Secret of answered prayers: ‘Lord, give him utterance, let Thy Word run’

Jessie Penn-Lewis, Prayer & Evangelism

“Prayer is work, and a work which, in its accomplishment, is the expression of the will of God.” (Jessie Penn-Lewis, Prayer & Evangelism, 1995. Page 7).
“Many are willing to give themselves to the work of talking—but how few to the work of praying? If you will stand at the back of someone you see has a real message and pray, ‘Lord, give him utterance, let Thy Word run’—that is the WORK of prayer.” (Penn-Lewis, 1995. Page 16).
“Many Christians attend the prayer meeting to get right with God, or to get in communion with God; they ought to have lived in that all day, and should go to the meeting for definite work.” (Penn-Lewis, 1995. Page 17).
“An unclouded personal relationship to Christ is the very foundation of answered prayer.” (Penn-Lewis, 1995. Pages 22-23).
“A great secret in maintaining a life of personal victory is to ‘keep short accounts with God’—to quickly seize the weapon of prayer and pray, no matter how you feel. Whatever may be the circumstances, however you may think you are in ‘defeat’, PRAY!” (Penn-Lewis, 1995. Page 24).
“The fundamental personal conditions for a life of continual answer to prayer are therefore: (1) A cleansed heart—no love of sin; (2) ‘planted into His death’ as your permanent footing; (3) union with the Living Christ; (4) His Word abiding in you as your innermost food and life; (5) petition governed by the will rather than the feelings; (6) faith; (7) no self-motive; and (8) praying in spirit by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Penn-Lewis, 1995. Page 34).
“It takes a deeper spiritual life to pray than to work, for the flesh can be very active for God and apparently accomplish great results. Lack of power in prayer drives us to human resources. To ‘only pray’ seems folly! This is simply because we have no power in prayer.” (Penn-Lewis, 1995. Page 37).
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“The powers of darkness must be met on their own ground. We may account ourselves ‘dead indeed unto sin’ and yet give the strong man much advantage by walking after the life of nature, i.e. our own thoughts, our own plans, our own energy. The natural cannot contend with the supernatural (see 2 Corinthians 10:4). It may appear to do much, and the enemy will go so far as to cause apparent ‘fruit’ if by such means he can keep us striving on a plane where the results are only exterior and bereft of spirit life.” (Penn-Lewis, 1995. Pages 68-69).

Derek Prince, Secrets of a Prayer Warrior
“When we learn to pray, then we are qualified to rule.” (Derek Prince, Secrets of a Prayer Warrior, 2009. Page 22).
“Just as the Holy Spirit leads us to understand God's will in Scripture, so He leads us in praying it back to God.... Additionally, if these ones shall symphonize—come together in perfect harmony—concerning anything that they shall ask, then it will be done for them.... He has tied Himself only to those who are led by the Spirit of God to come into His name.” (Derek Prince, 2009. Page 68).

Isaiah 60:18   “you will call your walls salvation, and your gates praise.” (NASB)

Psalm 100:4   “Enter His gates with thanksgiving And His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name.” (NASB)

“The instrument that most people mean when they talk about ‘prayer’ is petition, asking for physical and material needs to be met. But remember: Praying is not just thinking of anything we want and asking for it. Praying is discovering God revealed purpose in Scripture, and then praying for the outworking of that purpose.
“Look again at 1 John 5:14-15: ‘Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we ask of Him.’ ” (Derek Prince, 2009. Page 74).
“It is not just asking that is important, but asking and receiving. I have seen this many times. God touches someone with a healing touch, but the person does not receive it. One way not to receive an answer to a petitiion is to go on praying for it. Some people pray themselves into faith and then pray themselves out of faith.” (Derek Prince, 2009. Pages 74-75).

Mark 11:24   “Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them…” (NASB)

“Notice this, though: Receiving is not the same as having. Receiving is settling it; having is the experience that follows. The actual experience of having what we have prayed for may have to wait, but by faith we receive what we pray for when we pray.” (Derek Prince, 2009. Page 75).
Prince goes on to describe the essential ingredient between receiving and actual experience: “Keep the plug in.… How do you do that? Basically, by thanking God. If you have made a petition regarding physical healing, for instance, you say, ‘Thank You, Lord. Your supernatural power is at work in my body.’ And as you respond that way, the healing is completed.” (Derek Prince, 2009. Page 76. Get the book, there are examples following.)
“Intercession is one of the highest arts of Christian life, one of the most difficult instruments to play. It requires a lot of practice, a lot of skill, a lot of maturity. To intercede means literally ‘to come in between.’ The intercessor is one who comes in between God and those for whom he is praying.” (Derek Prince, 2009. Page 79).
“the most influential people on earth today are those who know how to get their prayers answered.” (Derek Prince, 2009. Page 105).
“Something happens in our spirit when we let that attitude of reverence express itself in our prayers.” (Derek Prince, 2009. Page 109).
“Through the new birth and through the grace of God we can be released from that prison of self-centeredness and into a relationship with Him in which what God wants is more important than what we want.” (Derek Prince, 2009. Page 110).
“Prayer is not a way for us to get God to do what we want. A lot of Christians think it is. It may work out that way, but that is not its purpose. Prayer is a way for us to become instruments for God to do what He wants. When we become aligned with God's purpose, we are going to pray prayers that are irresistible. There will be no power, human or satanic, that will be able to resist the outworking of our prayer.” (Derek Prince, 2009. Page 115).
“There are only two alternatives about prayer. Either God answers prayer or He does not. If He does not answer prayer it is foolish to pray, and if He does answer prayer it is foolish not to pray.” (Derek Prince, 2009. Page 119).
“When you find your place in the Body, then your allotted proportion of faith that God has given you will make you successful in that place.” (Derek Prince, 2009. Page 125).

Daniel 10:12-13   “Then he said to me, ‘Do not be afraid, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart on understanding this and on humbling yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to your words.But the prince of the kingdom of Persia was withstanding me for twenty-one days; then behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left there with the kings of Persia.’...” (NASB)

“Notice also that the initiative is with earth, not heaven. Daniel started the whole thing moving. And I venture to say, in certain respects this remains true today. We are not waiting for God; God is waiting for us. When we move, heaven will move. Then will come the conflict, and our prayers on earth will settle it. We who are believers and know how to pray are much more important than most of us have the faintest idea.” (Derek Prince, 2009. Page 132).
Prince makes another important statement concerning the quote above from the book of Daniel: “This shows that earth's empires have their counterpart in Satan's empire. In other words, Satan seeks to control the empires of earth through its rulers in order to make its leaders and governments instruments of his will. We must pray for our governments in order to frustrate Satan and to bring our governments under heaven's control.

“That is why Paul said first of all—before you pray for the sick, the missionaries, the evangelist, even your family—to pray for the government. As we have seen, anyone who criticizes the government is telling the world that he has failed in his prayers. He has not done his job.” (Derek Prince, 2009. Page 134).

Revelations 12:11   “And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb, and because of the word of their testimony. And they did not love their soul until death. ” (MKJV)

“The key words are testimony, Word and blood. You testify personally to what the Word, that is Scripture, says that the blood of Christ does for you. To make it effective you must make it personal. To whom are you testifying? To Satan. This is not a believer's testimony meeting! This is where you and I come face-to-face with the enemy of our souls. We speak directly to him in the name and the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ, and we tell him what the Word of God says that the blood of Jesus does for us.” (Derek Prince, 2009. Page 150).
“When Scripture speaks about a glorious Church, it means a Church that is filled with God's glory, a Church that has within it the manifest, visible, tangible, personal presence of Almighty God. It is not a Church that is living on naked faith without any manifestation, but a Church that, through faith, has entered into a relationship with God where His visible, personal, tangible presence is with His people. The Bible says that is the kind of Church for which Jesus is coming. It is the Church for which we pray.” (Derek Prince, 2009. Page 183).

