion. I had also fallen in love with our adopted city, and planned to live there—God willing—for the rest of my life.

One evening at a church service, the visiting speaker asked us to form groups to pray for nations that were on our heart. I moved to the group that was interceding for Asia. To my utter surprise, when I closed my eyes, I saw the map of Australia.

At that moment, the Holy Spirit spoke to me and said, ‘You are going to receive a Macedonian call.’

Then I remembered that in Acts 16, the Apostle Paul had a dream in which a Macedonian man stood begging him, and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.”

I shared the incident with my husband, and we tucked the word away in the back of our minds. ‘Perhaps’, we thought, ‘we will take short trips across to Australia for ministry at some stage.’

Some six months later, we had a social visit from the Australian Board Chairman of our mission organisation. We were sitting in a café in Tauranga when he said, ‘Would you come over and help us?’

The Hunk and I looked at each other—both thinking the same thing. Had we just received our Macedonian call?

Many other incidents served to confirm that God was indeed calling us to live and minister in Australia, and the call to ‘come across and help’ became stronger. In 2002 we moved our family across to Melbourne to live.

Divine Positioning

In Acts 17:26-28, Paul said,

‘From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.’

Stop! Read that again…

Sometimes it is easier for us to believe that God is in charge of the big picture of our lives—like our move to Australia—than in our daily life.

However, I have come to realise that God has not only divinely placed me, but that He is also at work in the lives of people around me, positioning them to seek Him.

If God has placed someone around your life who does not know personally Jesus’ love and salvation, you can be assured that God has put them there.

This may be a family member, a workmate, neighbour, fellow-student or even someone you bump into at the supermarket or on the street.

Their proximity to you tells you that God is already at work in their lives, drawing them to Himself. There may not be any outwards signs of faith, but you do not need to be discouraged by their apparent lack of interest or hardness.

You can have confidence that God has positioned you alongside them. To be a messenger of His love and goodness, an influence to bring them further along on their journey of faith.

Prayer Aids Divine Positioning.

When you pray, the Holy Spirit will position you at the right place, at the right time, to be part of someone’s salvation miracle.

Prayer aids divine positioning. The story of Cornelius in Acts 10 is a great example of this.

In this story, we see prayer accomplishing two things. Firstly, the prayer of Cornelius moved the hand of the Lord to bring salvation to him and his household (Acts 10:4) and secondly, prayer put the Apostle Peter into a place where he could see, hear and respond to the purposes of God to evangelise the Gentiles, beginning with Cornelius. (Acts 10:9)

Sometimes we looks at people around us and all we see is impossibility—but nothing is impossible for God (Luke 1:37).

I have learned to pray and ask God to put the people that He wants to touch in my path every day—THEN, to look for what happens next.

You are a vital link in the chain of relationships and events that will lead someone to faith in Jesus.

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Related Posts:

A Beginners Guide to Prophetic Evangelsim Pt 1

© Helen Calder    Enliven Publishing

What is Prophetic Prayer?

Prophetic prayer occurs when we use revelation received from the Holy Spirit in the process of praying.

The New Testament Greek word translated ‘revelation’ means ‘unveiling.’ The Holy Spirit shares knowledge that we could not know by natural means. We then reflect that supernatural insight back to God in requests, intercession and proclamation.

A revelation from God may come in the form of a prophecy, picture (vision), dream, idea, or scripture. However, there are a myriad of creative ways that the Holy Spirit can speak to us if we are open to hearing His voice.

We can also pray prophetically without it being premeditated on our part. During or after the prayer we realise that the Holy Spirit has directed us how to pray.

4 Types of Prophetic Prayer

There are four main types of prophetic prayer. These are:

1. Receiving:

The Spirit shares prophetic revelation with us as we wait on God in prayer

2. Interceding:

We use the prophetic revelation we have received to remind God of His promises

3. Warfaring:

We use prophetic revelation to wage spiritual warfare and make powerful proclamations

4. Imparting:

God uses us to pray prophetically as we minister in prayer to others

How Prophetic Prayer can help in the Process of Evangelism

1. Receiving revelation in prayer

One time, I was praying for a family in our neighbourhood in New Zealand, when I had a vision. It was like a slide show. I saw the couple getting married; I saw my husband officiating at the wedding; I saw them becoming Christians.

Many months later, the man called us to share a secret—he had asked his partner to marry him and wanted The Hunk to perform the ceremony. We were thrilled, because we knew that God was at work, drawing them to Himself.

As you pray for God’s guidance in the process of evangelism, or for someone on your heart that is not a Christian, be open to have the Holy Spirit speak to you.

We do not need to be limited to set times of prayer. As we learn to walk with God in our daily life, we can be open to revelation that the Holy Spirit shares with us as we go along.

2. Using revelation to make requests in prayer

Once God has spoken to us about His plans for a friend or loved one who is unsaved, or for people that we come across, we can use that revelation to make specific, faith-filled requests to God. (Is 62:6-7)

The date of our friends wedding was getting closer. One morning I prayed and cried out to God, reminding Him of the vision and promises for this couple. That very day several events took place that showed us—and them—that God was at work in their lives.

Scriptures can be especially powerful in this regard. I have a Bible verse that the Lord has spoken to me regarding a family member that I frequently bring back to Him in prayer.

The power of this kind of prophetic prayer can be summed up by these words from the Bible:

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us-whatever we ask-we know that we have what we asked of him. 1 John 5:14-15

3. Using revelation to wage spiritual warfare

Similarly, prophetic revelation can be used to wage spiritual warfare in prayer for the lives of people who do not yet have a relationship with Jesus. (Eph 6:12-18)

We can use the prophecies, scriptures, and other revelations we have received to declare God’s purposes for their lives and to pray against demonic strongholds (2 Cor 10:4-6).

Prayer helps us lead a prophetic lifestyle

In the process of prophetic evangelism, prayer can also help us in other ways:

• Prayer is where we get to know the Father’s heart and values—this helps us to respond to people the way He would.
• Prayer is the place where we commune with God. As we live out of that fellowship, we grow in sensitivity to what He is doing moment-by-moment, in our daily lives.
• Prayer helps us to stay filled with the Holy Spirit and empowered to witness of His love and power to others.

Prophetic prayer is powerful because we are praying according to what is on God’s heart and in His purposes for a situation, ourselves or other people.

Just as with all prophecy, it is important that any revelation we receive in prayer be weighed up, to see if it really is from God.

In the next post, I will look at a third key to prophetic evangelism, which is ‘positioning’—being aware that God has strategically placed you alongside people who are on His heart. He is already at work in their lives, drawing them to Himself.

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Are you interested in finding out more about how to pray effectively for your unsaved family and friends?

