The Joy of Planting and Watering

FATHER, You have created ____ for fellowshipping with You in Your work. You have fashioned (him/her) to experience the most joy when (he/she) is with You. By steady attention to obedience, natural lives can be turned into spiritual lives (ref#118, p61-62). The farmer joyfully plants anticipating the harvest. Cause ____ who plants to anticipate Your spiritual harvest.

Your powerful Word dawns on men like the morning light—like the sun shining forth on a cloudless morning—like rain that makes grass to sprout from the earth (2 Sam 23:4). This Word comes through the SPIRIT, LORD, put His words on ____’s tongue (2 Sam 23:2).

Make it, FATHER, ____’s joy to be faithful to You as You make (his/her) way blameless (2 Sam 22:33) and righteous (2 Sam 22:21). You will reward (him/her) with joy when (his/her) work is faithful to You (ref#56, p460, [2 Sam 22:21-25]).

By working in union with You ____ can be bold declaring the Gospel, without error or impurity—having no desire to deceive. Make it (his/her) longing to be approved by You (1 Thes 2:2-4)—desiring not approval for (himself/herself) or from men.

FATHER, make ____ gentle, and affectionately desirous that men hear plainly the Gospel (1 Thes 2:7-8). With You, (he/she) will exhort and encourage and charge men to walk in a manner worthy of You—calling them into Your kingdom and glory (1 Thes 2:12).

Also, FATHER, make the ones You regenerate____’s hope and joy and crown of boasting (1 Thes 2:19). Joining with You, FATHER, in prayer for the ones awakened to Your free gift of grace, cause it to be (his/her) greatest joy. For (he/she) knows that the ones You draw toYourself through (him/her), will remain in faith and love (1 Thes 3:6) and continue standing fast
(1 Thes 3:8). What joy (he/she) will feel for their sake and will long to continue in fellowship with them so that (he/she) may
supply what is lacking in their faith and they may supply what is lacking in (his/her) faith (1 Thes 3:9-10).

The Divine Weapons of Warfare – The Sword of the SPIRIT

FATHER, the sword of the SPIRIT is the revelation which You provided of Yourself in the Bible. “This is called the sword of the Spirit, because it comes from the Holy Spirit, and receives its fulfillment in the soul through the operation of the Holy Spirit” (ref#15, [Eph 6:17]).

Your Scriptures, FATHER, are a lamp to ____’s feet and a light to (his/her) path (Ps 119:105). (His/Her) ability to quote Bible verses “especially in times of temptation and trial has a wonderful tendency to cut in pieces the snares of the adversary” (ref#15, [Eph 6:17]). Holding Your unchangeable word in (his/her) heart gives (him/her) unlimited confidence (ref#15, [Eph 6:17]). Convict ____ to memorize Scripture. Even the enemy, as formable as a roaring lion, dare not contend with (him/her) when (he/she) takes up and puts on the full armor of GOD!

Living in the SPIRIT Longer

FATHER, the presence of the SPIRIT instantly causes a conflict in me. His presence is so satisfying I am tempted to seek Him simply for the feelings His closeness creates. He comes, though, to bring me sanctification through my obedience to His leading. The conflict is, do I obey the SPIRIT or just enjoy His presence?

I know from experience that as soon as I focus on the happiness the SPIRIT brings, He leaves. Haven’t revivals through the ages been short-lived because men have sought SPIRIT-filled joy instead of obedience? Hasn’t the enemy freely imitated the SPIRIT because men have longed for only the blessings the SPIRIT brings?

This life with the SPIRIT is not about happiness although He enables me to experience unimaginable joy. It is about submission—letting You, FATHER, do as You please. The SPIRIT provides Your sanctification for
me—He provides what is needed for my holiness; I simply must follow Him.

I pray for the SPIRIT to conquer my life. Send out Your SPIRIT, FATHER, to take me to Your habitation—the place where Your glory dwells (Ps 26:8)

Defining the “Flesh”

“Much of our distress as Christians comes not because of sin, but because we are ignorant of the laws of our own nature” (ref#7, March 22nd).

The Bible terms our born-with natural nature, “flesh” (Rom 8:8). “Flesh” denotes “sinful propensities and passions” of my entire nature (ref#16, [John 3:6]).

This “flesh” urges me to carry out its “sinful passions.” I am the host this sinful nature works through. But as a Christian, You, FATHER have implanted another nature in me—Your nature, Your SPIRIT. He not only overpowers my sinful nature but also allows me to be the host of You accomplishing Your will through me.

