| Prayer Warrior Anointing |
April 7, 2009
Demon-Chasing, World-Moving Beings on Earth"
by Francis Frangipane
In our rapidly changing times people are desperate to know the
future. Barely do we adjust to the last changes, when totally new realities
explode into our world.
In answer to the common fears spawned by change, society has
seen a plethora of occult and demonic sources-fortunetellers, astrologers and
psychic hotlines-all pretending to be able to peek into the mystery of tomorrow. Indeed, how many otherwise intelligent individuals glimpse, at least
occasionally, at their "astrological signs" trying to get an edge on
knowing the future!
Why anyone would consult someone who can't predict
their own future is beyond me. These fortunetellers almost always live in
abject poverty. Shouldn't their ability to predict the future at least work for
themselves? They could invest in the stock market or pick the right lottery numbers.
They can't even predict or better their own fortune, yet people go to them for
discernment.
For Christians, God condemns this demonic, fleshly probing
into the unknown. Indeed, as intercessors, He has called us not to wonder about
the future, but to create it through the knowledge of His Living Word and
prayer! Our Father gives us access to the future right now. You ask, How do we
know what to pray? The Lord Jesus told us plainly,
"Pray, then, in this way: 'Our Father who art in
Heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as
it is in Heaven." Matthew 6:9-10
We can look at the conditions of the world and faint or look
at the possibilities of God and take faith.
To bring revival is to pray for the reality of God's Kingdom to manifest on
earth. Jesus was not offering His disciples a millennial prayer focus, for that
rule of God's Kingdom is coming whether we want it to or not! No, but Christ
calls us to pray for God's Kingdom to manifest in our world today.
How will tomorrow look if God answers the prayer Christ gave
us? Read the Gospels. What we see in the life and power of Jesus Christ is a
faith picture of God's Kingdom. Jesus said that we can have that same full
manifestation. In fact, He actually commanded us to pray for Heaven's
release!
The Prayer Womb
I know churches have special areas where intercessors can pray or people meditate. But maybe we ought to change the name from "prayer room" to "prayer womb." For everything good and holy that we see manifested in people, in churches and in life is first conceived, and then birthed, in the womb of prayer.
We have answers to prayer all around us. The place you are
living in is an answer to prayer.
Your church is an answer to prayer, as well
as are your pastors, teachers and youth workers. As a church member, your
attendance and participation is an answer to the prayer of your pastors and
intercessors.
When you asked God to lead you to the church you should attend,
your current church became God's answer to your prayer!
If you are a Christian, there is a power accompanying your
life that is greater than great-the "surpassing greatness of His
power." It is not human power, but the actual "strength of His
might."
Think About It: The Strength of God Almighty is Attached to
Your Prayer Life!
The power of God's might is His resurrection power. What
does resurrection mean? It means that things which look dead, smell dead, and
act dead, can be touched by God and raised to life!
God demonstrated this "power toward us who
believe" first "in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and
seated Him at His right hand in the Heavenly places" (Ephesians 1:19-20).
Right now, you have resurrection power attached to your
prayer life! You can look on things that are absolutely dead and pray forth
eternal LIFE! The power in us is the same potency God demonstrated when He
raised Jesus out of the grave; it is resurrection power. Our mission is to
bring resurrection life to situations that are dead.
If the devil challenges your prayer, remind him that you are
seated with Christ, "far above all rule and authority and power and
dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in the
one to come" (Ephesians 1:21). Christ's authority is final. But not only
has the Father put "all things in subjection under His feet," but He
"gave Him as head over all things to the Church, which is His Body, the
fullness of Him who fills all in all" (Ephesians 1:22-23).
Notice the Lord uses anatomical metaphors to explain the
downlink of authority: Christ is the "Head" of a "Body"
that has all things put under its "feet."
This is a most profound understanding of our role: What the
Head, Christ, has attained, the feet of the Church walk out. In other words, God has positioned the Church as the
living bridge between the terrible conditions on earth and the wonderful
solutions from Heaven!
As we truly, passionately, and accurately submit to Christ
in prayer, the Kingdom of Heaven steadily enters our now prayed-for world. The
key of course, is to know Christ's Word. We do not have authority; Christ has
authority. What we have is revelation and submission. But as we submit to the
Word, and persevere in prayer, we can see the future conformed to God's will.
