As I was blogging on the one of the intercessory types, I read an interesting comment:
"When a pastor falls, part of the blame is shared with the congregation because we are the prayer shields for our leaders." from the book " Intercessors" by T. Femrite, E.Alves, K.Kaufman
Wow! Did someone actually have the guts to say that out loud? To print it in a book?! Awesome!
The reality is, they're right! We are called to pray for those in authority. The problem is, so many of us think that someone else is doing it, so we don't have to! But what if no one is praying !?! What if everyone thinks the other guy is praying for the pastor and his family, and in reality, no one is? What then? Think about it!
Are we surprised at the burn out rates for pastors? What about the divorce rates among the clergy? They are on the rise. What can we do about it? PRAY!
Yup...it's that easy - pray! Not leave it up to anyone else to pray for the pastor or leader in our life...but we take up the call...we take up the responsibility and we pray!
What would happen if every family in a church just remembered to pray for the pastor and his family, over their evening meal? Just even that would probably be a huge improvement! Think of it - depending on the size of your church, that pastor is going to get a lot of prayer everyday! And if people did before every meal...wow! The results would be amazing!
I'd love to do an experiment. I'd love to take three leaders from the same church ( or it could be different churches), and have one of them assigned families who would commit to pray for them before each evening meal. Then, have the other leader have families who commit to praying for them before EACH meal . The third leader...would have people doing what they already do for him/her - whether that is never remembering to pray for them..or praying when they remember. Then I'd like to do that for 2 weeks and see what the difference would be in the lives of those leaders and their families. What do you think? Think there would be a difference? I do!
Prayer is the greatest gift you can give to a church, especially to your pastor!
Why a prayer shield?
Do you like war movies? I do – love 'em! When I watch them, I get LOTS of symbolism out of them. Whenever the good guys were taking more ground, or higher ground, always you'd hear one of them (usually the leader, who was coming out into the open) say, “Cover me”... READ ON...
Friday, October 2, 2009
Sunday, August 2, 2009
I'm on Sabbatical
Sorry I haven't updated this recently. I'm on Sabbatical - which means a 'rest' - until Sept. 1. Once I'm back from this time of rest..and renewing vision, I'll be updating the blog again.
In the mean time...I'd really like to know if anyone is finding this helpful - so if you haven't left a comment, I'd love to hear some.
*Are there points about a Prayer Shield that I still need to cover?
Also...if you are regular reader, I'd love your prayers on my behalf. I am finding that going into this sabbatical I'm being approached by alot more leaders - some of businesses, others of churches and still others of ministries of influence around the world - to set up prayer shields for them. I need strategy from the Lord, as to how to do this. I'm running out of my own 'pool' of intercessors, and I can see the need is greater than I can do . What's the Lord saying? And what does He what me to do? Is there a better way to try to organize and gather more intercessors to help pray for leaders and leaders of ministries? Just a few of the questions I'll be seeking God's answers to for the next month....and would love you to pray into for me!
See you in September!
In the mean time...I'd really like to know if anyone is finding this helpful - so if you haven't left a comment, I'd love to hear some.
*Are there points about a Prayer Shield that I still need to cover?
Also...if you are regular reader, I'd love your prayers on my behalf. I am finding that going into this sabbatical I'm being approached by alot more leaders - some of businesses, others of churches and still others of ministries of influence around the world - to set up prayer shields for them. I need strategy from the Lord, as to how to do this. I'm running out of my own 'pool' of intercessors, and I can see the need is greater than I can do . What's the Lord saying? And what does He what me to do? Is there a better way to try to organize and gather more intercessors to help pray for leaders and leaders of ministries? Just a few of the questions I'll be seeking God's answers to for the next month....and would love you to pray into for me!
See you in September!
Sunday, July 12, 2009
The 5 D's
I am what you would call a ' Big God' person. By that I mean, that I don't focus on the enemy when I pray - I focus on God. I don't go looking for demons under every bush or rock, and I don't see the demonic everywhere and in every situation.
BUT....and here's the BUT.....I have been reminded in the last ten years or so, that I can't be naive. We ARE in a war. We DO have an enemy, and that enemy's goal is to kill, steal and destroy everything he can in my relationships: with God and with others! So....in order to defeat this foe, I have to understand his tactics. Yes, warfare is inevitable.
