DEALING WITH ANGER

Theme: Learning to control your anger before it controls you.
Text: Ephesians 4: 26 - 27 (NLT)
"And don't sin by letting anger gain control over you. Don't let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a mighty foothold to the devil."
Introductory Remarks
If I were to ask you, of all the human emotions you're capable of experiencing, which one seems to be the most difficult for you to cope with? I believe that the majority of you would say that dealing with the emotion of anger is the most complex and challenging of them all on a day in - day out basis.
Complex - because anger can and will surface at the strangest times - brought forth for the strangest of reasons - and exhibited in the strangest ways.
Challenging -  because anger, if not handled properly, can be a very dangerous and destructive emotion. It can be hurtful to us physically - emotionally - relationally and spiritually.
There is always a price tag for improperly handling anger. Anyone who has experienced an incident when they let their anger get the best of them will confirm that actions committed in that kind of anger are later regretted.
Proverbs 25:28 (GNB)
"If you cannot control your anger, you are as helpless as a city without walls, open to attack."
Most of us realize that people who can't control their anger have a real problem. What is your routine for handling the emotion of anger? Does it work? Not always? Seldom?
Take heart! God has a method that does, and He tells us about it in His Word.
In this teaching I want us to look at God's biblical method for "taming the temper." Notice,  I didn't say God's method for "getting rid of our anger," but for the taming of it. It is not in God's purpose to eliminate the ability to get angry. He put it in us to begin with. All anger is not bad. Sometimes it's good for us to get angry. Anger in itself is neither good or bad. It's why we get angry and how we express it that determines if it's good or bad, healthy or unhealthy anger. God has given us His Word and His Spirit to work in us to enable us to harness and take control over our anger so it becomes a positive and not a negative force in our life.
He wants us "to be angry and sin not."  Ephesians 4:26, KJV) Anger managed correctly can be an asset and not a liability. Anger is something we can't avoid, but it's something we can learn to control.
Anger has been compared to the combustible explosions in a car engine that produces the power to make the car move. When those explosions are under control, they will take the car safely to its destination. But, if instead of controlling the flow of gas producing these orderly explosions  --  we ignited all the gas in the tank at once --  we'd blow both the car and ourselves up.
 
Proverbs 29:11, "A fool gives vent to their anger, but a wise person keeps themselves under control."
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Point 1:
Four faces of anger---
There are four words we use to describe different levels or types of anger that we experience.
1. Rage - used to describe a short fused-intense-explosive-uncontrolled anger. It's a "fly off the handle," "let it all out temper blowout." that leaves you and everybody around you torn to pieces. We try to excuse it by saying, "I know I lose my temper real fast, but it's all over in a few minutes." So is a bomb explosion, but an awful lot of damage can take place in those few minutes.
 
"People who fly into a rage seldom make a good landing." ( Will Rogers)
"When you lose your temper, you always lose."
Proverbs 14:17, People with hot tempers do foolish things."(LB)
Proverbs 29:22, A hot tempered man starts fights and gets into all kinds of trouble." (LB)                    

 
People who express this type of anger are walking time bombs with hair trigger tempers ready to explode. Typical excuses used by these "short fusers" sound like this:
"I just couldn't help  it. It made me so angry."
"It just got to me and touched off my temper."
"It's like something just came over me and I couldn't do anything about it."
James 1:19, gives some sound advice to "the ragers", "Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry."
The quickest way to cut your own throat is by your own sharp tongue by saying things you shouldn't have said because you "just had to get it off your chest."
 
"If you keep your mouth shut, you will never put your foot in it." (Austin O'Malley )
 Let's label rage as a sudden anger that must be  controlled.
2. Wrath - used to describe an anger that wants revenge, that desires to retaliate, that wants to
  return the hurt or injustice the offender has caused them.
 It's an anger that holds a grudge. It's an "eye for an eye," or a "tooth for a tooth,"
"don't get even, but get ahead," I'll think of a way to pay you back for this" type of anger.
 A wrathful anger is always accompanied by an unforgiving spirit.
"Revenge is often like biting a dog because the dog bit you." (Austin O'Malley)
Wrath anger was what the Pharisees felt toward Jesus. They had built their own "religious playhouse" by taking the laws of God and attaching hundreds of their own addendums to it, making it almost impossible to keep the original laws of God. The truth Jesus came teaching began to dismantle their playhouse and the Pharisees got fighting mad.
Luke 6:11, "But they  (the Pharisees)  were furious, (at Jesus) and began to plot with each other what they might do to Jesus."
Let's label wrath as a sinful anger that must be  condemned.
3. Resentment - is used to describe an anger that stems from a grievance. It is an anger that the
person suppresses over a long period of time and allows  to quietly smolder down inside them
Resentment anger doesn't blowup, but clams up.
As it is nurtured inside the person, it produces self pity that eventually turns to bitterness.
Resentment anger was what the elder son felt toward his prodigal brother and father. He had been the good son, the faithful son, the stay at home son, keep on the job son. The prodigal brother was the bad son, the unfaithful son, the vagabond, lazy son. Now, that son was back at home and the father was celebrating with a party for him. The elder son was overcome with a resentful anger. He resented his brother, he resented the celebration over his return, and he resented his father for receiving his wayward brother back into the family. He stubbornly refused to let go of his angry resentment and join in the festivities.
Luke 15:28-30, "And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore his father came out and entreated him. And he answering, said to his father, "Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandments: and yet thou never gavest me a kid that I might make merry with my friends: But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed the fatted calf."
Resentment anger damages the human personality and destroys relationships with others.
Proverbs 18:19, "It is harder to win back the friendship of an offended brother than to capture a fortified city. His anger shuts you out like iron bars."
Let's label resentment as a stubborn anger that must be  conquered.
 4. Indignation - used to describe an anger that rises up in us as a result of seeing someone
 or something of importance to us being mistreated or suffering an injustice.
Indignation anger is free from rage, resentment, and retaliation. It's a healthy anger that is aimed at the problem and not the person. It's an anger for the right reason and expressed in the right way. It's a controlled anger that is meant to be corrective and constructive.
Indignation  anger is the kind Jesus displayed. The gospels tell of Jesus becoming angry on several occasions, but it was always of the indignation type, aimed at correcting a wrongful practice or adjusting  an unhealthy attitude.
Mark 3: 1-6, reveals the kind of thing that triggered the indignation anger of Jesus.
"And He (Jesus) entered the synagogue again, and a man was there who had a withered hand. So the (Pharisees) watched him closely, whether He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him. And He said to the man who had the withered hand, "Step forward." Then He said to them, "Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?" But they kept silent. And when He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, He said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored as whole as the other. Then the Pharisees went out and immediately plotted with the Herodians against Him, how they might destroy Him."
The Pharisees had lost their compassion for others. They cared not for the condition of the man with the withered hand. All that mattered was maintaining legalistic obedience to the letter of the law. They believed their traditions were more important than easing the pain or meeting the needs of another human being. They had forgotten that " the Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath."  Mark 2:27.
Jesus looks at them in anger. He is stirred with indignation at what He sees in them because He recognizes their compassionless rule keeping mindset. Notice how Jesus expressed His anger.
He did not explode in a rage.
He did not call down fire from heaven on them in wrath.
He did not allow resentment anger to smolder down inside Him. He didn't suppress His anger.
But Jesus chose to channel His anger into carefully chosen words of response that He released in a controlled way. He didn't respond in a way that would allow them to fight back.
"You can't put things across by getting cross."
"To take the wind out of an angry man's sails - stay calm."
 
Indignation anger is the only type of anger that Scripture allows. Any anger that rises up in us filled with rage, wrath, or resentment must be immediately challenged for it is destructive anger. Anger that comes as a result of righteous indignation must be cultivated, because it is a constructive anger that God  does not condemn.
Let's label indignation as a sanctified anger that must be  channeled.
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Point 2:
Three ways people handle anger
1.  Repress it
Repression, we are told, is a form of denial. Their thinking runs like this. (If I deny that I am angry, then I won't have to deal with it. If I just ignore it, it will go away. I'll just work real hard at pretending it's not there.) Most usually, repressors have seen or felt the destructive power of anger and being "gun shy" of it, they try to avoid it. They just paint anger invisible and they think it's gone. But is it?
Repression is not the healthiest way to handle anger. It's not an emotion that can be dealt with properly by simply "forgetting it."
If the anger energy is not brought out in the open and taken care of in a safe way, it will be directed through other channels until it is  heard from. It will not be ignored. Usually, it is the physical body that feels the effects of repressed anger. I list several of those effects.
The blood system - producing heart attacks.
Stomach muscles - enhancing strokes
Muscles tense up - elevating blood pressure
Digestive tract - producing ulcers.
By repressing anger, we think we bury it dead. Actually, we are burying it alive. It sooner or later rises from its grave in another form.
Nothing can take place in the body without it affecting everything else about us. Anger affects our state of mind and our state of mind affects, in many ways, our body.
2.  Suppress it
In suppressing anger, we are very much aware that we are angry, but for one reason or other, we choose to stifle expressing it and simply hold it inside of us. By doing this, we think we are neutralizing our feelings of anger, but actually we silently nurture it within and allow it to simmer on the back burner of our mind.
I grant you there are times when suppressing our anger is the wisest thing to do, but eventually that swallowed anger must be drained off and gotten out of our emotional system or it will build up until it blows up. Suppressed anger is usually drained off on a less threatening, unsuspecting person, usually that person is another family member.
Let me give you an illustration of how this works.
Your out to work an pickup a pretty nice job an you get started on it (painting-roof sealing etc) an the owner comes out an he doesn't know if his getting a good job an he would like to sleep on it.
You go home afraid of losing the job so you start getting angry an suppresses the anger and you"stuffs" it down inside of you and go home.
The wife (unaware of what has happened) greets you at the door with a smile, but your, still angry, only snarls at her.
The wife now has two options open to her. She can snarl back or she can "stuff it." She chooses to "stuff it."
Just then the teenage son comes in and mom unloads her "stuffed anger" on him by finding something to yell about.
The son in turns "stuff it" until later when he unloads on his younger little sister who unloads on her doll she was playing with by breaking its head off in anger.
The effects of repressed anger eventually flows over into our body.
The effects of suppressed anger eventually flows over into our body and our relationship with others.
Repressing and suppressing anger is not the best way to deal with anger.
3. Express it
Since the 1970's we've become a people that has been told to get our feelings out in the open - "if it feels good, do it" and this included expressing our anger. Now expressing anger can be an alright thing to do providing it is released in the correct way, and that means it's under control and is corrective or constructive, never destructive.
When people get angry their thinking process usually gets short circuited, reactionary impulses race through their mind in a disjointed fashion and they are not likely to think things through in a rational way. This is why most people blow it when releasing anger. They put their mouth in gear before  they engage their mind.
Proverbs 16:23 (GN) "Intelligent people think before they speak."
 
