Pastor Ray shared…
I wanted to read from Hebrews 3. It reminded me of something which I’ll talk about in a minute. Let’s begin at verse 1 in the Message Bible.
1–6 “So, my dear Christian friends, companions in following this call to the heights, take a good hard look at Jesus. He’s the centerpiece of everything we believe, faithful in everything God gave him to do. Moses was also faithful, but Jesus gets far more honor. A builder is more valuable than a building any day. Every house has a builder, but the Builder behind them all is God. Moses did a good job in God’s house, but it was all servant work, getting things ready for what was to come. Christ as Son is in charge of the house.
6–11 Now, if we can only keep a firm grip on this bold confidence, we’re the house! That’s why the Holy Spirit says,
Today, please listen; don’t turn a deaf ear as in “the bitter uprising,” that time of wilderness testing! Even though they watched me at work for forty years, your ancestors refused to let me do it my way; over and over they tried my patience. And I was provoked, oh, so provoked! I said, “They’ll never keep their minds on God; they refuse to walk down my road.” Exasperated, I vowed, “They’ll never get where they’re going, never be able to sit down and rest.”
12–14 So watch your step, friends. Make sure there’s no evil unbelief lying around that will trip you up and throw you off course, diverting you from the living God. For as long as it’s still God’s Today, keep each other on your toes so sin doesn’t slow down your reflexes. If we can only keep our grip on the sure thing we started out with, we’re in this with Christ for the long haul. These words keep ringing in our ears: Today, please listen; don’t turn a deaf ear as in the bitter uprising.
15–19 For who were the people who turned a deaf ear? Weren’t they the very ones Moses led out of Egypt? And who was God provoked with for forty years? Wasn’t it those who turned a deaf ear and ended up corpses in the wilderness? And when he swore that they’d never get where they were going, wasn’t he talking to the ones who turned a deaf ear? They never got there because they never listened, never believed.”
Pastor Ray continued…
I’ll share with you how I was reminded of something. While I was cleaning out some things yesterday in my office, I had things I stuffed into drawers and boxes. A lot of it was duplicates. I had 5 copies of the same prophecy. Or 10 copies of something else. Tons of stuff. So I cleaned it all out. In the process, I found a brochure from right after we had moved into this building. We had big celebration services for a week. We had many great guests. On the brochure cover, it showed shots of the lobby. The chandelier was in the picture. All the furniture we had purchased for the opening of the new building. It was all set up. That’s the way it was then. It was beautiful. It was like you came into a beautiful hotel. A lot of times, people would say that. All those things that were popular then, aren’t now. If you think about it, everything in this building has changed. It’s changed because tastes change and the times change. But the vision for Living Word has never changed. The only change that’s happened is increase. We’ve never changed into another church. We’ve been called all along to be a house of prayer. I was thinking about how all the building has changed. There’s almost no similarity to the way it was in the beginning.
God doesn’t change. His Word doesn’t change. His power doesn’t change. We need and want more. We’ve always been hungry for more. We’ve stood on the Word. Over the years, we’ve had times when things were difficult because the enemy tried to come against this church for things our pastor stood for. But prayer has been the foundation and the thing that keeps pushing things, I believe, in the right direction.
The ministry of prayer, or praying together, has not changed. The people have changed. There are people in the brochure that are in heaven now. There are people who left and started their own churches. People who just left and we don’t know where they went. But the ministry of prayer has never changed. That’s why this chapter in Hebrews reminds me that we don’t quit. And we know we’re the house, we are personally and together. This church has a huge call. We’re expanding and increasing, but we’ve never done away with prayer. People have left and have gone to other churches, and they realize this church is unique in that area. I know other churches that are the same. They have a ministry of prayer, dedicate time to pray and rooms to pray in. I wanted to remind ourselves to never give up. Don’t quit. Prayer is as important as it ever was. As far as what we’re called to do, we’re to keep after the vision, keep lifting up the vision that Pastor Mac and Lynne have been given by the Spirit for this church. Keep watering it in prayer. We must continually get ourselves in a place of prayer.
We have so many people that pray every week in the prayer rooms. You’d be shocked (in a good way) by the fact that so many are declaring the Word of God in prayer rooms every week, all week long. Different people have given years and years of their time to the prayer ministry for God’s plan and purpose. That’s one of the reasons I believe when people come, such as Dennis Burke was just here. Dennis said it’s not just that Living Word’s influence is for the Twin Cities, but Pastor Mac and Lynne are reaching out all over the earth. So what happens here during prayer is going way farther than we could ever imagine.
So what are we going to do? Keep doing it. We’re going to keep on and believe for increase, for more people that recognize they are called to a different place, a place of prayer.
So I wanted to go back over the confession that we have for our President and nation. Do we think our President still needs to be covered? Yes. It seems more important now than before he was first elected. There needs to be the covering of prayer over him for protection and directions. We’re to do that every day.
