Daff
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Posts posted by Daff
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Q7. (3:19) Have you ever prayed for a fellow believer that he or she might be "filled with all the fullness of God"? What would you be praying for with that kind of prayer? How does this prayer relate to Ephesians 5:27 and Colossians 1:28?
To be filled with the fullness of God is to know Him intimately. It is to be filled with all that God is and has for us. Let's go past being a nominal Christian and be filled with the glory of God that Jesus will shine through us . It is then when we stand before Him He will see that glorious shining bride washed clean through the blood of Jesus.
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Q6. (3:17-19) Why does Paul pray that the believers grasp the fullest extent of Christ's love for them? How does comprehending this love change a person's spiritual life? Is there any end to Christ's love for a person?
There is no end to Christ's love for anyone.
Knowing Christ's love for ourself brings a peace, a satisfaction, a joy unspeakable that fills our inner man.
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Q5 (3:16-17) Why does Paul pray for strengthening of the inner man? How would we pray this prayer today? Why does he pray that Christ dwell in the believers' hearts? Isn't this already an established fact?
When the inner man is strengthened it helps us to stand firm against the onslaughts of the enemy.
Today, we would pray for wisdom and revelation to keep our feet firmly on the Rock Christ Jesus. Christ comes into our hearts at salvation and we need to get grounded in the Word so that the enemy does not destroy one's faith.
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Q4. (1:18) Why is a revelation of "his incomparably great power for us who believe" essential to a vital faith? How do you develop this faith in yourself? How do you pray for it for others?
Without faith it is impossible to please God.
We need to understand that we have been endued with power from on high by the Holy Spirit who lives in us. He directs us, counsels us, encourages us and is with us all the time.
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Q3. (1:18) What is the result in prayer and faith if believers think that God is poverty-stricken? How does knowledge of a "glorious inheritance" motivate our lives? Our prayers? How can you pray for others to glimpse this inheritance?
The bible says to ask in faith, believing, so if their attitude is that God is poor, they will not receive the abundance God has for them. This is why revelation of the word is so important because without it people flounder and become nominal christians.
We need to pray for Christ to be formed within them and for the Holy Spirit to bring revelation to them.
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Q2. (1:18) How has your Christian "hope" changed your way of living? What is the result of Christians with only a meager or minute hope? How would you pray for hope to be borne in others?
It is the hope or looking forward to reaching the prize for our high calling that enables me to press on. There is a goal to reach.
Christians without hope or faith are going nowhere.
I would pray for their eyes to be opened and their ears unstopped so that they can hear and see God in everything around them and so receive revelation.
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Q1. (1:17-18). What do you learn from Paul's manner of prayer for the Ephesian believers? If Christians stopped praying for people to receive a revelation of God, would people come to know God on their own? Would God work in them at all? How important is this kind of prayer?
To pray for one another continually to receive greater revelation and wisdom and to know kingdom purpose, power and authority.
Yes, people would still accept salvation and God can still work in them, but there is power in prayer that strengthens us and helps us to know god better and protects us from advertsity.
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Q4. (22:43) Did Jesus get "special treatment" because he was the Son of God to have angels help and strengthen him in his spiritual struggle? Do we get that help, too?
No, this help is available to all of us if we surrender our life to God. Jesus was not treated any different to what is available to us. We do not only have angels but we also have the Holy Spirit.
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Q3. (22:42) When Jesus prayed "not my will, but yours be done," was the Father pleased? Why is the Father not pleased when we are passive and uncaring and dispassionate in our prayers that his will be done? What is required for us to pray the prayer of submission with authenticity?
Yes, I believe the Father was pleased. He had seen and heard Jesus crying out to release him from this terrible hour and yet he was able to say "not my will, but yours be done."
When there is no passion or caring in our prayers we may as well speak to the brick wall. God looks on the heart and out of that knows if we mean what we say and responds accordingly. We need passion in our prayers; we need to feel the needs of others and be able to say "not my will, but yours be done."
