Bishop Guns - Prayer: It’s In The Closet

Matthew 6:6 ‘But when you pray, go into your [most] private room, and, closing the door, pray to your Father, Who is in secret; and your Father, Who sees in secret, will reward you in the open.’
 
The Discipline or Lifestyle of Prayer

We must embrace prayer as a lifestyle, not as a reaction to our circumstances.  Here's the definition of prayer:

"Prayer is the intentional act of connecting to God through Jesus Christ while purposefully disconnecting from the negative influences of your surroundings; an encounter with God."

We need to purposefully find that secret place spoken of in Psalm 91:1. We need to eliminate that which competes with God when communing with God.  Closing the door represents disconnecting from that which disconnects you from God.

2 ways to connect to God:

1. Entering a mental place where our mind is totally connected to the thoughts God
   
   1. Consecrated space with an uncluttered mind
      
      1. Worship

Don’t delight in the things of God but the God of the things.

2. Word

You’ve got to unclutter your mind – you have to create a world in your mind where God is centre!

2. You have to carve out physical space that is consecrated for the purposes of meeting with God.
   
   1. You need to build an altar in the place you live.
   2. The enemy tramples on your life because he doesn’t respect your space; you haven’t consecrated a space for God. Spirits don’t flirt with Holy places.

Jesus rarely prayed publicly. He always consecrated in desert places.   We all need to follow His example:

• Start today – go home and set up a place (an altar) in your home that is consecrated for prayer to God. Nothing else but prayer!
• Then, wherever you go, remember to consecrate the space.  Find a quiet place wherever you travel and seek the face of God.  The answer's in the closet.

The modern church does not respect the symbols of the church. They have devalued them.  Frat houses represent and have symbols that represent. Why does your house not represent?  Where are the symbols in your house that represent what you say you believe?

When the mental and the physical have intercourse, it creates the ‘Closet’.  The closet is a collaboration of the mental and the physical.

2 things you must do to have a successful prayer closet:

1. You must construct your life around your prayer commitment, not the other way around.
2. Consistently unclutter so connection to God is easy. He has dozens of hot spots or access points.
   
   1. The enemy purposefully puts distractions in your life to stop you from praying.
   2. He will reward you openly – promote you in a favourable way before others
      
      1. Release provisions so you live beyond the oppression of insufficiency

Closet = Storeroom = Pantry = Storehouse (Malachi 3)

Go into the closet – it’s all in the storehouse.  If you don’t go to the closet, you have to do it the way everyone else is doing it.  The world has to exert much effort to get to where they think they need or want to go and most times the either never get there or when they do get there, they find that "there" is the wrong place!

When you pray, God will honour your name. The enemy is trying to kill your name!  Your prayer life will beautify your name.  God wants to add value to your name because when your name has value, those who follow you will also walk in the authority of your name!

Bishop Guns - Prayer: Proactive - Not Reactive

This week's service can be watched at
http://www.kbmlive.tv/

---

Exodus 17:4 – 'Moses prayed earnestly to the Lord.'

Prayer is not something you do to get your stuff. Prayer is a lifestyle! Choosing not to pray is like choosing not to breathe. Bad idea!

Richard Foster – 'The Celebration of Discipline'

You rarely find Jesus praising, but He is always found praying! Our churches have lost this basic tenant of the faith.  In today's churches, praise has become like novocaine and prayer simply becomes a solution.

For some reason, praise can create the illusion of intimacy with God.  We love to sing in church and pull on the anointing of the Worship team.  We get what appears to be a spiritual fix from praise and we make the immature assumption that this time of praise will empower us to have the victory.  But years of doing this hasn't seemed to bring the revelation that it isn't working!  You can never be the person of God you are called to be without a lifestyle of prayer.  We need to go from feeling God to knowing God; beyond a good time in church to brokenness before God.

Prayer can never be negotiated.  If you’re not praying, you’re not connected.  It is then that your life then becomes experimental as you do things day in and day out without specific direction or instruction from God.  Prayer is what you do to know the mind of God… everything else will come together following prayer.

Prayer is about intimacy with God. Your closet is where you discover God’s will for your life.  Not while driving to work; not while you are getting ready for your day; not just when all hell breaks loose.  Effective prayer is proactive, not reactive.  We pray before we act and then we do the right things.  Any other type of prayer is reactive and will end up as a 'bail-out' or a 'rescue' prayer.

