How Does the Prayer of Consecration Profit Your Life?

Encore Podcast: Light on Life Season 8 Episode 26

How Does the Prayer of Consecration Profit Your Life?

“Will you please tell me in a word,” said a Christian woman to a minister, “what your idea of praying the prayer of consecration?” Holding out a blank sheet of paper the pastor replied, “It is to sign your name at the bottom of this blank sheet and to let God fill it in as He will.”1 This is an excellent illustration of what consecration is. Today’s Light on Life focus is this area of consecrating yourself to the will of God and a type of prayer that you can pray in this area.

Listen to the Audio

Click Play to Listen | Right Click to Download | Subscribe in Stitcher Radio

Why It’s Important to Spend Time Talking to God

[Tweet “Following God’s plan for your life should be what you are all about.”]

How to Offer Prayer for A President You Don’t Agree With

Encore Podcast: Podcast: Light on Life Season Eight Episode Four

How Do You Pray for A President You Don't Agree With?

Prayer offered for the President is the obligation of every child of God. In this prayer area, there are many good Bible principles to learn and incorporate, like Matthew 5:44. One of these principles is praying for people as opposed to praying against them. We often bring our sense of what we think is right, politically, into the Throne Room. Our sense, at times, is incorrect. We are not the standard of right. Jesus is.  Unless we have scripture for what we say we believe, then all we have is opinion. Be careful in these areas. How do you know that God holds your viewpoint? You just assumed that God is a Republican. He’s not. You assumed God is a Democrat. He’s not. He’s nineteen thousand billion miles above all of that. So, when offering prayer for your president, learn to pray the Plan, not your Passions. We are workers together with God. Find out from Him what you should pray for. That’s where the hearing part comes in. God wants to hear His word in your mouth. ‘How Do You Pray for A President You Don’t Agree With?’ – that’s our focus on this week’s Light on Life.

Listen to the Audio

Click Play to Listen | Right Click to Download | Subscribe in Stitcher Radio

How to Cultivate God’s Presence in Your Life

[Tweet “We have incorrectly thought if we pray ‘for a wicked ruler’ we are condoning their behavior.”]

Here’s How You Can And Should Pray About Worry

Podcast: Light on Life Season 6 Episode 10

Here’s How You Can And Should Pray About Worry

The Bible instructs us to pray about worry. Why? Worry is a sin plain and simple. God is all out against His children worrying. A child does not worry all day long whether his house will be there when he gets home from school or whether his parents will have a meal for him that evening. Children do not worry about such things, because they trust their parents. In the same way, we as Christians should trust our heavenly Father to supply what is best for us.1 How do you pray about worry? That’s our focus on this week’s Light on Life.

Listen to the Audio

Click Play to Listen | Right Click to Download | Subscribe in Stitcher Radio

One Necessary Component You Need for Spiritual Growth in God

[Tweet “Walking in peace is part of the finished work of Jesus known as Redemption.”]

Why You Need to Tell God You Will Do Anything He Asks

Podcast: Light on Life Season 6 Episode 9

Consecration: Why You Need to Tell God You Will Do Anything He Asks

“Will you please tell me in a word,” said a Christian woman to a minister, “what your idea of praying the prayer of consecration?” Holding out a blank sheet of paper the pastor replied, “It is to sign your name at the bottom of this blank sheet and to let God fill it in as He will.”1 This is an excellent illustration of what consecration is. Today’s Light on Life focus is this area of consecrating yourself to the will of God and a type of prayer that you can pray in this area.

Listen to the Audio

Click Play to Listen | Right Click to Download | Subscribe in Stitcher Radio

Why It’s Important to Spend Time Talking to God

[Tweet “Following God’s plan for your life should be what you are all about.”]

How to Build Your Life Praying Bible Prayers

Podcast: Light on Life Season 6 Episode 7

How to Build Your Life Praying Bible Prayers

In a previous podcast, we talked about the importance of praying Bible prayers. Bible prayers are prayers based on God’s Word. They are prayers that are laced with scriptures specifically Bible promises. Today, in this week’s podcast episode, we are going to show you how to pray these kinds of prayers.

