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It is our opinion – more than ever – that the great need of the Church is God’s sovereign power. We believe this power will come to the degree the Word and Spirit are simultaneously combined.  (R.T. Kendall, Jack Taylor, and Charles Carrin)

Intercessors in every community are praying for greater unity in the Church. What does that look like? What does it mean to be “one”? In recognizing the wide diversity of faith practices and expressions in the broader evangelical church, how do we come together in order for God’s power to be released in the greatest measure?

Christ is the center. He is the full expression of both the Spirit and the Word. Rather than seeing these two aspects of His nature as differences, they are actually distinctions of His character. Both are necessary in order for us to pray effectively.

God is Spirit and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth (John 4:24 NIV).

Prayer is a form of worship. When we pray “in truth” we are using Scripture as the foundation for everything that is eternal and right. When we pray “in spirit” we are listening for the revelatory voice of the Father in how we apply those truths to our current situation. Both are needed to receive the full counsel of heaven.

In many communities where intercessors are seeking the Lord for greater understanding in how to pray, the work of the Holy Spirit is essential in identifying specific roots of iniquity or patterns of sin on the land. In listening to the promptings of the Spirit, intercessors are given keys in bringing freedom to their cities.

Where the Holy Spirit may speak a spontaneous rhema word for the moment, God’s written Word is His covenant. (The Greek rhema also refers to the Word of God; it is usually employed where a specific Scripture is quickened to a believer’s heart and mind for immediate application.) God’s written Word is His established and unchanging promises that are guaranteed to us as His children. This is powerful when confronting strongholds and opposition. Notice what Jesus did when He faced the devil in the wilderness:

The tempter came to him and said, ‘If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread’. Jesus answered, ‘It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God’ (Matthew 4:2-4 NIV).

Jesus specifically spoke the written Word because it represented God’s covenant and promise. He was not using his own voice or paraphrase; He said exactly what His Father said. The enemy has no power where God’s covenant is concerned.

Consider the power of the Spirit and the Word combined and thankfully embrace both distinctions and purposes. This can be the first step intercessors take in seeing the fullness of God’s power released in their communities.

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Rosemary Davis
September 27, 2019

Heavenly Father, Thank you for sending your only Son, Jesus Christ that we might be reconciled to you. Tonight, I pray for America. As Believers, we need to “reform” our nation by standing, shoulder-to-shoulder, AS ONE. Holy Spirit, I invite you into every place where we can be found. I ask that you rid these places of demonic, ungodly activinty and let us shine our light for you and your glory. Help us to do your purpose in this world. BE alive to us where we eat, from cafe to coffeshop, from our cars to the dining room table where we live. Go with us as we travel, by boat, rail, car or train, plane or by foot, taxi, Uber or Lyft. Help us find ways to share the good news of the gospel using every aspect of media and communication be it on paper, on-line, by phone, in person, by mail or text. Send us dreams and visions to equip us for the battles ahead wherever we sleep, be it in mansion, homes, apartments, condos, hospitals, nursing homes, homeless camps, cars, campers, tents and trailers. Comfort us while and where we worship be it church or synagogue. Confront us as we seek serve other gods where we gather in groups at the country club socials, golf course, ballpark, football stadium, soccer field, casino and movie theater. We want to relfect Your Glory and Goodness in this world. We know that Christianity can survive without America BUT America cannot survive without Christianity. God, only because of your mercy, are we able to serve a Risen Savior. Please join my voice with my brothers and sisters in Christ and save America. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Donna Nelson
September 26, 2019

Donna Nelson ( Canada)
To Nan and Jack Crans (Sister in the Lord and Brother in the Lord) Years ago Nan, I led a prayer meeting in a separate room while 300 Promise Keepers (men) where in a conference for a weekend. Intercession was both in tongues and in English. Those who did not have the Baptism of the Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues, spoke in English. The runner would come into the room and put a prayer request on the board and we’d pray. I have never seen prayers answered so fast. We tongue pray-ers and those praying in English did not knock one another.
To Jack, this is all explained in the word. The scriptures are very plain as to our future and what will and is happening! Yes you can point out the scriptures to them and pray that they will see the truth and turn from being deceived! Remember always to be praying for Israel and Jesus is our soon coming King! Blessings and Shalom

