You and I have unlimited power.

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. And …darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters. Then God said, "Let there be light; and there was light."

There can be no doubt, after reading the very first verse of scripture, that God's Word, indeed, changes things.

God the Father, in the process of creation, spoke our world into existence, not in a magical sense, but a sovereign one. He is a God of order and ordination. He has ordained that man have one awesome sphere of influence-that of prayer that changes things. But He actually intended prayer to encompass much more than that.

He speaks of intimacy and faith and how much they please Him. Without incorporating them with prayer, prayer becomes simply one more item on our list of things to do.

God desires that you and I come into completeness as His children and use all the gifts with which He has blessed us. If we have intimacy with God, then faith and communing with Him in prayer will be the result.

It says in scripture, "All power is given to Me in heaven and in earth." (Matt. 28:18) In another place it's written, "Everything the Father has given Me, I have given you."

As believers in Jesus Christ, He intends that we share equally in the privilege and responsibility of prayer. Without prayer, nothing happens, in heaven or on earth.

Remember the story of King Hezekiah, who was dying? "And Isaiah, the prophet came to him and said, 'Set your house in order, for you shall die...' And he turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, saying, Remember now, O Lord, I beseech Thee, how I have walked before Thee in truth and with a whole heart, and have done what is good in Thy sight.' And Hezekiah wept bitterly. And it came about before Isaiah had gone out of the middle court, that the word of the Lord came to him, saying, 'Return and say to Hezekiah, the leader of My people, 'Thus says the Lord, the God of your father David, I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears, behold, I will heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of the Lord, and I will add fifteen years to your life, and I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria, and I will defend this city for My own sake and for My servant, David's sake.'"

In a remarkable example of God responding to the prayer of his servant, He not only answers Hezekiah's prayer for healing, but freely offers to do three other things the king never even requested. He not only heals him, but adds an additional fifteen years to his life. Besides that, He promises to deliver the city from the enemy and defend it on an ongoing basis, because of His great love for King David, with whom He had a covenant. In this one instance, we see the awesome potential of prayer.

A Look at Intimacy

To understand prayer, we must first understand the heart of God. Before the creation of man, God was actually lonely for relationship. And except for the trinity, at that time, there was no one with which to fellowship. In the mind of God, man was created for the very purpose of communing and being intimate friends with his creator. Awesome, isn't it?

Everything God did, in creation, was for the purpose of supporting the relationship. When He made man, God didn't want him to be alone, so He designed a companion to keep him from loneliness. He gave him a reason to live, tending the garden and the animals. God assigned Adam to name the animals and oversee the handiwork of God. Because there was no need to till anything yet, the work was relatively easy.

At that point, Adam and Eve spent their time together, and each evening God joined them, just to share what was on their hearts. Can you imagine God showing interest in the mundane interests of man? scripture says He did just that.

God cared to know what Adam and Eve were thinking and feeling. Now you and I know that He didn't need to ask what they thought. Being omniscient, God already had a good grasp of man's thoughts and emotions. But He wanted to hear it from their own lips-He wanted fellowship with them. He wanted to walk and talk with them in the cool of the evening. This was the origin of true intimacy.

And He wants intimacy with us. You and I know how much we are blessed by fellowship. Without the connection with others, we become isolated, introspective and even a little strange. God knew this and designed us to need that connection, not only with others, but especially with Himself.

In fact, we have a place inside us that yearns for that closeness, and without it, we feel incomplete and empty. When we refuse to let God assume His rightful place, that yawning gap demands to be filled with something. Oftentimes, we fill it with all manner of activities, acquaintances, entertainment and distractions, but those occupations only momentarily divert us from our feelings of emptiness. If that gap remains empty, we lose hope and depression sets in.

When we are intimate with God, He reveals His heart to us, enabling us to pray according to His will and not ours. And when we set aside our desires, submitting to His will, scripture says He hears us.

A Look at Prayer

When we, as those who are called Christians, take our rightful place in the beloved, God offers us the most amazing gift--that of keeping in touch with the Him.

