We turn to You with all our hearts and embrace all that You desire for us personally and corporately for the coming year. (Joel 2:12) We ask that You release prophetic direction to prepare and position us for victory and breakthrough in reaching the harvest You have for South Greenwood PHC.

 Visit us and let Your words be established over us in supernatural power with miracles, signs and wonders, gifts of healings and supernatural supply. (Luke 19:45)

Cause Your church to rise up and seize the moment. (Ps. 30:15) Break open the way and go up before us causing us to pass through every obstacle concerning our families, finances, and church. (Micah 2:13) Arm us with strength and perfect our way as You enlarge our paths. (Ps. 18:32, 36)

 We bind the enemy and cancel every assignment against us. We loose the power to live the overcoming abundant life, walking in the fullness of the Spirit. (John 10:10) We break agreement with anything that seeks to hold us captive. (Jer. 29:11-14) Do abundantly above whatever we could think or ask. (Eph. 3:20) Restore all that has been taken away, stolen, or surrendered. (Prov. 6:31)

 Heal relationships that have been lost or strained. Help us to love one another. (John 13:35, Col. 3:13) Bring into alignment and re-establish covenant connections. (1Peter 2:19)

Let 2012 be a year of revolutionary change by Your Spirit. Encounter each person at South Greenwood with radical change.  May we never be the same as a result of divine visitation and lifelong favor. (Ps. 30:5)

Cause us to embrace the change needed to form a new identity after that of the Holy Spirit for greater influence to reach the Harvest. (Acts 1:8)

In all this we give thanks. (1Thess. 5:18) We rejoice as we give praise, trusting You to hear our supplication. (Ps. 28:6-7)

We exalt You, Lord, (Rom. 6:23), Our Lord, (Rom. 8:39), Lord of Glory, (1Cor. 2:8), Lord of Lords, (1Tim. 6:15), and Lord of All, (Rom. 10:12).

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

One of the greatest disciplines that a believer can develop in his or her life is the discipline of prayer. D. L. Moody is quoted, “Next to the wonder of seeing my Savior will be, I think, the wonder that I made so little use of the power of prayer.”

Is it possible to have an effective prayer life? Can our prayers make a difference? The Word of God tells us that the effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. The Scriptures teach that God hears and answers the prayers of His people.

To be effective in our prayer lives we must learn to pray the Word of God over every situation that we face. The Old Testament prophet Hosea wrote these words, “My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge.” (Hosea 4:6) The Apostle Paul encouraged Timothy to “Study the Scriptures.” (2 Timothy 2:15) Like young Timothy we must study, meditate, and memorize the Word of God.

When you are faced with a situation and don’t know how to pray then I want to encourage you to go to the Scriptures and find out what the Word of God has to say about it, and then make it a matter of prayer.

Dr. W. Terry Bailey

For some time I have been praying and asking God to give me insight into how He moves in time. The Sons of Issachar were masters of the calendar.  In Exodus 12:2 the Lord establishes the Hebrew calendar. “This month shall be your beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you.” The Hebrew calendar begins at Passover.  This is the calendar that God ordained and introduced in the Bible.  To better understand how God moves in times you can study the Hebrew calendar and the patterns that have been established in the Word of God.  Our Gregorian calendar is on a different time cycle than the Word of God.

Each of the twelve months on the Hebrew calendar corresponds to one of the twelve tribes of Israel.  The current month on the Hebrew calendar is the month Tammuz that comes during our June and July.  It begins a three-month period including the month of Av and Ellul, which are the summer months.

When you study the history of Israel you realize that the Ninth of Av is one of the saddest days in the history of Israel. Dr. Robert Heidler writes, “If you study the history of the Jews you discover something surprising. The Jews have experienced many calamities over the years, and most of those calamities have occurred on same day of the year, the ninth of Av.  It was on this date that both temples were destroyed, and the final destruction of Jerusalem took place in 135.”

Tammuz is the name of a Babylonian god. The month got its name during the Babylonian captivity. The Bible refers to this month as the fourth month, beginning at Nissan (Passover). The Bible forbids the children of Israel to worship Tammuz. Ezekiel 8:14 – “So He brought me to the door of the north gate of the LORD’s house; and to my dismay, women were sitting there weeping for Tammuz.” What Ezekiel saw were the defilement and the coming destruction of the Temple.

Several sources I studied called Tammuz the saddest month on the Jewish calendar.  Tradition tells us that it was during Tammuz that Moses sent the twelve spies into the Promised Land of Canaan in the thirteenth chapter of Numbers.  It was forty days later that the ten spies brought an evil report and the children of Israel refused to enter into the Promised Land.  Other sources believe that Moses broke the tablets of stone during Tammuz when he came off the mountain and saw Israel involved in idolatry.

