We are a Body

Leave No Room for the Flesh

When speaking of Jesus, the writer of Hebrews said, 

“Therefore, when He came into the world, He said, ‘Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but a body You have prepared for Me. In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You had no pleasure. Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come—In the volume of the book it is written of me’” 

Hebrews 10: 5-7 Quoted from Psalm 40: 6 & 7

These were not just mere words that Jesus spoke—Jesus was prepared to lay down his life for these words—and that is exactly what He did! Jesus said,

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His Life for the sheep.” 

John 10:11

“As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.”

John 10:15

We are known by His name because of these things!

• In the same way, Christ calls us as believers in Him, to do exactly the same.
• We are called with a purpose and in this purpose, we will never again be the same.
• God calls us as a Body—not one of us is called to function alone.
• Each one of us is a representative of this one Body of Jesus Christ.
• We work together best when we work together as one.

There is no room for condemnatory pride in the Body of Christ. We are here to do His bidding. We are here to do His will. Even as husband and wife we must work together as one. For two working together are stronger, than one who works alone. Hallelujah!

The Apostle Paul said, 

“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit” 

Romans 8:1

When we focus on the flesh man, we begin to walk in the flesh. When we do this, we bring condemnation to others and we bring condemnation to ourselves. But when we walk in the spirit, we look to the Holy Spirit of God Who dwells within. In so doing, we become partners with others and partners in the Kingdom of God.

The Banner of The Cross is Revealed

Again, the Apostle Paul said, 

“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are IN Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” 

Romans 8:1

As believers in Christ, or those who are IN Christ Jesus, our protection—because of the cross is this: – that no man can bring a charge against God’s elect by which we can be condemned! The Apostle Paul said,

“Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God Who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ Who died, and furthermore is also risen, Who is even at the right hand of God, Who also makes intercession for us.”

Romans 8: 33 & 34

This word ‘elect’ is translated ‘eklektós’ in the Greek, from the middle voice ‘eklégomai’ – meaning ‘to select’; by implication, ‘favourite’;—’chosen’; ‘elect.’ Elsewhere in the Old Testament the same word is translated ‘bâchîyr’ in the Hebrew, from the primitive root ‘bâchar’ meaning ‘properly’; ‘to try’ i.e. (by implication) ‘select’:—’acceptable’; ‘appoint’; ‘choose (choice)’; ‘excellent’; ‘join’; ‘be rather’; ‘require’  – Please see Strong’s Concordance.

The Election of Jeremiah

The Lord said to Jeremiah,

“Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.”

Jeremiah 1:5 KJV

The Lord said He knew Jeremiah even before He was formed in his mother’s womb. But to understand the full meaning of these words, we must look to the primitive root.

The Lord said before Jeremiah was born, he was ‘sanctified’ – translated ‘qâdash’ in the Hebrew – from a primitive root meaning: ‘to be’ (causatively, make, pronounce or observe as) ‘clean’ (ceremonially or morally):—‘appoint’; ‘bid’; ‘consecrate’; ‘dedicate’; ‘defile’; ‘hallow’; (be, keep) ‘holy’ (-er, place), ‘keep’; ‘prepare’; ‘proclaim’; ‘purify’; ‘sanctify’ (-ied one, self), ‘wholly’  – Please see Strong’s Concordance.

