Monday Message (1st Service)- Rachel Hickson (March 12, 2012) | Life Bible Church

to just encourage you this morning as we listen

to a woman of God that's a family friend. She

also is very strategic and has had many prophetic

words that the Lord has used her over our house

and over individuals. I'm sure many of you have

received from her ministry. But I want to honor

Rachel. She is a voice to the nations. She is

a voice to individuals. She is a voice to marriages,

to couples, to children. And the Lord has really

put a message in her heart and really her message

is a heart cry. And so as you receive from the

Lord through the servant Rachel today, I ask

that you would open up your heart. Come on now

and let's not just listen, but let's listen and

receive. Let's listen and allow the word to go

deep within you as the deposit comes forth today.

Amen. So let's stand and let's give it up for

Rachel Hickson. Yeah, well, thank you. It's always

great to be here. Do be seated. Come Helen. How

many of you know two are better than one? You

can have much more fun. So many of you know dear

Helen Azer. She's worked with me for five years

now and we've traveled many many nations. She's

also been a good provoker. She's helped me write

books and since I moved to Oxford six years,

seven years I've been writing. And many of you

know them, but just quickly to say those who

do work in the bookstore, the two little devotionals

here, really I say these are just the word of

God in little bites. It's breaking the bread

so that every day you can read some truth. And

we've been asked to do a whole series on prayer

this weekend. And one of the things that I've

done in this book is at the end of every day

I've written a prayer of declaration. And many

times when people write their testamies they

said I didn't know how to pray but actually reading

the prayers and praying them at the end of each

thing has taught me how to pray one person wrote

in and said to me I didn't know that you could

speak to God like that I thought it had to sound

more spiritual but sometimes how many we know

we just need to say to God help God I feel overwhelmed

God we've got to find our language and so I've

taken in the yellow book all our language of

my identity God I don't feel so great I don't

feel valuable I don't know who I am taking a

verse writing a thought of revelation and then

teaching you to pray scripture back into heaven

so you're agreeing with heaven what God is saying

and these little books have helped many the green

one is much more on peace and direction God I

don't know what I'm meant to do God what is my

pathway of life where am I went to walk I'm feeling

confused and so then little prayer guides of

their own and then we've also written this year

with Helen really helping study guides and so

many times you know we can read a book but we

know we want to put it into our life and activate

it and so here the book on reading the Bible

and then the prophetic word and this one on prayer

There's just very easy resources. You can do

it one -on -one. Do it as a married couple. You

can find a girlfriend or a guy friend at work

and just meet up one hour a week, read that chapter,

then begin to spur each other on. Well, how are

we going to activate this? How are we going to

practicalize it in our life? Because I believe

this is such a season to actually do what the

Holy Spirit is telling us to do. How many agree

with me? And then finally, the book on breakthrough

is the English edition of the book Little keys

open big doors. So it's not a new book just in

case you go to buy that one. We've sold out of

all the America stock and so we've had to ship

UK stock here and it's got a slightly different

cover just so that that's clear for you. And

you're asking is there another book coming? Yes

there is. In May June time there is a new book

called Run Your Race and that is my heart cry

to live a passionate life sold out to God. What

are the hallmarks that we have to embrace and

endorse in our lives so that we can really run

a race and finish looking like a champion? I

thought, in Olympic year, let's have some UK

girls finishing like champions. We'll beat the

Americans. No, no, we won't go there. But Helen,

why don't you come and share getting myself out

of a hole? We're really excited. It's been fantastic

to be here with you this weekend. But we're really

excited about what the Lord's put on our heart

for this evening. And we just wanted to share

that with you. So if you're wondering, do I come

back? Don't I come back? We're just excited that

as Rachel's been teaching about prayer, this

evening we get to actually practice it together

and it's going to be an interactive session where

we can really pray for some stuff and believe

God for some shifts in the heavenly realms. So

you up for that? And so we're wanting to really

share a little bit from the insight, the privilege

that God has given us to travel in the nations

and share something of what we've seen here in

the USA. This is a pivotal year for you with

your elections coming up and we really want to

stand in prayer with you but also in you to stand

for your nation and to really commit some time

this evening to pray for the USA but we then

also want to look at the nations and some of

you have already been asking over the coffee

time and that kind of thing what's happening

in the Middle East have you got any updates from

Egypt from what's going on in Syria that looks

like a mess but I don't really understand what's

happening and we just want to give some snapshots

of understanding on that and Pastor Elton has

already shared from Abraham today but you know

it says of Abraham in Romans 4 that he faced

the facts but did not waver in unbelief and in

his faith and he stood on the promises of the

Word of God that he'd received and we believe

and we firmly stand on that sense that God has

promises for nations and That while we face the

facts of the difficulties the shaking season

We do not waver in our faith or in unbelief We

face the facts, but then we acknowledge there's

a truth of the Word of God and we want to share

some of that and encourage you that God is at

work in the nations. So that's where we're going

this evening and we're excited about that. We

hope to see you and we'll be blessed if you come

along. Thank you. And what I love is there's

loads of power points. Thank you Helen. And you're

going to see, how many would like to see a 70

,000 prayer meeting? We've got some amazing things.