What an incredible opportunity--to know and be known by the King of Kings Himself. Somehow, though, we can easily fail to grasp the fact, or we can become so accustomed to it that we take it for granted. May we never lose sight of what we have in Jesus Christ.

He doesn't want just lip service, which is easy to give when we know the jargon. He wants us to give it our best effort, as when He says, "Whatever you do, in word or deed, do it heartily, as unto the Lord."

Amazingly, because He loves us, God always gives much more than we ask in answer to our prayers.

Ephesians 3: 8-21 says this: "To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ and to bring to light…the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God… in order that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known … in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him. For this very reason, I bow my knees before the Father… that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power, through His spirit in the inner man; so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend… what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ… that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be glory forever and ever. Amen."

Did you grasp the last paragraph? He's saying we have it ALL; we have ready access to everything God could possibly give us. He has held absolutely nothing back from us.

The one phrase stands out in sharp contrast: In whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him.

God freely gave us the keys to the doors of heaven when He offered us salvation. And He intends us to use them to change things on earth.

Over and over scripture invites us to come boldly to the throne of grace, to find help in our times of need. He doesn't want us living in powerlessness, cowering under the weight of our burdens, for He has dressed us in robes of righteousness, as well as made us heirs of God, right beside Jesus. And in making us heirs, He has also given us the power to change things through prayer.

Rarely do we, as the children of the Most High God, understand, nor do we take seriously, the responsibility of communing with God and staying in the secret place, the only refuge we have from the world.

Prayer is first and foremost, as far as God is concerned, a connection from our hearts to His. Incredibly, He comes to complete attention when we speak to Him. Just like He did with Zechariah, He stops what He's doing and connects to us in that very moment.

It awes and amazes me that He would stoop so low as to care what is going on in our minds and emotions, but He does. He loves intimacy with us. He craves it and longs for it.

But something even more important happens when we get into fellowship with God in the secret place. We are changed. We are filled up and melted, convicted and encouraged. Let me say that again--we are changed.

Many people go to church, making a show of worshipping. From the outside, no one but us really knows what's happening in our spirits, whether we are truly in the secret place or not. But God knows. We, as human beings, can go through the motions, by rote, of whatever becomes familiar. But that is not true worship.

True worship doesn't necessarily take place in church, and in fact, hopefully takes place more often than we could possibly enter the sanctuary doors. It's a matter of the heart, and should be a constant process, as when scripture says, "Pray without ceasing."

True worship is when you and I get into the secret place of God, worshipping, pouring out our hearts and being filled up. The opportunity to access the throne room is available without waiting or standing in line. We never get a busy signal. But how often do we go there?

For many of us, the cares of the world and the distractions of life keep us out of the secret place, but the time is soon coming when we will need to stay, dwell and make our home there, or we will be too weak to 'overcome until the end'.

Many times, we think we can make it on our own, and even if we don't admit the fact openly, we may simply walk away from God, in the course of time and activities.

About Worship

I want to make a bold statement about worship. I believe that our ability to function effectively in the body of Christ and as a light to the world-- is directly proportionate to the time we spend, basking in His presence, in the secret place of God.

Just like Moses, who went up on Mount Sinai to receive the commandments, we should be different after being in God's presence. The Bible says the children of Israel couldn't even look at Moses, because his countenance was so luminous.

If we think we, as humans, have anything to offer God in ourselves, we need only look to scripture to see that "our righteousness is as filthy rags," wholly unacceptable to the Father. But as we put on the righteousness of Christ, entering that secret place, with tender, contrite hearts, God reaches out, ministering to us with supernatural power.

In God's presence, we are supernaturally changed. When we go into the secret place, bowing our hearts, we are transformed, filled up, even seeing new revelations we haven't known before. At that point, we may go out and minister in amazing ways, simply because God is working in and through us, while our old man is set aside.

God longs for us to live this way. Understanding this is just the beginning. When we learn to function according to His plan, He will use us in mighty ways, which we've never even dared to dream.