As a leader, I have to be aware that am going to be 'contended for'. As a leader, I can't let false humility lead me into dangerous traps: eg. " Oh, who am I to ask people to pray for me." or better yet, ' I'm nothing special - just little 'ol me'! No way! We have to understand 'who' we are and fight accordingly. The enemy wants to stop leaders ( and every Christian) anyway he can. The reason why I emphasize what leaders need to do tho, is simply this: if you are being a leader, that means you have people following you! That, by it's simple definition means, if you fall, quit, give in, burn out, step down etc., then that action will not only effect you, but those following you! So...that is why I keep saying that Leaders must get consistent, intentional prayer coverage AND be aware of the tactics of the enemy.
One such tactic is: the 5 D's. I'll give you a brief description of them. If you want an in depth look at these 5 D's and their effects, check out Rick Joyner's book, " Epic Battles of the Last Days". (It's an oldie but a goodie!) There are two categories of D's. First is the Deadly D's. Then I'll write out the 5 D's.
Deadly D's.
1. Disappointment - when our expectations are not met
2. Distraction - when we are focusing on anything else, except what is truly important.
3. Deception - which can often be the result of distraction. (you don't have time for the Word, or spending time with God.)
5 D's...( Spiraling down into Defeat)
1. Disappointment - our expectations are not met: consequently we are not happy and become disturbed
2. Discouragement - we are without courage - we want to give up or quit. We become disheartened and are ready to run, rather than deal with the situation. Our fighting spirit is gone.
3. Dejection- a lowness of spirit - a feeling of spiritual and emotional fatigue.
4. Despair - Hope is completely abandoned and is replaced with apathy or a spiritual numbness. Fear begins to take root and can be overwhelming.
5. Demoralization: At this stage our lives can feel filled with disorder and that, can cause us to make reckless decisions or take reckless actions - regardless of the consequences.
Leader's need to be able to recognize these 5 D's, especially in their own lives, but also in the lives of others around us.
As far as I know, the first person to write about the 5 D's was Dr. Joseph Carroll of the Evangelical Institute of Greenville in Greenville, S. Carolina. He's given credit for it in Kay Arthur's book , " As Silver is Refined ". Rick Joyner also mentions the 5 D's in his book, " Epic Battles of the Last Days". If you haven't read either of these books, I highly recommend them!
BUT....and here's the BUT.....I have been reminded in the last ten years or so, that I can't be naive. We ARE in a war. We DO have an enemy, and that enemy's goal is to kill, steal and destroy everything he can in my relationships: with God and with others! So....in order to defeat this foe, I have to understand his tactics. Yes, warfare is inevitable.
As a leader, I have to be aware that am going to be 'contended for'. As a leader, I can't let false humility lead me into dangerous traps: eg. " Oh, who am I to ask people to pray for me." or better yet, ' I'm nothing special - just little 'ol me'! No way! We have to understand 'who' we are and fight accordingly. The enemy wants to stop leaders ( and every Christian) anyway he can. The reason why I emphasize what leaders need to do tho, is simply this: if you are being a leader, that means you have people following you! That, by it's simple definition means, if you fall, quit, give in, burn out, step down etc., then that action will not only effect you, but those following you! So...that is why I keep saying that Leaders must get consistent, intentional prayer coverage AND be aware of the tactics of the enemy.
One such tactic is: the 5 D's. I'll give you a brief description of them. If you want an in depth look at these 5 D's and their effects, check out Rick Joyner's book, " Epic Battles of the Last Days". (It's an oldie but a goodie!) There are two categories of D's. First is the Deadly D's. Then I'll write out the 5 D's.
Deadly D's.
1. Disappointment - when our expectations are not met
2. Distraction - when we are focusing on anything else, except what is truly important.
3. Deception - which can often be the result of distraction. (you don't have time for the Word, or spending time with God.)
5 D's...( Spiraling down into Defeat)
1. Disappointment - our expectations are not met: consequently we are not happy and become disturbed
2. Discouragement - we are without courage - we want to give up or quit. We become disheartened and are ready to run, rather than deal with the situation. Our fighting spirit is gone.
