Author: spiritualgrowth

What does it mean to stand on Holy Ground?

When Moses saw a burning bush in the distance, it wasn’t a strange site. But a bush that doesn’t burn out was different and he went to investigate. When he got closer, God told him to take off his shoes because he was standing on Holy Ground.

Should we take off our shoes when we enter the church, for instance, or are we allowed to stand on Holy Ground? (Heb10:19-22 Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God) There is no need to take your shoes off. Because of what Jesus did, we are allowed t stand on Holy ground.

Why was the ground Holy? The area around the bush was Holy because of God’s presence. God’s presence makes a place Holy. When we accept God as our Lord and Saviour, His Spirit dwells in us, which makes us His Holy one’s. (1Cor3:16 Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?) Where we stand is Holy Ground – because God is with us, God is standing with us where we are. (Matt18:20 For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”)

Where we stand in His presence and where we praise and worship Him, we claim that area for Him and He will honour our claim. (Josh1:3 I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses.)

Where we gather is His Holy Ground. As we praise God we fill the earth with His Glory and Presence. (Ps72:19   Blessed be His glorious name forever;  may the whole earth be filled with his glory!)

How do we claim our Holy Ground? Whatever we do, we need to do it with the mindset of God’s Presence with us. Where we go we need to have a mindset that we are His ambassadors and His representatives. When we sin, we need to repent so that we can stand with a clear conscious before God and know that we can stand boldly in His presence. By ensuring we stand in right standing with God. ( 1Jhn1:9 If we freely admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just, true to His own nature and promises, and He will forgive our sins and cleanse us continually from all unrighteousness, our wrong doing, everything not in conformity with His will and purpose.)

We can stand in confidence, knowing that we belong to Him, He dwells in us and where we stand, we stand in His presence – on Holy Ground.

We can pray for anything in faith, using God’s will and promises as guidance.

1Jhn5:14-15        This is the remarkable degree of confidence which we as believers are entitled to have before Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, consistent with His plan and purpose, He hears us. And if we know for a fact, as indeed we do, that He hears and listens to us in whatever we ask, we also know with settled and absolute knowledge that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.

So how come there are times where we pray for something, but we don’t see it? For instance, God’s promise is to provide for us, but I don’t experience it in my life?

Before we pray for a situation or a person, we first need to pray to God and ask what we need to pray for, what is His will and purpose for this situation. Our Understanding of what should be done may be different from what God had planned.

Jer7:16     Therefore, do not pray for this people of Judah or lift up a cry or entreaty for them or make intercession to Me, for I do not hear you.

God may tell you not to pray…

I asked God to be clearer to me as to when and what I should pray. Sometimes I think my own thoughts and expectations of a situation influence my reasoning about what should happen. God answered me that the closer I walk with Him, the stronger my relationship is with Him, the more I will know what to pray for. The better I will hear His voice and not my own.

Jhn10:4        When he has brought all his own sheep outside, he walks on ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice and recognize his call.

Rom12:2      And do not be conformed to this world any longer with is superficial values and customs, but be transformed and progressively changed as you mature spiritually by the renewing of your mind, focusing on godly values and ethical attitudes, so that you may prove for yourselves what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect in His plan and purpose for you.

As your relationship with God grow, you will have a better understanding of God’s heart and what to pray for. God wants us to pray for one another. But ultimately, God wants us to know that He hears our prayers. That He can make a difference. And that He wants to make a difference. We need to believe.

Do you sometimes feel that your prayers go up in thin air and nobody is listening? Or that there is a blockage and your prayers are not going further that the room you’re in? There are certain things in our lives that can cause hindrances to our prayer life.

Let’s look at a few scriptures to get clarity on what specific, can cause hindrances.

Relationships

The way you treat your spouse: 1Pet3:7                 Likewise husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, with great gentleness and tact and with intelligent regard for the marriage relationship, as with someone physically weaker since she is a woman. Show her honour and respect as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered or ineffective.

I don’t want to get into a debate or exclude the way a wife should treat her husband, but let us focus on what the verse say about the husbands prayer life.

The way you treat your wife can affect your prayers. Your relationship with her is an example of Christ’s relationship with the church.

Eph5:25                Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her that He may sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that He might present the church to Himself in splendour, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.

Impatience

When we pray for something we expect results by the time we say Amen. Worst case scenario by tomorrow morning, we expect things to be different.

When Daniel prayed for his people, he waited 21 days for an answer from the angel Gabriel. Dan10:12             Then he said to me, fear not Daniel for from the 1st day that you set your heart to understand and humble yourself before your God, your words have been heard and I have come because of your words. The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me 21 days, but Michael, one of the chief princes came to help me…

There are some things happening in the spiritual realm that we cannot see, but that doesn’t mean God didn’t hear your prayer. There are things that need to be put in place to make your request happen.