Knowing when and how to release anger is important. Sensitivity is a trait that an angry person needs to hold on to.
A crowded elevator is not the best place to "let it all out" when you're angry with someone.
A wise wife knows it's better to unload the frustrations of her day onto the husband after he has had time to sit down and unwind from a long days work.
Three thing to remember in expressing anger.
      1. Remember the results of an unbridled anger.
          Ask yourself if you want to go through that again.
      2. Reflect before responding.
          When you start to get angry, delay your response.
          Stop and think before reacting.
      3. Restrain your remarks.
          Proverbs 21:23, (GN) "If you want to stay out of trouble, be careful what you say."
          Use sweet words because you may have to eat them.
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Point 3:
God wants us free from anger that would hinder our Christian testimony.
One day the Lord is going to present to Himself a glorious church (made up of people like you and me) not having spot or wrinkle and without blemish. Ephesians 5:27. That church is going to display the characteristics of Jesus in their life. As members of that church, you and I,  as believers,  are day by day brought into conformity to the pattern of Jesus. God has committed Himself to the task of working out of us everything that would hinder the fulfillment of that purpose.
Philippians 2:13 tells us that God is at work in us to work out all those spots, wrinkles and blemishes out of us.
Philippians 1:6 informs us that He will continue to do this in us until Jesus comes.
We are going to resemble Jesus when He comes again:
in our attitude
in our character
in our thought life
In our speech
in our actions.
God is working out of us the elements that would hinder our Christian walk and at the same time He is working into us His character and nature. As believers,  it is important that we know and understand that there is nothing, absolutely nothing, that God will find in any of us as He works in us, that will come as a surprise or shock to Him. He already knew it was there and He still loved us. He knew the worst about us and He still saved us. Whatever God's work in us may reveal might come as a shock to us, but God says, "It didn't shock me. I knew it was there all the time. But I wanted you to know it was there. Now co-operate with me and we'll get rid of it."
God is removing the grave clothes of the old life from us. When we got saved, He introduced us to a new life, but He knows that as long as the grave clothes of our dead past still cling to us, we'll experience frustration and failure trying to express our new life. He wants to remove those grave clothes of the past.
How are grave clothes removed? They are removed one garment at a time as God working in us uncovers them for us to see and deal with. Unhealthy anger is one of those grave clothes.
God wants to take our anger emotion and do to it what He did to Moses' rod that had become a snake as Moses cast it to the ground before Him on Mt. Sinai. (Exodus 4) When God told Moses to pick the rod back up, He had taken the snake out of it and it could now be used safely by Moses. The Lord wants to take the snake out of our anger. He wants us to know that the only way for us to express anger in a healthy way is to allow Him to take charge of it.
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Point 4:
Letting God handle your anger
My dealing with anger before Christ came into my life was not that great of an experience. When an angry situation developed in my life and I felt I really didn't have any power over my emotions and it was "three ringed circus."I knew i was out of the will of god an grieved on the inside of me i hurt an was confused cuss i did wont to change but didn't know how. i wish someone would have shared with me what I'm sharing with you now.
1.To my immediate right sat Emotion, and on what an excitable person i would  react if someone talked about my family-friends-heritage most of time i knew inside i was wrong for reacting with temper tong lashings or even fighting that in the end no body wins.
Next to him sat Feelings. He and Emotion had developed a real close friendship and had become inseparable. Feeling's decisions always seemed to be based on  how he felt at the time. He was so changeable from one moment to the next during the time of just being saved.
Next to Feeling sat Memory. He had a bad habit of always bringing up the past and trying to associate it with the current problem at hand. Memory was good at bringing past calamities to our attention. Memory's favorite saying was, "Don't you remember....this one said this or that one did this to you?"
Next to Memory sat Imagination, and what a fascinating member he was. Nobody could paint a scenario like he could. What wild ideas he presented at every meeting. He never really dealt with the facts at hand, but mostly in "what might happen." His "might happen" descriptions really affected Emotion and Feeling. Memory brought pictures of past calamities to our attention, but Imagination painted pictures of possible calamities in the future. Memory and Imagination seemed to buddy as friends. That had a lot in common.
Next to Imagination sat Reason. He seemed to be a real loner in the group and always hung out by himself. He was always analyzing, weighing things, considering the pro's and con's of every decision. Although he seemed to contribute input into the meeting, he never really came up with a solution to the problem that was acceptable to the others. Reason wasn't as excitable as Emotion or Feeling, nor as colorful as Memory and Imagination.
At the meeting, Anger has the floor explaining the crisis at hand. This one said that about me again iv had it. thay have messed with me for the second time this week. Anger is calling for a response to the situation. The first time was bad enough, but this time is the final straw. It is time to act.
As Anger speaks, the advisory board comes  to life. Emotion  begins to get really excited, pounding his fist upon the table, shouting for action. Feelings has left his seat and starts to run around the table in a frenzy. He has really lost it. Imagination is heard to cry out, "I can see it now." Memory  can only mummer, "Oh boy, I remember the last time something like this happened." Reason just sits there saying, "Something surely must be done, but first let's look at every angle. Let's make a study of this. Let's take a look at both sides."
Pandemonium reigns. It always does when  Anger is involved in the problem. "Shoot the dog!" "Shoot the owner!" Let them know just how angry you really are about this situation. Anger shouts, "Get even - I want satisfaction." The cry from the board is re-act ----re-act.
Before Christ came into my life, I would have followed my advisory board's an Meany times after beining born again try to re-act to this situation. I would have vented my anger with rage and wrath. But now that I'm a Christian,an trying to be Christlike I respond differently to anger. As a believer, I have added a new member to the advisory board that governs my decisions. This new member has shown me that God's desire is not that I should be a re-actor to angers petty whims, but that I should be an acting person who can control my actions and initiate the proper response to every angry situation.
So, before I respond in any manner to anger's demand for retaliation for what the neighbor's did, I introduce the Holy Spirit to the board in session. What a difference His presence makes when those crisis of anger pop-up. When He is asked to address the problems I've noticed
Emotion no longer gets excited.
Feelings doesn't psyche out.
Memory doesn't call up the past.
Imagination doesn't paint calamity scenes about the future.
Reason now sighs with relief saying, "At last something sensible is going to be done."
Angers charges are now ready to be dealt with.
As a believer, I am learning that as I give heed to the Word of God's instruction and the Holy Spirit's guidance--
I am gaining control of anger and it no longer controls me.
I am no longer afraid of anger and my response to it.
Like Christ, I choose to do what is right to do regardless of what my feelings and emotions urge me to do and regardless of what others push me to do.
I am learning to "Be angry and sin not."
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Conclusion
Thing to remember about anger.
Just one moment of uncontrolled anger before others can ruin your testimony.
Anger is too unpredictable to allow it to be in control
The anger ledger needs to be balanced at the end of every day. Don't carry it overnight.
According to Ephesians 4:31 anger keeps company with a pretty rough crowd: bitterness, wrath, clamor, slander and malice. These ugly traits are always ready to "tag along" with anger trying to influence it.
Galatians 5:22, "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace and patience." You can't have your life filled with those four things and be angry at the same time with wrong anger.
Anger is contagious. What you sow is what you will reap. Consider the consequences of your words spoken in anger.
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A PRAYER FOR REVIVAL