When discussing prayer, and we do discuss it, if the number of books on the subject is any indication-we need to put it in perspective. We need to see that it is just one aspect of this relationship with God. But prayer cannot stand on its own outside of relationship, and in fact, it is out of intimacy that effective prayer is birthed.

It is guaranteed--that if we go expectantly into the secret place and are changed, our prayers can't help but be effective and fervent. At that point, we can tell God whatever is on our hearts, and ask anything, and scripture says it will be done unto us according to our faith.

Why then, have our prayers been ineffective, and why hasn't our world been changed because of prayer?

I believe it is because few of us have taken seriously the need to be in the secret place of intimacy. When we simply pray out of obligation or when the need arises, we may not have the right heart attitude. scripture says clearly that if we have sin in our hearts, God will not hear or answer our prayers. Ps: 66:18-"If I regard wickedness in my heart, the Lord will not hear."

A look at faith. Lack of power may also stem from unbelief. We know God can do what we ask, but we may not believe He will do it. scripture desrc
ibes the one who is like this as 'wavering, tossed about like wheat blowing in the wind. It also makes it clear that the wavering pray-er will receive nothing for his efforts. Unbelief is called sin.

scripture says that the effective, fervent prayer of the righteous avails much. Effective and fervent are the operative words here.

God says He hates lukewarm prayers, that He would rather we not pray at all than pray without fervency. But so often, that's exactly the way our prayers come across.

What God wants is that intimate connection where we know and appreciate exactly what is happening when we approach Him with our needs. When that happens, the sky is not even the limit.

As we study His Word, and get to really know Him, we can know that we know that we know that He will answer our prayers. In fact, scripture says, "He delights to give us the desires of our hearts."

What's more, He invites us to come with bold confidence to the throne of grace. And when we go to Him with the right heart attitude, amazing things happen. We become useful tools, vessels of honor, able to open our mouths and speak the wisdom, even the oracles of God, giving glory to Him.

Just imagine what would happen if we were to occupy the secret place and never leave. Our prayers could not help but be powerful, nor could the world fail to be changed. And it is His desire that we be ready, in season and out of season, to pray.

Repeatedly in His Word, God shows us how to pray. When teaching the disciples how to pray, Jesus said, "When you pray, say…"

But here is a secret He wants us to know. It is as though we have a bank account in heaven that He has already credited with answers, ready for immediate withdrawal.

Isn't that awesome? He has already set in motion the answers to our prayers and is simply waiting for us to ask. So what are we waiting for?

When praying, I find it builds my faith when I pray back His promises, and I have repeatedly seen Him honor His own Word in response. In fact, scripture says that He cannot deny Himself, meaning He cannot fail to live up to those promises.

Often I will pray, "Lord, You say in Your Word-the effective fervent prayer of the righteous avails much,' therefore, I ask…" (James 5:16)

Or I might pray something like this: "Lord, I join hearts with my sister, for You say where two or three are gathered, You are in our midst. You say that greater is He that is in you than he that is within the world. So according to Your Word, I ask that You would rise up mighty in my sister and help her be always victorious through this trial. Help her to keep her gaze fixed on your wonderful face instead of on the turbulence under her feet. Make her like hinds' feet on high places, and raise her up a mighty testimony to your love and grace. Be her hiding place where all is peace. We choose to give you glory, before we see a single evidence of your answer, because You say that is faith that pleases You. In Jesus' mighty name we agree and believe, amen and amen."

These are powerful words that we can pray back to God, speaking into being the things that aren't, and reinforcing faith in our own hearts.

Other src
iptures that build my faith when I pray them back: (You may want to use only certain phrases in your prayers.)

"Greater is He that is within you than he that is within the world." ( I John 4:4) "It is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure."(Phil 2:13) "For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ." (Phil 1:6) "And in Him, you have been made complete." (Col 2:10) "That you may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God." (Col. 4:12) "For who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation? Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming? For you are our glory and joy." (I Thess. 2:19-20) "And I say to you, ask and it shall be given to you; seek and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it shall be opened." (Luke 11: 9-10)

Putting scripture into prayer:

Before praying, I ask the Lord to pray through me, for only then will my prayer be most effective. Once again assured that He cannot deny Himself, I know He will hear and answer my prayer.