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Q2. (22:42) Why did Jesus pray that the Father take the cup from him? According to Mark and Matthew, Jesus repeated this prayer three times. Why was he so intense about it? What did this mean? Why was Jesus resisting the Father's will? Or was he?
Jesus was man here on earth like us and therefore identified how we in the natural would feel. Would we want to go through death like he faced? I don't think so.
I do not believe he was resisting his Father's will, rather he was feeling the intensity of what he had to carry - the sins of the whole world and in his humanity he knew the pain he would have to endure.
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Q1. (22:40-41, 45-46) Why did he ask his disciples to pray? What temptation did Jesus know they would be facing? What was the content of their prayer to be? Did they actually pray this prayer diligently? How does the Lord's Prayer word this kind of prayer? Why do you think Jesus wanted to be alone during his own prayer?
Firstly, I think Jesus was wanting the support, strength and faith of their prayers to help him through this terrible hour he was facing. He also knew that they were going to be faced with being asked about Jesus and whether they would remain faithful to him. However, they did not pray diligently because they allowed their tiredness to overcome the need for prayer and slept.
v.13 of the Lord's prayer states "lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil'.
Jesus wanted to be alone because the disciples did not understand the kind of death he was facing. God has a timing to reveal everything.
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Q4. (2:4) What danger is Nehemiah in? Why does he pray quickly and silently before he answers the king? How does this quick "arrow prayer" relate to the four months of prayer he has just finished?
Nehemiah could be banished from the king's presence for ever.
He probably reminds God of his four months of intercession and preparation and asks Him to intervene now and let him find favour with God and the king.
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Q3. (1:11) In what way does Daniel's situation compared to Esther's? Why does God place his people in strategic positions today in the community, in business, in the military, in government? What responsibilities do we have to God that can cause danger to our positions and our lives? Has this ever happened to you? How do you pray in situations like this?
Danel's faith in God was so great he was prepared to risk his life and went into the lion's den. There God got the glory and saved him. Esther risked her life for the Jews and her God, going in before the king without being called. She lived.
We are a light in the darkness "let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven" Matthew 5:18
We need to honour God at all times no matter what the situation. I would call on the Name of Jesus and the Blood, ask the Holy Spirit to guide me and believe that the Lord will deliver me.
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Q2. (1:7-11) What is the basis of Nehemiah's appeal? How does he argue his case before God? What do we learn from this about intercession?
He asked God to remember the instruction He gave to Moses, that even if they had sinned, if they repented and obeyed His commands, He would gather them together from far and wide.
He reminds God that His own Name is at stake. If the people are in disgrace if reflects on His Name.
In intercession, we need to know the word of God, quote it and stand on it "it is written....." Also we need to feel the situation as it is and as it would be when God moved in. We need to find the favour of God.
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Q1. (1:1-6) Why does Nehemiah pray day and night for four months? Why does he fast and weep? Isn't that excessive?
Nehemiah, like Danel, identifies with the sins of Israel. He was so distressed with the news of Jerusalem's destruction and the plight of the people, that the burdern he carried was huge. He was also prepared to carry it for as long as it took to break through, hence he prayed day and night for four months. Fasting strengthens our prayers and keeps our spirit in tune with God, and when a burden is so great and causes such grief it often results in weeping, but God sees our tears and bottles them up. This is true intercession.
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Q4. (9:15-19) What was Daniel's essential prayer? What are the various grounds of Daniel's appeal? How did God answer the prayer (see Daniel 9:20-23)?
Daniel's essential prayer was crying out from his heart for the sins of the nation to be forgiven. He was appealing to God's character and mercy to be evident in the answer to his intercession for Israel.
His appeal was God's precedent, God's glory would be revealed through Israel's deliverance. God's righteousness is seen as an act of mercy. God would erase His scorn from Israel and they would see His deliverance.
God's answer came through the angel Gabriel when he came and touched Daniel and spoke to him giving the understanding that his prayers had been answered.
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Q3. (9:5) Since Daniel is such a righteous man in his generation, why does he identify himself with the sins of his people? He didn't commit them. How does this compare to how Jesus sought forgiveness for his people?
