Prayer Summary for April 14

Praying…

Father, we are so thankful You gave us everything in this life to do Your will
That You saw fit that we would live now
Our hearts desire is to know You more, to be changed in Your presence
For Your glory, honor, and for Your plans
Thank You for every moment available with You every day
Changed from glory to glory even by the Spirit of the living God

The following excerpt was taken from Renewed in His Presence by Lynne Hammond:

Some believers don’t realize how vital it is for them to experience the presence of God. They say, “Oh, I have the written Word and that’s enough for me.” But they’re mistaken. It’s not enough.

If you have a job to do, a divine assignment in the kingdom of God (and all of us do), you need both the truth of God’s Word and the presence of the Spirit to fulfill it.

You can look in the Bible and see that truth borne out in the lives of one great saint after another. Take Moses, for example. He had a great task set before him. In Exodus 33:1, the Lord instructed him:

Depart, go up from here, you and the people whom you have brought from the land of Egypt, to the land which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, To your descendants I will give it.

The Lord told Moses that He would send an angel before the Israelites to drive out the inhabitants of the land. Then He said, “But I will not go up among you, for you are a stiff-necked people, lest I destroy you on the way” (v. 3).

So Moses began to entreat the Lord:

See, You say to me, Bring up this people, but You have not let me know whom You will send with me …. Now therefore, I pray You, if I have found favor in Your sight, show me now Your way, that I may know You [progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with You, perceiving and recognizing and understanding more strongly and clearly].

If Your Presence does not go with me, do not carry us up from here! For by what shall it be known that I and Your people have found favor in Your sight? Is it not in Your going with us so that we are distinguished, I and Your people, from all the other people upon the face of the earth!

Isn’t that interesting? Moses lived under the old covenant, but he knew he had to have God’s presence in a measure equal to the task that was before him.

In your life as a Christian, you also must have God’s presence in a measure equal to His will, plan, and purpose for your life. That divine presence is what keeps you changing all the time so God can work His good pleasure in your life. (Phil. 2:13.)

The Definition of Eternal Life

Just how important is it to know God in a personal and intimate way? Jesus revealed the answer in John 17:3 as He prayed to the Father by the unction of the Holy Spirit:

And this is eternal life: [it means] to know (to perceive, recognize, become acquainted with, and understand) You, the only true and real God, and [likewise] to know Him, Jesus [as the] Christ (the Anointed One, the Messiah), Whom You have sent.

You know, a lot of people think that eternal life just means to exist forever. But that can’t be true. Eternal life must mean far more than that because sinners going to exist forever in a place reserved for the damned.

Well then, is eternal life based on belonging to a particular church or religious group? No, Jesus tells us exactly what eternal life is in His prayer to the heavenly Father: Eternal life is to know God and to know Jesus, the Messiah whom God has sent to us.

You see, when we receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we are guaranteed entrance into heaven. That should be your testimony. In fact, the only way you will ever be able to fulfill what God has called you to do, whatever that may be, is to know Him intimately and to walk moment by moment renewed in His presence when we cultivate our relationship with God, progressively getting to know Him better.

It’s wonderful that so many people’s lives have been touched by God. However, it’s a sad story to me that not all Christians can say, “I have experienced Jesus for myself. I know Him. I have seen Him. I have heard Him. This fellowship I have is with the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.”

Even Jesus had to maintain the life He had with the Father. There were times He had to depart to a mountain or a hillside and just be alone with God. And if Jesus had to do that, certainly we do as well. It is not just a matter of being born again or going to church once a week to get your spiritual “tank” filled up. Knowing God requires an ongoing fellowship with Him.

That should be your testimony. In fact, the only way you will ever be able to fulfill what God has called you to do, whatever that may be, is to know Him intimately and to walk moment by moment renewed in His presence.

Transformed to Do His Will

I can tell you in three words why the manifest presence of God is so crucial to us right now: it changes us. And for us to become the Glorious Church the New Testament tells about, fully transformed “unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Eph. 4:13 KJV), we must be changed!

