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Speaking Truth To Power
21 Sunday Jan 2024
Posted Prayer, Spiritual Warfare
in21 Sunday Jan 2024
Posted Prayer, Spiritual Warfare
inTags
31 Thursday Aug 2023
Posted My Spiritual Journey, Prayer
inTags
“Lord, you have been our dwelling place
in all generations.” – Psalm 90:1 ESV
Suddenly, I felt a spiritual connection to my family’s past. It’s not about ancestor worship – it’s about my spiritual heritage. For two thousand years – generations of believers have prayed the same prayer.
My Anglican ancestors were from Farhem, England – a small town near the English Channel. I prayed and had peace to make a spiritual pilgrimage there. As followers of Jesus, we are all on a spiritual journey here on earth until we see Jesus face to face. With my heart set on visiting my ancestor’s medieval Church. I longed to encounter the same Presence they had experienced in the same place.
It was a way of connecting with my spiritual roots. And to honor those who came before me and passed down the faith I cherish today. God no longer dwells in temples made with hands (Acts 17:24) but in the hearts of all believers. The Scripture says that we are surrounded by a great crowd of witnesses (Hebrews 12:1). Those believers who are in Heaven now.
How lovely is your dwelling place,
Lord Almighty!
My soul yearns, even faints,
for the courts of the Lord;
My heart and my flesh cry out
for the living God.
Even the sparrow has found a home,
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may have her young—
a place near your altar,
Lord Almighty, my King and my God.
Blessed are those who dwell in your house;
they are ever praising you. – Psalm 84: 1-4 NIV
I visited the parish of Saint Peter and Saint Paul Church in Fareham – in a way – it felt like home. On the following Sunday, I worshiped at Westminister Chapel in London. I was deeply moved by Paslm 84: 5, which speaks of pilgrimage to the house of the LORD. Our family name was originally Sparrowhawk. Over time, it was abbreviated to Sparks. I was encouraged as I saw the overhead graphic.
The message to me was simple: Be audacious in pursuing the presence of God. And be faithful to share the faith with the next generation.
God Moments:
A few months ago during prayer, I saw a random picture (in my mind) of a Union Jack. It seemed God was impressing me to pray for England’s spiritual condition.
My son and I felt God’s favor and the Spirit’s leading on the trip. We always seemed to be at the right place at the right time.
I was able to pray over four different people. And explain the simple Gospel to a confused man. I used the approach of what C.S. Lewis referred to as “Mere Christianity.”
While there are different views of what theologians call secondary doctrines, I focused on the meaning of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The simple yet profound Gospel.
17 Wednesday Aug 2022
Posted Intercession, Prayer
in≈ Comments Off on Prayer And Integrity
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“Fret not yourself( heat yourself in anger/vexation) because of evildoers;
be not envious of wrongdoers!
For they will soon fade like the grass
and wither like the green herb.
Trust in the Lord, and do good;
dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.
Delight yourself in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart. – (Psalm 37: 1-4 ESV)
There are lots of reasons for unanswered prayer. God often delays answers, or he answers differently than we would like. Delays can be for building character in our lives. If it’s a loved one we are praying for, God could be dealing with them in ways we can’t discern. Some of our requests are not in alignment with God’s will. But we must remain consistent in asking and knocking on heaven’s door until He says yes or no.
A lack of integrity can be a hindrance to answered prayer. The NET Bible translates the word faithfulness as integrity:
Trust in the Lord and do what is right.
Settle in the land and maintain your integrity. (1)
Then you will take delight in the Lord,
and he will answer your prayers. (2) – (NET Psalm 37: 3-4)
What “land” have you received from God? Your home and family, your city, and your Church are places God has planted you. King David sought to walk in integrity in his home.
I will sing of steadfast love and justice;
to you, O Lord, I will make music.
I will ponder the way that is blameless.
Oh when will you come to me?
I will walk with integrity of heart
within my house;
I will not set before my eyes
anything that is worthless.
I hate the work of those who fall away;
it shall not cling to me.
A perverse heart shall be far from me;
I will know nothing of evil.” – Psalm 101: 1-4 ESV
We know of David’s colossal failure with Bathsheba. His sin was costly, but he repented. He was a man after God’s heart because he sought to honor God’s word by keeping the covenant.