Prayed…
Father, in the name of Jesus and according to your Word, we pray for those in authority in our nation. We lift up President Donald Trump, his family, his staff, and cabinet members. Let Your Word cling to them, and let them not depart from Your plan. Strengthen them with mighty power by Your Spirit to stand against wickedness, lies, and deception. Guide President Trump’s decisions; let Your light shine upon his path and show him the path of reversal for every evil way. Continually surround him with godly men and women who impart wise counsel to him. Cause the way of the wicked to be set to confusion and come to nothing. Deliver us from the traps and snares the enemy has laid for us, and let the wicked be caught in their own devises and be brought to shame. We take authority over the plots and plans of the enemy against this nation. Let prideful and lying lips be silenced in Jesus’ name.
Slanderers will not be established in America. We pray for our congress, our supreme court, our military leaders, and our intelligence agencies. Let the wisdom that is from above reign in this nation and be constantly speaking to our leaders. We exercise the authority You have given us to tread down all the power of the enemy. We cast down and demolish imaginations and arguments that exalt themselves against the knowledge of God, and we bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. We bind spirits of strife and division, civil wars and tumults, spirits of hostility, lawlessness and blasphemy, and fires from hell that have burned in our cities.
We speak grace and peace over America. We pray and believe for the voice of truth, salvation, revival, and restoration to be proclaimed and heard across our land. Grant unto your servants everywhere that with all boldness we may speak your Word. We pray for a mighty outpouring of your Spirit with signs, wonders, and miracles. We expect the wisdom of this world that is earthly, sensual, and devilish to depart and vanish until Your mighty work in America becomes a beacon of hope for all people everywhere. We expect the voice of rejoicing to be heard in our nation for your goodness, mercy, and prosperity in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Prayer Continued…
We declare that this nation is holding fast to Your plan. We’re moving down the right road. We declare and believe it. We pray that our leaders would have supernatural strength to stand against all wickedness, every lie and deceptive words.
We pray over each one of those that have been called beside President Trump and specifically Paula White. Thank You for her position in the White House as a person of prayer. We pray the blood covering over her for strength and Your anointing to do what You’ve called her to do in the White House.
The power of Your Spirit is working in the White House, in our government, through all the states. We hold the blood against the decisions made concerning babies. We plead the blood of Jesus over these things trying to move our country in the wrong direction. Today we say, “No way.” We declare this morning “breakthroughs” for things that need to be done in our country to be safe and protected. We pray for breakthroughs in every arena in Jesus’ name. Where decisions were made in the past, that these things would turn in Your will.
Thank You for revival… revival is beginning to break forth… change in the atmospheric conditions… change in direction… our belief systems are stronger than ever before… we resist every operation of the enemy… the church is not moving in the wrong way… limits! Get out of the way. Hindrances, be removed… for we have overcome by the blood… because You overcame… no weapon formed against us will prosper… Your Word is true…some things need to be cut off and removed… a clearing out… breakthroughs of every God kind… things will be shaken… a cleansing by the blood… we pray for a mighty outpouring of Your Spirit all across this land… we’ll begin to see signs we’ve never seen before… wonders that will make the world wonder… supernatural miracles… we expect the voice of rejoicing to be heard in our nation for Your mercy… we walk in prosperity and in Your plan and will…
Barb…
Faster, faster, faster… speeding it up… the reaper overtaking the sower… speeding things up in the spirit… speeding things up in the natural… yes, Father, suspending time… intervening… where it doesn’t seem like there’s a way, intervening in time… from that place of eternity and putting those things in where they belong and making those things to be right when they’re supposed to be right… those things coming forth at the right time in the name of Jesus… for the harvest is great… plentiful… it’s time to put in that sickle… and bring in the harvest… it’s time to step into the call and draw that harvest in by the anointing of God… we send out today in every direction into every country and city… we send laborers out today… we ask for heavenly assistance… for ministering spirits to help… get those people moving… out into those places… into the highways and byways… let that heavy anointing, the glory of God rest upon those workers as they go out… and do the work… it’s time to answer the call… respond to the Holy Spirit… respond to His drawing… we call for the fire of God in the church… Father, bring the fire… You burn out every plan of man… consume those plans, Lord… like a Holy Ghost brush fire going through the church, burning all the junk… those things that will not bear fruit… by the Holy Ghost and fire in the name of Jesus… all the chaff, burning up and consumed… and the fire of God residing to compel those into the ministry of the Gospel… yes, O Ancient of Days… we call upon You… come, reveal Yourself… come, fill Your people… open their eyes to see, the plan and the way… we command all the blindness to go… all the darkness to go in Jesus’ name… anything that would hinder them from pursuing the call… so much, so much more to do… we mobilize you today in the name of Jesus… get on the move!