For further information, check out the e-book,

Pray for the Lost: Impact the Eternal Destiny of Those You Love

*****************************************************************

Related posts:

Prophetic Prayer Training Session

A Beginners Guide To Prophetic Evangelism Part 1

Pray for Those You Love and Unleash the Power of God

Need A Breakthrough? Uncover the Mysteries of Heaven

© Helen Calder    Enliven Publishing

In the last post I shared two important keys to dealing with spiritual warfare as a Christian in your personal life and ministry, using the acrostic RICE. These were:

R = Recognise

• Be aware of the signs that spiritual warfare is occurring

I = Identify

Assess the

• Means—who or what is the enemy using to get to you
• Mandate—what is the treasure that he is after in your life and ministry, and
• Message—what is the message he wants you to believe in the crisis

Up until now, we have not taken action in response to the spiritual warfare. However, realising that we are in a battle and taking time to assess what it is about are steps that are critical to our recovery and victory.

C = Combat

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armour of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes ( Eph 6:10-11)

Now it is time to take action. Here is a checklist of 11 ways that you can proactively respond when experiencing spiritual pressure:

1. Recommit to GOD

‘Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.’ James 4:7-8
Remember, we don’t wage warfare in our own strength, but in Jesus’ authority. Ensuring that we are yielded to His authority, then, is of great importance and our first act of warfare.

2. Take Ownership (1 John 1:8-9)

When a battle is occurring, we need to take ownership of our own part in it. Spiritual warfare is not a reason to blame the devil for our less than perfect responses. Examples of things we need to acknowledge are:

• The lies we have listened to
• The inroads we have allowed in relationships.
• Our sin of discouragement, fear, or condemnation, and so on

We need to be wary of the danger of simply dismissing something as spiritual attack and not dealing with our own part in it.

Have you ever noticed that spiritual warfare is a great opportunity for personal and character growth?

3. Disagreement  (1 Pet 5:9)

This may sound strange, but getting into an opposing position in times of attack is critical, yet often the hardest thing to do! This is especially true when we are struggling to overcome discouragement, condemnation, fear, failure, etc.

We may have been feeding on negative thoughts or feelings, and we have to rise up in disagreement against them. This is not about summoning up an emotion; it starts with a quality DECISION backed up by prayer that we will no longer give way to our wrong responses.

4. Move in the Opposite Spirit (Matt 5:43-45)

This is especially true when it relates to warfare being directed through the actions or words of another person. This means that if they are closed, be open with them, if they’re being deceitful, be honest, unkind, be kind, and so on.
Take the enemy by surprise! Break out and do the very thing that there’s pressure against you doing (see Identify:Mandate).

5. Obedience (1 Chron 14:13-16)

Obedience to the Holy Spirit often means doing the very thing that you don’t feel like doing. This is about not responding to what you feel, but Who you know. Ask the Lord to show you what He would have you do in the situation.

6. Expose the Enemy (Eph 5:8-13)

Bring the situation and your responses into the light. Confess your own struggles to someone who is a ‘safe’ person. Exposing the enemy might also mean exposing his strategy.

7. Speak Truth (Eph 6:17)

In the last post, I discussed the importance of identifying the message (lies) that the enemy wants us to believe. What is God’s Word on the matter? Identify the truth and use scripture, or a paraphrased/personalised version of it, as a confession and for meditation.

Remember also who you are in Christ and speak it out.

8. Praise and Thanksgiving (2 Chron 20, Ps 8:2, Ps 149:6-9, Acts 16)

‘May the praise of God be in their mouths and a double-edged sword in their hands.’ Ps 149:6

9. Prayer (Eph 6:18) and Praying in the Spirit (Rom 8:26)

Prayer using the authority of Jesus’ Name is a primary weapon of spiritual warfare.

10. Refresh (Psalm 32:7; Psalm 23:5)

If you have been under siege, you need to receive grace and regain energy. Take extra devotional time. Utilise worship and other ways you personally connect with God.

11. Remember Prophecies Made About You (1 Tim 1:18)

Keep prophetic encouragement at hand. When hard times come, prophecies can help keep you encouraged and on track. You can also use them to pray.

E = ENLIST Help (2 Cor 1:10-11)

We were never meant to stand alone as Christians. When spiritual warfare is occurring, find safe people who can support you (Gal 6:2, James 5:16, Lev 26:7-8).

These can include:

• A leader who can pray for you and advise you
• Intercessors—those who are gifted in prayer (of particular value if you are in a Christian ministry role)
• Friends and team members

PROVIDING A SAFE PLACE

There are many things that we can do to help and support each other during times of struggle, These include: listening, providing a safe place for confession, encouraging, speaking truth that will combat the enemy’s lies, prayer and supporting in practical ways.

Related Posts:

12 Signs Of Spiritual Warfare

Responding To Spiritual Warfare Pt 1

© Helen Calder    Enliven Blog

On team with David McCracken Ministries

I didn’t talk to God for 5 days, following a powerful encounter with Him during the final session of a Healing Rooms training day.

It didn’t seem to be a remarkable moment, this rushed conclusion during which every participant was anointed with oil and prayed for.

What happened? Well, let me just say that childhood encounters with electric fences on my uncle’s dairy farm pale in comparison to what struck me in full force at that moment.

After 5 days of stunned silence, I thought I had better get back on speaking terms with the Lord—and only then because I was leading a prayer meeting at our church that evening.

I drove out to the beach, planted my feet in the sea and uttered just 3 words:

‘WHAT WAS THAT?’

The response was immediate, and very clear:

‘You asked for it.’

I had to admit, the Spirit of God had me there. I had encountered the power of His presence after praying a big, bold prayer. ‘Lord,’ I said, I’m not here for healing, and I’m not looking for a healing ministry, I want to help raise up an army of healers!’

When we pray for God’s Presence, do we know what we are asking for?

I believe it was Tommy Tenney who reflected on the annoying way that some small dogs chase after cars. What would the dog ever do if it caught the car? Does it ever enter its mind?

In the same way, we ask for God to move, and seek His Presence, but do we really know what we are asking for?

I have thought about this again this week, because The Hunk and I have experienced a series of miracles, and a heightened sense of God’s Presence.

I found myself overawed, conscious of an urge to draw back from Him.

When heaven invades earth, when God shows up, when miracles break out—we will not always respond the way we expect to, or would like to.

I draw reassurance from accounts in the Bible that show I am not alone in my weak and imperfect response to God’s Presence:

When God showed up:

• Moses and Gideon argued with God (Exodus 4, Judges 6:11-15)
• Saul was blinded (Acts 9:1-9)
• Daniel fell and lost his strength (Dan 11:15-18)
• The Apostle John was told not to be afraid (Rev 1:17)

When Jesus came to His disciples walking on the water, the disciples did not recognise Him, thinking He was a ghost! He told them not to be afraid, for they were terrified.

God does not always show up in the way we imagine, or at the time we expect.

If the greatest saints in scripture struggled in their response to God’s Presence, what makes me think I can?