Listen to the Audio

Click Play to Listen | Right Click to Download | Subscribe in Stitcher Radio

Conscience and the Inward Witness: A Look at the Spirit Led Life

[Tweet “After you pray, act like the Lord heard you. Live your life like the answer is yes.”]

Why Praying in Faith Means to Believe You Receive

Podcast: Light on Life Season 6 Episode 6

Why Praying in Faith Means to Believe You Receive

Robert Murray McCheyne, the great Scottish prayer warrior, said that we must “Learn that urgency in prayer does not so much consist in vehement pleading as in vehement believing.”1 Prayer is good. Believing that you receive when you pray is better. It’s perfect Bible order. It’s the way Jesus taught us to obtain answers to prayer.

Listen to the Audio

Click Play to Listen | Right Click to Download | Subscribe in Stitcher Radio

Why You Don’t Have to Be Sick in Light of the Bible

[Tweet “If God said ‘Yes’ to your request, how would you respond, that’s believing you receive?”]

Faith and Prayer: Important Lessons to Know

Podcast: Light on Life Season 6 Episode 5

Faith and Prayer: Important Lessons to Know

One unknown writer said, the following about faith and prayer. He said, ‘Faith dies through lack of prayer.’1 The statement sounds right at first glance but is it? The truth is the statement is backward. Prayer does not make faith work. It’s the other way around. Faith makes prayer work. What is faith’s connection to prayer? We can learn valuable lessons about faith and prayer by looking at how Jesus spoke to the fig tree in Mark eleven.

Listen to the Audio

Click Play to Listen | Right Click to Download | Subscribe in Stitcher Radio

Just Who Is Jesus to You?

[Tweet “Jesus walked in all humanity with the Holy Spirit as His guide.”]

Five More Simple Secrets When Praying to God

Podcast: Light on Life Season 6 Episode 4

Five More Simple Secrets When Praying to God

Recently, I ran into this illustration that shows a simple secret when praying to God. A woman lived in a small house built at the foot of a tall mountain. The mountain obstructed her view and made the inside of the house dark. She had read Jesus’ promise about faith moving mountains. Taking it literally, one night she prayed that the Lord would remove the mountain. The next morning the mountain was still there. “Humph!” she replied. “Just as I expected!”1 This woman didn’t act as if the Lord heard her and that’s one simple secret. But there are more secrets you can use when praying to God and that’s what we are focusing on in this week’s Light on Life.

Listen to the Audio

Click Play to Listen | Right Click to Download | Subscribe in Stitcher Radio

Just Who Is Jesus to You?

[Tweet “Some people try to pray mentally. God is not a mind, He is a spirit. Pray out of your heart.”]

Talking Back to the Enemy with the Prayer of Faith

Talking Back to the Enemy with the Prayer of Faith

No doubt, Your parents cautioned you as a child about the disrespect involved in talking back. But there is someone on planet earth that you should talk back to every single time. He is the enemy of your soul and the hater of all things righteous. Talk back to the enemy. Backtalk devils, demons, and evil spirits. How? You do it using the prayer of faith.

[Tweet “Sickness is an attack, an enemy attack pure and simple. Will you talk back to it?”]

Why It’s Important to Flow in Faith’s Domain

Different Kinds of Prayer

Ephesians 6:18 (NKJV) — 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.

  • Notice the words ‘all prayer’ in the front part of verse 18.
  • ‘All prayer’ means all kinds of prayer.
  • The TNIV reflects this in its translation.

Ephesians 6:18 (TNIV) — 18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

Prayer for Your Needs – Prayer of Faith

Jesus Curses A Fig Tree

Mark 11:12–25 (TNIV) — 12 The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. 13 Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. 14 Then he said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard him say it.

