The Church today struggles to see its prayers answered. We struggle to see God move in our lives and in our churches. Why is that? Has God changed, or are we missing something important in our prayer lives? Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he opens our eyes to the importance of desperate prayers in his message, Desperate For Jesus.
Desperate For Jesus
Jesus’ Reaction To The Desperation of People
13 Now when Jesus heard this, He withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by Himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed Him on foot from the towns. 14When He went ashore He saw a great crowd, and He had compassion on them and healed their sick.
Matthew 14:13-14
32 And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves. 33 Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they ran there on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. 34 When He went ashore He saw a great crowd, and He had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And He began to teach them many things
The disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray, but today, we define prayer as simply talking to God. Many of us talk to God, but it often feels and seems as though God doesn’t hear us. So, could it be that there is more to prayer than just talking to God? Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he opens our eyes to some reasons that our prayers may not have been answered in his message, The Importance of Prayers.
The Importance of Prayers
Jesus’ Instruction For Prayers
9 Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. 10 Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread, 12 and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”
Matthew 6:9-13
16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, 19 and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.
Paul tells us to wield the Sword of the Spirit with all prayer and supplication, but what’s the difference? Does it matter if we know the difference between prayer and supplication? If prayer is asking or petitioning God, then is supplication asking God on behalf of other people? Join ArieRashelle as she searches through Scripture in order to fully understand the difference between prayer and supplication in her video, The Armor of God Pt. 4: What is Supplication?
The Armor of God
What is Supplication?
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, 19 and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.
Prayer is a basic foundation in Christianity. We pray in order to commune with God and get to know Him better, but what if there is more to prayer? Many of us are confused on how to pray, and so we avoid it as much as possible, especially around other people. Why? What’s so special about prayer that makes us nervous or makes us want to avoid it altogether? What does it mean to pray? Join ArieRashelle as she searches through Scripture in order to find the answer to our question and more in her video, The Armor of God Pt. 3: What is Prayer?
The Armor of God
What is Prayer?
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, 19 and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.
Happy Mother’s Day. The role of a mother can become heavy and burdensome. It can become difficult and tiring to remain a strong, faithful mother as your children rebel and fall into the traps of the enemy. Some mothers have burdens that feel too heavy to carry, while others feel so hopeless they don’t even try to pick the burden up. There is nothing like a faithful mother, but how do you remain faithful when you have the whole world weighing on your shoulders? Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he encourages each and every mother in his fiery message, A Mother’s Burden.
A Mother’s Burden
Rizpah and Meraba
8 The king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bore to Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth; and the five sons of Merab the daughter of Saul, whom she bore to Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite; 9 and he gave them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they hanged them on the mountain before the Lord, and the seven of them perished together. They were put to death in the first days of harvest, at the beginning of barley harvest. 10 Then Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth and spread it for herself on the rock, from the beginning of harvest until rain fell upon them from the heavens. And she did not allow the birds of the air to come upon them by day, or the beasts of the field by night. 11 When David was told what Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, the concubine of Saul, had done, 12 David went and took the bones of Saul and the bones of his son Jonathan from the men of Jabesh-gilead, who had stolen them from the public square of Beth-shan, where the Philistines had hanged them, on the day the Philistines killed Saul on Gilboa. 13 And he brought up from there the bones of Saul and the bones of his son Jonathan; and they gathered the bones of those who were hanged. 14 And they buried the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan in the land of Benjamin in Zela, in the tomb of Kish his father. And they did all that the king commanded. And after that God responded to the plea for the land.
4 Then he appointed a family of the Levites as ministers before the ark of the Lord, to invoke, to thank, and to praise the Lord, the God of Israel. ~ 1 Chronicles 16:4
Solomon said that a three-strand cord isn’t easily broken. In other words, when you put three key principles together, you aren’t easily overcome by the enemy. David set up a three-strand cord as well, and there was much peace, prosperity, and favor of the LORD during His reign.
1. Invoke (to invoke the Name of the LORD. To bless. Jesus gave us the authority to use His mighty name.) 2. To give thanks 3. And to praise the LORD
Normally, the first thing that is listed, or the first thing that is done, is the most dominant or the most important. The first thing David did was call on the name of the LORD. We were given a promise from the time of Joel that all who call on the name of the LORD would be saved. Jesus promised that God would hear those who call on the name of the LORD.
After this, David gave thanks. This is important because we enter God’s gates with thanksgiving. In other words, after God has heard our cry and we’ve gotten His attention, we begin the process of entering His presence through thanksgiving.
Finally, David had them praise the LORD. Because you enter His gates with thanksgiving, and you enter His courts with praise. In other words, we enter God’s presence through praise. This three-strand cord opens the door to the presence of the LORD. It worked for David during his time on this earth, and it still works for us today.
Peace. Love. Go Forth and Invoke, Thank, and Praise.
