Gen. Patton on Prayer

"There are three ways that men get what they want; by planning, by working, and by praying. Any great military operation takes careful planning or thinking. Then you must have well-trained troops to carry it out: that's the working. But between the plan and the operation, there is always an unknown. That unknown spells defeat or victory, success or failure. It is the reaction of the actors to the ordeal when it actually comes. Some people call that getting the breaks; I call it God. God has His part or margin in everything; that's where prayer comes in."

~ George S. Patton

Year of the Open Door

 

As He Was Flying Through the Air

 

The Secret to Releasing God's Power

From Dutch Sheets:

“For nothing will be impossible with God.” (Luke 1:37 NASB)

“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let’s hold firmly to our confession.” (Hebrews 4:14 NASB)

“Let’s hold firmly to the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.” (Hebrews 10:23 NASB)

Today, I want to encourage you as you pray - for prodigals, unsaved individuals, the miracle you need, even the saving of America. And since people are already thinking about Christmas, I thought I’d do so with a passage that has to do with the birth of Christ.

Luke 1:37, shown above, was the angel's response to Mary‘s question of how she, as a virgin, could possibly have a baby. The angel told her Holy Spirit would overshadow her and impregnate her with Christ. (v. 35) He then mentioned Elizabeth being pregnant with John the Baptist. (v. 36) Then he made the powerful statement in verse 37, “With God, nothing is impossible.”

A more literal and accurate translation of this verse is, “For no word spoken by God is without power.” Just let that sink in. The angel was saying, “The words I’m speaking to you are God’s words. Therefore, they have the power to perform this miracle. No word spoken by Him is without power.” What a statement.

Whether it be an angel speaking God’s words, as it was here, a prophet (Isaiah 55:11), or an intercessor walking and talking with God, no word God has spoken is without power. This is why I often put Scripture references in the prayers at the end of the posts, as I did yesterday. I want you to know which verses the prayer is based on so you can be confident in its power, and also to equip you as you continue praying and declaring God’s Words. There is no more powerful prayer, or weapon against satan, than speaking God’s Word. As you pray for your prodigal, speak the Word. Use verses Holy Spirit gives you personally, of course; you can begin by using the references I gave in yesterday’s prayer.

The other two verses above (Hebrews 4:14 and 10:23) encourage us to hold firmly to our “confession” of faith. Confession is the Greek word homologia, which simply means to “say the same.”(1) “Confessing” our faith in God is “saying what He says” - literally. This is how our faith is released: by saying what God says. This is how His power is released from us: by saying what God says, which is never without power. Don’t overcomplicate it; just say what God says. Say what He says about salvation. Say what He says about overcoming demonic strongholds. Say what He says about your needs being met. Say what He says about your body. Say what He says about our nation.

Say what God says!

Both of these two verses in Hebrews also tell us to “hold firmly” to “saying what He says.” (The KJV uses the phrase “hold fast.”) Each verse uses a different word, however, when telling us to hold firmly to what God says. The first verse  (Hebrews 4:14) uses krateo; (2) the other (10:23) uses katecho.(3)Though they sound similar, these are completely different words. The first (krateo) is from a word meaning strength or might; this is telling us that regardless of how much effort it requires, we must be determined to keep saying what God says. Why? Because no word He has spoken is without power!

“Holding firm” in the second verse (katecho) is from a word simply meaning “to hold” something. This form of the word, however, adds intensity to the meaning: don’t let go! Hold on! Don’t let go of saying what God says. Grab His word, say it, say it again, and keep on saying it!

By using both of these words, Holy Spirit is telling us: “Hold on, keep on holding on; hold on with all of your might and strength to what God says!” Why? Because no words spoken by God are without power!!! When you say what He says, you are releasing His power!

The verse in Hebrews 4:14 actually occurs in the context of prayer. Two verses later (v.16), we are told to come boldly to the throne of grace, where we will receive mercy and grace in our times of need. So, “As you pray,” God is saying, “hold on to saying what I say - with all your might and strength - which will release the power of My Words and promises.