3. Dejection- a lowness of spirit - a feeling of spiritual and emotional fatigue.
4. Despair - Hope is completely abandoned and is replaced with apathy or a spiritual numbness. Fear begins to take root and can be overwhelming.
5. Demoralization: At this stage our lives can feel filled with disorder and that, can cause us to make reckless decisions or take reckless actions - regardless of the consequences.
Leader's need to be able to recognize these 5 D's, especially in their own lives, but also in the lives of others around us.
As far as I know, the first person to write about the 5 D's was Dr. Joseph Carroll of the Evangelical Institute of Greenville in Greenville, S. Carolina. He's given credit for it in Kay Arthur's book , " As Silver is Refined ". Rick Joyner also mentions the 5 D's in his book, " Epic Battles of the Last Days". If you haven't read either of these books, I highly recommend them!
Sunday, June 7, 2009
What's Your Assignment??
II Chron.23:6b...."all the rest are to guard what God has assigned to them."
ICor.7:17...' retain the place the Lord has assigned to him and to which God has called him."
The Message says: " And don't be wishing you were someplace else or with someone else. Where you are right now is God's place for you. Live and obey and love and believe right there."
Defining the assignment means being able to break it down into the following categories: 1. What 2. Who 3. Why 4. Where 5. How
I am going to start with the basic areas that actually train intercessors in their prayer assignments. Remember, we never start off on a Prayer Shield, we have, through obedience, learned to pray with what first, is right in our hand - right in front of us! It is through learning to pray for, and cover those in our immediate areas of influence and responsibility, that we gradually take on more assignments from God to pray for those among - specifically leaders. But....you never start your prayer journey being on a prayer shield. You learn the faithfulness, commitment and maturity needed for that assignment, by learning to pray for those people and situations in your immediate sphere of influence. Let's start there...
1. What is the area God has set you in, or called you to defend?
II Chron. 23: some guarded the gates, some the palace, some the king
What area are you in today - right now - home? Work? School? Family? Neighbourhood? Marriage? Church? Ministry?
Start with where you are - you are earning and learning, authority.
2. Who are you standing for? your children? Your spouse? Co-workers? Look around you - who has God placed in your path?
3. Why are standing? You need to know this because in times of discouragement you need to come back to this. You do this because God has called you.
Get a word from God - a promise - to set your vision and your hope on , when you pray. What has God told you He wants to do in that situation or for that person? Without a vision, or word from the Lord for those we pray for, we will falter...get discouraged or give up. Pray is not for the faint hearted. It takes perseverance, commitment and the ability to continue on, in the fact of overwhelming facts that tell us we are not making a difference!
How many times do we hear, " I don't know why I bother?"...IF God has told you to pray, then we pray, regardless of what we see with our natural eyes or hear with our natural ears. Remember, we are hoping to move things on a different spiritual level, for those we pray for!
Exodus: 32 : Moses has just had an awesome time with God, and he comes back to the camp and everyone is in rebellion!! BUT...Moses reminded God of His word ( to Abraham, Issac and Israel) vs. 13.." I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and I will give them all this land."
4. How do we fight?
Our weapons are not of this world - they are not carnal - they are supernatural for the tearing down of strongholds. Eph.6:12...' we fight not against flesh and blood." .
Here are the weapons we use when we fight:
Scripture: God's word is indispensable! When was the last time you prayed scripture over your situation or over the person who you carry on your heart?!
Prayer: praying about all things....praying without ceasing...lifting everything to Him in prayer! This keeps us focused on Him and reminds us that the battle is in His hands! We want to be like David and call God down into the battle, not rush out take on the battles ourselves. Praying keeps us focused on and in conversation with, Him.
Praise: Ps. 34..' I will praise the Lord at all times'! If you live by what you feel, you'll be a wreck! Praise changes the atmosphere! Ps. 150 " Let everything that has breath praise the Lord." Do you have 'breath'?? Then praise!! The enemy hates it when we praise...and he will flee in the face of an onslaught of praise! And by praise I don't mean just meaningless, 'thank you, thank you' or ' I praise You' repeated over and over! I mean serious Praise, that stirs up your spirit by calling to remembrance the greatness of God, His promises to you, His character !