The Lord said to Jeremiah he was ‘ordained’ – translated ‘nâthan’ in the Hebrew. A primitive root meaning: ‘to give’; used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.):—‘add’; ‘apply’; ‘appoint’;’ ascribe’; ‘assign’; ‘avenge’; ‘be (healed)’; ‘bestow’; ‘bring (forth, hither)’; ‘cast’; ‘cause’; ‘charge’; ‘come’; ‘commit’; ‘consider’; ‘count’; ‘cry’; ‘deliver (up)’; ‘direct’; ‘distribute’; ‘do’; ‘doubtless’; ‘without fail’; ‘fasten’; ‘frame’; ‘get’; ‘give (forth, over, up)’; ‘grant’; ‘hang (up)’; ‘have’; ‘indeed’; ‘lay (unto charge, up)’; ‘(give) leave’; ‘lend’; ‘let (out)’; ‘lie’; ‘lift up’; ‘make’; ‘O that’; ‘occupy’; ‘offer’; ‘ordain’; ‘pay’; ‘perform’; ‘place’; ‘pour’; ‘print’; ‘pull’; ‘put (forth)’; ‘recompense’; ‘render’; ‘requite’; ‘restore’; ‘send (out)’; ‘set (forth)’; ‘shew’; ‘shoot forth (up)’; ‘sing’; ‘slander’; ‘strike’; ‘(sub-) mit’; ‘suffer’; ‘surely’; ‘take’; ‘thrust’; ‘trade’; ‘turn’; ‘utter’; ‘weep’; ‘willingly’; ‘withdraw’; ‘would (to) God’; ‘yield’ (Strong’s Concordance).

In these words, many prophetic terms are revealed. Jeremiah was chosen for a specific purpose. He was ordained by God as a prophet to the nations.

• Every man, woman and child who is a believer in Jesus Christ is a part of the Body of Christ and therefore part of God’s elect.
• God chooses us first, but we also have a responsibility to respond by then choosing to follow Him.
• In the same way, Jeremiah was chosen by God for a specific purpose — to speak the word of the Lord to the nations — he did not choose this for himself — but when the word of the Lord came, he chose to reveal that which had been entrusted to him.

Do Not Be Deceived

There is only one Body! When we sin against one another in the Body of Christ, God’s heart is grieved. When we betray our brothers and sisters in the Body of Christ, we betray the very heart of Jesus. When others sin against us, it is easy to become offended. When we feel offended by another, it is easy to fall into deceit. But on the same night that Jesus was betrayed, fully knowing who His betrayer would be (See John 13:21-27), Christ Jesus continued to go on to make intercession for their needs.

The Book of Isaiah says, when foretelling of Jesus,

“Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong, because He poured out His soul unto death, and He was numbered with the transgressors, and He bore the sins of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.” 

Isaiah 53:12

The word ‘great’ used here is translated ‘rab’ meaning ‘abundant’ (in quantity, size, age, number, rank, quality):—(in) ‘abound’ (-undance, -ant, -antly), ‘captain’; ‘elder’; ‘enough’; ‘exceedingly’; ‘full’; ‘great’ (-ly, man, one), ‘increase’; ‘long’ (enough, (time), (do, have) ‘many’ (-ifold, things, a time); (‘ship’-) ‘master’; ‘mighty’; ‘more’; (too, very) ‘much’; ‘multiply’ (-tude), ‘officer’; ‘often’ (-times); ‘plenteous’; ‘populous’; ‘prince’; ‘process’ (of time); ‘suffice’ (-lent) 

The word ‘intercession’ in Isaiah 53 is translated ‘pâgaʻ in the Hebrew. A primitive root meaning ’to impinge’; by accident or violence, or (figuratively) by importunity (meaning persistence, especially to the point of annoyance):—‘come (betwixt)’; ‘cause to entreat’; ‘fall (upon)’; ‘make intercession’; ‘intercessor’; ‘intreat’; ‘lay’; ‘light (upon)’; ‘meet (together)’; ‘pray’; ‘reach’; ‘run.’ Part of its Biblical usage is translated, ‘to meet the mark’  – See also Strong’s Concordance.

For what the disciples were unable to do for themselves, Jesus the Christ did for them, by going to the Cross on their behalf. In this way, despite Judas’ betrayal, Christ continued to be willing to act on their behalf.

“The Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, ‘Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’ In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me. For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.” 

1 Corinthians 11:23-26

Our Prayers of Intercession are Important to God

When we come to intercede at the foot of the cross, we do not come alone, Hallelujah! Jesus Christ, Who both died and rose again is right there by our side. And when we do this on a daily basis, we do this for our friends. Jesus said,

“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.”

