Pray4Guam

Prayers of agreement are even more effective, so here is a place to share insights and revelation to increase our impact.

Archive for God

Hosanna!

We stand together that Jesus is coming! Every day we honestly anticipate his manifest presence. In fact, His presence can change everything. Saturday we were involved in dedicating the new church ZION CASTLE, a Korean Congregation in Barrigada. The beauty of the Lord expressed in worship and cultural diversity was evident. But even more exciting is when the Lord confirms His word and His presence with Signs and Wonders. He comes to heal and His loving words speak life to our souls. Now the challenge is to slow down enough to listen to His voice. The entrance of His word brings life.

Provision

Psalm 19:11-14 There’s more: God’s Word warns us of danger 
      and directs us to hidden treasure. 
   Otherwise how will we find our way? 
      Or know when we play the fool? 
   Clean the slate, God, so we can start the day fresh! 
      Keep me from stupid sins, 
      from thinking I can take over your work; 
   Then I can start this day sun-washed, 
      scrubbed clean of the grime of sin. 
   These are the words in my mouth; 
      these are what I chew on and pray. 
   Accept them when I place them 
      on the morning altar, 
   O God, my Altar-Rock, 
      God, Priest-of-My-Altar.  

Lord, today we come to worship You, bringing you the fruit of our lips giving thanks as a sacrifice of praise. Our lives are a living sacrifice for you Savior. Make us holy for you are holy. Make us righteous for you are Righteous. Make us like Jesus that we might glorify your Name. 

Lead us to the secret place and to the place where you hide your treasure. Yes, reveal yourself for you are the lasting treasure that never fails. All flesh is grass, it withers and fades as quick as the scorching heat touches it. We need the rain of your presence to sustain us and to refresh us continually. 

Hide us in your secret place where we can hear your Word. Your Words are the Words of life and they never are void. Yes, Your Words are life-giving. You correct us and cleanse us because you are merciful and loving to nurture us and conform us in your image. Even today your mercies are made new. My cup indeed it runs over. 

Why is it that you prepare a banquet in the presence of my enemies. I want to be alone with you. May the lives of those around me hunger to enjoy the abundance found in your house. I have no regrets since I have been found by you and brought close to be cared for by you. Indeed, I am rich because there is no lack in You. 

Even here in Guam, my life is filled with the richest of fare. I will not fear or fret the storms that assail others in these days. I am loved and cared for by you. 

God of Peace, crush poverty under our feet. As you hold us close in your strong embrace, may the weight of your glory increase in our lives. Every place where the soul of our feet does tread we claim for your Glory. May Your Kingdom Come and Your Sovereign Will be done here in Guahan just as it is in heaven. 

We loose generosity and a spirit of cheerful giving upon this land and this people. You are our source and you are the God of Abundance. We align ourselves with you and say we will operate in the opposite spirit that we see in our land. Where there is greed, we will operate with liberality. Where there is bitter envy, we speak blessing and break the curses that wounded hearts have spoken out of their pain. Where there is striving for control, we seek to be at peace with all around us. 

Lord, continue to build your house here in Guam. May the people of Zion be cleansed from the vanity that is caused by our pride looking to accomplish even great things for you. This is Your House Oh Lord. The government is on your shoulders. You are our Source. You are our Priest. You are LORD!

Relational Spiritual Warfare

We have been involved in prayer and missions ministry in the Pacific Islands for 20 years now. I must say that I have appreciated the insight that has come through spiritual mapping principles shared by individuals like George Otis and John Dawson, Dutch Sheets and William Ford. There is a growing realization that wild eyed railing at the devil really is lacking transformative impact. Our challenge is to then get involved in the practical dimensions of community transformation. I think that there is a feeling that prayer alone will change the world. But it does take individuals moving into such situations that are revealed or exposed and tangibly bringing the power and presence of Jesus into that situation.

We continue to endeavor to be sensitive to what Father will reveal in various situations. Our goal is to be salt and light and minister love, and restoration. “The effective and fervent prayer of the Righteous Man avails much.” Prayer is really to directed towards the Lord. Simply our prayer is conversations with our savior. We need not plead with him to save the world. He as paid the ultimate price to accomplish everything that is necessary for full redemption. So the lifestyle of prayer is more the principle that we are to see. What I mean is that prayer in action. Prayer that is tangible. Prayer filled ministry, prayer filled loving expressions. This is a kind of prayer that is transformative because it gets involved in the change. Prophetic acts are not a kind of holy ghost inspired magical art but more importantly, stepping stones to connect the spiritual realm with the material realm.

