Greetings to you! I am excited about this month of August. It is the 8th month of the year and the number 8 signifies new beginnings. This year in particular, this month carries a prophetic day 08-08-08. In the Greek language, the numerical value for the name Jesus is 888, and most of the names or titles of our Lord are also multiples of 8.
August 8, 2008 represents more than just new beginnings; this number, which will not appear on our calendar again for one thousand years, identifies Jesus. On this day, we are to celebrate "the number of His name."
Beginning August 8, the world will be focused on the Olympics, its glory and excitement, while the people of God must also be focused on the King of Glory and the power of His NAME! This is a prophetic date that will come and go with this calendar year, but the number 888 is forever, because Jesus is forever.
Acts 3:16 says, "And His name through faith in His name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by Him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all."
On this day (08-08-08), I encourage you to be very sensitive to the Holy Spirit and to the voice of the Lord. You may be led into times of worship and prayer or times of waiting on the Lord, just to prepare you to receive all that God wants to release into your life.
Be blessed!
Debbie
Pastor & Evangelist |
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The Effectual, Fervent Prayer of a Righteous Man!
Elijah was a mighty prophet who walked in a realm of God's power and authority. He was, above everything else, a man of prayer {The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Elijah was subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit} James 5:16 - 18.
When Elijah saw the sin, idolatry, and corruption in Israel, his heart was grieved, and he began to pray fervently and earnestly. He knew that it would take nothing less than a manifestation of God's power to expose the false religious system of Baal and turn the heart of the people back to the one and only living God.
What was it about Elijah's prayers that shut up the heavens, brought fire from heaven, and opened the heavens to bring rain?
Elijah was a man with feelings, emotions, and a nature like we have, but the prayers that he prayed were not normal, average prayers. He prayed earnest, fervent prayers.
The word "effectual" means "to be able to produce a desired effect." When we pray effectually, and our strategy is set, we will enter the realm where we can produce the desired effects. The word "fervent" means "very hot." If you are fervent, you are hot. It means to be marked by great heat, to be marked by a great sense of feeling and filled with deep emotion.
The type of prayer that Elijah prayed was fervent, hot hearted, intense, and with incredible emotion, and it produced results! It was this type of prayer that touched God's heart, transcended the forces of nature, and shut the heavens so that it did not rain for 3 years and 6 months. Elijah's prayers were directed by God to fulfill His purposes.
Three years later, we see Elijah standing before the apostate nation of Israel, the corrupt King Ahab, and the false religious system led by Jezebel, confronting their idolatry in a demonstration of God's power. Elijah prayed "Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word" (I Kings 18:36).
Elijah's major concern was not in proving to the people that he was a prophet, but that God's power and glory be manifested as evidence that He was the all powerful God of Israel.
Elijah's effectual, fervent prayer transcended the forces of nature! The fire of God fell from heaven consuming the sacrifice, the wood, stones, dust, and the water in the trenches surrounding the altar! When the people of Israel saw this awesome demonstration of the supernatural power of God, it was undeniable proof that He was the one, true God. They fell down prostrate before the Lord and cried out "The Lord, he is the God; the Lord he is the God" (I Kings 18:39).
We need believers in the Church today with this type of effectual, fervent, hot-hearted, anointed prayer. We need those who will pray apostolic prayers and boldly take a stand before kings and presidents in the nations, confronting the ungodly, immoral lifestyles in a mighty demonstration of God's power.
It is my prayer that just as God raised up the apostle Paul, and other great ministers of the Gospel, who spent hours on their faces in fervent, intense, wrestling prayer on behalf of the Church, that He will raise up believers today to pray apostolic prayers that will impact nations and strengthen and empower His Church in this end-time hour. |
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