Week One Focus: LACK OF INTIMACY WITH GOD.
Local Issues: On Australia Day Friday 26th January about 4,000 people assembled to celebrate the dedication of our nation to God and to repent and pray together as the church in Melbourne. One witness said it was the culmination of all that she has ever talked about with God. We know unity to be God’s will and we believe that this is a particular season for unity in God’s church in our nation and city so God can release transformation upon us. Honesty, transparency and intimacy are critical elements of true unity. These qualities were not in evidence across the church yesterday, but we glimpsed them in a moment of public reconciliation with our nation’s forefathers – represented by the passionate response of a representative of indigenous pastors in the church who spontaneously responded to repentance for our lack of indigenous reconciliation. There was great power in the passionate cries of the youth for God to transform our high schools and universities. Their availability to God was honest, transparency and intimate.
Focal Discussion: You may like to stimulate an honest discussion on lack of intimacy with God with your friends.
Why do you think people lack intimacy with God? Fear of being exposed as having to admit, ‘I haven’t got it all together’ and not knowing who I could go to and be honest about that. We don’t know the way into intimacy so instead we go deeper and deeper into deception and self comfort which feel good, briefly. But while we hold onto our own cares, our independence, self sufficiency and complacency mean we are not open to receive God’s solutions. Many of us don’t really know God well enough to be able to trust him. Human relationships and religious effort have let us down and we fear or even expect the ultimate rejection from God. We protect ourselves from intimacy because we don’t trust who we think God is and this can also be because we are holding onto false images of God. We have been so disappointed our hearts are barely open to hope, faith expectation. We are blind to the true condition of our neediness and the truth about how gentle, kind, patient, faithful and loving God is.
What do we do about our fear of intimacy? ‘Perfect love casts out fear’ although most of us are confused about what that even means. ‘Love’ can be all kinds of things to us – sexual release, smothering mothering… ‘Perfect’ can represent performance – self reliance. Perfectionists can be covering their sense of unworthiness. Most of us feel unworthy to receive ‘perfect love’ as a gift.
What is perfect love? I think inside most of us crave complete comfort, caring, affirmation, nurture, tranquility that doesn’t end. God offers us care, compassion, provision, security, reconciliation and that he will pour his love into us and make us his lavishly loved children and heirs. (Isaiah 60:16, Isaiah 66:11-13, Romans 5:1-11, Galatians 3:29, 1Peter 1:23, 1John 3:9, Ephesians 1:13-15, 2Corinthians 1:22, Romans 8:15-17, Galatians 4:6-7) We have God’s Word that He LOVES us. Because God LOVED us (John 3:16) God sent His Word (Jesus) to reconcile us to Himself. (John 1:1-18) Jesus is the Way…. But the Father is the Destination. God’s purpose was and is our reconciliation with Him, that we would let Him be our Father and we would be one with Him. (John 17:20-23) You were made in the image of God who is LOVE, by LOVE, for LOVE, with LOVE, to give LOVE and to receive LOVE.
We know what life is like without intimacy and perfect love! We sure do. Honesty, transparency and intimacy are rare in human relationships but it shouldn’t be so and with transformation it won’t be. We all need to be heard at our point of need. When we are independent and refuse intimate relationship with God we are like orphans. We can lack comfort and a sense of belonging. We can feel isolated, rejected and abandoned and hide under a cloak of shame, trapped in a sense of unworthiness and poverty. We can get so used to be alone in the dark we don’t trust others enough to get close so we recreate our own rejection and abandonment. We can send and receive mixed messages, project our experience and self criticism, failure and lack of achievement and acceptance onto new relationships and onto God! An orphan can become addicted to shame, poverty, rescuing, judgment, rejection, projection, religion, aloneness, isolation, self hatred and dishonor. We are trapped in a cycle of feeling unlovable, unacceptable, worthlessness. We may not recognize that when we blame others, we are carrying deep feelings of blaming and hating ourselves and God. We not only believe the accusations of the enemy, we look at ourselves in his distortions of us, and have taken on his character and lies. We can be addicted to filling up on his poisonous reasons not to believe or trust God.