As Christians we need not shout out the darkness.  We are called to be salt and light in the world. The relational component is often the basic missing link. As God speaks His Word into us, and His word becomes manifest in our lives, then like Jesus, we are becoming living epistles read of all men, felt by all in tangible ways. This is the kind of prayer that changes things.

Prayer Changes Things

Prayer is not only the term we describe our conversations with Father God, it is also our method for our releasing heaven on earth. As the human soul comes into connection with Almighty God, we draw from His life-giving anointing. We drink deeply from the wells of salvation and our soul is restored.  In the same way that if we stop breathing, our bodies will die, if we stop praying our spirits will expire.

God invites us to come to Him and promises that He will supply all that we need according to His Riches in Glory. Depending on the life of Father has been fully displayed by Jesus, always drawing from His life. Laying aside all that was divine, he took on Human flesh and became subject to normal human limitations. Yet Jesus continued to operate supernaturally throughout His ministry. As man he lived as an earthen vessel filled to overflowing with the life and presence of Father God. He only did what was revealed by Father. He only spoke what he heard  Father speak.

Many times our prayer is more of a monologue rather than a two-way conversation with God. We often share our list of concerns. We may even prepare a great argument for our case with God, informing Him of what is wrong or out of order as if He needed someone like us to tell Him what was going on. How that must testify of our lack of faith in the omniscient nature of Father who knows the end from the beginning and made provision all the way through. Our times of prayer involve much more listening and receiving the inspiration of the Lord Himself.

Today in prayer with our Pastors, I sensed God was releasing a new kind of anointing upon our group. Since 2004 I have endeavored to maintain a weekly prayer time specifically for Guam and its leaders. I invited pastors to come and pray with me and we have had a steady remnant attending for these past 4+ years. Sometimes  our focus is more of a personal nature. Sometimes for specific ministry issues. I feel the focus of 2009 will become more of a community nature.  Because of this I will starting to journal the leading that Holy Spirit brings through our prayer conversations. Here I hope will be a respository of spiritual mapping for Guam and the Pacific Islands. I feel God is calling for this time be a time when the watchmen of prayer come together to share insight and revelation. Also, we will have time to pray together and support each other so that one does not become prey to the enemy.While the potential to become the target of spiritual attack is always present, we understand that any strategic level prayer will have the highened efforts of the enemy to seek our removal. Therefore we need no be even more on alert as watchmen on the wall to quench every firey dart that may be used against one of us. Mercy must triumph and flow in abundant supply. Judgemental attitudes have no place though discernment and wise judgement is essential. Humility and confession is necessary.

One picture I have in my spirit at this time is the importance of transparency. What I am seeing in the spirit is sort of a medieval wall with a watchman on that wall. The watchman’s has an important role serving as sentry for the defence and protection of the kingdom. He also is positioned high to be able to see any strategy unfolding in the enemies camp. His role is important offensively as he can discover weak areas in the enemy camp and even share his information with the whole who can then mount an initiative to advance Kingdom initiatives and dispossess the enemy.

Standing there as a lookout, it seems as they may be an easy target of the enemy. In order to advance against a city to accomplish the particular mission, the first order of business is to eliminate the watchmen. In Tolkien’s Fellowship of the Ring, as Sam and Frodo were seeking to advance upon the mountain of Mordor and came under attack, they used the ring to become invisible. For us, as saints of the Most High, we use confession to make us transparent, and come under the protection and power of the Blood. The bullseye painted on our flesh nature is dealt with, pride is brought low as we humble ourselves in prayer. The power of the Cross released in confession would seem to make us expose our vulnerabilities and is in the eyes of the world, foolishness. For us, it is always the way we access the power of God for our salvation and the outpouring of God’s spirit on the Land.

If my people who are called by my name, humble themseleves and pray, and seek (crave) my face, turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sins and heal their land.
2 Chronicles 7:14.

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