#108 Spiritual Dependency

C. Peter Wagner shares with  
us about spiritual dependency:

"It is a big mistake for the 
pastor to become spiritually 
dependent on the intercessors.

When this happens, the intercessor becomes a substitute for the pastor's own personal touch with the Lord.

Judson Cornwall mentions this in his excellent book, The Secret of Personal Prayer. 

He says that as he traveled across America,

   "I often found pastors dependent completely upon the
    prayers of a few old-timers, known a 'intercessors.'
    
    The pastors themselves had virtually no private prayer 
    ministry.

    This may well explain the staleness, the decline in 
    morality, and the great insecurity that seems to
    characterize much of America's clergy."

If you as a pastor feel you might be falling into the trap of cutting back on your personal prayer life, I suggest you do something about it.

I spent a good bit of chapters 4 and 5 stressing the need for us as leaders to develop quality prayer lives of our own, precisely so we could avoid spiritual dependency.

If it has been some time since you read them, I suggest you review those chapters. 

{Some of Jean's posts from chapters 4 & 5:   #40  Do Pastors Pray Enough? ;  #41  Pastors Need to Pray More ; #47  Mediocre Prayer Habits?}

Also read good books such as Judson Cornwall's The Secret of Personal Prayer (Creation House), Dick Eastman's The Hour That Changes the World (Baker), Wesley Duewel's Mighty Prevailing Prayer (Zondervan), B. J. Willite's Why Pray? (Creation House), Donald Bloesch's The Struggle of Prayer (Harper & Row), Larry Lea's Could You Not tarry One Hour? (Creation House) or Bill Hybels' Too Busy Not to Pray (InterVarsity). 

It is one thing to wake up some morning and say, 'Lord, I'm wiped out. Please let the intercessors carry the day.' 

It is quite another to make a habit of doing this. No number or quality of intercessors can substitute for the pastor or other leader being an authentic man or woman of God."

#108, Spiritual Dependency,

in the series taken from C. Peter 

Wagner’s book, PRAYER SHIELD, 

How to intercede for pastors,

Christian leaders and others 

on the spiritual  frontlines. 

(pgs. 191-192) by Regal Books

NEW UPDATED VERSION:

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Prayer Shield, rev. and updated ed.: How to Intercede for Pastors and Christian Leaders

C. Peter Wagner

CHOSEN / 2014 / TRADE PAPERBACK

Let’s pray:

  Father, help me
understand what
my responsibility
is.

   Cause me to see
when I'm slacking off on my own praying. 

   What I do makes a large difference on my ability to be effective for the kingdom's work here in my area.

   Thank You for urging me to be careful to pray. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Today’s Bible verse: Zech. 4:66 "Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit saith the LORD of hosts."

Today’s quote:  :  E. M. Bounds – “It is necessary to iterate and reiterate that prayer, as a mere habit, as a performance gone through by routine or in a professional way, is a dead and rotten thing.”

Some thoughts today: Don't blame your circumstances when things don't go your way. Allow Christ to help you work as to the Lord.

-Recognize the worth in your service, whatever it may be.

What we should do every day when we wake up...
   (shared by Danica Sinclair Dunphey from sermon
   notes of Ephesians, by Richard Sinclair on
    http://www.cfconline.org/)

"Wake up and remind yourself that there is a God in heaven. And that you live to serve Him.

Wake up and remind yourself that Christ died to save you from your sins and reconcile you to God so that you can live every moment of every day in a way that pleases Him and brings glory to Him." 

9th- Saturday’s post:  Behind the Song: In the Garden

Diana Leagh Matthews

10th- Sunday's post:  Doubt vs. Faith

Jean Oathout

10th- evening's post:  To Him Be the Glory

Heather Ricks

12th- Tuesday's post:  #109  Emotional Dependency

C. Peter Wagner

A popular post:  Undaunted 
Radiance  Oswald Chambers
“The experiences of life, terrible 
or monotonous, are impotent 
to touch the love of God, which 
is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

“Nay, in all these things, we are 
more than conquerors through 
Him that loved us.” Rom. 8:37

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#107 Avoid the Dangers

C. Peter Wagner One of
the celebrities I contacted 
regarding their personal
intercessors sent me 
a letter rather than a list
of personal prayer partners, 
expressing a degree of 
anxiety he had over the 
whole idea.

I was surprised at this
because it was such a new
and exciting area for me.

But soon afterward I spent some time with Pastor Casey Treat of the Christian Faith Center in Settle, and he shared some background I had known nothing about.

In the early 1980s, a wave of fanaticism occurred concerning intercession, particularly among the "word of faith" charismatics, but also among other charismatics.

