Inspired Word October 14, 2009

INSPIRED WORD

October 14, 2009

IMAGE

I was asking the Lord, “Why do we pray for our enemies? Why do we pray for those who persecute us? Why do we pray for those people who cause us so much pain?” What He gave me was beautiful. If you could for a moment, just close your eyes and bring this image to mind. He showed me His face as being the head of the body of the Church. And then He showed me His body as the body of the Church. Within His body were all the peoples of the earth. He showed that within His body there are cancer spots of people who have had abortions, committed murder, were into addictions, had mental illness, and things like that. He showed me that within this body there were these cancer spots, but there are also the people who are praying. When we pray, when we do acts of mercy, acts of charity, acts of hospitality, we are witnessing our faith and showing joy by who we are. He said, “These bright lights within the body, the body of the Church, are shedding light upon these cancerous souls.” As if we were exposed to the sun and got a tan, their exposure to our prayers, our witness, our presence in their lives, as the body of the Church, are affecting them, healing them, ministering to them, and touching them. He said, “This is why you pray for your enemies, because I will it, because I love you; and out of your love for Me, you are a witness to them.”

SCRIPTURE

Romans 8: 35 – 39: Who, then, will condemn us? Not Christ Jesus, Who died, or rather, was raised to life and is at the right side of God, pleading with Him for us? Who, then, can separate us from the love of Christ? Can trouble do it, or hardship or persecution or hunger or poverty or danger or death? As Scripture says, “For your sake we are in danger of death at all times; we are treated like sheep that are going to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we have complete victory through Him Who loved us! For I am certain that nothing can separate us from His love; neither death nor life, neither angels or other heavenly rulers or powers, neither the present nor the future, neither the world above nor the world below – there is nothing in all creation that will ever be able to separate us from the love of God which is ours through Christ Jesus our Lord.

PRAYER

Father God, so many times during this time of our Praise and Worship meeting, we present to You our needs. But, Lord, tonight I believe that You are asking us to look beyond our needs, to look outward to all of those whom our sister talked about earlier tonight in her image of the body of the Church. These people so need a touch of Your love, whether they be our enemies or those who are just searching and they don't even know for what they are searching. But they are searching for a touch of Your love, Your healing love, Your love that changes everything. Father, You have blessed us with a touch of that love. We know what it is to be loved by You, infinitely and unabashedly loved by You; that we can just rest in Your arms, that we can ask You for the things that we need, and even in the dark places there is light because we know Your love. So, Father, right now I bring to You all of those people in the body of Your Church who need the touch of Your love, that need to be healed, that need Your light to shine upon them. O Lord, let our hearts go out to them, even now as we sit here bring to mind one person who truly needs an abundant touch of Your love. Lord, help us to raise up that person to You! Help us to keep looking outward, to bring them before You whether we like them or not, or whether we barely know them. Father, touch them with Your love!

CONFIRMATION / IMAGE

I want to confirm that we are to be sent out. I know that God is a gentleman and He is not going to come unless we call Him and we did – we called, “Come, Lord Jesus, come!” During that song I had an image of great rays of light coming in, but they didn't come in gently, they burst through the windows and through all the sides. These great beams of light were pouring into the building, but it didn't just fill this building, it was like these beams of light turned outward. So I confirm that, yes, we are called to take His light out to others.

CONFIRMATION

I confirm that because within five minutes of when we started, I had a sense of not just being filled with God, but pierced with His rays in our lives.

PRAYER

O God, You are so faithful! You did come among us and You blessed us, You set our hearts on fire! Send us out, Lord, with Your power, Your grace and Your peace. Help us to be that vehicle so that people can understand and love You more. Amen.

SCRIPTURE

Ephesians 6: 10 – 17: Finally, draw your strength from the Lord and His mighty power. Put on the armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the tactics of the devil. Our battle is not against human forces but against the principalities and powers, the rulers of this world of darkness, the evil spirits in regions above. You must put on the armor of God if you are to resist on the evil day; do all that your duty requires, and hold your ground. Stand fast, with the truth as the belt around your waist, justice as your breastplate, and zeal to propagate the gospel of peace as your footgear. In all circumstances hold faith up before you as your shield; it will help you extinguish the fiery darts of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God.

CONFIRMATION

I confirm that we do need to continue praying and the prayer that came to my mind was the Prayer of Saint Michael – “Saint Michael, the Archangel , defend us in the day of battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May our Lord God rebuke him, we humbly pray and do thou, O prince of the heavenly host, by the Divine Power of God, cast into hell, satan and all other evil spirits who prowl throughout the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.”

CONFIRMATION

I confirm the word too. When we were praying before the Prayer Meeting began, Mel had the words “Draw your strength from the Lord”, and that is how that last Scripture verse began.

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