Strategy

Greetings,Back already...
This morning I shared a little about "This Present Truth" and along with the teaching I mentioned three things I believe the Lord was speaking to me about; a "present truth" for myself and the local fellowship we're a part of. The first - relationship building, possible home group ministry, etc. The second - strategic intercession (I told the congregation I wasn't real sure what that meant but would be glad to hear from any of them if they had an idea). The third - lengthening the time we usually have for our morning service. Not to "run long" for the sake of staying long, but to not feel so rushed should the Lord direct otherwise.

This afternoon while praying and ministering to the Lord, He gave me a "word". It was a definition of strategy that, coupled with truth regarding intercession, lit a fuse on the inside of me. I'm going to share just the main points, briefly. I would appreciate any comments or feedback. I am not trying to say I understand all this, but I know what the Lord spoke to my heart. I shared this word with the people who gathered this evening and then we had a time of prayer and worship.

Anyway...the essence of the word is this: Gain the advantage in intercession through Holy Spirit inspired strategy.

Sounds easy, doesn't it? I looked up a definition of the word "strategy" - "the science and art of military command exercised to meet the enemy in combat under advantageous conditions". I believe the Body of Christ is so used to being in a "reactive" posture we have been unable to gain the advantage on the enemy. We have been behind...we come along after the "bomb" has already gone off in our lives or in those around us. We've been content to help others pick up the pieces (which is very nice) when, if we utilized the Holy Spirit's "strategy", we could turn things to where the devil would have to spend his time trying to put out the "fires" we start!

The strategy is really this - Live in such a way where the Holy Spirit can "show you things to come" (John 16:13) and expect Him to "help you in your weaknesses (not knowing how or when, etc. to pray - Romans 8:26-27). The strategy entails living a life of forgiveness and humility (2 Cor. 2:10,11; 1 Peter 3:7-9). It involves loving others more than ourselves so that we are not selfish with our TIME (it takes time to pray for people...time to love...time to minister to those who have been affected by the affairs of life...it takes time to do anything!). It's TIME we use a different strategy than we've used in the past. Let's not rely on what we hear, see, or read about to draw us to the place of prayer. Let's, instead, develop such a fellowship with the Holy Spirit whereby we hear His voice and learn His timing. The Lord has NO DESIRE to run second place to the works of darkness. There's much more to be accomplished when the Spirit of God is directing our lives - EVERY SECOND OF IT. Don't you just believe that the Lord has a strategy for our city, our state, etc!

When you get an opportunity, please read Acts 9:23-31. Notice that the great apostle Paul (Saul) just had gotten saved and became a radical for Jesus. Well, the enemy wanted to shut him up so he incites the crowds (in 2 different cities) to plan a way to eliminate our brother. Now if the church then had been using the "strategy" of the 21st century church, we would not have any Pauline Epistles. But news came to the disciples and Paul in time for something to be done BEFORE they had to raise him from the dead (they had to do that later, Acts. 14).

Read 2 Kings 6:8-12. Elisha the prophet of God was used by the Spirit of God to prevent the Syrians from waging successful war against the children of Israel.

May we, by the Glorious Spirit of the Living God, be so sensitive to God and unselfish with our lives that we can find our place in God's Strategy...pro actively declaring and demonstrating the Kingdom of God. AMEN!

Pastor Jan