John 15:13-15

In the same way, we as believers in the one true Jesus Christ, need to lay down our lives as one Body; as one life. When we work together as one, demonic powers are overthrown. Hallelujah! This is important for every believer and for every husband and wife who belong to the Lord. For Jesus Christ is the living Word!

• What we do, or do not do, will affect not only ourselves, but others in the body of Christ also.
• Think before you act, think before you speak – is this going to be to the detriment of the Body of Christ? Or is it going to bring healing?
• It is very, very important, that we continue to speak words that heal.

Jesus Left No Man Behind

When Peter and John went into the temple to pray, they saw a man who was lame in his feet, sitting at the gate of the temple called Beautiful. On hearing his request for alms, instead of giving him money, Peter replied,

“Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk. And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and his ankle bones received strength.” 

Acts 3: 6 & 7

• The apostles gave what they had – they gave of themselves.
• What they contained in themselves was the redemptive power of a living Christ.
• By their actions and their words, this lame man was healed!

Jesus, whilst healing the sick, the lame and the blind, did not forget that there were still others who needed to be saved. When ten who were outcasts responded in faith, Jesus met their needs also, but in a different way.

“Now it happened as He (referring to Jesus) went to Jerusalem that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off. And they lifted up their voices and said, ‘Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!’ So when He saw them, He said to them, ‘Go, show yourselves to the priests.’ And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed.” 

Luke 17:11-14

• These ten lepers were simultaneously cleansed!
• The moment they heeded the voice of the Lord, they were set free!

The moment they received the words of Jesus these ten lepers were cleansed. Their presentation to the priests to fulfil a formality of the law was not what made them clean. Jesus made them clean! Jesus said to His disciples,

“You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you” 

John 15:3

There is power in Christ’s words. The moment we receive Christ words – for Jesus Christ is that living Word – we also are made clean. In the same way, Paul and Silas said to the keeper of the prison where they had been held captive,

“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” 

Acts 16:31

We are Washed in the Blood of the Lamb

When those who have come out of the great tribulation stand before the throne of God, they will stand in His presence in robes dressed in white, washed in the blood of the Lamb.

“So he (one of the elders in heaven) said to me, ‘These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them.’”

Revelation 7:14 & 15

When we enter into God’s presence, we enter in garments of praise, just as King David the Psalmist said,

“Praise the Lord! Praise the name of the Lord; Praise Him, O you servants of the Lord! You who stand in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God, Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good; Sing praises to His name, for it is pleasant. For the Lord has chosen Jacob for Himself, Israel for His special treasure.”

Psalm 135: 1 – 4

There is Sufficiency in His Name

The Apostle Paul said,

“For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which IS laid, which is Jesus Christ” 

1 Corinthians 3:11

After the healing of the lame man at the temple called beautiful, the Apostle Peter stood before the Sanhedrin (the rulers, elders and scribes of Israel). The Sanhedrin were disturbed because the apostles taught and preached that the resurrection from the dead came only through Christ and Christ alone. Therefore, they questioned them regarding the healing of this man, saying, 

“By what power or by what name have you done this?” 

Acts 4:7

Knowing they had been deceived, Peter replied, “If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well, let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. This is the stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone. Nor is there Salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

Acts 4: 9-12

Christ is the Head of the Church

God has placed everything within His Kingdom in a righteous order, according to His purposes and His plans. He has placed Christ as the Head of the Church, which is His Body, and the head of the woman as man.

“But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.” 

1 Corinthians 11:3

The word ‘man’ in this verse is a generic term, encompassing many forms of address, translated ‘anḗr’ in the Greek. A primary word, translated ‘a man’ (properly as an individual male): —‘fellow’; ‘husband’; ‘man’; ‘sir’. This is also true where the word ‘woman’ is concerned. Translated ‘gynḗ’ in the Greek. Probably from the base of ‘ginomai’ meaning ‘be’; ‘come to pass’; ‘be made’; ‘be done’; ‘come’; ‘become’; ‘God forbid’; ‘arise’; ‘have’; ‘be fulfilled’; ‘be married to’; ‘be preferred’; ‘a woman’; specially, ‘a wife’:—‘wife’; ‘woman.’