Jesus Humanity

  • Jesus was hungry.
  • This fact proves His humanity.
  • God on His Throne doesn’t get hungry as you or I do.
  • He doesn’t order up a veggie burger to go with His angel food cake.
  • However, in His heart, God is ‘all-kinds’ of hungry.
  • He is hungry to see people come into a knowledge of His son Jesus.
  • So a hungry Jesus, seeing this tree walks up to it.
  • Notice another piece of language that shows Jesus humanity.
  • Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit.
  • Jesus walked up to the tree to see if there was any fruit on it.
  • Didn’t He know there wasn’t any fruit on it?
  • The answer is no He didn’t.
  • That’s why He went to the fig tree to see.
  • The lesson we learn here is that Jesus walked in humanness with the Holy Spirit as His guide.
  • His dependence on the Holy Spirit is evident.
  • We read some of the accounts where Jesus showcases His perception.
  • For example, when He deals with the religious crowd.

Matthew 22:18 (NKJV) — 18 But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, “Why do you test Me, you hypocrites?

  • His perception was God-like.
  • I say God-like instead of ‘as God’ because Jesus laid aside His abilities as God per Philippines 2.
  • I say God-like because He received His ‘knowing’ from the Holy Spirit.
  • It’s a thrilling fact for you and I because it shows us what is possible.
  • We have the same Holy Spirit Jesus had.
  • The same Holy Ghost that came on Jesus can come upon you.
  • There aren’t two Holy Spirit’s, after all, only one.
  • The Spirit of God invaded the earth in Acts 2.
  • He hasn’t left.

Jesus Talks to a Tree

  • So, a hungry Jesus walks up to this fig and finds out that He is in the presence of a barren tree.
  • So He talks to it.
  • Notice, how the gospel writer puts it.
  • The ESV says, ‘He, meaning Jesus, said to it.’
  • The KJV says ‘He answered it.
  • Either way, the sterile condition of the fig tree demanded a response from Jesus.
  • The tree spoke to Him.
  • It’s rude when someone speaks not to speak back.
  • So when barrenness spoke, Jesus answered back.
  • Barrenness is one area where you can flex your prayer of faith muscles.
  • Praying the prayer of faith is your answer to a barren situation that confronts you.

Sickness Speaks

  • If you’re sick, your body is saying something to you.
  • As a child of God, it is saying more to you than “I don’t feel well.”
  • Sickness belongs to Satan’s realm.
  • It doesn’t come from God.

Acts 10:38 (NKJV) — 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.

  • Sickness is an attack, an enemy attack pure and simple.
  • It’s an attack on your body to slow down your work for God.
  • It’s an attack against the Kingdom.
  • But, it’s also a barrenness attack on your rights in Christ.
  • The flu is saying something to you.
  • It’s saying, “I have a right to be in your body.”
  • “I have a right to make you miserable and steal your finances.”
  • That’s what sickness is saying.
  • It’s issuing a challenge to you, throwing down the gauntlet.
  • And, it’s saying it right to your face, “I’m not leaving so, what are YOU going to do about it?”
  • You can name any disease or the sickness.
  • They all have their distinct voice.
  • Bronchitis is saying, “You lack healing,” as you spit up green stuff.
  • “As long as I’m here, you’re going to cough and choke your head off.”
  • How are you going to answer that voice?
  • Do you have the guts to talk back to it?
  • Will you rise and answer with the prayer of faith?

Lack of Finances Speaks

2 Corinthians 9:8 (NKJV) — 8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.

  • ‘All-sufficiency,’ ‘abundance for every good work,’ do you hear that?
  • Does that excite you to have what you need?
  • If it does, give voice to the prayer of faith.
  • Your adverse circumstance will not change unless you learn to talk back to lack.
  • Giving the silent treatment won’t work.
  • No, you must use your words.
  • The prayer of faith is your end of the conversation.

Jesus Uses the Fig Tree to Teach the Prayer of Faith

19 When evening came, Jesus and his disciples went out of the city. 20 In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. 21 Peter remembered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!” 22 “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. 23 “Truly I tell you, if you say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and do not doubt in your heart but believe that what you say will happen, it will be done for you. 24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. 25 And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”

The Tale of the Dead Tree

  • So, Jesus speaks to the tree on His way to Jerusalem.
  • He then ministers in the Temple.
  • At evening, He leaves and goes back out to Bethany.
  • On the way back to Bethany He passes the same tree, He spoke to earlier.
  • Jesus and His disciples retire for the night.
  • The next morning as they go along, the disciples notice the tree.
  • Something about the tree is different, like mega different.
  • The tree which was green yesterday is no longer in that condition.
  • It is dried up.
  • Jesus then takes this opportunity to teach the disciples about praying the prayer of faith.
  • To be continued in next week’s blog.

How Can This ‘Jesus Sign’ Fulfill Your Life

Call to Action:

It’s time to rise up with sanctified backtalk in Jesus Name. Don’t roll over when the enemies circumstances rear their head in your face. Talkback and do it with the prayer of faith.

Question: How have you successfully thwarted an attack of the enemy? Sharing your testimony will help encourage someone else in their stand against the evil one. Please share your story in the comments section below.


Reference:

What Real Prayer to God Is About

What Prayer to God Is About

What is real prayer all about? The following story illustrates what real prayer isn’t. Morris Davis was put in jail for “praying.” It all began when Davis was picked up and charged with arson. After his arrest, he was taken to a room at the police station for a lie detector test. Thinking he was alone, he prayed that old familiar prayer, “Lord, let me get away with it just this once.” But a policeman overheard his prayer and submitted it as evidence against him. The lower court ruled that this was a private conversation and therefore could not be submitted as evidence. The Canadian government, however, appealed this ruling and the Court of Appeals decided that it was admissible evidence because prayer is not a private conversation, since God is not a person.1 It’s nice to know what prayer isn’t but we also can and should know what it is.

[Tweet “The Lord is able to address each person who waits on Him at the Throne.”]

#S5-008: Is Praise and Thanksgiving Pillars of Your House? [Podcast]

 

Three Areas We Need to Be Prayer Smart In

Three Areas to Be Prayer Smart In

Pastor Jim Cymbala shares his experience with us: After I had been pastor of Brooklyn Tabernacle for about a year, the church had grown to fifty people, but we were facing problems: little money, few people coming to faith in Christ. One Tuesday afternoon, I sat in my cubbyhole office on Atlantic Avenue, depressed. I knew that later that day, fifteen people, at most, would come to church to pray. How could God call me and my wife to this city not to make a difference? I wondered. I walked into our empty, little sanctuary and recited to God a list of my problems: “Look at this building, this neighborhood … Our offerings are laughable … I can’t trust So-and-so … There’s so little to work with.” Then the Holy Spirit impressed upon me, “I will show you the biggest problem in the church. It’s you.” In that moment I saw with excruciating clarity that I didn’t really love the people as God wanted me to. I prepared sermons just to get through another Sunday. I was basically prayerless. I was proud. I fell on my face before God and began to weep. “God, whatever it takes, please change me. I would rather die than live out some useless ministry of catchphrases.” The Brooklyn Tabernacle began to turn around, and twenty years later, we are still learning about the tremendous power of prayer. Every Tuesday evening many hundreds of people come together simply to pray. 1 The Bible is our prayer book. In it are truths which will help make us smart in the fine art of prayer. Here are three truths which will help you.

[Tweet “It is a very good idea to read the scriptures about what you are praying about before you pray.”]

How to Gain A Quality Prayer Life

How to Build A Quality Prayer Life

Two Christian men lived near each other. The first was a farmer. Since there had not been any rain for several weeks, the farmer got up one morning and prayed for rain. His next-door neighbor was also up early, but he was praying that it would not rain, because he was taking an unsaved friend fishing that morning.1 One person’s prayer was answered, the other one was not. Is answered prayer just like rolling dice? You know hope that sevens come up? Or is there some truths from the Word of God which we can act on to help us build a quality prayer life and get the answers God promises in His Word?

[Tweet “The Bible give us clues and remedies to the disease of unanswered prayer.”]