Prayer Focus: Pulling Down Strongholds – Time to be Bold

“I use God’s mighty weapons, not those made by men, to knock down the devil’s strongholds.”

(2 Corinthians 10:4 TLB)

Lord I pray that You would set me free from anything that holds me other than You. Deliver me from any memory of the past that has the power to control me or keep me trapped in its grip. Teach me how to forgive, especially anyone who has hurt me, so that unforgiveness will not be able to hold me captive. 

Set me free from everything that keeps me from being all that You created me to be. Protect me from the plans of the enemy, and cause me to always remember that no-one including the evil one can affect the deliverance and healing You want to bring about in my life, after all, Your Word declares that, no plan or purpose of Yours can be thwarted (Job 42:2).

Restore all that has been stolen from me until I am lacking no good thing. I know that in Your presence there is healing and wholeness. Teach me how to live in Your presence so that I can be made, and remain totally whole. 

Lord, Your Word tells me that “though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds” (2 Corinthians 10:3-4 NKJV). So I know that I cannot use my own human plans and methods to win any battles but instead I use Your mighty weapons. And today is my time to be bold and declare, in the name of Jesus, I pull down any stronghold the enemy has erected around me – the Lord sets me free and I am indeed free.

In the name of Jesus, I declare that for my sake, God “will not rest, until my righteousness goes forth as brightness, and my salvation as a lamp that burns” (Isaiah 62:1), makes darkness light before me “and crooked places straight” (Isaiah 42:16).

Lord, You have said in Your Word that “whoever walks wisely in Your Word will be delivered” (Proverbs 28:26): I boldly declare that I will walk with wisdom and find full deliverance, in Jesus’ mighty name above all names, in heaven, on earth, and under the earth, Amen†

Prayer Focus: Pulling Down Strongholds – Time to be Bold

(Adapted from a prayer by Stormie Omartian)

Prayer:

Abba, Father, You are the true God and Eternal Life, You are the only One Who is able to keep me from falling, You are greater than my heart, and You know everything.

I thank You for the fellowship I have with You. I thank You for placing Your own Spirit in me so that I do not follow mere natural instincts but I am led by Wisdom and Understanding. Thank You for teaching me how to build myself up in my most holy faith and how to pray in the Holy Spirit. Thank You for teaching me how to keep myself in Your love as I wait for the manifestation of Your promise to me in Christ Jesus.

I believe in my heart what You have said; I have confidence in all Your words and in all Your promises. And I am confident that when I ask anything according to Your will, You hear me. And, I know that I already have what I asked of You.

I know that I am a child of God, born of God through faith in Christ Jesus, Who keeps me safe, and the evil one cannot harm me; Who gives me understanding, so that I may know Him Who is true. I am in Him Who is true – even in His Son Jesus Christ.

I praise You and I thank You O God. I thank You that Your love is made complete in me. I thank You for giving me Your Spirit, so that the One Who is in me is greater than the one who is in the world. I thank You for bringing me out better than I was before. I thank You that the latter is greater than the former.

I give You all the praise and all the glory for this great and wonderful thing You have done in me, through Your love for me – I thank You for loving me. You are my everything.

I offer my prayer in no other name but the name which is above all names, Jesus, my Lord and Saviour, Deliverer, and Redeemer…Amen†

Prayer:    Shelley Johnson 26-Oct-2016

A Prayer for Today...

The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of grace and sufficiency hence, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

The Lord’s sufficient grace already abides within you – meditate on this truth, take hold of it and let it sink into your heart, so that you may know the truth and be set free. Know that the third Person of the Trinity is an ever-present Friend. It is only by the work of this Divine One, the Spirit of Grace, in your heart that you are able to appropriate to yourself the infinite fullness of God’s grace, that same grace that came with Christ Jesus (see John 1:17).

Let us pray…

Blessed Spirit of grace, You are with me always, my ever-present Friend. I thank God for You, and for the surpassing grace that I may receive through You – You are all that I need. You, O Holy Spirit, are the power of God that strengthens and empowers me in times of weakness. You are truly God’s indescribable gift – thank You Jesus. 