And finally, Hebrews 10:23 above tells us to do this “without wavering.” This is a figurative use of the Greek word aklines,(4) which literally means “not leaning.” The concept of the root word, klino,(5) is “to slant, slope, or lean.” The prefix “a" in Greek makes it a negative - “without leaning” or “don’t lean.” The point is: stand upright! Be firm! Don’t let anything knock you off balance! If you’re leaning, you won’t be able to stay on target as you press toward the finish line. You will get off course; you’ll waver. Hold on to what God says; keep saying it, and this will keep you on course. . . WHILE IT RELEASES HIS POWER!

Take some time and look up verses that relate to the issue for which you are praying, whether that be a prodigal or a nation. Holy Spirit will lead you to various verses. Perhaps even get a friend or two to do the same, then combine your lists and the insights He gives. Then begin saying them. Declare them over your situation/s daily. This will release the awesome power of God.

For today’s prayer, let’s do something different. Use the verses I shared in yesterday’s prayer and declare what God leads you to decree from them. Here they are once again:

Pray with me:

“And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.” (2 Corinthians 4:3-6 NASB)

“But when he [the prodigal son] came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have more than enough bread, but I am dying here with hunger!” (Luke 15:17 NASB)

“For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son.” (Colossians 1:13 NASB)

“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:3-5 NASB)

“Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.” (Matthew 9:38 NASB)

“The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9 NASB)

Our decree:

No word spoken by God is without power!

_____________________________

1. James Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990), reference no. 3671.
2. Ibid., ref. no. 2902.
3. Ibid., ref. no. 2722.
4. Ibid., ref. no. 186.
5. Ibid., ref. no. 2827.

Copyright © 2023 Dutch Sheets Ministries, All rights reserved.

The Game-Changer

"Just as in the physical realm less power is needed to light a flashlight than a building, or a building as opposed to a city, the same dynamic is true in the spirit realm. Different amounts of God’s power are needed to accomplish different things. It requires more power to raise the dead than to heal a headache!"

How to Make Your Prayer Work: "There is More"

 From Dutch Sheets:

An increasing number of believers understand that prayer involves more than simply asking or petitioning God. Making requests of Him is certainly one aspect of prayer: the Lord’s Prayer tells us to “ask for daily bread, the forgiveness of our trespasses, and deliverance from evil” (Matthew 6:11-12), and James said at times we “have not because we ask not” (James 4:2).

But there is more. And the “more” is vitally important. Whether or not we receive the blessings Christ provided, as well as the needed breakthroughs against evil, is determined by more than just our asking and God’s willingness to answer. Because this isn’t understood, people often form wrong assumptions about prayer, and about God. For example, when their prayers go unanswered, many people automatically assume God simply chose not to do so; what they requested must not have been His will. Others assume they must not have enough faith, which is terribly demoralizing and robs them of future motivation. Some believe they haven’t asked God often enough, “importuning” or persisting with God in their praying, as they believe Luke 11:8 teaches. Still others conclude that prayer is simply a futile, religious exercise - God will do what He wants, regardless of whether or not we pray. These are tragic outcomes that hinder our lives, as well as Christ’s cause.

Prayer for peoples’ salvation is far too important to allow our past failures, disappointments, and lack of knowledge to hinder the process; under no circumstances should we grow discouraged and give up. We must grow in our understanding of the “more.” That is what this and the next 2-3 days of posts are about. Today, we’ll look at the fact that our prayers do more than just motivate God to act; they release Holy Spirit’s power to break through!

The Substance of Prayer

Gordon Lindsay, a great man of prayer and the founder of Christ for the Nations, often taught about what he called the “substance” of prayer.(1)The concept is that our prayers do more than simply move God to action; they actually release the power of Holy Spirit from us to accomplish things. Certain types of praying would, of course, do this more than others. For example, praying in the Spirit releases great power. When spiritual opposition is involved, speaking the Word of God becomes a powerful weapon, a spiritual sword, against those powers (see Ephesians 6:17). Spirit-led declarations or commands release the power of Holy Spirit (see Matthew 16:18-19; 17:20; Mark 11:23). The laying on of hands is another scriptural method of imparting power (see Mark 16:18; Hebrews 6:2).