Sometimes when we look at where we are now, it’s hard to imagine such a change is even possible. But we know it is because the Bible says that God …

…is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen. Eph. 3:20, 21 KJV

The Bible promises us that we are going to be conformed to the image of Christ. (Rom. 8:29.) We are going to be more and more like Jesus. As we grow to be like Him, there will be such glory in the Church that the nations of the world will distinguish us from all the other peoples of the earth. (Deut. 28:1; Jer. 33:9) God will glorify us in the midst of the nations. In fact, Isaiah 60:2–3 KJV says that so much glory will come forth from the Church, kings will come to our rising and our shining!

For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.

This is our destiny as part of the body of Christ. God isn’t looking at where we are right now. He’s looking at where we are going to be. But for us to fulfill our glorious destiny God has to change us by His Word and His presence.

Second Corinthians 3:17–18 explains the process this way:

Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

As we enter into God’s glorious presence to behold Him, more glory comes causing us to be transformed from one degree of glory to the next in an ever increasing process of spiritual growth.

Moses understood that principle. He knew that to carry out the task God had given him to fulfill, he had to be in a perpetual state of change. God’s presence had to go with him every step of the way, or he’d never be able to do what he had to do.

Moses didn’t need just the corporate presence of God, where people gather together to sing, dance, and praise the Lord. He needed to experience the power and presence of almighty God for himself. If he didn’t have that, he knew he wouldn’t make it.

God’s presence and power are available to you in a way that is peculiar to your situation. God knows exactly how to change you and has tailor-made the way He manifest His presence to you in order to accomplish that change. His goal is to transform you from the inside out so you can accomplish His plan for your life.

If you would like to purchase this book, please contact LW Store online or call (763) 315-7015.

Continued praying…

We are asking You, Father, to change us through Your Word, Your Spirit, and Your presence
Grant Your presence to envelope every member and every part
Equipping us – not in our own ability
Thank You, Father, for the distinguishing marks that come only from being in Your presence
It’s impossible to go out without You
Agreeing for change today for the Church of the living God
Individual and corporately changed from glory to glory
Lifting our voices and yielding to You in prayer—going further and deeper
Not just a light, momentary touch but abiding with You—more time getting to know You deeply
You are the author and finisher of our lives
We yearn for transition, transformation, and for the day of translation
Looking for Your soon coming, let this truth be embedded in our hearts
Miraculous power of God being manifested—believers rising up off of sick beds!
Great separation—touching the world for good
Drawing near to You—You are the answer, Father
Declaring a change of course to those that have been drawn away
Coming again to Father’s house fully clothed in righteousness
Father, draw them once again—let them see that You have never left them
Declaring the glorious Gospel everywhere—breaking all bondage
Propelling them to shake off weights they were never meant to carry
Father, we yoke ourselves to You—rolling off every care
Walking and talking with You in the cool of the day
Father, we ask that You touch ears to hear this day
Eyes, natural and spiritual, we command you to see
Father, we ask that revelation knowledge would flow freely
Plans and mysteries unveiled by Your Spirit
Knowing who we are, how we should act, and how we should talk
We thank You, Father, for spiritual atmospheres affecting the Church and the world
Causing men to bow down and cry “What must I do to be saved!”
Undeniable proof that Your presence was there
In the sports industry, be glorified!
We are asking for a great outpouring of Your holiness
Divine invasion in families—needs being met supernaturally
Turn the hearts of the father toward You
We are looking for that kind of transformation!
Drawing them nearer to You, Father
Spiritual leaders being enlightened to lead their flocks
Every pastor, evangelist, teacher, prophet, and apostle receiving revelation
You said if we asked You would give by Your Spirit
We are asking for You to internally strengthen the body of Christ
You are the all-sufficient One, working in us to will and do of Your good pleasure
What You show us, Father, we will do—undeniable fruit that we have been with You
Our children, families, coworkers, and other members of the body knowing we have been changed
Know they can be changed too
You said we could have abundant life, so we are looking for that, Father
More of You, Father, in every dimension of our lives
Thank You, Father, that we could experience You and be changed—we are being changed
We rest and trust and in You—You are faithful and true
Thank You for this time together, for the precious body with all its members and parts all over the world
Be strong in the Lord, be strong in the Lord, be strong in the Lord—finish your part
We give You all the praise and honor in Jesus’ name, Amen

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