When praying, I might say, "Lord, thank You for enabling me with courage when You say-- 'Be strong and courageous, for…' the Lord is the one who goes ahead of you. He will be with you. He will not forsake you nor fail you. Do not fear or be dismayed." (Deut. 31:7-8)

"I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you." (Heb. 13:5)

Other examples:

"Lord, You will give courage-- 'Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.'" (Josh 1:8)

"I thank You that Your Word assures me of victory-- 'Surely the Lord has given all the land into our hands and all the inhabitants of the land… have melted away before us'." (Josh: 2:24)

"Thank You, Lord, for You will use us-'Then the Spirit of the Lord will come upon you mightily, and you shall prophesy with them and be changed into another man… for God is with you.'" (I Sam. 9:6-7)

"And now, therefore, may it please Thee to bless the house of Thy servant, that it may continue forever before Thee. For Thou, O Lord God, hast spoken; and with Thy blessing may the house of Thy servant be blessed forever.'" (II Sam. 7:29)

"Lord, You promise-'Now it shall be, if you will diligently obey the Lord, your God, being careful to do all His commandments, which I command you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth.'" (Deut. 28:1)

"Thank You, Lord, that You-- 'lift us like hinds' feet on high places…'" (Ps. 18:33)

"Thank You, Lord, for direction-- 'He will go before us and make the rough paths smooth…'" (Is. 45:2)

"Thank You, Lord, that we belong to You-- 'Do not fear, for I have redeemed you. I have called you by name, you are Mine! When you pass through the waters, I will be with you and through the rivers they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, nor will the flame burn you.'" (Is: 43:1-2)

"Thank You, Lord, for forgiveness-- 'I, even I am the one who wipes out your transgressions, for My own sake. And I will not remember your sins'" (Is. 43:25)

"I rejoice, Lord, over Your promise to make a way-- 'I will open rivers on the bare heights, and springs in the midst of the valleys; I will make the wilderness a pool of water and the dry land fountains of water.'" (Is. 41:18)

"Lord, Your Word promises you will strengthen us-'Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the creator of the ends of the earth, does not become weary or tired. His understanding is insrc
utable. He gives strength to the weary and to him who lacks might He increases power.'" (Is. 40:28-29)

"We glory, Lord, in Your Word that sustains us-'For I am the Lord, your God, who upholds your right hand, who says to you, 'Do not fear, I will help you.'" (Is. 41:13)

* "Your Word promises it is-- 'Powerful and sharper than a two-edged sword.'"

* "You tell us to boldly 'speak into being the things that aren't as though they were', therefore…"

* "Lord, right now we ask that You would restore what the canker has stolen…"

* "Give beauty for ashes, Lord."

* "You say, "I will be found by you when you seek Me with all of your heart."

"Thank you, Lord, for comfort-- 'Weeping may last for the night, but a shout of joy comes in the morning.'" (Ps. 30:5)

"Lord, I bless You, believing that-- 'Thou has set my feet in a large place.'" (Ps. 31:8)

"Your Word says You are our refuge-- 'How great is Thy goodness, which Thou hast stored up for those who fear Thee, which Thou hast wrought for those who take refuge in Thee.'" (Ps. 31:19)

"I can count on Your assurance--'For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the Lord will take me up.'" (Ps. 27:10)

"Thank You, Father, for forgiveness-- 'How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.'" (Ps. 32:1)

"My future is in Your hands-- 'Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.'" (Ps. 23:6)

"Together we agree-'May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble. May the name of the God of Jacob set you securely on high. May He grant you your heart's desire and fulfill all your counsel.'" (Ps. 20:1-4)

"Thank You for Your promise of protection-'The Lord also will be a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble, and those who know Thy name will put their trust in Thee, for Thou, O Lord, has not forsaken those who seek Thee.'" (Ps. 9:9-10)

