Kingdom Advancing Prayer

Transcription

1 Kingdom Advancing Prayer Matthew 11:11-12 and Mark 1:35 From The Administrative Desk February 2019 The God Of The Mountains And Valleys It s interesting that mountains and valleys can be beautiful and dangerous at the same time. They are distinct in differences and in purpose yet they both apply to nature and to our lives. Their physical realities and spiritual metaphors give clear pictures of times and seasons in our lives. No doubt this can be a hard reality to accept as we all want both the mountain top experience and view as a lifestyle yet the ebbs and flows of life present a different picture. As It Was In The Beginning, So Shall It Be Apostle Michael has written and established a gem of a book. It is the beginning of an incredible maturing to our faith, our cause, and our purpose. It also provides a door into deep thinking as it relates to certain questions concerning creation, existence, and the original life! As I read through it, I was reminded of my own excitement as an emerging believer in the Faith. The curios journey into Genesis and the Brilliance of God. I believe Michael s book will provoke and inspire that same thought for you as it did for me. It is a bridge to the heart and mind of God, and at the same time providing sure footed establishment into living doctrine in this current, rapidly evolving apostolic season. In this work, he seeks to bring us into the gateway of both living divine panorama, and simultaneously build concrete substructures under our walk as Kingdom leaders and sons of God. That is why the battles we face are often intense times of weakness, distress, and confusion. If the events of our lives were charted, these would be the lowest points. Yet God is no less with us during difficulties than at other times. In fact, these valleys are often as much the plan of God as our mountaintop experiences. There is a story in the Bible that speaks plainly to this truth. Israel had recently defeated the Arameans in a mountain battle. In 1 Kings 20:22-23 we read: And the prophet came to the king of Israel and said to him, Go, strengthen yourself; take note, and see what you should do, for in the spring of the year the king of Syria will come up against you. 23 Then the servants of the king of Syria said to him, Their gods are gods of the hills. Therefore they were stronger than we; but if we fight against them in the plain, surely we will be stronger than they. The enemy said that the God of Israel was a god of the mountains, but if they fought the Jews in the valleys they

2 would defeat them. We read in verse 28: Then a man of God came and spoke to the king of Israel, and said, Thus says the LORD: Because the Syrians have said, The LORD is God of the hills, but He is not God of the valleys, therefore I will deliver all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am the LORD. Epistles To The 21 ST Century Church The 21 st Century Church is perhaps in one of her most sensitive periods. Daily we are bombarded with new theological arguments on various subjects in the church. On any given day there are new arguments on eschatology, giving and generosity, fivefold ministry etc. Outside of the theological and doctrinal arguments of the Church we also dealing on a daily basis with the emergence of so called false prophets, false apostles and the Believers are in panic mode because the veil between true and false is so thin. It is on the premise of this that this book Epistles to the 21 st Century Church is written. These epistles try to establish a biblical position on several matters currently plaguing the Church and also seek to bring new momentum and strength to the things that are working in the 21 st Century Church. The Church of Jesus in the earth is in no ways in a defeated position, the church is advancing strong but from to time the Church needs a fresh perspective on current issues. This book seeks to bring such clarity to this generation of Believers. No matter what the enemy tries to tell you, Christ is God of the mountains and God of the valleys. He has not stopped being God because you happen to be in a valley. He is the God of glory as seen in His power and miracles. In the valleys He reveals Himself as faithful, loyally committed to us in difficulties and distresses. In and through all things He is our God. When we are on the "mountaintops" of our Christian experience, we can see our future clearly. We have perspective and confidence. When we are in one of life's valleys, however, our vision is limited and our future seems hidden. Yet valleys are also the most fertile places on earth. Valleys produce fruitfulness. You can expect there to be a harvest of virtue when God dwells with you in the valleys. The Highway to Zion Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, Whose heart is set on pilgrimage. 6 As they pass through the Valley of Baca, They make it a spring; The rain also covers it with pools. Psalm 84:5-6 Baca means, "weeping." Each of us has times of weeping when our hearts and hopes seem crushed. Because God has placed in our hearts "highways to Zion," however, we pass through valleys; we do not live in them. Can be ordered at To-The-21st-Century-Church-p "Passing through the valley of Baca..." Once we are on the other side of weeping, our Redeemer makes our valley experience into "a spring." The very things that overwhelmed us will, in time, refresh us with new life. Whether we are experiencing the height of success and power or are in a valley of weakness and despair, the Lord is our God continually!