Prayer Warriors Are Positioned By God
When we picture a prayer warrior, we usually see a
great-aunt or grandmother. I think that every family has one. You never find
them looking into a crystal ball to know the future for little Johnny-they are
at the throne of God creating Johnny's future in prayer. They are not wondering
if Mary is going to make it; they are praying her through to victory. They do
not have time to lament Harry's drinking problem; they are storming Heaven to
see him delivered.
Prayer warriors are the most frightening, powerful,
demon-chasing, world-moving beings on earth.
In truth, they act like children of God! If they were to gaze at a crystal
ball, it would explode! They look at astrological predictions and rebuke them.
They never wonder about the future because they are too busy creating it
through their faith in God.
Prayer warriors are positioned by God to pray for their
families. I remember when my Dad came to the Lord. For ten years we would intellectually
clash about God during our visits. Finally, on one trip he arrived at our home
"armed" with an argument against God. He said, "If there really
is a God, why doesn't He always answer prayer?" He was secure in his
position, and I was tired of the argument. I went into another room for a few
minutes and prayed, "Lord, You've got to give me an answer."
When I returned I could see my Dad felt he won this round. I
love my dad very, very much, but I said, "Dad, forget all the people that
you think didn't get answers to prayer-you yourself are an answer to prayer!
You are alive today because our entire family daily prays for you." (He
was very overweight and smoked a pack of cigarettes daily). Then I continued,
"But let's experiment. You say God doesn't answer prayer; we say He does.
So, for one week we won't pray for you, and we'll see what happens."
I can't remember ever seeing my dad turn so pale. He looked
over at my Mom and said, "Hon, tell the boy not to do that." Then,
with beads of sweat forming on his forehead, he said to me, "Okay. What do
I have to do to keep you praying for me?"
In three minutes, he went from not believing in prayer to
begging us to keep praying for him. I said, "Dad, the only way I'll keep
praying for you is if you pray right now and give your life to Christ,"
and my dad at that moment received Christ. The Lord answered my prayer.
Prayer anchors us in God's strength for our battles. Each of
us knows prayer works: we are saved because someone else prayed for us! Thus,
looking at the miracle of our own conversion, we gain confidence in God's help
to transform others.
You Are a Prayer Warrior!
Luke 21:36 tells us to be "praying in order that you
may have strength to escape all these things that are about to take place, and to
stand before the Son of Man." Every time the Bible talks about standing
before God, it is speaking of a position of anointed authority and
commissioning. Elijah stood before God as did Gabriel. It speaks of one who
stands before God as an attendant to the Almighty. When they decree God's Word,
it comes to pass.
Jesus said, "With God all things are possible"
(Matthew 19:26). Under that banner, we pray and believe God. The Holy Spirit
ever lives to make intercession. All we need to do is open our hearts to Him
and prayer is going to come forth.
Look at the terrible issues of our world right now. Every
need we see is where God wants us to release, through prayer, His future for
that situation. God shows us what is wrong so we can pray for things to be made
right. Why waste energy criticizing what's wrong when our prayers can change
it!
The Lord our God in the midst of us is mighty. Our weapons
are mighty to pulling down strongholds. Stop thinking of yourself as unable to
pray. That's a lie out of hell. You are a prayer warrior!
There was a time when that great aunt or grandmother was a
younger woman. She might have been just like you, and God showed her the needs
around her. His grace came and she made a decision not to judge, but to pray.
She didn't start off strong, but she became strong. Now it's your turn to make
that decision to be the prayer warrior for your family, church or city!"
Let's pray:
Lord Jesus, You said that the armies in Heaven follow You,
and Your name is
called
"the Word of God."
Help me to not only believe Your Word,
but
pray it in the power of the Holy Spirit!
I accept that You have called me to be
a prayer warrior.
By Your grace, I receive a new anointing in intercession. Amen!
Francis Frangipane
Ministries of Francis Frangipane
Email: francis1@frangipane.org
[text republished from ElijahList.org
April 7, 2009, National Day of Prayer]
pictures by Raylyn Terrell