Forgiveness: Now many people will be surprised I put this down as a weapon, but I believe that more prayers are hindered because of unforgiveness. I firmly believe that forgiveness is a huge weapon in our arsenal! If we forgive, then we have great authority when we pray, particularly if we are praying for those who are offending or wounding us! Remember the Word tells us that mercy triumphs over judgment! So..when you show mercy...you have great authority to ask God on behalf of the person you are praying for. When we participate in forgiveness and asking for mercy, we are participating in the ministry of Christ - it's what He came to do. If we don't..then the enemy will have a field day, harassing us and eventually effecting our ability to hear clearly from God.
Repentance: Another unusual weapon in our arsenal, and often overlooked. The quickest way to lose your authority is to be in rebellion or sin. Two responses to that issue, can be to ignore the Holy Spirit's conviction and pretend it doesn't matter to God...or just knowingly continue. In any case, if we quickly repent when we are aware that we are in 'sin' , we keep the blessing of God flowing in our lives and take away the right of the enemy to harass us, or accuse us.
5. Who are you standing with?
Remember when we take on prayer assignments, whether those in your immediate area of responsibility or something beyond, we never stand alone! God always sends support for us in any area He asks us to stand in. Sometimes it can feel like we are standing on our own ( eg. like David infront of Goliath), but the truth is God is always with us! " II Kings6....' there are more with us than against us.' BUT..you need to know 'who' God has asked you to pray for. If you don't, you can just be praying willy/nilly all over the map! That's not to say that you can't pick up spontaneous prayer assignments or short term, but generally part of your training is learning to hear God as to 'who' you should be praying for..and also be willing to hear Him say when that assignment is done! ( That's another topic we'll cover later!) There is a big difference between a spontaneous prayer and a prayer assignment. I often pray for people and situations 'in the moment', when I hear about a need, but Idon't necessarily take them on as a prayer assignment. I used to ( out of feeling guilty, or obligation..or just no sense of boundaries)...and believe me I wore myself out!
6. Where do you stand?
Right where you are! II Sam.23: 9-12 the story of Eleazar ( one of my favorits by the way) and Shammah - they took their stand - one in a barley field and one in a field of lentils. Now that might not look like the most strategic place to make a stand, but they did! Why? Because it was God's field...and it was time to stop being pushed back! Others had fled...but they stood. Sometimes God will ask to stand in places that don't look very glamourous or strategic, but our job is to hear and obey! Remember, we need to understand God's way and His purposes in our lives and in the lives of those we pray for.
God is looking for people who will pray, right where they are at. What's in front of you?What in your hand? What 'field' are you standing in, that others may not see as important, but God is saying, " Stand your ground - right here and pray!"
ICor.7:17...' retain the place the Lord has assigned to him and to which God has called him."
The Message says: " And don't be wishing you were someplace else or with someone else. Where you are right now is God's place for you. Live and obey and love and believe right there."
Defining the assignment means being able to break it down into the following categories: 1. What 2. Who 3. Why 4. Where 5. How
I am going to start with the basic areas that actually train intercessors in their prayer assignments. Remember, we never start off on a Prayer Shield, we have, through obedience, learned to pray with what first, is right in our hand - right in front of us! It is through learning to pray for, and cover those in our immediate areas of influence and responsibility, that we gradually take on more assignments from God to pray for those among - specifically leaders. But....you never start your prayer journey being on a prayer shield. You learn the faithfulness, commitment and maturity needed for that assignment, by learning to pray for those people and situations in your immediate sphere of influence. Let's start there...
1. What is the area God has set you in, or called you to defend?
II Chron. 23: some guarded the gates, some the palace, some the king
What area are you in today - right now - home? Work? School? Family? Neighbourhood? Marriage? Church? Ministry?
Start with where you are - you are earning and learning, authority.
2. Who are you standing for? your children? Your spouse? Co-workers? Look around you - who has God placed in your path?
3. Why are standing? You need to know this because in times of discouragement you need to come back to this. You do this because God has called you.
Get a word from God - a promise - to set your vision and your hope on , when you pray. What has God told you He wants to do in that situation or for that person? Without a vision, or word from the Lord for those we pray for, we will falter...get discouraged or give up. Pray is not for the faint hearted. It takes perseverance, commitment and the ability to continue on, in the fact of overwhelming facts that tell us we are not making a difference!