It's a privilege of travelling the nations. And

Helen's going to do quite a bit of the sharing

tonight because she just has real revelation.

How many of you are wondering what's going on

in Iran? What is all this deal about nuclear

weapons? Well, come tonight. I tell you, because

a non -profit organisation, 501c3... for HeartCry

for Change in the USA. And when I received that,

I think it was five years ago, maybe just a little

bit over five years ago, and I received the very

Washington State, and I opened it all up and

the big seal of Washington State and president

of HeartCry for Change, it all looks very grand.

And the Holy Spirit spoke to me instantly and

asked me this question, are you gonna be a taker

or a giver? And I said, what do you mean Jesus?

And because you see, why do we do 501c3? So that

we can take in the sense so that I can legitimately,

according to your laws, take donations for all

the missions work we do into Egypt, Turkey. India

with the leprosy affected, just starting in South

Africa with a wheelchair project into the townships.

Many of you know I was disabled myself after

a road traffic accident and I celebrate 30 years

of being healed and literally raised in 2014.

And God just said to me, what celebration do

you want for 30 years of walking and being literally

healed so that I didn't escape my funeral? And

I said, I don't know, God, what should it be?

He said, look for the least of the least in Africa.

And so we were just in South Africa for our 30th

wedding anniversary. And God is just unfolding

a whole project to supply wheelchairs for thesis

and other things for those injured in the incredible

wars that have gone on, you know, Mozambique

has had it, Angola's had it, and into the township

so that they don't have to sit on their butt

dragging themselves in the dirt for the rest

of their life and that we can begin to do that.

So God's just opened things. So I picked up that

501c3 and God spoke to me, will you be a giver

or a taker? And I said, I always have been a

giver. And so then he asked me, well, what will

you give to America? Are you just going to take

the dollars and go, are you going to give? And

I said, I want to give. But I said, what do I

give to America? To India I can give shoes for

the lepers, the leprosy affected. I can give

them latrines and bathrooms, dig them bore wells.

I know what to do amongst leprosy affected people

in India. I know what to do in the townships

of the disabled. What do we give to America?

And God asked me, and I have done this, to give

two weeks, twice a year. To really pray for the

government elections and begin to look and so

we go to Washington DC And if you know anything

about Washington DC, it's not the cheapest place

to go We come in we book our flights come in

twice a year and go and spend some time And God

has just showed us different things that I believe

are keys for unlocking this precious nation into

its destiny again And that is part of what Helen

and I are going to share tonight as well There's

some things that I believe that God wants to

take you back to foundation step Why? Because

I believe in this nation. I think this is one

of the most precious nations in the world. But

I tell you, the enemy is chasing your tail at

them. How many of you feel that? And so someone

has to stand up and say, no, not on my watch.

No, in Jesus' name. And so that is part of our

heart for this evening. This, as you'll see,

is my wonderful Australian family, two Australian

grandchildren, my dear daughter Nicola, who's

now 29, with her husband, Tim. And I think there's

one more. That's Grandad, my wonderful husband.

We've been married 30 years, teaching little

Cooper to say moo, and he learned very effectively.

So what am I going to share now? Well, we've

been on a journey I started last night about

entering the secret place. We talked about that

personal place of prayer where God enters our

secret world at that very moment when we're being

made and He forms us, He makes us. It says in

Psalm 139, in the secret place He knew us. In

that place of being physically formed He knew

us. But then God extends the invitation to us

and says, now when you pray, Shut the door, go

into a secret place, and start talking. He invites

you to begin to talk with the Godhead, right

in the Trinity. It says, Father, Son, abide in

Him, talk with Him. And I shared that last night.

And then this morning, first session, I... knew

that at the early service I must be speaking

to the warriors because they were up and ready

even with the hour going forward they were still

on post at the time the bugle sounded they were

there and so we so we spoke this morning about

not on my watch I released that warrior cry a

prayer that I believe God is wanting to stir

that there's a whole new sound that says no we

don't father hear our cry let the watchman arrive

Let them stand on the rampart. Let them see the

enemy's plan, but then release the sound of God.

That in all this season of shaking, we will not

be shaken. We'll stand. I think there was a good

man who said, we're shaken but not stirred. He

was quite an English man, I think. But I wonder

if you're shaken and stirred. But God says, no,

come on. Shakey, shaky. but wakey wakey. It's

time to wake up. It's time to stand. It's time

to see what the enemy's plan is and reverse his

curse and release. the sound of God homologate

to begin to say what God is saying and that's

the warfare sound the sound that puts your foot

down and says I've had enough now not on my watch

back off release this is the day of God in my

place and sometimes we need to pray like that

how many know what I'm talking about we have

to put the stop sign up in the spirit and something

needs to be awakened and just say I've had enough

That's one face of prayer as we come to pray

for the family and the marriage and we discussed

that in the first service. But now in this service

I want to talk about from the heart of kindness.