I now open wide my heart to receive Your grace as I offer this prayer in the matchless name of Jesus Christ, Amen†

A Prayer for Today...   Shelley Johnson 24-10-2016

Hiding your story

Veil of Veronica on stained glass

Every person on this earth has a story. Our lives relate our story. Your story, even though it is your own personal tale, is not meant to be hidden. Stories are for telling. What has God done in your life? How has Jesus rescued you? Your story has tremendous potential to expand the Kingdom of God but you’re hiding your story. 

“I will sing the wondrous story Of the Christ Who died for me. How He left His home in glory For the cross of Calvary.”

God has given you this new life through Jesus Christ and that story must be told, after all, your story is a unique life message that He has given to you. Time is short and people are dying to hear the story you have to tell, they’re dying to hear of the victory that Jesus has given to you over sin and death. Won’t you tell your story?

“I was lost, but Jesus found me, Found the sheep that went astray, Threw His loving arms around me, Drew me back into His way.”

Yes, it’s true that your story may contain some things that you’d prefer to remain hidden, especially those things you never want to remember or speak about but people need to hear. People need to know of how wonderful it is to be in relationship with Jesus. Sharing your story with others gives glory to God.

“I was bruised, but Jesus healed me, Faint was I from many a fall, Sight was gone, and fears possessed me, But He freed me from them all.”

When you tell your story, as difficult as it may be, Jesus will bring to you and to others, through you, great healing, and renewal. Jesus made your life new and He wants to do the same for someone else too, if you’d only stop hiding your story. People are longing for a new life and if you continue hiding your story, it never gets told and you rob them of the greatest gift – a relationship with God through Jesus Christ our Saviour. Won’t you tell your story?

“Yes, I’ll sing the wondrous story Of the Christ Who died for me, Sing it with the saints in glory, Gathered by the crystal sea.”

Amen† 

Hiding your story    Shelley Johnson 20-Oct-2016

Hymn: “I Will Sing the Wondrous Story” – words by Francis H. Pritchard (1886) & Ira Sankey (1887); music by Peter P. Bilhorn (1886)

A word to the weary

“The Lord God has given Me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him who is weary. He awakens Me morning by morning, He awakens My ear to hear as the learned.” – Isaiah 50:4 (NKJV)

Here, the prophet Isaiah recorded the words of Jesus as the Servant of God. As such, Jesus did not speak anything that did not come from God, the Father. In John’s Gospel, chapter twelve verse forty nine, Jesus lets us know this when He said,

“I have not spoken on My own. Instead, the Father who sent Me told Me what I should say and how I should say it.”

What an example for us to follow if we are serious about our service to God and His children: allowing God to teach us what to say and when to say it; to put His words in our mouths so that we too may “speak a word in season” to those who are weary. Being in communion with God every morning, listening to His wise counsel and obeying it will afford us this privilege. No longer shall we stand by speechless, unable to offer not even one word as weary people cross our paths. 

Speaking words in due season to each other keeps us from growing weary…

In this life, we’ll all be faced with problems and situations of one kind or another that can wear us out but today I want you to know that there is joy and comfort to be found, not in your circumstances or your position, but joy and comfort are found in Christ Jesus. His joy strengthens you (see Nehemiah 8:10), and only He can give you the rest you long for (see Matthew 11:28).

Amen†

A word to the weary    Shelley Johnson 18-Oct-2016

Still being thankful…

The Gratitude Experiment is almost over and I trust that you’re still being thankful. I know that you may have forgotten from time to time but that’s okay, simply get going again. You see, being thankful is something that you have to do on purpose – it’s a discipline. Actually the Bible calls it a sacrifice. Psalm 50 verse 14 says,

“Let the giving of thanks be your sacrifice to God…” (GNT)

Being thankful has to do with your heart, it’s about sincere gratitude for every single thing in your life including life itself. Sacrifice speaks of surrender and not lip service…after all anybody can say anything and not mean it, but when you sacrifice something, you really mean it.

So, let’s continue to remain thankful through thick and thin, rain or shine, good and bad, for giving thanks is the sacrifice that honours God (Psalm 50:23). Amen†

Still being thankful…   Shelley Johnson 17-Oct-2016

Another Purpose for Healing…Something to Ponder

“And so Jesus went throughout Galilee. He taught in the synagogues. He preached the good news of the Kingdom, and He healed people, ridding their bodies of sickness and disease.” (Matthew 4:23 VOICE)

We all want to be healthy, after all, our health affects the quality of our lives. We all need to be healthy. I’m writing this post at a time when I’ve been fighting a very miserable cold for the past two weeks. I am certainly not feeling well, and I don’t like it. That’s just a cold, and yes it is an annoyance but it made me think about those people in Jesus’ day who were experiencing all sorts of very ill health – some for years and years, and about His healing miracles.

