by Dutch Sheets
• Calvary flashing forth again
• The light of the world shining again
• The royal priesthood proclaiming the excellencies of Him who called them out of darkness into His marvelous light (see 1 Pet. 2:9)
• The laser of prayer burning intensely
• The lightning sword of the Spirit flashing brightly
• Jesus and the Father are glorified in the Church (see Eph. 3:21)!
We have looked at the "bear anointing" and the "butterfly anointing"-maybe this is the "lightning anointing"!
In John 1:5, which we quoted earlier, the phrase "the light shines in the darkness" could just as accurately read "the light is constantly shining," due to the tense and mood of the verb. Some translations actually do translate it this way. The light that overcame darkness is still shining-the victory lives on. Yet it must be released through the Church!
In his first All-Star game, Roger Clemens, the great pitcher for the Boston Red Sox, came to bat for the first time in years due to the American League's designated hitter rule. After watching a blazing fastball by Dwight Gooden whiz past him, Clemens turned and asked the catcher, Gary Carter, "Is that what my pitches look like?"
"You bet it is!" responded Carter.
From then on Clemens pitched with far greater boldness, having been reminded of how a good fastball can be so overpowering to a hitter.3
We often forget how powerful the Holy Spirit in us is . . . how destructive to darkness is His lightning sword. It has supernatural power to overcome the works of darkness-when we release it with confidence.
Dutch Meets Goliath on Bourbon Street
I led an outreach of 200 students from Christ for the Nations Institute to Mardi Gras in 1979. We focused most of our ministry on Bourbon Street, where the biggest portion of the partying occurs. I have seen few places where darkness rules so dominantly as it does at this continuous celebration of evil.
We had many hours of prayer and preparation before going on this outreach, and were assured in our hearts that we had established victory in the Spirit. The light had preceded us. We felt we were going physically only to reap the spoils. We saw dozens of people come to Christ and experienced many dramatic events as time and time again light triumphed over darkness. It was not without its tests, however. One of the events that impacted me greatly was an encounter we had with a demonized man who intended to do some of us bodily harm-kill us.
I spent most of my time walking the length of Bourbon Street interceding for the "troops" as they witnessed and prayed with folks. One evening my partner and I crossed the street to speak with two of our students, who happened to be carrying a sign that read, "God Loves You!"
As we stood talking, a giant of a man, whom we'll call Goliath, came at us seemingly out of nowhere. He was about 10 feet tall (at least 6' 6") and weighed 500 pounds (at least 260 pounds). He was dressed from head to toe as a Roman soldieror maybe as a Philistine soldier-and carried a long whip he was cracking as he came up to us. His lips were covered with bloody froth and blood was trickling out of the corners of his mouth.
He approached us, cracking the whip and growling like a mad dog. The area around us cleared as people backed off and watched. Goliath then began to shout in a deep, raspy voice, "God is love, huh? I'm gonna kill you!"
This is not good, I perceived quickly, being the astute man I am. I wanted to speak some powerful Scripture as a sword, but the only verse that came to mind was, To live is Christ; to die isgain. It just didn't seem like the one I wanted!
As I stood wondering why one of the other three team members didn't do something, the reason suddenly occurred to meI was the leader! Being the wise leader that I am, I shouted, "Every man for himself." Then to myself I added, Legs, don't fail me now! I felt more like the butterfly anointing than the lightning anointing.
Of course, I didn't really say and do those things, but there was a strong fear that tried to rise up in me. What did I actually do? I PAGA'ed-big time paga! And when I glanced at the other three, their lips were silently moving. They were paga'n too!
It was gaga times four. Magnifying glass, don't fail me now!
As we stood and bound the powers of darkness in this man in the name of Jesus, within seconds he began to change. His countenance changed, his voice changed and his attitude changed. The demons controlling him had been overcome. Light prevailed. The man actually appeared confused. He looked at us with a strange expression, muttered something about going ahead with what we were doing and walked away slowly as the crowd watched in amazement.
Light overcame darkness. God's power "struck the mark" (paga), quieting the evil spirits and saving us from embarrassment and probable injury.
Later that night as we all gathered and shared our war stories of the day, all were amazed as we related how fearless, confident and in control we were as "Goliath" confronted us. "Never a doubt," we all assured the group. "Never a doubt." May God forgive us!
Living Temples That Carry Glory
My father, Dean Sheets, who pastors in Ohio, saw light overcome darkness while he was on a missions trip to Haiti. He was preaching the gospel and praying for the sick according to Mark 16:15-18. As you are probably aware, the national religion of Haiti is voodoo; consequently, demon activity is prominent and strong. The powers of darkness have been given free reign.
Dad felt specifically led by the Holy Spirit to pray for blind individuals, so he invited them forward. Twenty people responded. As he stood before them one at a time, waiting for direction from the Holy Spirit, he was given the same instruction for 19 of the 20: "Cast out the spirit causing the blindness." Each time he did they were healed instantly, seeing perfectly.
