Praying Effectively

My wife and I just had an anointed discussion and time of prayer concerning abortion and the elections that will be decided today. We hate abortion, but when it ends, what will take its place? I say this because the true enemy of unborn babies is not Planned Parenthood, but the spirit of murder and the spirit of sexual immorality. It’s quite easy for us to take a stand against the killing of “fetuses” (which is Latin for baby), as we will never commit or support it; however, to say that we will never be found in agreement with murderous or sexually immoral spirits causes us, including me, to pause. To pray, “God, cast out the murdering spirits in America,” while harboring that very same unclean spirit within me, is to ask God to remove me from His presence! Interceding for abortion to end is safe; for the destruction of the spirit of murder, encroaching. This is only so because we pray for God’s kingdom to come, thinking ‘I can keep my own kingdom as well’ with all its disagreeing doctrines, and vainly imagine there can be peace between the two. This can never be so, and indeed, misunderstands the very purpose and power of the cross.

Rhetorically glamorous and invigorating prayer is ineffective if it is not spoken in faith by one who is in agreement with the One on the throne who is being entreated. Strategic intercession is unity with God and with your fellow man; is growing an intimate history with God; is from the place of having nothing in ourselves yet having everything in Him. Voters this day, having been bombarded with multifarious opinions and white noise for several months, will shut the door on all that and finally be left alone for but a short moment of silence, and cast their vote. Through campaigning, potential candidates will have made their (and their opponent’s) stances known, in the hopes of gaining supporters, voters, and victory. Through prayer, we can avail much more than mere campaigning, for one man who fellowships with God is always a majority. Hence, my exhortation to righteousness, for “the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective” (Jas. 5:16). Lord, show us mercy, and let Your will be done; refine Your church that we would pray with authority; capture hearts, and shift set intentions and expectations – when all eyes are on Ohio, pull a fast one in California. Amen!

America’s Great Economic Shaking: Two Offered Solutions

Man’s wisdom: “The Bailout Plan”

God’s wisdom: “The Baal-Out Plan”

Selah.

Fasting, voting, and the nations

Here at IHOP-KC, we are as a body giving ourselves to two forty-day fasts during the remainder of 2008, one beginning today and ending 08/08/08, and the second beginning Sept. 26th and ending on election day (Nov. 4th). For every four days of fasting it takes one day to break it, so a forty day fast should take ten days to break – this then gives us forty days of a normalized diet in between the two fasts. The purpose of the first is for the glory of God to break in; that we’d love Jesus more; to ascend the mountain of the Lord – this fast will be very devotional in nature. The second is obviously directed at having a God-fearing president in office, and will be heightened spiritual warfare.

While praying a simple ninety-second prayer for revelation concerning these two fasts, the Lord answered. He told me that the first was in preparation for the second, and that one without the other would be very ineffective. He said that to enter into the first with an understanding of the purpose of the second would posture us for faithful endurance for both fasts, which will impact not just America, but Islam, Israel, and China. We must have a president who will support Israel militarily, who will keep the troops in Iraq until governmental structure is put into place there (allowing us access to influence or even override administratively without question for something like the next ten years), and who fears God. Being pro-life is also paramount, but I will have to discuss that at another time.

Some quick info to help connect some dots: Saddam Hussein was a Sunni Muslim, as were those in power under him, though the nation of Iraq’s majority of Muslims are Shiite (the ratio being about 2:1). When we removed Saddam from his place of authority, suddenly the Shiites, who for so long were under the oppression of the Sunni leaders, saw an opportunity to snatch the open position. The American soldiers found themselves as aliens in the middle of a civil war. For a short time the Shiites had genocidal intentions, until they were suppressed by our confused but able Army. Were our next president to call our troops home and abandon the opportunity, even the responsibility, to have a hand in rebuilding legislation, surely the Shiites would once again shed the blood of their brothers, and elect a radical Shiite Imam (a leader). And were this to happen, Iran would certainly unite with Iraq (Iran’s ratio of Shiite to Sunni is 9:1).

[There are several major theological differences between Sunnis and Shiites. Sunnis believe that Allah can act aimlessly, does not show mercy or give grace, can command people to commit sin, and would be just if Allah sent a prophet to hell and Satan to heaven, because they do not believe in cause and effect; also, that we do not have free will in even the least of things, that prophets can sin, and that their leaders are not infallible. Shiites on the other hand believe that Allah only ever acts with a purpose, is merciful and gives grace, and could never command a person to commit sin; also, that we have free will in everything, that prophets cannot sin, and that their leaders are as Allah - infallible. If the Shiite leader is peaceful, his followers are peaceful; if blood-thirsty, then his followers are blood-thirsty.]

