Military planners require an environment of air superiority as a necessity for successful military campaigns. There are 5 levels of air power:
1. Air incapability
2. Air denial
3. Air parity
4. Air superiority
5. Air supremacy
This highest level of Air Power, Air supremacy, allows ground forces to be most effective. Air power is a very important element of warfare. In Spiritual warfare, prayer is taking control of the air space so the ground troops can be effective.
God created us with the capacity to function in a dimension the Bible calls “the unseen realm.” (2 Cor 4:18) When God reveals something it normally is an emerging desire or awareness as if something has suddenly been highlighted for us to see or know. So many times this is God’s way of motivating us to bring these things to him in prayer. When we take our authority to pray we are taking control of the airspace (heavens) so the ground troops (in the earth) can be more effective.
Acts 12:1-16 It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them…5 So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him…and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists…he went to the house…where many people had gathered and were praying. 13 Peter knocked at the outer entrance, and a servant named Rhoda came to answer the door. 14 When she recognized Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed she ran back without opening it and exclaimed, “Peter is at the door!” 15 “You’re out of your mind,” they told her…But Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished. NIV
You simply must understand that there are some things God wants to do in your life and in our world that will not happen if you do not pray. James is very clear that there are some things that aren’t released if we don’t ask God for them to be released.
James 4:2 …You do not have because you do not ask God. NIV
We are created by God to flourish. It is God’s will but it does NOT just happen because he desires it. Paul references taking hold of that for which Christ took hold of me in Phil 3:12. We also see how God gives to us as a possession that we must press in and possess in Exodus 6:8.
Most people don’t develop a lifestyle of prayer because they simply don’t know how to pray. All prayer that is effective prayer is born from intimacy. It has been our heart to see everybody become more sensitive to the promptings of the Holy Spirit and the presence of God during this season. When this happens conversations become confirmations and everybody is encouraged that we are all hearing God together.
2 Cor 13:14 “ May the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.” (NAS)
Find your rhythm, your expression of intimacy with God. Turn page – most days I don’t write anything but the date and I write personal relational things as much as I write spiritual things. It amazes it is amazing to me how to people can be doing the same thing and one is doing it in a sustainable way that is full of joy while the other is not discovering a sustainable pace and there is no joy at all.
Some people love a rigid schedule they can conquer and look back after a season with a wonderful sense of advancement. Some people love to journal and make lists. My youngest daughter, Lexi, sees images and pictures when God inspires her and I’ve suggested she start bringing a small canvas to church to draw on and express these things.
What does it look like for you to discover your sustainable pace of prayer where you find joy in interacting with God? Understanding how the Bible is more like Music than Math takes us from routine to rhythm in our pursuit of God.
What we all must learn without any question is that going into a place of prayer is not like going into the principal’s office. Going into a place of prayer it’s like going into a very enjoyable conversation with a compassionate and loving father who is for you and not against you.
GP2RL: Carry the people God is prompting you to pray for all week long. Invite them to church and lets introduce them to Jesus!
DISCUSSION GUIDE FOR COMMUNITY GROUP LEADERS
Click here for a downloadable pdf file of this guide.
DISCUSSION:
1. Share a time when you knew God was at work in a situation in your life.
2. Share a situation in somebody’s life, other than your own, that you would like to see God specifically do something to help them.
Pausing to consider other people’s needs opens a doorway to compassion. Compassion moves us into a place of cooperation with God to more effectively bring about God’s Kingdom in the earth.
James clearly and simply communicates that there are some things God wants to do in our lives and in our world that will not happen if we do not pray.
James 4:2 …You do not have because you do not ask God. NIV
We are created by God to flourish. This does not happen just because God hopes it will. We have a responsibility to battle for all God desires for us to release in our generation.
Charles Spurgeon said, “Prayer pulls the rope below, and the great bell rings above in the ears of God. Some Christians scarcely stir the bell, for they pray so (rarely); others give an occasional tug at the rope; but the ones who truly connect with heaven are those who grasp the rope boldly and pull continuously, with all their might.”
DISCUSSION:
3. As we read the following verses consider what stands out to you:
Daniel 10:11-13 (Daniel had been fasting and praying for 21 days when an angel from God appeared to him saying) “Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. 13 But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia. NIV
Things for group leaders to consider:
o Clearly there is a spiritual battle that is taking place in the heavens.
o Daniel’s prayer prompted an immediate response but it took 21 days of fighting before the answer arrived.
o I wonder how many times we have given up on the 20th day just before our breakthrough.
Make time to pray for those people your group will be inviting to church this Sunday for Easter.
Believe for God to begin having a conversation with them before you do. God is able to prepare the way for us all to have a sense that he is speaking to us!