It is more practical to continue praying and to be praying always than many of us have thought. It’s easy, it’s good to do – and it can be important, even life saving.
The first time this happened, and I was led with conscious awareness by Holy Spirit was after my father collapsed and threw up a rather large amount of blood.
He was rushed to the hospital, and immediately sent to emergency surgery. Which took a surprisingly long number of hours.
I prayed for him and for his surgery to go well and for his healing. Holy Spirit was directing me. I saw a star, a smallish star, and I knew I was to keep my attention on this star as a part of my prayer.
So where ever I was, what ever I was doing, I kept part of my attention on this “star”, as I was being gifted and led to do.
I was helping, I was praying, and I would be learning from this.
It turns out that when they thought they were finished with the surgery, they miscounted sponges and thought they were missing one. So they opened him up and looked for it.
As they were looking for this sponge, they found a small artery that was bleeding. They said it would have killed him, but was small enough so that there would be no dramatic symptoms right away – which would delay or even keep them from knowing they had to cut him open again to find the bleed and save his life.
The found the small bleeding artery, closed it, and closed him up. Surgery was successful, and he lived.
He not only lived, he went on to change his life in other good and needed ways – which gave him a longer life and a better one. That’s another story.
From what I could tell, the time I the star and the flow of intention and dunamos energy stopped was about the same time the opened him up again, found the bleeding artery and fixed it.
The timing was to teach me something about how prayer goes.
And I learned consciously how to pray in the Spirit, with my spirit. How to notice and respond to the signals I was given, to obey and continue. Until it was done.
You can do this too. Pray in the Spirit, noticing and paying attention, obeying what is given you, until it is done.
You will be praying continuously, and can continue until it is complete: until the prayer work is done. You will know when it’s done, because a part of you is still and continuously paying attention.
You can pray in the Spirit. With your spirit. Notice what you are given to do, led to do; and to obey until it is complete.
You will over the course of your lifetime, by doing this, help many people in many situations. Including following Holy Spirit as someone heals. Lives will sometimes be saved. Other blessings will accrue.
Pray in the Spirit as directed until it is done and complete. You can do this, and our Lord wants you to do so.
Thus you will be doing what you are shown, and ministering more like Jesus.
This morning I received a request for further healing help through a friend, for someone my friend knows and cares about. Someone I know of.
I immediately saw a micro-vision, a picture of a heart. And I knew on the inside that I was being directed to send love. That is how I am to respond, this morning. It was fast, and fortunately, I was paying attention and ready.
The flow of love was going well. Agape, the Jesus kind of love, which he has taught me so much about.
I thought at first this would be fast because I got that direction. I was mistaken. The flow continued for a while…and I am not finished with praying until it’s done.
This is one example of how you can pray and receive direction for healing (or other) prayer. Even healing at a distance. And as long as the flow is continuing, you are to continue.
That’s better than what I used to think – well, I do a bit of what I’m told and that’s sufficient. We learn. I learn, you learn. Especially as we pay attention to Holy Spirit.
Keep paying attention, doing as you are shown. Follow Holy Spirit. And continue until it is done.
Praying for healing at a distance with the help of Holy Spirit is a wonderful opportunity you will be given often. Honor this.
Do as you are shown, and continue until it is complete. Minister more like Jesus.
Mark 1:15 gives us the shortest – checklist or bulleted point version – of the Gospel, the Good News, that Jesus preached.
Good News is big news – news that changes everything. It was modeled after how the Romans announced a new Emperor. Messengers were sent out, proclaiming how there was a new ruler. Who would protect the empire, and the peace – the Pax Romana. All were to bow down to the new ruler and worship. So much was this modeled after what the Roman Empire did, I am surprised that Jesus wasn’t killed for announcing this way – and killed far earlier. But God had other plans.
Jesus uses the term Good News in Luke 4 where he gives the longest version of the gospel in the Synoptic, the first three Gospels. He is quoting from Isaiah 61. Israel was very familiar with Isaiah.
So the term “Good News” had multiple meanings to the people of the times in the Roman Empire, including in Jerusalem. It was a strong term.
Let’s take a look at the short version of the Gospel so we don’t overload ourselves at first look.
There are a couple of things about the context that are best understood. You may remember that scripture tells us that Jesus was called to preach to the Hebrews, to Israel, first. The Hebrews were well versed in Torah, the teachings of the first five books of our bible.
