Eph 3:20 “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.”
We spend most of our lives living within the box or limitations of our lives. If you were to draw a box, you might put as the walls of the box, finances, ability, talents, time, responsibilities, circumstances, etc. These are often the limitations we see on our lives that seem to hinder us from reaching what we pray for and desire.
God is outside the box. God has no limitations. He has created everything we see and things we don’t even see. He created them out of nothing. The problem is that we want to bring God into the limitations of our box. We expect God to do things in a certain way within the limitations of human thinking, understanding, and ability. We often want to maintain control and do things our way.
The only way to get out of our box into a limitless God is to yield totally to Him. When you get on a plane, you lose all control. If you are afraid to give up control, you will never fly. God wants to do things far above and beyond what we could ask or think. God cannot be confined by our box. The only way to be used of God is through faith and obedience to move out beyond our limitations into His limitlessness.
Hebrew 11:6 says, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”
Let us take our limitations off of God and expect Him to do something new in our lives.
EXPECT TO BE REWARDED AS YOU DILIGENTLY SEEK THE LORD. “God is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6). What are you expecting from God? When blind Bartemaus came to Jesus, Jesus asked, “What do you want?” It is important to clearly annunciate what they expect from God. “Diligently seek Him. Be focused and diligent. Be persistent. Ask, seek and knock.
EXPECT TO SEE EVIDENCE OF A PROGRESSIVE MIRACLE IN YOUR LIFE. “With God all things are possible” (Mark 10:27). Sometimes we need to break down what we expect from God into pieces. Financial, marriage, family. What exactly is the first thing you want God to do? Restoration is often a process, a plan, step by step. God’s work in us is a progressive work.
EXPECT GOD TO KEEP HIS PROMISES. “For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us. Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.” (I Cor.1:20-22) “God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?” Numbers 23:19
What has God promised you?
Let us come to God believing that He is who He says He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
Andy Clark
Monday, October 25, 2010
Monday, October 18, 2010
Two weeks ago we looked at “World Changing Love.” In John 13:34, Jesus says, "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." God is demanding that we love others like He loves us. He wants to empower us by His Spirit to love as He loves. Today, we want to look at five ways Jesus demonstrated Agape love.
Quality Time
“And Jesus went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his disciples.” (John 6:3) In the midst of a hectic ministry schedule ministering to thousands, Jesus took time out to be with His disciples. Love is not convenient.
Words of Affirmation
“Jesus saw Nathaniel coming toward Him, and said of him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!" (John 1:47) These were life changing words for Nathaniel. Love constantly discovers and affirms what is good in others.
Physical Touch
“Then little children were brought to Him that He might put His hands on them and pray.” (Matthew 19:13) A friend of mine who ministers in prisons, ministered to some inmates on death row. One man was there for brutally killing several children. He was an angry and bitter man. God spoke to my friend to go over and hug this man. When he did the man broke down and wept because he had never been hugged. Love is touchable. Love breaks down barriers.
Acts of Service
Jesus said, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Mark 10:45) After Jesus’ resurrection He appears to the disciples on the shore of Galilee as they return from fishing. John 21:9 says, “When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread… Jesus said to them, "Come and have breakfast." Here is the resurrected Lord, in His glorified body, serving his disciples some grilled fish. Love always serves others.
Acts of Giving
“By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.” (I John 3:16-18) Love keeps on giving. It never fails.
Lord, help us to love those around us as you have loved us.
Andy Clark
Quality Time
“And Jesus went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his disciples.” (John 6:3) In the midst of a hectic ministry schedule ministering to thousands, Jesus took time out to be with His disciples. Love is not convenient.
Words of Affirmation
“Jesus saw Nathaniel coming toward Him, and said of him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!" (John 1:47) These were life changing words for Nathaniel. Love constantly discovers and affirms what is good in others.
Physical Touch
“Then little children were brought to Him that He might put His hands on them and pray.” (Matthew 19:13) A friend of mine who ministers in prisons, ministered to some inmates on death row. One man was there for brutally killing several children. He was an angry and bitter man. God spoke to my friend to go over and hug this man. When he did the man broke down and wept because he had never been hugged. Love is touchable. Love breaks down barriers.
Acts of Service
Jesus said, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Mark 10:45) After Jesus’ resurrection He appears to the disciples on the shore of Galilee as they return from fishing. John 21:9 says, “When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread… Jesus said to them, "Come and have breakfast." Here is the resurrected Lord, in His glorified body, serving his disciples some grilled fish. Love always serves others.
Acts of Giving
“By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.” (I John 3:16-18) Love keeps on giving. It never fails.
