Posted in prayer

House of Prayer

Posted on by Melissa Lynne

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Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people. ~ Isaiah 56:7

Amazing things take place when the people of God gather to pray. Impossibilities become victories. Stubborn enemies that resist the opposition of the prayers of individual believers flee when two or more assemble side-by-side, each one giving his or her unique spiritual supplies and giftings.

The Bible affirms it again and again in both the Old Testament and the New Testament. The Word tells us about times when darkness is driven away because some linked their hearts and their faith together and became that house of prayer.

As born again believers, we are a house of prayer. We are God’s temple. He dwells in us, not just individually but also collectively as a church.” And these days, our collective, unified prayer and power are urgently needed.

As precious as our personal and solitary times of prayer may be and as much as we enjoy being alone with the Father, we live in a time with challenges so great that they can only be met by the corporate prayers of God’s people. We are in a season when we need not just lone prayer warriors, but the church in all its various parts, closely joined and firmly knit together … each part working correctly for God’s Kingdom. In other words, during these last days, God is looking for people of prayer who will draw near not only to Him but also to each other. He is searching for those who will join hands and hearts and become His House of Prayer.

 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love ~ Ephesians 4:16

Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day’s journey. And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James. These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren. And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty,) ~ Acts 1:12-15

For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together growth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. ~ Ephesians 2:18-22

 

 

 

Posted in Hiding His Word

Iron Sharpens Iron: A Benefit of Corporate Prayer

Posted on by Melissa Lynne

Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend. ~ Proverbs 27: 17

One benefit of praying with others is this: when we work together in the spirit, gifts that have been hidden within us are revealed and activated. The anointing on us connects with the anointing on someone else and enables us both to step into spiritual positions we could never occupy alone.

A great illustration of that principle is the Old Testament story about Saul. When he was first anointed to be king of Israel by the prophet Samuel, Saul was timid and didn’t appear to be king material. Do you know how God changed him? He changed him by bringing him into contact with anointed people. God used gifts in others to awaken the anointing on Saul and those gifts turned him into another man. To make sure he didn’t miss those connections, Samuel told Saul about them in advance. He let Saul know they would be strategic in his life.

He said: When thou art departed from me to day, then thou shalt find two men by Rachel’s sepulchre in the border of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will say unto thee, The asses which thou wentest to seek are found: and, lo, thy father hath left the care of the asses, and sorroweth for you, saying, What shall I do for my son? Then shalt thou go on forward from thence, and thou shalt come to the plain of Tabor, and there shall meet thee three men going up to God to Beth–el, one carrying three kids, and another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a bottle of wine: And they will salute thee, and give thee two loaves of bread; which thou shalt receive of their hands. After that thou shalt come to the hill of God, where is the garrison of the Philistines: and it shall come to pass, when thou art come thither to the city, that thou shalt meet a company of prophets coming down from the high place with a psaltery, and a tabret, and a pipe, and a harp, before them; and they shall prophesy: And the Spirit of the Lord will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man. And let it be, when these signs are come unto thee, that thou do as occasion serve thee; for God is with thee ~ 1 Samuel‬ ‭10:2-7‬‬

Usually we think of “signs” as miracles and wonders that come from heaven. But in Saul’s case, the signs that changed his life were people. They were believers who imparted to him certain spiritual things he needed to step into the office of king. That goes to show you how important spiritual connections and relationships are. They change us. They activate spiritual gifts within us. They prepare us for our future. They inspire us to rise to new heights in God. We can walk around for years with supernatural anointing and gifting lying dormant within us like seeds in the ground. But when God sends somebody across our path who is anointed to cultivate them, those seeds in us will begin to sprout. The more we’re with that person, the bigger those seedlings grow.

In my life, I have had a few individuals with that kind of cultivating effect. These carried an anointing to awaken me to the call of God and to help activate my spiritual hunger and gifting in a supernatural way. All of us need the power of these divine connections and God has set in place churches with pastors, teachers, apostles, prophets, and evangelists to meet those needs for you and for me.

And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: ~ Ephesians‬ ‭4:11-13‬

Truly as iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend!

Posted in Hiding His Word

In This Place

Posted on by Melissa Lynne

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He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. ~ Psalm 91:1-2

In the silence of the early morning, I pause in this place, with God’s living and breathing Word before me.

In this place, the words spoken are first His flowing to my heart and then mine flowing back to His.

In this place, though my world may spin out of control, I remain safe and secure in the Shadow of the Almighty – whose power no enemy can withstand.

In this place, I find the boldness and complete confidence to stand firmly on my declaration – “HE is MY REFUGE and MY FORTRESS!!! HE IS MY GOD, IN WHOM I TRUST!”

In this place full of the Word and flowing with prayer, the enemy is helpless.

In fact, as I pause in this place -the secret place of the Most High, in the very Presence of Jesus – the enemy cannot sit alongside or even come nigh.

In this place, I have life.

I have life more abundantly…in this place!

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. ~ John 10:10

Following Peace

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Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another. ~ Romans 14:19

Peace is always out there and we must make a conscious effort to move toward it.

You can’t drive someone toward peace, only lead them there. Neither will God push you in peace’s direction, but He will lead you there.

To be lead is to follow. So, if you begin to head toward peace, others will surely follow. And those that do not…they will be in your past.

Posted in Hiding His Word

As One in Christ

Posted on by Melissa Lynne

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“For the body is not one member, but many.” ~ 1 Corinthians 12:14

The human body is amazing. Each part is dependent on the other parts. Something as simple as an aching tooth can affect many other parts of the body. While every part of the body has an important role, no one part is independent. All parts work together so that the body can function well as a whole.

It is no surprise then that Paul describes the church as the body of Christ. Followers of Jesus Christ are interrelated with every other member in Christ’s body. Though each believer may be different and unique, each believer is very dependent on all others. Like body parts, church members must work together in unity to help build God’s kingdom.

Sometimes members of the church have a hard time becoming part of the body. By nature, at times, we all resist dependence on others or having others to depend on us. But Paul states very clearly that just as “the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee” (1 Cor 12:21) neither can anyone in the body of Christ say that to another church member. God has given each of us with gifts and talents for the building up of His body. The church and its members are to serve each other, and the world around us in unity and love as one in Christ.

In this season of celebration of our nation’s independence, I pray for a revelation of freedom to fill us all…freedom that comes through genuine relationship with  Jesus Christ but also freedom that comes when we are dependent on our brothers and sisters and allow them to depend on us.