Paga! Light striking the mark, penetrating darkened eyes, bringing sight.
What many believers are not aware of is that we are filled with the very glory and light of God. When the apostle Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, said, "Do you not know that you are a temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?" (1 Cor. 3:16), he used the Greek word naos for "temple,"4 which always referred to the holy of holies. He was literally saying, "Don't you know you are the holy of holies?"
The word "dwells" is taken from the Old Testament word shakan, which means "dwelling or abiding."5 The "shekinah glory" was the abiding or dwelling glory found in the holy of holies. Paul was saying that in Christ the shekinah glory of God now shakan in us (see 1 Sam. 4:4; 2 Sam. 6:12-19). We are the new holy of holies, a temple of living stones not made with hands, but by God Himself. Second Corinthians 4:6-7 says it this way:
For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face ofJesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us (KJV).
Israel carried the Ark of the Covenant, representing the presence and glory of God, into battle (see josh. 6:6). When the Ark set out, the shout would go up, "Rise up, 0 Lord! And let Thine enemies be scattered, and let those who hate Thee flee before Thee" (Num. 10:35). Psalm 68:1, a warfare verse, is a quote of this verse in Numbers. That same presence and glory now abides in us. The message we are to understand is that the key to victory is carrying this presence of God into battle with us. He rises and scatters His enemies through us! We are now His carriers!
Release the Light
Arise, shine, Church, for your light has come and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. Darkness, indeed, does cover the earth and deep darkness the peoples, but it is a defeated darkness. Nations are looking for the light, kings for the brightness of our rising (see Isa. 60:1-3). We are soldiers of the light. We must boldly release the power of the Most High into situations, allowing the victory of Christ access. He has given us His light, He has given us His sword, He has given us His name. Use them!
Position yourself toward the Son and allow Him to shine through you, striking the mark! Wield the laser sword of the Spirit. We often forget
how powerful the Holy Spirit in us ishow destructive to darkness is His lightning sword. It has supernatural power to overcome the works of darkness-when we release it with confidence.
Station yourself spiritually in front of your rebellious children and ask God to send a bolt of meekness to them. Aim the light of liberty at their addictions, whether they be drugs, sex, alcohol, or whatever. Be aggressive in the spirit.
Spouses, ask God to shine forth into the lives of your mates, breaking through the darkness of deception and liberating them.
Pastors, call upon the Holy Spirit to flash, breaking strife, division and complacency over your congregations. While you are waiting for God to do something, He may be waiting on you. Release the light! Call it forth in Jesus' name.
As the Israelites carried the presence and glory of God into battle, so must we. All that was in the Ark of the Covenant is in us: the Bread of Life, the rod of priestly authority and the law of God. And the glory that was upon it now shines through us. Act like it! Strike with the sword-speak the Word! "Let God arise" through your intercession "and His enemies be scattered."
Questions for Reflection
1. How is paga related to lightning?
2. Explain the connection between God's light/lightning and His judgments. Can you explain how this happened at the Cross?
3. What is the relationship between God, light, His sword and our intercession?
4. Where is the holy of holies? How does this relate to intercession?
5. Think of a situation where light overcame darkness. How did God do it? Now, think of a current situation in which intercession can be used to see the same results.
6. Do you like representing Jesus?!
C H A P T E R T W E L V E
THE SUBSTANCE OF PRAYER
(Author unknown)
Lessons from Three Men and a Frog
I first heard this witty poem 20 years ago in a message by John Garlock, one of my professors at Christ for the Nations institute, on the subject of tenacity. There aren't many messages that a person remembers 20 years later, but John Garlock has a knack and an anointing for preaching "rememberable" sermons. Others, of course, have a similar gift of preaching very forgettable messages. I've heard lots of them, and even preached my share.
Brother Garlock mentioned the story found in 2 Samuel 23:8-12 about three of David's mighty men: Shammah, Adino and Eleazar. Shammah had tenacity in the face of a humble assignment, defending a small plot of lentils from a bunch of Philistines. Adino personified tenacity in the face of overwhelming odds as he killed 800 Philistines single-handedly. Eleazar pictured tenacity in the face of incredible overwhelming fatigue as, after fighting for several hours, his hand had to be pried from his sword.
Thanks, Professor Garlock, for teaching me through three men and a frog the importance of perseverance and endurance. I rank it near the top of my list of most important spiritual traits. And the longer I live, the higher it rises. "Hang in there" didn't make it into the Ten Commandments, but it did into the nine fruits of the Spirit.
The word makrothumia, translated "long-suffering" in Galatians 5:22 (KJ[), is defined by Strong's Concordance as "longanimity or fortitude."' That's what I said, "Hang in there."
In this day of instant everything-from "fast foods" to "getrich-quick schemes" to "how to have the biggest church in town overnight" conferences to "four easy steps to answered prayer" seminars-we are rapidly losing the character trait of hanging in there. We cook faster, travel faster, produce faster and spend faster . . . and we expect God to keep pace with us, especially in prayer.
Dick Eastman, in his book No Easy Road, states:
Much of society has forgotten to persevere. . . . Few have a striving spirit like the artist Raphael. Once he was questioned, "What is your greatest painting?" He smiled, saying, "My next one." One finds Raphael always striving to do better. This is what we need in prayer, an attitude of persistence?
We are much like the African cheetah that must run down its prey to eat. It is well suited for the task, as it can run at speeds of 70 miles per hour. The cheetah has only one problem, however, in that it has a disproportionately small heart, which causes it to tire quickly. If it doesn't catch its prey quickly, it must end the chase.
How often we have the cheetah's approach in prayer. We speed into our closets with great energy, we speed to the front of the church, or we speed to someone else for prayer. But lacking the heart for a sustained effort, we often falter before we accomplish what is needed. For our next prayer excursion, we decide to pray harder and faster, when what is needed may not be more explosive power, but more staying power-stamina that comes only from a bigger prayer heart.'
George Muller was a "stayer." One example of his persistence is related by Dick Eastman in the previously mentioned book:
"The great point is never to give up until the answer comes. I have been praying for sixty-three years and eight months for one man's conversion. He is not saved yet, but he will be. How can it be otherwise. . . . I am praying." The day came when Muller's friend received Christ. It did not come until Muller's casket was lowered in the ground. There, near an open grave, this friend gave his heart to God. Prayers of perseverance had won another battle. Muller's success may be summarized in four powerful words: He did not quit.4
Easy Doesn't Do It in Prayer
The very Son of God spent many entire nights praying in order to fulfill His ministry. It took Him three arduous hours in Gethsemane to find strength to face the cross: "He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears" (Heb. 5:7).
We, on the other hand, have mastered the art of one-liners in prayer, and think if we give God a two-hour service once a week we're fairly spiritual. "Easy does it" might be good advice in a few situations, but for most of life, including prayer, easy doesn't do it.
A pilot early in a flight went to the back of the plane to check on the reason for a warning light. The problem was a door ajar, which flew open as he approached it. The pilot was immediately sucked from the aircraft.
The copilot, seeing by his panel that a door was open, turned back toward the airport immediately and radioed for a helicopter to search the area. "I believe I have a pilot sucked from the plane," he said. After landing the plane, everyone was astonished to find the pilot holding on to the rung of a ladder, which he had miraculously managed to grab. He had held on for 15 minutes and, still more amazing, had managed to keep his head from hitting the runway, though it was only six inches away!
Upon finding the pilot, they had to pry his fingers from the ladder! That's perseverance!'
Anyone long associated with the Church of this century, especially in America, knows that our problems do not result from a lack of information or material strength. If we fail in achieving what God asks from us as we run our race, it will be a failure of heart and spirit.
Like the frog, I have kicked and swum my way over time to more victories than I have accomplished quickly and easily. I have fought until my hand clove to the sword. I have found that a tenacious endurance is often the key to victory in prayer.
But WHY?
Why is persistence required in prayer? This I have labored about for years. Does God have a certain amount of prayers required for certain situations? Do we talk Him into things? Does God ever "finally decide" to do something? Do we earn answers through hard work or perseverance?
The answer to all these questions is no.
"What about the prayer of importunity in Luke 11:5-13?" some will ask. "Doesn't it teach that we importune or persist with God until He decides to give us what we need?"
The answer is an emphatic no! We don't persist against God.
The word "importunity" in Luke 11:8 (KJV) is an unfortunate translation of the word anaideia, which actually means "shamelessness"' or "bold unashamedness."' Aidos, the root word, means "modesty or shame"' and is translated as such in 1 Timothy 2:9. Here in Luke 11, it is in its negative form, making it "without modesty or shame."
Is God using the waiting period to teach us? I think at times this is certainly the case, and yet, if this is the reason for a delay, we shouldn't need to pray for the same thing again and again-once and then a waiting in faith would be adequate.
In other situations the delay might be that God has the right time for an answer to prayer. "And let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap if we do not grow weary" (Gal. 6:9). But, again, if this is the reason, asking once and waiting in faith should be sufficient.
So why is a persistence or perseverance necessary in prayer? Why did it take me 30 hours of praying to get the cyst dissolved on my wife's ovary? Why did it take a year to obtain a miracle for the little girl in the coma? Why does it sometimes demand several years of intercession to see someone saved? Why did Elijah have to pray seven times before the rain came? Why did Daniel have to pray 21 days before the angel broke through with his answer?
His Throne in Our Hearts
There are probably reasons I am not aware of for the need for persistence in prayer. I certainly don't have all the prayer answers, but I want to submit one explanation for your consideration. I believe our prayers do more than simply motivate the Father to action. I have become convinced of something Gordon Lindsay, a great man of prayer and the founder of Christ for the Nations, called the "substance" of prayer.9 In fairness, I must say I don't believe it can be conclusively proven, but there is great weight of evidence suggesting it, and I have embraced it as truth.