How many times do we hear, " I don't know why I bother?"...IF God has told you to pray, then we pray, regardless of what we see with our natural eyes or hear with our natural ears. Remember, we are hoping to move things on a different spiritual level, for those we pray for!
Exodus: 32 : Moses has just had an awesome time with God, and he comes back to the camp and everyone is in rebellion!! BUT...Moses reminded God of His word ( to Abraham, Issac and Israel) vs. 13.." I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and I will give them all this land."
4. How do we fight?
Our weapons are not of this world - they are not carnal - they are supernatural for the tearing down of strongholds. Eph.6:12...' we fight not against flesh and blood." .
Here are the weapons we use when we fight:
Scripture: God's word is indispensable! When was the last time you prayed scripture over your situation or over the person who you carry on your heart?!
Prayer: praying about all things....praying without ceasing...lifting everything to Him in prayer! This keeps us focused on Him and reminds us that the battle is in His hands! We want to be like David and call God down into the battle, not rush out take on the battles ourselves. Praying keeps us focused on and in conversation with, Him.
Praise: Ps. 34..' I will praise the Lord at all times'! If you live by what you feel, you'll be a wreck! Praise changes the atmosphere! Ps. 150 " Let everything that has breath praise the Lord." Do you have 'breath'?? Then praise!! The enemy hates it when we praise...and he will flee in the face of an onslaught of praise! And by praise I don't mean just meaningless, 'thank you, thank you' or ' I praise You' repeated over and over! I mean serious Praise, that stirs up your spirit by calling to remembrance the greatness of God, His promises to you, His character !
Forgiveness: Now many people will be surprised I put this down as a weapon, but I believe that more prayers are hindered because of unforgiveness. I firmly believe that forgiveness is a huge weapon in our arsenal! If we forgive, then we have great authority when we pray, particularly if we are praying for those who are offending or wounding us! Remember the Word tells us that mercy triumphs over judgment! So..when you show mercy...you have great authority to ask God on behalf of the person you are praying for. When we participate in forgiveness and asking for mercy, we are participating in the ministry of Christ - it's what He came to do. If we don't..then the enemy will have a field day, harassing us and eventually effecting our ability to hear clearly from God.
Repentance: Another unusual weapon in our arsenal, and often overlooked. The quickest way to lose your authority is to be in rebellion or sin. Two responses to that issue, can be to ignore the Holy Spirit's conviction and pretend it doesn't matter to God...or just knowingly continue. In any case, if we quickly repent when we are aware that we are in 'sin' , we keep the blessing of God flowing in our lives and take away the right of the enemy to harass us, or accuse us.
5. Who are you standing with?
Remember when we take on prayer assignments, whether those in your immediate area of responsibility or something beyond, we never stand alone! God always sends support for us in any area He asks us to stand in. Sometimes it can feel like we are standing on our own ( eg. like David infront of Goliath), but the truth is God is always with us! " II Kings6....' there are more with us than against us.' BUT..you need to know 'who' God has asked you to pray for. If you don't, you can just be praying willy/nilly all over the map! That's not to say that you can't pick up spontaneous prayer assignments or short term, but generally part of your training is learning to hear God as to 'who' you should be praying for..and also be willing to hear Him say when that assignment is done! ( That's another topic we'll cover later!) There is a big difference between a spontaneous prayer and a prayer assignment. I often pray for people and situations 'in the moment', when I hear about a need, but Idon't necessarily take them on as a prayer assignment. I used to ( out of feeling guilty, or obligation..or just no sense of boundaries)...and believe me I wore myself out!
6. Where do you stand?
Right where you are! II Sam.23: 9-12 the story of Eleazar ( one of my favorits by the way) and Shammah - they took their stand - one in a barley field and one in a field of lentils. Now that might not look like the most strategic place to make a stand, but they did! Why? Because it was God's field...and it was time to stop being pushed back! Others had fled...but they stood. Sometimes God will ask to stand in places that don't look very glamourous or strategic, but our job is to hear and obey! Remember, we need to understand God's way and His purposes in our lives and in the lives of those we pray for.
God is looking for people who will pray, right where they are at. What's in front of you?What in your hand? What 'field' are you standing in, that others may not see as important, but God is saying, " Stand your ground - right here and pray!"
