C. Peter Wagner: "Project a clear image that the effort is not
an activity simply of Pentecostals and charismatics, but of
the whole Body of Christ.
One of Satan's common devices to halt spiritual warfare on any
level is to get Christians saying to each other, 'Oh, that's something those charismatics do!'
The unspoken implication is that those of us who are Christians of 'the more respectable stripe' would not think of becoming involved in such 'disreputable' activity.
Edgardo Silvoso, a graduate of Multnomah School of the Bible and a member of a non-charismatic Bible church, carries excellent evangelical credentials, and has addressed this issue directly.
He says, 'Satan's number one scheme is to turn spiritual warfare into a divisive issue. Spiritual warfare is and must remain a Christian issue.'
Silvoso does spiritual warfare seminars across the country, particularly geared to evangelicals who need encouragement.
Predictable, when a citywide prayer effort is announced that includes strategic-level spiritual warfare, the first ones to jump aboard are usually the charismatics and Pentecostals.
If they are not warned against it, they can easily find themselves in control and develop a program of action using a style that sends an unintended message to many evangelical leaders:
'We're going to do it our way and if you want to be a part
of it, you can join us."
If that happens, it can weaken the city-wide effort.
The highest level public power encounter I know of in America was in all probability Larry Lea's renowned Prayer Breakthrough in San Francisco on Halloween of 1990.
It drew the attention of the mass media to the extent not seen for a Protestant religious event since Billy Graham's Los Angeles crusade in 1979.
In his book, Curses: What They Are and How to Break Them, [out of print] Dick Bernal tells of the dramatic conversion of Eric Pryor, the wicca high priest of the New Earth Temple, who publicly cursed Larry Lea before the event. This in itself is convincing testimony to the power of God that was released during the breakthrough.
As an evangelical, my plea to our Pentecostal brothers and sisters is patience. A growing number of evangelicals across the country are ready to jump on board and join a prayer movement for their cities, but usually takes them a little more time, especially when something is new as strategic-level spiritual warfare is involved.
Evangelicals are trained to ask theological questions and to do as the Bereans did, 'searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so' (Acts 17:11).
One of my purposes for this book is to argue that praying for the cities does have biblical and theological integrity. But I fear some evangelicals will write it off with the comment that it proves what they have suspected for years—Peter Wagner is really a charismatic even though he says he is not!
The good news is that the situation is getting better these days, not worse. More and more leaders are being moved powerfully by the Holy Spirit to see themselves not primarily as charismatics, Pentecostals, evangelicals or liberals, but as members of the Body of Christ.
This in itself will hasten the weakening of the enemy and the advance of God's Kingdom."
(Google image and my emphasis added)
#102 Rule #3: The The Body of Christ
By C. Peter Wagner
(pp. 169 - 170) Regal Books
Father,
May our desire be such, that You can make
plain what the strategy needs to be for
a successful outreach for the Kingdom.
Each time we gather for prayer, please make
us aware of Your presence, and may we
humble ourselves to receive Your peace in
the directives our leaders may have.
I ask this in Jesus' Name. Amen.
Today’s Bible verse: Is. 122:1 "I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD.' "
Today’s quote: Cynthia Hyle Bezek - "When Daniel sought to understand a perplexing vision, he fasted (Dan. 10). Similarly, when the church in Antioch needed to know whom to send out as missionaries and later whom to appoint as elders in the missionary churches, they met for prayer, worshiping, and fasting (Act. 13:1-2 14:23). God loves to give wisdom to those who ask Him for it. Somehow, fasting helps to underscore our sincere reliance on Him." (Taken from p. 55 of Come Away With Me, Pray! Magazine's Gide to Prayer Retreats).
Some thoughts today: True Hope cannot be found in anything other than in Jesus Christ, God's Son! You might just as well understand that (see Rom. 15:13).
~ Do you have hope? The best is yet to come! We gain comfort and patience by reading about those in the Bible who've gone through what we're dealing with.
~ Ask God for His plan for your life. He desires to orchestrate a fresh testimony in your life, revealing His goodness, mercy and grace through you. He wants you to be a light to those around you.
~ Do you have hope? The best is yet to come! We gain comfort and patience by reading about those in the Bible who've gone through what we're dealing with.
~ Ask God for His plan for your life. He desires to orchestrate a fresh testimony in your life, revealing His goodness, mercy and grace through you. He wants you to be a light to those around you.
10th- Saturday’s post: Why Wait?
Jean Oathout
11th- Sunday evening's post: Gone. All Gone
Sharon Jaynes
13th- Tuesday's post: #103 Rule #4: Spiritual Preparation
C. Peter Wagner
15th- Thursday's post: #104 Rule #5: The Research
C. Peter Wagner
Jean Oathout
11th- Sunday evening's post: Gone. All Gone
Sharon Jaynes
13th- Tuesday's post: #103 Rule #4: Spiritual Preparation
C. Peter Wagner
15th- Thursday's post: #104 Rule #5: The Research
C. Peter Wagner
This is what Christ did through His work of intercession,.."
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| Ah...fall in the north country! |
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