Consider Moses – his time with God helped him navigate.  The people of Israel were out of Egypt but they were still mentally connected to the system of Pharaoh.  The Lord led Moses through the desert and the people followed Moses.  God gives every believer a Moses.  The Lord will lead your Moses and you are to follow him.  All the Israelites ever depended on for their provision was Pharaoh.  God has to put you in a place where you can’t depend on anything or anyone but God.  Just like the Israelites, in order to set you free, He has to take you to a dry place and dry up everything you are depending on that is not God.  You may have been set free from your Egypt, but it is imperative that you face your wilderness to learn to rely on God and follow His delegated authority.

You need to remind yourself daily in prayer that God is your source… nothing or no one else but God.

“And Moses prayed.” - What was birthed out of his prayer?

3 Things You Need To Know About Prayer:

1. God will release instruction coupled with reassurance.
   
   1. When you pray, God talks to you.
   2. When you praise you can’t hear Him!
   3. You may not have all the theological training, but you have evidence in your own life that demands a verdict!
   4. You don’t have time to try stuff. You need the inside track God provides only through prayer.

Rods don’t survive hitting rocks. You need to make sure you are at the right rock.  God stood on the rock so Moses didn’t have to guess.  God is trying to get you out of the place where you are hoping you made the right decision.

2. Reaffirmation of His place in your life
   
   1. Moses struggled with his place with the people.
   2. God always calls you to a place where you are weakest in the natural.
   3. You don’t know who you are until He tells you.
   4. If you ever figure out who you are, all the stuff the enemy is doing in your life will be gone!
   5. God has to confirm you.  You need to know who you are and God will confirm your identity.

You need the right key to access what God has provided.  Make sure you are using the right key.  Don’t decide that it wasn’t God until you know you have the right key.

3. When you pray, God gives you the ability to re-write your outcome.
   
   1. The people said to Moses, ‘We are going to die’ (vs.3); Moses prayed (vs.4); Water came (vs.6&7)
   2. Don’t accept the outcome based on what everyone else has experienced in your circumstances historically
   3. Prayer releases the water so you don’t have to die of thirst in the midst of the situation.

Praise is not designed to change anything – it is designed to honour God; it is a compliment with no motive.  Praise follows prayer!  After you pray, you praise… because you know it’s already done!

Closing:

• We have been waning in prayer;
• We have been non-intentional and distant;
• We have been driven to be successful… but have not been submissive;
• Repent and commit to pray daily

---

I MISS MY TIME WITH YOU
(Larnelle Harris)

There he was just waiting in our old familiar place;
An empty spot beside him, where once I used to wait;
To be filled with strength and wisdom for the battles of the day;
I would have passed him by again but I clearly heard him say;

I miss my time with you - those moments together
I need to be with you each day - and it hurt's me when you say, ‘you're too busy’
Busy trying to serve me, but how can you serve me - when your spirit is empty?
There's a longing in my heart, wanting more than just a part of you
It's true - I miss my time with you.

What do I have to offer? - How can I truly care?
My efforts have no meaning when your presence isn’t there
Oh, but you’ll provide the power if I take time to pray
I'll stay right here beside you Lord and you will never have to say…

I miss my time with you - those moments together
I need to be with you each day - and it hurt's me when you say, ‘you're too busy’
Busy trying to serve me, but how can you serve me - when your spirit is empty?
There's a longing in my heart, wanting more than just a part of you
It's true - I miss my time with you.

---

CHALLENGE: It's time to Accelerate into your destiny!  Begin each day in the presence of the Lord.  Daily pray to your God who knows all and has the game plan for every day of your life.  No more spinning your wheels and experimenting, wasting valuable time and resources!  It's your time to move into your destiny and bear much fruit that remains and grows.  The harvest will come running when they see God moving in your life because you made a choice to walk in the spirit, seek the face of God every day from now on!

---

Please log your comments on how this week's message has been a blessing to you!  Simply click on the comments link immediately below this week's blog. Any comments already submitted will appear and you can comment below them.
(All comments are reviewed before publishing.) 

---

NOTE:
The Blogger Navbar includes a button called "Share". When blog readers visit the 'HWC Sunday Message' blog, they can click "Share" to post the blog's URL to Twitter, Facebook, or Google Reader. If they navigate directly to an individual blog post, clicking "Share" in the navbar also lets them share the post by email. Once you have left your comment, please share this post on Facebook. This will allow many others the opportunity to visit the 'HWC Sunday Message' blog and be blessed by the message.  You can also subscribe to the blog with RSS feeds.  CLICK HERE to subscribe to HWC Sunday Messages with RSS. 

---

Thanks for visiting!

