Daily Archives: October 21, 2015

Our Prayer for Praying God’s Word

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11230031_994913747238399_3289985085759092424_nLord, teach us to pray your Word. Teach us to make it central in our House of Prayer. Your Word is alive and active—It’s sharper than any double-edged sword—It judges the thoughts and attitudes of our hearts (Hebrews 4:12). We long to align ourselves spiritually with You and Your Word. We want to pray your Word with Your authority, and with greater faith and obedience in our lives. Lord, we want to be passionate about the things you are passionate about. We want to be students of Your Word. Teach us to pray Paul’s apostolic prayers with power and faith. Teach us to pray the hymns from the book of Revelation with reverence and awe. Teach us to pray Your Word out loud in such a way that we see mighty spiritual breakthroughs in our House of Prayer. Help us declare the prophetic promises and decrees from Your Word.

We want to experience the “zoe”, life-giving power of Your Word on a daily basis. Show us truth in Your Word, and bring it to life through our prayers. Let us be ones who have learned to pray Your Word out loud, continually experiencing life-giving, “zoe” revelation through our prayers. Thank you so much for Your Word. It is precious to us. We rejoice in following Your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. We meditate on Your precepts and consider Your ways. We delight in Your decrees. We will not neglect Your Word. Open our eyes that we may see wonderful things in Your law. We run in the path of Your commands, for You have set our hearts free (Psalm 119:14-16, 18, 32). In Jesus’ name, amen.

Verses to Memorize

“I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe” (Ephesians 1:17-19a).

By Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise International
IHOPKC

Praying the Bible – Taking it into the Prayer Room

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11017668_964162400313534_4613183786382334611_nTaking it into the Prayer Room

Get together with a group and go through this assignment together. Begin by carefully studying the benefits of praying the Bible. Print out the apostolic prayers of Paul for each person. You may also want to print out all the verses and give them to each person. Give a few minutes for individuals to read them.

Then after your discussion or on another occasion, take the apostolic prayers and your Bible into the prayer room. Begin your prayer time by praying the apostolic prayers of Paul. Especially pray Ephesians 1:17-19, the verses you memorized. Pray as the Holy Spirit leads you, giving plenty of time for each one to participate. At the end discuss your impressions as you prayed. How did God speak to you?

How to Pray the Word of God

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11252727_964485193614588_8975425818702781495_nPraying the Bible Life Application

We learned about praying the Bible, praying it out loud for spiritual breakthrough, and the life-giving Word of God. We also studied about praying God’s promises, the life-giving Word of God, and the New Testament apostolic prayers of Paul. Now prayerfully do the following:

  • Study carefully the benefits of praying the Bible  – Write down any insight the Lord may give you as you study.
  • Choose two of the apostolic prayers of Paul, and pray them out loud each day this week – Choose from Ephesians 1:17-19; 3:16-19; Philippians 1:9-11; Colossians 1:9-12; 4:2-4; Romans 10:1; 15:5-7, 13; 1 Thessalonians 3:9-12; 5:23-24; 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12; 3:1-5; or 1 Corinthians 1:4-8.
  • Choose two of the hymns from the book of Revelations, and pray them out loud each day this week – Choose from Revelation 1:4-7; 2:7-8, 11-12, 17-18, 26-29; 3:5–7, 12, 21-22; 4:8-11; 5:8-14; 6:9-11; 7:9-17; 19:1-8; or 22:12-17, 20.
  • Choose two of the New Testament promises and decrees, and pray them out loud each day this week – Choose from Luke 3:16; 11:13; 24:49; Acts 1:8; 2:17-21; John 1:50-51; 14:12; or Matthew 10:1, 8.

You also may want to do the personal exercise designed to bring forth “zoe” revelation. For the other weeks during this month, choose other apostolic prayers, hymns from the book of Revelation, and New Testament promises and decrees to pray during your time with the Lord. This is an excellent assignment to help you practice praying the Word of God out loud.

By Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise International
IHOPKC

A Personal Exercise to Bring Forth Zoe Revelation

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11692554_990318764364564_5003763167195494253_n“The Word of God is a great help in prayer. If it is lodged and written in our hearts, it will form an out-flowing current of prayer, full and irresistible. Promises, stored in the heart, are to be the fuel from which prayer receives life and warmth. Just as coal, which has been stored in the earth, gives us comfort on stormy days and wintry nights, the Word of God stored in our hearts is the food by which prayer is nourished and made strong. Prayer, like man, cannot live by bread alone, ‘but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’” Wesley and Stacey Campbell

Try this personal exercise to help bring the Word of God to life in your own heart. Take a portion of Scripture and read it out loud. Then write the Scripture out and outline the main points. Well-known author and prophetic intercessor, Chuck Pierce, suggests the following:

“Then ask God to activate the spirit of wisdom and revelation in you regarding that passage. Ask Him to show you things that go beyond your brain; things that you do not currently distinguish or recognize. Ask Him to show you things that you have not seen before. Write down any and all impressions you receive as you are meditating on the Scripture. You may want to do this on more than one occasion. As you allow yourself to receive these impressions, and trust the impressions enough to write them down, allow faith that God is speaking to you to arise within you. When it begins to become alive, and you start seeing rhema revelation that you have not seen before, then ask God how that applies to you and your situation. Ask Him to establish the rhema within you, so that it becomes ongoing, sustained zoe life.”

This exercise can be done in a group setting as well. I have personally seen how praying, listening, and singing the Word of God over and over brings it into “zoe”, life-giving revelation. This is where God wants us to live on a daily basis. CDs that pray the Word of God with worship can help bring “zoe” revelation. Let the Bible become a conversation piece where you talk to God and to others using His Word. Make sure that the Word of God is central in your House of Prayer.

By Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise International
IHOPKC

The Life-Giving Word of God

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11329842_966469080082866_4753253200916526631_n“Another benefit of praying the Bible is that it makes you enter the throne of grace with new boldness, because you know that you are praying according to God’s will (1 John 5:14-15). Instead of hoping to receive answers to our prayers, we can be assured—based on the promises of God—that prayers prayed according to will in the Bible will be answered. Your faith will be strengthened, your wisdom will become spiritual wisdom and your knowledge of God will increase.” Wesley and Stacey Campbell

Wouldn’t you agree that most people would like an abundant, fulfilling life? We are naturally attracted to that which gives life, but few people realize that there is tremendous life in the Word of God. If they believed it they would read, study, and devour it. The primary way that God speaks to us is through His Word. He brings revelation as we pray it. Praying the Word of God, together with singing, is a powerful combination. Power is released on the earth as God’s Word is sung passionately into the atmosphere.

When we pray God’s Word, divine information is internalized. It transforms us as we speak it back to God. We become bold and are filled with faith as we pray it. We are praying God’s ideas back to His heart; we are coming into agreement with His thoughts and ways. This impacts us deeply, and touches our environment with the power and life of God.

There are four Greek words that describe the function of the Word of God. It is amazing how a group of people can all read the same passage in the Bible and receive something different. These four Greek words and their definition are:

  • Grape – The written, historical Word of God – This is where you understand the Bible as if you are reading a novel.
  • Logos – The meaning of the principles of the Bible – This is where you understand the good life principles that you are to follow.
  • Rhema – The revelation of the Word of God – This is where the Holy Spirit illuminates the “graphe” or “logos” to you.
  • Zoe – The Word of God dwelling within – This is where the Word of God becomes a creative, living part of who you are. The “rhema” becomes life-giving revelation.

In our Houses of Prayer we want the Word of God to become “zoe” life. We want it to be life-giving revelation. And this is what is happening as we pray and sing the Word. God’s Word becomes the living, creative part of those who are present in the prayer room. The Word of God must be at the very center of the prayer movement. It is God’s strategy for prayer in the end times.

Praying the Word will keep us strong as the days become more difficult. It will keep us in peace when the world around us is in turmoil. It will keep us joyful when the world is living in fear and gloom. The Word is alive and active. It is sharp and it penetrates into our thoughts and hearts (Hebrews 4:12). We need God’s Word written on our hearts and flowing through our prayers.

God’s Word can bring “zoe” life in a most amazing way!

In Baghdad, Iraq, a 22-year-old Army Private First Class soldier named Brendan Schweigart was on a critical mission wearing a bullet proof shield for protection. You can only imagine the tension in that situation. Before going out to battle, he carefully tucked his Bible in his pocket beneath his bulletproof shield. While on a dangerous mission, he was shot with a high-powered rifle. The Bible saved his life when it shielded the bullet from his heart. He told his mother that he always carried his Bible into battle. Brendan received a Purple Heart and was soon released from the hospital. The bullet was still in the pages of his Bible, a miraculous reminder of the amazing power and protection of the Word of God.