3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord; Make straight in the desert A highway for our God.” ~ Isaiah 40:3NKJV
2,000 years ago, John the Baptist proudly went before the LORD, preparing a way for Him. When Jesus came, He brought with Him salvation, healing, peace, and life. Today, the world is getting darker and darker. It’s time we took up the mantle. The darkness is so thick that even the Church has begun to accept that this is just the way it is, but even though Sodom and Gomorrah’s sin was great and plenty, God was willing to spare the nation and all the wicked for just 10 righteous men for the sake of Abraham’s request.
Too often, we, Christians, accept defeat. We accept that things are just the way they are, and there’s nothing we can do to change it. But our voice is greater than even that of John the Baptist, for when we don’t know what to say, the Spirit speaks on our behalf. He speaks for us and through us. The time for silence is no more. Now is the time to prepare the way for the LORD and cry out like a voice in the wilderness.
We have the very Spirit of God Himself dwelling in us. Prepare the way with His light as it shines through us, piercing this present darkness. Prepare the way for the LORD and His Holy Spirit to melt the heart of the people who hear you speaking the Truth. The LORD hasn’t returned yet. There’s still time to change the course of the world. There’s still time to cry, just a little while longer, Jesus, so that we might get our loved ones in. There’s still time to shine the light in the darkness and prepare the way for the LORD to work in the lives of people. No one is too small or unimportant to do something. It only takes one straw to break the camel’s back. It only takes one pebble to start an avalanche. Only one domino to know over all the dominoes. So, use your voice while you still can to proclaim righteousness, speak Truth, and expose the darkness.
12 Then he said to me, “Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words. 13 The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days, but Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I was left there with the kings of Persia, 14 and came to make you understand what is to happen to your people in the latter days. For the vision is for days yet to come.” ~ Daniel 10:12-14
According to Gabriel, Daniel was able to break through the Territorial Spirits in the kingdom of Persia and receive the answer to his prayers because of three things. The first is to firmly set it in your heart that God will answer you. You have to have an unshakeable desire and faith that you will hear from God. That He will answer your call, and nothing and no one can stop your prayers from being answered.
The second key is to humble yourself through fasting. Fasting breaks down spiritual strongholds that we may not see with our natural eyes. It’s only through forcing your body into submission that your spirit can grow and flourish, allowing your prayers to be answered. The only way to truly achieve this is to not only fast food but also to fast the secular world. Your spirit cannot truly grow and flourish unless you are feeding it with the Word of God. Unless you are first tying up the strongman, your flesh, and putting him into submission, can you actually feed your spirit the way that it needs to thrive?
Lastly, the third key is to continue until you see your prayers answered. Just as Jacob refused to let go of God until he received his blessing, so must we refuse to stop praying until we receive our answered prayers. We have to come to God multiple times a day, every day if we want to break through these kinds of blockades. Think of it as going to court because immigration has arrested your answered prayers at a point of entry, and you are your answered prayers lawyer. You have to show up to each court appearance. You have to remind the judge (God) of all of the promises He has given about answered prayers. Remind Him of all the promises He has made you. Unless we show up to each court appearance and defend our case with all that is within us, then we will lose our case, and we will never receive our answered prayers.
Throughout Scripture, there are stories of spiritual warfare and how answered prayers can be held up by these spirits. Paul even writes that our battle isn’t against flesh and blood but against spiritual beings around us and in the heavenly places. So, if our battle is against the spirit realm, how do we fight the spirit realm if we are in the physical? How can we get our prayers answered? Join ArieRashelle as she searches through Scripture for the answers to these questions and more in her video, Territorial Spirits Pt. 2: Getting Prayers Answered.
Getting Prayers Answered
Evidence of Territorial Spirits
12 Then he said to me, “Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words. 13 The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days, but Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I was left there with the kings of Persia,14 and came to make you understand what is to happen to your people in the latter days. For the vision is for days yet to come.”
Daniel 10:12-14
1 They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. 2 And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met Him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit.3 He lived among the tombs. And no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain, 4 for he had often been bound with shackles and chains, but he wrenched the chains apart, and he broke the shackles in pieces. No one had the strength to subdue him. 5 Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones. 6 And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and fell down before Him.
7 And crying out with a loud voice, he said, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.” 8 For He was saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” 9 And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is Legion, for we are many.” 10 And he begged Him earnestly not to send them out of the country.11 Now a great herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, 12 and they begged him, saying, “Send us to the pigs; let us enter them.” 13 So He gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the pigs; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the sea.
From the very beginning, the Devil has been tempting humanity with the same ways he still tempts us with today. He entices us with the lie that sin won’t lead to death. That sin isn’t a big deal. The Devil evil twists Scripture in order to get us to fall prey to his schemes. Many believe that as long as our sin isn’t too great, then we can still make it into Heaven. Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he opens our eyes to the dangers of playing with sin regardless of how small we think it is in his message, Playing With Sin.
Playing With Sin
The Dangers of Playing with Sin
28 But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.
Matthew 5:28-30
7 You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? 8 This persuasion is not from him who calls you. 9 A little leaven leavens the whole lump.
Galatians 5:7-9
The Only Way
16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him. 18 Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
John 3:16-18
37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 And Peter said to them, “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. 39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to Himself.”
Acts 2:37-39
9 And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 being strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. 13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.