Pray with the knowledge that God heard you the first time. Gabriel said to Daniel that God heard his prayer the 1st day.

Num14:20           And God said: ”I have pardoned him as per your word.’ Vs 28     ”As I live, said the Lord, just what you have spoken in My hearing, I will most certainly do to you.

God hears everything we say….

Lack of knowledge

Hosea 4:6            My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge, because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to me…

What you know and understand about God will affect your prayer life directly.

You can only ask and trust God for what you know and believe He is capable of.

The Father in Mark 9 have heard about Jesus healing the sick and he took his son to Jesus for healing. When the father spoke to Jesus, he said in vs 22…’But if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us. Verse 23 Jesus said to him, ”If You can? All things are possible for the one who believes and trust in Me.”

Lack of faith

James1:6-7         But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind…7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord.

Mark11:24           Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

God isn’t hard of hearing, but some things in our life and our actions cause God’s ear to not hear our prayers. He cannot go against His own word. He said in 1 Pet3:12 that His ear is open to the righteous. We need to be in right standing with God and we need to be in right standing with the people around us. So that we can boldly go to the thrown, pray to God and know that what we pray will be so. When you stand with confidence in front of God with your prayer knowing that you have done what is required, e.g. Asked for forgiveness, forgiven others, treat your spouse with love and respect, love your neighbor as well as your enemy. (That doesn’t mean you condone everything they do.) Then you can know with confidence that your prayer will be answered.

We want to turn to God and pray to Him with confidence and with the knowledge that He hears us.

Let’s go back to Matt6:7 ‘Do not use meaningless repetition as the gentiles do.’ The reference verse for this statement is 1Kings18:25-29. But to understand the full picture, we need to read 1Kings18:1-38. Jesus spoke to the crowd using examples and references from the Old Testament to ensure they understood His meaning. 

In verse 1, God spoke to prophet Elijah and told him it’s time to go to King Ahab and present himself to him. God planned to let it rain again. Now keep in mind, it hadn’t rained in 3 years. The famine was severe in the land. In verse 19 we see that Elija told Ahab to gather all the Israelite’s as well as the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah. And in front of everybody, Elijah challenged the other prophets. They will offer to their respective gods without fire, and the God that answer the offering by fire, that is the true God. (vs 23-24) And everyone there agreed to this challenge. (vs29) Now this is what Jesus referred to in Matt6:7 when He said, don’t put up a show to impress the people around you when you pray, but rather know who God is and ask the Father in My name and believe He will do it for you. For the Baal and Asherah prophets ‘raved dramatically’ and nothing happened. Elijah went further and asked for the offering to be drenched with water. The same water that was precious in the current climate state – 3 times. (vs34-36) And then he prayed to God with confidence, knowing that his relationship with God is of such that God will answer his prayer. Knowing that God told him to do this. (vs37) And God brought fire from heaven and consumed not only the offering, but also ‘the wood, and even the stones and the dust; it also licked up the water in the trench.’ (vs38)

Now that is praying with Confidence!

In this scenario, the gentile prophets has put on quite a show, but the result was fruitless.

He wants to have a relationship with you, get to know you and wants you to get to know Him. So that when He speaks to you, you would recognize His voice (Jhn10:3-4) You will do as He spoken and He will be there for you. When you step out in faith – He will meet you in power. (Matt17:20)

Our father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we have forgiven our debtors, letting go of both the wrong and the resentment. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Matt6:9-13

When the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, He gave them this prayer. In verse 12 He states that we need to forgive so that we can be forgiven. He again clarify this in verse 14 and 15. Jesus felt so strongly about this that He takes the time to explain why forgiveness is so important. In the Amplified it says, ‘it will interfere with your relationship with God.’

In Mark11:25 Jesus said: ‘whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, drop the issue, let it go. So that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions and wrong doings against Him and others.

I think we can agree that what Jesus went through before and on the cross was intense…. And we are reminded of His words in Luke23:34: ‘Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.’ That is how big the ‘forgive others’ thing is to Jesus. Jesus took time through His suffering to forgive them. Who are we not to forgive?

And why do we need God to forgive us?

1Jhn1:9 ‘If we freely admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just, true to His own nature and promises, and He will forgive our sins and cleanse us continually from all unrighteousness, our wrong doing, everything not in conformity with His will and purpose. Proverbs28:13 ‘He who conceals his sin, will not prosper, but whoever confesses and turn away from his sins will find compassion and mercy. Ps32:3 ‘When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away.’

If we stay unrighteous? Isa59:1-2 ‘Behold, the Lord’s hand is not so short that it cannot save. Nor His ear so impaired that He cannot hear. But your wickedness has separated you from your God and your sin have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear.