Charles G. Finney, How to Experience Revival
“To pray effectively you must pray with submission to the will of God. Do not confuse submission with indifference. No two things are more unlike. I once knew an individual who came to a revival. He was cold and did not enter into the spirit of prayer. When he heard the brethren pray as if they could not be denied, he was shocked at their boldness. He insisted on the importance of praying with submission. Yet, it was plain that he confused submission with indifference.

“If the will of God is not known, submission without prayer is tempting God. For all you know your prayer may be the thing on which an event turns. In the case of an impenitent friend, your prayers may be the key to his being saved.

“Christians often amaze themselves when they look back on their ardent, bold prayers spoken in a moment of intense emotion. Yet, these prayers have prevailed and obtained the blessing. And many of these people are among the holiest people I know in the world.

“The temptation to have selfish motives is so strong that there is reason to fear a great many parental prayers never rise above the yearnings of parental tenderness. That is why so many prayers are not answered and why so many pious, praying parents have ungodly children. Prayer for the unsaved must be based on more than sympathy. Missionaries and others often make the mistake of praying only about those going to hell, forgetting prayer about how the unsaved also dishonor God.” (Charles Finney. How to Experience Revival. Pages 44-45.)
Discussing the conduct of the revival in Evans Mills Finney states: “The means used where simply preaching, prayer, and conference meetings, much private prayer, much personal conversation, and meetings for the instruction of earnest inquirers. These, and no other means were used for the promotion of that work.” (The Autobiography of Charles G. Finney. Pages 68-69.)
“I have said more than once that the spirit of prayer that prevailed in those revivals was a very marked feature of them. It was common for young converts to be greatly exercised in prayer. In some instances they were so burdened that they were constrained to pray whole nights, until their bodily strength was quite exhausted for the conversion of souls around them. There was a great pressure of the Holy Spirit upon the minds of Christians and they seemed to bear about with them the burden of immortal souls.
“Not only were prayer meetings greatly multiplied and fully attended, not only was there great reverence in those meetings, but there was a mighty spirit of secret prayer.” (The Autobiography of Charles G. Finney. Page 104.)
“In offering the Lord's Prayer, ‘Thy kingdom come,’ it is plain that sincerity is a condition of prevailing with God. But sincerity in offering this petition implies the thorough consecration of all that we have and all that we are to the building up of Christ's kingdom. To utter this petition in any other state of mind involves hypocrisy and is an abomination.” (The Believer's Secret of Spiritual Power. Page 127.)

“We must evaluate our prayer lives to see if we are meeting these conditions of prevailing prayer:

1. “The inspiration of the Holy Spirit. All truly prevailing prayer is inspired by the Holy Spirit. ‘For we know not what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with the groanings which cannot be uttered. And He that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because He maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God’ (Romans 8:26, 27). This is the true spirit of prayer. This is being led by the Spirit in prayer. It is the only really prevailing prayer. Unless believers are taught how to pray by the intercession of the Spirit in them, they cannot prevail with God.
   
2. “Fervency. A prayer, to be prevailing, must be fervent. ‘Confess your faults one to another, and pray on for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much’ (James 5:16).
   
3. “ Perseverance or persistence in prayer. See the cases of Jacob, of Daniel, of Elijah, of the Syrophoenician woman, of the unjust judge, and the teaching of the Bible generally.
   
4. “Travail of soul. ‘As soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.’ ‘My little children,’ said Paul, ‘of whom I travail in birth again, till Christ be formed in you.’ This implies that he had travailed in birth for them before they were converted. Indeed, travail of soul in prayer is the only real revival prayer. If anyone does not know what this is, he does not understand the spirit of prayer. He is not in a revival state. Until he understands this agonizing prayer, he does not know the real secret of revival power.
   
5. “ Specific prevailing prayer. It is offered for a definite object. We cannot prevail for everything at once. In all the cases recorded in the Bible in which prayer was answered, it is noteworthy that the petitioner prayed for a definite object.
   
6. “Meaning what we say. We make no false pretenses; in short, that we are entirely childlike and sincere, speaking out of the heart, nothing more nor less than what we mean, feel and believe.
   
7. “Believing the good faith of God to keep all His promises.
   
8. “Guarding against everything that can quench or grieve the Spirit of God in our hearts. We must watch for the answer in a state of mind that will diligently use all necessary means, at any expense, and add entreaty to entreaty.”
   (The Believer's Secret of Spiritual Power. Pages 138-139.)
   

Watchman’s adventure: uncharted waters 2013

watchman’s uncharted waters 2013 The watchman continued his journey to see God this year. His understanding is that this will take the whole of 2013.
On the new year eve a small group gathered in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to worship, read God’s words and prayed. On the same day a number of Scripture songs in two languages were identified and chosen. Amazingly some could not be recorded in the special edition CD for the occasion. Some others were recorded repeatedly at least three times in the same CD! One crucial song sang the Scripture from Revelation 19:5-7, “ Then a voice came from the throne, saying, “Praise our God, all you His servants and those who fear Him, both^[a] small and great!” ⁶ And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, “Alleluia! For the^[b] Lord God Omnipotent reigns! ⁷ Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.”
The gathering started at 9pm and ended reluctantly before 2pm. During the worship and prayers in the Spirit, the group sang ‘Alleluia’ many many times. When the alarm clock rang at 11:59 to alert them for the cross over to a new season of time in the Lord, they were all refreshed. Later one of them received a message from his family who were also worshiping and praying in their main church, at that time, that two prayer groups at two different locations were also singing the same ‘Alleluia’ verses at that time even though they had never communicated prior to this event!
That means the three groups (big and small) of believers were all being led by the Holy Spirit at the same time that night! This confirmed the Bible verse,1 Corinthians 6:17 (NKJV) “But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.“  Romans 8:14 (NKJV) “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.”
Revelation received regarding what Bible books to read was: start from the Book of Genesis. See the faith journey of Abraham. The Bible reading was very rewarding. Indeed, the journey to see God is a journey for all believers. Abraham’s life is a type for all Christians who walk by faith and not by sight, led by the Spirit of God and not by flesh.
The Lord God has revealed Himself to one man, Abraham and called Himself the God of Abraham. The same Lord God Almighty had also revealed Himself to Abraham’s son Isaac (through the promise of God, born according to the Spirit of God, Galatians 4:29), and called Himself the God of Isaac. He also revealed Himself to the grandson of Abraham, Jacob (later changed to Israel), and called Himself the God of Jacob.
The same God makes sure each born again Christian knows He expects each to know Him personally as his or her own God. God is Spirit and not bound by time or space or any point of history. When He looks at each man He sees the whole life of the man at a glance. When He looks at a group of men He looks at all at the same glance, regardless of the different time and space in which they are placed at any point of time or space.
It is impossible to describe God using our human mind. We can only know a bit of God when He reveals to each of us by His Spirit. This is an exciting journey indeed for each members of the group as fresh revelations are being received daily by each individual.
This is the journey of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Uncharted waters. Very refreshing and real to each of us. Our God is awesome!