How do we pray for our homes and our families

from a heart of kindness? There is that heart

of war which we did this morning but then there's

the heart of kindness. There's that heart that

breaks. There's that heart that weeps. There's

that heart that just endorses. I don't know about

you, but I've discovered that when you go on

that journey of prayer, prayer seems to change

you first before it changes your world. And you

see, God wants to soften some of the stuff. And

all the way through Scripture, there is always

that contradiction. You know, He's a God of incredible

love, but He's a God of wrath and anger. How

do we handle these things? And I believe that

both those sounds should be Reflected in a balanced

prayer life that as we come to pray for our families.

There should be that warrior that says no But

there should be the tears that said oh god. Yes

So, how do we stretch our hearts so that we sound

and feel like God as I already mentioned as I

was talking about you know, going to South Africa

and just wanting to see those wheelchairs. In

1984 I was in a very serious road traffic accident.

We were in Zimbabwe at the time as missionaries

and I was run over by a seven ton army truck

while I was administering first aid in the middle

of the road. The police cordon didn't protect

me and this truck came down the hill, smashed

into my legs and broke everything from my hip

to my ankles. So both my legs have been slightly

redesigned. They have curves where maybe they

shouldn't have them. And with my smashed legs

I was taken to the hospital. Then went into a

deep coma because of Malte fat emboli where the

fat tissue in the broken bones got into my brain

stem and I was meant to die. That was nearly

30 years ago and there a church stood up and

it prayed no You shall not die but live you shall

not die but live and after five days of militant

prayer where they just sought God God touched

my body I sat up woke up and they say was totally

healed and I'm brain normal and I escaped my

funeral and God delivered me But the interesting

thing was even during all of that, my legs weren't

healed. And I went through a season of about

four, four and a half years, but for eight months

permanently and 18 months partially in a wheelchair.

And during that time, having just had my life

delivered because of an amazing encounter of

healing, you would think that you would just

pray like the angels, wouldn't you? And what

frustrated me was I still found it hard to pray.

I still found it hard to find my fluency. I still

found it hard to find a compassion that went

beyond myself. I mean, I knew Jesus had answered

prayer. I had a funeral arranged for me and I'd

escape my funeral. But even in the midst of all

of that, I could not find a capacity to pray.

I want to say that if you're still trying to

pray out of, I need to be a good girl or a good

boy and pray, that's never going to be a good

source of resource. We can't do it out of our

own self effort. Crisis might motivate you for

a little while to pray, but how many know it

doesn't keep you praying. You see, something

else has to happen on the inside of us, which

teaches us to pray. The disciples, remember,

in Luke chapter 11, they watched Jesus. And again

Luke 11 · chapter mention

and again, if you read especially Mark's gospel

and Luke's gospel, you'll find this little verse.

And it says something like this quite a few times.

It says, and Jesus went away to a certain place

to pray. How many of you recognise? Again, or

Jesus got up early in the morning and went to

pray. And you just see this little sort of phrase,

repeat itself, especially in Mark and Luke's

gospel. and here in Luke chapter 11 again Jesus

Luke 11 · chapter mention

had gone to a certain place to pray the disciples

discover his prayer spot and they grab him and

they say Lord teach me to pray Lord teach me

to pray you know maybe you're looking at a real

need financially maybe you're looking for a need

real need of healing maybe you're just watching

your marriage or just stuff go on in your world,

and you just think, I should be praying more,

should be praying more, should be praying more.

I wanna say that that isn't what makes us pray.

Crisis can make us, trigger us, but actually

something greater than that. I pray this morning

that you start praying that first prayer. The

best prayer you can pray is, oh God, teach me

to pray. God teach me to pray God teach me to

pray God show me what I should sound like in

this season God show me how to pray for this

cancer God show me how to pray for that marriage

God show me teach me to pray teach me to pray

teach me to pray and it says in the disciples

came Luke 11 verse 1 and found Jesus said Lord

Luke 11:1

Teach me to pray How many of you say I want to

say that prayer this way just say oh God Teach

me to pray. And as I was sitting on that wheelchair

and trying to learn to pray and wanting to make

a difference, I found the Holy Spirit spoke to

me and He said, Rachel, stop trying to pray.

First, let me touch your heart and teach you

to love. And I want to say I believe that the

basic bottom line of an effective prayer life

is passionate love. First, love the Lord your

God with all your heart, mind, soul, and being.

If you're really a Jesus lover, you will miss

him so much you can't bear not to talk to him.

What is praying? Basically, just talking to Jesus.

Basically, it's just saying, oh God, I love you.

God, I want you in my world. God, I miss your

face. Prayer isn't a checklist of, did I bless

my arm? Did I bless the dog? You know, that is

not prayer so much. Do you get what I'm saying?