They knew well of, and understood much about the Fall of Man and the curses of this broken world that we have inherited. This was written about in Genesis 3:15, and the Hebrews knew this scripture well.
That’s what I like to call the Bad News: we live in a broken world full of curses and problems, such as sickness, death, taxes, relationship difficulties, financial problems, bad politics, imperfect and even evil rulers…the list goes on and on. All of us are affected by at least some of these: the Bad News is personal to us all.
So…the Good News that changes everything is greatlyneeded.
Jesus told us that Now is the time. The time of his coming and of his Kingship (he is the King of the Kingdom of God) – his Kingship had been coming for a long time. And when the human mind hears the word “Now” spoken, without realizing it, we tend to think of now. We momentarily experience ourselves in the present. A side effect of this is that we are more present, and we are more whole minded. Decisions have an even wider impact, helping them to be more solid and long lasting, unlike too many New Year’s resolutions.
Remember, this is being spoken by the King who is present. The Anointed One who has Holy Spirit on him since his baptism in water, Holy Spirit for a purpose – which is an important part of the human experience of the Anointing. (Luke 4 and Isaiah 61 tells us what the Anointing is for. The Hebrews knew this well and were looking forward to the coming of the Anointed: the Messiah (transliterated from the Hebrew) or the Christ (transliterated from the Greek).
When an important truth is spoken, human intuition perceives it, if nothing is getting in the way. Holy Spirit is whispering it to our spirit, and we know; and we know that we know….
So Now is the time. The Time has come. (Kairos moment – anyone?)
Now the big announcement. Here it is, folks. And this is huge. Why, because we live in a broken world full of curses where the adversary rules – that’s a whole other message – but see Genesis.
Now here’s the thing, folks.
When we experience the Presence of God as near us, with us or in us – we experience ourselves as more confident, whole, resourceful and even joyful. (Very much related to the Greek word, salvo – which can mean salvation, wholeness, healing, and more.)
Jesus invites you into his Kingdom. By Sitara.
When we experience the Presence of God as far away or absent, we tend to become depressed and hopeless. We may feel fragmented, we do not experience ourselves as feeling whole.
Want to see these differences dramatized? Read Psalms!
The difference is not subtle. It’s very important.
When we experience the truth and Presence of God as in us, near us or in us – we experience not only more wholeness, but more whole-mindedness. This means that what we decide while being this way, these decisions are more whole minded and thus more stable and long lasting.
So the message of Jesus continues. Now is the time (finally). (The King is speaking. Clearly implied but not said.) The Kingdom of God is at hand – literally within reach.
Which means – those areas where the hearer is experiencing the curses or brokenness of this world – such as sickness, financial or relationship difficulties, and so forth — which are under the rulership of the adversary — are all within reach of help.The rule of God as in Eden (Paradise, Garden of) – can be restored to that area of your life.Sickness can be healed. Freedom can be obtained – “the prisoners freed”.
This is good news. Wonderful news! Literally, Good News that changes everything.
We’ll explore how this applies to practical ministry to heal people’s sicknesses and problems. How to restore to people every good thing originally given to us by God.
So watch for future articles, all based on the foundational teaching about the Kingdom of God that Jesus preached. Including:
The Gospel Process– which underlies healing, exorcism, and restoring God’s Kingdom where Satan had ruled.
John, a revered yet aging Pastor, was crying in the parking lot. It was the end of the day and nearly everyone had left. The parking lot was nearly empty, the smell of car fumes fading in the closing early evening light. I had just finished sweeping, and was headed home.
And, I had never seen a grown man cry like this in such a public place, much less a Pastor. I was uncomfortable, embarrassed, and I had no idea what to do. And I could not look away, I was as fascinated as I was scared. No, I was more fascinated than scared.
Approaching carefully, lumbering along with his long legs came Ben, an unofficial elder in the church. He’d been around for years and never held an official position. Yet when he spoke, people knew to listen.
I knew he’d know what to do and what to say, so I paid close attention.
I did know, and I had heard some of the biting remarks, some people – I guess you could call it a faction, criticized the Pastor for how he did his job. Some people disagreed with how he did things. The Board Meetings had grown longer than they used to be. And when people came out from them, sometimes some of them were clearly unhappy. Or so I had fairly recently heard.