CHRIST’s activity on the cross has given me the ability to render useless my fleshly nature, not simply the sins of my flesh. But I am too often concerned with the sins. I’m “occupied with today’s anger, tomorrow’s jealousy, or the day after tomorrow’s strife” (ref#33, p96).

FATHER, please sensitize me to focus on, not individual sins but denying the urgings of my fleshly nature. It’s a given that my sin and lust keep me away from You, but also remind me that this fleshly nature is a totally selfish nature. Anything I do for my profit, or to make me look righteous, and anything I do out of what I deem my duty to You—all these actions are sin also (ref#35, p255).

Attempting to follow You without denying the flesh is the foundation of failure (ref#33, p116). Whenever I lack trust that is flesh in action (ref#33, p114). Flesh is impatient. It will resist waiting on You, FATHER. It also will not have faith enough to trust the SPIRIT. Flesh will make its own plans never having “the sense of utter dependency” (ref#33, p114).

FATHER, I ask You give me strength to upstage my flesh so I may sit before You experiencing my dependence upon You. I praise You for the grace You have given me to put into practice the death of my fleshly nature. My most concern is always to recognize and render useless this “flesh.”

“Love grows as gratitude is felt,…then breaks out into praise and thanksgiving to God…Answered prayers cause gratitude, and gratitude brings forth a love that declares it will not cease praying…” (ref#64, p39).

To the King Eternal

You are LORD, the everlasting GOD,
the Creator of the ends of the earth,
You do not faint or grow weary;
Your understanding is unsearchable (Isa 40:28).

You give power to the faint, energizing the weary,
and when I lack might,
You increase my strength (Isa 40:29).

When I wait,
You renew my strength;
I shall mount up with wings like eagles, spreading my wings and soaring (Isa 40:31).

I shall run and not be weary— never getting tired.
I shall walk and not faint— never lagging behind (Isa 40:31).

To the King of ages,
immortal, invisible,
the only God, be honor
and glory forever and ever. Amen (1 Tim 1:17).

CHRIST – My High Priest

“O SAVIOUR OF SINNERS, Thy name is excellent, thy glory high, thy compassions unfailing, thy condescension wonderful, thy mercy tender” (ref#76, p58). FATHER thank You for Your Son.

“The work of our Lord as Priest was two-fold—atonement and intercession. The one He accomplished upon the cross, the other He now transacts upon the throne” (ref#61, July 14th).

“There is one…way human beings can reach God. That way is through Christ Jesus, who is himself human” (1 Tim 2:5 NCV). “God sent him to
buy freedom for us…so that he could adopt us as his very own children”
(Gal 4:5 NLT). “…our High Priest offered himself to God as a single

sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then he sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand” (Heb 10:12 NLT).

“…He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself”
(Heb 9:26 NKJV). “…He offered himself…as a perfect sacrifice to God. His blood will make our consciences pure from useless acts so we may serve the living God” (Heb 9:14 NCV). “…he set us free from sin forever” (Heb 9:12 NCV).

“Christ…went into heaven…and is there now before God to help us”
(Heb 9:24 NCV). “For this reason Jesus had to be made like his brothers
in every way so he could be their merciful and faithful high priest…Then Jesus could bring forgiveness for their sins” (Heb 2:17 NCV). “Jesus is the kind of high priest we need. He is holy, sinless, pure, not influenced by sinners, and he is raised above the heavens” (Heb 7:26 NCV). “And now he can help those who are tempted, because he himself suffered and was tempted” (Heb 2:18 NCV). “For our high priest is able to understand our weaknesses. When he lived on earth, he was tempted in every way that we are, but he did not sin” (Heb 4:15 NCV). “Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them” (Heb 7:25 NKJV).

“Christ…is our go-between with God. His obedience and suffering were so perfect that God will not turn him away. Therefore, if we go to God through him, God will not turn us away either” (ref#92, p72).

“Inasmuch then as we have a great High Priest Who has [already] ascended and passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our…faith in Him]” (Heb 4:14 AMP).

Prayer Facts:

“If no answer comes, we are not to…suppose that it is not God’s will to give an answer. No; there must be something in the prayer that is not as God would have it…It is far easier to the flesh to submit without the answer than to yield itself to be searched and purified by the Spirit, until it has learnt to pray the prayer of faith” (ref#19, FIFTH LESSON).

Reasons for Waiting for GOD:

Because You send the Counselor to represent CHRIST and act on His behalf (John 14:26), I will wait for You.