That there is actual power in us, in the person of Holy Spirit, which He desires to release from us, is undeniable truth (Acts 1:8). The power of God that produces life, healing, and wholeness resides in and flows out from us, the church, not just from God’s heavenly throne. He is now also enthroned in our hearts - we are the temple of Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:16 and 6:19). The word translated as temple (naos) in these two verses, was used to refer to “the holy of holies.”(2) We are now the holy of holies, the dwelling place of God and His glory on the earth. When He releases His power into situations, it doesn’t flow only from heaven; it flows from Holy Spirit here on earth, who dwells in us. Whether it be through speaking, touching, laying hands on the sick, decreeing and declaring, praying, or worshipping, God’s power is released on earth through human vessels.

A symbolic picture of this is given in John 7:38, where Jesus said, “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water.’” The innermost being, (or as the KJV says, “belly”) is the word Greek koilia, which literally means “womb.” Translating the verse literally, we would say, “From his womb shall flow rivers of living water.” The word “womb,” of course, speaks of reproduction, of birthing - the bringing forth of life.(3)

After this announcement, verse 39 goes on to say, “But this He spoke of the Spirit.” Of course! The river Christ spoke of as flowing from us is the Spirit of God. He is the source; we are His conduits. Holy Spirit doesn’t lay hands on the sick - we do (see Mark 16:18). As we do so, He, from within us, releases His river of power and life to flow into that person.

We Are the Voice of God

Not only are we Christ’s womb, we’re His mouth. When the Spirit of God wants to release power against His enemies, He uses us to wield “the sword of the Spirit” - the spoken word of God (see Ephesians 6:17). God doesn’t release the decree from heaven, but from His people - up from our spirits, out of our mouths. As we do so, this releases God’s power! Incredibly, we have become the mouthpiece, the voice of God from which His power and life flow.

At the time when God was teaching me this in the mid-80s, I had 45 warts on my hands. Some were quite large and had eaten into my fingernails and cuticles on three fingers, completely replacing them. They had been spreading/multiplying on my hands for 7-8 years. Doctors told me they didn’t want to burn or freeze them off, for fear of mutilating my hands, nails, and cuticles.

Many people prayed for me, with no results. I was in numerous services where “gifts of healing” and “workings of miracles” (1 Corinthians 12:9-10) were occurring, with many people healed - but never me. Finally, Holy Spirit spoke to me very clearly, “Though some are healed through the gifts of My Spirit, others are through the prayers of the elders (James 5:14), and still others through the prayer of agreement (Matthew 18:19) - I will not heal you through any of these methods. You will have to do what I’ve been teaching you - speak My Word over your hands every day (Mark 11:23), numerous times each day, releasing My power to them until the healing comes.”

I determined to obey. Six or seven times each day, maybe more, I spoke God’s Word - which is alive and powerful (Hebrews 4:12) - over my hands, using several Scriptures promising healing and breakthrough. Though I saw no change for two weeks, as God’s power was released and accumulated, the work it was doing became visible - the warts began to shrink. Daily, I watched them become smaller and smaller, and my fingernails and cuticles began re-growing. Once this process began, it took a total of two more weeks for all of the warts to disappear and new nails and cuticles to grow. The entire process took a month.

Although it was most definitely God’s power that dissolved the warts and gave me new skin, nails, and cuticles (with no scars), He did not release it. I had to do so. Christ provided the healing provision, Holy Spirit supplied the power and strategy . . . but I had to release that power and provision by declaring God’s Word.

We must do the same for the lost, releasing Holy Spirit’s power to break strongholds, addictions, and deceptions in prodigals and unbelievers. We petition our Father, but we war against satan and his strongholds. I leave you today with 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (TLB):

“It is true that I am an ordinary, weak human being, but I don’t use human plans and methods to win my battles. I use God’s mighty weapons, not those made by men, to knock down the devil’s strongholds. These weapons can break down every proud argument against God and every wall that can be built to keep men from finding Him. With these weapons, I can capture rebels and bring them back to God and change them into men whose hearts’ desire is obedience to Christ.”

Tomorrow, we will talk about why, in most situations, the release of this power cannot simply be a one-time prayer.

Pray with me:

Father, we have not fully understood Your amazing power in us. Therefore, we have been impotent in our prayers, asking You to do what You have told us to do. Our ignorance has been costly. But we are awakening to our authority in Christ, and to His river of life - Holy Spirit - that is intended to flow from us.