Walking With The Greats - The Life of Joshua

This week's service can be watched at

http://www.kbmlive.tv/

---

These things happened to them as examples for us.

1 Corinthians 10:11

Battle For Your Promise!

Life Lesson #1
God Has Promised It, We Have to Fight for it!

You won't possess your promises by just sitting there and waiting with your arms folded.  It may not always be easy to get to your promises; you may have to fight sometimes but that is not an indicator that the promise isn't the will of God.

Remember: The fight is fixed!  Read the back of the book... WE WIN!!

There are two main principles to possessing our promises:

1. Our ATTITUDE
2. Our ACTIONS

Our attitude is to BE SUBMITTED! - Joshua 1:1

• Serve Others Willingly

Joshua didn't serve because it was his profession; he served because it was his priviledge!  He didn't serve for a living; he served as a lifestyle!

In Exodus 24, Moses had Joshua come to the mountain with him and Joshua waited on the side of the mountain 40 days while Moses went up to be with God. That's more than a twelfth of the entire year that Joshua waited obediently!  Sometimes when you serve God you may find yourself serving on your own.  Don't short-circuit your promise by becoming impatient.

Joshua served Moses for over 40 years and knew Moses' shortcomings, yet Joshua didn't leave him to begin his own following. He didn't use his leader's faults as justification to 'do his own thing'. He didn't leave when the pressure was on or when he felt like he was abandoned or alone. Joshua stayed faithful and loyal in spite of everything he faced. That qualified Joshua to be a great leader!

Life Lesson #2

Serving Attracts God’s Attention & Releases God’s Promises

• Serve God Faithfully – Joshua 1:7-8

When you are faithful in your service to God and his delegated authorites, you position yourself to receive your promises. 
Obedience to God and His Word will bring your success.

• Ignore God's Word - you have a mess
• Obey God's word - you will have success!

When you follow the Word, success will follow you.

Life Lesson #3
Obedience is the Key Ingredient to Success

Our action is to BE STRONG & COURAGEOUS! - Joshua 1:9

God commanded Joshua to Be Strong and Courageous.  The Lord knew that the battle would be longer and stronger than he expected.  When the battle is longer and stronger we cannot give up, we cannot get distracted.  God will bring victory over every challenge.  You cannot stop now!

Life Lesson #4
To Obtain Your Promise It’s Going to Take Strength & Courage!
Life Lesson #5

STRONG & COURAGEOUS - 'to be strong in body & in mind, to be resolved & focused'

Over and over again we see this repeated in the book of Joshua; God knew what it was going to take for Joshua to possess his promise and so He encouraged Joshua continually so he would not quit or give up before he possessed all of his promises.

Don’t Quit Until You Have Possessed Every Promise!

In Joshua 13:1 we read that Joshua was very old, but God encouraged him that there is still much to do! In the Kingdom economy, there is no age of retirement! There are many promises God has yet for you to possess and you are not called to stop until you have possessed them ALL!  When you die, it will either be because you have possessed all your promises or you have quit before your time.

God has not delivered you from your Egypt only for you to get to the entrance of your promise and be unable to access it.  Possessing your promises is what true victory really is.  Remember that your victory is God's priority.

CHALLENGE: The very fact that you are still alive is evidence that there are promises from God that you have yet to possess.  Recall each of these promises; now commit yourself to fighting, serving, obeying, being strong and courageous and never quit until you have entered into every promise God has for you!

---

Please log your comments on how this week's message has been a blessing to you!  Simply click on the comments link immediately below this week's blog. Any comments already submitted will appear and you can comment below them.  

(All comments are reviewed before publishing.)

---

NOTE:   CLICK HERE to subscribe to HWC Sunday Messages with RSS. 

The Blogger Navbar includes a button called "Share". When blog readers visit the 'HWC Sunday Message' blog, they can click "Share" to post the blog's URL to Twitter, Facebook, or Google Reader. If they navigate directly to an individual blog post, clicking "Share" in the navbar also lets them share the post by email. Once you have left your comment, please share this post on Facebook. This will allow many others the opportunity to visit the 'HWC Sunday Message' blog and be blessed by the message.  You can also subscribe to the blog with RSS feeds.

---

Thanks for visiting!

Walking With The Greats - The Life of Rahab

This week's service can be watched at
http://www.kbmlive.tv/

---

These things happened to them as examples for us.

1 Corinthians 10:11

Who Gets The Miracle?

God uses imperfect people!

Rahab is known as a woman of faith & action - she made it to 'The Hall of Faith' with people like Moses, Abraham and Joseph.

