For Crying Out Loud

Have you ever said or heard some one say, "for crying out loud?" It is a slang phrase that is an exclamation emphasizing surprise, disbelief, impatience, anger, etc. Although it is a slang phrase, for believers it could be considered heartfelt prayer. Prayer is speaking to God what His will is. It is our need crying out for help to our loving Father. It is the voice of faith to the Father with the assurance that the need will be met, that is, His will be done. The greatest prayer that the believer can offer is releasing God's Word from the lips of faith, because God and His Word are One. (John 1:1) When believers quote the Word, we are actually quoting Him. We hold His Word in the same manner that a bank holds our note for a loan. Just as we have collateral to make the note good, God has ability to make His Word good. "For when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself." (Hebrews 6:13) Therefore, prayer is simply calling upon God by speaking His word to meet our needs. We also need to keep in mind, "due to our weaknesses, we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered" (Romans 8:26), our prayers are to be Holy Spirit led.

Jesus tells us, "Men ought to pray always and not lose heart." (Luke 18:1)  Prayer is also vital contact, communion, with the Father. We are to come boldly into the throne room, into His presence without condemnation, guilt or with inferiority. (Hebrews 4:16) Prayer is a constant communion with the Father that enriches the believer spiritually. Prayer filled with God's Word led by the Holy Spirit releases the power of God. We cast out demons with the Word. We pray for the sick and the diseases leave them. Weakness is destroyed by the strength of God. The very life of God flows out through our lips. His Word literally becomes the sword of the spirit, and it is waging a war against demoniacal forces who rule men. His Word released from our lips dominates these forces of darkness. Jesus said, "And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons..." (Mark 16:17) This means to rule over them, govern them.

From the foundation of the world, God has planned with divine wisdom, the Body of Christ. The moment that you were born into that body, you have your place in which to function. Although, you may have various functions, one function without doubt, is prayer. We are to pray without ceasing. (1 Thessalonians 5:17) Do not ever entertain the thought that because of lack of training, you do not have a place. This is nothing more than the lies of the devil to prevent you from ruling over him and his dark forces. God has given you a place (1 Corinthians 12:14, 18) and you have a responsibility to take your place and function. If you do not take your place in the Family of God, in the Church, and begin to function, the Body of Christ is weakened. Ever believers business is to find their place and fill it. Until they do, the whole Body will suffer, so, rise up and take your place, you are needed. Do not allow anything to stand in the way of you finding and taking your place.

There is much talk and prophecy about the coming of a "Third Great Awakening." The question that we must ask ourselves, is, "Are we prepared to flow with a move of God?" Jesus told the people around Him, "Whenever you see a cloud rising out of the west, immediately you say, ‘A shower is coming’; and so it is. And when you see the south wind blow, you say, ‘There will be hot weather’; and there is. Hypocrites! You can discern the face of the sky and of the earth, but how is it you do not discern this time?" (Luke 12:24-56) The Jews could not discern through the Word nor the current events the advent of the very Messiah that they long waited for. Not only did they not discern the times, but turned the Messiah over to the Gentiles to be put to death. Now we know that this was all in God ingenious, brilliant plan of man's redemption, nevertheless is the church today prepared to discern a "Third Great Awakening?" 

Consider these three comments; 

• Ministers today seem more concerned with political power in society than spiritual fervency in the church, while pop culture contributes to the moral decay among the youth... 
• While marked by an increasing ethnic diversity and various religious beliefs, the nation’s established religious groups, particularly Protestants, demonstrate a sterile spirituality. One pastor bemoans the obsession with gambling and rudeness, while churches are attended at convenience...
• College campuses teem with students chasing after the latest philosophies, the more non-biblical the better. The more educated a person you find, the less likely you are to discover a Christian. Meanwhile, churches are filled with people who listen to pastors preach then contradict the sermon by the way they live... 

You may think these three comments came from a concerned Christian commenting on our time. But the first one comes from Great Britain just before the preaching of John and Charles Wesley, George Whitefield, and others who were used by God to lead a great revival there. The second comes from the American colonies prior to the First Great Awakening. The third came by the influence of people such as Voltaire, Rousseau, and others, at college campuses in America at the dawn of the Second Great Awakening.  

I believe it is imperative that believers cry out to the Lord through heartfelt prayer and prepare themselves for an "awakening" that will make the first two pale. The Apostle Peter tells us, "Jesus Christ, whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began." (Acts 3:21) There are to many unfulfilled prophecies to list that I believer are in the process of being fulfilled, but, here are two that I believe also reveal a global awakening that will soon come...
"Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; But the Lord will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you. The Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising." (Isaiah 60:1-3)
"For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea." (Habakkuk 2:14)  

So, let us seek the Lord through heartfelt prayer, so we can discern the sign of the times and let the Lord bring to pass, the "Third Great Awakening." PTL...