God’s Word will protect our lives when in spiritual battle. It can bring forth life in the darkest of situations. It can save us from those fiery darts from the enemy.

I wonder how many of us carry our Bibles into battle like Army Private Brendan?

By Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise International
IHOPKC

Pray the Bible Out Loud for Spiritual Breakthrough

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11246593_964162010313573_5345612100422823544_n“The Bible is actually a whole book of spiritual words! The Bible will teach you the language of God so that you can effectively communicate to Him. When you speak from the Bible in your prayers, you will be led to an entirely different place in prayer—one you might’ve not thought was humanly possible, simply because the language of the Bible is so absolutely different than our own.” Wesley and Stacey Campbell

God loves to hear your voice praying His Word back to Him. Praying the Bible out loud brings spiritual breakthrough. God’s spoken Word is much more powerful than any of us realize. We cannot live without it, for it is there where our prayers unite with God’s heart bringing tremendous rewards of breakthrough.

There is a great decline in the belief that you can know absolute truth and right from wrong. This is one of the reasons we must emphasize the Bible in our prayer meetings and everywhere we go. The Bible is absolute truth. We pray from the foundation of absolute truth. We believe it, and as we pray God’s Word out loud, our faith grows.

A few years ago we spent several months in the nation of Australia. During that time we were fascinated with learning about the kangaroos that live there. I remember eagerly looking at the cute mother kangaroo with a tiny baby peaking out of her pouch. They looked like harmless creatures, but we found out that they could be quite dangerous.

A kangaroo’s main weapon is its feet. When he is angry or out to kill, he has the ability to hop so fast that he can kill another animal or person just by the kick of his foot.

He can destroy His enemy by this powerful, forceful kick.

In a similar way we have a powerful weapon—the Word of God. We can kick the enemy and defeat him by speaking the Word of God. Praying the Bible out loud is powerful for spiritual breakthrough. Praying God’s Word with our lips is a dangerous weapon to Satan. He knows the power of the Word of God.

When we went to Australia, at first we were very ignorant about the kangaroo. But they understood and knew the powerful weapon they had with their feet. They could destroy their enemy with one swift kick of the foot.

Many Christians do not realize that praying the Word out loud breaks through the enemy’s defenses. It can bring destruction to his plans and bring victory to God’s purposes. Let’s not be ignorant of the power we have in the Bible. Let’s learn to use the Word of God and speak it out loud for spiritual breakthrough. When we do, the spiritual atmosphere of entire cities can change. We can make a huge impact in our neighborhoods through praying or singing God’s Word out loud and over it. The government of God is released through our prayers.

By Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise International
IHOPKC

The Benefits of Praying God’s Word

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10399447_964513906945050_1606014413027492981_n-2Everyone who is interested in taking part in a House of Prayer should begin to pray the Word of God in his/her own personal times with God. Remember that a House of Prayer often involves praying the Word along with worship. Bible prayers are easy to find. There are many types of prayers in the Bible. For example, there are the Psalms, the prayers of Wisdom such as the book of Proverbs, the Song of Songs, the prayers of the Prophets, the prayers of Jesus, the apostolic prayers, and the hymns of Revelation.

Praying the Bible can and will have a dramatic effect in our prayer lives and prayer meetings. It is definitely a key to the success of day and night prayer and worship. It’s advantageous in our walk with God. There are so many reasons why it takes us to such a higher level in our relationship with Him. God is able to bring our prayer lives into an entirely new focus.

The following are the benefits of praying the Bible:

  • You receive an authority from God that you don’t have in yourself – You have more boldness in your prayers because you know that you are praying God’s Word.
  • Your faith increases – Faith comes by the Word of God. Your faith rises to a new place in authoritative strength where you haven’t been before. Through faith in God’s Word, you are able to picture the answer to your prayers. You believe God will answer. See Romans 10:17.
  • You are led to places in God that you would have never discovered before – You begin to see things in an entirely new dimension. You are brought outside your realm of understanding and into the very thoughts of God. See Isaiah 55:9.
  • You learn the language of repentance – We find words in Scripture that help to express repentance without condemnation such as Psalm 51.
  • You align yourself spiritually with God – You see things from a Biblical standpoint and not the vantage point of the world. The “spirit” man within you is better able to receive from God as you pray His Word back to Him. You understand Him better as you pray His Word. You learn about His character, power, and ability to do everything.
  • You become more passionate – The Holy Spirit reveals the Son of God through the Words of the Bible in a way that creates more passion for Jesus. The Holy Spirit’s activity in your heart through the Word produces passionate faith that releases the power of God.
  • You pray the will of God – When you pray God’s will, then you see answers to your prayers. You know that He hears you and that you have what you asked of Him. See 1 John 5:14-15.
  • You become more obedient – You become fixed on God with a greater determination to please Jesus in all that you do and say. You learn about His priorities and are better able to adapt your life to what He wants. You submit to the leadership of the Holy Spirit in every area of your life.
  • You become a better student of the Bible – I find that praying Scripture helps me to grow in my Biblical knowledge, and I actually become a better student of the Bible.

By Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise International
IHOPKC

Praying the Bible

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10930949_964090020320772_5568470259813218675_n-2The mystery of intercession is actually profoundly simple. We tell God what he says in His Word. Everyone can pray like this—young and old, beginners and the experienced. God knows everything. We don’t have to come up with some intelligent method of praying, but He is deeply touched when we pray the truths in His heart back to Him.

God loves it when we agree with Him through His Word. We read His Word and let the Holy Spirit speaks to us through it. Then we pray it back to Him as the Holy Spirit leads us. His Words are Spirit and Truth (John 4:23-24; 6:63). When we speak God’s Word, it marks us on the inside, changes us, and builds us up. We unite with God’s heart in a most amazing way.

Our own hearts are transformed as we pray God’s Word.

God will actually withhold His blessing until we stand in faith, agree with His heart, and pray it back to Him (James 4:2). We can change whole cities when we agree with God’s heart and pray. Power and revival is released when we pray His Word over a city. God runs the universe through prayer. Praying God’s Word gives us sustaining power. The revelation we get from Him through His Word strengthens our emotions.

Haven’t you noticed when you’re discouraged or down, how different you feel after God speaks to your heart through His Word? It’s as if a light goes on that dispels the darkness. God upholds all things by the word of His power (Hebrew 1:3). When we read His Word we can have a living, active dialogue with Him in our heart (Hebrews 4:12). But we must receive it with obedience, faith, and devotion. When we abide in it (John 15:7), everything else seems to falls into place.

In my country, in the past most Americans respected the Bible. According to the Gallup pole, this has greatly dropped over the last several years. In 1963, 65% of the people believed the Bible literally, and today the number is only 32%. At one time most Americans were familiar with Bible doctrine. But this is not true today. Newsweek tells of a small child who saw a crucifix and asked, “Mommy, what is that man doing?” At one time most Americans accepted absolute moral standards. They knew that some things were right, and some things were wrong. Today 70% reject moral standards.

We are in a serious battle throughout the world over the authority of the Bible. We read in 2 Timothy 3:16-17:

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

This is one reason why we must uphold it as absolute, authoritative truth in our prayers. As we do this, we combat the lies of the enemy and spiritually strengthen our ability to abide in God’s Word, in our prayer meetings and to all we meet. We choose to obey God’s Word as we pray it. We feed our hearts on it. We learn to talk to God about His Word and then we listen. We internalize it, and we say it back to Him.

As we pray the Bible, it brings joy to the heart of God. Feeding our mind on Scripture and praying it helps determine our thoughts. When we speak the Word of God, it impacts our mind to follow what we speak. If we get our words right, then our thoughts, emotions, and behavior will follow the right path (James 3:2).

Praying God’s Word fights the fleshly battles of life using His spiritual weapons. This gives us authority in the supernatural realm to pull down strongholds (2 Corinthians 10:3-5). We no longer are in agreement with darkness but agree with the light of God’s Word.

Praying God’s Word refreshes us internally and enables us to live radically for Him long-term. Let’s learn to cultivate a spirit of radical devotion to God’s Word as our everyday lifestyle. David wrote many of the Psalms in the Bible. He saw himself and others through the eyes of God as he prayed. He understood the love of God even when facing difficulty because His attitude was right. Praying God’s Word is a positive way to live.