Some pastors began to ride hobby horses and taught that if you did not pray three to five hours a day you were not moving in the Spirit.

They picked up on Paul's 'travail' or 'laboring in birth' for the Galatians (see Gal. 4:19), and intercessors would groan loudly as if in labor and even lie on top of one another on the church platform.


Another obvious example 
of flaky intercession. 

Some flaky fasting was 
also involved, based on 
the premise that the
longer you fast the more 
you can get God to do 
what you want Him to do.

Fortunately, this was only a fad and is not seen much today. But Casey observes that the memories of this are still strong enough for some pastors to be very cautious about personal intercession.

Casey Treat himself has a fine team of prayer partners. He introduced me personally to his three I-1 intercessors, each of whom has a particular specialization for their prayer ministry.

Even where the intercession itself is not flaky, dangers in receiving intercession need to be recognized and avoided.

I have been stressing that personal intercession for pastors and other Christian leaders is a high-level spiritual activity. As such it attracts the attention of the devil in a high-level way.

He will attack the relationship of a pastor and intercessors in any way possible, but he seems to focus on three principal areas: spiritual dependency, emotional dependence and physical dependency."

(I will make three postings of these principal areas over the next couple of weeks.)

#107, Avoid the Dangers,

in the series taken from C. Peter 

Wagner’s book, PRAYER SHIELD, 

How to intercede for pastors,

Christian leaders and others 

on the spiritual  frontlines.

(pgs. 190-191) by Regal Books

NEW UPDATED VERSION:

Retail: $14.99 Save 20% ($3.00)

$11.99
Prayer Shield, rev. and updated ed.: How to Intercede for Pastors and Christian Leaders

C. Peter Wagner

CHOSEN / 2014 / TRADE PAPERBACK

Let’s pray:

   Father, we know that
our prayers are needed and
important to our leaders.

Help us pray effectively
and wisely for them with
Your direction and power.

   I want to learn how I am to follow what is the best way to pray for them.

   May my praying friends and I be sensitive to the Holy Spirit within us. I ask in the precious Name of Jesus for help in this matter. Amen.

Today’s Bible verse: Ps. 3:3 "I know that the LORD hath set apart him that is godly for himself: the LORD will hear when I call unto him."

Today’s quote: Michael Brooks – “All of man's paths to righteousness are empty and self-serving. The only power for real change comes from Jesus. The only One with the authority of God, who laid down His life for us, is Jesus. In Him we find all that we have been searching.”

Some thoughts today: The Holy Ghost within us is the solution of overcoming our trials, as everything you'll need is found in Him!

- Do we need to be great in man's sight, or God's? God 
wants to equip us to meet the needs of others. Our being 
"great" in His sight, is allowing Him to use us in our 
weaknesses. That's where He'll start. 

- It's what you are that is your testimony, remember. That is what will have the most impact on others. Where you are now is both a trying and proving ground.

7th- Thursday’s post:  #108  Spiritual Dependency
C. Peter Wagner

9th- Saturday's post:  Behind the Song: In the Garden
Diana Leagh Matthews

10th- Sunday's post:  Doubt vs. Faith
Jean Oathout

10th- evening's post:  To God Be the Glory
Heather Ricks

A popular post:  She-Bear Meetings Dutch Sheets tells us, “Let’s progress in our thinking to the breaking aspect of intercession meetings—enforcing the victory of Calvary. I call this ‘the bear anointing’ because of Proverbs 17:12: "Let a man meet a bear robbed of her cubs, rather than a fool in his folly."…

Read God's Word daily, as
it will give you guidance.

jowildflowers@gmail.com

Samples of Jean's crafts

http://twitter.com/jeanoathout

http://facebook.com/jean.oathout

Granny's Guide to Marriage in Verse
Kindle $2.99

Bridal Shower Devotional: Bridal
Wisdom for Women

Granny's Guide to Marriage in Verse
My book in paperback $7.95

(Check out the Reviews on the
Kindle page of my book)

Wisdom for Brides (Christian Marriage, Counseling, 
& Help and for troubled marriages. (Volume 1)

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Tenderhearted

Ginny Merritt - "I banged my coffee mug down on the kitchen counter, pressing my left hand on its moist rim, my right hand on the cold enamel surface of the drain board. 

Tears welled in my eyes. Words spoken at breakfast to my husband had been as hard and jarring as the sound of my stoneware cup striking the counter. 

I allowed anger from another strained relationship to spill over to him. I was sorry and I needed to apologize.

Pushing myself away from the sink, I walked across the red linoleum floor carrying my empty mug with me. 