When you study the life of Reuben you learn that he was the first-born son of Jacob and Leah. The name Reuben comes from a Hebrew word meaning, “To see, to look at, to perceive.” Reuben messed up and committed incest with Bilhah, his father’s concubine. Genesis 35:22 reads,  “And it happened, when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine; and Israel heard about it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve:”

This is a month to see.  This is a month to ask God to allow you to see things clearly.  We must ask God to help us find our path for this coming season.  We must find His direction for the coming season in our lives.  When you find your path you will find your provision.  God positioned Elijah by a brook to provide for him supernaturally during a time of drought and famine.  He then dried up the brook and took Elijah down a different path.  God’s place of assignment will be His place of provision.  This is a season to find your path.

This is also a month to watch for the traps and ensnarement the enemy will place on your path. Don’t allow the enemy to seduce you.  We must be careful that we do not allow the devil to seduce us during this season.  Be careful that you do not come into agreement with him by speaking the evil report.

This is also a month for things to turn in your favor.  Recently in prayer the Lord spoke to me and said, “This is a month when things will begin to turn in your future.”  Let me encourage you to be careful to hear His voice and listen carefully for His instructions in this season of time.  Things are going to turn in your favor.

We avoid the traps of the enemy and recognize the doors that God is opening through our times of worship and prayer.  Make your worship and prayer times a priority during this season and take time to listen for the Lord’s instructions.

Prayer for July – Beth Bailey

Dear Father,
We come humbly as we set You before us to seek counsel and instruction for the path of life in these times of uncertainty and fear. Our hearts are glad and we rest in hope as we are kept in the refuge of Your presence. (Ps. 16, 1Chron. 12) We ask for personal discipline to make worship and prayer a priority as we seek Your face. We ask that You show us how You move in times and seasons. Give us prophetic insight to understand the times and Your desires for the times. Let us be sensitive to hear Your voice and listen for Your instructions. We bind the enemy and cancel every assignment, ensnarement, and seduction that would prevent us from advancing through the door You are setting before us. We loose favor and protection over our future. Cause Your blessings to overtake us in this three-month period of summer. Give wisdom, knowledge, and understanding as You enlarge and enlighten our pathway. Let us be armed with a new strength to go up and be established in the new thing You have prepared for us. (Ps. 18, Ex. 12)In the Mighty Name of Jesus.
Amen

Scriptures and Quotes on Fasting:

Joel 2:12-13 – “Now, therefore,” says the LORD, “Turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.” So rend your heart, and not your garments; Return to the LORD your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness; and He relents from doing harm.”

The Apostle James says, “Come near to God and He will come near to you.  Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up.”

Bill Bright says, “Fasting prepares us for the deepest and richest spiritual communion possible.  It clears and liberates our minds to understand what God is saying to our spirits.  It conditions our bodies to carry out His perfect will.”

Preparing for the Fast:

Bill Bright gives us the following suggestions about preparing for your fast in his book, “The Coming Revival.”

1. Set a specific objective – Why are you fasting?  We are fasting at South Greenwood to prepare ourselves for the coming harvest season.
2. Prepare yourself spiritually – This begins with confession and repentance of any sin in your life.  Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal any area of your life that is not surrendered to the Lord Jesus Christ.
3. Evelyn Christenson, internationally known authority on prayer gives a list of possible sins:

