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PRAYER THAT MOVES HEAVEN     MENTORING 26/03/13

Do you want to move heaven?

More to the point, do you want to move the heavenlies? (That is the spirit realm)

 

The power of God is available to all believers; but we must understand the necessity of both authority and power

Here’s your verse for Authority…

Joh 1:12  But to as many as did receive and welcome Him, He gave the authority (power, privilege, right) to become the children of God, that is, to those who believe in (adhere to, trust in, and rely on) His name–[Isa. 56:5.]

Here the word “power” is the Greek word Exousia meaning authority, jurisdiction, right or liberty. Just as a policeman has authority to arrest people by virtue of his position or badge – we have the authority – divinely given by God to be called the sons of God.

Here’s the verse for power…

Act 1:8  But you shall receive power (ability, efficiency, and might) when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and to the ends (the very bounds) of the earth.

This word “power” in the Greek is Dunamis meaning might, strength, violence.

Now using these two concepts together we have this verse.

Luk 10:19  Behold! I have given you authority and power (Exousia) to trample upon serpents and scorpions, and [physical and mental strength and ability] over all the power (Dunamis) that the enemy [possesses]; and nothing shall in any way harm you.

When we wan to see Go’s power displayed we must take authority over the works of the enemy and release the dunamis of God

If we want to see lives changed it is a necessity that prayer goes before preaching.

Merely preaching the gospel is actually seed falling on hard ground. There’s nothing wrong with the seed but if the ground is not prepared, little of it can take root.

We are called to make a difference. To Mat 10:8  Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, drive out demons. Freely (without pay) you have received, freely (without charge) give. That takes spiritual authority. You cant just do that by preaching alone; you must win the battle in the heavenlies.

  • All authority is given us

Mat 28:18  Jesus approached and, breaking the silence, said to them, All authority (all power of rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.

Mat 28:19  Go then and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

  • Nothing happens unless we first bind the strongman.

Mat 12:29  Or how can a person go into a strong man’s house and carry off his goods (the entire equipment of his house) without first binding the strong man? Then indeed he may plunder his house.

  • We fight in the spirit with words – with prayer

Eph 6:12  For we are not wrestling with flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the despotisms, against the powers, against [the master spirits who are] the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spirit forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) sphere.

  • Jesus took authority over spirits

Mar 1:27  And they were all so amazed and almost terrified that they kept questioning and demanding one of another, saying, What is this? What new (fresh) teaching! With authority He gives orders even to the unclean spirits and they obey Him!

  • He did it first in prayer

Joh 5:19  So Jesus answered them by saying, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, the Son is able to do nothing of Himself (of His own accord); but He is able to do only what He sees the Father doing, for whatever the Father does is what the Son does in the same way [in His turn].

  • Now we are called to do the same

Mat 10:1  AND JESUS summoned to Him His twelve disciples and gave them power and authority over unclean spirits, to drive them out, and to cure all kinds of disease and all kinds of weakness and infirmity.

IF WE WAN TO SE SOULS SAVED BIGTIME THIS WEEKEND WE NEED TO WIN IT IN PRAYER FIRST.

The gospel is powerful but the battle of prayer is necessary to break the hold of darkness off the minds of unbelievers so that they can hear.

HERE’S SOME EXAMPLES OF PREACHERS WHO BELIEVED IN INTERCESSION

Charles G. Finney & His Intercessors – David SmithersCG Finney

http://hopefaithprayer.com/prayernew/charles-g-finney-his-intercessors/

Like the prophet Jeremiah, Charles G. Finney was anointed of God to “root out” and to “plant” in the Lord’s vineyard, (Jer. 1:10). He was a man of intense prayer, purity and passion. “Emptied of self, he was filled with the Holy Spirit. His sermons were chain lightning, flashing conviction into the hearts of the stoutest skeptics. Simple as a child in his utterances, he sometimes startled his hearers by his unique prayers.” He could thunder the judgments of God upon sin with great liberty and power and then offer the mercy of the gospel with tenderness and tears. Without question he was a prophetic voice to 19th century America.

His ministry consistently produced revivals, even in areas considered hardened and unreceptive to the gospel. Finney’s autobiography is filled with accounts of powerful manifestations of the Spirit. On one occasion when Finney was preaching in a school house, “suddenly an awful solemnity fell upon the assembly and the congregation fell from their seats, crying for mercy.” Finney said, “If I had had a sword in each hand I could not have cut them off as fast as they fell. I think the whole congregation was on their knees or prostrated in two minutes.” The crying and weeping of the people was so loud that Finney’s exhortation of Christ’s mercy could not even be heard.