The Unfamiliar God

God is not ‘safe.’ That is—He is not safe to our pride, our dignity, our sinful nature, our puny ideas or plans. He is more than we can handle and He is beyond our control.

In the Narnia Chronicles, C S Lewis wrote stories of the lion Aslan, King of Kings of Narnia. Aslan’s subjects had a saying about him: ‘He is not a tame lion.’ He was majestic, terrifying to his enemies and redeemer of his own, powerful and unpredictable. Yet the child Lucy would run to him with joyful familiarity and bury her face in his mane.

At times, I respond as Lucy did. At other times, struck by God’s power and unpredictability, I draw back. I have wandered into unfamiliar territory in my relationship with Him.

God did not disqualify Moses, Gideon, or His disciples, when they did not respond well to His Presence or the message that He brought them. Instead, He showed them patience and brought comforting reassurance.

As I recall these things, I do not feel so bad about my own response. I decide to receive His grace and reassurance too.

Ps 103:13-14 says,

As a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;
for he knows how we are formed,
he remembers that we are dust.

The challenge we face is to continue to press in, to continue to pray the bold prayers. To take a deep breath and be honest with Him about how we feel, that He is overwhelming, that we are not certain that we can take any more of His Presence, and yet are afraid that He will draw back; that we cannot live without Him, and yet need His strength to live with Him.

I think I will go and do that right now.

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Related Posts:

The Power Of A Prophetic Act

If you have any thoughts on this topic, or have had any experiences like this, I would love to hear from you. Click on this and leave a comment at the bottom of this post.

© Helen Calder    Enliven Publishing

There is something compelling about the image of Moses speaking directly with God, standing with the cloud of God’s Presence at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. (Ex 33:7-11)

• How did it feel to be that close to God?
• What did God’s voice sound like?
• What must it have been like to know that God wanted to spend time talking personally with Moses—sharing His own intentions and feelings?

Moses had an intimate friendship with God that no one else at that time shared. And yet, this relationship is available to each one of us, should we desire it. (John 15:15, 2 Cor 3:12-17)

It has been said, ‘you are as close to God as you want to be.’ A glimpse of Moses’ prayer life shows us the nearness to God that is possible.

Intimacy—God’s Idea

Our word ‘intimacy’ comes from a Latin word meaning ‘innermost.’

An intimate friend is someone with whom we can share our deepest personal feelings. ‘INTO-ME-SEE’: Intimacy implies a high level of transparency in a relationship.

Intimacy is what Adam and Eve had with God at the beginning of creation, when the Lord walked in the Garden of Eden with them. Intimacy is what they lost when they disobeyed God’s word. (Gen 1-3)

Intimacy of relationship is what Jesus died on the cross to restore; hence, we know it is very important to God. (Gal 4:4-6)

As it has been said—‘If God seems far away, guess who moved?’

God has already done all that He can to restore intimacy with us. He is waiting for us to make the move towards Him.

5 Ways Moses’ Face to Face Relationship Challenges Me

As I contemplate Moses’ friendship with God, here are the truths that confront me:

1. God Wants to be Close to me.

The pillar of cloud moves towards the Tent of Meeting, where Moses has kept his appointment with God.

The depth of God’s desire to spend time with me, and the price He has paid to do so is beyond my ability to comprehend.

• I know He desires to be with me—too often, I move to meet Him hesitantly. Today, I choose to take bold, firm steps towards God

2. There is Always More of God to Encounter

Moses has a ‘face to face’ friendship with God. He speaks with Him in the cloud of His Presence. And yet, Moses is still dissatisfied with his current experience of God.

‘Lord, show me your glory.’ (Ex 33:18)

• There is always more of God to encounter; dare I, like Moses, request it—and what will happen when I do? Lord, show me your glory, increase my capacity to bear it.

3. Intimacy Involves 2-Way Conversation

Moses shares his concerns with God, but he also listens as God shares His own plans, thoughts, and feelings.

There is a place of intimacy, beyond the self-absorbed prayer I have known, where I can move from self-consciousness to GOD-CONSCIOUSNESS.

• I wonder—when was the last time I listened to God as He shared His feelings and plans? Lord, may I hear Your voice today.

4. A Friend or an Onlooker—I Get to Choose

The people of Israel stand at the entrances to their tents, watching in awe as Moses enters the Tent of Meeting.

The people of Israel were onlookers. They saw the distant cloud of God’s presence but did not hear the conversation. All they knew of God’s words were what they heard second-hand from Moses (Ps 103:7)

• Am I content with being an onlooker while others get close to God? …I say, ‘No’…  I want to see You Lord, I want to hear Your voice for myself

5. Withhold, or Disclose my Inner World?

Moses does not hold back his thoughts, his grievances, his desires. His life is an open book to God.

I can open up my real inner self to God because I am safe with Him. Nothing is hidden from God, He knows all about me anyway. His grace is the remedy for my weakness, His forgiveness the remedy for my sin.

• God says, ‘Come to Me as you are.’ (Heb 10:19-22) Will I reach for more of the intimate relationship with God that Jesus has paid the price for?

**One day when my daughter was small, we were walking to church when it started to rain. I shrunk against the side of the building to avoid the damp; after all, the rain would spoil my hair. My daughter leapt out into the rain, her arms flung wide, yelling out, ‘I just want to get wet!’ That’s the attitude I want to have towards the Presence of God. The Kingdom is for the children (Matt 18:3)–will you join me?

The people of Israel stand at the entrances to their tents, watching in awe as Moses enters the Tent of Meeting. The pillar of cloud, which has been leading the people of Israel in their journey out of Egypt, moves towards the entrance of the tent. Now it stays, positioned at the doorway, while the LORD speaks with Moses

‘face to face, as a man speaks with his friend.’

(Ex 33:7-11)

Related posts:

Spiritual Renewal: Cafe Moments With God

© Helen Calder    Enliven Publishing

If you are concerned about unsaved or backslidden loved ones, or if you want to take your spiritual gifts of prophecy, healing or intercession to a new level, you will find treasure in these downloadable PDF books—check them out here.

The Power of Hunger For God

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. Jer 29:13

In Song of Solomon, the Beloved is knocking on the chamber door. The maiden resists getting up to answer. ‘I have taken off my robe—must I put it on again? I have washed my feet—must I soil them again?’ (SOS 5:3)

She is in a state of repose, and for that moment, her comfort is more important than her relationship.

The maiden rises to open the door to her Beloved, but he has already left. Her hesitancy has cost her his presence. Now, her heart is stirred. Comfort is no longer an issue as she loses sleep and risks her safety to search for the one she loves.

Unable to reach him, she passes on a message, ‘Tell him I am faint with love.’ (SOS 5:8)

‘Here I am! I stand at the door and knock,’ Jesus calls to His church. ‘If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.’ (Rev 3:20)

Jesus’ call to intimacy is a challenge to our comfort. To answer His knock, we must stir ourselves from our place of spiritual repose.

