A Life Prepared for God

BY FRANCIS FRANGIPANE

I love the Word of God. I have a burning passion that my words, whether written or spoken, might be filled with the substance of God. I love comparing translations, researching commentaries and then using that holy information to prepare teachings. Several years ago, however, I found myself being corrected by the Lord. I had spent too much time preparing my message for a service. Suddenly, the Holy Spirit interrupted my study to recalibrate my focus. He said, "I have called you, not just to prepare sermons, but to prepare people."

This was a subtle, but profoundly significant correction. I was reminded of John the Baptist who was sent as a "forerunner before [the Messiah]." God had called John "to make ready a people prepared for the Lord" (Luke 1:17).

There is a difference between preparing a message about God and preparing a people for God. Obviously, sermon preparation is very important, but it is not an end in itself. The goal is to equip and train people to represent Christ.

As we approach the end of this age, I believe our Father is in the process of training people to serve during the last great harvest. Our destiny as Christians is to "grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ" (Eph. 4:15). This means, we must not only know that Jesus heals but know who He intends to heal and how He wants to heal them.

You see, our quest is not only to possess accurate theology, but that the actual "life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh" (2 Cor. 4:11).

Reward or Reproof
Our success in life is determined by one primary objective: how functionally transformed into Christ's likeness have we become? This reality - man created in the image of Christ - is the core purpose of our existence (Gen. 1; Rom. 8:29; etc). In my opinion, the Lord does not need to examine every individual thing we have ever done, good or evil. All things are already "open and laid bare" before Him (Heb. 4:13). What He will probe is the cumulative effect of our life's choices; He will measure how Christlike we have become.

If He sees that we were forgiving even when wounded; if He sees in us a heart that holds fast its faith even in times of adversity; if He finds us to be truly repentant and genuinely humble, even when we could boast; and if He sees we are committed to a life of love, we will have fulfilled the purpose of God. We will receive a great reward.

If, however, the Lord sees in us a soul easily offended or that we blame others for our joyless, angry attitude; if He scans our inner man and finds we are self-righteous and judgmental; or if our conscience alternately either accuses or defends ourselves, then we will render an account for our life at the judgement seat of Christ (Rom. 1:29, 2:5; 2 Cor. 5:10; Heb. 9:27).

Thus, it is of the utmost importance that we settle the eternal goal for our lives. Are we seizing life's opportunities to appropriate Christ or are we mostly coasting? Let us say with vision and assurance, I am preparing myself for God!

Christ Was Focused

Matthew 16:22-23 (NKJV)
Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!”
But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.”

Christ Was Focused
During His entire ministry, Jesus was never sidetracked. Whether the distraction came from satan or one of Jesus’ closest friends, Christ would not turn His focus away from what He had to accomplish for the Father.

Think for a moment about Jesus’ refusal to be distracted. Here was a man who had unlimited power at His fingertips and He refused to give up even a little of that power in other pursuits. How much more so should we, who are very limited in our power, be focused on what God would have us accomplish?

It is key for us to understand that once we have identified our God-directed purpose, we can expect the enemy to zero in on us and attempt to distract us. These distractions can take many forms and in some cases they will seem very innocent. In fact, service itself can become a distraction!

How can that be? Some men find it very difficult to turn down opportunities to serve even when it interferes with the ministries they are called to be involved in. We should never assume that every opportunity to serve has to be pursued. Unlike Jesus, we are very finite and have real limitations on how much we can achieve. In order to be as effective as possible for Him, we must be focused sharply on what God would have us accomplish for Him.

If you reflect on people who have done great things for the kingdom, this sharp focus will stick out as a common quality. They followed Christ’s example and stayed focused on their mission despite all distractions, including opportunities that seemed to be Christ-centered.

Why?
Because to a man that is focused on his mission from God, it is unacceptable to allow distractions to creep in.

Pray
Request wisdom and discernment from God. Ask Him to help clear aside those things which distract you from pursuing His desires.

Ask Yourself
Are you easily sidetracked or discouraged? Do those who mean well sometimes pull you in other directions? Are there things in your life that take your focus off of God?

Take Action
Last week you created a list of items that you occupy your time with and prayed over this list asking God to guide where you should spend your time. Any item that you had listed as a “distraction” that you felt led to remove, take practical steps to eliminate it this week.

DEEPER LEVELS OF PRAYER

DEEPER LEVELS OF PRAYER
by Robert Fitts
While in a group prayer meeting recently, the Lord revealed an exciting truth to me.  It was a simple word that started me to thinking. He said, "You are always receiving more in the Spirit when you pray than you can experience or express." As I thought upon this word, I was encouraged, for who cannot testify that he has often felt very dry in his times of prayer? I certainly have, even in group prayer! I should say, especially in group prayer!
 