May He give you the power to accomplish all the good things

 The watchman was led to read 1 and 2 Thessalonians today. He was drawn to a simple truth about salvation.
1. God made the choice of whom to be called to become His. He loves those He has chosen.
2. God chose us to experience salvation.
3. Our salvation consists of the following essential ingredients:

1. God who called us.
2. Someone who told us the Good News.
3. The Good News. 
4. The Holy Spirit.
5. Our holiness through the Holy Spirit.
6. Our belief in the Truth.
7. The Truth.

4. The result of salvation:

1. Now we can share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2. Our God will enable us to live a life worthy of His call.
3. This is possible because of the grace of our God and Lord Jesus Christ. 
4. God will give us power to accomplish all the good things.
5. Our faith will prompts us to do them.
6. The way we live will honor the name of the Lord Jesus.
7. We will be honored with Him.

 _______________The Bible verses:

2 Thessalonians 1:11-12
¹¹ So we keep on praying for you, asking our God to enable you to live a life worthy of his call. May He give you the power to accomplish all the good things your faith prompts you to do. ¹² Then the name of our Lord Jesus will be honored because of the way you live, and you will be honored along with him. This is all made possible because of the grace of our God and Lord, Jesus Christ.^[a]

Footnotes: 2 Thessalonians 1:12 Or of our God and our Lord Jesus Christ.

 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14

¹³ As for us, we can’t help but thank God for you, dear brothers and sisters loved by the Lord. We are always thankful that God chose you to be among the first^[a] to experience salvation—a salvation that came through the Spirit who makes you holy and through your belief in the truth. ¹⁴ He called you to salvation when we told you the Good News; now you can share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Footnotes: 2 Thessalonians 2:13 Some manuscripts read chose you from the very beginning. 

End Times Witnessing: Watchman's 2011 year end and New Year 2012

The watchman started the New Year with more revelations. A week before the New Year he went to a place where prayers, reading of the Bible, and worship are being carried out 24 hours daily for three days. He rested and sought new directions from the Lord. His prayer was answered.
After he returned he invited a few friends (housewives and children) and relatives and had daily Bible reading for the last three days of 2011. They managed to read the whole New Testament and the five Books of Moses. They read slowly and paused when received promptings to explain one or two words/verses.
The Bible reading was a breakthrough for his neighborhood. The 'supernatural' selection of the two group of 12 readers from 7 families who turned up randomly is amazing. It was like a model for the End Times Church!
1. watchman's own 'household' : six persons from five families.
2. neighborhood friends: six persons from two families
3. The 12 participants were from five different decades: one from late 1940s,  4 from 1960s, 3 from 1970s, 1 boy 1 girl from 1990s and 1 boy 1 girl from 2000s.
4. the random volunteers consisted of persons ranging from 9 year old to 63 year old.
5. two different persons dreamed of two similar dreams before the year end. Both were scenes of crowded outdoor 'churches' which they had not seen before. In one dream the house church was packed and new people kept arriving so they packed the outside courtyard as well. All were unfamiliar faces. None of the regular church members were around except the dreamer and another brethren.
In another dream the church consisted entirely of children and the dreamer was leading them in open places navigating narrow and difficult terrains in between ruined and deserted buildings. The enemies were around but could not see or detect them!

Words received in the spirit by the watchman:

26th-27th December: John 4:21-38 The message is: Be Sowers of seeds (the Word) and Reapers of harvests for the Kingdom of God -do the will of the Father in heaven. (He shared this teaching with his house group on 27th evening)
(Depression set in around 27th and the watchman received the word "Faith" Heb,11:1 and 6 (confirmed again  on 31/12/11 by a text message from another intercessor). He however took sometime to prepare and fortify himself with this shield of faith (which quenches the fiery darts from the enemies). He suffered the cut of his finger, getting into strife and the loss of all his accounting data base when the New Year arrived.)
 29th-30th December: The word was "READ" and "READ" (the Bible)
31st December: The word was "OPEN" (ears, eyes, understanding, effective door, the Scriptures) for the coming year.
(However, there is a warning verse: Heb.4:13 "...but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him  to whom we must give account.")
 1st January 2012: Preacher's confirmation of John 4:21-38! (the watchman's house group members noted this confirmation and felt strengthened in their spirits)
2nd January: Ezekiel 10 and Revelation 8. 'WHEEL', 'FIRE' = PRAYERS
3rd January morning: Christ = God's Love (Read John 17)
3rd January evening: Matt. 5 with house group. "Kingdom of God" life, Son of God life, Spirit-led life = sons of God lives. As the Father in heaven is perfect, so is the Son of God (Jesus) and so are we.
 4th January morning: Encounter the Holy Spirit. New tongues (unutterable sound in the spirit)."REST".
4th January afternoon: Read Luke 19 on treadmill. "Recognize the time of God (Jesus)'s coming to you!" (Zacchaeus of Jericho in contrast to Jerusalem)

 Overall Message for 2012: "KINGDOM" (of God) is advancing!

What an awesome way to start the New Year!

End Times Witnessing: In the Last Hour

1.Daniel 4:33


That very hour the word was fulfilled concerning Nebuchadnezzar; he was driven from men and ate grass like oxen; his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair had grown like eagles’ feathers and his nails like birds’ claws.

Daniel 4:32-34 (in Context) Daniel 4 (Whole Chapter)

2.Daniel 5:5

In the same hour the fingers of a man’s hand appeared and wrote opposite the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace; and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.

Daniel 5:4-6 (in Context) Daniel 5 (Whole Chapter)

3.Matthew 8:13

Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.” And his servant was healed that same hour.

Matthew 8:12-14 (in Context) Matthew 8 (Whole Chapter)

4.Matthew 9:22

But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, “Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And the woman was made well from that hour.

Matthew 9:21-23 (in Context) Matthew 9 (Whole Chapter)

5.Matthew 10:19

But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak;

Matthew 10:18-20 (in Context) Matthew 10 (Whole Chapter)

6.Matthew 14:15

When it was evening, His disciples came to Him, saying, “This is a deserted place, and the hour is already late. Send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages and buy themselves food.”

Matthew 14:14-16 (in Context) Matthew 14 (Whole Chapter)

7.Matthew 15:28

Then Jesus answered and said to her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour.

Matthew 15:27-29 (in Context) Matthew 15 (Whole Chapter)

8.Matthew 17:18

And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him; and the child was cured from that very hour.

Matthew 17:17-19 (in Context) Matthew 17 (Whole Chapter)

9.Matthew 20:3

And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,

Matthew 20:2-4 (in Context) Matthew 20 (Whole Chapter)

10.Matthew 20:5

Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise.

Matthew 20:4-6 (in Context) Matthew 20 (Whole Chapter)

11.Matthew 20:6

And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here idle all day?’

Matthew 20:5-7 (in Context) Matthew 20 (Whole Chapter)

12.Matthew 20:9

And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius.

Matthew 20:8-10 (in Context) Matthew 20 (Whole Chapter)

14.Matthew 24:36

[ No One Knows the Day or Hour ] “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.

Matthew 24:35-37 (in Context) Matthew 24 (Whole Chapter)

15.Matthew 24:42

Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.

Matthew 24:41-43 (in Context) Matthew 24 (Whole Chapter)

16.Matthew 24:43

But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into.