Throughout the Bible there’s irrefutable evidence that the Lord has always desired for all people to be in good health. According to Scripture, we know that Jesus performed many healing miracles; but was His only purpose for doing so, a desire for the people of the day to be healthy, or was there another purpose for healing? Today I’d like to give you something to ponder.

In Jesus’ time it’s clear that sickness and disease were rampant. I imagine that several factors accounted for that, including unsanitary living conditions, poverty, and a lack of advancement in medical science. Among the list of diseases, blindness was very prominent and we are told of one significant incidence of blindness from birth where the sole purpose of this healing was to display the works of God (John 9:1-3). I’d like to suggest that there was yet still another purpose for Jesus’ healing miracles.

You see, in those days the sick were considered impure and there were very stringent rules and restrictions pertaining to purity which were enforced by the priests in an effort to maintain social standing, economic and religious status, to the point where holiness was equated with purity. Everything was classified according to its degree of purity thereby creating rigid social boundaries. 

All sick people were outcasts – untouchable nobodies who were debarred from partaking in every aspect of human society. This exile also applied to worship at the Temple – the impure were not allowed to enter the Temple area. But Jesus had a different vision, He defied the rules when He went about “healing every disease and sickness among the people”. 

Yes, Jesus had another purpose for healing. He did not want anyone excluded from religious life. Healing made all those people pure again, thereby restoring their status and bringing them out of exile and back into society. Jesus’ healing miracles were a bold and daring statement to the religious order: anyone and everyone can be a part of the Kingdom of God. As Luke 10:9 says,

“…heal anyone who is sick, and tell them, ‘God’s Kingdom is right on your doorstep!’”

Amen†

Another Purpose for Healing…Something to Ponder   Shelley Johnson 13-10-2016

A Verse to Cling to…

You know for some people, there is that one Scripture verse that they turn to no matter what they’re going through. Well for me, that verse is Isaiah 41:10. This verse has carried me through some of my darkest moments. Indulge me for just a little while…

It was 23 years ago, I was in a nursing home pregnant for the very first time and terribly ill with no sign that I’d be feeling better any time soon. I was vomiting continuously, nothing I consumed remained in my stomach, not even water, and so this led to other painful complications. 

At that time I was visibly dehydrated, and emaciated. My eyes bulged, my lips were dried white, and my bones ached. I was on drips and on Panadol that had no effect on the pain. I was both physically and emotionally drained and heading downhill fast. So, I prayed and prayed as I lay in that hospital bed, totally dismayed.

And, as I lay praying, a nurse I’d never before seen, walked into the room. She was tall and stately, with an imposing presence. Almost immediately she asked, “When last did you get out of that bed?” Her voice was strong yet gentle, “Come, come, get up. I’m taking you outside for a walk. Can’t stay cooped up in here all day.” 

She helped me up and out of bed. I thought my legs would collapse under me as I stood…the weight of my ballooning belly painfully obvious. As I shuffled along, she patiently guided me into the brightly sunlit reception area. The empty room with its wide open doors was quiet, I could feel my heart filling up with I don’t know what, and an unexpected tear rolled down my bony cheek.

Propping me up on one hand, the tall and stately nurse with the strong yet gentle voice, softly rubbed my back with the other and whispered in my ear, 

“Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”

It was the first time I’d heard that verse, and I cannot begin to tell you the incredible effect those words had on me that day. My Father had spoken to me, for even though she had whispered in my ear, it was He who had spoken. 

Isaiah 41:10 is a verse to cling to. It is God’s voice in your ear during the challenging times of life. He is wherever you are always, so you do not ever have to be afraid. He is your God, so you don’t ever have to feel dismayed. When you are weak, He will give you His strength. Be assured that He is your help in times of trouble and He will hold you up with His hand of blessing and of power so that you will never fall.

Amen†

A Verse to Cling to…   Shelley Johnson 09-10-2016