Monthly Archives: January 2016

Health and Healing in Scripture

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12376254_1070125296383910_3441194080106287692_n-2“The words you speak are vital to your health and well being. I believe there are some diseases that will never be cured unless people learn to speak the language of health that the body understands. God’s Word is infused (engrafted) into you by giving voice to His Word with your own mouth, and this is the language of health to your body.” Charles Chapp

 I encourage you to pray Scriptures of healing and health for yourself and those who are sick. When I was diagnosed with cancer, I began to pray many Scriptures regarding health and healing over my situation.  Almost every day I would pray the Bible over my body. It helped me so much, and although I did have surgery, I am now cancer-free.

God can heal in many different ways. He can use doctors, He can heal miraculously, He can heal through nutrition, He can use the prayers of the elders in the church, and He can heal through counselors. I find that you cannot put God into a box. He can heal in various ways, and He can do it quickly or over time. We have to be open to all His ways of healing. Each one is a miracle in its own way. He is the God who heals.

“But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall.” Malachi 4:2

Bible Verses Relating to Health and Healing

The Bible talks so much about health and healing.  Don’t be hesitant to pray the Word of God over those who are sick. People appreciate it when you do. Praying the Word of God out loud is powerful. There are many verses that speak about healing and health. There are many verses relating health to right living and what Jesus did on the Cross relating to our sickness and infirmities. The following are a few good verses you can use that someone sent me when I was sick.

  • Exodus 15:25-26 – “He said, ‘If you listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals you.”
  • Matthew 8:16-17 – “When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: ‘He took up our infirmities and carried our diseases.’”
  • Ezekiel 34:16 – “I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak… I will shepherd the flock with justice.”
  • Proverbs 4:20-22 – “My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to a man’s whole body.”
  • Psalm 107:20-21 – “He sent forth his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave. Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men.”
  • Jeremiah 33:6 – “Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security.”
  • Isaiah 53:4-5 – “Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.”

As you pray Scripture over yourself or someone who is ill, always keep in mind that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, it is important to take care of it the best you can through right nutrition, exercise, nutritional supplements, proper rest, etc. There is a need to obey God in taking care of His temple.

May God help us all to eat and live healthy for His glory. We have been bought with a price.

 “Do you not know that your body is a temple (the very sanctuary) of the Holy Spirit, who lives within you, whom you have received (as a gift) from God? You are not your own. You were bought with a price (purchased with a preciousness and paid for, made His own). So then, honor God and bring glory to Him in your body” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).

By Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise International
IHOPKC

Great Prayers – Great Results

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12366218_1073317959397977_345114264233161110_n“All the mighty works of God have been attended with great prayers as well as with great faith. There were regular daily prayer meetings all over America before God poured out His spirit which led to the conversion of up to a quarter of a million people within the short space of two to three months. Result of daily prayer meetings; Fire descends and God’s work is done. Sinners are converted – not by ones and twos but by hundreds and thousands. And the Lord’s name is greatly magnified by the progress of the Gospel.”

If you are interested in developing your prayer life, God wants to bless you with increase. Prayer is on his heart and He desires to raise up a mighty prayer movement. Our enemy attempts to thwart prayer because he knows its power. God wants to bless intercession, and He wants to raise up a mighty army of united pray-ers and worshippers. Intercessors will unite as a beautiful tapestry like a large net in order to uphold in prayer the mighty harvest that God will bring. Intercession is foundational and absolutely necessary.

The mighty revival will come and you will be an important part of it for you are chosen by God for such a time as this. You will be deeply involved in this worldwide harvest through prayer. Be encouraged. Keep pressing in to God.

“If men would pray as they ought to pray, the marvels of the past would be more than reproduced. The Gospel would advance with a facility and power it has never known. Doors would be thrown open to the Gospel, and the Word of God would have a conquering force rarely if ever known before.”

“Is there any limitation to the Spirit of God? Why should not the feeblest minister become the means of salvation to thousands? Take one instance of the great revival under Whitefield. He was preaching in the churchyard to a great congregation and while preaching, the power of God came upon the people and one after another fell down as if smitten, and it was estimated that not less than three thousand persons were crying out at one time under the conviction of sin.”