Matthew 24:42-44 (in Context) Matthew 24 (Whole Chapter)

17.Matthew 24:44

Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

Matthew 24:43-45 (in Context) Matthew 24 (Whole Chapter)

18.Matthew 24:50

the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of,

Matthew 24:49-51 (in Context) Matthew 24 (Whole Chapter)

19.Matthew 25:13

“Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.

Matthew 25:12-14 (in Context) Matthew 25 (Whole Chapter)

20.Matthew 26:40

Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What! Could you not watch with Me one hour?

Matthew 26:39-41 (in Context) Matthew 26 (Whole Chapter)

21.Matthew 26:45

Then He came to His disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners.

Matthew 26:44-46 (in Context) Matthew 26 (Whole Chapter)

22.Matthew 26:55

In that hour Jesus said to the multitudes, “Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to take Me? I sat daily with you, teaching in the temple, and you did not seize Me.

Matthew 26:54-56 (in Context) Matthew 26 (Whole Chapter)

23.Matthew 27:45

[ Jesus Dies on the Cross ] Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land.

Matthew 27:44-46 (in Context) Matthew 27 (Whole Chapter)

24.Matthew 27:46

And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

Matthew 27:45-47 (in Context) Matthew 27 (Whole Chapter)
77.1 Corinthians 15:30


And why do we stand in jeopardy every hour?

1 Corinthians 15:29-31 (in Context) 1 Corinthians 15 (Whole Chapter)

78.Galatians 2:5

to whom we did not yield submission even for an hour, that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.

Galatians 2:4-6 (in Context) Galatians 2 (Whole Chapter)

79.1 John 2:18

[ Deceptions of the Last Hour ] Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour.

1 John 2:17-19 (in Context) 1 John 2 (Whole Chapter)

80.Revelation 3:3

Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.

Revelation 3:2-4 (in Context) Revelation 3 (Whole Chapter)

81.Revelation 3:10

Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.

Revelation 3:9-11 (in Context) Revelation 3 (Whole Chapter)

82.Revelation 8:1

[ Seventh Seal: Prelude to the Seven Trumpets ] When He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.

Revelation 8:1-3 (in Context) Revelation 8 (Whole Chapter)

83.Revelation 9:15

So the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released to kill a third of mankind.

Revelation 9:14-16 (in Context) Revelation 9 (Whole Chapter)

84.Revelation 11:13

In the same hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. In the earthquake seven thousand people were killed, and the rest were afraid and gave glory to the God of heaven.

Revelation 11:12-14 (in Context) Revelation 11 (Whole Chapter)

85.Revelation 14:7

saying with a loud voice, “Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.”

Revelation 14:6-8 (in Context) Revelation 14 (Whole Chapter)

86.Revelation 17:12

“The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast.

Revelation 17:11-13 (in Context) Revelation 17 (Whole Chapter)

87.Revelation 18:10

standing at a distance for fear of her torment, saying, ‘Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! For in one hour your judgment has come.’

Revelation 18:9-11 (in Context) Revelation 18 (Whole Chapter)

88.Revelation 18:17

For in one hour such great riches came to nothing.’ Every shipmaster, all who travel by ship, sailors, and as many as trade on the sea, stood at a distance

Revelation 18:16-18 (in Context) Revelation 18 (Whole Chapter)

89.Revelation 18:19

“They threw dust on their heads and cried out, weeping and wailing, and saying, ‘Alas, alas, that great city, in which all who had ships on the sea became rich by her wealth! For in one hour she is made desolate.’

Revelation 18:18-20 (in Context) Revelation 18 (Whole Chapter)

End Times Witnessing: Last words to Persecuted Church

Revelation 2:8-11 (NKJV)
The Persecuted Church
8 “And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write,

‘These things says the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life: 9 “I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10 Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.

11 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.”’
 
Revelation 12:11

Amplified Bible (AMP)
11And they have overcome (conquered) him by means of the blood of the Lamb and by the utterance of their testimony, for they did not love and cling to life even when faced with death [holding their lives cheap till they had to die for their witnessing].

Revelation 17:14

These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.”

Revelation 21:7
He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.

Revelation 20:6

Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.

Revelation 20:14
Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.


Revelation 21:8
But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”
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Romans 12:21

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

1 John 2:13

I write to you, fathers, Because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, Because you have overcome the wicked one. I write to you, little children, Because you have known the Father.

1 John 2:14

I have written to you, fathers, Because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, Because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, And you have overcome the wicked one.

1 John 4:4

You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

1 John 5:4

For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.

1 John 5:5

Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

End Times Witnessing: Three in One Combination for watchman

Abraham, Elijah, and Daniel. These are the three men who form the new pattern for end times watchman and intercessor, totally led by the Holy Spirit.

Faith man called friend by God: Abraham. He heard and was heard by God. He saw the unseen City of God (the New Jerusalem). He was a spiritual man. He knew the reality of God and what God had promised. He never doubted God. How else would he have done what he did, even willing to give up his only son (after waiting 100 years for his birth)? God called him “My friend”!

Prophet with spectacular supernatural power that shook a nation: Elijah. He conversed with God and knew with full confidence beforehand the three years’ drought, and thereafter the arrival of rain, called down fire from heaven to destroy soldiers from an evil king, built altar for God and expected fire from heaven to accept his offering, multiplied food, raised the dead, and his prayers were answered. He was one man against the whole nation of Israel (king, priests and people), singlehandedly executing 450 Baal’s prophets. At the end of his ministry, God sent chariot of fire to chauffeur him home to heaven!

Wiseman with many gifts with prayers that shook the second heaven: Daniel. He lived his whole life (holding high official positions in the courts of three powerful foreign kings) with great competence and supernatural wisdom. He lived for God’s glory. He feared God more than men. He received messages from God. He saw vision. He interpreted dream (even knowing what a king had dreamed), read unknown supernatural writings on wall and interpreted them, saw the spiritual world and conversed with spiritual beings (including high ranking angels like Gabriel), and even the Lord Himself. He watched, prayed interceded and sought God’s presence three times a day. He fasted before God. His words were heard by God and his prayers were answered instantly. His prayers were spiritually powerful enough to warrant high ranking wicked rulers and principalities (evil princes/ territorial spirits of the air – Prince of Persia and Prince of Greece) in second heaven to come out to interrupt, trying to prevent them coming to pass! Daniel was the ‘beloved’ in God’s eyes.

Some relevant Bible verses to note:

2 Chronicles 20:7 Are You not our God, who drove out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel, and gave it to the descendants of Abraham Your friend forever? Isaiah 41:8 “ But you, Israel, are My servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, The descendants of Abraham My friend.

Hebrews 11:8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. 11:10 for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. 12:22-24 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, 23 to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, 24 to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.

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Daniel 5:11-12 (NKJV) 11 There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the Spirit of the Holy God. And in the days of your father, light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, were found in him; and King Nebuchadnezzar your father—your father the king—made him chief of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers. 12 Inasmuch as an excellent spirit, knowledge, understanding, interpreting dreams, solving riddles, and explaining enigmaswere found in this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar, now let Daniel be called, and he will give the interpretation.”

Daniel 10:19 And he said, “O man greatly beloved, fear not! Peace be to you; be strong, yes, be strong!” So when he spoke to me I was strengthened, and said, “Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me.”

Daniel 12:3 Those who are wise shall shine
Like the brightness of the firmament,

And those who turn many to righteousness

Like the stars forever and ever.

Daniel 12:13 “But you, go your way till the end; for you shall rest, and will arise to your inheritance at the end of the days.”

