Thoughts for Life: #34 The Secret of Revival

Andrew Murray- Prayer is to be marked by perseverance. Praying always in the Spirit for all saints is the secret of true revival in God's children.

The minister who is pleading as an intercessor for his congregation also needs their prayers in return. As blood is purified by the fresh air we breathe, even so the Spirit of prayer breathes in the air of heaven and breathes up to heaven the unceasing supplication of love. This is essential to the health of the Body of Christ, and the work of the ministry depends on it. (Google image, Woman praying in checkered shirt)
[10 Ways to Pray Bigger Prayers in the New Year]

The minister should teach believers that intercession is one of their highest privileges. The work of the missionary who, like Paul, carries the gospel to the ungodly depends on it.

New power would fill our mission work if believers answered the call to pray at all times in the Spirit. Grace would be given to Christian workers as they boldly proclaim the mystery of the gospel. Preaching the Word to the wise or to the ignorant, to the Greek or the Jew, reveals Christ—the power of God and the wisdom of God.

Paul gives us a great vision of the work to be done in our daily hour of devotion. We see the hosts of spiritual wickedness in heavenly places and Jesus Christ ruling over all the carrying out the triumph of the cross.

Victory is won as the members of Christ labor together and wrestle in preaching and in prayer for the conquest of the world. Our devotions take on a new meaning and glory as we grow strong in the Lord and the power of His might.

We will no longer live for ourselves and our religious hopes and efforts but live in love, even as Christ loved us. Each believer can learn to give himself as an offering to God for the building up of the Body of Christ.

May God help us to catch the fire of inspiration that Paul's letter to the Ephesians holds out to us. We can know the rewards of praying always in the Spirit for all the saints, and above all, for the ministers of the gospel.
(Chapter 16, pp. 83, 84)

Receiving Power from God

by Andrew Murray
Copyright © 1984

by Whitaker House

Used by permission

www.whitakerhouse.com

Let's pray-

"Father, You are worthy of all praise. We praise You for Your mighty acts, according to Your excellent greatness. We will praise You in the sanctuary with instruments and with the dance; with stringed instruments and organs; with cymbals and high-sounding cymbals. As long as we have breath, we will praise You, Father God, in the Holy Name of Jesus. You are a mighty God! Hallelujah!"
Germine Copeland

Today's Bible verses-

Psalm 10:17 (NLT) “Lord, you know the hopes

of the helpless. Surely you will hear their cries

and comfort them.”

James 5:16 (AMPC) “The earnest (heartfelt,
continued) prayer of a righteous man makes
tremendous power available [dynamic in its
working].”

Deu. 28:7 "The Lord will cause your enemies who

rise against you to be defeated before you. They

shall come out against you one way and flee before

you seven ways.”

Today's quotes-

~ Oswald Chambers- Conscience is that ability within me that attaches itself to the highest standard I know, and then continually reminds me of what that standard demands that I do. It is the eye of the soul which looks out either toward God or toward what we regard as the highest standard.
This explains why conscience is different in different people. If I am in the habit of continually holding God’s standard in front of me, my conscience will always direct me to God’s perfect law and indicate what I should do. The question is, will I obey? I have to make an effort to keep my conscience so sensitive that I can live without any offense toward anyone.
I should be living in such perfect harmony with God’s Son that the spirit of my mind is being renewed through every circumstance of life, and that I may be able to quickly “prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God”
(Romans 12:2 ; also see Ephesians 4:23).

(From My Utmost for His Highest Updated Edition)

~ Ravi Zacharias- "Outside of the cross of Jesus Christ, there is no hope in this world. That cross and resurrection at the core of the Gospel is the only hope for humanity."

Words of wisdom-

~ Tests are from God to bring us to cry out to Him for help! It's God's mercy that God provokes us.

~ Do our lives model a dedication to God? Do others see Christ in you? It will be the evidence of the god you reverence.

Today's guest post-

Go to Pastor Benny's captivating message about bearing spiritual fruit . . . (excellent message)

List of recent sermons of CFC ministers. CFC Potsdam NY church has a live service at 10 am Sunday's for shut-ins. If for some reason you can't make it to the church you usually attend, click on the above link, and still get fed!

Jean's blog (Click to see snippets of the 7 recent posts)