I was too far away to hear clearly. Ben got Pastor John’s attention and said something, I’m now fairly certain he’d asked a question. Pastor John took some time replying. I could not look away, though I tried very hard not to be seen staring.
They talked. After a while, Ben looked over to me and motioned for me to come over. I was scared and nervous; I knew I’d been caught prying. But I came, I had no choice.
Ben looked at me, I was the youngest there, and he told me, in a quiet yet very definite way, “I want you to hear this.” Now I felt caught in a place I had no business being; but Ben was as safe as he was wise. Like a grandfather who makes it clear that you are wonderful, the best, and who always believes in you. So even though I was nervous and had been caught out, I felt pretty safe.
Pastor John had his composure now, and stood looking at Ben with his arms no longer moving as when he was talking; they were just hanging by his sides.
I heard Ben say this, and I’d never forgotten that moment. “Pastor John, have you been doing your very best?” “Yes, of course I have.”
“Have you done what you know or believe what Jesus has wanted you to do, to the best of your ability?” “Always. I wasn’t always as sure as I wanted to be, but I’ve been careful to do my best.”
“Have you acted with loving compassion, as much as possible?” Pastor John thought for a bit, lifted his head and smiled a bit as he answered like he just realized something. Then he answered, in a more definite way than he had been speaking before: “Yes!” He looked almost surprised at his own answer.
“Have you acted with, as best you knew how, with the Holy Spirit?” “Yes, I have”, came Pastor John’s reply with a growing yet thoughtfulness, steadiness and strength.
“Well, then I have something to say. You are a success.”
The more I kept attention on Holy Spirit, the less it hurt. This was good. Then more happened….
I felt muscles shift throughout the middle of my body. First, this helped the cramping, reducing it nicely. Then something even better happened, as I kept my attention on Holy Spirit.
I felt muscles continue to shift, the balance of my body changed, also. And I knew I could walk without my rolling walker, and even without canes.
I tested this out. It felt wonderful – much better to stand and walk with such freedom. It felt strange, not having walked like this in more years than I clearly remember at the moment.
Since then I’ve been testing this out. Strange and wonderful it is to walk with my hands free to carry or do things. The joy of very every day things has multiplied. Handling soap, going to the sink, walking with my dogs so I can let them out of the house in the morning — all done with a fair amount of joy.
I hope I keep on noticing and paying attention to such every day joy. I have asked for this, too; and I have confidence that this is mine. I used to be this way and now am experiencing joy in every day things again. Hallelujah!
I am being careful with muscles. I have been getting stronger, but some muscles have not been used much for some years now. So I am being conscious not to over do walking too much while I continue to get stronger.
I was amazed and grateful when I was, a few years ago, able to stand and walk right, hips and legs not being an obstacle to that. I rejoiced and was glad. I knew I was healed, and I walked. And I knew healing would continue to show up.
And I rejoice and am glad now.
And there are muscles to use and strengthen; a body to get used to again. And joy to be had that these things are so.
The power of keeping our attention on Holy Spirit can and does release miracles, just doing that. And a wonderful companionship. Walking with Jesus is the same…there is a certain energy and understanding love that comes through him that always surprises and is amazing. And it is hugely wonderful to walk with him.
Now I can walk with him while I metaphorically walk with him. I have no words for this, so I’ll stop writing, now.
Jesus ministered by doing as Father showed him and told him. Wereally cando the same. Here’s how.
A first key that so many of us have been missing is this: ask Father how to pray. How to pray for whatever situation, need, concern, worry, fear, or ministry opportunity we have.
A second key many of us miss is this: notice what happens, what you see, hear or otherwise what you experience. Especially when this is not what you expected.
What you experience is either Still Small Voice – or more likely what is a Word of Knowledge and a Word of Wisdom, or what is very much like one.
What you will experience is not directions for what you were likely expecting in how to pray.
What you will experience is literally the answer to the need or issue that you are praying about. How to have the answer you were seeking; what to be, what to do, or both.
Youare responsible to pray for, steward and enforcethat answerabout to how to pray.
Some examples:
If pain in a muscle has been an issue, you may experience subtle shifts or subtle movements in that muscle. That’s the target. That’s what to pray for. What to do. It’s also the answer to how to pray – pray for that. Do that. See your ministry recipient doing that. Enforce what you have been shown or told or otherwise experienced. Those subtle movements and how they are made: pray for them and see that they are done.