“Finney seemed so anointed with the Holy Spirit that people were often brought under conviction of sin just by looking at him. When holding meetings at Utica, New York, he visited a large factory. At the sight of him one of the workers, and then another, and then another broke down and wept under a sense of their sins, and finally so many were sobbing and weeping that the machinery had to be stopped while Finney pointed them to Christ.”

Finney seems to have had the power of impressing the conscience of men with the necessity of holy living in such a manner as produced lasting results. “Over eighty-five in every hundred persons professing conversion to Christ in Finney’s meetings remained true to God. Whereas seventy percent of those professing Christ in meetings of even so great an evangelist as Moody afterward became backsliders.”

Such results were the fruit of hours and hours of prayer. It was not Finney’s prayers alone that secured such heaven sent revivals. Finney’s was supported by the prayers of two of God’s hidden treasures. It was the hidden, yet powerful intercessions of “Father Nash” and Abel Clary that laid the ground work for these mighty moves of God. “Abel Clary was converted about the same time as Finney, and was licensed to preach also, but he had such a burden of prayer that he could not preach much. His whole time and strength was given to prayer. He would writhe and groan in agony, unable to stand under the weight.” “After Clary’s death Finney discovered Clary’s prayer journal. Finney found in the exact order of the burden laid upon Clary’s heart was the order of blessing poured upon his ministry.”

Father Nash lived a life of almost continual intercession. “He joined himself with Finney, kept a prayer list and was no doubt the secret of much of Finney’s marvelous success. He did not preach and often did not go to the meetings, but remained in his room, or in the woods, wrestling with God in mighty prayer. Often before daybreak people could hear Father Nash for half a mile or more in the woods, or in a church praying, and the sense of God’s presence was overwhelming.”

The Church must do more than esteem the history of men like Charles Finney, Father Nash and Able Clary. If we are going to experience revival we must repent and practice the truths they declared; truths of a holy and pure life; truths of hidden intercession and an uncompromising love for Jesus!

REINHARD BONNKE

EVANGELISM BY FIRE – BOOK – http://www.kingdomvision.co.uk/archives/tag/reinhard-bonnke

Reinhard’s passion for the gospel and reaching the lost comes across very clearly. Reinhard not only demonstrates why every Christian is compelled to share the love of Christ with others in the scriptures, he imparts such fire and yearning that every reader of this book will want to go out and do likewise! He reveals the pitfalls that many stumble over, including fear and wrong motives, and teaches how to overcome them.

Reinhard stresses the importance of prayer in reaching the lost and includes the wonderful illustration: “Evangelism without intercession is an explosive without a detonator. Intercession without evangelism is a detonator without an explosive.” Reinhard includes a number of chapters regarding the power of prayer and the promises made in the Bible regarding prayer and obtaining answers to prayer. Reinhard ascribes his own amazing ministry to those who have supported him in prayer and wonderfully illustrates its importance in this book. “Those who had been so inconspicuous will, all of a sudden, be heroes in the Kingdom of God. Their reward will be great. The Lord will not say, “much done” but “well done, good and faithful servant” (Matt 25:21)

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URBAN CONNECT GROUP LEADERS TRAINING

JULY-AUGUST 2012            WEEK 2

The main thing is the main thing – soul winning.

What we believe in this church:

  • The power of an invitation
  • Go into all the world – reaching demographic groups
  • Discipling lost people to become disciple makers.

The Main thing is the Main thing.

This is now a famous quote from Ps David McDonald our National Chairman.

It reflects the main mission of the COC movement in Australia and around the world.

Soul winning – leading people to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ is the most important thing we do.

For us and for most denominations the fire of soul winning is the first fire to go out when a church or movement stops putting the Great Commission first.

What did Jesus really mean when he said…

Mat 28:18  Jesus approached and, breaking the silence, said to them, All authority (all power of rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.

Mat 28:19  Go then and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

Mat 28:20  Teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you, and behold, I am with you all the days (perpetually, uniformly, and on every occasion), to the [very] close and consummation of the age. Amen (so let it be).

BRAINSTORM

What does this scripture/commandment mean to you?

Does this commandment apply equally to all Christians?

Are there some who are called to do this work of making disciples more than others?

Passion for souls

Are people really going to Hell?

What is Hell really like?

Joh 3:3  Jesus answered him, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, that unless a person is born again (anew, from above), he cannot ever see (know, be acquainted with, and experience) the kingdom of God.