We need to get prayer out of the box, out of

all its straight jackets, and I believe really

prayer is just however I talk to God. Let him

hear my voice. The prayer life of a church will

only ever be as good as the prayer life of the

individuals who attend it. The prayer life of

a church will only ever be as good as the prayer

life of the individuals who attend it. And it's

always great. How many of you can immediately

think of some people who inspire you to pray

in this house? You see, it's great. I believe

one of the great things of prayer is it's caught

even more than taught. That's what we're going

to do tonight. How many of you have been to some

terrible prayer meetings that really bored you?

I have. How many of you have been to some wonderful

prayer meetings that inspired you? Like everything

in life, there is the good, the bad, and the

ugly. And prayer is no exception. But we've got

to delete some of the bad things about prayer.

Actually, just not get so serious about it. I

mean, I've been in all sorts of prayer meetings.

I could tell you stories that would really make

you laugh. But I remember one which was when

I was about 15, 16. My parents had just come

back as missionaries from India. And we were

having this prayer meeting. I can't remember

actually what we were praying for, but there

was an incredible sense of the presence of God.

There was just that beautiful, hushed moment.

And someone began to start up this worship song

until they realized they were singing, she'll

be wearing pink pajamas when she comes. It was

the most hilarious moment, but it was so funny

because most people couldn't laugh a bit like

you But I tell you honestly she this woman just

because she'll be wearing and suddenly she realized

it wasn't a worship song It was a stupid thing

and it was such a presence of God and everyone

was all trying to be all terribly Oh, Holy Spirit

Jesus. We just say oh that was I think was the

wrong song. Let's have a laugh What song shall

we sing now? I mean sometimes we get ourselves

in such a mess Hello? Come on, let's demystify.

Let's get all the religion out of it. This is

me talking to Jesus. It doesn't really matter

if you get it a bit wrong. I mean, I've had guys

get up and pray, and, Father, I thank you that

in the book of King Hezekiah, well, there isn't

one, but he was a king. It was in the book of

Kings. But so what? It doesn't matter. And then

the next person said, oh, I thank you, God, that

I know there isn't a book, Hezekiah. I'll go

to bed, please. Don't you ever feel like that?

But you see, if we don't get rid of this stuff...

I went to church before I was born. Is that okay?

I've done a lot of church in my life and so I'm

not frightened to just say it how it is. But

what is prayer? How do we come? You see, real

prayer is you begin to cry or God teach you to

pray. Number one, I find it increases your love

capacity. It makes you a lover of Jesus. I want

to ask you, do you miss his sound? But prayer

will also increase your love capacity for other

people. Because as you love Jesus, guess what?

Jesus loves people, have you discovered that?

Jesus is such a lover. And as you touch God in

worship, as you touch God in prayer, more and

more you want to touch people. And suddenly you

find your prayer life has a spiritual source.

It's not just your natural ability. You suddenly

begin to notice people as you walk down the streets

and think, oh God, I see the pain on that place.

And do you know what a legitimate prayer is?

Oh God, just put your blessing on them. Just

put your blessing on it. You know, that's all

that prayer needs to be. It doesn't have to be

five hours of intercession, but just develop

a prayer culture, a prayer atmosphere. Oh God,

just bless them. Maybe you would notice your

neighbour come out and they're drunk again. You

think, God, just break that spirit. That's all

you need to do. Just begin to start talking it.

Just begin. You're just talking to Jesus. Oh

God, increase my love capacity. God, I pray,

lift that depression off there. God, just bless

that man. You know, every time one of these lunatic

motorbikers drive past me at about 360 miles

an hour overtaking on the inside and outside,

you know what I've done more and more? Helen

will verify. Oh God, bless that guy. He's somebody's

boy. God, I rebuke every spirit of death of him.

I'm a pastor, I've done too many funerals of

young people. No, in Jesus' name, God, right

now I break that. God put a God around him. You

know, we can do that. You see, love, as you become

a love of Jesus, prayer will increase your love

capacity. It will make you feel like actually

you love the world. God so loved the world, I

become like Jesus. The world's my oyster now.

God, he's one of my boys. No, the devil's not

having him. She's one of my girls. No, the devil's

not having them. You find that this love has

a spiritual source and not a natural ability.

You find you're able to love people you don't

even love. like in the place of prayer. How many

of you've done that and you're having a slight

schizo moment, you're thinking, why am I sounding

so nice to this person? Because I don't like

them. They just were real mean to me. Ever had

that moment? But you see, that is God on you.

God can take you outside your natural abilities,

your natural emotions. God is going to give you

an agape, a supernatural spiritual love that

goes beyond all your feelings. And you can begin

to be a declarer. You see, this agape, supernatural

love of God, this love of God is a decision,

not an emotion. That's what I'm saying. Just

decide to be an outrageous lover in your community.