I think in some ways it is necessary to feel the pain no matter what the cause, that a person or nation is feeling. This way we can relate to them in prayer whether it be sickness or sin.
Jesus took all our sins, sicknesses, diseases upon himself on the cross and through this we have been forgiven.
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Q2. (9:3-4a) What is Daniel's demeanor as he prays? How does he prepare? Why is this so important in this case? In what ways might you and I prepare for intercession?
Daniel prayed with humility.
He prepared himself first with fasting in order to humble himself before God and have a clean and pure heart before he started to intercede for the nation. He put on sackcloth as a sign of mourning or grief on behalf of Israel and their sins and then he also put of ashes signifying repentance.
He was standing in the gap for the people, Israelites, and he wanted to show God he was sincere in his prayers and actions.
Ways to prepare for intercession would include fasting, worshiip to bring the presence of God, putting on the armour of God, for it is with the Word, Faith, the Name of Jesus and the Blood that we can fight the principalities and powers that come against us.
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Q1. (9:1-3) What encourages Daniel to seek God for the forgiveness and restoration of Israel to its homeland? What trait on Daniel's part brings this encouragement to pass?
Daniel was faithful to God and loyal to his own people and he recognised the 70years was nearly over and wanted to see Israel restored.
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Q4. (139:23-24) Why is this prayer of surrender to God so difficult to pray? When was the first time you prayed this kind of prayer to God? What was the result? Can a person be a genuine disciple without praying this kind of prayer?
Surrender is an act of totally giving everything to God which includes not only ourself but our possessions too and that is not easy.
About 2 years ago as I was listening to a song, the anointing and presence of God fell on me and for the first time I was truly able to surrender to God.
This brought me into a new place in Him and I love Him for it.
Yes, I believe one can be a genuine disciple of Jesus without this prayer. I was for many years but now my love and walk with the Lord is a different level and I praise Him for it.
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Q3. (139:13-16) How is an awareness of God's involvement in your prenatal development meant to encourage you? What might this mean to a young woman carrying a child? A young father-to-be? Why is such knowledge overwhelming to us?
He made me exactly as He wanted. That's how much He loves me. He had it all planned.
When a child is conceived, God has created man and woman to achieve this, but God is the Creator of that seed in the first place.
I think it is overwhelming just to try to grasp the awesomeness and love of God and how much He cares.
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Q2. (139:5, 10). In verses 5 and 10, how does God's hand touch the psalmist? Have you ever felt God's hand on you in a special way? Was it for your good? What was it like?
The hand of God protects him. guides him and holds him. He is safe and secure.
Yes, God's hand was on me protecting me when I was unknowingly going to put my hand on a baby red-backed spider. With my current health this could have been very dangerous. I was so grateful and excited to experience God's protection.
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Q1. (139:7) Why do people sometimes want to flee from God? Why do people imagine that God doesn't know what they do? Have you ever felt this way?
Because they know they have done wrong or are considering doing something that is wrong.
It is a concept that for some people is hard to understand , depending on one's relationship with God.
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Q4. (20:3) What is the basis on which Hezekiah asks for healing? Why is personal righteousness and holiness important in getting your prayers answered? How can unrighteousness prevent answered prayer if all gifts from God are by grace anyway?
The basis for Hezekiah asking for healing was that he has walked before God faithfully and with complete devotion and done everything that pleased God. He was faithful, devoted and always acknowledged God in his life above all else.
Righteousness is right standing before God, cleansed through the blood of Jesus Christ and this gives us access to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He looks on our heart and although we make mistakes, he blesses us and respects us for honouring Him.
Unrighteousness may affect prayers being answered because we have a free will and if we wilfully do wrong and ignore God, why should He answer every time we cry. Yet He is faithful and just to forgive as we turn from our wicked ways.
Q8. Beyond Comprehension
in 11. Paul's Prayers for the Ephesian Believers (Ephesians 1:15-23; 3:14-21)
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Praying such prayers should cause faith to arise, knowing and believing that God is able to do far more for us than we ofgten give Him credit for.
The level of our faith can affect results.
Positive thinking and quoting the scriptures until they become revelation and faith rises.