Now to discuss Israel. A generation of Jews have come and gone since 1967, which was when Jerusalem was seized and reunified by Israel, putting the whole of their chief city under their sovereignty. However, even this new generation does not love Jesus, the true God of Abraham (John 8:58), though their dwelling in the promised land was always contingent upon their faithfulness to Him. If this new generation is not a “Joshua generation”, what are we to expect but that God will raise up a wicked nation to judge them? Before the world’s eyes, America is a Christian nation – were our next president to no longer support Israel, who will intercede militarily for God’s chosen people? Just as when their fathers advanced upon Ai, putting their trust in the ark but presuming God to be with them, today’s Jewish Army trusts in their Air Force. What they will get – apart from corporate repentance – is a massive defeat, and, hopefully, a wake-up call.

Who our next president is, then, will also either alleviate or worsen the church in China’s end-time ministerial focus known as B2J: Back to Jerusalem, where they train up prophetic evangelists to give their lives that the Muslim nations immediately surrounding Israel would abandon Islam for Christianity, which, in effect, would provoke the Jews to jealousy – “and so all Israel will be saved” (Rom. 10:19; 11:25-27).

As I was laying on my bunk, receiving all that the Lord was releasing, He then began to speak of the first forty-day fast, tying the two together. Though the first will start out with the intention of me, an individual, falling more in love with Jesus, by His hand it will expand to nations giving themselves to an intimate relationship with Christ; not just America, but China, Israel, and the Muslim nations of the Middle East. As we intercessors climb the mountain of God, we must do so as priests and as kings of righteousness and peace, that when we stand as mediators in Christ we would have the mercy and grace from God to help in our time of need.

I *will* speak in the tongues of men and of angels!

As some of you well know, I have been without a personal prayer language for the three and a half years I’ve been saved. For the first year I was not a little bitter about it, once even yelling at God in my car. The second year came and went, which was hard, seeing as we attend a church where nearly every worship cycle prays and sings in tongues for ten to thirty minutes. I did, however, receive a phrase (shoo-rrah-bah-kah) and its interpretation (receive the Holy Spirit), but it only caused me to become more frustrated about not having a *language* to pray in, especially considering it was an effort to say the phrase, and not “carried along” by the Spirit. During the third year, some friends and family received *their* love language, and it was difficult (but I did it!) to be excited for them and thankful. I was finally brought to a place of complete abandonment, and laid down all my desires. After some time and some testing, I can now say with excitement, praise the God of all spirits – those days are over!

While here at my Army Annual Training (AT) in Fort Leonard Wood, I’ve been contending for tongues in a very focused way. I woke up an hour early (and we were already waking up before the sun rose) and paced out on the lawn, babbling away. I would do this during my lunch break, and for an hour before bed. And in between, when I felt spurred to, I’d go pretend to talk on my phone. :)

At night I’d call my wife Kelly, who has had tongues since before I was saved, and ask her questions. All I wanted was to *know* if it was Spirit led, or just me speaking sweet nothings. I kept saying that: “I just want to KNOW. I just want to KNOW.” I also told her that in the midst of all the nonsense, a word would keep coming to mind that, when said, didn’t seem to fit. It sounded Spanish: “see-em-prray”. Surprisingly, Kel told me that it was *indeed* Spanish, and meant, “always”. Of course, I thought, “Cool, but I need more confirmation here before I believe all this babbling is You, God, and not me.”

After hanging up the phone, I went inside and started watching a David Pawson seminar on the book of Revelation. Not long into the DVD, he told about how he had once asked God for a name of His to pray that was the English equivalent to Yahweh, and to my utter astonishment, he said the immediate reply from the Spirit was: “Always”…! Suffice it to say, I was now convinced – I have the gift of tongues! And though it’s only been a few days now, the difference has been like night and day. Thank You, Father, for giving good gifts to Your children, and I ask for strength to continue in this gift as I had when pursuing it!

I’ve gone and stayed up all night!

For the past four months or so I’ve been devouring the scroll of Hebrews. Tonight, I thought I’d just have a late night “snack”, but somehow it turned into an all night “feast”! I ended up writing posts about the importance of rightly understanding priestliness in the end times, and why I believe there will be a millennial temple with mandated sin offerings from Jesus the Slain Lamb Himself. It won’t be until later today that I’ll wonder if I couldn’t have just put it off until a decent time, but for the moment I’m feeling rather good.

The sun has not yet advanced over the horizon, but its colorful banners are waving triumphantly in the distance, and the birds are even now heralding its victory over the night’s sky. Because Kelly will undoubtedly not understand as to why I’ve neglected my sleep, I think I’ll make her a nice breakfast in hopes to win her approval of me staying home and napping while she takes Z to the prayer room. One can dream, anyway.