Decide to love. Love kept Jesus on the cross

and this love and only this love will keep you

on your knees this love Costs you something it

costs Jesus his life and all cost you your reputation

It will cost you your emotions that cost you

your time God's love will move you out of your

comfort zones You'll find yourself praying and

saying things you don't feel like but Jesus in

you just leaks out. You see true prayer and intercession

doesn't flow out of personality. I personally

don't believe there is any such thing as just

a normal prayer. We become prayers because God

gets hold of us. Most of us are like the disciples

in the Garden of Gethsemane when we're told pray

we sleep. And Jesus has to come wake us up and

say, hello, you're meant to be praying. Oh God,

sorry, I was sleeping. But actually, once you

suddenly fall into love with God, you find that

prayer isn't just a personality thing. Prayer

is a love thing. So say, God, teach me to pray.

Say it with me this morning. Teach me to love.

And I find that then as you begin to pray, God

also, number two, increases your compassion capacity.

You can already hear it coming through. It's

hard to separate them. Because you see, once

this love works in your heart, it leaks out.

What is love that leaks out? Well, the theological

word is compassion. Or if you like, you can have

love that's leaking out. It's just the love that

you can't keep inside anymore. It's the outworking

of love through your soul and body. Compassion

is literally love expressed in your hands. And

we read in Matthew chapter 9 verse 36 to 38.

Matthew 9:36–38

Why don't you read this with me? And when he,

Jesus, saw the crowds, he had compassion on them.

because they were harassed and helpless, like

sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his

disciples, the harvest is plentiful, but the

workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest,

therefore, to send out workers into his harvest

field. I want to ask you, have you got enough

prayer topics? Maybe you've got your prayer list,

but I want to say God's got a prayer list. And

as you begin to walk through your community and

you begin to take this love of heart, you can

find yourself praying for all sorts of people.

You might think, well, what's the use? I don't

know what's going to happen. I want to just say,

praying time is never wasted time. And again

and again and again, you don't know what you're

doing. What's going to happen? what you're binding

in the heavens and what's gonna be loosed on

the earth. How many of you know? We have no idea

what God is up to. But if the Holy Spirit shows

you something, you see, Jesus looked at people

and he noticed the emotional need beyond the

face. He could see in this crowd people who were

harassed, people who felt helpless, people who

felt lonely without a shepherd, and that moved

him with compassion. And I believe more and more

and more in Britain, in Europe, in America today,

as you walk through shopping malls and just general

places of life, you see loneliness, worry, thing.

How many of you just noticed that? You walk into

a coffee shop and you could just sense people

are really wound up. You could just feel atmospheres

around people. And you are God's special agent.

And he says, come on, just loose. some love.

And as you begin to pray, you will just find

that God will make you sensitive to the needs

of people amongst you. What is compassion? Compassion

literally means come with, to suffer with. It

literally means that emotion, that spiritual

gift that can suffer alongside the people. In

other words, you feel what they feel. You know,

mourn with those who mourn. Weak with those who

are weak. You begin to feel that sense and that

should trigger again prayer in you. And it's

so easy to criticize, but actually when you see

the need, ask God all the increased compassion

in me. God, let me be someone that has an increased

love capacity, increased compassion. Next one,

number three. I find it increases as you pray,

it challenges your whole justice mentality. And

says, come on, give mercy. How many of you have

discovered that? You know, often you go into

the presence of God and you say, God, it's not

fair. And by the end of it, you're praying blessing.

Do you understand what I'm saying? You see, prayer

has this wonderful ability to make you generous.

Because the natural man... is legalistic. We

want everything right. We want them to get their

dues. We want them to be nailed. How many of

you find maybe you're not as mean as me but there's

that sense in you that just says no it's not

fair God. This is right. That's right. How many

know what I'm talking about? Then you get into

the place of prayer and the goodness of God softens

your heart and you're praying mercy. God don't

give them what they deserve. God don't give them

what they deserve. And you see We've got to recognise

that's one of the grace things of prayer. What

is prayer? Communication to God. It's where I

get transformed and changed to be more like Him.