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Trust and the Pizza Delivery Principle
Maturing in intercession means being trustworthy with the secrets of God and with the confidences of those in authority you are called to pray for. As Tommi Femrite says: " We are to be like vaults where God can hide his private thoughts, knowing that they will only be released at His discretion." We also need to continually work on not taking our own worth or value from the words that we get on behalf of those we are praying for! Part of our faithfulness gets tested when we continue to get words for aleaders, without encouragement. That is somethign that leaders need to work on, absolutely no doubt of that, BUT the real issue for many of us on a prayer shield, is to remember 'why' we are doing what we are doing. Is if for 'man'? Or have we felt called by God?
As intercessors called to pray for leaders, we need to be known for our faithfulness, our loyalty and our ability to keep a confidence. Leader's who do not feel safe with their intercessors, will not ask for prayer in the areas they truly need it. When we are praying for leaders, God may give us thought and words for them or about their situation, so that we can pray with more accuracy. We need to be careful that we don't brag or name drop, about the leaders we are praying for. Nor should we invite others to 'see' or 'hear' what God has been showing us on their behalf. It can be very tempting to share somethign you've gotten on behalf of someone, with others. Always check your heart. Are you wanting to share a princple or revelation that you recieved from that prayer time? Or are you wanting someone to know who you are praying for, and what you've been praying for them?
It's always wise to remember that the prophet Isaiah rebuked Hezekiah for showing the wealth of his treasury to the king of Babylon. That self-exalting act ( Is.39) caused the prosperity of Judah's people to be carried away. As intercessors we need to be less concerned about looking good to others, as we are protecting the people that God has given us a prayer burden for. We want to be very careful about bragging or revealing to others about what has been spoken in secret place of prayer.
God may give us passages of scripture that speak directly to a leader's situation or to his/her heart. He may give us images or pictures during our prayer times that we can also share with them. The key is to give it the one is was designated for - not share it with others. Remember tho, that only God decides the timing for sharing these things, and that when do do share them, we are to share them with an open hand! In other words, when we give what we have received in prayer, we do not 'own' it - we release it and get back to prayer.
Often when I work with Intercessors who are wondering how or when to give a word to a leader, I teach them the Pizza Delivery Principle. What's that? Well, it works like this....getting a 'word' for a leader, is much like ordering pizza. Once you've place the order , the pizza delivery person brings the 'pizza' to you. Now..they don't stand around and watch you eat the pizza. They don't hang around and ask for a piece of the pizza. They don't ask you for a tip...or stand and ask if you like it. They deliver the pizza and leave. They go back for MORE pizzas, that also are ready for delivery. "Words" for leaders are a lot like that. When you get something - just give it to them. don't hang around, watching over them to see their reactions. Don't wait by your phone to see if they'll 'tip' you ( by stroking your ego). You're job is to deliver what you 'got' from the Lord. Leave them to 'taste' it and see what they think. It's not your job to hover and check on the 'pizza' - your job is to deliver it and go..
Now I once had an intercessor who said to me: "You teach on the Pizza Delivery Principle, but I've been bringing you 'pizza's' and you don't use them." ( Meaning her words/scriptures etc. weren't getting mentioned in church or in my prayer emails to my prayer shield. She was taking personal value in having her words acknowledged.) I explained to her, again, that when I receive input from my prayer shield and personal intercessors, that often I might not understand right away where a certain scripture or word is fitting into the situation or circumstance I am currently facing, BUT that I always file them away, and ask God to bring them back to mind if they are for another time. I believe I am no different than most leaders. I always appreciate anything that is given to me that has been birthed in prayer, but at the same time, not everything that is given to me 'fits' right away.
Sometimes, as intercessors on a prayer shield, we have to be willing to let the leader we are praying for, do with the 'pizza' as they will. Our job, is not to get credit or acknowledgement. Our job is to go back and keep praying and maybe...there will be another pizza to deliver later!