Quietly, I stepped onto the living room carpet. He sat in his beige recliner with his Bible on his lap, eyes closed in prayer. He sensed my presence and opened his eyes.

Unsure of myself, I remained on the edge of the carpet. It was hard to get the words out. 

I took a breath and stared out the window while he waited.

'I’m sorry,' I offered. 

   'I shouldn't have let my words hurt you.'

He bent forward in his chair and smiled, lines wrinkled around his brown eyes.

Like so many times before, he was ready to forgive. 'It’s okay. I know you’re having a hard time.'

I nodded, releasing a deep breath. He picked up his blue mug, stood, and said, Let’s go fill our cups again.'

Ephesians tells us to 'be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ forgave you.' 

Saying “I’m sorry” is humbling and difficult, but it is the oil provided by the Holy Spirit to keep our relationships functioning.

Is there someone in your life, in your day, you have been harsh with? Now is a fine time to ask God’s help to restore the relationship. You will be glad you did it.

You might even want to carry your empty mug with you, ready for a friendly cup of fresh coffee.

Let kindness and compassion fill your cup."

"Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ forgave you." Ephesians 4:32 (RSV)

Tenderhearted - Ginny Merritt

Photo courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net and Grant Cochrane.

While Ginny Merritt is first a homemaker and pastor's wife, writing is woven into every facet of her life. 

She has been writing primarily to enrich her ministry for years through Bible studies, curriculum, and drama. 

Her early-reader chapter book, A Ram for Isaac, was published four years ago, and a children’s novel, The Window in the Wall, is coming out in November, both through Journeyforth, a division of BJU Press.

Read Ginny's devotions.

Receive a daily devotion on your Kindle!

Used by permission www.christiandevotions.us 
and Ginny Merritt

Let’s pray:

   Father, when we find we
need one of those "humbling"
experiences, may we be quick
to heed Your prompting.

   Help us to not say words
that hurt someone, especially
those we love.

   Open my eyes to times that I'm apt to speak out of turn, and when I could hurt someone by what I'm thinking I should say.

   May I be slow to speak, and carefully choosing my words wisely each day.

   In the Name of Jesus I pray for help. Amen.

Today’s Bible verse: Lam. 3:40 "Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD."

Today’s quote: Our Daily Bread “One act of kindness may teach more about the love of God than many sermons.”

Some thoughts today: We're not to presume things will go smoothly and not experience problems. Follow and live for Christ through every situation.

- What you're going through may very well be a spiritual assault 
against your place in Christ.

- We miss opportunities to have fellowship with God, by not reading the Bible. We need to be stirred up! 

Praying together helps
days go more smoothly

5th- Tuesday's post:  #107  Avoid the Dangers 
C. Peter Wagner

7th- Thursday’s post:  #108  Spiritual Dependency 
C. Peter Wagner

9th- Saturday's post:  Behind the Song: In the Garden 
Diana Leagh Mathews

10th- Sunday's post:  Doubt vs. Faith 
Jean Oathout

A popular post: Under the Juniper Tree  Mary Southerland - “Elijah is a great example of a man in need of rest. One day he was the conquering hero, the next we find him sitting under a Juniper tree, wallowing in self-pity – and begging God to let him die. 

jowildflowers@gmail.com

Samples of Jean's crafts

http://twitter.com/jeanoathout

http://facebook.com/jean.oathout

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Granny's Guide to Marriage in Verse  

Kindle $2.99

Wisdom for Brides (Christian Marriage, 

Counseling, & Help) (Volume 1)

Granny's Guide to Marriage in Verse 

My book in paperback $7.95

Behind the Song- In the Garden

Diana Leagh Matthews shares
with us: "Dr. Adam Geibel, a 
music publisher, asked 
pharmacists and composer, 
C. Austin Miles, to write a 
hymn that would bring hope.

C. Austin Miles

Miles retreated to ” a cold, 
dreary and leaky basement 
in New Jersey that didn’t 
even have a window in it let 
alone a view of a garden,” 
according to his great-granddaughter. 

Miles turned to his Bible and read John 20:18 about the meeting of Jesus and Mary Magdalene in the garden, after the resurrection.

Miles said he could see the scene unfold before him while he read the scripture passage. He wrote the song and thought that it would make a great Easter song.

Miles would later explain the experience this way: 

   “One day in April 1912, I was seated in the dark room, 

    where I kept my photographic equipment and organ. I 

    drew my Bible toward me; it opened at my favorite 

    chapter, John 20—whether by chance or inspiration let 

    each reader decide.

That meeting of Jesus and 

Mary had lost none of its power 

and charm. As I read it that day, 

I seemed to be part of the scene. 