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1 Kings 17:1 [ Elijah Proclaims a Drought ] And Elijah the Tishbite, of the inhabitants of Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the LORD God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except at my word.”

1 Kings 17:8 [ Elijah and the Widow ] Then the word of the LORD came to him, saying, 17:13 And Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said, but make me a small cake from it first, and bring it to me; and afterward make some for yourself and your son. 17:15 So she went away and did according to the word of Elijah; and she and he and her household ate for many days. 17:16 The bin of flour was not used up, nor did the jar of oil run dry, according to the word of the LORD which He spoke by Elijah.

1 Kings 17:22 Then the LORD heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came back to him, and he revived. 17:24 Then the woman said to Elijah, “Now by this I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in your mouth is the truth.”

1 Kings 18:1 [ Elijah’s Message to Ahab ] And it came to pass after many days that the word of the LORD came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, “Go, present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the earth.” 18:21 And Elijah came to all the people, and said, “How long will you falter between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people answered him not a word. 18:22 Then Elijah said to the people, “I alone am left a prophet of the LORD; but Baal’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men. 18:40 And Elijah said to them, “Seize the prophets of Baal! Do not let one of them escape!” So they seized them; and Elijah brought them down to the Brook Kishon and executed them there.

2 Kings 1:12 So Elijah answered and said to them, “If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men.” And the fire of God came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty.

2 Kings 2:11 Then it happened, as they continued on and talked, that suddenly a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and separated the two of them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.

Holy Spirit broadcasting: both watchman and Jonah heard

The watchman found out that the ancient calling of Jonah is not over afterall and has taken on a new form in the spiritual realm.

On 13th October he attended an evening healing meeting and the Spirit-filled pastor had an anointing to anoint a special group after his preaching. This was the first time he called for those who had previous calling by the Lord but had already forgotten or put their calling aside. To his amazement quite a number of people responded and stood up and let the pastor come round to anoint them afresh to the Lord's calling.
The watchman could not recall any precious calling. So he did not stand up. As he was happily watching others, he heard a soft reminder in his spirit, "Jonah 4, last verse." He turned to that verse (Jonah 4:11) and recalled the long forgotten past many many years ago indeed that was the verse that impacted him! So he was the last one who walked to the altar and had to call after the pastor who by then had left and mingled with the congregation. He told the pastor the verse he received much to the latter's delight.
The next day he received a call to share a message that evening. So he looked up the book of Jonah and meditated on the last verse. He asked the Lord who and where the "Nineveh people" are today. He was led to locate one people group who now live in an area touching 'many nations'! They have no state of their own but they are one unique people group artficially divided into 4-6 nations which boundaries cut through their land. They are named the Kurds.
So he downloaded prayer needs of the group and started to pray for them. He was led in the spirit to download a presentation on how to pray for this group too.
That Friday (14th Oct.) night or rather Saturday morning (1 am) he shared to a group of very tired and sleepy people that the Lord wants them to pray for this group of people. Prior to the sharing he asked the Lord whether it was necessary to speak on such topic and whether there was any audience at all. The Lord asked him whether he would speak if there was only one person who listens. He said yes. Then he heard, what if there is none, would you still speak? He said yes. Then he heard in his spirit that there would be more than one who would hear this message.
The reason the watchman said yes to speak even when there might not be one audience was that he believed that something would happen in the spiritual realm. The Holy Spirit braodcasted the urgency to pray for this group of "Nineveh" people and he was one of those who heard the broadcast in the spirit. He chose to obey in view of verse 4:11 in the Book of Jonah.

Ten days after his unusual sharing, he read the news about the Turkish earthquake.
He now quoted some of them as follows:
"The 2011 Van earthquake was a destructive magnitude 7.2 Mw earthquake that struck eastern Turkey near the predominantly Kurdish city of Van on Sunday, 23 October 2011 at 13:41 local time. It occurred at a shallow depth of 20 km (12.4 mi), causing heavy shaking across much of eastern Turkey and being felt across much of the Near East. Extensive areas sustained heavy damage to their structures, and as many as 1,000 people were feared dead." (excerpt from Wikipedia)
Later, on 26th, he read this latest news, "Earlier on Tuesday, Turkish officials said the death toll has reached 459, adding that 1,352 people were injured in Sunday’s quake." "A 14-day-old infant has miraculously survived 46 hours trapped in debris after the 7.2 Earthquake has shaken Van in eastern Turkey. Latest News report that the missing mother of the bab Azra has also been found.."

An earlier news on 25th: "Van /NationalTurk – Turkish rescue teams pulled an 14 day young infant, a newborn out of a collapsed building, as rescuers hopes of finding more survivors alive were fading. The news comes after a nine-year-old girl was rescued after spending over 30 hours under the rubble. And prior to that Mesut Ozan Yilmaz, 18, was found, 32 hours after the tea house he had been drinking in with friends collapsed on top of him. He walked out miraculously with only few minor scratches. “It was like the judgment day,” he said, explaining the horror he just survived."

Reading rescue stories has warmed one's heart. the number dead is not as earlier predicted by the officials afterall. He prayed that many more miracles would happen. His regret was he did not manage to reach many more intercessors. What saddened him was some had even slept through his presentation. He repented for his lack of forcefulness when sharing this urgent message (also not knowing that it was a SOS message he heard!)

Whilst the watchman does not know the number of global intercessors/watchmen had heard the broadcast in the spiritual realm and responded by prayers and intercessions, he believed that what mattered was the faithfulness of the Lord and His words never returned void even if only one man was interceding.
It is indeed a rewarding job to be 'working' for the Almighty God who loves and wants all peoples to repent and turn back to Him and be saved. His mercy, lovingkindness and grace (undeserved favor) is limitless!
John 3:16 "For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. "
 O watchman, watch (and hear the Holy Spirit global broadcast) and pray faithfully!

THE FASTING GOD WANTS (OT)

FASTING AS DESCRIBED IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

FASTING IS LINKED TO REPENTANCE

1 Samuel 7:6 So they gathered together at Mizpah, drew water, and poured it out before the LORD. And they fasted that day, and said there, “We have sinned against the LORD.” And Samuel judged the children ofIsrael at Mizpah.

Joel 2:12 [ A Call to Repentance ] “ Now, therefore,” says the LORD, “ Turn to Me with all your heart, With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.”

Joel 2:15 Blow the trumpet in Zion, Consecrate a fast, Call a sacred assembly;

Jonah 3:5 [ The People of Nineveh Believe ] So the people of Nineveh believed God, proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least of them.

Zechariah 7:1 [ Obedience Better than Fasting ] Now in the fourth year of King Darius it came to pass that the word of the LORD came to Zechariah, on the fourth day of the ninth month, Chislev,

Zechariah 7:3 and to ask the priests who were in the house of the LORD of hosts, and the prophets, saying, “Should I weep in the fifth month and fast as I have done for so many years?”

Zechariah 7:5 “Say to all the people of the land, and to the priests: ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months during those seventy years, did you really fast for Me—for Me?

FASTING IS LINKED TO MOURNING

1 Samuel 31:13 Then they took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree at Jabesh, and fasted seven days. 2 Samuel 1:12 And they mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and for Jonathan his son, for the people of the LORD and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.

A KING’S PLEADING WITH GOD (personal sin) 2 Samuel 12:16 [ The Death of David’s Son ] And the LORD struck the child that Uriah’s wife bore to David, and it became ill. David therefore pleaded with God for the child, and David fasted and went in and lay all night on the ground.2 Samuel 12:21-23 Then his servants said to him, “What is this that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while he was alive, but when the child died, you arose and ate food.” And he said, “While the child was alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, ‘Who can tell whether the LORD will be gracious to me, that the child may live?’ But now he is dead; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.”