Important Lessons We Can Learn From Rahab - Joshua 2:1-24

Rahab was a prostitute... But yet she knew that with God - all things are possible!

Life Lesson #1
Your Past Does Not Need to Determine Your Future!

God's got a plan for EVERYONE - Jeremiah 29:11.  He is waiting for you to come to Him;  He has a plan for your future that will blow your mind!  Let go of anything that is holding you back and run into your Father's arms.  Go ahead... He is waiting!

Life Lesson #2
Our Faith Determines Our Future.

WE HAVE TO PUT OUR FAITH IN GOD.  He does have a plan... but we must play a part.

It's not about the action itself, but the obedience to God!  You may not understand your part, but by trusting God and obeying Him, your part will release His miracle.

Life Lesson #3
Our Actions Will Impact Others.

Everything you do speaks volumes to those around you.  Rahab's whole family was saved because of her faith put to action, even with a reputation as a prostitute!

In Summary:
You may start wrong but when you put your faith in God, you will finish strong! Philippians 1:6

CHALLENGE: You know your past all too well.  Your memory continues to remind you of your past faults and your flaws.  But if God can save a prostitute and her entire family simply because of her obedience, surely He can and will do the same and more for you and your family.  Ask God to show you the part you have to play and commit to being obedient.  Then, stand back and watch God do what only He can do!  Miracles are happening at HWC!

---

Please log your comments on how this week's message has been a blessing to you!  Simply click on the comments link immediately below this week's blog. Any comments already submitted will appear and you can comment below them.
(All comments are reviewed before publishing.) 

---

NOTE:
The Blogger Navbar includes a button called "Share". When blog readers visit the 'HWC Sunday Message' blog, they can click "Share" to post the blog's URL to Twitter, Facebook, or Google Reader. If they navigate directly to an individual blog post, clicking "Share" in the navbar also lets them share the post by email. Once you have left your comment, please share this post on Facebook. This will allow many others the opportunity to visit the 'HWC Sunday Message' blog and be blessed by the message.  You can also subscribe to the blog with RSS feeds.  CLICK HERE to subscribe to HWC Sunday Messages with RSS. 

---

Thanks for visiting!

Walking With The Greats - The Life of Caleb

This week's service can be watched at
http://www.kbmlive.tv/

---

These things happened to them as examples for us.
1 Corinthians 10:11

HOW TO BE A CONQUEROR

CONFIDENCE IN GOD - Numbers 13:13

Life Lesson #1 - Walk by Faith - Not by Sight (2 Corinthians 5:7)

10 of the 12 spies were looking in the natural and what they saw appeared bigger than their ability to overcome it.  They analyzed their ability to overcome in their flesh, with their limited resources.  They didn't put their hope in God and thus they discouraged those around them and dragged them down.

Life Lesson #2 - Your Words Will Affect Others.

'Unbelief is a thief.'  Your words have influence and will hold others back.  The Israelites got 1 year in the wilderness for every day the spies looked at the promised land and doubted God.  40 days of doubt caused 40 years of delay of God's promise!  When trouble & challenge come, guard your tongue!

COMMITMENT TO GOD - Numbers 14:24, Joshua 14:9

The word Wholeheartedly means 'never faultering or wavering, complete devotion'.  Even though Caleb brought a good report, he had to receive the same punishment as those he was connected to.  Even so, Caleb was wholly committed & devoted to God and he never wavered.  All the others over 20 years of age died in the wilderness but Caleb got to enter into the Promised Land (his promise).

Life Lesson #3 - If You Do Not Waver, You Will Receive God’s Favour!

Don’t waver in what God has spoken to you.  Caleb was 85 years old when he received his promise! That means he waited 45 years for his promise without wavering!  Are you prepared to wait that long (or longer) to see your promise manifest?

CONQUEST WITH GOD - Joshua 14:10-12

Life Lesson #4 - Never Give Up On God’s Promises!

'Hold On' because you won't fail if you don't quit!  The true test of a believer is their willingness to stay the course in spite of what things look like in the natural!  In 2 Kings 6:16-17 , Elisha asked the Lord to open his servant's eyes to see that those who were with them were more than those who were with their enemies.  When the servants eyes were opened, they proceeded to conquer their enemy with God.

CHALLENGE: Think about a promise you have been given from God but you have yet to receive.  Have you walked in fear because you are walking by sight?  Have you spoken words that are diametrically opposed to the promise?  Have you wavered in your devotion to God?  Never give up!  Don't quit!  Hold on!  Hold fast to the confession of your faith!  Disconnect from those who may be keeping you from your destiny.  Speak in faith regarding your promise.  Keep your eyes on the Promisor and in due time, you will see the glory of your God!