If you have a chronic issue or problem, you may be given a memory of when another person demonstrated how to be and what sort of thing to do – and be a person without that problem. You may have a flash of memory when you acted in such a way. That’s your answer to your prayer, that’s what to pray for, that’s what to do and to enforce in prayer on earth as it is in heaven.
If you have a relationship problem, you may be given a thought, memory, idea, feeling, way of being, things to do — that are literally an answer to such an issue. So you are to pray for that, do those things or see that they are done. Enforce that answer to prayer, and pray that such is done.
What we too often miss is this: an answer to how to pray is often us being shown the solution to what we are praying about.
The solution we are to pray for, act upon, see that it is done. To pray for and to enforce, on earth as it is in heaven and to see that it is done.
We are expecting something that looks to us like how to pray: maybe a picture or set of directions of us praying – and how.
What we are getting is an answer to what we are praying about.
An answer to the prayer-need that we are to pray for! To enforce, to do, to act upon, and to see that it is done on earth as it already is in heaven.
God is faster and more generous than we expect.
And we can too easily miss such answers, because it is not what we were expecting. Such answers can be quick and can be subtle, as well as not what we expect to see or hear – which can make the answers we receive all too easy to miss.
A Word of Knowledge may be you experiencing something in your body. Having a feeling, a knowing, a memory of you or someone else doing something. Not what we usually expect.
A Word of Wisdom is an answer and how to apply knowledge well.
A request about how to pray results in us being shown a solution which is an answer to the need or problem – includingwhat to pray for – that solution.
Praise be to our Lord and Christ for Wisdom, Knowledge, love and faith. Rejoice in such love and kindness shown and told to us. Receive with joy, and rejoice!
P.S. – See below:
So K. asked for more examples, and the back and forth of the conversation went something like this:
K: I like that David. Asking how to pray sounds like a good question. I wonder, and maybe this just me being slow right now, but I wonder if you could tell me a couple of more concrete examples of what you might see in a particular situation so I can see it better? It could be made up, but it helps me understand if you say, supposed you prayed for help with having arguments with a person and you received this (example of what you might receive) as a response, then this is what you would do.
By the way, also posted the post on MeWe.
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David: A memory such as a family friend who refused to take arguments seriously. Who refused to acknowledge anger. Who just laughed in a warm and loving way.
Which teaches me how to be and how to act.
Which gives me a model, exemplar, to learn from. To have a sense of the kind of energy to be applying.
Of someone just refusing to believe in or take seriously or real something less than another persons best self.
Which teaches me to apply these attitudes and behaviors to the situation and person I was praying about.
Or I might have a memory or image of someone who listens deeply and well, with love. To find, with good intent, what the other person is experiencing. How they understand things to be. To understand what they really need from me.
I might remember a story of a saint or someone interceding for someone with a determined and loving intention, while being shown being full of Holy Spirit.
Or just someone who is loving, paying attention, and who reacts without any defensiveness. Just listening deeply and knowing the person who is angry.
Does this help?
These show me how to be, and also how to pray. To pray that such attitudes and actions take place.
Questions? Comments or thoughts?
I might have an image of the sun shining on chilly people. And realize that this is how God shines on us all, and of what I am called to do.
Just shine, warmly.
And pray that I do that, or that it gets done.
Or a warm breeze doing the same.
Or an image of the Dalai Lama or Bishop Desmond Tutu, smiling in the way they do, with understanding, complete acceptance and love.
And realize I am to do that, to be that way, and to pray that I do, until it happens.
Or see or remember a mother cat, licking and loving her kittens.
Or see a leaf, growing happily among many other leaves on a tree, feeling what that’s like and what it means.
Does this make any sense?
You see, having the answer is not always enough.
So we asked how to pray. We’re shown the answer as what to pray for.
And praying for that may be needed until it is done because knowledge alone is not enough.
Knowing an answer can fall short of living out that answer – so prayer is still needed.
We asked how to pray, and are shown how to pray.
Even though it looks like an answer or that it looks like something we have not yet seen as an answer.
In either case, prayer is needed until the thing is done.
We asked to be shown how to pray, and we are being shown how to pray for that answer to happen.
So…you have an issue, problem, or something you are concerned about: this is a context, a situation within which you are experiencing stuff.
You may experience doubt, concern, anxiety, fear….
And there is a way to certain success. In NKJV, Romans 28:
28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.
Love God. Love God in this situation, in this context.
Discover for yourself: do you have confidence and therefore faith because of the promise? That all things work together for good, to those who love God?
You can minister to others or receive your own miracle – by calling for the miracle.
How? Call on Jesus. Hear Jesus respond via Holy Spirit.
When you know what miracle is called for, you can ask Holy Spirit.
Your response will be yes, or something better. Occasionally a “not now”. (A “not now” is extremely rare. Only heard that once. I didn’t know Still Small Voice could be so loud. Hard to explain. Maybe more on that later.)
You might begin to realize it is not appropriate, right or good. Take the feedback! Do not continue unless it is good and right.
You will be shown what to do, hear what to do, or otherwise led by Holy Spirit. Obey. Act.
You may have to set the stage first, when ministering to others. You may have to interrupt events already in progress. You may have to tell a surprising story that opens your hearers hearts. That prepares the way, smooths the way. Levels the road. If so, you’ll be led to do that, too. You want their complete attention if they are to receive their miracle.
When you call on a miracle, or call on God for a miracle – you are literally calling. Like speaking to your mountain — you – speak – to – it.
You will get a response.Be quiet and listen for a response. A non-response is not a yes. Although it could be a yes that you did not hear. It also may be best to try again later.
When you call a pet or a person, you expect a response and you pay attention so you can notice – a response. Or notice that you are not noticing anything. You want and maybe even need to know; and these are different – so pay attention.
It’s a form of call and response; only not in church or with an audience – it’s you calling and paying attention for your response.
You can call with strong and pure intent. Be really sincere. A child or cat will not come when you call but they know you do not really mean it. Why would a miracle come when you do not mean it?
Be single minded. Be sincere. Mean it when you call for anything, including a miracle big or small.
Pay attention to your response. Act on that response.
For many of us, it is easier to be single minded, sincere and congruent when we ask out loud. There are times (especially when ministering to someone else) that it may be best to call your miracle to come, to manifest, silently. Notice the response. Then, as appropriate, ask out loud. This can be a best way to go when ministering to others.
Of course, if others hear you calling for something, and they even sometimes all perceive a response soon, then you are teaching about how to do something important and valuable. By example, teaching or giving a sermon. Or, depending on who is learning – you may even be engaged in disciple-making.
Jesus often did the unexpected. Told stories and preached things – unexpected. He broke up the social order frequently. He interrupted people with actions and stories and parables that taught unexpected and surprising things.
He disturbed the social order, disturbed Pharisees, threw people out before raising the dead.
All, virtually all of his miracles were unexpected: surprising.
Churches that had a lot of miracles sometimes become complacent. Get comfortable having done a lot. Routine sets in, local church culture solidifies. Miracles stop happening: fewer risks are taken, less faith acted upon. Fewer opportunities given for Holy Spirit to operate and do what is not usual.
Because the usual is the worldly order of things. Customs. Habits. Safety. Corporate culture where there is gradually less and less creativity and surprises.
Holy Spirit needs freedom to operate. Holy Spirit needs us to make room, to allow, to risk with faith; to listen and obey more than do what is customary and safe.
Rules, safety, comfort, complacency – all get in the way of Holy Spirit having freedom to operate.
To have miracles, for faith to operate well – for us to hear God and do what God says – all require us to make room, to give more space to Holy Spirit to operate.
Requires us to give freedom to Holy Spirit to operate.
Then miracles can happen more often.
Let’s create openings. Tell stories, do things: interrupt what has been normal. So the unusual and abnormal – the miraculous – can happen. Listen to Holy Spirit — and do what we are shown, or what we hear.
Andrew Wommack writes, “But here is the thing that was so special to me: I didn’t physically see or feel anything extraordinary. I didn’t need to. I knew it by faith. By the Spirit, I knew what was happening before I opened my eyes and saw any confirmation of the Lord moving through the meeting and touching people. I was just as satisfied to know these things by the Spirit as if I had been physically overwhelmed and pinned to the floor under the power of the Holy Spirit.
As the meeting continued, there were many people touched by the manifest presence of the Lord. It was one of those times that people want to build three tabernacles and just camp there (Matt. 17:4). Although I thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience, I’ve come to the place where faith when God’s presence is not manifest is just as real as the special times when feeling confirms what faith believes.“