Where my heart gets softened and I begin to sound

more like God. And so as we begin to pray for

our families, our homes, our work colleagues,

may I just have sensed as I was just praying

this morning that many of you are really struggling

in the workplace. I felt that there was a whole

series of injustice and stuff going on that is

not the greatest news and best ethics and best

atmospheres. And so there's a great sense that

we come into God and say, God, you know that

guy, nail him for me. God, you know that guy,

sort him for me. You know that guy, just let

him be discovered. And there's that whole thing

of almost rubbing our hands, saying, well, God's

going to get you. You know, all the lack of integrity

is going to come. But actually, God's saying,

I want you to go a better way. I want you to

start praying blessing on those who persecute

you, who treat you wrong. I want you to reverse

the curse, not release one. I want you to begin

to speak. You see, I've found that prayer again

and again changes us. Even as parents, it changes

you. You can look at your kids and think, oh

well, you'll get what you deserve. Hello, is

that what you want Jesus to say to you? Do you

get what I'm saying? And again and again in the

pace of prayer, as a parent, and I've done the

teenage years, my kids are now what, 25, 29,

and I remember in those teenage years, there

was many times, come on God, be on my side. Guess

what? God loves your kids as much as he loves

you. He's not taking sides. Do you get what I'm

saying? And so sometimes in that prayer place

we can get all sorts of our emotions and motivations

in there. And many times I found myself just

praying, Oh God, mercy, mercy, mercy. I know

my kids were always glad if they saw me go and

pray before I spoke to them. Like I can't deal

with this now. That's fine mum. We'll see you

later But you know, it's the goodness and kindness

of God that leads us to repentance I remember

one time I'd been challenging David, I've only

got one girl and one boy. So for a long time

I used to say my child and then it would be he

he or she she and both my kids said look mum

it doesn't work however much you try and say

you're not talking about your son it's he I'm

the only he just name the name. I was talking

to David one time and he was going through just

some choice issues and I gave him the keys of

my car and I said you know the rules he looked

at me said mum even if I didn't. I know God and

I know you and I'll do what's right. And I realize

for all the prayer and all the stuff, there comes

times when God gets them. And so let prayer,

as you're praying in your home and in your family

for your children, ask God, Oh God, teach me

the way of mercy. Teach me when I'm praying.

Of course, in your authority time, you maybe

have to speak. I'm talking about the prayer place.

You see, the prayer place, we come in mercy,

not judgment. In the prayer place, we build a

pathway for the goodness of God. In the prayer

place, we build a place of repentance. In the

prayer place, we're building a prayer for the

goodness of God. Do you get what I'm saying here?

We're building a highway so that God can break

through. You see, prayer changes me first and

then my world. And finally, As we pray more,

I find prayer upgrades your discernment of people

and the spiritual atmospheres. It's only as you've

really opened that prayer tank and said, Oh God,

teach me to pray. God teach me how to pray. He

says, okay, I'm going to teach you how to love.

I'm going to teach you compassion. I'm going

to teach you mercy instead of always being so

critical. Then finally God says, okay, now you've

learned to have a heart rooted in love when you

pray. Now you're motivated by compassion when

you pray. Now you're crying out for mercy and

identification when you're praying. Now I can

trust you to see right into the needs and the

secrets of men's hearts. And I've found that

if you really pray for people, suddenly God will

begin to share with you the secrets of the secret

place. He'll show you what's going on. He'll

help you have language for some of the needs

And I would say as a parent that has saved me

more times than ever with my two kids as they

were growing up I remember watching Nicola as

she was just so struggling at school at one particular

time She so wanted to have Christian friends

and didn't have anyone yet in her world that

was a Christian And she kept saying mom. I'm

struggling. I could see she was struggling. I

could see her faith was being challenged And

I kept saying, God, help me, help me. And God

says, she's just getting disappointed. And I

was able to discern that atmosphere of disappointment

beginning to grip her spiritual faith. And I

thought, God, what do I do? I don't want disappointment

to get into my daughter at 1450. And the Holy

Spirit just spoke to me, take her on missions.

And so I paid, took her on missions. You know,

something broke, that disappointment, that heaviness.

You see, I believe if you become a praying person,

God will begin to give you discernment. You'll

understand why people are backing off, why they're

putting that bravado out there. Why is someone

always so angry and bitter towards you at work?

What are the atmospheres they're carrying? As

we begin to pray, God's gonna give us keys to

unlock atmospheres, understand and discern the

inner workings, and then we can begin to pray.

We can begin to pray. So, prayer changes me first

and then my world. And I want you to remember,

in this whole context, that law of sowing and

reaping. Because often when we pray for family

or we pray for work colleagues or pray for people

who are very near us, it can seem a little bit

like a thankless task. How many of you have prayed

for someone for more than five years? How many

of you prayed for someone for more than ten years?

And it's got worse. How many of you prayed for

someone for more than 15 years? You see, it gets

hard, doesn't it? And you begin to think, well,

what's the point? But I just want to say, Don't

give up. Now is not a good time to give up. We

read this in Galatians 6, 7 to 9. Let's read

it together. Do not be deceived. Why does it

say that? Because we're very likely to get deceived.

It's like the Bible's going, don't let the devil

con you. This is an area where most Christians

get really conned. This is where most people

give up. This is an area where most people get

deceived. Don't be deceived. What is the area

of deception? The whole thing of sowing and reaping.

So let's read it. God cannot be mocked. A man

definitely reaps what he sows. The one who sows

to please his sinful nature will from that nature

reap destruction. But the one who sows to please

the spirit will from the spirit reap eternal

life. So let us not grow weary in doing good,

in doing good, in doing good. For at the proper

time we will reap a harvest if, if, if, if, if

we do not give up. So say to your friend, we're

doing good. We're doing good. Now say, but I

won't give up. You see, what you sow will definitely

grow. That can be really good news or really

bad news. In other words, if you're sowing to

the negative, if you're sowing to your flesh,

it will grow. If you're sowing to the good news,

you're sowing to the spirit, it will grow. What

you sow will definitely grow. Grow. Different

seeds have different germination times and some

of the people we love most are the most stubborn.