We ask You to increase our understanding of this even more, as well as multiply the number of those receiving this revelation. Teach us how to more effectively release Your power to those who need it, releasing the flow of Your life into situations where spiritual death is operating. Bring greater boldness to the church and heal people from hope deferred, in order that they may persevere in their intercession. So many have given up.

Father, we ask You to pour out Your Spirit in this nation. And we decree the release of Your great river - flowing from Christ, via Holy Spirit, via the church, and into our world. We declare over our prodigals: Kingdom, come! Will of God, be done! Dry bones, you will live! Addictions, we break your hold! Deception, we release the light of truth to replace and overcome you! Demonic control, we break your control over our family members!

And Father, as we pray and release Your power, we ask You to bring the greatest awakening America and the world have ever experienced. Send revival to our churches, and from there into the nation/s. Transform them. Let Your great river flow into the Middle East. Dethrone the Prince of Persia; we bind his influence in Jesus’ name. Release Your river into all the nations! We agree in our prayers for this, in Christ’s holy name. Amen.

Our decree:

We release the power of Holy Spirit over our prodigals and every city and neighborhood in our nation, in the powerful name of Jesus!

Portions of today’s post were taken from my book Intercessory Prayer, published by Baker Books.

___________________________________

1. Gordon Lindsay, Prayer That Moves Mountains (Dallas, TX: Christ for the Nations Inc., revised 1994), p. 43.
2. Joseph Henry Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1977), p. 422.
3. James Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990), ref. no. 2836.

Copyright © 2023 Dutch Sheets Ministries, All rights reserved.

Boundaries of Protection

 From Dutch Sheets Ministries:

We have heard many words of encouragement lately telling us not to fear the shaking that has begun. These words simply echo what God says hundreds of times, in several different ways, in His Word: “Fear not.” We can rest assured that our nation is anchored and protected. However, this anchoring does not negate our need to personally maintain faith and biblical principles of protection for ourselves, our families, and our friends. In this season, where terrorist acts and other forms of violence will increase, we must remain vigilant and maintain our place in “The secret place of the Most High.” (Psalm 91). This week, I want to share with you what the Scriptures tell us regarding how we do this. Today’s teaching is from my book, The Essential Guide to Prayer. Enjoy!

Towers

“When the children were young, we visited Disney World one summer. Along with the excitement of heat, humidity, long lines, and high prices, I had the adventure of visiting the Tower of Terror. This ride simulates an earthquake as experienced while riding in a hotel elevator. It was everything but uplifting.

“A few years ago, I visited the Tower of London in England. A fortress on the River Thames, this bastion has served in historic times as everything from a palace to a prison. We saw the crown jewels and, as a reminder to those who might try to steal them, many ancient instruments of execution and torture. I've never moved from exhilaration to excruciation so quickly. I mumbled, ‘God save the Queen,’ and hastily departed.

“I've also visited the Eiffel Tower in Paris, a 984-foot-high tower of iron framework built for the International Exposition of 1889. Demonstrating my linguistic skills and cultural awareness, while gazing at this incredible accomplishment, I shouted to those with me, ‘Vive la France, birthplace of the French fry.’

“The following story offers an interesting assessment of an infamous tower in the Bible - Babel.

“An eminent architect was under cross-examination at a trial concerning a building he had designed. One of the prosecutors, attempting to distract the man during his testimony, asked, ‘Are you a builder?’

“Immediately, the witness replied, ‘No, sir, I am an architect.’

"‘But, they are much the same, aren't they?’ the prosecutor added.

"’I beg your pardon, sir, but in my opinion, they are totally different.’

"’Oh, indeed! Perhaps you will explain the difference?’

“To this, the witness responded, ‘An architect, sir, conceives the design, prepares the plan, draws all to specifications, and in short, supplies the mind. The builder is merely the bricklayer or the carpenter. The builder is the machine; the architect, the power that puts it together and sets it going.’

"’Oh, very well, Mr. Architect, that will do. And now, after your very ingenious distinction between the two, perhaps you can inform the court, who was the architect of the Tower of Babel?’

“The witness promptly responded, ‘There was no architect, sir, only builders. That's why there was so much confusion.’”(1)

“This is not totally accurate, of course, builders and skilled tradesmen know more than the architect stated. But it is an interesting and humorous observation.