A QUEEN PLOTTING EVIL 1 Kings 21:9 She wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim a fast, and seat Naboth with high honor among the people; 1 Kings 21:12 They proclaimed a fast, and seated Naboth with high honor among the people.

A KING HUMBLED BEFORE GOD (when condemned for his sin)1 Kings 21:27 So it was, when Ahab heard those words, that he tore his clothes and put sackcloth on his body, and fasted and lay in sackcloth, and went about mourning.

A KING PLEADED BEFORE GOD (when faced with enemy attack) 2 Chronicles 20:3 And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.

PREPARATION FOR A SACRED JOURNEY Ezra 8:21 [ Fasting and Prayer for Protection ] Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river of Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from Him the right way for us and our little ones and all our possessions. Ezra 8:23 So we fasted and entreated our God for this, and He answered our prayer.

REPENTANCE AND INTERCESSION (for nation and people)

Ezra 9:5 At the evening sacrifice I arose from my fasting; and having torn my garment and my robe, I fell on my knees and spread out my hands to the LORD my God.

Nehemiah 1:4 So it was, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned for many days; I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven.

Nehemiah 9:1 [ The People Confess Their Sins ] Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, in sackcloth, and with dust on their heads.

Esther 4:3 And in every province where the king’s command and decree arrived, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.

Esther 4:16 “Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me; neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast likewise. And so I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish!”

INTERCESSION & SUPPLICATION BEFORE GOD

Psalm 35:13 But as for me, when they were sick, My clothing was sackcloth; I humbled myself with fasting; And my prayer would return to my own heart.

Psalm 69:10 When I wept and chastened my soul with fasting, That became my reproach.

Psalm 109:24 My knees are weak through fasting, And my flesh is feeble from lack of fatness.

WHAT GOD DOES NOT WANT FROM FASTING:

GOD DOES NOT WANT EXTERNAL PHYSICAL SHOW (whilst continuing to sin); GOD DOES NOT WANT FASTING WHICH IS SELF-CENTRED WITHOUT TRUE REVERANT FEAR OF GOD AND OBEDIENCE TO GOD’S WORD:

Isaiah 58:3 ‘ Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and You have not seen? Why have we afflicted our souls, and You take no notice?’ “ In fact, in the day of your fast you find pleasure, And exploit all your laborers. Isaiah 58:5 Is it a fast that I have chosen, A day for a man to afflict his soul? Is it to bow down his head like a bulrush, And to spread out sackcloth and ashes? Would you call this a fast, And an acceptable day to the LORD? Jeremiah 14:12 When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt offering and grain offering, I will not accept them. But I will consume them by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence.”

Isaiah 58:4 Indeed you fast for strife and debate, And to strike with the fist of wickedness. You will not fast as you do this day, To make your voice heard on high.

WHAT GOD REALLY WANTS FROM FASTING: BREKING BONDAGES

Isaiah 58:6 “ Is this not the fast that I have chosen: To loose the bonds of wickedness, To undo the heavy burdens, To let the oppressed go free, And that you break every yoke?

PROCLAIMING GOD’S WORD
Jeremiah 36:6 You go, therefore, and read from the scroll which you have written at my instruction, the words of the LORD, in the hearing of the people in the LORD’s house on the day of fasting. And you shall also read them in the hearing of all Judah who come from their cities.

EVEN AN ALIEN KING FASTS BEFORE GOD TO PLEAD FOR HIS PEOPLE (DANIEL)

Daniel 6:18 [ Daniel Saved from the Lions ] Now the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; and no musicians were brought before him. Also his sleep went from him.

INTERCESSOR FASTS AND INTERCEDES FOR NATION

Daniel 9:3 Then I set my face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.

Joel 1:14 Consecrate a fast, Call a sacred assembly; Gather the elders And all the inhabitants of the land Into the house of the LORD your God, And cry out to the LORD.

APPOINTED TIME & PURPOSE FOR FASTING MUST BE FOLLOWED (Today, this means fast as led by the Holy Spirit and the word of God)

Esther 9:31 to confirm these days of Purim at their appointed time, as Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther had prescribed for them, and as they had decreed for themselves and their descendants concerning matters of their fasting and lamenting.
Zechariah 8:19

“Thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘ The fast of the fourth month, The fast of the fifth, The fast of the seventh, And the fast of the tenth, Shall be joy and gladness and cheerful feasts For the house of Judah. Therefore love truth and peace.’

watchman’s adventure: 2011 Yom Kippur (1)

The watchman is half way through Yom Kippur. His last meal was 18 and half hour ago. He was still holding well in terms of energy. His last drink of water was 14 hours ago. He felt the discomfort in the mouth but it was still bearable. His last coffee intake was 30 hours ago and the abstinence makes him suffer physically. Lesson learned: Beware of coffee addiction! Take heed of good advice and cut coffee!

Here is a summary of what he has done so far during the first half of the day of atonement:

1. He has his pre-fast main meal early. The meal was mainly pasta with cheese, chicken meat, brocoli, potato and a chicken bone soup with onion and celery. He forgot to ask for less salt so he suffered a bit from having a higher level of sodium for his body to handle during the fasting.

2. At the start of Yom Kippur (following Jerusalem time), he gathered together with a group of Christians in worship, prayers and reading the word of God for three hours.

3. After the three hours of gathering, he and another believer were assigned the time slot of two hours to pray and intercede for Israel, reading the word of God too.

4. After that he drove home and had about 4 hours sleep and got up. The throat was uncomfortable as he was still having symptoms of a ‘cold’ which manifested just a few days ago. But he continued by faith and gurgled his mouth regularly with plain water. The withdrawal from caffeine was worse and he had to battle against his throbbing forehead.

5. He started to pray and read the word of God. He was led to read Malachi. He was led to repent for Christian churches and Christian parents instead of Israel. Why? Here are the verses that convicted his spirit as he started to stand in the gap as a watchman intercessor:

Malachi 1 Unworthy Sacrifices

6The Lord of Heaven’s Armies says to the priests: “A son honors his father, and a servant respects his master. If I am your father and master, where are the honor and respect I deserve? You have shown contempt for my name!

“But you ask, ‘How have we ever shown contempt for your name?’
7“You have shown contempt by offering defiled sacrifices on my altar.
“Then you ask, ‘How have we defiled the sacrifices?[c]’
“You defile them by saying the altar of the Lord deserves no respect. 8When you give blind animals as sacrifices, isn’t that wrong? And isn’t it wrong to offer animals that are crippled and diseased? Try giving gifts like that to your governor, and see how pleased he is!” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

9“Go ahead, beg God to be merciful to you! But when you bring that kind of offering, why should he show you any favor at all?” asks the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

10 “How I wish one of you would shut the Temple doors so that these worthless sacrifices could not be offered! I am not pleased with you,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “and I will not accept your offerings. 11 But my name is honored[d] by people of other nations from morning till night. All around the world they offer[e]sweet incense and pure offerings in honor of my name. For my name is great among the nations,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

12 “But you dishonor my name with your actions. By bringing contemptible food, you are saying it’s all right to defile the Lord’s table. 13You say, ‘It’s too hard to serve the Lord,’ and you turn up your noses at my commands,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. “Think of it! Animals that are stolen and crippled and sick are being presented as offerings! Should I accept from you such offerings as these?” asks the Lord.