It takes discipline to live a life of integrity while being bombarded by media – allured by the pied pipers of Hollywood and big tech. Evil people are not a reason to fret. I believe the Bible teaches an acceleration of wickedness in the last days (2 Timothy 3:1.) Our response to evil is to share the gospel and prayer. And to overcome evil with good (Romans 12:21.)
We must learn to carve out time to be alone with God and our thoughts. Learning to pray short prayers throughout our busy days will help us maintain our focus on God.
(1) Integrity – “Tend, Shepard, watch over, guard, faithfulness, honesty, and integrity. Or [feed] security, if the audience is likened to sheep.” – NET Bible (with notes)
(2) Answer your prayers – “or “and he will give you what you desire most.” Heb “and he will grant to you the request of your heart.” – Net Bible (with notes)
03 Wednesday Nov 2021
Posted Prayer
in“And I sought for a man among them who should build up the wall and stand in the breach before me for the land, that I should not destroy it, but I found none.” – Ezekial 22:30
A spiritual Watchman watches out for the welfare of others through intercessory prayer. Just like a military sentry, we must remain at our post in prayer – spiritually alert on behalf of others. When a person, Church, or nation starts drifting away from God, we become vulnerable to the enemy’s attack. A Watchmen’s call is to warn those we are spiritually responsible for and to pray for revival.
God calls some to stand watch over Nations, geographical regions, cities, and Churches. We all have different assignments. But the Lord expects all of us to pray for those in positions of authority(1 Timothy 2:1-4.) Those who watch and pray sometimes receive revelation or spiritual insights before conflict arises. Such spiritually sensitive people should be accountable to elders in a local Church. It’s important to share with leadership what you believe the Lord is revealing to you. Then leave it to the elders to pray over. It’s their responsibility to accept or reject your guidance.
As we engage in intercessory prayer, we become sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s leading. And God may reveal to us the schemes of the devil (Ephesians 6:11.) I believe God gives us insight so that we can pray God’s kingdom into the situation. As a person of prayer, you can influence the culture around you – if you are diligent and refuse to give up. God is sovereign, but there are some things he will not do until we ask him ( James 4:2-3.)
Our goal is to become discerning, not suspicious. And discernment comes from time spent with God in prayer. Knowing and obeying Scripture is essential to our roles as prayer warriors. We must embrace a wartime mentality while realizing that we are at war with spiritual entities, not people. Philosophies and ideologies that contradict God’s truth are weapons that the adversary uses to destroy societies.
No matter the sphere of spiritual influence that God assigns you, know that your prayers on behalf of others will make a difference.
06 Wednesday Oct 2021
Posted Intercession, Prayer, Spiritual Warfare
inMy Dad served in the Navy during World War Two. After basic training, he was assigned to patrol the beaches of California at night. Japanese submarines were known to be off the coast. Consequently, diligence and alertness were required of those on Shore Patrol. One of his additional duties was to guard a checkpoint on a Naval Base in San Diego. As a Seaman second-class, he had the authority to refuse to let anyone (no matter their rank) without proper documentation through his gate. One day an officer tried to get through the checkpoint without his ID. Even though the officer threatened my Dad with court-martial, he refused to let him enter. My Father had to draw his weapon. The highly agitated officer did not want to comply with the command of his subordinate. The incident was investigated, and my Dad was fully exonerated.
Seaman second-class Sparks (who later became first-class} was later assigned to The USS Lexington aircraft carrier in the Pacific. One of his jobs on his ship was as a night watchman. And on one particular night, he saw a Bible on a table open to Isaiah chapter 21. Below are some of the verses from the chapter:
“For thus the Lord said to me:
“Go, set a watchman;
let him announce what he sees…” (Isaiah 21:6 ESV)
“Then he who saw cried out:
“Upon a watchtower I stand, O Lord,
continually by day,
and at my post I am stationed
whole nights.” (Isaiah 21:8 ESV)
“…Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?
The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will enquire, enquire ye: return, come.” (Isiah 21: 11-12 KJV)
While reading the Bible, my Dad realized that he was a watchman that night.
As followers of Jesus, he calls us to “watch and pray” (Matthew 26:40.) God has given us much more spiritual authority than most of us realize. We should never let fear back us down from our assignment as prayer warriors.
It’s time to embrace who we are in Christ.
It’s time for us to find our place as spiritual watchman, through prayer.
To be continued.