But what we sow will definitely grow. How many

of you know that you are in the Kingdom today

because someone prayed for you? Put your hand

up as high as you can and then have a look around

because just be encouraged. Prayer works. Prayer

works. My dad got saved because of a praying

grandmother. The grandmother prayed and prayed

and prayed and prayed for my dad, who got more

and more and more rebellious and atheistic. She

sent him Bibles. He destroyed them, got rid of

them, burnt them, etc. At the age of 30, grandmother,

well and truly dead, he got thoroughly born again.

Guess what? Your prayers outlive you. They become

those little hound dogs that pursue people. So

come on, terrorise some people with your prayers.

Release some hound dogs, some bloodhounds of

him. You see, isn't that fantastic? There was

my dad, age 30, set to make it in every way.

And he suddenly, thoroughly got born again. You

know how he got born again? Crazy story. The

Mormons came knocking on his door. Not a very

good topic at the moment, I know. What with all

your Republican, Democratic, you know... etc.

But listen, this is a redemptive story in the

middle of it all. The Mormons came across to

England, to Nottingham University where my dad

was working, started knocking on the door. My

dad opened the door because they were American,

let them in, because he wanted to come to America.

So he did a deal with them. You can talk 45 minutes

of your... And then you have to talk to me for

an hour and a half about America. So they did

their 45 minutes about his... stuff that he called

some language I can't say on a Sunday morning

and then as he began listening to them He thought,

oh, I remember some stuff from Sunday school,

and he's a scientist and a debater. He thought,

well, I might as well spice it up. So when they

went away, he agreed to see them for six weeks.

He went up in the attic, rummaged around, found

my mum's old Bible, began reading it. So the

next time they came with all his BS, as he called

it, he could give them his good forget. But the

problem was he began reading the Bible. and nobody

warned him it's a very dangerous book and before

anything had happened the Bible had got him he

got born again the Mormons came back said oh

I've got born again and they said some words

I most probably can't repeat and they left isn't

that fantastic so there we are my dad got born

again by the Mormons God can use anything anyhow

anywhere because guess what What a man sows he

will reap and what you sow will definitely grow.

Come on Jesus, it's breakthrough time. And so

we discover that something's going to grow. Proverbs

Proverbs 20:4

20 verse 4 says this, a slugger does not plough

in season so at harvest time he looks but he

finds nothing. Why have I put that one in there

because you see not praying is the most stupid

thing you can do I Don't mean to be silly, but

I mean Let me illustrate it like this. I was

at a conference and this wonderful girl She's

in sort of mid -20. She came out and I could

see from her face. She wasn't well impressed

She's oh, I don't know nothing works for me.

So I said Well, what have you been trying to

see?" And she said, well, it's okay for everyone

else. You know, God's got his favorites, but

nothing breaks through for me. So I said, well,

what are you wanting to happen? She said, well,

I'm the only one saved in my family and not a

single person's got saved. So I said, okay, that's

tough. So I said, talk to me. How are you praying

for it? She said, prayer, why should I do that?

And I said, hello, girl. I said, look, if I'm

in my house at home, And I go out into my yard

and I want to go picking some apples. And then

I come into my kitchen and I'm in a real bad

mood and attitude because it's just not fair.

You know, the garden out there is a mess. Nothing

ever grows. I don't even have apples. And I want

to make apple pie but I haven't even got any

apples. And then you think, well, your first

question would be to me, well, what are you doing

to your apple tree? Yes. Have you put any, you

know, fertiliser around it? Have you sprayed

it? You know, why are your apple trees so bad?

Well, you know, my neighbour next door, their

tree has got so many apples, it's touching the

ground. And in my garden, I haven't got one apple.

It's just not fair. God's got favourites. How

come my garden has no apples? My neighbour's

garden has every apple made in the world, and

I have none. And she said to me, well, I don't

get your point. I said, well, the point is I

never planted an apple tree, so I should get

over it. Do you get what I'm saying? If we've

never planted an apple tree, why should I expect

to walk out in my yard and get apples? If I've

never prayed, why should I walk out in my yard

and expect God to answer prayer? Hello is a bit

of a no -brainer to me. The worst thing you can

do is not pray. It's not so much about the technicality

of it all, but if you don't plough in season,

at harvest time, of course you'll find nothing.

What are the biggest things you want to see breakthrough?

What are those things you want to see happen?

Do you want to see your kids marry excellent

people? Well, then begin praying right now. God,

are you calling in the best partners for my kids?