His promise: ‘I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.’

Jesus’ invitation is to Christians who are hungry.

Why Be Hungry For God?

Hunger: that gnawing ache on the inside of you; that sense of need that is not content until it is filled.  Hunger is an active state, for it results in you seeking out the object of desire that will satisfy your need.

Hunger for God is the longing to encounter Him, to be with Him, and to be filled with His Spirit.
As prophetic people, we need to hunger and thirst after God.
When we are hungry for God and His Presence, we will do whatever it takes to get close to Him. The place of intimacy is where we will catch, not only the revelation He wants to give us, but we will also catch His heart.

Many of us want to be filled with the Spirit, we long to be close to God and see miracles happen in people’s lives.

When we hunger and thirst for God, we will seek Him, and when we seek Him, we will be filled and empowered.

It all starts with hunger.

6 Ways You Can Stir Up Hunger For God

1. MISS IT

A person who is fasting eventually loses their appetite as their body adjusts to the absence of food. Although in Christian leadership, I was spiritually famished for so long, I lost the ability to hunger after God.

My turning point came when I realised what I was missing.

I noted in my journal,

‘I have come to realise that the real tragedy in the church is not spiritual famine: it is famine without hunger, dryness without thirst.’

2. PRAY FOR IT

Even the desire to seek God is a gift from Him (John 6:44).

When we pray for spiritual hunger, we are praying in accordance with God’s will. He wants us to be hungry for Him. (Matt 5:6). It is a prayer God loves to answer.

3. RECALL IT

Jesus told the Ephesian church, ‘You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen’ (Rev 2:4-5)

You can stir up a desire for God by remembering a time when you were pursuing God and experiencing intimacy in your life with Him.

Do you have books that you read at that time, worship you listened to, or letters or journals that you wrote in? These can be aids to help you recall what it felt like during that season.

4. CATCH IT

Spiritual hunger is contagious. Get around hungry people, or people who are further on in the journey than you. Study their books, listen to their messages, read their blogs.

Our friend James Anson wrote a blog post about having an ache in his heart for God. When I read it, it stirred the same sense of hunger in me.

5. HEAR IT

A new sound of worship can help impart hunger to you. When was the last time you heard fresh worship music that stirred your soul to worship and spend time with God?

These days, it is easy to purchase worship music through iTunes for a very small cost. A couple of songs from Rick Pino, ‘Your Love is Like’ and ‘My Romance’ have stirred the hunger in me recently.

6. ACT ON IT

‘Taste and see that the Lord is good.’ Ps 34:8
With the little sense of need that you have, pursue God. Like me, you will learn that the more you encounter His presence, the more you will want more.

And most amazing of all, you will discover that no matter how much you long for God, His desire for you is greater.

The maiden who sought her Beloved in Song of Solomon discovered this wonder:

I am my beloved’s, And his desire is toward me. (SOS 7:10)

Related posts:

Spiritual Renewal: How to Receive an impartation of the Holy Spirit

The River Returns: How to Be Refilled With The Holy Spirit When You Are Dry

7 Signs Of Spiritual Dryness

7 Ways To Combat Spiritual Dryness

© Helen Calder   Enliven Blog

What is Prayer Journaling?

Prayer journaling is writing down your prayers and questions, and then listening to the Holy Spirit and recording God’s answers. It is a great way to activate your prophetic gift.

I have to confess that I approached the practice of ‘Prayer Journaling’ this week with a bit of trepidation, even though I have used this method of journaling before. It feels presumptuous, writing down God’s ‘answers’ to my prayers and questions.

Does God really want to speak to me conversationally? And how can I know for sure what He is saying?

In John 10:27, Jesus said, ‘My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me’.

As I set out, I am encouraged that God desires an intimate relationship with me even more than I want it with Him—He created me to fellowship with him and to hear His voice!

How to Practice Prayer Journaling

It’s important that you set aside some private space for this kind of journaling. Try to eliminate interruptions and distractions as much as you can.

I personally find that some quiet background worship music helps me focus if I don’t have the luxury of silence in my home, or wherever I happen to be.

It is vital when approaching this journaling practice that you deal with any issues between you and God—forgiveness, repentance and so on—before you start out.

Reading the Bible and praying in the Spirit can help you prepare for your prayer journaling time.

In your journal, you write down your prayer or question to God. Some examples are:

• What would you like to say to me today?
• How can I grow?
• What would you like me to do?
• What are You saying about…

Then, focusing on Jesus, you listen for the Holy Spirit’s answer, and write down what you believe He is saying.

How the Holy Spirit Speaks

Remember that the Holy Spirit brings revelation to us in many ways. He may speak through a picture coming to your mind, a feeling, a Bible verse, an idea, word or impression.

I find that the Holy Spirit’s ‘voice’ usually comes as a series of light, gentle impressions. I need to tune in to these to hear what He is saying.

Although it is good to weigh up the revelation and thoughts as they come, too much analysis will halt your journaling.

Give yourself the freedom to write without editing. Yes, what you record will inevitably be a mixture of your own and God’s thoughts. Remember that any prophecy is imperfect and subject to judgment.

When you have finished, review your journaled ‘message from God.’ Now you can sift through your writing for the nuggets of heavenly wisdom God is giving you. I like to use a highlighter to mark important parts where I believe God is particularly speaking to me.

Use the same criteria for your prayer journaling that you use when weighing up any prophetic word.

If you believe you have received guidance through this kind of journaling, it is vital that you check this by sharing with mature Christians and leaders around your life who will give you honest feedback and help you process it.

Some strengths of this kind of journaling are:

• Fosters intimacy with God
• Helps you become familiar with the ways the Holy Spirit speaks
• Great practice for tuning in to receiving God’s revelation
• Helps you receive guidance and prophetic insight for yourself and others
• You have a record you can refer back to of what God has said to you in your prayer time

Some weaknesses of this journaling method are:

• It does not use the Bible in the journaling process
• Less suitable for newer Christians who do not have a thorough grounding in the scriptures (I recommend the SOAP journaling style for new Christians)
• This style will not suit everyone, e.g. it will be harder for those who are perfectionists or tend not to process thoughts conversationally.

Because of these weaknesses, I advocate the use of other journaling methods in conjunction with this one.

Prayer Journaling and Habbakuk

A leading proponent of prayer journaling is Mark Virkler, who teaches journaling from Habakkuk 2:1,2.

Virkler maintains that God speaks through a flow of spontaneous thoughts, and that as we tune into those we can hear what He is saying.

Just as God instructed Habbakuk to write down his vision, we can also record what God is saying to us through journaling.

The Challenge

Over the next week, I will be trialling prayer journaling as a method, and recording my journey in the comments section of this post. Why not join me?

To review my comments and share your own journey throughout the week, check back here.