I became a silent witness to that 

dramatic moment in Mary’s life, 

when she knelt before her Lord, 

and cried, “Rabboni!” 

    My hands were resting on the Bible while I stared at 

    the light blue wall. As the light faded, I seemed to 

    be standing at the entrance of a garden, looking 

    down a gently winding path, shaded by olive branches. 

    A woman in white, with head bowed, hand clasping 

    her throat, as if to choke back her sobs, walked slowly 

    into the shadows. It was Mary. 

    As she came to the tomb, upon which she placed her 

    hand, she bent over to look in, and hurried away. John, 

    in flowing robe, appeared, looking at the tomb; then 

    came Peter, who entered the tomb, followed slowly 

    by John. 

    As they departed, Mary reappeared; leaning her head 

    upon her arm at the tomb, she wept. Turning herself, 

    she saw Jesus standing, so did I. I knew it was He. 

    She knelt before Him, with arms outstretched and 

    looking into His face cried, “Rabboni!” 

    I awakened in sun light, gripping the Bible, with 

    muscles tense and nerves vibrating. 

    Under the inspiration of this vision I wrote as quickly

    as the words could be formed the poem exactly as it 

    had since appeared. That same evening I wrote the 

    music.” 

The popular hymn was first published in 1912. The song 

was originally made popular by Billy Sunday Evangelistic 

Campaigns and many people around the world fell in love 

with this hymn. 

Roy Rogers and Dale Evans recorded a popular version in 

1950, In the Garden was one of the hymns Elvis loved to 

sing, (watch him on www.youtube.com/watch?v=

BPVMuti9ThQ,) and Governor Earl Kemp Long of Louisiana 

had the words of the hymn inscribed on a bench by his 

grave."

http://about.me/DianaLeaghMatthews

Diana Leagh Matthews

www.dianaleaghmatthews.com

www.trinitychristianlifecoaching.com 

www.alookthrutime.com 

www.singingthesonginmyheart.com

www.twitter.com/dileaghmatthews

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Diana-Leagh-Matthews/169932029770995?fref=ts

Let’s pray:

   Father, it's such a blessing

to see where the old songs

come from, as there's always

a story of faith connected with

them.

   The old favorites seem to be

coming back to us, and I, for

one, am thankful.

   We ask for more information on songs, like what Diana shares with us. Bless her efforts to help us understand what folks went through, to give us songs of faith. www.singingthesonginmyheart.com

  May we appreciate her efforts, and others, to share with us information that blesses us, and helps us appreciate what others have gone through in order to give us such blessed songs of inspiration.

  I ask this in Jesus' Name. Amen.

Today’s Bible verse: Ps. 17:6, 8 "I have called upon thee, for thou wilt hear me, O God: incline thine ear unto me, and hear my speech. Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings."

Today’s quote: David Roper – “God doesn’t call us to find fulfillment in the amount of work we do for him, or the number of people who are a part of that work, but in faithfully doing our work for His sake. Serving our great God with His strength in a small way is not a stepping-stone to greatness — it is greatness.” 

Some thoughts today: As a Christian, you have the best Boss there is! If you have excellent ethics, it'll effect all that you do. It should allow Christ to help you be the best you can, in whatever you do.

- Let the Light of Christ shine through all you choose to do. Dig up old dreams and visions, and begin to walk in them with His help.

- As in the post above, let your simple efforts become big in God's Hands. Big opportunities hide in oppositions. Don't despise small beginnings.

10th- Sunday’s post:  Doubt vs. Faith 
Jean Oathout

10th- evening's post:  To God Be the Glory 
Heather Ricks

12th- Tuesday's post:  #108  Spiritual Dependency 
C. Peter Wagner

14th- Thursday's post:  #109  Emotional Dependency 
C. Peter Wagner

A popular post:  Do We Know What God's Up To?  

Outrageous Grace was written by missionary Grace Fabian In this book, Grace quoted the following from pgs 39-40 of Elizabeth Elliot in Worldwide Challenge. January 1978: “In almost anything I offer to Christ, my reaction would be,‘what is the good of that?’ "

jowildflowers@gmail.com

Samples of Jean's crafts

http://twitter.com/jeanoathout

http://facebook.com/jean.oathout

AuthorsDen.com
Where authors and readers come together!

Granny's Guide to Marriage in Verse  

Kindle $2.99 

Bridal Shower Devotional: Bridal

Wisdom for Women

Granny's Guide to Marriage in Verse 

My book in paperback $7.95

(Check out the Reviews on the

Kindle page of my book)

Wisdom for Brides (Christian Marriage, Counseling, 

& Help) (Volume 1)