How do we come into intimacy with God? The same way we do with animals or people. It takes time – eye to eye, one on one, watching the other and knowing them, moving closer when we feel ready, gauging our mutual reactions. God’s reactions will surprise our limited distorted expectations. Healthy bonded children can run into the arms of their father they trust. Sadly some abused children learn to numb their instincts and submit passively and obediently to unwanted attention. Some learn to mask their fears with earnest and manipulate ways to try to attract adult attention or approval. There are parallels of all these reactions to intimacy with God. God is calling us into intimacy but we are not listening, we are numbed, living in crisis mode, trying to survive on our own. How amazing it is when we realize we are not orphans, our Father is here to rescue and embrace us! It is wonderful to become free, trusting, joyful and playful in our Father’s presence. This is a relationship that will not end and that has eternal fascination as we grow into more and more revelation of how incredible God is.
My prayer for you is: ‘that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in LOVE, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the LOVE of Christ, and to know this LOVE that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.’ (Ephesians 3:17-19)
This discussion was with Sue Tinworth and Dorothy Beach, leaders in an emergent church called Stillspace.
Key Article: Hindrances to God’s Presence.
Hindrances to God’s Presence
"Have you ever wondered if it is possible to get God’s attention or attract His presence? And if it is possible, then why don’t we spend more time doing those things that welcome His presence? God’s Word establishes clear principles regarding His presence. There are things that prepare for and welcome the presence of the Lord – things like prayer, unity, worship, and a broken and contrite spirit. There are also things that cause Him to withdraw or remain at a distance." Rhonda Hughey
Dear Intercessors,
Jesus is knocking at the door of our cities. Can you hear His knock? Are you aware that Your King wants to visit your city, but He will not force His way in when there is no invitation. It is the responsibility of the church to welcome His presence into the city. He is the honored guest. We must open the door for our King, and invite His glorious entrance into our cities. We must do this together as the corporate church in the city. The question we must ask ourselves is, "Are we desperate enough?" "Do we long enough for His presence?" "Can we live without Him in our city?" "Are we willing to seek Him together as the city church?
"It’s not possible to have a lasting corporate impact on a city as a single congregation. God hasn’t constructed the rules of life that way. It requires corporate unity and agreement to accomplish corporate results… God has ordained a corporate church in each city! There is something bigger than our local congregations! There should be one Shepherd and one king enthroned in our cities. We must start with a common vision and purpose and then build according to God’s blueprint, not our own. We can’t start with our own empire and then try to build up to who God is. He will step down to us in response to our desperate cry." Rhonda Hughey
We are presently in an area of southern Spain where there is a big invitation for God’s presence. Many of the churches are seeking God’s face and are crying out for His presence. There is a non-stop prayer meeting where there are prayers asking God to come and dwell in this area of Spain, Gibraltar and North Africa. There is one prayer meeting after another – sometimes two churches meet at the same time, sometimes there are one or two praying in the early morning, and at other times there is loud praying and praise, and the room is filled with the fragrance of Christ. The expectation level is growing. The hunger is increasing, and God is changing all of our lives in the midst of it all. Would you join us in prayer that God would visit and make His presence known in this area of the world called Campo de Gibraltar? See www.campo247.com for details. Last night the pastors in this area spent the whole night in prayer together! There is the sense that prayer has reached a new level, and there is a magnetic attraction to the prayer room. I find it quite appealing and can’t wait to get to the prayer room. There seems to be an unusual grace at this time to pray long hours where it seems but a few moment.