For an article on Prophetic Activation In Small Groups, check out the Free Resources Page.

© Helen Calder 2011 Enliven Blog – Prophetic Teaching

On team with David McCracken Ministries: Prophetic Ministry That Empowers The Church

In the face of so much tragedy as we have seen this past week in the earthquake-ravaged nation of Haiti, how can we respond?

It is far too easy to take the role of a global bystander.

I have to admit that my first response has been one of helplessness. But I have realised that there are some things that I can do:

• I can contribute to the aid effort by donating financially
• I can join with those who are petitioning and acting for justice
• I can also pray and speak prophetic words of life

Those of us who have prophetic gifts, and gifts of prayer have a unique offering that we can add to the efforts being made on Haiti’s behalf. In addition to taking practical action, we can pray and prophesy life-giving words.

I came across an article about praying for Haiti, where a reader scathingly responded that we should give money, not waste our time praying.

And yet prayer is the most valuable contribution that we can make.

As Christian believers, we have the privilege of taking the needs of the people of Haiti before the very throne of God, the highest authority in heaven and earth. We have the ability to petition the Most High God, who is also our Father, to release heavenly resources on the nation’s behalf.

Your Prayers Can Impact A Nation

Daniel prayed for his exiled nation after reading from the writings of Jeremiah concerning God’s plan for Judah to return to Jerusalem.
He had been praying and fasting for three weeks, when he had an angelic visitor who said,

“Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words. Dan 10:12

This angel spoke of an invisible war taking place in the spiritual realm, for the nations of the earth. The angel, and God’s answer, had come in response to Daniel’s prayer, overcoming powerful opposition along the way.

This week, this one phrase is challenging me: ‘I have come because of your words.’

The Bible demonstrates that the prayer of just one person can impact a nation. Look at Daniel, Nehemiah (Neh 1), and Elijah (1 Kings 18).

The Apostle James used Elijah’s example to remind you and me,

The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective’ (James 5:16).

Our natural response in the face of tragedy is to feel powerless. But the Bible tells us that our words, spoken to God, have power to impact nations.

• Through financial giving, we help release ‘on-the-ground’ resources.
• Through prayer, we release heavenly resources.

**Prayer launches angelic help, as God speaks His word of command in answer to our prayers. (Ps 103:20-21)

**Prayer can reach places that we could never go, and impact people and situations our finances may never reach

**Through prayer, the effectiveness of humanitarian aid can be multiplied; through prayer Haiti will find favour with world leaders and decision-makers, and so much more…

**Prayer is like the currency of heaven, releasing heavenly resources

Let us be generous givers, in both word and deed; praying, acting, giving, petitioning.

Some Ways We Can Help Haiti

Here are some links that you will find useful as you pray and give to the needs in Haiti. Over the next few days, I am going to work through each one—I invite you to join with me.

8 ways to specifically pray for Haiti

http://helpresources.net/operationsafe/blog/2010/01/8-specific-ways-to-pray-for-haiti/

6 ways to pray for Haiti and organisations you can give to

http://www.examiner.com/x-15670-LA-Faith–Community-Examiner~y2010m1d15-Six-ways-to-pray-for-Haiti

Here are a list of organisations you can give to from Australia and New Zealand

http://www.yahoo7answersblog.com/b4/2010/01/14/haiti-earthquake-how-can-you-help/

Advocacy—A petition you can sign online, asking for world leaders to cancel Haiti’s debt and for assistance to be provided by way of grants, not debt-incurring loans

http://one.org/international/actnow/haiti/?rc=haitifb

********************************************

Related Posts:

Pray For Those You Love And Unleash The Power Of God

The Power Of Prophetic Prayer

Need Breakthrough? Uncover the Mysteries of Heaven

© Helen Calder   Enliven Publishing

Exciting news—Enliven Publishing will be launching an Online Prophetic Training program in 2010!

This is still in the formation stage; so now is the opportunity for you to let me know what you would like to learn about, and any topics, questions or sticky issues you would like covered.

Those of you who have attended my training sessions will know that I like to be really practical in my approach to prophetic training.

With this in mind, I am exploring the medium of an online forum, where members who are training with us can log in to a secure forum, share ideas and practice giving, receiving and providing feedback to prophecies, with the assistance of online coaches.

Some of the topics I am considering offering are:

• Prophetic Prayer
• How To Receive Revelationary Knowledge From God
• How to Prophesy
• Prophecy In The Church
• Personal Prophecy, giving and receiving
• Prophetic Dreams
• Prophetic Evangelism

These won’t just be information or theory, but some practical ‘How-to’s,’ steps and exercises to help get you started.

Here are some prophetic training tools that will be included:

• Receiving an e-Book that will help you in your prophetic journey upon subscribing
• Weekly MP3 podcasts on each topic, along with a PDF worksheet
• A weekly prophetic activation plan and access to helpful related articles

Here are some responses I’ve had to past training sessions:

• ‘Very balanced and God-focused,’ ‘Very straightforward and easy to grasp’
• ‘Excellent blend of teaching and hands-on learning, ‘Really powerful’
• ‘It took the fear out of prophecy…less scary than I thought’
• ‘Very straight-forward and easy to grasp’
• ‘Excellent–love the chance to experience and practice’
• ‘The right balance of theory and practice, all Biblically based’

If you would like to be involved, keep an eye on my prophetic training page and subscribe to this blog to stay informed of developments.

Please forward this information to anyone who may be interested.

Blessings,

Helen

P.S. If you have any responses or ideas about online prophetic training, or if you have had experience with online prophetic training, I would love to hear from you! Please leave your comments in the boxes below—if the comments area is not visible, click on the blog post title and scroll down.

Related posts:
How to Develop Your Prophetic Gift Pt 1: Where to Begin
How to Exercise Your Prophetic Gift Pt 1: Understand the Process of Prophecy

You might like to also check out my article at ezinearticles.com on ‘7 Reasons Why Prophetic Training Can Help You Develop Your Gift of Prophecy’

© Helen Calder   Enliven Publishing

For the beneficiaries of this extraordinary view are neither wealthy homeowners, nor tourists, but a paddock of sheep—upon whom the view is both lavished and lost.

Jesus said to His disciples, ‘Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom’ (Luke 12:32).

Like the sheep of San Remo, however, we can only dimly perceive God’s Kingdom due to our earthbound state. God’s remedy for our condition can be found in ‘portal moments,’ those instances of unmistakeable, supernatural, divine intervention.

Portal moments can occur in the small passing moments of God-awareness, such as my pause of enjoyment at San Remo. But they can also occur in the larger breakthroughs of life.

We have portal moments when:

• God speaks to us personally
• Prayer is answered
• God’s intervention or guidance is the only explanation for something that has taken place
• We or someone else around us is saved, healed, or set free

Such portal moments are God announcing, ‘The Kingdom is here!’