… this is the way, this is the time, this is the place, we are the people to walk in His grace and to do the work… to pursue His will and walk in His ways… to bring heaven to earth… to manifest His glory in these days… for the anointing is here… to deliver, set free, prosper… the culmination of all things… yes, we reach out and take it today in the name of Jesus… we take that increase… we take that peace, understanding, wisdom… we rely on You… we lean on You… we look to You for everything we need… Father, keep our focus… bring us into focus… so that we’re looking to You… focused on Your plan and Word… everything that would try to draw us away… falls away in the name of Jesus Christ…as we behold You, Your glory… and the brightness of Your glory… all those things … they go away… they disappear… they become nothing… impartations now… by Your Spirit… impartation… in the name of Jesus… pouring out… it’s a pouring out… You’re pouring out… the rivers on the inside flowing like never before… yielding over to that fountain of light and grace and joy and power… it’s a mandate… to flow and let that fountain to flow… let that power flow… let that anointing flow… stopping up the flow… let it flow… and those that are in the way, those that are stopping it up, Father… we ask You to move them out of the way… in Jesus’ name, Get out of the way! … we pray for pastors right now… pastors to come into line… line up with the Holy Ghost… you reject those old ways that are keeping you from the anointing… you step over into the flow of the Holy Spirit… we speak to you in the Catholic church… we speak to the priests… we speak to all those bishops, to the leaders… we call you into the flow today in Jesus’ mighty name… every religious leader, every one that stands in a place of authority, in the name of Jesus, we call you into the flow… come in now… or be removed… or that candle will be removed from you… we thank You for mercy for them today, Father… that they hear Your voice and they respond… they respond… that not one is lost… but they respond and they move and step in and yield themselves over… it doesn’t matter what denomination… wherever they are in the body of Christ that they step over today… we hold them up… they make the right choice… we’re calling for you to come out… step out… we’re calling for it today… a complete conversion … and there’s more coming… glory to God… they’re coming into those positions… those that will move with You… they’re being promoted into those places… where they can lead people in the right way… promotions today… into places of influence… not just in the body of Christ but in the government… in the nation… in every place of authority… promotion is coming now… those that will allow themselves to be led by Your Spirit… to respond to Your spirit… are being promoted today… even in secular companies… they’re being promoted into place of power and authority… You’re moving them up… so they can influence those companies for the glory of God… more coming… more are coming into their places… yes, the supernatural appointments… yes, thank You, Father, You continue to rock those places… shake them up… change everyone in the name of Jesus… every venue… massive… it’s a massive increase… it’s a massive scale of influence for the kingdom of God… being moved in… even into the state of New York… even there… into the darkest places… a massive influx into New York… of Your influence… Your people into all those places of authority there… there’s no place where Your glory will not be… seen and established… no place can keep our the presence of God… no place can hold back the glory, the anointing of God… we call that darkness out… you evil spirits of death and murder, in the name of Jesus, we speak to you, we command you to go, get out of this nation in the name of Jesus… get out of this nation… we will not allow you to move through this nation… we bind you in the name of Jesus from functioning here in this nation… we bring you down… by the blood of Jesus… yes, Lord, thank You… yes, it’s time for things to turn around… time for those evil things to turn around… You turn! In Jesus’ name… that evil legislation turns in the name of Jesus… anything that’s being formed right now of evil, in the name of Jesus, we turn you… you will not come forth in that state… you will be shut down or changed for the good… you will not come forth out of the government… we resist you in Jesus’ name… we do not allow you to come forth as law in the name of Jesus… Yes, Father… just as in the body, Father, You begin to purge those people that are evil… purge them from the government… purge them from those agencies… those that are not doing what is right and just in Your eyes… purge them in the name of Jesus… this is our country… we have the power to allow or to deny… thank You, Father…
Father, we pray over Maranatha Christian Academy… we pray over the head, Pastor Brian Sullivan, and everyone under him that work with him and speak into him… all the teachers… we pray over every student, every church that is represented in that school… we declare the presence of Your Spirit will be everywhere… the move of Your Spirit, we declare will begin to move from classroom to classroom… it’ll move down the halls… it’ll permeate that school and those that come in will go out changed into different people… change by Your power… we pray for a revival at Maranatha… we contend for it… we resist the work of the enemy that would try to impart a religious spirit … we declare the presence of Your Spirit everywhere… all throughout the school… changed by Your Spirit…
We speak to that spirit of divination in the name of Jesus… we command you to leave that place in Jesus’ name… we will not allow you to function there… you cannot operate there … whoever you are operating through, in the name of Jesus… we speak to you in Jesus’ name… be loosed of that thing in the name of Jesus… be free from that spirit in the name of Jesus Christ today… any other evil spirit functioning there in the name of Jesus, we come against a spirit of suicide… we command you to leave that place in the name of Jesus… get out of that school, you harassing spirit… you leave those students in the name of Jesus Christ… get out of that place in Jesus’ name… we hold the blood of Jesus over the minds and bodies of those students… we speak peace and life unto them… health, joy unto them… we speak to the spirit of addiction in the name of Jesus… any spirit that is trying to hang on to those students, in the name of Jesus, you release them… come down in the name of Jesus… get out of there now in Jesus’ name… Yes, Father… we release Your Spirit of peace to that school… we release Your spirit of peace to those students, to the teachers… we thank You for the power of deliverance… freedom of Your Spirit in the name of Jesus Christ… complete restoration… thank You, Jesus… for it’s Your anointing that destroys every yoke of bondage… thank You, Father, that Your anointing is working in everyone… thank You, Lord… hallelujah…