My first teachers in the life of faith leaned heavily on logic, intellect and reason. They taught me, not in so many words, but strongly implied, that in order for anything to have any spiritual value it had to pass the test of reason, knowledge and understanding. As if anything outside the realm of our understanding could possibly have any value. This is a defective teaching in the light of the fact that there are so many mysteries in God that go beyond the reach of our intellect and our understanding. 
         How can Jesus actually come into our spirit and make His home there?
         How can the fullness of God in the person of Jesus Christ make my spirit His dwelling place?
         How does He change me into His image and likeness from one degree of glory to another?
         How can He communicate to me in the spirit without the use of words or consecutive thoughts?
         How can I commune with Him in the spirit without speaking words to Him?
 
All of these questions, and many more, make it clear to me that if we wait upon our understanding to catch up with reality, we will not experience very much growth in the things of the spirit.  Spiritual growth does not depend entirely upon grasping truth with our minds. The deeper mysteries of God are perceived in the spirit and embraced by faith. Paul speaks of just such an experience when he says, "When I pray with my spirit, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful . . . He that speaks in tongues, speaks not to men but to God for no man understands him, howbeit in the spirit he is speaking mysteries . . . He that speaks in tongues edifies (builds up) himself.”
 
Those who have experienced speaking in tongues will agree that this is a form of communion with God and a release in the spirit into a new dimension of prayer that was not open to them in their own language. There is an opening up into a new realm of spiritual reality as we enter into this form of prayer.
 
There is another level of prayer that also enters into the realm of the mystical and supernatural and which also goes beyond the reach of the intellect.  This is a very simple form of prayer.  Some may question as to whether it is actually prayer at all.  It is mentioned in Romans 8:26, "The Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that we cannot express . . . he intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will." This is prayer that supersedes our intellect and reason, for words are incapable of expressing this kind of prayer. But we know, according to what Paul says here, that it is prayer to God and that it is intercession for us and for the saints that is always in accord with God's perfect will. It is perfect prayer birthed in our spirit by the Holy Spirit.
 
Charles Spurgeon said of this kind of prayer, “There are some prayers that break the backs of words.”
 
In Romans 8:15: "You have received the spirit of sonship. And by Him we cry 'Abba', Father."  The Spirit we have received is a praying Spirit. He came into us "crying” which means “crying out to the Father.” The Spirit of Jesus within us is a crying (praying) Spirit. And He is continually praying, non-stop, if He is not grieved, resisted, or quenched. This is unceasing prayer.
 
In Galatians 4:6 Paul says, "Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, 'Abba, Father.'"  In Romans 8:15 it is 'we' who are crying "Abba, Father" by means of the Spirit of His Son, but in the Galatians passage it is the Spirit of His Son in us who is crying, “Abba, Father.” This is a form of silent prayer. Even when we are not crying, or groaning, or speaking in tongues, or in our own language, there is a silent prayer ascending from our spirit to God by means of the Spirit of Jesus within us. Some have called this, "The prayer of silence".
 
There is a prayer of silence that we can enter into by a total surrender to the indwelling Christ. He prays for us, interceding for the saints, crying out to our Abba, Father, for us and through us in a prayer of silence. (the English equivalent of “Abba” would be “Daddy.“)
 
The interaction between my spirit and the Spirit of God is not limited within the boundaries of my intelligence, knowledge, or understanding. There are levels of prayer that extend beyond into the mysteries of God that go beyond felt experience, or expression in human terms. There are times when we can only exclaim with Paul: "By faith we understand." (Hebrews 11:3)
 
 
Robert & Joni Fitts
www.robertfitts.com

Where it all Starts
All fruitfulness flows out of intimacy. Out of the womb of prayer, praise and worship all things in the kingdom of God are conceived, nurtured, and brought to birth to the glory of God and for the good of mankind.

 A Declaration of Unity
I belong to everything that belongs to Jesus and everything that belongs to Jesus belongs to me! It's not us and them. It's just us! There's only one Body of Christ, and the problems of the church, the whole church, are our problems, for we are the church and we can do more united than we can do divided! So let's unify, simplify, and multiply!
 
Divine Appointment Prayer
Father, give me a divine appointment today with someone who is hungry for God, or sick, or in need, and give me grace to minister the love of Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit.
 
A Prayer for More Workers and More Miracles
Father, send more laborers into this harvest and grant us boldness to speak your word, by stretching forth your hand to heal and that signs and wonders be done in the name of Jesus. 

Winning the War on Terrorism Through Prayer
"Father, give every terrorist in the world an encounter with Jesus like Saul of Tarsus had on the road to Damascus."

LAW, NO! GRACE, YES!
The law demands, demands, demands, but gives me neither feet nor hands.
Now Grace and Truth are better things, they bid me fly and give me wings!