---

Please log your comments on how this week's message has been a blessing to you!  Simply click on the comments link immediately below this week's blog. Any comments already submitted will appear and you can comment below them.
(All comments are reviewed before publishing.) 

---

NOTE:
The Blogger Navbar includes a button called "Share". When blog readers visit the 'HWC Sunday Message' blog, they can click "Share" to post the blog's URL to Twitter, Facebook, or Google Reader. If they navigate directly to an individual blog post, clicking "Share" in the navbar also lets them share the post by email. Once you have left your comment, please share this post on Facebook. This will allow many others the opportunity to visit the 'HWC Sunday Message' blog and be blessed by the message.  You can also subscribe to the blog with RSS feeds.  CLICK HERE to subscribe to HWC Sunday Messages with RSS. 

---

Thanks for visiting!

Walking With The Giants - Moses (April 25)

This week's service can be watched at
http://www.kbmlive.tv/

---

These things happened to them as examples for us. 1 Corinthians 10:11

POWERFUL LESSONS WE LEARN FROM MOSES

Life Lesson #1: You can’t RUSH God’s Timing, But You CAN DELAY it - Acts 7:20-36 (25-29)

There is no way to speed up God's plan but be assured, you sure can slow it down.  When you get in the way it will cause delay!

Remember: Your actions can cause a delay in the process to your promise.

Life Lesson #2: God’s Promises Depend on Your AVAILABILITY not your ABILITY - Exodus 3:10

Don't compare your abilities with someone else's.  God has given you gifts.  Stir them up.  For 40 years Moses was served in excellence, followed by 40 years of having to serve sheep in pastures.  He was in a place of privilege, then a place of poverty, but God wasn't finished with him yet.  At 80 years of age, the call of God came to him.

Remember: your most important ability is your avail-ability!

Life Lesson #3: God requires our HUMILITY - Numbers 12:3

Humility is the key to greatness.  Bless God in the process!  Don't have a bad attitude because of negative circumstances and don't get puffed up because of your talents or abilities.  Let the tough times create a humility that can propel you into your promises.  Don't make the mistake of confusing quietness with humility.  The strength of one's voice or personality has nothing to do with whether or not one is humble.

Remember what we learned last weak: Humility means 'modest, not arrogant, taking the nature of a servant'.

Life Lesson #4: Who God Calls, He Empowers - Exodus 4:2-9

In the midst of Moses' weaknesses, he stayed humble and God empowered him to do miracles.  Many think that Moses had a stuttering problem but that is nowhere to be found in scripture.  In fact, his fear of speaking was more likely to do with the fact that he was raised in an Egyptian household and thus more learned in the Egyptian language than he was in the Hebrew language and that caused him to fret about speaking to the Hebrew people.  God told Moses,
"Tell them 'I AM' sent you!"  It was not about Moses but God.  It is not about you, but God.

Remember that The First and The Last is who is working it out on your behalf.

In Summary:

1. Don't get in the way and cause a delay
2. Make yourself and your abilities available to God
3. Get and stay humble; pray for your promise
4. It is God who gives you any power or ability you have, to establish His plan

CHALLENGE: Recall a promise God has made to you that has not yet come to pass.  Have you gotten in the way and possibly caused delay?  Have you made yourself and your talents available to God?  In the midst of circumstances, have you remained humble and prayed for your promise, or have you grumbled in frustration?  Do you recognize who it is you are empowered by?  Commit God's promises back to Him.  He is waiting for you.  Stay faithful to God and His local church and avoid delaying the promise any further.

---

Please log your comments on how this week's message has been a blessing to you!  Simply click on the comments link immediately below this week's blog.  Any comments already submitted will appear and you can comment below them.
(All comments are reviewed before publishing.) 

---

NOTE:
The Blogger Navbar includes a button called "Share". When blog readers visit the 'HWC Sunday Message' blog, they can click "Share" to post the blog's URL to Twitter, Facebook, or Google Reader. If they navigate directly to an individual blog post, clicking "Share" in the navbar also lets them share the post by email.  Once you have left your comment,
please share this post on Facebook.  This will allow many others the opportunity to visit the 'HWC Sunday Message' blog and be blessed by the message.  You can also subscribe to
the blog with RSS feeds.  CLICK HERE to subscribe to HWC Sunday Messages with RSS. 

---

Thanks for visiting!