As intercessors called to pray for leaders, we need to be known for our faithfulness, our loyalty and our ability to keep a confidence. Leader's who do not feel safe with their intercessors, will not ask for prayer in the areas they truly need it. When we are praying for leaders, God may give us thought and words for them or about their situation, so that we can pray with more accuracy. We need to be careful that we don't brag or name drop, about the leaders we are praying for. Nor should we invite others to 'see' or 'hear' what God has been showing us on their behalf. It can be very tempting to share somethign you've gotten on behalf of someone, with others. Always check your heart. Are you wanting to share a princple or revelation that you recieved from that prayer time? Or are you wanting someone to know who you are praying for, and what you've been praying for them?
It's always wise to remember that the prophet Isaiah rebuked Hezekiah for showing the wealth of his treasury to the king of Babylon. That self-exalting act ( Is.39) caused the prosperity of Judah's people to be carried away. As intercessors we need to be less concerned about looking good to others, as we are protecting the people that God has given us a prayer burden for. We want to be very careful about bragging or revealing to others about what has been spoken in secret place of prayer.
God may give us passages of scripture that speak directly to a leader's situation or to his/her heart. He may give us images or pictures during our prayer times that we can also share with them. The key is to give it the one is was designated for - not share it with others. Remember tho, that only God decides the timing for sharing these things, and that when do do share them, we are to share them with an open hand! In other words, when we give what we have received in prayer, we do not 'own' it - we release it and get back to prayer.
Often when I work with Intercessors who are wondering how or when to give a word to a leader, I teach them the Pizza Delivery Principle. What's that? Well, it works like this....getting a 'word' for a leader, is much like ordering pizza. Once you've place the order , the pizza delivery person brings the 'pizza' to you. Now..they don't stand around and watch you eat the pizza. They don't hang around and ask for a piece of the pizza. They don't ask you for a tip...or stand and ask if you like it. They deliver the pizza and leave. They go back for MORE pizzas, that also are ready for delivery. "Words" for leaders are a lot like that. When you get something - just give it to them. don't hang around, watching over them to see their reactions. Don't wait by your phone to see if they'll 'tip' you ( by stroking your ego). You're job is to deliver what you 'got' from the Lord. Leave them to 'taste' it and see what they think. It's not your job to hover and check on the 'pizza' - your job is to deliver it and go..
Now I once had an intercessor who said to me: "You teach on the Pizza Delivery Principle, but I've been bringing you 'pizza's' and you don't use them." ( Meaning her words/scriptures etc. weren't getting mentioned in church or in my prayer emails to my prayer shield. She was taking personal value in having her words acknowledged.) I explained to her, again, that when I receive input from my prayer shield and personal intercessors, that often I might not understand right away where a certain scripture or word is fitting into the situation or circumstance I am currently facing, BUT that I always file them away, and ask God to bring them back to mind if they are for another time. I believe I am no different than most leaders. I always appreciate anything that is given to me that has been birthed in prayer, but at the same time, not everything that is given to me 'fits' right away.
Sometimes, as intercessors on a prayer shield, we have to be willing to let the leader we are praying for, do with the 'pizza' as they will. Our job, is not to get credit or acknowledgement. Our job is to go back and keep praying and maybe...there will be another pizza to deliver later!
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Looking for a few Good Intercessors.....
Hey!
Any Intercessors out there, looking for opportunities to pray?
I am looking for intercessors who are feeling called to partner in prayer, on behalf of others. Intercessors who are able to be confidential and trusted with prayer issues for leaders and those who are currently influencing for the Kingdom of God in their fields.
If you've been looking for an opportunity to actually function as part of a team that is praying for businesses....or perhaps pastors & leaders....or missionaries - contact me.I have a list of people that are requesting to be paired up with Intercessors for prayer support, but my pool of intercessors is currently empty - they are all out on assignments and maxed out ! If you've been following this blog, and feeling like you'd like to find some other ways to be a part of praying for people/businesses, then let me know.I had hoped to have a down loadable form for intercessors to fill out, but my techie buddie is in Taiwan for the next month, so we'll just have to make due. Copy and print and then mail it to me. The address is at the bottom of the application.