In the book of Ephesians, the Apostle Paul explains,

“For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Saviour of the body”

Ephesians 5:23

These are all Salvation terms and this is the significance of the previous verse. There is protection for all in the covering of the head. There is sufficiency in the Head of the Church (Who is Christ) for all our needs. This is significant for both husband and wife who believe.

Many years ago, our children received a significant witchcraft attack at a very young age. My husband and I dealt with this attack immediately, by praying a prayer covering of protection over them and removing the curse involved. A day or so later one of my children began to feel unsettled about what had occurred. As I climbed up into her bunk bed to minister to her, the Lord said to me, “It is finished! The enemy wanted me to fear and to believe that he still had an in-road or some form of access into her life, but the Lord showed me that the matter was finished the moment that we had prayed and believed.

• At the mention of Christ’s Name, the enemy’s power is overthrown! Hallelujah!

Israel Rebelled Against Moses

In the book of Numbers in the Old Testament of the Bible, the men of Israel rebelled against Moses and Aaron. These men, gathered together 250 leaders as representatives of the congregation to speak against them.

“Now Korah the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, with Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, and On the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men, and they rose up before Moses with some of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty leaders of the congregation, representatives of the congregation, men of renown. They gathered together against Moses and Aaron, and said to them, ‘You take too much upon yourselves, for all the congregation is holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord?’”

Numbers 16:1-3

The Scripture says these men were men of ‘renown’ translated ‘shêm’ meaning: ‘shame’; a primitive word, through the idea of ‘definite and conspicuous position’; ‘an appellation’ (meaning ‘a name or title’); as ‘a mark’ or ‘memorial of individuality’; by implication ‘honour’; ‘authority’; ‘character’; (in-) ‘fame’ (-ous); ‘named’; ‘renown’; ‘report’  – See Strong’s Concordance.

But when Moses heard their words, he fell on his face and said,

“Tomorrow morning the Lord will show who is His and who is holy, and will cause him to come near to Him. That one whom He chooses He will cause to come near to Him.” 

Numbers 16:5

“Is it a small thing to you that the God of Israel has separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to Himself, to do the work of the tabernacle of the Lord, and to stand before the congregation to serve them; and that He has brought you near to Himself, you and all your brethren, the sons of Levi, with you? And are you seeking the priesthood also? ‘Therefore you and all your company are gathered together against the Lord. And what is Aaron that you complain against him?’”

Numbers 16: 9-11

“And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, but they said, “We will not come up!”

Numbers 16:12

The Words of The Lord Are Put to The Test

The Lord then instructed through Moses, 

“Tomorrow, you and all your company be present before the Lord—you and they, as well as Aaron. Let each take his censer and put incense in it, and each of you bring his censer before the Lord, two hundred and fifty censers; both you and Aaron, each with his censer.” 

Numbers 16:16 & 17

When the glory of the Lord appeared before the congregation, the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 

“Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.” 

Numbers 16:21

When the people heard these words, they fell on their faces, saying, 

“O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and You be angry with all the congregation?” 

Numbers 16:22

The Lord said to Moses, 

“Speak to the congregation, saying, ‘Get away from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.’” 

Numbers 16:24

And the Lord instructed the people through Moses, 

“Depart now from the tents of these wicked men! Touch nothing of theirs, lest you be consumed in all their sins. So they got away from around the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram; and Dathan and Abiram came out and stood at the door of their tents, with their wives, their sons, and their little children.”

Numbers 16:26 & 27

The Covering of the Priesthood in The Home

There is something about a father, or the head of the household being saved, that flows down to the next generation. Because God has made man the head of his wife (as Christ is the Head of the Church and gave Himself for her), something takes place in the spiritual realm when the head of the household is saved. A spiritual transaction takes place, which causes the enemy to be pushed away from their home!

There is something about the authority of the priesthood of the home, that when he stands in the gap to intercede for his household, the enemy cannot touch His own.

When I first began to step out in faith to prophesy many years ago – a fear began to grip me so that I felt unable to open my mouth to speak. It was on this occasion that I began to ask my husband to pray. And as I stepped out in faith, the very next time that the word of the Lord came, I discovered that that fear had been totally taken away.

On a separate occasion, whilst I was still recovering from a head cold, I was sleeping in a separate room to my husband so that I would not disturb his sleep. Over those two nights, I began to suffer terror attacks in the form of demonic dreams. When I awoke in the middle of that second night, the Lord spoke to me, saying, “Go back into your husband’s bed.” As I obeyed the word of the Lord to my heart and returned to our bed that night, the nightmares immediately ceased and those same attacks ceased to occur.

God’s ordinances are God’s ordinances and the enemy has no choice but to obey His word. This is why the enemy is so very afraid! This is true concerning the covering of the leadership of any church congregation and it is true for the husband as the priest of his own home.

• There is safety in the ordinances of Christ!
• There is safety in God’s protective covering over a household!

There was Fire in the Camp of Israel

When the leaders of Israel rebelled against Moses and Aaron they rebelled against the ordinance of God and the covering of the priesthood was lost from their homes.

When the challenge came from the word of the Lord, it came to every man and his household. Moses warned the people, saying, 

“If these men die naturally like all men, or if they are visited by the common fate of all men, then the Lord has not sent me. But if the Lord creates a new thing, and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that belongs to them, and they go down alive into the pit, then you will understand that these men have rejected the Lord . Now it came to pass, as he finished speaking all these words, that the ground split apart under them, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households and all the men with Korah, with all their goods. So they and all those with them went down alive into the pit; the earth closed over them, and they perished from among the assembly. Then all Israel who were around them fled at their cry, for they said, ‘Lest the earth swallow us up also!’ And a fire came out from the Lord and consumed the two hundred and fifty men who were offering incense.” 

Numbers 16:29 – 35

The word of God tells us, that Nadab and Abi’hu, Aaron’s own sons, offered profane fire before the Lord “Which He had not commanded them.” Because of this, even Aaron’s own sons lost their lives in front of the Lord.

“Then Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it, put incense on it, and offered profane fire before the Lord, which He had not commanded them. So fire went out from the Lord and devoured them, and they died before the Lord. And Moses said to Aaron, ‘This is what the Lord spoke, saying: ‘By those who come near Me I must be regarded as Holy; and before all the people I must be glorified.  So Aaron held his peace.’” 

Leviticus 10:1-3

This word ‘profane’ is translated ‘Zûwr’, a primitive root, meaning ‘to turn aside’ (especially for lodging); hence ‘to be a foreigner’; ‘strange’; ‘profane’; specifically (active participle) ‘to commit adultery’:—(come from) ‘another’ (man, place); ‘fanner’; ‘go away’; (e-) ‘strange’ (-r, thing, woman).

• The Lord treats our actions and our words very seriously.

• No one is exempt from obedience to the word of the Lord.

A Vision from the Lord

When the Apostle John was on the Isle of Patmos, he was in the spirit on the Lord’s day. The Lord began to show him many things that were to come, but which he did not yet understand until they were explained to him. In Revelation chapter 5 the Apostle John said,

“Now when he (speaking of Jesus, the lamb that had been slain) had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying: ‘You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals; for You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation’.”

Revelation 5:8 & 9

This Scripture tells us that the golden bowls full of incense that John saw, were the prayers of the saints. So the prayers that we pray are so very important. We can pray foolish or manipulative prayers according to the dictates of our own hearts, following man’s wisdom, offering ‘strange’, ‘adulterous’ or ‘profane fire’ as Nadab and Abihu had. These prayers are unacceptable to God and will be judged accordingly by the Lord. Or we can pray according to God’s will in His word the Bible, and proclaim those things that bring hope and are good!