When Jesus sent out His disciples, He instructed them, ‘Heal the sick who are there and tell them, “The kingdom of God is near you.”’ (Luke 10:9).

It was not only the message that gained the attention of people; it was the healing, miracles and the display of God’s authority over the demonic realm. The message and the supernatural demonstration of God’s power are supposed to go together. It is God’s way—and yet I have settled for much less than that.

Should we ask for portal moments?

The prophet cried, ‘Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down!’ (Isaiah 64:1).

The early church cried out, ‘Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus!” (Acts 4:30)

Apparently crying out to God for portal moments is His idea.

That’s what prayer is about: asking the Father for an act of divine intervention. However, I often neglect to do this. Sometimes this is because I am disillusioned about prayers that (from my earthly perspective) seem to have gone unanswered. But by far the most frequent reason that I don’t ask or look for portal moments is that it is simply easier to go along with the ordinary than to be a supernatural Christian.

Sometimes, I don’t expect portal moments because deep down, I don’t believe I deserve them.

Jacob had a portal moment at one of the lowest times of his life. He had failed, grasping for the promised blessing of God through lies and deceit. Now, it seemed he had lost everything, and his own brother was plotting to kill him. He was on his way into exile (you can read this story in the Bible, in Genesis 27-28).

Stopping for the night and using a rock for a pillow, he dreamed of a stairway reaching between heaven and earth to the place where he was. Angels descended and ascended and God stood at the top, and spoke to him reaffirming His promises of blessing.

When he awoke, he said, ‘Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.’ (Gen 28:16).

Like Jacob, or the sheep at San Remo, I do not always discern God’s presence and Kingdom, and the darkest of times I expect His intervention the least. I stop reaching for answers to prayer.

And then a Divine act of mercy provides me with a miracle, a provision, a healing, a message or a light of hope at the end of my tunnel. Like Jacob, I am reminded that God is still with me, just as He has promised.

I am currently being challenged both to ask for and to expect portal moments. Not only for my own benefit, and not even solely for those around me who need to know that ‘The Kingdom of God is near.’

I am also stirring up my expectation for portal moments because my hunger for God will not allow me to settle for anything less. For portal moments are either born out of the intimacy of prayer, or are encounters that lead me back to intimacy with Him. They are life’s confrontations with the Living God.

©  Helen Calder  Enliven Blog

How did my mother-in-law know God had His ‘net’ over us? She knew because she was praying. Her prayer for our recommitment and salvation made the net of God’s grace inescapable.

Some Things Only God Can Do

Before we can exercise life-changing prayer, it is vital we acknowledge that between where circumstances are now and where we believe God wants them to be, is a gulf that we cannot cross. This gap means that no matter how hard we try, or no matter what we say, we are powerless in ourselves to make the desired changes happen.

• There are things that you believe to be on God’s agenda for your life, family and others you care about, that you are helpless, apart from God, to make happen
• There are people you care about who are far from God right now, whose hearts will only be changed by the power of God’s Holy Spirit
• There is no way by natural means that person who is dear to you will have that addiction or bondage broken over their life.

Let’s take a moment right now to stand together at that chasm and let the realisation sink in. Take a good look at the distance that you cannot leap across without help.

Now imagine there is a bridge, suspended between this natural reality and the seeming impossible fulfilment of God’s Will. Stepping up to that bridge you see a sign that reads, ‘Ask in My Name—Jesus.’

In John 15:16-17, Jesus said,
‘You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit-fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.’

God’s Plan for Prayer

Jesus taught us to pray, ‘Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.’ He revealed that the will of God must be ‘asked’ into being. And He didn’t just teach that, He demonstrated it. In the book of Luke especially, we see that Jesus lived a life of prayer.

It was God’s plan from the beginning that His people rule in the earth, under His authority.[1] God has designed prayer to be the means by which we exercise that authority and partner with God to fulfil His purposes. This is also true of His plan to bring salvation to people.

Watchman Nee once said that prayer is to the will of God as railway tracks are to a train. A train engine can have tremendous power; it can go a thousand miles a day, it can pull a heavy load. It can have all the potential in the world, but unless there are tracks for it to go on, it’s not going anywhere. The train and tracks are designed to work together”[2]

I heard the testimony of a woman who was very dry and religious in her faith. She was admitted to hospital with a ruptured, infected appendix; her condition was so severe that she died. As her spirit was leaving her body she saw her father rushing into the hospital. He uttered one word of prayer—‘Jesus.’ She saw that prayer beam up to God’s throne like a shaft of light. That single word of prayer was answered; she lived and her faith was transformed.

Like that beam of light, your prayers and cries to God are significant and powerful. You can be a Supernatural Christian and make a difference in the life of those you care about. Your prayer can help bring them to God.

The above is a brief excerpt from my new e-book: Pray for the Lost: Impact the Eternal Destiny of Your Loved Ones Through Prayer.

In this book, I explore a number of things relating to this subject.

There are some tough issues as we examine the spiritual condition of a person who is lost and far from God, or a Christian who is backsliding. But there are also some exciting discoveries about how your prayer can release the resources of heaven, including angels, signs and miracles and the Spirit of God. There is a whole section on some practical ways to pray for unsaved loved ones and some discussion and keys to wage spiritual warfare. You will also learn a bit more about my own story and how I was saved through the ministry of prayer and deliverance.

See also Portal Moments: Supernatural Encounters and Answers to Prayer

© Helen Calder    Enliven Publishing

[1] Gen 1:28,  Dan 7:27

[2] Watchman Nee, Let Us Pray, 1977

Excited residents rushed to get a view of the returning river as it marched into town, following heavy rains last week. The president of the local rowing club received a call in the early hours to say that the river had just passed the rowing sheds. He walked alongside it, escorting the river’s head as it approached the town.

Jesus said,
“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.” By this he meant the Spirit… (John 7:37-39)

I want to be filled with the Spirit, to be a Supernatural Christian, but at times all I can see in my life is a dry riverbed; traces of places where He has been and reminders of His Presence. During these times, it seems I have nothing left to give. I long to be connected again, but am not certain where to begin.

The story of the Wimmera River struck a chord with me because I, too, am enjoying a River’s return—an experience of spiritual renewal after a long dry period.

How can we experience a fresh infilling of the Holy Spirit when we have been through a dry season? Here are some keys that I have discovered in my own journey:

1. Thirst

‘If anyone is thirsty’ (John 7:37)

I remarked to someone a couple of months ago, that one of the greatest tragedies in the church today is dryness without thirst.

When we are dry, we may engage in wishful thinking about being full of God again. Unless we are thirsty, we will never pursue God. Thirst—real desire—results in action.

Am I thirsty? Or am I just dry?