“How enthroned, magnificent, and royal the intercession of our Lord Jesus Christ at His Father’s right hand in heaven! The benefits of His intercession flow to us through out intercessors.  Our intercession ought to catch by contagion and by necessity the inspiration and largeness of Christ’s great work at His Father’s right hand. His business and his life are to pray. Our business and our lives ought to be to pray, and to “pray without ceasing.”  Quotes by E. M. Bounds

By Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise International
IHOPKC

The Apostolic Prayers of Paul

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Prayer for revelation of Jesus’ beauty that we might walk in our calling and destiny by God’s power.

“… the Father of glory, may give to you the SPIRIT OF WISDOM AND REVELATION IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF HIM, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the HOPE OF HIS CALLING, what are the riches of the GLORY OF HIS INHERITANCE IN THE SAINTS, and what is the exceeding GREATNESS OF HIS POWER TOWARD US”  (Ephesians 1:17-19).

Prayer for the release of supernatural strength in the heart so we experience God’s emotions and love.

“… that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, TO BE STRENGTHENED WITH MIGHT THROUGH HIS SPIRIT IN THE INNER MAN, that CHRIST MAY DWELL IN YOUR HEARTS through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, MAY BE ABLE TO COMPREHEND with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—TO KNOW the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be FILLED with all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:16-19).

Prayer for God’s love to abound in our heart resulting in discernment and righteousness.

“And this I pray, that YOUR LOVE MAY ABOUND still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may APPROVE THE THINGS THAT ARE EXCELLENT, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being FILLED WITH THE FRUITS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God” (Philippians 1:9-11).

Prayer to know God’s will, to be fruitful in ministry and strengthened by intimacy with God.

“We… do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the KNOWLEDGE OF HIS WILL in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may have a WALK WORTHY OF THE LORD, fully pleasing Him, BEING FRUITFUL in every good work and increasing in the KNOWLEDGE OF GOD; STRENGTHENED WITH ALL MIGHT, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light” (Colossians 1:9-12).

Prayer for unity in the Church across a city or region.

“Now may the God of patience and comfort GRANT YOU TO BE LIKE-MINDED toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, THAT YOU MAY WITH ONE MIND AND ONE MOUTH glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus” (Romans 15:5-7).

Prayer to be filled with supernatural joy, peace, and hope.

“Now may the God of hope FILL YOU WITH ALL JOY AND PEACE IN BELIEVING, THAT YOU MAY ABOUND IN HOPE by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13).

Prayer for Israel to be saved through Jesus.

“Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for ISRAEL is that they MAY BE SAVED”  (Romans 10:1).

Prayer for the release of apostolic ministry and to abound in love and holiness.

“We rejoice for your sake before our God, night and day praying exceedingly that we may see your face and PERFECT WHAT IS LACKING in your faith. Now may our God and Father Himself, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way to you. And may the Lord make you INCREASE AND ABOUND IN LOVE to one another and to all… so that He may ESTABLISH YOUR HEARTS BLAMELESS IN HOLINESS before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints” (1 Thessalonians 3:9-13).

Prayer for the release of the Holy Spirit’s power unto mature holiness.

“Now may the GOD OF PEACE HIMSELF SANCTIFY YOU COMPLETELY; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it” (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24).

Prayer to be equipped and prepared to receive the fullness of God’s destiny for the Church.

“Therefore we also pray always for you THAT OUR GOD WOULD COUNT YOU WORTHY OF THIS CALLING, AND FULFILL ALL THE GOOD PLEASURE OF HIS GOODNESS AND THE WORK OF FAITH WITH POWER, that the name of our Lord Jesus CHRIST MAY BE GLORIFIED IN YOU, and YOU IN HIM, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thessalonians 1:11-12).

Prayer for the Word to increase by the release of God’s power to win unbelievers to Jesus.

“Finally, brethren, pray for us, THAT THE WORD OF THE LORD MAY RUN SWIFTLY AND BE GLORIFIED, just as it is with you, and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; for not all have faith. But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one. And we have confidence in the Lord concerning you, both that you do and will do the things we command you. NOW MAY THE LORD DIRECT YOUR HEARTS INTO THE LOVE OF GOD AND INTO THE PATIENCE OF CHRIST” (2 Thessalonians 3:1-5).

Prayer that God would open a door of evangelism through releasing His power on the Word.

“Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving; mean-while praying also for us, THAT GOD WOULD OPEN TO US A DOOR FOR THE WORD, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains, that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak” (Colossians 4:2-4).

Prayer to be enriched with the supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit leading unto righteousness.

“I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus, THAT YOU WERE ENRICHED IN EVERYTHING by Him in all utterance and all KNOWLEDGE, even as the testimony of Christ was CONFIRMED in you, so THAT YOU COME SHORT IN NO GIFT, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will also CONFIRM you to the end, THAT YOU MAY BE BLAMELESS in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 1:4-8).