Writing a book worthy of remembrance

This spring I purposed in my heart to write a book over the summer break. Now that summer is here, I’m unsure of what exactly to write about! A children’s story? Or strictly ecclesiastical? I even have an amazing ghost story idea, of all things, that’s never been done before! I don’t really want to do anything with it, but the point is that it is not a lack of options that is hindering my starting, but rather too many. My dad would like to see me write a book of short stories from my year’s tour of duty in Iraq, and truth be told I already have favor in the market place with that from when I was a student at Iowa State University.

However, I told him that I would likely not pursue such an endeavor, for I know that God has skilled me with the pen, and therefore I live to glorify Him by my skill. It is only in that place that I could be without conviction. But again, should I use those collected short stories with the unveiling of my conversion and salvation as the pinnacle of such a novel, as covert evangelism, then I would still be using God’s free gift to honor His name. This is similar to what I would do with a children’s book, but the audience would obviously be radically different, and my method of preaching the gospel still disguised yet by allegory.

So, I am torn. For three years now I’ve been writing only either to God or about God to His maturing saints. Were I to write a book for the church, I would rather it be one of those skinny pamphlet sized books that sell for no more than five dollars – the ones that drip with revelation, they are so saturated with God’s glory; the ones that you just “happen” across, unaware that it was your spirit man drawn to its fragrant pages. Those are the books with substance and sustenance enough for an entire army of lovers after God’s heart, spanning with ease ages upon endless ages, yet never diminishing in potency. Whether I write this, that, or the other, it is a book worthy of even a seraphim’s remembrance that I desire to put my fingers to this summer, and I know that as a son My Father in heaven will bless it.

The Lord’s Christ be praised in all that you do! – Ben

If you see me today…

…wish me a blessed 25th birthday! This year I am exactly half my parents’ age, and I’m not sure yet if I feel weird about that or not. I was discussing with Kel that now’s the time to have a mid-life crisis if ever, because of the strong conviction I have about Jesus returning in this generation, probably before I can make it past 65 years of age. I may never be a grandfather – now that *is* weird to think about!

Our plans for today: sleep in (check), take our chocolate lab Macey and baby Z for a walk by the lake, go play putt-putt golf (both weather pending), and go to a movie tonight (we already got Z a sitter). I accidentally discovered the Red Bridge 4 movie theater the other day, and though it may be shady, it’s only $2 per person, and only $3 more for pop and popcorn. As financially strapped missionaries, this is great! Seven bucks for a movie? We’re in! The only thing that could possibly compare is McDonald’s redbox and their dollar menu.

School’s out until the fall today, but I’ll be taking a (free) class throughout the summer break to learn NT Greek which starts Monday the 12th, the day I begin breaking my four week water only fast. Pray for me! And for the APP program (Apostolic Prayer and Preaching) we’ll have an *intense* schedule, so over the summer Kel and I will be getting into the rhythm of it, that way when August comes our heads won’t be spinning. So again, pray for us! Well, that’s about it, and definitely more than I originally intended. You got me rambling, and I despise empty words. Shame on you! ;) Enjoy my birthday – I know we will be!

Flowing rivers of living water

This weekend I ministered at Bradley Epworth Methodist Church in Peoria, IL with a team of about 30 first and second year FSM students. In the months leading up to our trip, the Spirit informed us that we were hired specifically for two tasks: to watch over Bradley’s garden of encountering God, releasing angels to remove all that would harm their place of intimacy, and to pour out upon their altar everything poured into us, keeping nothing for ourselves. We also knew that this church was experiencing revival, but a revival which had not yet exploded out into the city; they needed a cataclysmic element before their burning coals could be dispersed throughout Peoria. Upon arriving, the leadership of Bradley were in full agreement – we were that element they had been praying and waiting for, even for the last fifteen years.

As a team, we saw several significant healings take place, from severe back pain to asthma to a broken ankle. In the prophecy rooms, which we ministered in for over five straight hours, the level of accuracy and unity was phenomenal, and the greatest skeptics were brought to weeping and to awe of a personal God who spoke to individuals out of the overflow of His heart. There were even some deliverance sessions, and people were set free from long years of demonic oppression. In the prayer room we set up, the spirit of impartation was placed upon our hands, and many received their prayer language, travail, and Holy Spirit laughter. The grace to pray for hours on end with ease was present in the sanctuary, and when teaching, preaching, and prophesying there, the Spirit went forth triumphantly.