Because the SPIRIT will show me what is true (John 14:17), I will wait for You. Because the SPIRIT will teach me everything (John 14:26), I will wait for You.

Because the SPIRIT will always be with me and help me (John 14:16), I will wait for You.

Thanks for the Little Things

FATHER, I thank You that not only do You draw me, but You draw close to me. You do not send another; You attend to me Yourself. It’s the tiny things You do that shows Your willingness to be amazingly intimate. You know every detail of my life (ref#7, June 3rd).

You look on the earth and it quakes; You touch the mountains and they smoke (Ps 104:32); You speak and the heavens tremble. The whole earth shudders at Your presence (Ps 114:7).

Yet You know what I’m thinking and I’m never out of Your sight (Ps 139:2-3). You even know everything I’m going to say before I say it (Ps 139:4).

You are constantly on the lookout for people who are totally committed to You. You are constantly searching me in order to strengthen my heart. You show Yourself strong on my behalf (2 Chron 16:9).

When I take a deep breath it moves Your heart; my whisper can turn Your head toward me; You respond when You hear my prayer (ref#34, Sept 28th AM). Thank You for Your attentiveness to little things. May You rejoice in Your works; may Your glory endure forever (Ps 104:31).

Sin Not Leading to Death

“There may be those…in sin that there may seem to be…almost no ground of hope. They may have cast off all the restraints of religion, of morality, of decency;…they may have been professors of religion, and now may have renounced the faith of the gospel altogether, but still, while there is life it is our duty to pray for them,…” (ref#16, [1 John 5:16])

FATHER, I am thinking about ____. Your Apostle John says, at the end of his first epistle, there is sin that leads to death and sin that does not lead to death (1 John 5:16). I do not know where ____ is in (his/her) spiritual life, because I only see the outward signs, but, I pray for (him/her) with a “hope and expectation of success” (ref#21, p941, [1 John 5:16]).

You say, You will give me what I ask for in 1 John 5:15. And follow it with: “If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life…” (1 John 5:16 ESV).

Oh FATHER, how I want to believe that ____ is sinning in a way that does not lead to death so that You will give (him/her) life. I pray ____’s sin is not an obstinate sin, thus incurable (ref#21, p941, [1 John 5:16]). I pray ____ is not refusing Your diagnosis of (his/her) need and Your offer of forgiveness (ref#56, p1828, [1 John 1:10]). I pray ____ is not chronically disobedient to Your commands (ref#125, p2437, [1 John 5:16]) for continuing in such a state leads to permanent death.

Sin that does not lead “to death is sin for which forgiveness is possible because (1) forgiveness is sought” and (2) You, FATHER, are “willing to grant it” (ref#125, p2437, [1 John 5:16]).

Turn ____ from (his/her) wandering, evil course; save (him/her) from death (James 5:20). FATHER, nothing is impossible with You (Luke 1:37). Grant ____, repentance that (he/she) may escape from the snare of the devil, for (he/she) now is captured by him to do his will (2 Tim 2:25- 26).

What is GOD’s Wrath?

FATHER, discharge ____ to speak with unhesitating fever about Your coming judgment. Bless ____ with a sense of what it would be like to be suspended by a rope over hell for 24 hours. Give (him/her) the vivid knowing of the pit so (he/she) can be animated and articulate in describing such to others (ref#85, p323).

Bless ____ with the ability to thoroughly unpack 2 Thes 1:6,8-9 and Jer 30:23-24:

“[It is a fair decision] since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with distress and affliction…To deal out retribution (chastisement and vengeance) upon those who do not know or perceive or become acquainted with God, and [upon those] who ignore and refuse to obey the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Such people will pay the penalty and suffer the punishment of everlasting ruin (destruction and perdition) and eternal exclusion and banishment from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,” (2 Thes 1:6,8-9 AMP).

“Behold, the tempest of the Lord has gone forth with wrath, a sweeping and gathering tempest; it shall whirl and burst upon the heads of the wicked. The fierce anger and indignation of the Lord shall not turn back until He has executed and accomplished the thoughts and intents of His mind and heart…”
(Jer 30:23-24 AMP).

NOTE: The vengeance of the LORD is compared to a whirlwind because of the suddenness of it. But Jeremiah describes it as a “continuing whirlwind” not like a normal wind that is a sudden blast and then blows over but it is a vengeance that shall last forever (ref#112, p586, [Jer 30:23]).