When we are cleansed from our unrighteousness, it means we are righteous to God – In right standing with God. 1Pet3:12 ‘For the eye of the Lord is on the righteous and His ears are open to their prayers.’

We need to be in right-standing-with-God. Righteous. We need His blessings and we need His ear to listen to our prayers. We need to forgive.

Let’s look at some questions that are asked on a regular basis regarding prayer.

What time is the best time to pray? In Psalms, David mentions a few times that God hears his voice in the morning. We read that Jesus prayed late in the day or at night on a few occasions. Cornelius prayed between 15:00-16:00 when God heard his prayer (Acts 10:30). Peter went up to pray at noon in Acts 10:9. So based on this, it is clear there is not a specific time preference.

How many times a day do I need to pray? If you want to put an amount to it, in 1Tess3:9 ”As we pray day and night”; which can be problematic. But also, when you have a personal relationship with God, you are in constant communication with him anyway. But if you want clarity, Jesus is always a good example to follow.

Should we pray? I want to give you two examples where it is clear we have a responsibility, not only to pray, but to pray for one another and / or situations. 1 Sam 12:23 More over, as for me, far be it for me that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you. Eze 22:30 And I sought for a man among them who should build up a wall and stand in the breach before Me for the land that I should not destroy it, but I found none.

In who’s name should I pray, to whom should I pray? Should I pray to God the Father, should I pray to Jesus, should I pray to the Holy Spirit? Please look at the below scriptures to give you some clarity.

Jhn14:14 Whatever you ask the Father in My name, He will do. Jhn16:23-24 In that day, after the resurrection, you will not ask Me (Jesus) about anything. I assure you and most solemnly say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name, He will give you. Remember when Jesus taught them how to pray in Matt6:9 Our Father who is in heaven. We should pray to the Father in the Name of Jesus.

What can I pray for? We can pray for anything using God’s will and promises as guidance.

Success                                Ps118:25

Peace                                    Ps122:5

Labourers in the field     Matt9:38

For the end time              Matt19:13

Restoration                        2Cor13:9

Word to be received      Col4:3

Strengthen our faith       1Tess3:9-10, Mark9:24

People suffering              James5:13

Bless people                      Acts13:3

Wife to get pregnant      Gen25:21, 1Sam1:12

Word of knowledge        Gen25:22, Act22:17

Mercy from God              Job42:8

City’s welfare                     Jer29:7

Those who persecute    Matt5:44

Courage                               2Sam7:27

The list is endless…

How many times should I pray for the same thing? God told Elijah that the rain will return to the land. Elijah went up on the mountain to pray for rain. Did it rain immediately, no. The servant went to look for a cloud, 7 times, and Elijah prayed 7 times before a cloud as big as a man’s fist could be seen. (1King18:42.) Does this mean that we need to pray 7 times – no. But it does mean that we need to keep on praying and keep on believing that our prayers are answered and pray till we see it manifest into the physical.

He prayed until the Word (1King18:1) he received from God manifested into the natural. When you spend time with God, He will speak to you and you need to obey.

Prayer is a way of communicating with God. When Adam and Eve was in the garden, God spend time with them. Had a personal relationship with them and after the fall of man, the ‘walking together in the garden’ time fell away. Now, one of the ways God communicates with us and spend time with us, is through prayer.

He still wants that personal relationship and your daily time with God helps build that relationship. When you spend time with someone, get to know them, there is a trust and friendship that starts to build. You need to get to that point where you feel that God is your best friend and the one you can trust with anything. Even your deepest darkest secret. Your fears and your hopes and your dreams.

Matt6:6 says: ‘But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.’ The time we spend with God in prayer, is a special, personal time you spend with Him. He doesn’t want interruptions. He wants you all for Himself. Some quality time you spend together.

As married couples we sometimes joke about ‘date night’. Time we put aside to spend quality alone time with our spouse. You usually make plans to either be alone, or go somewhere special. There is thought and planning that goes into it. Your prayer time with God is the same. There is thought and planning going into it to ensure you have some private time with God.

We can only pray with confidence by having a personal relationship with God. Spend time with Him so that you can get to know Him, trust Him, love Him.

Jesus chose His 12 disciples personally. friends, people part of His inner circle. People He took special care with. People He trusted. He shared His hopes and dreams and fears with.

Between the 12, there was Judas Iscariot. Jesus new from the beginning, when He chose him, what role he would play in His live. And He still chose him.

When Jesus informed the disciples there was one among them that will betray Him, everyone was shocked and wanted to know who it was. They didn’t turn like one man and looked and Judas Iscariot and said: ‘It’s you!’ This shows me that in the 3 years, Jesus relationship with His disciples were the same for everyone. Judas Iscariot was totally integrated and part of the group. The way Jesus treated him was the same as everyone else. So no-one suspected Judas Iscariot.