"We believe and agree for rest-- 'In peace I will both lie down and sleep, for Thou alone, O Lord, dost make me to dwell in safety.'" (Ps. 4:8)

"Bless you, Lord, for Your Word that protects us-- 'But Thou, O Lord, art a shield about me, my glory and the One who lifts my head.'" (Ps. 3:3)

"Blessed be the Lord, because He has heard the voice of my supplications. The Lord is my strength and my shield, My heart trusts in Him and I am helped, therefore my heart exults." (Ps. 28:6-7)

"We ask that, according to Your Word, You would 'Confuse, O Lord, and divide their tongues.'" (Ps. 55:9)

"Oh, satisfy us in the morning with Thy lovingkindness that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. And let the favor of the Lord be upon us; and do confirm the work of our hands..." (Ps. 90:14-17)

"Thank You, Lord, for forgiveness-'As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. Just as a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those that fear Him. For He Himself knows our frame. He is mindful that we are but dust.'" (Ps. 103:14)

"I glory in Your promise-'He changes a wilderness into a pool of water, and a dry land into springs of water. And there He makes the hungry to dwell, so that they may establish an inhabited city and sow fields and plant vineyards and gather a fruitful harvest. Also He blesses them and they multiply greatly, and He does not let their cattle decrease.'" (Ps. 107:35-38)

"We stand on Your Word that promises safety-'But He sets the needy securely on high away from affliction, and makes his families like a flock. The upright see it and are glad.'" (Ps. 107:41-42)

"I rejoice in your strength-'O, God the Lord, the strength of my salvation, Thou has covered my head in the day of battle.'" (Ps. 140:7)

"We agree with Your Word that says to pray, 'Deliver me, O Lord, from my enemies; I take refuge in Thee.'" (Ps. 143: 9)

"We bless You, Lord that You are patient-'Gracious and merciful; slow to anger and great in lovingkindness. The Lord is good to all and His mercies are over all His works.'" (Ps. 145: 8-9)

"We praise You for Your nearness-'The Lord is righteous in all His ways and kind in all His deeds. The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth.'" (Ps. 145:17-18)

"Thank You for Your Word that encourages us to-- 'Be strong and let your heart take courage, all you who hope in the Lord.'" Ps. 31:23-24)

"We claim Your power, Lord, when we agree-- 'My grace is sufficient for Thee. For my strength is made perfect in weakness.'" (II Cor. 12:9)

"You say You 'give grace to help in time of need…'" ((Heb. 4:16)

"You reassure us that-- 'The righteous cry, and the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.'" (Ps.34: 17-18)

"Lord, You restore my joy-- 'You have turned my mourning into dancing, loosed my sackcloth and girded me with gladness.'" (Ps. 30:11)

"You say, 'Blessed are they that mourn.'" (Matt. 5:4)

"You promise that when my 'Father and mother forsake me, the Lord will take me up.'" (Ps. 26:10)

"Thank You for Your promise-- 'He that dwells in the secret place of the Most High, shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.'" (Ps. 91:1)

"You say that by your stripes, we are healed." (I Pet. 2:24)

"You guarantee that we have the petitions we ask according to His will,' therefore we ask…'" ((I John 5:15)

"You say, 'Where two or three are gathered, You are in their midst…'" (Matt. 18:20)

"You lift us up when You whisper-'blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.'" (Matt. 5:3)

"You promise-- 'You will never leave us or forsake us.'" (Heb. 13:5)

"Thank You that Your-- 'promises are yea and amen.'" (II Cor. 1:20)

The scripture is not just an ordinary book. The Word says it is alive, able to divide asunder body and spirit.

In Ezekiel 37, Ezekiel was standing in a valley full of dead, dry bones, "And the Lord said to me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, "Oh, Lord, God, Thou knowest. And He said to me, "Prophecy over these bones, and say to them, "O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. "Thus says the Lord God to these bones, 'Behold, I will cause breath to enter you that you may come to life. I will put sinews on you, make flesh grow back on you, cover you with skin, and put breath in you that you may come alive; that you will know that I am the Lord.'