Roadblocks to God’s Presence
"We haven’t yet realized the consequences of our lack of unity and refusal to contend for God’s presence. I want to encourage you to consider the condition of your city: Watch the news, read the newspaper, listen to conversations, and look at the people around you. Let the condition of your city break your heart and draw you into intercession for a breakthrough of God’s presence." Rhonda Hughey
Just as there are roadblocks keeping you from reaching your destination when driving a car, there are roadblocks to God’s entrance into your city. There are many obstacles to God’s presence. The following are a few key barriers together with verses relating to these obstacles. I encourage you to pray that God removes these roadblocks that keep His presence from entering your city. Pray that God removes them from your own heart.
- Pride – We are often self-righteous and think we are good, but Jesus is our example of humility. God hates pride, and He will not bring His manifest presence into our city when we are walking in pride. We often try to get to the highest position, but Jesus carried a towel and washed His disciple’s feet. "Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death – even death on a cross! (Philippians 2:5-8)
Idolatry – Idolatry diminishes God’s glory. When the presence of God is not in a city, it is the fault of the churches. We are responsible. Whatever we substitute for our love for God becomes an idol. These idols may be sports, TV, material possessions, etc. Think about where you spend your time, and examine your own heart. "Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, nor sworn deceitfully" (Psalm 24:3-4).
Immorality – The temptations towards sexual sin is everywhere. Every believer must guard against this. Pray for purity in the body of Christ. God is revealing sexual sin in his church. He will make His presence known when His church walks in holiness."Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought with a price. Therefore honor God with your body" (I Corinthians 6:18-20).
Unbelief – We must believe the promises of God and have faith to believe He will accomplish them. Unbelief denies his promises and power. It will prevent us from entering the promised land. God promises us that if we ask in His name, He will do it (John 14:13-14)."And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him (Hebrews 11:6).
Distractions – Distractions are everywhere. We must give God unhurried time and undistracted hours. We can no longer get busy with secondary things when the King wants our attention. The amazing thing about this month of prayer is that we are learning to focus only on the Lord Himself. God desires that we seek one thing."One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple" (Psalm 27:4).
Luke-warm Hearts – So many in the church have left their first love, and their hearts no longer are passionate towards God. They have settled for a luke-warm life. God wants us to be on fire for Him. One of the recurring prayers during this month is for the fire (fuego) of God! "I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were either one or the other. So, because you are luke-warm – neither hot nor cold – I am about to spit you out of my mouth" (Revelation 3:15-16).
Religious Spirit – This is a counterfeit form of life and Godliness. It may look good on the outside, but it is based on human wisdom and agendas. It may have many programs but it is a substitute for Jesus and is totally disconnected with real life. "… having a form of godliness but denying its power" (II Timothy 3:5).
Disunity – God will not make His presence known to a disunified church. We must learn to value the other parts of the body of Christ. We must see that we fit together and cannot reach the city by ourselves. We desperately need each other. See Psalm 133. "I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me" (John 17:22-23).
One thing that God wants us to realize is how very desperately He cares for the lost in our cities. He is a compassionate God, and the pain and cries in the city have touched His heart deeply. He wants us to partner with Him in bringing hope to our cities, but He cannot do this if there are barriers preventing His presence from entering the place where we live. He is the answer to all the problems and pain. His presence in our cities will make all the difference.
Father, we pray that you would visit us, and make your presence known in our city. Remove the distractions in our churches that keep us from you. We want to seek only one thing – you and your presence. Take away our luke-warm hearts, and set us on fire for you. Forgive our disunity, and bring your church in our city together as one. We repent of any pride in our lives. Teach us to walk in humility. Remove all immorality and sexual sin from our city. Take away our idols. We want to worship only you. Give us faith to believe that you can change the situation in our city. Let your Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven. We invite you as King into our city. We choose to partner with you for transformation in our city. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
(Pray the above prayer naming your specific city and repenting of any sins and barriers to God’s presence in your city or personal life. Be very specific.)