_____________________________________________________________________
Application
for participation in Intercessory Assignments and Prayer Shields
NAME: (Mr./Mrs./Ms.) First - M.I. - Last :
ADDRESS: _________________________________________________________________________Street :_______________________ City:________________________________________
State/Province ____________________________ Zip /Postal Code_______________TELEPHONE: ___________________ Email:___________________________________________ _
EMERGENCY CONTACT & TELEPHONE: _______________________________________________
DATE OF BIRTH: ____________________________ SEX: ____ Male ____Female Month / Day / Year
GENERAL INFORMATION:
1. What is God’s "prayer" call on your life? ( your area's of burden)___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Are you a part of local (city) prayer group ? Or a church prayer group? For how long? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. Where to you attend church? (Name and Address)________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
4. Are you an active church member? ____Yes ____No
5. Do you have a daily prayer life? ____ Yes ____ No. If so, how long do you pray? ___________________________________________________________________
6. Have you attended any Prayer Seminars Conferences ? ____ Yes ____ No. If so, where and when?________________________________________________________________________________
7. Have you personally experienced wounding in regards to your gifting from those in leadership? What have you done to ensure that this wounding does not effect your ability to effectively pray for those in places of authority? _________________________________________________________________________________________________
8. How would you feel if a 'word' you sent thru needed to be challenged or edited? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
9.List any prayer ministries, networks or groups that you have participated in.____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
PASTOR’S ENDORSEMENT
:__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
Pastor’s Name:
Church Address :
Phone:
Email Address:
How long have you know the Applicant?________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ I am willing to receive a phone call or email in regards to this endorsement: ___Yes ____No
Pastor’s Signature
Date
SPIRITUAL BELIEFS: (You can use another sheet of paper for these questions)
1. Explain how and when you came to know Jesus Christ as your personal Savior. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. List your understanding the difference between prayer and prophecy - in regards to a prayer assignment.________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. What is the significance of 'witchcraft prayers' ? Share what you do personally to ensure you heart and motives stay free from personal agendas when praying for leaders. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
4. Share what it means to you to pray for others. ._________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
MY AGREEMENT AND COMMITMENT:
I certify that the facts contained in this application are true and complete to the best of my knowledge. I understand that falsified statements on this application shall be grounds for refusal of acceptance for participation in an Intercessory Assignment or Prayer Shield, under the leadership of Pam Dyck . I also understand that any contact numbers I have given in regards to references or endorsements, may be called to verify my information.I release Pam Dyck and associated parties from any liability that may result from fasting and/or praying, and I accept full responsibility myself.
Signature :
Date:
Please mail completed Application form to:
Intercessory Assignments
31948 Peardonville Rd.
Abbotsford, BC
V2T 1L8
Canada
Attn: Pam Dyck
Monday, May 4, 2009
Trust.....
TRUST: (n) reliance on the integrity, strength, ability, surety, etc., of a person or thing; confidence.
One of the biggest issues that seems to come up, time and time again when trying to establish a prayer shield, whether for the leader or the prayer person, is the issue of trust. Once trust has been broken, it's hard to recover - but recover we must! Without trust, the whole point of a prayer shield falls apart. Let me explain......
If a leader doesn't trust prayer people, then either they won't really share what they need prayer for, or they won't receive what the prayer people have heard from the Lord.
If prayer person doesn't trust leaders, then they won't submit what they are hearing from the Lord on their behalf, and thereby rob them of an opportunity to be encouraged or alerted to things, by the Lord thru them!
Either way.....broken trust, left unhealed, will ultimately cause a lack of functionality in a prayer shield.
Now..I know there will be people who say that just the fact a leader is getting prayer, should be enough. While I do agree that no ( good*) prayer is ever wasted, I think that by not working with a prayer shield, you may be getting some effect from their prayers, but as a leader, you are not getting the full effect, because you are not working with your team.
As a prayer person, you may be getting some relief for your prayer burden, by praying on your own, but you will never know the full encouragement of being a part of prayer shield because you don't get the encouragement of hearing how the words you've shared were effective or confirmational for a leader.
Remember too, when I am sharing about Prayer Shields, I am speaking about 'personal prayer shields'. Many well known ministries have large intercessory lists that receive prayer emails - this is not the same as a personal shield. These larger forms of prayer covering, while awesome, may not be able to cover topics that directly personal to the leader.
Stayed tuned for a little study on different types of prayer shields - figuratively speaking! ( hope I wet your appetite).
* I say this in response to the fact that not all prayer is said with a right heart or pure motives, so we have to be careful as prayer people that our own adgenda's don't creep into our prayer times for leaders.
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