Lord, help us to love those around us as you have loved us.
Andy Clark
Monday, October 11, 2010
Reconciliation
“For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.” Colossians 1:19-20
God is in the business of reconciliation. In the Old Testament the blood of the sacrifice was sprinkled on the altar for atonement to reconcile the nation of Israel to God. We often think of reconciling as in reconciling a bank account or financial records, in that we make it balance or come out right. Jesus, through His blood on the cross, has balanced our account with God. By God’s love and grace we have been made right with God through Jesus Christ. It is nothing of ourselves, but it is of God.
In 2 Corinthians 5:17-21 Paul goes on to say, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.” Because God has reconciled us to himself through Christ, we are now in Christ, a new creation.
It is imperative that we see ourselves as a new creation. We often look at our failings and do not see ourselves as God sees us. Our ability to walk in newness of life, to be overcomers, and exemplify the life of Christ to the world resides in our ability to see ourselves as God sees us. For the way you perceive yourself is the way you will act and respond to life.
It is out of this position of new creatures in Christ Jesus that we are given the most important ministry in the world, and that is the ministry of reconciliation, which is reconciling the world to God through Christ Jesus. If we do not see ourselves as new creatures, then we are bound to defend ourselves, we are easily offended, and become defensive or protective of ourselves. Our focus is then on ourselves, rather than our ministry of reconciling people to God. It is only out of our confidence of who we are in Christ that we can lay down ourselves for the world as Christ gave Himself for the world.
Our primary ministry on earth is the ministry of reconciling the world to God. When we begin to walk in the ministry of reconciliation, a miracle happens because God gives us a “word of reconciliation.” When you begin to look at people with the intent of reconciling them with God, God by His Spirit will begin to give you keys to reach into that person’s life that will set them free, that is the “word of reconciliation.” Lord, help us today to reconcile those around us to you.
Andy Clark
www.worldhorizonsusa.org
God is in the business of reconciliation. In the Old Testament the blood of the sacrifice was sprinkled on the altar for atonement to reconcile the nation of Israel to God. We often think of reconciling as in reconciling a bank account or financial records, in that we make it balance or come out right. Jesus, through His blood on the cross, has balanced our account with God. By God’s love and grace we have been made right with God through Jesus Christ. It is nothing of ourselves, but it is of God.
In 2 Corinthians 5:17-21 Paul goes on to say, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.” Because God has reconciled us to himself through Christ, we are now in Christ, a new creation.
It is imperative that we see ourselves as a new creation. We often look at our failings and do not see ourselves as God sees us. Our ability to walk in newness of life, to be overcomers, and exemplify the life of Christ to the world resides in our ability to see ourselves as God sees us. For the way you perceive yourself is the way you will act and respond to life.
It is out of this position of new creatures in Christ Jesus that we are given the most important ministry in the world, and that is the ministry of reconciliation, which is reconciling the world to God through Christ Jesus. If we do not see ourselves as new creatures, then we are bound to defend ourselves, we are easily offended, and become defensive or protective of ourselves. Our focus is then on ourselves, rather than our ministry of reconciling people to God. It is only out of our confidence of who we are in Christ that we can lay down ourselves for the world as Christ gave Himself for the world.
Our primary ministry on earth is the ministry of reconciling the world to God. When we begin to walk in the ministry of reconciliation, a miracle happens because God gives us a “word of reconciliation.” When you begin to look at people with the intent of reconciling them with God, God by His Spirit will begin to give you keys to reach into that person’s life that will set them free, that is the “word of reconciliation.” Lord, help us today to reconcile those around us to you.
Andy Clark
www.worldhorizonsusa.org
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
World Changing Love
I'm back from Kenya. Had an awesome trip. Four days of leadership training. So exhilarating to teach people who are so hungry for God and His Word. Got to help baptize 80 people on Sunday. Awesome experience! Thank you for your prayers. God bless you and keep you in His love.
In Matthew 22:37-40, Jesus says that the greatest commandment is, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." Jesus says the completion of the whole law resides in loving God and loving others as we love ourselves.
But in John 13:34, Jesus says, "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” How is this new commandment greater that the greatest commandment? You see the greatest commandment required us to love our neighbors as ourselves. This love is limited and flawed because it is based on our ability to love ourselves. The new commandment takes love to a whole new level, and that is to love others as Christ loves us. This is a perfect love from God, and His very essence is love. He can do nothing else but love. This is truly Agape love and is impossible for us to attain in ourselves.