Verse 10 says, "So I prophesied as He commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they came to life and stood on their feet an exceedingly great army."

When we pray in response to the Spirit's prompting, God guarantees to answer our prayers.

Other powerful src
iptures to pray back:

"Lord, You say-- 'Call unto Me, and I will answer you, and tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.'"(Jer. 33:3)

* "You comfort me with these words-'The Lord is for me; I will not fear; what can man do to me?'"

* "Your Word says that a touch of Your garment brings healing."

* "You say the prayer of faith heals the sick."

* "You are our rear guard and our high tower of protection."

* "You erect a hedge of protection, and even thorns, around Your beloved."

"When my anxious thoughts multiply within me, Thy consolations delight my soul." (Ps. 94:19)

"Because he loved Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him securely on high, because he has known My name." (Ps. 91:14)

"Lord, You are 'My strength and my song, You have become my salvation.'" (Ps. 118:14)

"Thank You, Lord, for You tell us to claim-- 'I love the Lord, because He hears my voice and my supplications. Because He has inclined His ear to me, therefore I will call upon Him as along as I live.'" (Ps. 116:1-2)

"Lord, You say-'precious in Your sight is the death of His godly ones.'" (Ps. 116:15)

"Thank You, Lord, that You instruct us-'O Israel, trust in the Lord. You are our help and our shield.'" (Ps. 115:9)

"Your Word says You hear-- 'our voice and supplications. Because You have inclined Your ear to me, therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live.'" (Ps. 116:2)

"Lord, on the day I called Thou didst answer me; Thou didst make me bold with strength in my soul." (Ps. 138:3)

"You comfort me when You say-'Where can I go from Thy spirit, or where can I flee from Thy presence? Even there, Thy hand will lead me, and Thy right hand will lay hold of me.'" (Ps. 139:7-10)

"Lord, You promise-- You 'will accomplish what concerns me.'" (Ps. 138:8)

"Thank You, Lord, that You say 'How blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in His ways. (Ps. 128:1)

"Lord, You reassure me-'Surely I have composed and quieted my soul; my soul is like a weaned child within me.'" (Ps. 131:2)

"I believe Your Word when You say-'those who sow in tears shall reap with joyful shouting. That he who goes to and fro with weeping, carrying his bag of seed, shall indeed come again with a shout of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.'" (Ps. 126:5-6)

"Thank You, Lord, that- 'Those who trust in the Lord are as Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever. And as the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds His people.'" (Ps. 125:1-2)

"Praise You, for Your Word, Lord, that guarantees-- 'The Lord is your keeper, the Lord is your shade on your right hand. The sun will not smite you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will protect you from all evil. He will keep your soul. The Lord will guard your going out and your coming in, from this time forth and forever.'" Ps. 121:5-8)

"Thank You, Lord, that You instruct us-- 'The unfolding of Thy words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.'" (Ps. 119:130)

"Your Word gives wisdom-- 'Thy word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.'" (Ps. 119:105)

"You comfort me with these words, 'O, may Thy lovingkindness comfort me, according to Thy word to Thy servant. May Thy compassion come to me that I may live.'" (Ps. 119: 76-77)

"We rejoice as we look to the future, Lord, for You promise, 'Even to your old age, I shall be the same, and even to your graying years I shall bear you. I shall carry you, and I shall bear you, and I shall deliver you.'" (Is. 46: 4)

"We thank You, Lord, that You fight for us-- 'And the prey of the tyrant will be rescued; for I will contend with the one who contends with you, and I will save your sons.'" (Is. 49:25)

"We believe You, Lord, when You say, 'Indeed, the Lord will comfort Zion, He will comfort all her waste places. And her wilderness He will make like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord. Joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the sound of a melody'." (Is. 51:3)

"Thank You, Lord, for the comfort of Your words-'And I have put My words in your mouth, and have covered you with the shadow of My hand, to establish the heavens, to found the earth, and to say to Zion, 'You are my people.'" (Is. 51:16)