“Another tower in the Scriptures is known not for its terror, jewels, pride, or confusion, but as a place of strength and safety: ‘The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous runs into it and is safe’ (Proverbs 18:10). Psalm 61:3 calls our God ‘A tower of strength against the enemy.’

Boundaries

“One of the meanings of the Hebrew word for ‘intercession,’ paga, is ‘boundary’ or ‘border.’ It is the point at which two territories meet or connect. Hence, a boundary, or, as The Spirit-Filled Bible says, the extent to which a boundary reaches. Paga is used repeatedly this way in Joshua 19.

“In the context of intercessory prayer, paga is the establishing of boundaries or walls of protection; the marking of territory as one's own, declaring, ‘I will not permit intruders or interlopers.’ I love Psalm 91:1-4 from THE MESSAGE:

‘You who sit down in the High God's presence, spend the night in Shaddai's shadow, say this: "God, You're my refuge. I trust in You, and I'm safe!" That's right - He rescues you from hidden traps, and shields you from deadly hazards. His huge outstretched arms protect you; under them, you're perfectly safe; His arms fend off all harm.'

“Wow, what a promise!

“A missionary determined to take the gospel to an interior region of China experienced the sovereign protection of God through paga. Ruthless bandits along the road had prevented this area from being reached. However, this young missionary went, preaching the Good News of Jesus Christ. He later returned to the base without having seen any bandits. Shortly thereafter, the missionaries heard a rumor circulating throughout the area: the bandits had not attacked because an entourage of eleven soldiers had traveled with him. As he had traveled alone, the missionaries concluded angels must have protected him; but why eleven?

“The missionary wrote about this experience to his home church in the United States. His pastor asked when this had happened. Upon receiving this information, the pastor excitedly communicated his part of the story. The pastor had been prompted by God to call a special prayer meeting for this missionary. When the date of the prayer meeting arrived, the pastor was disappointed at the poor turnout. That changed after he received the missionary's amazing report. The pastor was thrilled to tell him, ‘You'll be pleased to know that, counting myself, there were exactly eleven of us who were praying for you that very day.’

“Those 11 faithful intercessors became a wall, a boundary, or perimeter of protection, around this missionary through their prayers of intercession - paga. Through them, Psalm 91 and Proverbs 18:10 became reality. God wants us, also, to believe in the power of the name of Jesus and to use it to build walls of protection around individuals.(2)

“Isaiah 26:1 and 60:18 actually speak of God's protection as walls: ‘In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: “We have a strong city; He sets up walls and ramparts for security.’” ‘Violence will not be heard again in your land, nor devastation or destruction within your borders, but you will call your walls salvation, and your gates praise.’”

Pray with me:

Father, thank You for being a tower of refuge, strength, and protection. We do not have to wonder about Your willingness to protect us in times of trouble. Your Word says You are “a very present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1). It tells us, “Thou art my hiding place, thou shalt preserve me from trouble” (Psalm 32:7). We declare with the psalmist, “I will fear no evil” (Psalm 23:4).

We realize this protection is accomplished through the application of Your Word, which includes our faith, prayers, and abiding in the secret place. We build walls and create boundaries. Teach us Your ways regarding this. We are going to grow in the knowledge of the truth this week. We will expand in our revelation and enlightenment.

We also realize we are more than Your kids; we are Your ambassadors, Your king-priest warriors, Your Ekklesia. As such, we not only pray for ourselves, we create boundaries, even walls of protection for others. Teach us to do so effectively, leaving nothing to chance. Today, we begin by securing our families. We decree that they are off-limits to all attacks - no evil will befall them, no plague will come near them (Psalm 91:9-10). We declare this in the name of our Protector, Jesus. Amen.

Our decree:

We declare that we will fear no evil; we are secure in the secret place of the Most High God.

Today’s teaching is taken from my book, The Essential Guide to Prayer, published by Baker Books.

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1. Dick Eastman and Jack Hayford, Living and Praying in Jesus’ Name (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 1988), p. 52.
2. Ibid., 13-14.

                                Copyright © 2023 Dutch Sheets Ministries, All rights reserved.