"When we see the ruined condition of our cities and communities, it should break our hearts and stir us to prayer. We have underestimated the pain in God’s heart over the devastation and brokenness of people who live in darkness. Isaiah 9:2 declares what the result would be when Jesus’ presence came to earth: ‘The people walking in darkness have seen a great light’. God fully intends to continue to bring hope and restoration to forsaken, desolate communities, and He is looking for those who will partner with Him." Rhonda Hughey
Together in the Harvest,
Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise deb@intercessorsarise.org www.intercessorsarise.org
Friday 26th January
2 Chronicles 7:11–16 When Solomon had finished the temple of the LORD and the royal palace, and had succeeded in carrying out all he had in mind to do in the temple of the LORD and in his own palace, 12 the LORD appeared to him at night and said: "I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a temple for sacrifices. 13 "When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, 14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 15 Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. 16 I have chosen and consecrated this temple so that my Name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there.
James 4:4–10 You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. 5Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely? 6But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." 7Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
Saturday 27th January
Deuteronomy 32:1–9 Listen, O heavens, and I will speak; hear, O earth, the words of my mouth. 2 Let my teaching fall like rain and my words descend like dew, like showers on new grass, like abundant rain on tender plants. 3 I will proclaim the name of the LORD. Oh, praise the greatness of our God! 4 He is the Rock, his works are perfect, ad all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he. 5 They have acted corruptly toward him; to their shame they are no longer his children, but a warped and crooked generation. 6 Is this the way you repay the LORD, O foolish and unwise people? Is he not your Father, your Creator, who made you and formed you? 7 Remember the days of old; consider the generations long past. Ask your father and he will tell you, your elders, and they will explain to you. 8 When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance, when he divided all mankind, he set up boundaries for the peoples according to the number of the sons of Israel. 9 For the LORD's portion is his people, Jacob his allotted inheritance.
Psalm 9:7–12 7 The LORD reigns forever; he has established his throne for judgment.
8 He will judge the world in righteousness; he will govern the peoples with justice.
9 The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.
10 Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you. 11 Sing praises to the LORD, enthroned in Zion; proclaim among the nations what he has done. 12 For he who avenges blood remembers; he does not ignore the cry of the afflicted.
Sunday 28th January
Hosea 10:12–1412 Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the LORD, until he comes and showers righteousness on you. 13 But you have planted wickedness, you have reaped evil, you have eaten the fruit of deception. Because you have depended on your own strength and on your many warriors, 14 the roar of battle will rise against your people, so that all your fortresses will be devastated— as Shalman devastated Beth Arbel on the day of battle, when mothers were dashed to the ground with their children.
Lamentations 3:22–33, 40–42 Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. 23 They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness. 24 I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him." 25 The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; 26 it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD. 27 It is good for a man to bear the yoke while he is young. 28 Let him sit alone in silence, for the LORD has laid it on him. 29 Let him bury his face in the dust— there may yet be hope. 30 Let him offer his cheek to one who would strike him, and let him be filled with disgrace. 31 For men are not cast off by the Lord forever. 32 Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love. 33 For he does not willingly bring affliction or grief to the children of men.
Monday 29th January
Matthew 13:10–23 The disciples came to him and asked, "Why do you speak to the people in parables?" 11He replied, "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. 12Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. 13This is why I speak to them in parables: "Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. 14In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: 'You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. 15For this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.' 16But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. 17For I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it. 18"Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. 22The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. 23But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown."
Tuesday 30th January
Matthew 6:25–34 "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? 28"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Acts 2:38–42 Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call." 40With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation." 41Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. 42They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
Wednesday 31st January
John 15:1–17 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 5"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 8This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. 9"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. 11I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. 14You are my friends if you do what I command. 15I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 17This is my command: Love each other.
Thursday 1st February
Revelation 2:1–7 "To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands: 2I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. 3You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. 4Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. 5Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. 6But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7He who has an ear, let him hear w hat the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.
Revelation 3:14–22 14"To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation. 15I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. 19Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. 20Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. 21To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."