• Pray for those things that are helpful and truthful and are based on God’s word – expressing God’s heart and God’s desires as found in His word.
• No matter who the person or people are that you are praying for – pray for things that bless them and are for their future good.

Jesus said,

“But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.”

Matthew 5:44 – 45

The Apostle Paul likewise said in his letter to the Philippian church,

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 4:6 & 7

The Intervention of the Priesthood

Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, was instructed to pick up the censors of those men who had sinned against their very own souls, to be made into a covering for the altar as a sign and a memorial to the children of Israel so that they would not repeat these same men’s sins. The very next day, all the congregation of the children of Israel, complained against Moses and Aaron, saying,

“’You have killed the people of the Lord.’ Now it happened, when the congregation had gathered against Moses and Aaron, that they turned toward the tabernacle of meeting; and suddenly the cloud covered it, and the glory of the Lord appeared. Then Moses and Aaron came before the tabernacle of meeting. And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Get away from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.’ And they fell on their faces. So Moses said to Aaron, ‘Take a censer and put fire in it from the altar, put incense on it, and take it quickly to the congregation and make atonement for them; for wrath has gone out from the Lord. The plague has begun.’ Then Aaron took it as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the assembly; and already the plague had begun among the people. So he put in the incense and made atonement for the people. And he stood between the dead and the living; so the plague was stopped.” 

Numbers 16:41 – 48

• Had Aaron not taken the censor and run when he was told, a great loss of life would have occurred that day!

Deacons as Gatekeepers And The Significance of Praise

The word for ‘deacon’ in 1 Timothy 3:8-13 is translated ‘diákonos’ in the Greek. Probably from an obsolete ‘diákō’ (to run on errands); ‘an attendant’; i.e. (genitive case) ‘a waiter’ (at table or in other menial duties); specially, ‘a Christian teacher and pastor’ (technically, a deacon or deaconess): —‘deacon’; ‘minister’; ‘servant.’

Part of its Biblical usage is: ‘One who executes the commands of another’, esp. of a master; ‘a servant’; ‘attendant’; ‘minister.’ ‘The servant of a king.’

The deacons are the gatekeepers of the church. They carry the weight of prayer in the church. They carry the weight of prayer so that the apostleship may continue. Anywhere we see the resurrection power of Christ portrayed, the message of the gospel is being proclaimed! This is significant to the priesthood of every home. There is power in His great Name!

When learning to pray, we must first learn to push through the envelope of praise! When someone gifts us an envelope, it is not until we open that envelope that we can see what has been placed inside from the heart of the giver. God has given each one of us a significant gift in the envelope of praise. There are treasures of darkness just waiting on the other side of our praise.

• There is a present in His presence!

“I will give you the treasures of darkness and hidden riches of secret places, that you may know that I, the Lord, Who call you by your name, am the God of Israel.”

 Isaiah 45:3

There is significant power in our praise. Many people give up too quickly, so do not break through the resistance of the enemy when they face opposition in praise. But it is the anointing that breaks the yoke! When we persevere in praise, we will face opposition, but we will begin to feel our praise build and then a mighty crescendo will take place as breakthrough comes and the manifest (tangible) presence of the Holy Spirit’s anointing will come. Both prayer and praise are equally important for the priesthood of any home to continue in on a daily basis, that the power of the enemy may be overthrown! Jesus says, “Look to Me and Me alone and My power will be portrayed in your home!”

Finally Brethren

In Paul’s final address to the Ephesian church, he wrote,

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the whole armour of God, that you may be able to withstand (translated ‘anthistēmi’ in the Greek, meaning: ‘to stand against’; ‘oppose’; ‘resist’ – See Strong’s concordance; or, ‘to remain undamaged or unaffected by’;’ resist’, ‘offer strong opposition or resistance to’ (Oxford dictionary) in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the (Holy) Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the (Holy) Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints – and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.”

Ephesians 6:10 – 20

Amen, Amen and Amen!

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