2. Get Personally Connected to Jesus

‘If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me’

Thirst motivated me to take action in two areas of my life. These were:

1. Habits
   These are the self-centred things I indulge in instead of spending time with Jesus, or the things I turn to instead of Him to meet a need. Recently our pastor talked about ‘What is your drug of choice?’ Personal habits have included worry, work, late nights and time spent at the computer.
2. Commitments
   These are the other-centred things that I do that take the best portion of my life and leave little time to connect with God. Responsibilities are hard to drop once you have taken them up. You just get busier and busier, then drier and drier.
   In my quest for the River’s return, no commitment is sacred. I am now doing less, focussing more, and learning to say ‘No.’

3. Find Out What Fills You and Do It

‘If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.’

We all have unique ways of connecting with and receiving from God. Mine invariably require solitude. In the great outdoors I connect with my Creator. Long walks by the water, praying and reflecting, fill me up. Times of Bible study, listening to worship and ‘soaking’—just being still before God in a receiving attitude—fill me with Him. These times and activities must be intentional, or they will never happen.

4. Ask

‘Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” ‘(John 4:10).

Sometimes, we have not because we ask not. When was the last time you asked Jesus to fill you with his Spirit? Why not stop and ask him right now.

We are all wired differently when it comes to connecting with God. If you have ideas and experiences, please share them as a comment below. I would love to hear about it—and someone else may benefit from your insights.

Let the River flow!

Related posts:

7 Signs Of Spiritual Dryness

7 Ways To Combat Spiritual Dryness

Spiritual Renewal: How to Receive an Impartation of the Holy Spirit

How to Discover Your Spiritual Pathway

©  Helen Calder   Enliven Blog

Photography © Junette Keefe   www.pictorialparadigm.com

I’m not talking about a Christian meeting or church service;
I’m talking about your everyday life—your family, your workplace, your neighbourhood—wherever you happen to be.

Here are some common reasons why we hold back from praying for people, whether in the context of a Christian environment or in our everyday world. See if you can identify with any of these and take action to overcome them today:

1. I don’t have experience

If we used inexperience as a reason not to step out and pray, no one would ever begin! There came a day when Jesus sent out His disciples to pray for the sick and preach the Gospel for the very first time (Matt 9:35-10:1, Mark 6:7-13, Luke 9:1-6, Luke 10:1-20).

The real issue is not whether or not you have experience, but whether you are willing to begin. Sometimes it is actually our pride that is holding us back. We are concerned at how our inexperience will look to those who are more capable than we are, or to the person we are praying for.

Another thing Jesus did was He sent His disciples out in pairs (Luke 10:1). You don’t have to go it alone! When the lame man by the Temple gates was healed, John was alongside Peter when he gave the word (Acts 3:1-10). There may be someone in your world who God has given to you to partner with and pray and take action together.

Pause right now and ask God to show you what the first step for you to begin is. Ask Him to show you the person or group who can partner with you in being a supernatural Christian.

2. I’m not good enough

No human being on the planet is ‘good enough’ to be used by the Holy Spirit—or ever will be. If you were to make a list of those that you perceive to be the most effective Christian ministers in the earth today, none would make the grade before God. No one is on top of all of their weaknesses and problems. We were not deserving of salvation, but Jesus gave it to us freely as we believed and received Him (Rom 8:31-34). We minister, not because of what we have done, but because of what Jesus has done.

Having said that, it is right to ensure that you are, as best as you are able to be in your current season of life, a ‘clean vessel’ for God to use—walking in excellent moral character, displaying the fruit of the Holy Spirit, and living in unity with others in the church (2 Tim 2:20-22, Gal 5:22-25).

If God is calling you to step out, and you are accountable, teachable, and walking in transparency—not denial—concerning the problems that you do have, then go for it!

When you read the words, ‘not good enough,’ is something coming to mind for you? Pray about this and release it to God. Receive the capacity and worthiness that Jesus has paid the price for on the cross for you.

You might need to find a safe person to process this with who will pray with you and help you move forward. You CAN overcome this.

3. I can’t pray for the sick—I’m sick or weak myself

—or other issues

You are the channel, or ‘vessel’ God uses, the power of God flows through you, but it is not from you. The power is exercised in the Name of Jesus and not your own strength (Acts 3:16).

The Hunk and I were acquainted with a man who had the ministry of a healing evangelist. Many people were healed under his ministry. He saw people cured of deafness through the power of God, however he himself wore a hearing aid. He explained to us that he did not know why he remained unhealed; that was a mystery. However he pointed out that his lack of healing did not disqualify him from praying for others.

Again, the important thing for any weakness that we are struggling with, be it physical or otherwise, is that we remain accountable to leaders in our church and keep doing what we can to become free or whole. In the case of physical weakness or illness, we need to manage our health and be good stewards of our physical bodies. But the presence of unwholeness in ourselves does not disqualify us from praying for a miracle of wholeness in others. In fact, releasing the gift of God in praying for others can build our faith for our own situations.

If being sick or weak in any way has held you back in praying for healing for others, now is the time to take action! Pause and pray for God to release healing to someone in your world who has a need in a similar area. Next time you see them, offer to pray with them.

4. I’m not gifted

(in prayer, healing, prophecy and so on)

It’s true that some people have a stronger gift or higher degree of giftedness than others. But not knowing whether or not you have a gift in a particular area should never hold you back from learning how to pray for people. Neither should it prevent you from ministering when you have an opportunity or the need arises.

Remember, the basis for you being able to pray is not your gift. It is the Name of Jesus Christ. What He has accomplished on the cross, and the authority that He has given to you as His committed follower, is the basis of your prayer ability.

Remember also that you will connect with people in your everyday life that the ministers and gifted people in your church will not, and occasions for prayer will arise when there is no one present but you and the Lord.

And if you are in a leadership role of any description in the church, you will need to be ready to pray for those you are leading, whenever there is a need. You signed up for this!

When Jesus sent out the 12 and the 70 disciples, He didn’t say, “OK, you who are gifted in healing in this group, and those who are gifted in deliverance, you go there”. He sent them ALL out—together. We need to be Kingdom-culture Christians who are open to hearing God’s voice and loving and praying for people wherever we go.

You are never going to be good enough and you may never feel ready. That is why the Christian journey is called a walk of faith.

Become a Can-Do Christian

At the beginning of the school year, my daughter’s Grade 3 teacher asked the children to write a list of the things they believed they could not do. The list included things like physical sports activities such as swimming, subjects such as mathematics, and other things, like talking in front of the class.

When each of the children had written their list, the teacher collected them all up and put them in a box. Then, she took the children outdoors, where they had a ceremony to bury the box. “This class,” she announced, “is going to be a ‘Can-Do Class.’” Not surprisingly, my daughter made more progress in that school year than in any year previously. My challenge to you as you begin to move out is to identify and surrender your list of things you can’t do to God.