A Prayer for Revival
Waves of revival have swept around the world in the 20th century. Today, the five largest churches in the world are Spirit-filled and growing daily. Pentecostals-full gosple baptist-roman catholic-a.of.g-full gosple are increasing in great numbers as worldwide revival brings the life of God to the Church and to all mankind.
The Hebrew word for revive is chayah which means to live, have life, remain alive, sustain life, nourish and preserve life, live prosperously, live forever, be quickened, be alive, be restored to life and health. According to that definition, revival is not just a one-time shot of life, revival is a continual nourishment, preservation, quickening and restoration to life.
Revival begins when people turn to God. It breaks forth from intercessory prayer and continues when people repent and no longer tolerate sin in their lives.
After Jesus ascended to heaven, the disciples returned to the upper room and continued in daily prayer, in one accord, and in one place. Then, at the appointed time, the Holy Spirit burst onto the scene with the sound of a mighty rushing wind. Peter and the others received God’s long-awaited promise of the Holy Spirit’s anointing. Acts 2:17-19 repeats the prophecy of Joel, “And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of my spirit on all flesh.… And on my menservants and on my maidservants I will pour out my spirit in those days; and they shall prophesy.… I will show wonders in heaven above and signs in the earth beneath…” (New King James Version).
As they moved out into the streets from the upper room, men from every part of the world saw and heard something different. Peter’s great sermon, preached under the anointing of God, brought understanding, conviction of sin and the life of God to those who heard and responded in faith. Prayer, the anointed preaching of the Word, and a supernatural move of God—all working together—brought revival, God’s life-giving power.
Oh, what a time we live in! Destruction and despair may be on one hand, but revival and miracles are on the other. Revival is spontaneous and ongoing. It happens when the Spirit of God moves among people. God never intended for the Pentecostal revival to stop. That is why it is so important to be ready and available as God moves and pours out His Spirit. He can minister life at any moment, to one or to a multitude, to a person in a barren wilderness or to many people in a crowded city.
Revival happens wherever the Word of God prevails. Miracles, signs and wonders happen wherever the Word of God prevails. Hearts and lives are changed wherever the Word of God prevails. The Bible says God works with and confirms His Word with signs following (Mark 16:20). Look in the Word of God and you will find the life that revival brings. If people pray and dig into the Word of God which is life to them, revival will come and remain. Revival will become an ongoing way of life.
As you set yourself in agreement with God’s will for revival, pray the following prayer, or one similar, expecting God to move.
Father God, because You care for Your people and want all mankind to have life, You desire revival. Your revival brings life and nourishment, preservation and restoration. Thank You for sending Jesus to give us Your abundant life.
Lord, start revival in me first. I am Your servant and I place myself in position to receive revival. I feed on the Scriptures as a sheep feeds in green pastures because Your words are life to me. Holy Spirit of God, You raised Jesus from the dead and You dwell in me. So, I yield to You to energize my spirit, restore my soul and rejuvenate my mortal body. I renew my mind with Your Word. In my innermost being is a well of living water and I am revived!
Revival not only is life to me, but life to everyone who calls on the Name of the LORD. Therefore, I intercede on behalf of the people. I call upon You as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. I call upon the mighty Name of Jesus. All of mankind needs life, Lord! All of mankind needs revival because it is life—Your life. I speak and sow seeds of revival everywhere I go. I send forth angels to reap the harvest of revival all over the world. I put my hand to the sickle to reap the rich harvest of revival in my home, my church, my community, in the marketplace, on the job, in my country and in all the world. Pour Yourself out on the people. Lord of the harvest, send forth laborers, positioning them in strategic places to minister as You pour out Your Spirit on all flesh. Almighty God, show Yourself mighty and strong with signs and wonders. Holy Spirit, breathe on all the people of the world. I pray this in the Name above all names, Jesus. Amen.
Scripture References: John 3:16-17, 10:10; Proverbs 4:20-22; John 6:63; Romans 8:11; Ephesians 4:23-24; Colossians 3:10; John 4:14, 7:38; Matthew 13:39, 9:38; II Chronicles 16:9; Romans 15:19

HOW TO STUDY YOUR BIBLE

How to Study the Bible
As believers, most of us have probably heard over and over how important it is for us to study the Word of God. But all too often we don’t really understand why and consequently have a difficult time really getting started. So before we get into the how-tos of Bible study, let’s look at why studying the Word is vital to our Christian growth and maturity.
What a majority of Christians don’t realize is that the Word of God is alive! The Word can really affect and have a life-changing impact on your day-to-day living. God reveals Himself through His Word.
As He reveals Himself to you, you can expect your life to change because you are getting to know God Himself, not just about Him. The reason we study the Bible is that we may know God, know His ways and walk in them. Then we can truly live a successful Christian life.
The Bible is a personal message from Almighty God Himself—straight from heaven—to you. The main theme of this message is Jesus—even in the Old Testament. Jesus is the living Word, the message of God to all mankind.
Ever since the Fall of Adam in the Garden of Eden, God was unwilling to leave us in our sin and live without us. So He had a plan—the plan of redemption—when He gave His Son to pay the price for our sin on the Cross and thereby bring us back into fellowship with Him. Glory to God! So look for Jesus in every book of the Bible. All scriptures either point to the Cross or look back on it.
Settle in your mind that, while the Bible is God’s inspired Word, it was also meant to be down-to-earth. Don’t just reverently give it a place of honor on a bookshelf, but treat the Word as your personal hands-on reference book on life—a how-to book for everyday living. Get rid of the negative idea that it is just a set of rules.
God’s Word is our very source of liberty. God sent His Word to set us free, not to bind us up and load us down. So read the Word with a positive attitude, approaching it as an open door to freedom, not as a list of dos and don’ts.
Knowing why studying the Bible is important will hopefully make it easier for you to make that quality decision followed by pure and simple grit-your-teeth determination. We suggest treating this period of study as an appointment that you’re required to attend. Then, every day, follow through by building your schedule around this appointment—and not the other way around. Soon, you’ll develop a desire to attend your study and it will become easier and easier. And if you miss an appointment once in a while, don’t worry, just get back in the flow.
As you get started studying, it is wise to use a Bible you feel free to write in and take notes. Start underlining scriptures that have significance and special meaning to you. This will help personalize the Word for you. Marking these scriptures will also help you find them more readily when you need them.
At your appointment, one of the best ways to “dig” into the Word is to find a subject or certain scriptures you need to understand. Pray for understanding and discernment of the scriptures. Allow the Holy Spirit, who inspired the Word of God, to reveal it to you. Read and think about each word in each scripture. You can check meanings, too, by using a concordance to study the Greek or Hebrew root words and their meanings.
An important part of your study of the Word is meditation. To meditate means to think deeply and continuously, ponder or reflect. It also means to murmur, to mutter and to converse with oneself. This takes some time. Read the scripture over and over again as you pray in the spirit. Meditation brings your spirit and your mind together and builds a capacity for your faith to be released (Romans 10:17). Ask the Holy Spirit to open the eyes of your understanding so you can comprehend the deep things of God. Then expect the Lord to do it. Expect Him to meet you on the level of your need and reveal His Word to you.
When starting out, spend the majority of your time in the New Testament (primarily in the letters the Apostle Paul wrote to the early churches). In light of this, I suggest you look for and underline phrases such as “in Him,” “in whom” and “in Christ.” These phrases are found 134 times in the New Testament from Acts to Revelation. Every one of them has something to offer you personally because according to Ephesians 2:6, you are in Christ!
Make what God says the authority in your life. That means we shouldn’t just believe what God says to us in His Word, but we should also act on it. Acting on it is what produces results (Matthew 7:24-27). Part of acting on the Word includes speaking it. You will find that what you really believe in your heart is what you speak all the time—and what you speak determines what happens in your life (Mark 11:23).
Once you start speaking God’s Word about your needs, do not speak anything contrary to it. For example, if you need healing, do not let the focus of your words be about your sickness. Rather, confess what the Word says about it: “By His stripes I am healed according to Isaiah 53:4-5.”
Like a sponge, soak in as much Word as possible. Then, when you are faced with a situation that requires the wisdom of God, the life of God will flow from you—through your words—to meet any man’s need on any level. And that’s the best way to study the Word—with the intent of helping and loving others as well as yourself.
To help in your study, I recommend the following:
1.Young’s Analytical Concordance—a great help in finding verses that pertain to specific situations or needs. It contains the Hebrew and Greek word translations
2.Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance—a dictionary of the Hebrew, Chaldee and Greek words.
3.Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words—a dictionary for scriptural words and meanings.
4.Expositions of Holy Scripture by Alexander Maclaren—a 17-volume series that includes sermons and expositions from almost every book of the Bible, and the most comprehensive index of any major expositional work.
You can also use many different translations of the Bible during your study time. To start out, you may want to use the King James Version and The Amplified Bible. I do the majority of studying in these two versions.I also recommend the Worrell, Goodspeed and Wuest’s Expanded Translation. All of these helps and versions of the Bible can be found in almost any local Christian bookstore.
You can use the books and tapes C.DS of other ministers; however, do not allow them to take the place of your personal study time. Take what they have learned and allow the Holy Spirit to add to it. And, of course, no matter what material you study, be sure it lines up with God’s Word.
Here are some steps to follow in studying the Word:
Apply the Word to yourself personally.
•Allow the Holy Spirit to make the Word a reality in your heart.
•Carefully ponder how the Word applies to your everyday life.
•Dwell on how the Word changes your situation.
•See yourself as God sees you.
•Realize the integrity of God’s Word.
Here is a prayer to pray with confidence as you sit down to study and meditate on His Word:
“Father, in the Name of Jesus I come before You today. I take authority over Satan and bind his operation in my life. I pray the eyes of my understanding are enlightened that I may know how rich is Your inheritance in the saints, that I may be filled with the knowledge of Your will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, walking fully pleasing to You, increasing in the knowledge of God.
“Father, I pray I will be rooted and built up in Jesus, established in the faith. I am confident that He who began a good work in me will continue it until the day of Jesus Christ.
“I know You have heard my prayer, so I know I have the petitions that I asked. Thank You in Jesus’ Name.”
Prayer References: Ephesians 1:16-18; Colossians 1:9-12, 2:6-10; Philippians 1:6; I John 5:14-15.

YOU CAN HEAR GOD SPEAK / PT2

 You CAN Hear God Speak Pt.2
1/26/11

 
Ps 139:17-18
17 How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! 18 If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.
I AM GOING TO CONTINUE IN THIS SERIES, YOU CAN HEAR GOD SPEAK THIS MORNING. PSA.139:17 IS JUST ONE VERSE OF SCRIPTURE THAT SUGGESTS THAT GOD HAS A LOT OF THINGS TO COMMUNICATE TO US BUT WE ARE JUST NOT IN THE RIGHT POSTURE TO HEAR HIS VOICE. WE HAVE ALREADY LEARNED A FEW THINGS THAT SHOULD HELP US HEAR GOD SPEAK.
Heb 5:11-14
11 Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered,
seeing ye are dull of hearing.