“When you pray the Bible, you will understand how God views you and how He views others. In a culture distorted by negative media images, we all need to be founded on what God thinks of us. David’s self-image came through prayer. He saw himself as God’s anointed, as the apple of God’s eye. David knew that God loved him, and that he was favored when the wicked were not. Therefore, we need to pray the Bible until we receive the same attitude that David did.” Wesley & Stacey Campbell

By Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise International
IHOPKC

The Biblical Call to Day and Night Prayer

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11144453_965502933512814_2928668468155993148_n“The life of a Christian is all about passion… Nothing is more powerful than when the Holy Spirit reveals the Son of God through the words of Scripture. Like the disciples on the road to Emmaus, every heart began to burn when God revealed Himself. When He unveils Himself and we have understand-ing of what He is saying, passion is the result. Seeing the face of God, and then gazing at it, has to begin sometime and some-place. It begins by bringing our whole person before the consuming fire who is God, reciting His words—the Bible—out loud to Him and then letting the Holy Spirit reveal Christ to us. That is why we pray the Bible.” Wesley and Stacey Campbell

As we build the foundations for a House of Prayer, it is vital for us to realize the importance of the Word of God in prayer. Perhaps we should begin with the Biblical foundation for day and night prayer. We must be convinced that it’s the passion of God’s heart. Day and night prayer is Biblical.

God wants us to be watchmen in prayer. He has appointed us to this position. He calls us to watch and pray in His Word. He Himself watches over us day and night (Psalm 121). The fire on the altar was kept burning continuously in the Old Testament (Leviticus 6:12-13). This symbolized continual worship and intercession. The angels and elders worship God night and day in Revelations 4-5. The Apostle Paul speaks of day and night prayer in his writings and through his example. Doesn’t this convince you of how important day and night prayer is to God? But just to emphasize this further, here are a few more Biblical examples:

The Biblical Call to Day and Night Prayer

  • Isaiah 62:6-7 – “I have posted watchmen on your walls, Jerusalem; they will never be silent day or night. You who call on the LORD, give yourselves no rest, and give him no rest till he establishes Jerusalem and makes her the praise of the earth.”
  • Luke 18:7-8a – “And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly.”
  • Nehemiah 1:5-6a – “Then I said, ‘LORD, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel.’”
  • Lamentations 2:18-19 – “The hearts of the people cry out to the Lord. You walls of Daughter Zion, let your tears flow like a river day and night; give yourself no relief, your eyes no rest. Arise, cry out in the night, as the watches of the night begin; pour out your heart like water in the presence of the lord. Lift up your hands to him for the lives of your children, who faint from hunger at every street corner.”
  • 1 Thessalonians 3:10 – “Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith.”

Our Prayer for Wisdom in Developing a House of Prayer

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11705283_989926471070460_3465871511591201976_nDear Lord, we pray for a Spirit of wisdom and revelation that we may know You better. Open the eyes of our hearts and enlighten us to know the hope to which You have called us (Ephesians 1:17-19a). Help us to start a House of Prayer in our city, and increase prayer in our churches. Give us dynamic prayer lives. We ask for you to give us practical wisdom when we pray with others. Give us Your creativity and a faithful team. Raise up dedicated intercessors and worshippers, and help us to plan carefully. Show us how to train and motivate people to pray.

Help us to be considerate of others in the prayer room, and teach us to love the diversity of your Church. Help us to be open to all types of prayers. Teach us to enjoy times of silence and times of music, times of intercession and times of thanksgiving, times of meditation and times of reading and praying Your Word. “Show me your ways, LORD, teach me your paths. Guide me in Your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in You all day long” (Psalm 25:4-5). “Send me your light and your faithful care, let them lead me;
let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell. Then I will go to the altar of God, to God, my joy and my delight. I will praise you with the lyre, O God, my God.” (Psalm 43:3-4).  

Lord, encourage our hearts and unite us in love, so that we may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that we may know the mystery of You, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Colossians 2:2-3). Release the wisdom of Your Spirit in our lives and in our city. Teach us how to pray in the prayer room both corporately and individually. Reveal Your will for our lives and Your love for us. Let your light enter our hearts, let Your Word grip our minds (Psalm 119:18, 105, 130; Colossians 3:1-3), and help us to make quality decisions to walk in righteousness (Psalm 24:3-6, 119:11, 32). We give you all the glory and praise. We thank You for the wisdom You will give us as we begin. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Verses to Memorize

“I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power to us who believe” (Ephesians 1:17-19a).

By Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise International
IHOP-KC