14 “Cursed is the cheat who promises to give a fine ram from his flock but then sacrifices a defective one to the Lord. For I am a great king,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “and my name is feared among the nations!
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Watchman’s comments:
The Lord is not just talking about offering material things here. God is Spirit. He is looking for worshippers who worship in spirit and in truth. He is looking for prayers and intercessions which will be gathered as sweet incense in heaven. He is looking for royal priests and holy nation, a special people for His kingdom. He demands spiritual quality and in exact specification according to His heavenly pattern, as given in His Word – the plumb-line of God.

Action: Let us search our hearts and see if we are quality offerings ourselves. Is my life a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, in accordance to the perfect will of God? Romans 12:1-2

watchman’s adventure: A day before Yom Kippur

The watchman has decided to keep Yom Kippur – day of atonement (full fast of food and water for 25 hours from Sundown to Sundown following Jerusalem’s time) this year. He has prepared his heart and spirit for the past two weeks and now the day will arrive soon. On this eve he carries out the following:

1. Set goal for the day of fast and repentance, as a watchman standing in the gap. His Goal: to seek God and intercede for Israel before God.

2. Ask and listen to the Holy Spirit on how to spend the next day. Activities: Fast, repent, read and proclaim God’s words.

3. Prepare himself in his body: He has two main meals to stock up on protein, carb., fibre and plenty of water. (During the previous year’s Yom Kippur, he had a hard time when he fasted water as well as food. Fasting water was very tough for him!)

4. Prepare himself in his soul and spirit: He rests before the Lord, reads the word of God, prays, and receives guidance from the Holy Spirit. Aligning himself with the Lord prepares him to enter the spiritual realm the following day.

Some of the Bible books and chapters he will read and proclaim as led by the Holy Spirit on the following day are as follows:
whole book of Hebrews ; whole book of Matthews; psalm 141-150 ; Isaiah 42-66 ; Ezekiel 33-48; Micah; parts of Jeremiah; Lamentations.

Why does he want to do the Yom Kippur observation? He asks. The answer is he believes the calling and choosing of Christians is linked to that of the returning of the elect (the Israelite people) to God as prophesied in the Bible. He has firm conviction in his spirit that the time is near and all Christians watchmen should arise and stand now for the fulfilment of the word of God.

O watchman, “Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.” (Luke 21:36)
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Zechariah 4:14 (NKJV)

14 So he said, “These are the two anointed ones, who stand beside the Lord of the whole earth.” (Both the Jews and the Gentiles Christians)

End Times Witnessing: Peace is the weapon to overcome fear today!

FEAR cripples people’s lives: Hebrews 2:15 (NKJV) 15 and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. People are afraid of many things, such as: People are afraid of many things, such as: fear of death, loss of security, loss of loved ones, pain and suffering, being oppressed and harmed, subject to shame and humiliations, being robbed of what we treasure in life, having our life long dreams being crushed and destroyed, and many more. The most fearful words are, however, death and losses.

Overcome fear with the power of peace of Jesus!

John 20:19 That Sunday evening the disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them! “Peace be with you,” he said.

John 14:26-28 (NLT) 26 But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.

27 “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.

The power of Jesus’ presence

John 6:19-21 (NLT) 19 They had rowed three or four miles[a] when suddenly they saw Jesus walking on the water toward the boat. They were terrified, 20 but he called out to them, “Don’t be afraid. I am here!” 21 Then they were eager to let him in the boat, and immediately they arrived at their destination!

John 12:14-16 (NLT) 14 Jesus found a young donkey and rode on it, fulfilling the prophecy that said: 15 “Don’t be afraid, people of Jerusalem.[a] Look, your King is coming,

riding on a donkey’s colt.”

Luke 12:31-33 (NLT) 31 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need. 32 “So don’t be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom.

What do they fear of: enemy’s threat, life & death issue, in awe, do not experience God’s love

Matthew 10:26 “But don’t be afraid of those who threaten you. For the time is coming when everything that is covered will be revealed, and all that is secret will be made known to all.

Matthew 10:28 “Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

Acts 19:17 Seven sons of Sceva case 17 This became known both to all Jews and Greeks dwelling in Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.

Acts 2:43 A deep sense of awe 43 Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.

1 John 4:18 (NKJV) 18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. (NLT: because perfect love expels all fear ;not fully experienced his perfect love.)

The power of your position with God

Matthew 10:31 So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.

The power of faith

Matthew 8:25-27 (NLT) 25 The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” 26 Jesus responded, “Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!”

Mark 4:39-41 (NLT) 39 When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. 40 Then he asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

Mark 5:35-41 35, messengers told him, “Your daughter is dead. 36 But Jesus overheard and said, “Don’t be afraid. Just have faith.” (she was raised to life!)

People fear supernatural signs and miracles! (do not know spiritual reality of God)

Mark 5:13-17 13 So Jesus gave them permission. The evil spirits came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the entire herd of 2,000 pigs plunged down the steep hillside into the lake and drowned in the water. 14. People rushed out to see …and they were all afraid. 17 And the crowd began pleading with Jesus to go away and leave them alone.

Matthew 14:26-28 (NLT) 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, “It’s a ghost!” 27 But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!”

Matthew 17 The Transfiguration 2 As .. watched, Jesus’ appearance was transformed ..5, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy. Listen to him.” 6 The disciples were terrified and fell face down. 7 Then Jesus came over and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.”

Luke5: 8 When Simon Peter realized, he fell to his knees before Jesus 10 His partners, were also amazed. Jesus replied, “Don’t be afraid! From now on you’ll be fishing for people!”

The Holy Spirit –advocate, truth weapon, presence of God, peace of Jesus

We have a different Spirit: 2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV) 7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

John 14:15-17; 22-31 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate,[e] who will never leave you. 17 He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth.

23 Jesus replied, “All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them.

26 But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.

27 “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid. 28 Remember what I told you: I am going away, but I will come back to you again.

30 “I don’t have much more time to talk to you, because the ruler of this world approaches. He has no power over me,

Fear, dread, terror (phobos: flight)

Hebrews 2:15 (NKJV) 15 and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

Don’t behave the way the world do -fear of external events/threats (beware of the spirits)

Isaiah 8:12 (NLT) 12 “Don’t call everything a conspiracy, like they do, and don’t live in dread of what frightens them.

Wholly Saved: Blessed Assurance Indeed!

Last morning when the watchman attended a morning prayer, he was led in the spirit to ask that the hymn of “Blessed Assurance” be sung to one sister there. The sister was terminally ill. She initially did not want to come out from her rest room to attend the worship, but changed her mind when another sister went in and encouraged her to at least join in the worship. The hymn was duly sung and the lyrics shown to her. He was also led to select another song which sang what Jesus has proclaimed in Matt11:28 “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

(Lyrics: ” All you who labor and are heavy laden, Yeshua says, Come to Me, Do not fear, do not fear, come to Me, and I will give you rest. He is God, wholly loves you, He will never forsake you. He is God, truly loves you, He wants to give you rest.”)

A day later he was told that she had passed away. When he read the following hymn and the above lyrics again, he realized that the Lord had indeed foretold her He would receive her home to Him and rest in Him. He heard later that she had earlier uttered to another sister that she did not want to die in hell. So she had chosen to come to the House of God!

On one previous occasion he saw her he was led in his spirit to ask her to forgive her youngest son (even though he did not know her or her family at all) and she burst into tears and did as told by the Spirit. Then he knew she had a breakthrough in her spiritual (and soul )reconciliation with God and with her loved ones and others. He encouraged her to spend more time to give thanks and praises to God after that.

How merciful and awesome our God is!

(A pastor who has the gift of word of knowledge once prophecy one word “Reconciliation” to the watchman. Both wondered what it meant. It seems clearer now -like he being a spiritual messenger for reconciliation before it is too late.)

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Blessed AssuranceText: Fanny J. Crosby, 1820-1915
Music: Phoebe P. Knapp, 1839-1908
Tune: ASSURANCE, Meter: 9 10.9 9 with Refrain

http://library.timelesstruths.org/library/music/B/Blessed_Assurance/Blessed_Assurance.mid

1. Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
O what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
born of his Spirit, washed in his blood.

Refrain:
This is my story, this is my song,
praising my Savior all the day long;
this is my story, this is my song,
praising my Savior all the day long.

2. Perfect submission, perfect delight,
visions of rapture now burst on my sight;
angels descending bring from above
echoes of mercy, whispers of love.
(Refrain)

3. Perfect submission, all is at rest;
I in my Savior am happy and blest,
watching and waiting, looking above,
filled with his goodness, lost in his love.
(Refrain)

End Times Witnessing: The Holy Spirit conducted today’s Sunday School for the watchman

Early on Sunday morning, around 1:35am the watchman went to pick up someone returning from a Jesus Heal Rally. By the time he got home it was 2:30am and he could not sleep. So he decided to stay up and pray and seek the Lord’s guidance about the day’s class in the afternoon.

He was led to read Joshua 5:2-15 on the Lord’s instructions to Joshua to prepare to lead the Israelites second generation who grew up in the wilderness into the promised land. The preparation was in the following three steps:

1. Joshua was asked to circumcise the entire male population, as a covenant reestablishment ceremony. The watchman was drawn to this verse after they have obeyed, “Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the shame of your slavery in Egypt.” (5:9) In the New Testament, Jesus came and took away the shame and bondages of His believers and led them (us) from the kingdom of darkness (Satan’s kingdom) into the kingdom of light (the kingdom of God). Prior to this privilege, one has to repent. The believers of Jesus have to repent first before they receive the kingdom citizenship. (The requirement and power of repentance has been written in the watchman’s previous blogs)

2. The second step was celebrating Passover. The first Passover (Exodus 12:23) was carried out on their last night in bondage under the Egyptians. When the angel of death saw the blood of the lamb on the top and sides of the doorframe of the Israelite homes, he would pass over their homes. In the New Testament, Jesus had shed His blood on the cross for the remission of the sins of many, and He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. When He instituted the Holy Communion for His disciples, He pronounced this over the wine: “This is my blood for the new covenant, which is shed for many, for the remission of sins.”

3. The third step was Joshua’s encounter with the Lord (Jesus), the Commander of the Lord’s Armies. Joshua immediately fell with his face to the ground in reverence and worshipped Him, waiting for the Lord’s instructions. For Christians this is the worship in truth and in Spirit.

The watchman was then led to read the famous Fall of Jericho in Chapter Six. He was asked by the Lord to read all the details of the Lord’s instructions requiring Joshua to lead his people to march round the fortified city of Jericho, and he noted the number of days and times they marched round, those (priests, armed men, and people) who marched, their order of marching, what they carried and did (e.g. the priests marching in the presence of the Lord, blowing the ram horns as they marched, with the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant followed behind, some armed men marched in front of the Ark and some behind). the people were required to shout on the seventh day, seventh round when they heard the long blast of horns and when Joshua commanded, “Shout! For the Lord has given you the town!” When Joshua and his people obeyed, indeed Jericho walls collapsed, and the Israelites charged straight into the town and captured it. (6:20) “They completely destroyed everything in it with their swords.” (6:21)

After reading this and praying for sometime he went to bed. When he woke he took Holy Communion and was led to read Peter’s account in Acts 11:9 “Do not call anything unclean if God has made it clean.” 11:17 “And since God gave these Gentiles the same gift He gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to stand in God’s way?” 11:18 “We can see that God has also given the Gentiles the privilege of repenting of their sins and receiving eternal life.” The verses prompted him to repent for himself and his family for not being sensitive to the Lord’s heart to save all. Jesus’ blood was shed for many for the forgiveness of sins.

When he reached the church an intercessor leader suddenly requested a sister to lead the congregation to repent. However, when the worship leader came in he did not know this and he went ahead and started the worship. He sang in the Spirit and then led one song. Before the Holy Communion he asked the watchman to pray the opening prayer. the watchman had earlier received in his spirit that the day’s worship is to reveal the Father’s heart. The sister who was supposed to lead the repentance prayer nudged him and whispered, “Repentance!” He obeyed and started with words of repentance and subsequent words just gushed out like never before. He heard amens. He remembered what he read earlier in Acts. He saw the Father’s heart unfolding His love for many, indeed, the lost multitudes out there, outside the walls of the churches, and the living dead in churches. He also prayed from Ephesians 4:3-5, using words like “one body, one Spirit, one Lord, one baptism, one God and Father”.

After the opening prayer, they had Holy Communion. The sister who interpreted the leader’s English words omitted important words like ‘Blood”, “Jesus”, ‘Cross”. The watchman had to interrupt and cried out the correct words which he believed were all crucial for the majority of the congregation who do not understand English to partake the Holy Communion correctly. He did not have time for decorum at that moment. There was an urgency in his spirit and he knew something important was going to happen.

When they resumed worship the leader led them to sing a song of marching. “We are marhcing in the light of God”. A number of the congregation were carrying big flags and most others carried small flags. One sister came and asked him whether they should march round and he said yes. So they started marching with their ram horns and flags, urging the rest of the congregation to join them. As the congregation sang and marched round, ram horns were being blown. Then the song leader led the song “Shout for joy, God’s people…for the Lord has given this land to you”. So the congregation marched, blew ram horns and shouted at the point when the song leader sang “Shout for Joy!”

Later, at the afternoon class, as the watchman shared with the participants how he was led to read Joshua chapters 5-6 early in the morning, he put all the pieces together and realized in amazement that the Lord had actually let him see the whole worship event through Joshua 5-6 about 7-8 hours before it happened. In fact the following worship sequence today was exactly as what was written in the two chapters!

1. Repentance Prayer (the act of circumcision at Gilgal)

2. Holy Communion- the body and blood of Jesus (the taking of the Passover Lamb)

3. Worship in Spirit and in Truth (Joshua’s Encounter with the Lord -the Commander of the Lord’s Armies- and his worshipful prostrating himself before the Lord)

4. Marching songs sung and actual marching procession with ram horns, flags and shouting by the congregation (Jericho march).

It was indeed awesome. In answer to his early morning prayer on how to conduct his class and what to teach today, the Lord has used the worship service to demonstrate to him how a class should be taught. First he was shown the Bible truth. Then he witnessed the practical application. He has to admit later that only the Holy Spirit could mobilize the leaders and the congregation to flow exactly according to the Word of God that morning!

For the first time since many months ago, there was a breakthrough in today’s afternoon class. In the sleepiest hours after lunch, the eyes of the participants were wide open and the participative and interactive learning was led by the Lord’s Spirit. Afterall, the walls in each individual’s heart had already been pulled down that morning during the march!

Sunday, July 31, 2011