Agape deliberately chooses to, without reservation, taking no thought of myself or your merit, constantly and deeply love you without fail. Agape is love without a hook, as it demands nothing in return. I Corinthians 13:7 says that agape bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things—it never fails. This level of love is impossible in ourselves. It is a fruit of the Spirit in that its source is the Spirit of God. As such, it is not swayed by people or circumstances.
Agape was evidenced in the early church. Acts 2:44-47 says, “Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.” Again in Acts 4:32-35, “Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all. Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, and laid them at the apostles' feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need.”
This total abandonment of self was evidence of the pure, childlike life of love in the early church that would turn the world upside down for Christ. Jesus said, “by this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." John 13:35 This is a picture of the infant church as the Lord was setting the DNA for what He wanted— as He was calling His people together to live in true Biblical relationship. Though we may not live the communal lifestyle of the early church, agape love, the love of Christ, still demands abandonment of ourselves in our pursuit of God and the world for which He gave His Son for.
Andy Clarkwww.andyclarksdevotionals.blogspot.com
In Matthew 22:37-40, Jesus says that the greatest commandment is, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." Jesus says the completion of the whole law resides in loving God and loving others as we love ourselves.
But in John 13:34, Jesus says, "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” How is this new commandment greater that the greatest commandment? You see the greatest commandment required us to love our neighbors as ourselves. This love is limited and flawed because it is based on our ability to love ourselves. The new commandment takes love to a whole new level, and that is to love others as Christ loves us. This is a perfect love from God, and His very essence is love. He can do nothing else but love. This is truly Agape love and is impossible for us to attain in ourselves.
Agape deliberately chooses to, without reservation, taking no thought of myself or your merit, constantly and deeply love you without fail. Agape is love without a hook, as it demands nothing in return. I Corinthians 13:7 says that agape bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things—it never fails. This level of love is impossible in ourselves. It is a fruit of the Spirit in that its source is the Spirit of God. As such, it is not swayed by people or circumstances.
Agape was evidenced in the early church. Acts 2:44-47 says, “Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.” Again in Acts 4:32-35, “Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all. Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, and laid them at the apostles' feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need.”
This total abandonment of self was evidence of the pure, childlike life of love in the early church that would turn the world upside down for Christ. Jesus said, “by this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." John 13:35 This is a picture of the infant church as the Lord was setting the DNA for what He wanted— as He was calling His people together to live in true Biblical relationship. Though we may not live the communal lifestyle of the early church, agape love, the love of Christ, still demands abandonment of ourselves in our pursuit of God and the world for which He gave His Son for.
Andy Clarkwww.andyclarksdevotionals.blogspot.com
Monday, September 13, 2010
Cry Out
This past week I saw a news bulletin on the Democratic Republic of Congo, which has been in a civil war since 1998, costing the lives of over five million people. Today one of the youngest presidents in Africa, Joseph Kabila, is trying to restore peace to the devastated country torn by the strife over its vast natural resources.
The segment I saw covered an amazing event that recently happened in the Congo. The normally quiet president’s wife, Marie Kabila, came out and called the nation to three days of prayer and fasting. She herself came out to the national stadium in Kinshasa, crammed with thousands of people, humbled herself, and cried out to God in repentance and for God’s intervention in her nation. I sat in my living room and wept as I saw thousands upon thousands of Africans throughout the land crying out to God.
In Exodus 2:7, God speaks to Moses concerning the children of Israel, "I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. So I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey.”
Even though the cry going up in the Congo may be more visible, I believe there is a cry going up from oppressed people groups throughout the world today. This cry is rising up from Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, and animistic countries. It is rising up from people groups under oppressive governments, where their voices are silenced for the world to hear but not silenced before the creator of the universe who sees and hears all things.
Paul says in Romans 8:22-23, “For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.” I believe it is time for the church to join with the myriad of lost souls to cry out for God to bring deliverance. It is not the voice of politicians or media that is going to being deliverance. It is the cry and groans of those who have the firstfruits of Spirit who are going to bring His deliverance.
Lift up your voice today and cry out for an oppressed people group whom you know, or with whom you live or work.
Andy Clark
The segment I saw covered an amazing event that recently happened in the Congo. The normally quiet president’s wife, Marie Kabila, came out and called the nation to three days of prayer and fasting. She herself came out to the national stadium in Kinshasa, crammed with thousands of people, humbled herself, and cried out to God in repentance and for God’s intervention in her nation. I sat in my living room and wept as I saw thousands upon thousands of Africans throughout the land crying out to God.
In Exodus 2:7, God speaks to Moses concerning the children of Israel, "I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. So I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey.”
Even though the cry going up in the Congo may be more visible, I believe there is a cry going up from oppressed people groups throughout the world today. This cry is rising up from Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, and animistic countries. It is rising up from people groups under oppressive governments, where their voices are silenced for the world to hear but not silenced before the creator of the universe who sees and hears all things.
Paul says in Romans 8:22-23, “For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.” I believe it is time for the church to join with the myriad of lost souls to cry out for God to bring deliverance. It is not the voice of politicians or media that is going to being deliverance. It is the cry and groans of those who have the firstfruits of Spirit who are going to bring His deliverance.
Lift up your voice today and cry out for an oppressed people group whom you know, or with whom you live or work.
Andy Clark
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Take Your Place
Psalms 23:5 “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over.”
The table of the Lord is a place of abundance, a place of peace, and a place of communion. David draws this picture from the ancient Near East custom, where covenants were often concluded with a meal expressive of the bond of friendship. The head of the honored guest at the banquet was customarily anointed with oil. The cup running over was a sign of abundance. What an awesome picture of the relationship God wants to have with us!
Jesus reinforced this at the Last Supper with His disciples. In Luke 22:15 Jesus says, "With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you.” (NKJ) In the Message Bible it says, "You've no idea how much I have looked forward to eating this Passover meal with you.” Then just as the honored guest would have his head anointed with oil in David’s day, Jesus in the custom of his day honors his disciples by getting down and washing their feet.
Sometimes we fail to understand how much Jesus desires to fellowship and commune with us. We become so busy running here and there, trying to meet our needs and the needs of our family, when He already has a table of provision set for us. We are desperately trying to prove ourselves and to demonstrate our value or worth, when He desires to honor us. We struggle with worry and fear in an uncertain world and struggle with the attacks of the enemy, when He has already set a table for us in the presence of our enemies. We struggle in our own might to serve Him, when he wants to anoint our head with the oil of His Spirit to empower us to do what we cannot do in ourselves.
Stop struggling and running and take your place at the Lord’s table. “In His presence is fullness of joy; at His right hand are pleasures forevermore.” (Psalms 16:11) The God of the universe “fervently desires” your presence. He has prepared a table for you and for me. He is honored to have us as a guest at his table. Even more than that, He wants to honor us. We are the apple of His eye, His joy and His desire. He wants to give us honor even before our enemies, for we are His treasured possession and he has redeemed us from every tribe, tongue, and nation by the blood of His Son. He wants to fill your cup until it runs over.
The one thing our Lord seeks above all else from his servants, ministers, and shepherds is communion with Him. His table is vast and is never lacking. This table is a place of spiritual intimacy and is spread daily with all that we need. David said in Psalms 27:4, “One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple.”
May you be blessed, encouraged, strengthened, and satisfied in the presence of the Lord today.
Andy Clark
The table of the Lord is a place of abundance, a place of peace, and a place of communion. David draws this picture from the ancient Near East custom, where covenants were often concluded with a meal expressive of the bond of friendship. The head of the honored guest at the banquet was customarily anointed with oil. The cup running over was a sign of abundance. What an awesome picture of the relationship God wants to have with us!
Jesus reinforced this at the Last Supper with His disciples. In Luke 22:15 Jesus says, "With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you.” (NKJ) In the Message Bible it says, "You've no idea how much I have looked forward to eating this Passover meal with you.” Then just as the honored guest would have his head anointed with oil in David’s day, Jesus in the custom of his day honors his disciples by getting down and washing their feet.
Sometimes we fail to understand how much Jesus desires to fellowship and commune with us. We become so busy running here and there, trying to meet our needs and the needs of our family, when He already has a table of provision set for us. We are desperately trying to prove ourselves and to demonstrate our value or worth, when He desires to honor us. We struggle with worry and fear in an uncertain world and struggle with the attacks of the enemy, when He has already set a table for us in the presence of our enemies. We struggle in our own might to serve Him, when he wants to anoint our head with the oil of His Spirit to empower us to do what we cannot do in ourselves.
Stop struggling and running and take your place at the Lord’s table. “In His presence is fullness of joy; at His right hand are pleasures forevermore.” (Psalms 16:11) The God of the universe “fervently desires” your presence. He has prepared a table for you and for me. He is honored to have us as a guest at his table. Even more than that, He wants to honor us. We are the apple of His eye, His joy and His desire. He wants to give us honor even before our enemies, for we are His treasured possession and he has redeemed us from every tribe, tongue, and nation by the blood of His Son. He wants to fill your cup until it runs over.