3 Has the enemy isolated you, causing you to doubt God's love? Do not forget, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Even the hairs on your head are numbered. He cares. It is His love for us that redeems our hardships and not only brings good out of what was meant for evil, but also trains us to deliver others. PRINCIPLES FOR VICTORIOUS LIVING VOLUME II Michael Scantlebury has an obvious anointing. It particularly takes everything ranging from the Lord s and His Apostles teachings to stories within the Old Testament to show us God s providence in supplying us with all that we need to live in the here and now in Kingdom victory. His keen insight that s evident in this book makes everything about the ancient writings of the Bible most current and practical, and can be applied to each day of our lives. The information contained herein is well balanced with a spiritual maturity that keenly stems from wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Christ. This is the anointing of an Apostle, and the truths that our brother shares will certainly cause you to excel in the Kingdom of God long before this life is over when later we enter the eternals. There s so much to experience today in this life, and Michael extracts so much from the Word of God to facilitate that. His insight of revelation and ability to interpret and articulate what his spirit receives from the Lord are powerful. Michael Blume Pastor & Bible Teacher Breath of Life Church Sidney, Manitob Scantlebury/e/B008BSTO6Y How did Jesus prepare to do wonderful works? Part of His training involved suffering. Christ was a man of sorrows. He was One who was acquainted with grief. Yet His suffering was the Father's means of acquainting Him with the actual feelings of mankind's need and pain. Because He suffered what we suffer, He is able to serve as a faithful high priest. If we yield to God's plan for Christ to be formed in us, God will take our sorrows to enlarge our hearts. Once we have been acquainted with grief, we then can be anointed with compassion to deliver others. Joseph's Trials Consider Joseph. He was the second youngest of Jacob's sons and his father's favorite. His walk with God began with dreams and visions. Joseph's life is a pattern for many who have had a genuine call from God. Our walk with God may also have begun with a "travel brochure" of dreams and visions where God gives us a picture of His destination for us. Yet we fail to be able to see how His promises will come to pass in our lives. Joseph was betrayed by his brothers and delivered up by them to die. He was unjustly accused when Potiphar's wife tried to seduce him. He was imprisoned and forgotten by all except God who patiently watched and measured Joseph's reaction to difficulty. Rich or poor, blessed or smitten, Joseph served God. He was being tested, but he continued to pass his tests. Joseph was on trial before men, but he was found innocent before God. Finally, at the right moment, the Lord suddenly connected all the loose ends of Joseph's life. Everything that Joseph went through would have seemed cruel and unfair except that the Lord was shaping a man for His purpose. God uses everything we go through for future purposes that He alone sees. We do not see His ultimate plan while we are in the valley. We must remember the vision, keeping faith in what

4 God has promised. Just as He allowed Joseph to go through many trials, so He allows us to go through great conflicts as well. For He knows that our lives what we have become through His grace will help others find the shelter of the Most High God in their lives. Genesis 41:51 Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: For God has made me forget all my toil and all my father s house. I Will Build My Church Jesus Christ For those of you who don t know it already, the Church that Jesus Christ is building is not an ornate building that houses preach-ing and a song service, but rather the Body of Believers in the Lord Jesus Christ! The Church is not being built with natural mat-erials but with the lives of people. One of the absolutely breathtaking revela-tions about the Church was revealed to the Apostle Paul and conveyed in his writings to the church at Ephesus when he wrote: [Ephesians 2:10 ISV Italics Added] For we are his masterpiece, created in Christ Jesus for good works that God pre-pared long ago to be our way of life. What a powerful picture of the Church of Jesus Christ His Masterpiece! The refer-ence to a masterpiece lends to the idea that there are several other pieces and among them all this particular one stands head and shoulders above the rest! This is so true when it comes to the Church that Jesus Christ is building; when you place it along-side everything else that God has created, The Church is by far His Masterpiece! God caused Joseph to forget the difficulty and pain of his life. There is something wonderful about the Lord's capacity to cause all things to work for good. With Jesus in our lives, a time ultimately comes when God causes us to forget all the troubles of the past. Genesis 41:52 And the name of the second he called Ephraim: For God has caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction. God made him fruitful in the very things that afflicted him. In the land of your affliction, in your battle, is the place where God will make you fruitful. Consider even now, the area of greatest affliction in your life. In that area God will make you fruitful in such a way that your heart will be fully satisfied and God's heart fully glorified. Ultimately, the Lord will touch many others with the substance of what you have gained. In a world that is superficial, Christ will produce something within you that is deep and living. God has not promised to keep us from valleys and sufferings, but He has promised to make us fruitful in them. Without a doubt we each will pass through valleys before we reach our final goal in God. As we remain faithful to Him in trials, the character and nature of Christ Jesus will emerge in our spirits; and Christ will be revealed to those around us. He intends to make your life a key that unlocks God's shelter for others. Lord, You are God of the mountains and the valleys. I know that Your faithfulness is my shield and my bulwark.