Though we were actively involved in ministry for over eighteen hours each of those days, and though I myself was entering into week four of a water only fast, I found that in the midst of this as-of-yet small scale revival, I was supernaturally energized all throughout the four days, and I slept those three nights soundly. Truly, my own testimony this weekend was simply that I continually said “yes” to the Spirit of Jesus, and He did the rest – through me, the team I was a part of, and through the members of Bradley Epworth. I walked away with this invaluable experience: how to keep my heart alive in the midst of revival.

Here’s how. Though I am a major introvert – which means it expounds much of my energy to be a part of large group dynamics, and to fuel myself I need to be alone for long hours (which I thoroughly enjoy; I am the exact definition of a recluse) – my desire was to remain fully energized, and yet fully immersed in ministry. I prayed for Divine guidance, and Jesus spoke clearly to me of how to be wise in my preparation and in my watching (Matt. 25:1-13) – of how to redeem the time given me (Eph. 5:13-17), and to number my days (Ps. 90:12). And, because He’s fun, He used fractals to teach this to me.

In essence, a fractal is a picture that when viewed as a whole is identical to the parts that make it up, which continue infinitely. They’re quite interesting to me, and have been for some years now. What Jesus was giving me by bringing to remembrance these mathematical works of art was my method to be *being* filled with the Spirit, as a habitual drunkard would with wine, obvious to all who might hear and look upon him (Eph. 5:18). Revival is coming here to IHOP-KC, and soon. We must prepare ourselves and our families, that we do not burn out, fall apart, or fall away.

He led me to walk out my day faithfully like this: I would wake up early, and spend my first hour alone in prayer. Then, after my morning preparations, when I arrived at the church, I’d come into the group of people, yet remain alone before the Lord for an hour to an hour and a half. And from that place, of having something of eternal substance to give to them, I would minister to the people. I would minister to one person at a time without distraction for maybe ten minutes to a half hour, but then immediately again retreat to the secret place for five minutes or even thirty seconds before moving on to the next person. After four or five hours, dictated by meal times, I would then spend an hour alone debriefing with the Spirit. Then I’d start the process again. I would end my day just as I had began it; an hour among the people but alone in prayer, and then another hour completely alone in my bedroom before sleeping. I imagine that when revival comes and remains here that I would continue the fractal method, extending it ever outward, having Sabbath days, weeks, and months, and even Sabbath years.

A very good friend of mine had a powerful dream from God for our community here at IHOP-KC. The dream, in short, was that Jehovah Rapha, the God who heals, would place a mantle of healing on many where no disease known to man would be able to stand, and that He’d be with us in our coming in and in our going out. Then the dream transitioned and my friend, having the mantle, was standing before a line of people miles long, all having such serious conditions that if they did not receive healing that day, they would die. After eighteen straight hours of healing every single one who approached, my friend was told by the Holy Spirit (who came in the form of a Faceless Man) to immediately leave the line and stop healing. When asked why, He replied, “Because you are out of oil.” And because my friend had to leave the line, people died.

This dream has been shared numerous times publicly, and it has completely upturned the way in which I’ve been thinking about the coming revival. Are we truly ready? How do we spend our time? I learned by experience something priceless this weekend, yet my wife and baby daughter were not there – how will I respond in revival when my family is with me and needs me everyday? This is very real, very serious, and very close. Because family life *is* full time ministry, my wife and I have already discussed and implemented much of this “fractal method”, and hope to continually perfect it over the years ahead of us. When I shared this with my friend, the one who had the dream, he told me that he was very blessed by it. I trust that this will bless you and yours as well.

O Glorious Dae!

No, that’s not a misspelling – our very close friends, the Sundby’s, just had a baby girl tonight! Dae is her middle name, which is Hebrew for “Beloved”. Praise God for this little one, Gloria Dae Sundby! Let her be a lover of Jesus all the days of her life – we ask this in Your name. Amen!

Resurrection Power

Lots has happened in my life since I blogged last. Lots. I mean, I have a seven and a half month old daughter (Zuriah Grace)! Ha! My wife Kelly has finally begun blogging – she set up her blog almost a year ago – so begin checking her site regularly (Life as Esther). And the Lord has been speaking to me a lot lately about giving my pearls to those who are seeking pearls, and no longer to the proverbial swine. I therefore have asked Kel to keep me accountable to resurrect my blog and begin writing regularly, so please visit here often as well (unless, of course, you’re swine). I’ll be on a seven day water-only fast beginning Saturday (focusing on the St. Patrick’s Day outreach), and my plan is to write daily. Keep me accountable too! Blessings to you all in Christ Jesus, and I’ll see you March 1st. – Ben