The one thing our Lord seeks above all else from his servants, ministers, and shepherds is communion with Him. His table is vast and is never lacking. This table is a place of spiritual intimacy and is spread daily with all that we need. David said in Psalms 27:4, “One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple.”
May you be blessed, encouraged, strengthened, and satisfied in the presence of the Lord today.
Andy Clark
Monday, August 30, 2010
Understanding
The devotional below was birthed out of a very strong urging by the Spirit that it is time to really press in and pray and fast for the Middle East and North Africa as there is a breaking that God is wanting to do in the spiritual realm that He is calling us to participate in.
Understanding
In Daniel chapter nine, Daniel receives a revelation from God, and in chapter ten he sets himself to fast for twenty-one days to gain understanding of the revelation that God had given him. An angel, whom we assume to be the messenger Gabriel, appears to Daniel with a message, which we will pick up in verse twelve that gives us some insight into the spiritual realm.
Then he said to me, Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words. 13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia. 14 Now I have come to make you understand what will happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision refers to many days yet to come.
From the first day Daniel prayed and set his heart to understand the Lord heard him and sent a reply, but the whole twenty-one days Daniel was fasting, there was war in the heavenlies with the prince of the kingdom of Persia to bring Daniel the message from God. This conflict took place in the midst of the kings of Persia. The kings of Persia refer to the principalities and powers that rule over the Middle East. The prince of Persia is a strong demon that resides within these principalities and powers that Michael had to do war with. The conflict in the heavenlies was aided by Daniel’s persistent prayer and fasting for the twenty-one days.
The conflicts we are seeing in the Middle East and North Africa with the kings of Persia are not new but are intensifying in these last days. There is a clash of two kingdoms that is reverberating into the natural realm, which is influencing the increasing anti-Christian posture in the region. This is the center of conflict that not only affects the Middle East but will engulf the world. It therefore behooves us like Daniel to set our hearts to understand and to humble ourselves before God. We must come into understanding how to pray and respond so that we are in agreement with what is happening in the spiritual realm.
Ephesians 1:20-21 says that Christ is seated at God’s right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. Ephesians 2:6 goes on to say God raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. The reason we have been placed in this position of authority is because we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. (Ephesians 6:12) No matter where you live, or the principalities or powers that are arrayed against you, God has empowered you to come into agreement with Him, dispatching His heavenly hosts to prevail against the enemy and to usher in His kingdom.
We can no longer afford to be complacent or carry on life and ministry as usual. It is time for the church, like Daniel, to rise up in the authority God has given us in Christ Jesus and to intensify our prayers for revelation and advancement of the kingdom.
Andy Clark
Understanding
In Daniel chapter nine, Daniel receives a revelation from God, and in chapter ten he sets himself to fast for twenty-one days to gain understanding of the revelation that God had given him. An angel, whom we assume to be the messenger Gabriel, appears to Daniel with a message, which we will pick up in verse twelve that gives us some insight into the spiritual realm.
Then he said to me, Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words. 13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia. 14 Now I have come to make you understand what will happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision refers to many days yet to come.
From the first day Daniel prayed and set his heart to understand the Lord heard him and sent a reply, but the whole twenty-one days Daniel was fasting, there was war in the heavenlies with the prince of the kingdom of Persia to bring Daniel the message from God. This conflict took place in the midst of the kings of Persia. The kings of Persia refer to the principalities and powers that rule over the Middle East. The prince of Persia is a strong demon that resides within these principalities and powers that Michael had to do war with. The conflict in the heavenlies was aided by Daniel’s persistent prayer and fasting for the twenty-one days.
The conflicts we are seeing in the Middle East and North Africa with the kings of Persia are not new but are intensifying in these last days. There is a clash of two kingdoms that is reverberating into the natural realm, which is influencing the increasing anti-Christian posture in the region. This is the center of conflict that not only affects the Middle East but will engulf the world. It therefore behooves us like Daniel to set our hearts to understand and to humble ourselves before God. We must come into understanding how to pray and respond so that we are in agreement with what is happening in the spiritual realm.
Ephesians 1:20-21 says that Christ is seated at God’s right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. Ephesians 2:6 goes on to say God raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. The reason we have been placed in this position of authority is because we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. (Ephesians 6:12) No matter where you live, or the principalities or powers that are arrayed against you, God has empowered you to come into agreement with Him, dispatching His heavenly hosts to prevail against the enemy and to usher in His kingdom.
We can no longer afford to be complacent or carry on life and ministry as usual. It is time for the church, like Daniel, to rise up in the authority God has given us in Christ Jesus and to intensify our prayers for revelation and advancement of the kingdom.
Andy Clark
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