1. HEB. 5:11 SUGGESTS TO US THAT EVERY NEW CHRISTIAN IS BORN WITH PERFECT HEARING AND 20/20 SPIRITUAL VISION BUT BECAUSE OF A LACK OF EXERCISE OUR SPIRITUAL SENSES HAVE BECOME DULL AND DEFECTIVE. THIS SERIES IS INTENDED TO BRING HEALING AND RESTORATION TO YOUR SPIRITUAL SENSES SO THAT YOU CAN HEAR GOD SPEAK TO YOU.

2. THE NUMBER ONE DIFFICULTY WE HAVE IN HEARING GOD SPEAK IS DISTRACTIONS. WE NEED TO LEARN TO OVERCOME THE DISTRACTIONS THAT KEEP US FROM HEARING GOD SPEAK.

3. THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE WRITTEN WORD OF GOD AND A PROCEEDING WORD FROM GOD ACCORDING TO DEUT.8:2-3.

Deut 8:2-3
2 And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no. 3 And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.
4. ZACHARIAH, THE FATHER OF JOHN THE BAPTIST DIDN'T HAVE ANY TROUBLE HEARING AND OBEYING THE WRITTEN WORD OF GOD BUT WHEN IT CAME TO RECEIVING A PROCEEDING WORD OF GOD HE FAILED MISERABLE.
5. A PROCEEDING WORD OF GOD IS GOD SPEAKING TO YOU IN A PERSONAL AND INTIMATE WAY. ITS A PERSONAL WORD JUST FOR YOU. WE'VE UNDERSTOOD THIS IN THE PAST BY THE GREEK WORD REHEMA WHICH IS FOUND IN ROM.10:17 For faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. YOU SEE THE TWO WORK TOGETHER: WE READ THE WRITTEN WORD AND GOD USES THAT TO SPEAK TO US A PROCEEDING WORD.

6. PLEASE REMEMBER: WE DON’T BEGIN TO GROW IN GOD UNTIL WE BEGIN TO HEAR GOD‘S VOICE:
NOW ONE WAY THAT WE CAN OVERCOME DISTRACTIONS IS BY SETTING ASIDE A TIME OF DAY WHEN WE WAIT ON GOD, READ HIS WORD AND PRAY.
Matt 6:6
6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray
to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what
is done in secret, will reward you.

NOW, THERE ARE SEVERAL THINGS THAT CAN HINDER A CHRISTIAN FROM HEARING THE VOICE OF GOD BUT ONE OF THE MOST DECEITFUL AND DIABOLICAL STRATEGIES OF THE ADVERSARY IS NOISE POLLUTION. THERE IS A WAR GOING ON IN THE SPIRIT WORLD AND THE DEVIL IS COMPETING FOR YOUR ATTENTION. JUST AS THE FAST FOOD FRANCHISES COMPETE FOR YOUR BUSINESS SO THE DEVIL IS COMPETING FOR YOUR ATTENTION THROUGH NOISE POLLUTION. FROM ADVERTISING TO BILLBOARDS TO THE RADIO OR THE TV THERE IS A CONSTANT BACKDROP OF NOISE. IT WASN’T TOO LONG AGO WHEN THE TV WENT OFF THE AIR AT MIDNIGHT BUT NOW YOU HAVE 24 HR A DAY TV AND 5- -60 CHANNELS TO CHOOSE FROM. I MEAN, BUT GOD HELP YOU CAUSE YOU COULD WATCH TV NONSTOP UNTIL JESUS COMES BACK. IT IS THE DEVIL’S STRATEGY TO FLOOD OUR BEING WITH EARTHLY INFORMATION AN NOISE AND SO RESTRICT OUR ABILITY TO HEAR FROM GOD THROUGH DISTRACTIONS. THE PHRASE, "WHEN YOU PRAY" IN MATT.6 IS REALLY TALKING ABOUT COMMUNICATING WITH GOD. IF YOUR PRAYER TIME IS ALWAYS CONSUMED WITH YOUR TELLING GOD THINGS OR ASKING GOD FOR THINGS THEN YOU AREN’T REALLY ENTERING INTO THE KIND OF PRAYER TIME GOD WANTS YOU TO HAVE. PRAYER IS SUPPOSE TO BE A DIALOGUE NOT A MONOLOGUE. WE ARE SUPPOSE TO HEAR FROM GOD WHEN WE PRAY. (MOST OF THE TIME WE JUST DUMP ON GOD WHEN WE PRAY) NORMAL CHRISTIANITY IS BEING ABLE TO WALK WITH GOD AND TO HEAR HIS VOICE ON A DAILY BASIS.
1 Cor 2:9-12
9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard,
neither have entered into the heart of man, the things
which God hath prepared for them that love him.
10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit
searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 11 For what man knoweth
the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so
the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. 12 Now we
have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God;
that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

GOD DOESN’T USUALLY SPEAK TO US FROM THE OUTSIDE IN BUT RATHER FROM THE INSIDE OUT. YOUR SPIRITUAL EARS REPRESENTS YOUR HEART OR YOUR SPIRIT. WHEN YOU ARE BORN AGAIN YOUR SPIRIT MAN COMES ALIVE AND BECOMES THE BASIS FOR ALL YOUR COMMUNICATION WITH THE FATHER. GOD IS A SPIRIT AND THOSE THAT WORSHIP HIM MUST DO SO IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH. GOD DOES NOT SPEAK TO YOUR MIND FIRST BUT TO YOUR HEART OR SPIRIT. THE MIND OR INTELLIGENCE OF MAN IS ONE OF THE GREATEST DETERRENTS TO HEARING FROM GOD.
1 Cor 2:14
14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God:
for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them,
because they are spiritually discerned.

I HAVE A LOT MORE THAT I WANT TO SAY ABOUT THE HEART BEING PRIMARY AND THE MIND BEING SECONDARY WHEN IT COMES TO HEARING FROM GOD BUT I WILL SAVE IT FOR ANOTHER TIME. I DO WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT GOD DESIRES TO SPEAK TO YOU ON A DAILY BASIS AND THAT HE WANTS YOU TO GROW UP AND BE ALL THAT HE HAS DESIGNED YOU TO BE. SO WE SHOULD LEARN TO EXPECT TO HEAR FROM GOD.
Ps 5:3
3 In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.
ONE OF THE BEST TIMES TO HEAR FROM GOD IS WHEN YOUR MIND IS NOT FULLY ENGAGED. FOR ME THAT USUALLY HAPPENS JUST BEFORE I FULLY WAKE UP IN THE MORNING. SOMETIMES IT HAPPENS WHEN I’M TAKING A SHOWER BECAUSE I AM RELAXED AND MY MIND ISN’T GETTING IN THE WAY OF HEARING FROM GOD. WHENEVER GOD SPEAKS TO YOU IN YOUR DAY YOU SHOULD MAKE IT A HABIT TO HAVE A NOTEBOOK OR A PIECE OF PAPER HANDY TO WRITE DOWN WHAT GOD SAYS TO YOU. WHEN YOU DO THIS YOU ARE INDICATING TO GOD THAT YOU EXPECT TO HEAR FROM HIM. YOU SEE, EXPECTATION PULLS VIRTUE OUT OF GOD. NOW, WHY SHOULD YOU WRITE DOWN WHAT GOD SAYS TO YOU. FIRST OF ALL ITS AN ACT OF EXPECTATION, YOU EXPECT GOD TO TALK TO YOU. SECOND, YOU WILL BE AMAZED AT HOW QUICKLY YOU CAN FORGET WHAT GOD HAS SAID TO YOU. SO LIVE WITH THE EXPECTATION THAT GOD WANTS TO TALK WITH YOU AND CULTIVATE A SENSITIVITY TO THE VOICE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN YOUR HEART. YOU NEED TO KNOW BEYOND A SHADOW OF A DOUBT THAT GOD WANTS TO SPEAK TO YOU AND THAT HE WANTS YOU TO HEAR HIS VOICE. THIS CAN BE CLEARLY SEEN IN ON THE FIRST DAY OF PENTECOST IN:
Exod 19:3-9
3 And Moses went up unto God, and the LORD called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel; 4 Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself.
5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: 6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.
7 And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which the LORD commanded him.
8 And all the people answered together, and said, All that the LORD hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the LORD. 9And the LORD said unto Moses, Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with thee, and believe thee for ever. And Moses told the words of the people unto the LORD.
Exod 20:18-20
18 And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off. 19 And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die.
20 And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to
prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.

FIFTY DAYS AFTER THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL WERE DELIVERED OUT OF EGYPT GOD APPEARED TO HIS PEOPLE ON THE MOUNTAIN AND WANTED TO BEGIN TO SPEAK TO THEM. THE PEOPLE WERE AFRAID OF GOD AND DIDN’T WANT TO CONVERSE WITH HIM SO GOD SPOKE TO THE PEOPLE THROUGH MOSES. BUT WE CAN SEE WHAT GOD’S INTENTIONS WERE, HE WANTED TO SPEAK TO THE PEOPLE DIRECTLY. I WANT YOU TO KNOW THIS MORNING THAT GOD HASN’T CHANGED. HE WANTS TO SPEAK TO YOU AND ME. WE MUST COME TO GOD WITH AN EXPECTANCY AND NOT WITH A FEAR WHICH TURNS AWAY FROM GOD. MANY PEOPLE DON’T WANT GOD TO SPEAK TO THEM BECAUSE THEY ARE AFRAID OF WHAT HE MIGHT SAY OR BECAUSE THEN THEY WOULD HAVE TO BECOME ACCOUNTABLE FOR WHAT GOD HAS SPOKEN TO THEM. GUILT WILL RESTRICT YOUR ABILITY TO HEAR FROM GOD. BUT IF OUR HEART DOES NOT CONDEMN US, THE SCRIPTURE SAYS, THEN DO WE HAVE CONFIDENCE AND EXPECTATION FROM GOD.

ACCORDING TO EX.19:5 THE ONE THING THAT SETS US APART FROM THE REST OF THE PEOPLE IN THE WORLD AND MAKES US A SPECIAL PEOPLE UNTO GOD IS THAT WE HEAR HIS VOICE AND OBEY HIM. GOD HAS ENABLED EACH OF US TO HEAR HIS VOICE AND RESPOND TO HIM IN LOVE AND DEVOTION.
2 Cor 11:3
3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve
through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from
the simplicity that is in Christ.
HERE’S ANOTHER THING THAT WILL HELP YOU TO HEAR GOD SPEAK FOR YOURSELF: KEEP IT SIMPLE AND DON’T COMPLICATE THE GOSPEL. GOD NEVER INTENDED THE PRINCIPLES OF HIS KINGDOM TO BE COMPLICATED. IN FACT, THE GOSPEL MESSAGE HAS ALWAYS BEEN COMMUNICATED THROUGH SIMPLICITY. THE HEART ATTITUDE OF THE CHRISTIAN SHOULD BE THAT OF TRUSTING, CHILDLIKE AND NON-ANALYTICAL OBEDIENCE. THE MAJOR PROBLEM WE HAVE IS THAT WE STRIVE FOR INFORMATION WHEN WHAT WE REALLY NEED IS REVELATION.
Eph 1:17-18
17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:
18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory
of his inheritance in the saints,
THE HOLY SPIRIT HAS BEEN SENT TO COMMUNICATE TRUTH BY REVELATION. IN OTHER WORDS, IT IS REVEALED ITS NOT FIGURED OUT. THAT’S WHY HEARING THE VOICE OF GOD IS SO EXCITING. WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT COMMUNICATES TRUTH, THE REVELATION IS SO SIMPLE TO UNDERSTAND AND YET PROFOUND IN ITS RAMIFICATIONS. ALTHOUGH THEOLOGIANS ARE NOTORIOUS FOR COMPLICATING THE GOSPEL THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL KEEP IT SIMPLE AND PRACTICAL. IN FACT, ONE WAY WE CAN BE CONVINCED THAT WE’VE HEARD FROM GOD IS THAT THE ANSWER IS ALWAYS SIMPLE. JESUS TOOK COMPLICATED PROBLEMS LIKE BLINDNESS, LEPROSY, AND PARALYSIS AND SIMPLIFIED THEM INTO ACTS OF OBEDIENCE. HE SAID THINGS LIKE, GO WASH, GO SHOW YOURSELVES TO THE PRIESTS OR TAKE UP YOUR BED AND WALK. JESUS USED THE ACRONYM OF FORTUNE 500 COMPANIES: KISS: Keep It Simple Stupid. NOW, HEARING GOD’S VOICE DOESN’T MEAN WE UNDERSTAND ALL THE MYSTERIES OF THE WORLD. IT DOES MEAN THAT GOD WILL ARTICULATE A WORD THAT WILL SIMPLY HEAL OR DELIVER US IN OUR SITUATION. HOW MANY OF YOU KNOW THAT WHEN WE TRY TO FIGURE SOMETHING OUT IT SO THAT WE CAN FIX THE PROBLEM AND MAINTAIN A POSITION OF CONTROL. UNTIL WE LEARN TO SURRENDER THE CONTROL ISSUES OF OUR LIFE TO GOD WE WILL BE UNABLE TO HEAR GOD SPEAK. ANALYTICAL MINDS DO NOT GET VERY FAR IN UNDERSTANDING THE MIND OF THE SPIRIT.

YOU SEE, JESUS REJOICED BECAUSE RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD WAS NEVER A MATTER OF INTELLIGENCE OR IQ BUT A HEART THAT WAS OPEN AND SENSITIVE TO GOD. LOOK AT THIS SCRIPTURE:
Luke 10:21
21 In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight.

IN FACT ONE OF THE ONLY PREREQUISITES TO HEARING FROM GOD IS AN HONEST AND PURE HEART. JESUS SAID IN MATT.5:8, BLESSED ARE THE PURE IN HEAR FOR THEY SHALL SEE GOD. AND GOD MAKES A WONDERFUL PROMISE TO US IN:
Isa 35:8
8A highway shall be there, and a road, and it shall be called the Highway of Holiness. The unclean shall not pass over it, but it shall be for others. Whoever walks the road, although a fool, shall not go astray.

Isa 35:8 (tlb)
8 And a main road will go through that once-deserted land; it will be named "The Holy Highway." No evil-hearted men may walk upon it. God will walk there with you; even the most stupid cannot miss the way.

HEARING GOD AND KNOWING HIM IS NOT A COMPLICATED FEAT RESERVED FOR A SPECIAL FEW. HEARING AND OBEYING HIS VOICE WILL BECOME NORMAL OPERATING PROCEDURE FOR EVERY CHRISTIAN WHOSE HEART IS PURE TOWARDS GOD.

PEOPLE OFTEN ASK HOW CAN THEY HEAR FROM GOD. THE FIRST THING THAT I EMPHASIZE IS NOT HOW BUT WHERE. GOD DOES NOT TALK TO OUR BRAINS HE SPEAKS DIRECTLY TO OUR SPIRIT. IN FACT THAT’S WHY YOU WERE BORN AGAIN IN THE FIRST PLACE. OUR SPIRIT WAS DEAD AND CHRIST HAS COME INTO OUR HEARTS TO RESURRECT OUR SPIRIT AND REACTIVATE THE SPIRITUAL SENSES OF INTUITION AND CONSCIENCE. JESUS NEVER SAID THAT THE WATER WOULD FLOW OUT OF YOUR HEAD BUT HE DID SAY IN JN.7:38 THAT OUT OF YOUR INNER MOST BEING WOULD FLOW RIVERS OF LIVING WATER. THE HOLY SPIRIT WITHIN THE BELIEVER WILL COMMUNICATE TRUTH.

NOW I NEED TO MENTION SOMETHING AT THIS POINT. GOD IS NOT ANTI-INTELLECTUAL. THANK GOD FOR INTELLIGENT AND GIFTED MINDS BUT THE THINGS OF THE SPIRIT BYPASS THE NATURAL MIND AND ARE REVEALED BY THE SPIRIT AND GIVEN TO THE SPIRIT OR HEART OF MAN. THEREFORE, AS WE STRIVE TO HEAR GOD SPEAK PAY ATTENTION TO THE HOLY SPIRIT INSIDE OF YOU. ONE WORD FROM GOD HAS THE POWER TO DISPEL ALL OBSCURITY AND CONFUSION.
1 Cor 2:14-16
14 But the man who isn't a Christian can't understand and can't accept these thoughts from God, which the Holy Spirit teaches us. They sound foolish to him because only those who have the Holy Spirit within them can understand what the Holy Spirit means. Others just can't take it in.
15 But the spiritual man has insight into everything, and that bothers and baffles the man of the world, who can't understand him at all.
16 How could he? For certainly he has never been one to know the Lord's thoughts, or to discuss them with him, or to move the hands of God by prayer. But, strange as it seems, we Christians actually do have within us a portion of the very thoughts and mind of Christ.
NOW HERE’S ANOTHER MAJOR POINT THAT WE MUST CONSIDER IF WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO HEAR GOD SPEAK TO US ON A DAILY BASIS. LOOK BEYOND THE SUPERNATURAL AND THE SPECTAC-ULAR.
IKing 19:9-12
9 And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah? 10 And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away. 11 And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake: 12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.

THE GREATEST HINDRANCE TO THE SUPERNATURAL IS THE SPECTACULAR. YES, THE SPECTACULAR STANDS IN THE WAY OF RECOGNIZING THE SUPERNATURAL POWER OF GOD. EVERYONE HAS THE WAY OF STEREOTYPING GOD INTO A SENSATIONAL PARADIGM. THIS IS EXACTLY WHY MANY CHRISTIANS ARE FRUSTRATED BECAUSE THEY CANNOT HEAR THE VOICE OF GOD. THEY ARE STILL WAITING FOR A SPECTACULAR SOUND: HANDWRITING ON THE WALL OR AN AUDIBLE VOICE OR A DREAM OR A VISION OR SOMETHING EXTRA ORDINARY. BUT THE PRIMARY REQUIREMENT FOR HEARING FROM GOD IS MERELY THE WILLING-NESS TO LISTEN TO THE STILL SMALL VOICE OF GOD.
Isa 30:20-21
20 And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity, and the
water of affliction, yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a
corner any more, but thine eyes shall see thy teachers: 21 And
thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk
ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.

GOD CHOOSES TO SPEAK TO US EVERY DAY BY WAY OF HIS STILL SMALL VOICE OR WE HEAR A WORD BEHIND US OR IN THE BACKGROUND OF OUR BUSY, COMPLICATED LIVES. GOD SPEAKS TO US IN A QUIET AND UNASSUMING WAY, JUST THE WAY INTIMATE FRIENDS OR LOVERS WOULD SPEAK TO ONE ANOTHER.

**ILLUS. WHEN I FIRST MET MY WIFE I INTRODUCED MYSELF AS JIMMY STEWART. I REMAINED KNOWN TO HER AS JIMMY STEWART UNTIL A PERIOD AFTER OUR FIRST FEW TIMES OF RUNNING WITH THE CRUE AN MEANY PHONE CALLS. AFTER A WHILE I’D CALL HER UP AND JUST SAY, "HI THIS IS JIMMY." AND AFTER A WHILE I WOULD JUST CALL UP AND SAY "HI" AND SHE AUTOMATICALLY KNEW WHO IT WAS. WHY? BECAUSE SHE WAS BECOMING FAMILIAR WITH ME AND MY VOICE. AFTER OUR FIRST FEW MONTHS OF CALLING I NO LONGER NEEDED TO SAY "HI, THIS IS JIMMY I MET YOU ABOUT 6 MONTHS AGO, DO YOU REMEMBER ME.

YOU SEE, THE LONGER YOU KNOW THE LORD THE MORE RESTRICTIVE AND SMALL HIS VOICE WILL BECOME BECAUSE INTIMACY IS BEING DEVELOPED. NOW WHY DOES GOD CHOOSE TO SPEAK TO US IN A STILL SMALL VOICE? PRIMARILY BECAUSE IT TAKES NO FAITH TO RESPOND TO THE SENSATIONAL AND THE SPECTACULAR, BUT IT DOES TAKE FAITH TO RESPOND TO THE STILL SMALL VOICE OF THE LORD.
Heb 11:6
6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that
cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder
of them that diligently seek him.
FAITH IS ACTING ON THE STILL SMALL VOICE OF THE LORD. HERE ARE SEVERAL KEYS TO HEAR GOD SPEAK:

1. DON’T DEMAND HIS VOICE TO BE SENSATIONAL BECAUSE IT RARELY WILL.

2. STAY STIRRED UP. DON’T LET YOUR SPIRIT MAN GET INTO A DORMANT STATE. PRAYER AND PRAISE WILL STIR UP THE VOICE OF GOD IN YOU.

3. REALIZE THAT THE DEVIL HATES THE SPOKEN WORD OF GOD AND RESIST HIM WHEN YOU ARE PRAYING AND TRYING TO LISTEN TO GOD.

4. RECOGNIZE THAT YOUR MIND IS THE GREATEST OBSTACLE YOU HAVE TO HEAR GOD’S VOICE SO BEGIN TO EXERCISE YOUR SPIRIT WITH PRAYER, THANKSGIVING AND PRAISE.

5. REJECT THE FEAR OF FAILURE. YOU ARE FREE TO FAIL BUT YOU ARE NOT FREE TO BE IRRESPONSIBLE. ADMIT IT WHEN YOU THOUGHT YOU HEARD GOD BUT THE OUTCOME PROVES THAT YOU DIDN’T. GOD WILL EVEN REDEEM OUR MISTAKES AND USE THEM TO TEACH US HOW TO HEAR HIM MORE ACCURATELY.

• 6. IT IS ESSENTIAL TO PRAY IN THE SPIRIT. YOUR PRAYERS OPENS YOUR SPIRIT TO HEAR THE LORD.

THE GOD FACTOR / JOYCE MEYER

HOW GOD SEE"S US

THE FATHERHOOD OF GOD:
Jer 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward
you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and
not of evil, to give you an expected end.
Jer 29:12 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go
and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto
you. (KJV)
Jer 29:13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye
shall search for me with all your heart.
Jer 29:14 And I will be found of you, saith the LORD:
and I will turn away your captivity, and I
will gather you from all the nations....

HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED WHAT GOD THINKS OF YOU? IS
IT HARD FOR YOU TO BELIEVE THAT HE LOVES YOU AS MUCH AS
THE BIBLE SAYS HE DOES? ONE OF THE MOST WONDEFUL REVE-
LATIONS IN THE BIBLE IS THAT GOD IS YOUR LOVING
HEAVENLY FATHER. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF WHEN YOU HEAR
THE WORD FATHER? SOME OF YOU WILL NATURALLY PROCESS
THAT WORD BASED ON YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR EARTHLY
FATHER AND THAT IS WHY WE NEED A FRESH REVELATION OF
OUR PERFECT, INFINITELY LOVING HEAVENLY FATHER.

1 John 3:1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath
bestowed upon us, that we should be called
the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth
us not, because it knew him not. (KJV)
1 John 4:9 In this was manifested the love of God
toward us, because that God sent his only
begotten Son into the world, that we might
live through him. (KJV)
1 John 4:10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but
that he loved us, and sent his Son to be
the propitiation for our sins. (KJV)
2 Cor 5:18 And all things are of God, who hath
reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ,
and hath given to us the ministry of
reconciliation; (KJV)
2 Cor 5:19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling
the world unto himself, not imputing their
trespasses unto them; and hath committed
unto us the word of reconciliation. (KJV)
Luke 15:20 And he arose, and came to his father. But
when he was yet a great way off, his father
saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and
fell on his neck, and kissed him. (KJV)
Luke 15:21 And the son said unto him, Father, I have
sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and
am no more worthy to be called thy son.
Luke 15:22 But the father said to his servants, Bring
forth the best robe, and put it on him; and
put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his
feet: (KJV)
Luke 15:23 And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill
it; and let us eat, and be merry: (KJV)

LIKE THE FATHER OF THE PRODIGAL SON, GOD INITIATED
A PLAN OF SALVATION FOR ALL OF MANKIND--HE TOOK THE
FIRST STEPS TOWARDS SINFUL MAN BECAUSE OF HIS GREAT
LOVE WHEREWITH HE HAS LOVED US. GOD IS THE AUTHOR AND
ORIGNATOR OF OUR SALVATION AND IS THEREBY CALLED

FATHER. GOD NEVER CALLS HIMSELF MOTHER AND THERE IS A
REASON FOR THAT. HE ALWAYS CALLS HIMSELF FATHER
BECAUSE THE HEBREW WORD FOR FATHER LITERALLY MAENS THE
SOURCE. THE FATHER OF A THING IS THE SOURCE OF IT.
THIS HEBREW WORD FOR FATHER ALSO MEANS SUSTAINER AND
THEN PROVIDER; THE SOURCE OF IDENTITY AND THEN PROTECT-
OR, NOURISHER AND SUPPLIER. GOD IS OUR FATHER IN THE
SENSE THAT HE IS THE SOURCE AND THE ORIGNIATOR OF OUR
SALVATION.

James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is
from above, and cometh down from the Father
of lights, with whom is no variableness,
neither shadow of turning. (KJV)

WHAT KIND OF HEAVENLY FATHER DO YOU SERVE? AGAIN,
WHAT KIND OF THOUGHTS DOES HE THINK TOWARDS YOU.
ACCORDING TO OUR OPENING TEXT IN JER.29, GOD'S THOUGHTS
TOWARDS US AND OF US ARE GOOD. WHAT HE'S SAYING IS
THAT, "I'M NOT INCLINED TO BE THINKING EVIL, JUDGEMENT
AND CHASTICEMENT TOWARD YOU. I'M THINKING GOOD
THOUGHTS--I'M AT WORK PLANNING YOUR LIFE! STAND STILL
AND SEE THE SALVATION OF THE LORD. SOAK IN MY LOVE.!"
NOW THAT'S THE KIND OF HEAVENLY FATHER WE SERVE. HE
DOES NOT HARBOR EVIL THOUGHTS OF VENGENCE TOWRDS US.
HE HAS GOOD THOUGHTS TOWRDS US, THOUGHTS OF PEACE AND
HOPE THAT WILL REMAIN UNTIL THE END.

OUR HEAVENLY FATHER IS A GIVING GOD AND A FORGIVING
GOD AND HE DELIGHTS TO GIVE GOOD GIFTS TO HIS CHILDREN
BECAUSE THEY ARE SPECIAL IN HIS EYES. GOD REVEALS HIM-
SELF IN THE BIBLE AS A GENTLE FORGIVING FATHER, INIMAT-
ELY INVOLVED WITH US AND EVERY DETAIL OF OUR LIVES.
WE OFTEN FORGET THAT GOD'S ATTRIBUTES OF OMNISIENCE AND
OMNIPRESENCE MAKES HIM NOT ONLY CREATOR BUT A PERFECT
HEAVENLY FATHER THAT IS INTIMATELY INVOLVED WITH EVERY
DETAIL OF OUR LIVES. WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT OUR
HEAVENLY FATHER IS DEEPLY MOVED, AFFECTED AND TOUCHED
BY THE PRESSURES, PROBLEMS AND PERSONAL HEARTBREAK THAT
WE AS HIS CHILDREN GO THROUGH. HE REMAINS CONSTANT IN
HIS MERCY AND GRACE TOWARDS US.

Psalms 94:18 When I said, My foot slippeth; thy mercy,
O LORD, held me up. (KJV)
Psalms 94:19 In the multitude of my thoughts within me
thy comforts delight my soul. (KJV)
Ps 59:16 But I will sing of thy power; yea, I will sing
aloud of thy mercy in the morning: for thou
hast been my defence and refuge in the day of
my trouble. (KJV)
Ps 100:5 For the LORD is good; his mercy is
everlasting; and his truth endureth to all
generations. (KJV)
Ps 103:8 The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to
anger, and plenteous in mercy. (KJV)
Ps 145:8 The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion;
slow to anger, and of great mercy. (KJV)
Ps 145:9 The LORD is good to all: and his tender
mercies are over all his works. (KJV)

THE WORD TENDER MERCY LIT. MEANS TO HAVE A GOOD
HEART TOWARDS SOMEONE ELSE, TO BE SENSITIVE TO OTHERS
FEELINGS AND NEEDS; SYMPATHETIC AND COMPASSIONATE.
GOD'S MERCIES FLOW FROM A HEART THAT IS SENSITIVE
TOWARDS OUR NEEDS. THIS WORD TENDER IS AN EFFEMIN-
ATE TERM DENOTING THE NURTURING LOVE OF A MOTHER.

NORMAN SNAITH HAS DEFINED MERCY AS STUBBORN LOVE. WE
NEED TO SEE OUR HEAVENLY FATHER AS BEING STUBBORN IN
LOVING US. MERCY REJOICES OVER JUDGEMENT. WE ALWAYS
THINK THAT GOD IS STUBBORN IN HIS JUDGEMENT AND CHOOSES
TO AFFLICT US RATHER THAN FORGIVE US AND HEAL US. WE
NEED TO SEE THAT GOD IS STUBBORN IN HIS LOVE AND MERCY
TOWARDS US AS HIS CHILDREN. HIS THOUGHTS TOWARDS US
ARE GOOD AND HE DELIGHTS IN GIVING GOOD GIFTS TO HIS
CHILDREN.

Luke 12:22 And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I
say unto you, Take no thought for your life,
what ye shall eat; neither for the body,
what ye shall put on. (KJV)
Luke 12:23 The life is more than meat, and the body is
more than raiment. (KJV)
Luke 12:24 Consider the ravens: for they neither sow
nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor
barn; and God feedeth them: how much more
are ye better than the fowls? (KJV)
Luke 12:25 And which of you with taking thought can add
to his stature one cubit? (KJV)
Luke 12:26 If ye then be not able to do that thing
which is least, why take ye thought for the
rest? (KJV)
Luke 12:27 Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil
not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you,
that Solomon in all his glory was not
arrayed like one of these. (KJV)
Luke 12:28 If then God so clothe the grass, which is to
day in the field, and to morrow is cast into
the oven; how much more will he clothe you,
O ye of little faith? (KJV)
Luke 12:29 And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what
ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful
mind. (KJV)
Luke 12:30 For all these things do the nations of the
world seek after: and your Father knoweth
that ye have need of these things. (KJV)
Luke 12:31 But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and
all these things shall be added unto you.
Luke 12:32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your
Father's good pleasure to give you the
kingdom. (KJV)

WE ARE RELATED TO GOD BY BIRTH AS REGENREATED SONS AND DAUGHTERS
OF GOD AND WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED THE SPIRIT OF BONDAGE AGAIN TO FEAR
BUT WE HAVE RECEIVE THE SPIRIT OF ADOPTION WHEREBY WE CRY ABBA FATHER.
THE SPIRIT OF REGENERATION WAS ACTIVE THE MOMENT WE WERE BORN AGAIN.
THE SPIRIT OF ADOPTION HAPPENS THE MOMENT WE HAVE RECEIVE THE FULL
SENSE OF THE NEW BIRTH. THAT WE ARE THE CHLDREN OF GOD AND THAT HE IS INDEED, OUR
ABBA FATHER. KNOWING THIS RESULTS IN CONFIDENCE AND BOLDNESS IN OUR
APPROACH TO FATHER GOD AND FAITH TO RECEIVE FROM HIM. WON'T YOU
OPEN YOUR HEART TO HIM AND RECEIVE AFRESH THAT SPIRIT OF ADOPTION!

WHAT IS A CHRISTIAN / BILLY GRAHAM

BORN AGAIN / BILLY GRAHAM

A LIFE GUIDED BY GOD

A Life Guided By God

"The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD:

and he delighteth in his way

(Psalms 37:23)

It is the nature of mankind to think that his destiny is in his own hands. He believes that all he needs to do is to carefully plan his life, and it will be full and fruitful. Certainly, it is wonderful to have parents who look ahead and make provisions for our future. But, as the Bible says in Jeremiah 10:23, "It is not in man that walketh to direct his steps." God guides the steps of His children who seek His direction. We should always seek divine direction.

1. BECAUSE GOD SEES ALL

Our vision is limited. Our perception is limited. We do not know what may be hiding around the corner. "Ye know not what shall be on the morrow" (James 4:14). But, God even knows the number of hairs on our heads (see Luke 12:7). ‘The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth" (2 Chr. 16:9). Not even one sparrow falls to the ground that God does not know about (see Luke 12:6). Our God, who sees everything at once, will guide our lives for us, as well.

2. BECAUSE GOD KNOWS ALL

When we commit our lives to the Lord and daily seek His divine direction, then we may be sure that everything in our pathway is working together for our good (see Rom. 8:28). There will be many things in our life span that we do not understand because our knowledge Is limited, but God knows best. When we are at home with Him in heaven, we will look back on life. Then, with perfect knowledge, we will thank Him for everything that has happened to us.

3. BECAUSE GOD HAS ALL POWER

We are creatures and, therefore, very limited in power. There are powerful forces, both human and demonic, at work against mankind - - especially against those who are saved, have the mark of God upon them, and have committed our lives to God. These evil forces would destroy us if we were without the protecting power of God and His promise that He will never leave us or forsake us (see Heb. 13:5). God orders His children*s steps, and He always provides where He leads.

SATAN"S BATTLE STRATEGY, PART 2

Satan's Battle Strategy, Part 2

Theme: Strategy #2, Keeping the believer out of the prayer closet.
Text: Philippians 4:6, (NASB), "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God."
Ephesians 6:18, (NASB), "With all prayer and petition, pray at all times in the spirit and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all saints."
Introductory Remarks:
Two important things that God has given to his church are:
1.The written Word of God (the Bible), that instructs us in righteousness and teaches us his ways.
2.The right and privilege of prayer. The opportunity to lift our needs to the throne of God and receive an answer from him concerning it.
In part one of Satan's Battle Strategy we talked about why he wants to keep the believer out of the Word of God. In part two, we're going to talk about why he wants to keep the believer out of the prayer closet.

Point 1:
The Word and prayer are linked together. Satan does not want you and I to be students of the Word or to practice prayer on a regular basis. Let me give you three reasons why this is so:
1.In his Word, God is speaking to us. In our prayers, we are speaking to God. Satan wants to disrupt these lines of communication between God and ourselves.
2.In God's Word, he has promised the believer provisions for living a successful Christian life. By our prayers, those promised provisions are brought into our life to meet our daily needs. Satan wants to keep those provisions of God from becoming realities in our life by keeping us out of the prayer closet.
3.Satan fights against our pursuing Word knowledge, our practicing the doing of the Word and our praying  the promises of the Word because he knows, better than many believers, how essential the Word is for effective praying. In the Word of God we are told:
:What we should pray.
:When we should pray.
:What we should pray about.
:How we should pray.
:To whom we should pray.
Satan's simple strategy concerning our prayer life is this; if he can keep us out of the Word of God then it's also highly likely that he can keep us out of the prayer closet too. He reasons that the believer who doesn't use the Word of God as their basis for praying, probably won't get their prayers answered. The reason why we won't get our  prayers answered is, because if we're not in the Word to know the will of God concerning what we are praying for, we will pray with uncertainty. The letter of James tells us that "if we pray in doubt" we are not to expect to receive anything from the Lord. James 1:6-7,
 Point 2:
Prayer advice given to us in our two Scripture texts.
There are several things the prayer verses in Philippians 4 and Ephesians 6 tells us we need to do when we pray:
1.We are told to pray about everything.
2.With  thanksgiving
3.With all kinds of prayers
4.We are to pray at all times, (anytime the need arises.)
5.In the spirit (I take this to mean spirit directed praying,)
6.With all perseverance (or until the answer comes.) A good rule to follow when praying is to pray until you pray (until you really get serious.) Pray till you're conscious of being heard. Pray till you receive an answer.
7.We're told to intercede (petition) on the behalf of others.
Now all seven of these prayer instructions are worthy of being studied by themselves, but I want to briefly call your attention to the "all kinds of prayer" that Paul is referring to in Ephesians 6:18,
Have you ever really thought about the many kinds of prayers that can be prayed? There are a number of different kinds of prayers that Scripture has made available to us. There are differing circumstances of life that require different kinds of prayers to be prayed and it is imperative that every believer become familiar with and skillful in every one of them. Let me name a few of them:
:Prayers of repentance.
:Prayers of thanksgiving
:Prayers of worship.
:Prayers of intercession
:Prayers of personal petition.
Most of us are familiar with the phrase, "Practice makes perfect." This is applicable in the arena of prayer too. To my knowledge, there is only one way to refine our prayer skills and that is through regular practice in the prayer closet.
Prayer closet means, "prayer habit." It's having a daily practice of getting alone with God. That is what the prayer closet is all about; practice. It's about disciplining ourselves to come before God when the Spirit's wooing calls us to prayer. It's having a heart that says, "I must get alone with God. I must talk to my Father today."
 Point 3:
One reason why so many Christians suffer discouragement and depression in their lives is because they don't have a consistent prayer life.
There are some Christians that pray maybe once a week or whenever they think about it. They come to the Lord in prayer as an after thought or out of conviction or guilt. Some pray only at church and at meals and perhaps a few quick words to God before going to bed, but they have no habit of consistent prayer. They feel no need to really pray until a crisis strikes. When an emergency arises in their life and the situation is really critical, then they are quick to bow their knees and head and pray. I don't want you to think that I'm knocking desperation and crisis prayers. I'm not! It's something we all have done and it's the smart thing to do when bad times come. But when the Lord speaks to us in his Word about prayer closet praying, he has more in mind than just crisis oriented prayers. He wants us to be people who pray about all things with all kinds of prayers. He wants his people to expand their prayer life by practicing the lifting up the variety of prayers spoken of in Ephesians 6.
Have you thought about the awesome power  of prayer? Have you ever really considered its far reaching effects? To my great joy, I have discovered that not only can prayer affect my own life, but it is able to have a direct effect on the lives of those around me also. Think about what our interceding on the behalf of others can do. Our prayers can:
:Bless them
:Encourage them
:Change situations and circumstances in lives
:Protect others in times of danger
:Touch lives for Christ
:Affect nations
As I think about this, I'm convinced that there isn't any place in the world where our prayers cannot touch and affect lives.
Now the devil is fully aware of this truth. He doesn't like it, but he is aware of it. Is it any wonder then that he purposes to keep us prayerless. His priority is to make sure that our priority is not prayer. It would make him devilishly happy if every believer learned to live their Christian life comfortably with no daily prayer pattern. He's aware that a prayerless life will never be a God guided life and without God's guidance coming into our lives each day, we are not going to make much forward progress, if any, in our Christian walk. We are going to do a lot of going in circles. We are going to experience a lot of detours, dead ends and dry holes as we wander around in a prayerless wilderness.
Apart from the Word of God, nothing is more vital to our spiritual growth and development than prayer. What the tap root is to the life and growth of a tree--prayer is to the spiritual life and growth of the believer. A tap root is the main root that goes down deep into the soil along with many smaller branch feeders to supply the moisture and nutrients necessary for the healthy growth of the tree. The deeper the tap root , the stronger and more stable the tree.
The Japanese introduced a tree to the world that is called a Bonsai tree. It is measured in inches instead of feet as other trees are measured. It is not allowed to reach anywhere near its full growth potential but instead grows in a stunted miniature form. The reason for it growing in stunted form is that when it first stuck its head out of the ground as a sapling, the owner pulled it out of the soil and tied off its main tap root and some of its branch feeder roots and then replanted it. By doing this, its grower deliberately stunted its growth by limiting the roots ability to spread out and grow deep and take in enough of the soils nutrients for a normal growth.
What was done to the Bonsai tree by its owner is what Satan has purposed to do to the believer, if he can. He is going to try to tie off our tap root of prayer. He wants to limit our receiving in prayer what God supplies for our spiritual growth.
At the beginning of this teaching, I mentioned that God has promised provisions to his children that will enable them to grow and develop spiritually. Those provisions come in answer to prayer. If we don't pray--we don't receive. James 4:2, "You have not because you ask not..." Without these provisions flowing into our life daily to nourish and sustain us, our spiritual growth will be stunted and this is exactly what the devil wants to happen. He wants to see us become what Robert E. Lee calls, Pigmy Pentecostals, Bantam Baptists, Midget Methodist, Puny Presbyterians, Lilliputian Lutherans and Cuddly Catholics who pose no threat to the devil. These are apt descriptions of the people of these denominations who let Satan tie off their prayer tap root.
 Point 4:
I want to suggest two ways Satan will come against us in our prayer closet to hinder us in praying. When these two things begin to happen, you know he's messing around with your prayer tap root.
1. Satan will try to weaken our prayer life by appealing to our "flesh nature." By the term "flesh nature," I mean that self centered part of us that loves to cater to the comfort and pleasure of this old body. Most of us realize that for us to effectively pray like we should this old body of flesh has got to surrender to the desires of the Spirit. We also know that although the spirit is willing, the flesh is weak. Have you noticed that when we set our mind to enter into the prayer closet--our old flesh starts to drag its feet and we find ourselves putting it off as long as we can? Why is this? One reason is because, to the flesh, prayer is work. Praying may require a person to get up early or sometimes stay up late to do it. Our old flesh just naturally rebels against this inconvenience to the comfort of this body.
Another reason is that prayer is spiritual warfare and spiritual warfare is tiring to the flesh. To our flesh, prayer will always seem to be impractical, tedious and a waste of time. But actually the opposite is true. God has made prayer to be to the one who practices it, a relaxing, tension and stress easing, mind refreshing, spirit lifting experience. In prayer there can be found: relief, release and renewal of body, soul and spirit that cannot be experienced any other way. Isaiah 40:31, states this truth with these words, they that wait upon the Lord, (in the prayer closet) shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings of an eagle, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint..."
Have you noticed that so many times when we finally do get the old body to bow its knees in prayer, after five or ten minutes into praying, we begin to yawn and we just can't seem to hold our eyes open? We find it suddenly difficult to keep our mind fixed on what we are praying about. Our mind wants to aimlessly wander off in all directions and even at times, go blank. Just a few minutes ago we were wide awake and alert to everything going on around us and now we're having a difficult time keeping our eyes open and to think clearly. What's happening? It's the enemy coming against us and causing us to struggle in prayer. He's trying to frustrate us when we go into our prayer closet. He knows if he can cause us to have a difficult time in the prayer closet, praying, we'll soon give it up. He's working on our prayer tap root to tie it off.

2.Satan will try to weaken our prayer life by endeavoring to give us a "busy mind" when we go into the prayer closet. Have you noticed that when you set your mind to seek God in prayer, that as you kneel -- suddenly--out of nowhere it seems, thoughts come floating across you mind of all kinds of little jobs that need to be done and seemingly need to be taken care of immediately. Now these thoughts of jobs to do had not crossed your mind all day, but they are there now parading back and forth vying for your attention.
Let me suggest something to you that might be a great help when this is happening to you. It would be a good idea to keep a little notebook and a pencil handy when you go to prayer. That way, you can write down all those little tasks that pop into your mind when you pray. I can guarantee that you will never recall more clearly all those jobs that need to be done than when you decide to pray.
What is going on? You're facing what I call Satanic interruptions." Anytime you set your face to seek audience with the Lord in prayer, the devil is going to throw a wet blanket on the fire  of your prayer life, if he can, to try and smother it out. Noises will occur, the phone will ring, people will stop by to visit that you weren't expecting, even physical discomforts or pains will bother you that you hadn't really noticed until you are in prayer. The enemy wants to divert your mind on anything except your Heavenly Father.

Point 5:
Let me share with you a Scriptural way to keep the devil and all his interruptions out of your prayer closet when you enter it to pray. It is found in Matthew 6:6, "But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet and when thou has shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly." The New Living Translation version renders this verse as: "But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father secretly. Then your Father, who knows all secrets will reward you openly."
Jesus said "When you pray - go into your prayer closet and when you have shut the door--then pray." In others words, after you have gone into your prayer closet, don't start praying until you have shut the door to keep out all interruptions. If you leave the door open, distractions will come in and demand your attention. These distractions will cause you to pray half hearted unfocused prayers. Your mind will be drawn to the distractions more than to God. It's difficult to get an answer from God with that kind of praying.
To "shut the door" is to purpose in your heart that no one or nothing is going to interfere with your time alone with God. Before you start praying, determine in your mind that you are going to stay focused on prayer and then begin to deliberately  bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. II Corinthians 10:5, "Casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." It takes an intense concentrated effort to get into effective prayer and we can't do it with a cluttered mind. We need to shut out all thoughts that would cause our mind to drift when praying. We need to be wide awake and alert and focused on what we are in the prayer closet for. We may get by with letting our mind wander when talking with people, but not when we come into the presence of the King of Glory to talk to him in prayer.
Here is another truth that we need to consider about our prayer time. When it comes to praying, God deserves to get  our best time. We read in the Old Testament that the altar of God could not be approached with a lamb that was blemished in any way. The people had to bring their very best when they came before God. I ask you. What kind of time do you think we should bring to God's altar in our prayer closet? Shouldn't it be our very best time? Shouldn't it be our wide awake time? Entering our prayer closet should be for the purpose of coming before God with the purpose of pouring out our needs to him. Everything in us is to reach out to him. It's difficult to do this when we find ourselves putting off and making prayer the very last thing we do before going to bed. More often than not, when we do this, we find ourselves coming to God weary and tired, dragging ourselves into his presence too sleepy-eyed to pray. What we are doing is giving to God the leftovers of our time. That's not what he wants.
Satan likes to see this happen in our prayer-time. He knows that when we approach prayer with physical and mental fatigue, no earth shattering life changing thing is going to take place that will have effect on his kingdom.
If you can identify yourself with what I'm saying, then a radical adjustment needs to be made in your prayer time. If you will make the adjustments, I'm sure you'll enjoy your prayer time better and I believe God will be there to answer. I really don't think he takes satisfaction in a lame half hearted sleepy-eyed last minute type of obligatory prayer being offered up to Him. The Lord wants to feel the force of you fervency in your requests.
Conclusion:
I close with this thought. Satan doesn't want you to know it, but God really enjoys hearing your requests and answering your prayers. All through the Bible, we are encouraged and exhorted to pray. Just look up the words, pray, prayer, and praying in your concordance and you'll come to the same conclusion I have. It really pleases God to answer our prayers.
Satan would like for you and me to think that we are bothering God when we lift small needs to him in prayer. He wants us to think that what we're asking God for is not important enough to interrupt the God of heaven because surely God has far more important business to attend to than to listen to our little needs. The truth is.....God is not "bothered" by our coming to him with even our simplest request. He had the Apostle Paul tell us in Philippians 4:6, that "we are to pray about everything."  Jesus said in John 14:14, "If you ask anything in my name, I will do it." Again he stated in John 16:23-24, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, He will give it to you. Hitherto you have asked nothing in my name: ask and ye shall receive, that you joy may be full." That doesn't sound to me like God is "bothered"  by any request great or small that we lift to him in prayer. He said, "everything and anything and whatsoever. I am absolutely convinced that God delights in answering prayer. Prayer will change things and prayer will change us.
The devil will try to keep us from praying. He fears nothing from prayerless studies,  prayerless services, and prayerless saints. But let the believer bend their knees in prayer and the devil will get excited because he knows that God can be touched in prayer. There are four things that we can do that will defeat the devil when we enter our prayer closet to pray.
1.Pray persistently
2.Pray precisely
3.Pray passionately
4.Pray prevailingly
I leave you with this Scripture found in Ephesians 3:20, "Now to him that is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us." This verse reminds me that God is:
:Able to do beyond that I ask
:Able to do beyond that I think
:Able to do beyond all that I ask or think
:Able to do abundantly beyond all that I ask or think
:Able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that I ask or think.
And it all takes place in the prayer closet. God expects his people to be people of prayer.