5 Thank You for redeeming the conflicts of my life. I praise You for healing me and causing me to forget all the trauma of my past. Now Lord, help me to remember what I have learned. Cause me to remember that the crises in my life always precede the enrichment of my life. Help me to recognize that the place of my fruitfulness is in the land of my affliction. In Jesus' Name. Amen. Also Apostle Michael Scantlebury s new book As It Was In The Beginning, So Shall It Be is now available in both paperback and ebook formats. To order your copy please visit the following links: For paperback, please click here: For ebook, please click here: Five Pillars of the Apostolic This is the first in a trilogy of books on the Apostolic. It has become very evident that a new day has dawned in the earth, as the Lord restores the foundational ministry of the Apostle back to His Church. And in the next few chapters of this book I will set out to give some definition to what God is saying and doing in the earth today. Peter encourages us by the Holy Spirit to be established in present truth [2 Peter 1:12]. What Others Are Saying: The body of Christ truly is reaching un-precedented levels of power, revelation, and effectiveness. Michael Scantlebury is a keen observer of this historic transition and the key role that apostles are playing in it. Five Pillars of the Apostolic has my recommendation. C. Peter Wagner, Chancellor Wagner Leadership Institute Rooted firmly in biblical teachings this book is a "must" for all leaders who desire to keep their Churches on the cutting edge - in these exciting times in the history of the Church. Profound and powerful, Five Pillars of the Apostolic epitomizes the author s prophetic insight and instead of a fragmented view of the Church you could now see the whole picture. This book could be the lever that could change your Church. Pastor Ajith Abeyratne Senior Pastor, Calvary Church Mirihana, Sri Lanka

6 Prayer Focus 1. Canada s Assisted Suicide Law I can't believe there are doctors in Canada pressuring families towards assisted suicide. This should be criminal...but it's not. The law doesn't only protect good doctors but it protects bad ones too. We need to contact our leaders and ask them to strengthen patient protection on this issue. We also need to vote some new leaders in. We need to be involved. Lives are at stake. Let us pray strongly and resolutely against this evil. You can view this video to get further clarity. Kingdom Advancing Prayer Volume I Prayer has always been one of the most powerful tools the Church of Jesus Christ has in establishing the purposes of the Lord. Part of the technology that is being released into the Church as the Lord rest-ores Apostles, is what we describe as Kingdom Advancing Prayer. This kind of prayer puts the Kingdom of God first and foremost; it is above any personal need or agenda. It is similar to the kind of prayer that Elijah prayed, (in 1 Kings 18) as the Lord used him to turn a whole nation around, and destroy the demonic influ-ence that threatened to thwart the Lord s purpose. It is reflective of the prayer that Jesus prayed (in John 17) as He prepared to bring to completion His Father s Will and go to the cross. The Church of Jesus Christ is stronger and much more determined and equipped than she has ever been, and strong, agg-ressive, powerful, Spirit- Filled, Kingdom-Centred prayers are being lifted in every nation in the earth. We are seeing the emergence of Houses of Prayer all over the earth with prayer going up 24/7. This is Volume One of a Three Volume set of this book. We would encourage that you take the time to get yourself a copy. It would certainly bless and strengthen you. Also: This is so crazy and unnecessary. The marginal tax rate in Ontario is 53%. That means some people work over half the year before they even take home a dollar to help with the monthly bills talked about in this article. High taxation is very likely the main reason so many people are in so much debt. We need to elect governments that balance the budget and drive down the debt so that we can get this burden off of our backs and the backs of future generations. of-insolvency-survey Let us remember the United States in our time of prayer. The Government was recently shut down for over a month! And now that they have reopened there is a treat that they could be once again shutdown if the three weeks pass and there is no deal 3. Update from Pastor John Kaptien and The King s Way Church Community: On Tuesday Dec.18 our new landlord's rep came to us and proposed that they increase our store rent by $600 plus GST. We know that right now we cannot afford that. Than on Dec. 28 we receive a letter from him stating the new rent start Jan. 1/19. We made it clear to the landlord that we expect to be out on Jan 31 midnight and we gave 1 month at the end of Dec. notice to the landlord at the same rate. So we proposed continuing our present rent and giving a tax credit of $600 per month. That was rejected. We even offered to rent week by week for the church meetings at reduced rent because of the loss of the store revenue, which was rejected. We have been looking at places in our community as possible places to move, with or with out the Church store. Please pray for the right place and the answers to come quickly. 4. Apostle Scantlebury continues to write and has published 20 books so far and is seeking your assistance to get his next two books to the publishers. If you desire to assist him you could click on the following link to do so: Please do not be limited by the above guidelines as you pray! Be open to the Holy Spirit to lead you into areas and things that we have not mentioned here. In essence, be led by the Holy Spirit as you pray! To order this book and for many others please click below Scantlebury/e/B008BSTO6Y To add your prayer requests you can visit us on the world wide web at the following link, where you can fill out and submit your requests: