Thoughts for Life: #21 The Threefold Cord

Paul Cain

C. Peter Wagner shares with us, In the
spring of 1989, I began learning about
another spiritual dimension relating to
evangelism: Personal prophecy.

I will not go into detail here how individuals
such as John Wimber, Cindy Jacobs and Paul Cain helped open this new area of understanding to me except that at the beginning I was somewhat skeptical, but I now believe that the prophetic is a valid and significant ministry in these days.

Early in the summer of 1989 John Wimber told me that Dick Mills would telephone me with a prophecy and he recommended I pay close attention to it.

To my embarrassment, I had never heard of Dick Mills but John described him as one of the most respected prophets in America with a well-tested track record.

I subsequently learned from Cindy Jacobs, who knew Dick Mills well, that telephoning strangers was contrary to his usual practice.

Coincidentally, Cindy happened to be our house guest the day Dick Mills called my home.

I will not relate the prophecy in detail here, but the item of the living parable in Manila was a prophetic application of Ecclesiastes 4:12 to my ministry:

"A threefold cord is not quickly broken."

Dick said he felt God was calling me to serve as a catalyst to help bring together three cords that He desired to weave into a pattern to accomplish His purposes in the years to come.

The three cords are the conservative evangelicals, the charismatics and the conscientious liberals.

Lausanne II was to play a significant role in bringing together the first two cords.

Although Lausanne I in Switzerland in 1974 included only token participation by Pentecostals and charismatics, in Lausanne II, fifteen years later, they were quite prominent.

Some said that by looking at the number of raised hands in the plenary sessions, it appeared the majority of participants might well have been charismatic.

It turned out that about half of those who gathered for the intercession team in Manila (#16 Calling the Generals) were conservative evangelicals and about half were Pentecostals or charismatics.

I found out later that since this was the first time these two groups had mixed at this level, a variety of thoughts were going through their minds.

The charismatics were saying to themselves, "I wonder if these evangelicals really know how to pray and get in touch with God."

The evangelicals were saying, "I wonder if these charismatics are going to shout and scream and roll around the floor."

But much to the delight of all concerned, they found that when they began to pray together there was no discernible difference at all.

When they entered the throne room of God together they found themselves saying the same things and hearing the same things.

The evangelicals were encouraging the charismatics and the charismatics were encouraging the evangelicals.

Two of God's cords were coming together.

Warfare Prayer

#21 The Threefold Cord
By C. Peter Wagner

(pgs. 40-41) Regal Books

Prayer for your pastor: "Lasting Fruit. Lord, as You have promised, grant my shepherd lasting fruit. Let those who believe in You through his/her ministry grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ. May they become disciples who disciple others" (Jn. 15:16; Col. 2:6-7; 2 Tim. 2:2).

Pray with me:

Father, I am beginning to see that
there is a lot more than I've heard thus far.

Open my eyes to what it is You desire
for me to learn and to take part in.

Help me to understand that other Christians are also learning how to pray effectively, and are desiring to be used by You to claim what belongs to the Savior.

May we realize that You're working with every believer in our area churches, and You want us to learn to pray together and to lay aside our differences of worship.

Remind us of what it is that should bind us together: Jesus Christ, and Him crucified, glorified, and coming again soon!

In Christ's precious Name I pray. Amen.

Today’s Bible verse:  Jer. 18:6b "Behold, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye in mine hand."

Today’s quote: Dr. Mike Evans (Our ambassador to Israel)- "We cannot make contact with God without prayer. If we don't make contact with Him, no matter how sincere our intentions, we will see no change in the circumstances of our life."

Some thoughts today: We are to profit from life's problem, as they can benefit our faith growth by purifying and strengthening us. If we're a child of God, we have 24/7 access to Him. But if not, we're on our own.

- We're apt to judge how much God loves us by what all we get done. That is far from reality, as God loves us unconditionally all the time. He loves us as we are. But remember, He's determined to bring about some changes that bring us into His Image.

- We will not face the wrathful judgment of God, saved for the ungodly, but He will bring us up short when we've sinned, to hopefully cause repentance and a willingness to examine our ways.

4th- Thursday’s post: #22 The Living Parable
C. Peter Wagner

6th- Saturday's post:  I Am Broken
Debbie McEwen

7th- Sunday evening's post:  Only Him
James Cagle

9th- Tuesday's post:  #23 The Voodoo Spirit
C. Peter Wagner

A popular post: Paul's Desire for Prayer Partners C. Peter Wagner shares

with us in his book, PRAYER SHIELD, "Apparently the apostle Paul knew all about the value of personal intercession for leaders.

"Now I beg you, brethren, through the Lord Jesus Christ, and through the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in your prayers to God for me." Romans 15:30