There is an incident mentioned where Maria anointed Jesus feet with oil and Judas said it was a waste of money. The money could’ve been better spend to help the people. From a human perspective, his argument made sense. He didn’t want the money for himself, but he had a better plan on how to spend the money on the people. No one responded with shock when he spoke up. I’m sure this was not the only incident where Judas spoke up, if only we have done it differently, we could’ve done so much more for the people.

You get those people in your life that always knows better. People you feel you need to explain your actions and thoughts to. People who’s always got a better idea of what should have happened or what should have been done. I think in this group demographic Judas was that guy. I think in the 3 years, this was a typical conversation where Judas Iscariot will offer his opinion to Jesus and the disciples.

We all have a Judas Iscariot in our inner circle. Somebody that we see as a busy body. Somebody that always knows better. Does everybody in your circle know he / she is your Judas Iscariot? Or would they be surprised to learn that he / she betrayed you? Is your relationship with this person of such a nature that everyone will suspect him / her immediately if something happens? Or will they wonder who is the guilty party.

I’m sure Jesus prayed for Judas Iscariot with the hope that all the teachings he received in the 3 years would have made a difference and that he will come back and ask for forgiveness. And if Jesus could forgive the people that crucified Him (Luke23:34) then I know Jesus would have forgiven Judas Iscariot. I’m sure that Jesus had such a relationship with Judas that he would have felt welcome to go back to Jesus and would’ve known that Jesus would’ve accepted him with open arms. I’m sure Jesus hoped till the end that Judas Iscariot will come back to ask forgiveness so that he can be forgiven and saved.

We need to treat our Judas Iscariot with the same love we treat others around us. We shouldn’t label him as a Judas Iscariot. So that when he comes back to ask for forgiveness, that he isn’t marked or condemn by us. We must treat our Judas Iscariot with so much love, that he will not be scared to come back and ask for forgiveness. That he will not feel like an outcast even before he betrayed us. But that our relationship should be of such a nature that he will know that, if he ask for forgiveness, he will be forgiven and he will be welcomed back with love.

This is what I hear: It is easy to say ‘trust God and accept the Godly peace that surpasses all understanding’ But how do you do that when you don’t have money in the bank and the debit order is going through and it is costing me money because the bank will penalise me for not having money for the debit order?

How can you say ‘trust God and accept the Godly peace that surpasses all understanding’ when you hear of senseless killing of a loved one?

When Jesus prayed in Mark 14:32-42, to God the Father and asked Him to let the cup pass Him, ‘yet not My will but Your will God.’ He new exactly what was in store for Him. They didn’t caught Him by surprise. He knew there will be betrayal of the one He kept close. He knew He will be bullied, spat on, called names, hated, strike with blows, mocked. But after He prayed and gave over to God’s will, we read that He was able to endure everything – with Godly peace.

I don’t know about you, but it is easier for me to share my feelings with somebody who went through the same thing. Someone who will understand how I feel. God the Father, Jesus and therefore also the Holy Spirit understands everything you are going through, went through, will still go through. When He makes the promise that He will give you peace when you give all your worries and cares over to Him. He knows what He is talking about.

Your child may not be brought back from the dead. And the debit order may still not go through. But God will not forsake you. He will stand next to you in the burning oven as with Daniel and his friends. He will help you through this difficulty and He will give you the Godly peace that surpasses all understanding. And.. He will guard your heart and your mind. Phil4:7

I started the Peace segment on 4 April 19 by asking the question how do we get Godly peace instead of worldly stress? How to relax and not think of your responsibilities or everyone’s expectations for your life.

I stress when I’m put in a situation where things are demanded of me and I cannot deliver. Whether it is in a physical form, mental or emotional form. It can manifest in the form of a changed heart rate, changed breathing, excess sweat, headache or loss of sleep. Relaxation exercises work, but I found it is only temporary. The minute that I think about the situation, my stress level starts to pick up. If the issue is more on a physical basis, say for instance money… I can work harder or work overtime. Or sell something. But if it is more emotional, I struggle to get control over my emotions. I tend to manipulate my emotions by either ignoring it or pushing it down and not give in to it. But it is all just temporary.

The bible tells us not to stress more than 300 times in some or other form. How? By knowing who you are in God, knowing who God is and having faith in His divine plans. Read Isai 32:17-18 again.

It is only then that you realise the truth. Most of the things you stress about is things you cannot change. It is caused by a feeling of being out of control. And yes, it is out of our control, but it is in God’s control if you give it to Him.

Philippians 4:6 ‘do not be anxious (stress) about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.’ And then Peace can be received from God.

‘And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.