I pray that I'm going to have great granddaughters,

great grandsons. I pray. So, if you don't sow,

it cannot grow. If you don't plant some apple

trees, don't then get bad tempered with God and

the church when you don't have apples in your

yard. Do you get what I'm trying to say? But

so many of us, the devil has so frozen us that

it seems logical, well, God's not fair to me.

No, I want to say break the sound barrier in

Jesus' name. Break the sound barrier in Jesus'

name. God, I really want to ask that you do this.

If you hit, if you aim at nothing, you hit it.

So just begin to ask God, God, help me pray.

Teach me to pray. Give me a new tenacity. to

take that loaded shotgun of prayer and begin

to aim it at a few people with love, compassion,

mercy, discernment, and then let something grow.

And then finally, just two things I want to finish

with. I just feel that God, as I was just praying,

as you begin to pray, He wants to give you legacy

and family lines. I feel He wants to particularly

put blessings upon marriage. And I'm going to

read a scripture that maybe for some of us we

react to. But I want to just explain it. Let's

read 1 Peter chapter 3, 7 to 9. Will you read

1 Peter 3 · chapter mention

it with me? Husbands, in the same way, be considerate

as you live with your wives. Treat them with

respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with

you of the gracious gift of life so that nothing

will hinder your prayers. Finally, all of you,

live in harmony with one another, be sympathetic,

lovers, brothers. be compassionate and humble

do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult

but with blessing because to this you are called

so that you may inherit a blessing isn't that

a fantastic scripture in other words if you want

to have a great prayer life and great reward

and great inheritance keep a happy atmosphere

And if you want your prayer life in your marriage,

in your home, to really be fruitful, then have

an atmosphere of consideration. I just want to

unpack that little line there. Husbands, in the

same way, be considerate as you live with your

wives. Treat them with respect as the weaker

partner. Now, some people really hate that verse

because they go all women's lib and lie. How

dare they say because I'm a woman I'm weak? No,

it doesn't mean weak as in the sense of lesser.

If you go to the Greek, there is nothing in the

Greek that says all husbands treat your wife

as a lesser person. That isn't the sense. If

you go to the Greek, it literally means a more

fragile vessel. It literally is talking about

the physical frame of a woman. And if you go

back to third world culture, and you've got to

remember, I grew up in India. You often see the

picture of the man walking out in front with

not a thing in his hand, the dear wife behind,

with the water pot stacked three, with the, you

know, bundles this side, bundles this side, and

she's like the third donkey in the line, carrying

everything on her, and the husband's just the

cool dude at the front. And come on, hurry up,

hurry up! You know, what's your issue? And you

see the whole atmosphere here of Peter is, now

come on husbands, create an atmosphere of respect.

Understanding that there are pressures and weights

that you could put on your wife that is not kind.

And if you create a kind atmosphere, then actually

that very atmosphere accelerates your prayers.

How many of you men would like a real acceleration

in your answers to prayer? Create an atmosphere

of consideration. Right there it says, if you

teach them with consideration, hinderance to

your prayer is suddenly going to lift off. Isn't

that an awesome thing? And you see, we can even

have some of that sense in our culture. Shut

up, woman. Know your place, woman. And maybe

we'd never dare say it, but it's sometimes in

our head and our attitude. Delete it quickly.

Because God wants to accelerate your prayer.

And final scripture. I believe this is an incredible

prayer for our legacy as families. Is it coming?

Isaiah 59. There it comes. Read it with me. You

see, I believe God wants to give you this scripture.

Isaiah 59. me this is my covenant with them says

the lord my spirit who is on you and my words

that i have put in your mouth will not depart

from your mouth or from the mouths of your children

or from the mouths of your descendants from this

time on and forevermore says the lord how many

say that's a great scripture So why don't you

prophesy? Sow that. Tell me you want to sow that

in your family line. What you sow will grow.

And say, Father, I just by faith today, going

to take that scripture over our household, over

our family line. And Father, I'm going to sow

that in the ground. And I believe that what we

sow grows. You see, there's my grandmother. I

only really found out the full story about my...

grandmother, my great grandmother, actually my

dad's grandmother, she got totally blasted in

the Welsh revival. And in that atmosphere of

the Welsh revival, she got on her face and she

prayed and prayed and prayed for her family.

She saw none of them come to Jesus in her lifetime.

All of them have come to Jesus since. So my great

grandmother got blasted by God in the Welsh revival.

I love Jesus. My brother David loves Jesus. My

brother Duncan loves Jesus. All my kids love

Jesus and follow him. All Duncan's three kids,

Katie, Emily and Zach, love Jesus and are going

full blast. All David's kids, Eleanor and Zach,

are going full blast to God. And now my kids

have got married, both married Christians and

had their children. They're only three in one

but I've already told you and Jesus told them

and told the world They're gonna love God for

the rest of this. Come on. Let's reverse every

curse in Jesus name. Why do you stand with me?

If you are interested in hearing other podcasts

or contacting Life Bible Church, go to www .lifebiblechurch

.org or call us at 541 -995 -8282.