(All verses are in the NKJV.)

 

Praying the Apostolic Prayers of Paul

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944396_1074321042631002_4139452721582485246_nPraying the Apostolic Prayers
of Paul

“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).

Did you know that there is a tremendous anointing when we pray and sing God’s Word? The Word of God is alive and active. It is sharp and it penetrates into our thoughts and hearts. We need God’s Word to be written on our hearts and flowing through our prayers.

The prayers of the Apostle Paul are some of the richest prayers in the Bible. They are always positive and directed toward God. He thoroughly understood the law, grace, the church, and holy living. Here at the International House of Prayer (IHOPKC) we pray the apostolic prayers everyday and throughout each day.

In the apostolic prayers, Paul focuses on gifts, fruits, and wisdom. He prays for the release of the ministry gifts of the Holy Spirit so that revival breaks out. He prays for the fruits of Godly character in the lives of those in the Church. He prays for wisdom in the Church in order that believers are able to search out the mysteries and knowledge of God so that we may know Him better. He prays these prayers for the glory of God so that His Kingdom may come and His will be done in our churches, cities, and nations around the world.

We need divine encounters with God. We need our eyes enlightened. Inn his prayers, Paul reveals to us the power of intercession and the high focus we should have in prayer for the spirit of revelation. He prayed that the Church would come to a more full experience of the knowledge of God in active intimacy (Ephesians 1:17-19) as they walked out these spiritual blessings (Ephesians 1:3-14).

Paul wanted the Church to encounter God deeply. Notice what happens when we pray these apostolic prayers regularly:

  • Our hearts are supernaturally influenced by God – This helps us have a sustained lifestyle of pursuing God’s glory. We need the Spirit to do this, to enable our human capacity to receive more of God (1 Corinthians 2:12-14). We need to have our hearts fully alive!
  • We receive divine revelation to enlighten the eyes of our understanding – We begin to see God unveiled experientially in our understanding (John 17:3; Ephesians 1:18).
  • We receive confidence and hope in our individual calling from God – These divine assignments encompass all of time and eternity. We cannot walk firmly in our assignment in this age unless we are anchored in eternity (Ephesians 1:17-18; 2:10; Colossians 1:9-10).
  • We receive understanding of our spiritual identity – We discover the glory and wealth of being God’s inheritance. We understand that we are the focus of God’s affection (John 15:9; 17:23).
  • We are empowered to live our life in God (Eph. 1:17-19) – He gives us His resurrection strength (Ephesians 1:20-21). We have the authority of Jesus as we resist sin and satanic opposition. All God’s power works through and for the good of His Church because all things are subject to Christ (Ephesians 1:20-21; Colossians 1:16; Philippians 2:6-11).

Praying these apostolic prayers of Paul’s are powerful. Paul had a brilliant mind but was deceived and, out of his extreme zeal, had been persecuting the Church. But suddenly, He had a supernatural encounter with God that changed everything. His prayers are anointed with the power of God. His prayers are model prayers. Pray them on a regular basis. Have several copies in your prayer room. This is what we do here daily at IHOP in Kansas City.

We must seek to ask for revelation and obey God as we fill our hearts with His Word. The apostolic prayers will undoubtedly bring you up to a new level in prayer and intercession. They will help you see how God views the Church and each one of us. Begin by praying them in your own personal life, and then integrate them in your own prayer meetings. Choose two of the apostolic prayers of Paul, and pray them out loud each day this week. See them below. As we seek the face of God by praying the Apostolic Prayers, our hearts will burn and our light will shine.

“Seeking the face of God, and then gazing at it, has to begin sometime and someplace. It begins by bringing our whole person before the consuming fire who is God, reciting His words—the Bible—out loud to Him and then letting the Holy Spirit reveal Christ to us. This is why we pray the Bible. May it be that as you engage in this practice that your prayer times will have the same result as the disciples’—whose hearts burnt within as God talked with them along their journey of life. Yes, may your heart burn and your light shine.”

By Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise International
IHOPKC

The Value of Meditation

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12376208_1074334732629633_2029065497526188716_n“Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night” (Psalm 1:1-2).