 

Rev 14:11  And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no respite (no pause, no intermission, no rest, no peace) day or night–these who pay homage to the beast and to his image and whoever receives the stamp of his name upon him. [Isa. 34:10.]

BRAIN STORM

Who is going to hell?

Is there any way to get to heaven except by becoming a Christian?

Are you sure there is no other way?

What is hell really like?

Who do you know that’s going there?

Making Disciples or Getting decisions.

One of the strongest messages that is being spoken around the world right now is about the importance of making disciples. This is contrasted to the practice of getting decisions.

What’s the difference?

BRAINSTORM

What happens when we make disciples?

What happens when we get decisions?

Disciple making

Discipleship is relationship.

It begins when relationship begins.

Disciple means learner.

Discipleship is meeting with someone or a group and doing life with them. Jesus did it 24/7 for three years. Mostly we can’t do that because we have to go to work, school, uni etc. so it may take a little longer!

Discipleship is leading people to Jesus through the embracing the word of God and also through the experience of life.

The discipler hasn’t got all the answers because no one does. The discipler leads the disciple to Jesus. Keep pointing the disciple to Jesus for the answers, but also share how that looked for you. Share your story, your struggles and your victories.

It can begin long before the potential disciple is saved. If they are willing to do the journey then go there with them. You can disciple them 1 to 1 or in a group. You can have an unsaved person in your discipleship group; no problems.

When a disciple goes through an experience – make it a learning experience. Ask questions…. What does the bible say about that? What would Jesus do if He were in your shoes? Do you need support and prayer in this situation.

As a discipler you provide love confidence and support. Maybe you don’t have all the answers but you can pray for God to do miracles in this circumstance. When you have the answer, don’t be too quick to TELL all the time. Be like a coach and ask great questions. People learn faster when they are searching their own hart and the word for the answer, by doing that you are making them Jesus dependent and not you dependent.

Making decisions

When people make a decision to follow Jesus, either in a one to one situation, or in a church service or Youth Meeting etc. that’s great; but if they are not connected to an Urban Connect group straight away then that young Christian may not keep going.

A decision is only a beginning. It’s like having a baby and then not caring for it. No milk, no food, no love, no protection, no clothes etc.

Can we as a church ensure that every person who visits our church has an opportunity to enter a discipling relationship?

BRAINSTORM

What could we do to make that happen? For us a church team to ensure that every person who visits our church has an opportunity to enter into to a discipling relationship?

Our Church methodology – How we do all this in PVC?

What we believe in this church:

  • The power of an invitation
  • Go into all the world – reaching demographic groups
  • Discipling lost people to become disciple makers.

The power of an Invitation

We believe in constantly asking people to come. Andrew asked Simon Peter to come. He also asked Phillip to come. The woman at the well inn John 6 asked the whole town to come. Ask lots of people, ask hundreds, somewhere someone is hungry and they will come. When people come to church, OR you OR Feast (Young Adults) OR Urban Connect OR Young Mums etc etc etc…… Then begin to disciple them if they are willing.

Go into all the world

We believe in GO! Go into all the world. We are not only sitting here in church and expecting people to come to us. That’s a come message…. Jesus gave us a GO message. So we go to the fishing pools where people are.

  1. Craig – to the Police station
  2. Chris & Tim – to the Primary School
  3. Youth – To the high school
  4. Feast – to the Uni – Red Frogs
  5. Alex and his team – The needy people who come to community kitchen

We will develop other fishing pools over time as we get larger. This is where we contact people outside the arena of church and serve them and love them and share the gospel with them.

Discipling lost people to become disciple makers.

This is the most powerful engine of growth and community impact, but it is very slow, it can take years of planting and sowing and working on changing culture so that the UC leaders and their groups focus on the work of discipling lost people.

For most churches in Australia the work of small groups does not include soul winning – and making disciples. Why? Because they have no passion for souls.

If we have no soul winning in our church or urban connect groups then we msut Pary and intercede and call on God for his mercy to touch peoples lives. Do we consider their plight? Can we go the extra mile and keep on reaching out to lost people? Will you as an Urban Connect Leader spur your group onto winning lost people?

  1. Have each member write down a harvest list
  2. Pray for the lost friends and relatives EVERY Meeting
  3. Share how you have been witnessing to others, be an example
  4. Encourage others to share who they are reaching out to
  5. Champion those who reach out.
  6. Create events to bring unsaved along to.
  7. When a new person comes to you r group make them feel welcome. Pray for them, meet their needs.

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