Now add some things to the list of things you can do:

• Praying for sick people to be healed in Jesus’ Name
• Sharing a prophetic word, or message from God
• Offering to pray for someone who has a need
• Prophetic evangelism

Remember that it is not about you. It is about Jesus—He gets the fame when He uses weak people to do the job (1 Cor 1:26-29, 2 Cor 4:7), it is about God loving people and extending His Kingdom. Finally, it’s about who you are in Jesus, not who you are apart from Jesus.

If you are interested in learning more about being a Supernatural Christian, take a look at www.supernatural-christian.com

How Your Perspective Can Impact Your Destiny

You Don’t Need A Special Gift To Be A Supernatural Christian

For more information, inspiration and stories, learn more in the e-book,

‘How To Be a Supernatural Christian In Your Everyday World’

© Helen Calder   Enliven Publishing

‘Who is Jesus, and what does He look like?’

I never used to wonder about the answer to this question, because there were pictures of Him on the walls of our house as I was growing up; the depiction of painters in centuries past. In these portrayals, Jesus was kind, gentle, mysterious and—human. He loved people and animals. One of my favourite pictures of Jesus was of Him dressed as a shepherd and carrying a lamb.

The book of Revelation, in the Bible, paints us a different picture of Jesus—providing a hint of what He looks like now. The Apostle John caught a glimpse of the resurrected Christ and fell at His feet, ‘as one dead’ (Rev 1:17).

‘…someone “like a son of man,” dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.’ Rev 1:13-16

Sometimes in worship I, too, catch a glimpse of this Jesus. His eyes that blaze with fire also, amazingly, blaze with love. He is seated on a heavenly throne—a place where the Bible says, because of what Jesus has done on the cross, I can make myself at home.

God’s throne is mentioned frequently throughout the book of Revelation, and referred to in the final chapter as ‘The Throne of God and of the Lamb.’ This throne is the ultimate seat of authority, and God Himself is the source of all authority and power in heaven and earth (Matt 28:18).

God’s throne is not figurative; it is a real place—and we have access to God’ throne by faith (Heb 10:19).

As supernatural Christians, our understanding of where we stand in relation to Jesus Christ and His throne is critical to the release of His power in us and through us.

Here are some key reminders about the throne of God:

1. The throne of God is our destination.

Saved and unsaved alike, we will stand at His throne one day and account for our lives spent on earth (Matt 25:31-46).

Those of us who believe and receive Him as our Lord (leader) and Saviour (forgiver) will live with Him forever. Jesus said He will invite us to sit with Him on His throne:

‘ To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’ Rev 3:21-22

2. God’s throne is not only our eternal destination; it demands our present attention as we focus upon Jesus

‘Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.’ Col 3:1-2

Hebrews 12:1-2, says
‘Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.’

What was the joy set before Jesus that enabled Him to endure suffering and death and bear the weight of the world’s sin on the cross?  It was ‘bringing many sons to glory’ (Heb 2:10). You and I are His reward, restored in relationship to God, having free access to Him before His throne.

3. We can come Confidently to God’s Throne

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus…let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Heb 10:19,22

When we trust in Jesus for our salvation, we can stand before God’s throne unafraid and unashamed. Sin cannot hold us back from God’s presence. We have free access because Jesus has taken the punishment for our sin and its effects on the cross.

The throne is also where we come in our weakness and need.

‘For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathise with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are-yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.’ Heb 4:15-16

4. The throne is where we bring our prayers and our petitions for God to work on our behalf and in the lives of others around us.

‘Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all the saints, on the golden altar before the throne.’ Rev 8:3

The Bible says that our prayers go up before God’s throne like incense. (Rev 8:3,4)

Real prayer to God is not religious, solemn or word-perfect. A prayer can be as quick as a breath or a silent cry from the heart. God understands an incoherent prayer as well as He does an eloquent one.

Real prayer is YOUR prayer, born out of your own personal relationship with God. Your prayer is powerful. Your prayer can release God’s power, and reinforce His will (Matt 6:9-13).

When we know where we stand, and who we are, in relation to the throne of God, the opinions of people won’t shake us, the past will have no power over us, and sin will lose its grip on us. We will know God, and we will  live empowered lives.

© Helen Calder Enliven Blog – Prophetic Teaching

On team with David McCracken Ministries: Prophetic Ministry That Empowers The Church

So far, Sylvester has had no success in her quest to catch and eat Tweety Bird, and as Tweety Bird’s protectors, the Hunk and I have no intention in allowing her to succeed in carrying out those evil schemes.

The Bible says 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.’

Unlike Tweety Bird, however, we enjoy freedom and have the upper hand. We know the outcome before the battle starts. We also know, because the Bible tells us, that we have access to the victory Jesus has won for us on the cross (Col 2:15).

Last week I posted a blog exploring the distinction between spiritual warfare and God testing us (both can be taking place at the same time). I looked briefly at how spiritual warfare can benefit us by strengthening our faith, as well as heightening our experience and understanding of our spiritual authority.

How Prophetic People can help in times of Spiritual Warfare in Church Life

In the church, the gifts and abilities of prophetic people particularly shine during times of battle and opposition. Here are three reasons why:

1. Prophetic people are most likely to pray (Eph 6:18)

There’s nothing like pressure or opposition to remind us that we are dependent on God, and prayer is the ultimate expression of that reliance. People with intercessory and prophetic gifts are the ones who will quickly turn to prayer and encourage others to do so. In times of spiritual battle in the church, this gift comes to the fore.

2. Prophetic people are more likely to discern the source of the warfare (2 Cor 2:11)

Prophetic people tend to be very aware of what is taking place in the spiritual atmosphere. We may be the first to sense what is going on. Frequently our prophetic gift is teamed up with a gift of discernment (1 Cor 12:10). Like the surgeon choosing the right instrument for a specific job, this discernment can help us pray with precision in times of warfare. Leaders in the church greatly appreciate this gift when it is used effectively and wisely

3. Prophetic people can see beyond the battle to the brighter future (Rom 16:20)

The prophetic gift helps us see beyond our current experience, and the trials in our church, to the future good that God has planned for us. When doing prophetic training, I encourage our intercessors to balance their discernment of the enemy’s presence and strategy, with prophetic insight regarding the positive outcome that God has planned for us as a church. By seeing clearly not only the present difficulties, but also God’s future redemptive plan, we can pray more powerfully.

Prophetic people, along with their spiritual gifts, are God’s front line protection when it comes to spiritual warfare in the church. We must remember that we don’t always get our discernment 100% correct (1 Cor 13:9) and to submit our insights with humility (1 Cor 14:29). When we do, God can use us for breakthrough in our families and churches in seasons of spiritual warfare.

My challenge to you today is, to think of some difficult situation that you are currently facing in your life, family or church. Using the above three points, ask the question, “How can I respond to bring positive change?” Leave a comment on this post for discussion and so that your ideas can help others on the same journey.

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© Helen Calder   Enliven Publishing