The Clock is ticking
to Jesus' return!
Are You Ready?
The Christian life is a life of WARFARE. The reason why the Christian life is a warfare is that we have a terrible enemy who seeks to destroy us. That enemy is Satan. The Bible warns us, "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour." ~ 1 Peter 5:8
8. "The devil took Jesus up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.” 10 Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ” ~ Matthew 4:1-11
How did He do it?
While the Jewish people looked for an earthly savior, a physical leader to free them from bondage to Rome, God sent Yeshua Ha Mashiach, Jesus the Messiah, to spiritually save both Jews and gentiles from bondage to sin.
The cross is the place where Christ redeemed men from the power of Satan. Satan held men captive because of sin; but on the cross the Lord Jesus paid the ultimate price for our sins. He ended all of Satan's rights over us. Mankind can now choose who they will serve. Those who choose Jesus Christ as their Lord are delivered from the power of Satan.
When we truly repent and make Jesus our Lord and Savior, our sins are instantly covered (removed) by the blood of Jesus shed on the cross.
In Ephesians 6:11 -18, God has now given you complete authority over the works of the devil over your life and the lives of your loved ones.
11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
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.
It’s been said that “prayer changes things.” It’s actually the faith behind those prayers that makes the difference. We place our trust not in a prayer but in God alone. Our conversation with God through prayer helps us build our trust in His constant presence, His daily provision, and His unfailing promises.
Hebrews 11:6 states – "Without FAITH it is impossible to please God, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him."
The most effective prayers start in faith, not in worry. Begin with worship, meditation, reading Scripture, or praying in your spiritual language in order to pray from a place of God's rest and peace, seated far above all the worries of the world.
Ephesians 2:6-7 states – "And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus."
God has created each of us with unique gifts and talents. We are called to do good works (Eph. 2: 8-10, Romans 12:4-8, Matthew 25:14-30). God created you as a spiritual being. He wants you to love Him with your whole heart, soul and mind (Matthew 22: 37-40). This means that your daily goals must agree with your spiritual convictions and not your selfish desires.
If you set goals that go against what you know God asks of you, you will become fragmented emotionally and intellectually and you will lose your joy and enthusiasm.
Our goal in prayer should be for ourselves and our loved ones to have a first-hand encounter with God's Holy Spirit and learn to hear His voice for themselves. He delights in revealing Himself to his sons and daughters. Our prayers provide a spiritual blanket of His presence that can silence other voices and limit distractions so that they are free and clear to encounter Him personally.
Philippians 1:9-11 states – "And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God."
Our priority in prayer is to see our loved ones led by the Spirit, operate in the mind of Christ, and know the heart of the Father. These heart issues are foundational to all others.
Ephesians 1:17-19 states - I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.
Praying together as husband and wife will double the chances of success in answered prayers. When moms and dads pray together on behalf of their children, their agreement has the authority to defeat every scheme of the enemy aimed at their household. The agreement that comes with praying together is huge. Make it a lifestyle. If you struggle to find agreement on various issues, pray the Word of God, as it never fails.
Matthew 18:19 states – "Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven."
Use the Word of God as your prayer journal. Breakthrough prayer happens when you agree with what God has already said. Pray the promises of God back to Him on behalf of your family member. You are prophesying over them when you speak HIS WORD over them (Ez 37:4). Though you can't override their will, you are making it a lot harder for them to refuse Him.
Hebrews 4:12 states – For the word of God is alive and active, sharper than any double-edged sword. It penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
Here are some key Scriptures to use when praying for family members. Write them down in your own journal, and make them into prophetic declarations for your loved ones. Romans 5:2-5; 8:5-11; 15:5, 13; 2 Corinthians 4; 9:8-11; Galatians 5:1; Ephesians 1:17-19; 3:16-20; Philippians 1:9-11; Colossians 1:9-12; 1 Thessalonians 3:12-13; 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12; 2:16-17; 2 Peter 1:3-8; Psalm 119:9-16, 33-40; 91; and many other Psalms!