Arline Trowbridge
September 26, 2019

“….That all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you.” John’s gospel Chapter 17:21
Let your prayer to Our heavenly Father be ours as well, dear Lord. Amen

Nan
September 26, 2019

A reply to Delilah Bruch: To me, praying in the Spirit means praying with the fruits of the Spirit in mind, and does not mean in tongues (unless the Holy Spirit specifically gives that). Look for fruits of the Spirit in the Bible, Galatians 5: 22&23

Jim
September 26, 2019

Sorry but the Word is Jesus: John 1:! In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.John
1:14 The Word became flesh and made His dwelling …
john
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace …
The word and spirit are “THE WAY,” scripture is not mentioned here and Truth is Jesus also: John 14:6 NIV – Jesus answered, “I am the way and the – Bible …
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Scripture may fine tune your direction, but only Jesus is the Truth and the Word.

Chery
September 26, 2019

This is a good word. Thank you! I think many of us across this nation have prayed for unity in the Body of Christ and I think we are seeing the results of those prayers. There has to come a season of repentance and brokenness before that can happen, and a purging. As Jack just said, there are large pockets of the Church that are deluded by “revelation” that is not in agreement with God’s Word, meaning the closed canon of God’s revelation in Scripture, and the end result of that can only be ungodliness in every form. And we’re seeing the fruit of that on a large scale. We’re seeing some resist the true work of the Holy Spirit and God is exposing them. Others are publicly repenting and God will use them mightily to pull the body together in oneness as we allow Him to purify the Church. We can still be Jesus’ shining, pure Bride. Let’s continue to pray for one another in humility and love, and confess our sins to God and to one another, that we may be healed.

Marilyn Wilson
September 26, 2019

It is rattling around in my mind that Jesus took all our sins to the Cross with Him. The Sins are addressed in His Words. It seems clear to me that he defined what is ‘Good” according to His principles, and what is ‘Sinful.” That is an amazing Gift. How can we then turn around and say that there is a new understanding and that some of what He counts as deplorable sins, is now OK? I also realize how easy it is to take His printed Words, and cast them aside in a new translation version. Please, Jehovah, Jesus, and Holy Spirit, show us Your Way in all of this. Let us keep that clearly defined and before us daily so that we may obey Your Commands. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Delilah bruch
September 26, 2019

When you say “in spirit” do you mean praying in other tongues ?

Judy Beavers
September 26, 2019

I feel that this is where the church is finally finding itself. Going deeper in his word to go higher into the counsel of God. seeking and finding ways to break strongholds to bring salvation to the lost and unity in the body to do Gods will for these end times.

Dorothy Ter Horst
September 26, 2019

Lord, please confuse the strategy of the demonic realm causing confusion about your Holy word and the work of your Spirit. Make one lie prove another wrong until they kill each other and fall to the ground, in Jesus name, Amen.

Pattie Searcy
September 26, 2019

I don’t go to church anymore and yes l agree with unity. SYSTEMS are being JUDGED now behind churches ministries. Nobody cares ur the elites of christianity and also the whisle blowers. Mega business Christian’s who can afford it all a clique. Prove it. OPPRESSED!

Jack Crans
September 26, 2019

I read this article with special interest! Thank you for posting it …
I’m no stranger to perhaps those reading this …
I agree that the Holy Spirit of God clearly works in fullest conjunction with the Word of God!
This is for certain …
I see a growing manifestation of ‘WORD’ that is extra-biblical …. not, from the written covenant of God’s Word the
you note in this article…..
I’ve found this ‘extra-biblical’ WORD to be divisive, and too often even errant against the written and inspired text of scripture …
Most recently, a dear brother was wrestling greatly over the issue of same-sex-marriage … a very specific issue addressed clearly in God’s Word… while professing to have great reverence for the sacred text, he gave witness to a ‘WORD FROM GOD’ that challenged his original thoughts and he went forward to the ordaining of a practicing, confessed ‘same-sex-partner’ pastor for full-time ministry in the local church…

This is heartbreaking…. I am deeply concerned and soberly confessing my hesitance concerning some of what this article implies….

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