• I Thessalonians 5:18: “In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” Do you worry about anything? Have you failed to thank God for all things, the seemingly bad as well as the good? Do you neglect to give thanks at mealtime?
• Ephesians 3:20: “Now unto Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.” Do you fail to attempt things for God because you are not talented enough? Do feelings of inferiority keep you from trying to serve God? When you do accomplish something for Christ, do you fail to give Him the glory?
• Acts 1:8: “But you shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you; and you shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” Have you failed to be a witness with your life for Christ? Have you felt it was enough to just live your Christianity and not witness with your mouth to the lost?
• Romans 12:3 – “For…I say to every man among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think.” Are you proud of your accomplishments, your talents, and your family? Do you fail to see others as better than yourself, more important than yourself, in the body of Christ? Do you think as a Christian you are doing quite well? Do you rebel at God wanting to change you?
• Ephesians 4:31 “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.” Do you complain, find fault, and argue? Do you have a critical spirit? Do you carry a grudge against Christians of another group because they don’t see eye-to-eye with you on all things? Do you speak unkindly about people when they are not present? Are you angry with yourself? Others? God?
• 1 Corinthians 6:1“Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, that you are not your own?” Are you careless with your body? Are you guilty of not caring for it as the temple of the Holy Spirit in eating and exercise habits? Do you defile your body with unholy sex acts?
• Ephesians 4:29 “Let no unwholesome word proceed out of your mouth.” Do you ever use filthy language, tell slightly off-color jokes? Do you condone others doing so in your presence, in your home?
• Ephesians 4:27 “And do not give the devil an opportunity.” Do you fail to see you are a “landing strip” for Satan when you open your mind to him through satanic music, occult electronic games, pornographic literature, computer chatrooms, yoga séances, psychic predictions, occult movies and literature? Do you get advice for daily living from horoscopes rather from God? Do you let Satan use you to thwart the cause of Christ in your church through criticism, gossip, and non-support.
• Romans 12:11 – “Not lagging behind in diligence. “(NAS) “Not slothful in business. “ (KJV) Do you fail to pay your debts on time? Avoid paying them altogether? Do you charge more on credit cards than you can pay when due? Do you neglect to keep honest income tax records? Do you engage in shady business deals whether as an employer or employee?
• 1 Corinthians 8:9 “But take care lest this liberty of yours somehow become a stumbling block to the weak.” Do you feel you can do anything you want because the Bible says you are free in Christ? Even though you were strong enough not to fall, do you fail to take responsibility for a weaker Christian who has fallen because of your example?
• Hebrews 10:25 “Not forsaking our own assembling together.” Are you irregular or spasmodic in church attendance? Are you skipping prayer meetings? Have you neglected family devotions?
• Colossians 3:9 “Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices.” Do you ever lie? Exaggerate? Do you fail to see little white lies as sins? Do you tell things the way you want them rather than they way they really are?
• 1 Peter 2:11 “Beloved … abstain from fleshly lusts, which wage war against the soul.” Are you guilty of a lustful eye toward the opposite sex? Do you fill your mind with pornography or sex oriented TV programs, movies, books, and magazines? Do you indulge in any lustful activity God’s Word condemns —fornication, adultery, and perversion?
• John 13:35 “By this all men will know you are My disciples, for you have love for one another.” Are you guilty of being a part of factions and divisions in your church? Would you add fuel to a misunderstanding or help correct it? Have you loved only the ones in your church, feeling those of other denominations are not of the body of Christ? Are you secretly pleased over the misfortunes of another? Annoyed by their successes?
• Colossians 3:13 “Forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone, just as the Lord forgave you, also should you.” Have you failed to forgive anybody anything that person might have said or done against you? Have you turned certain people off? Are you holding grudges?
• Ephesians 4:28 “Let him who steals steal no longer,’ but rather let him labor.” Do you steal from your employer by doing less work, staying on the job less time than you are paid for? Do you underpay?
• Ephesians 5:16 “Making the most of your time, because the days are evil.” Do you waste your time or that of others? Do you spend time watching TV trash, reading cheap books, procrastinating?
• Matthew 6:24 “No one can serve two masters …you cannot serve God and Mammon (riches).” Is your goal in life to make as much money as possible? Accumulate things? Have you withheld God’s share of your income from Him? Is money your God?
• Matthew 23: 28 “Even so you too outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.” Do you know in your heart you are a fake, just pretending to be a real Christian? Are you hiding behind church membership to cover a life still full of sin? Are you faking Christianity for social status, acceptance in your church or community? Do you smile piously during the Sunday sermon but live your sin all week? Are you the person in your home you are trying to impress people you are?
• Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, … honorable, … right, … pure, … lovely, … of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things.” Do you enjoy listening to gossip? Passing it on? Do you believe rumors or partial truths, especially about an enemy or your competitor? Do you fail to spend time every day reading the Bible? Do you fail to think on the things of God — only good and true and pure things — always?

Make your list on the basis of the above questions and whatever else God says to you.  Claim the promise of 1 John 1:9 – “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Prepare Yourself Physically:

Never start a long period of fasting without first consulting with your pastor and your physician.

Things that we can fast:

1. Television
2. Sweets
3. Soda/Coffee/Tea
4. Entertainment
5. Meals – lunch – supper – breakfast
6. Recreation

Remember that you must take this time to pray and seek the face of God.  Just to miss a meal to lose weight is not fasting.  There must be a spiritual purpose attached to our efforts of self-denial.

Fasting Resources

Books:

Fasting Forward, Advancing Your Spiritual Life Through Fasting by Billy Wilson, Pathway Press, 2005

Fasting for Spiritual Breakthrough, A Guide to Nine Biblical Fasts by Elmer L. Towns, Regal Books, 1996

The Power of Prayer and Fasting, 21 Days That Can Change Your Life by Marilyn Hickey, Warner Faith, 2006

The Hidden Power of Prayer and Fasting, Releasing the Awesome Power of the Praying Church by Mahesh Chavda, Destiny Image Publishers, 1998

Fasting, Opening the door to a deeper, more intimate, more powerful relationship with God, by Jensen Franklin, Charisma House, 2006

Websites:

http://www.billbright.com/howtofast/

http://www.worldprayercenter.org/beta/images/PDF/2007%20magazine.pdf

http://www.inplainsite.org/html/fasting.html

http://www.allaboutprayer.org/prayer-and-fasting.htm

http://www.new-life.net/fasting.htm

http://www.freedomyou.com/level%202/Fasting%20Page%20Guide.htm