  • To get to know God – This goes beyond just knowing about Him.  We get to know Him personally as our King, our Rock, our Redeemer, our Savior, etc. “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer” (Psalm 19:14).
  • To hear God’s voice and keep from sin – We are then able to pray on-target prayers. “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you” (Psalm 119:11).
  • To change spiritually and gain insight – We will always grow and God will change our hearts through meditation. “I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes” (Psalm 119:99).
  • To walk in obedience – Meditation will help us to obey God and be ready to do the right thing in a moment requiring a sudden choice. Truth moves from our head to our heart and results in obedience. “Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left that you may be successful wherever you go” (Joshua 1:7).
  • To have something to share with others – Often the very Scriptures that we meditate on are the very ones someone else needs to hear and the ones we need to pray. “Within your temple, O God, we meditate on your unfailing love. Like your name, O God, your praise reaches to the ends of the earth” (Psalm 48:9-10).
  • To grow in a worshipping lifestyle – As we ponder Scripture, we naturally grow deeper in our prayer life and are led more fully into worship. “I will meditate on all your works and consider all your mighty deeds. Your ways, O God, are holy” (Psalm 77:12-3a).
  • To comfort and gain strength – We gain spiritual strength when we meditate on Scripture. “Though rulers sit together and slander me, your servant will meditate on your decrees. Your statutes are my delight; they are my counselors” (Psalm 119:23-24).
  • To gain understanding and success – God teaches us how to walk in success as we meditate on Scripture. “Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful” (Joshua 1:8).

By Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise International
IHOPKC

Meditation and Prayer

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“What you think about in your unguarded moments reflects what your mind dwells upon. To keep your thoughts pure, you must guard what goes into your mind. The things you allow your mind to dwell on will be revealed by the way you live. If you focus on negative things, you will inevitably
be a negative person. If you fill your mind with thoughts of Christ, you will become Christlike. What you fill your mind with is a matter of choice. Choose to concentrate on the magnificent truths of God, and they will create in you a noble character that brings glory to God (Philippians 4:8).
Henry Blackaby

Learning to meditate on God’s Word is essential for a powerful prayer life. Meditation guides us into a deeper life with God, enabling us to pray on-target prayers and helping us to know in a greater dimension the ways of God. Meditation is often a lost art because of the busy and noisy world we live in. It is a big key to a life of spiritual fruitfulness. It also keeps us from dwelling on the bad things we hear day after day in the newspaper and on the television news.

Meditation is different than reading, studying or memorizing Scripture.  It is the digestive faculty of the soul.  It builds us up, refreshes and feeds our souls.  Biblical meditation is taking a phrase, verse or passage of Scripture and pondering upon it with expecta-tion and faith, and allowing the Holy Spirit to make it alive.  Meditation is focused thinking on God’s Word.

The Value of Meditation

“The main purpose of Christian meditation is for us to know God, not about Him.  Jesus said, ‘Now this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent (John 17:3).

  • To get to know God – This goes beyond just knowing about Him.  We get to know Him personally.
  • To hear God’s voice – We are then able to pray on-target prayers.
  • To change spiritually and walk in obedience – We will always grow and change through meditation. Meditation will help us to obey God and do the right thing in a sudden moment when we need to make the right choice.
  • To have something to share with others – Often the very Scriptures that we meditate on are the very ones someone else needs to hear and the ones we need to pray.
  • To grow deeper into a prayerful lifestyle – As we ponder Scripture, we naturally grow deeper in our prayer life and are led more fully into prayer.
  • To comfort, gain strength, understanding and success – We gain spiritual strength when we meditate on Scripture. Joshua 1:8, Psalm 119:23, 39:3.

    ”Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long. Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, for they are ever with me” (Psalm 119:97-98).

How to Meditate

“Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it.
Then you will be prosperous and successful” (Joshua 1:8).

  • Read through a passage of Scripture. 
  • Let the Holy Spirit bring your attention to something in the passage. 
  • Paraphrase the verse. 
  • Make it personal. 
  • Try picturing what the verse is saying. 
  • Relate the verse or passage to other verses you know. 
  • Write something down. 
  • Respond.

Meditation should always result in a response to God whether it is repentance, thanksgiving, worship, obedience, a change in attitude, etc. It would be good to read Psalm 119 that speaks over and over again about meditating on God’s Word.  Meditation on the Scriptures will cause us to understand something of the mind and heart of God.

“When you think about a problem over and over in your mind, that is called worry.  When you think about God’s Word over and over in your mind, that’s meditation.  If you know how to worry, you already know how to meditate!  You just need to switch your attention from your problems to Bible verses.” Rick Warren

By Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise International
IHOPKC