"We rejoice to hear Your promise, Lord-'Fear not, for you will not be put to shame' neither feel humiliated, for you will not be disgraced…for your husband is your maker, whose name is the Lord of hosts.'" (Is. 54:4)

"Thank You, for the reassurance that-'No weapon that is formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue that accuses you in judgement, you will condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their vindication is from me,' declares the Lord.'" (Is. 54:17)

"Bless You, Lord, for refuge-'But he who takes refuge in Me shall inherit the land, and shall possess My holy mountain.'" (Is. 57:13)

"Thank You, Lord for Your provision-'Then you will take delight in the Lord, and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth.' And I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.'" (Is. 58:14)

"We rejoice that You have exalted us, Lord-'Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you, The Lord will rise upon you, and His glory will appear upon you. And nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.'" (Is. 60:1-3)

"I will rejoice greatly in the Lord. My soul will exult in my God, for He has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness." (Is. 61:10)

"Thank You, Lord, that You infuse us with power-'Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you.'" (Jer. 1:5)

"Then I said, Alas, Lord God! Behold I do not know how to speak, because I am a youth." But the Lord said to me, "Do not say, 'I am a youth." (Jer. 1:6-7)

"Everywhere I send you, you shall go, and all that I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of them. For I am with you to deliver you. Then the Lord… touched my mouth… "Behold, I have put My words in your mouth." (Jer. 1:7-9)

"You promise rest- 'Blessed is the man, who trusts in the Lord and whose trust is the Lord. For he will be like a tree planted by the water, that extends its roots by a stream and will not fear when the heat comes, but its leaves will be green, and it will not be anxious in a year of drought, not cease to yield fruit.'" (Is. 17: 7-8)

"Thank You, Lord, for Your comforting words-'For I will set My eyes on them for good, and I will bring them again to this land; and I will give them a heart to know Me, for I am the Lord, and they will be My people, and I will be their God, for they will return to Me with their whole heart.'" (Is. 24:6)

"I am blessed to remember that You-- 'Satisfy the weary ones and refresh every one who languishes.'" (Jer. 31: 25)

"Behold, I am the Lord God of all flesh; is anything too difficult for Me?"(Jer. 32: 27)

"We rejoice in Your faithfulness-'The Lord's lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning, Great is Thy faithfulness.'" (Lam. 3: 22-23)

"Thank You for newness of life-'And I shall give them one heart and shall put a new spirit within them. Then they will be My people and I shall be their God.'" (Ezek. 11:19-20)

"We hold onto the promise-'Though 'there be no fruit on the vines, and the field produce no food…yet I will exult in the Lord, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength, and He has made my feet like hind's feet and makes me walk on my high places.'" (Hab. 3:18-19)

"I agree with Your Word that says-'Not by might, nor by power, but by My spirit, says the Lord of hosts.'" (Zech. 4:6)

"Thank you, Lord, for Your provision--'Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse. And test Me now in this, says the Lord of hosts, "If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until there is no more need."'" (Zech 3:10)

"I am comforted, Lord, because Your Word says-'But for you who fear My name the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings; and you will go forth and skip about like calves from the stall, and you will tread down the wicked, for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet.'" (Mal. 4:2-3)

When we pray the src
iptures, claiming God's promises for others and ourselves, we not only build our faith, but we move mountains in the heavens, thereby offering the pleasing aroma of faith unto God. As we agree with others and watch God answer, we can't fail to grow in the nurture and admonition, even the understanding of the heart of God. And the object of our prayer cannot help but feel connected to us and to God, meeting that intrinsic need for intimacy. That person is blessed as the recipient of the answers drawn on the bank of heaven, and faith can only flourish as a result. Any way you look at it, it's a win-win situation.

To sum up, God promises He has equipped us for every good work and has left absolutely nothing to chance. But it is up to us, as His children, to claim what He has given us, with effective fervency, making withdrawals against our account in heaven. Not to use it on our lusts, but as willing tools in the Master's hands-to bless others and glorify the Lord Jesus Christ.

As we pray, God, (El Shaddai), who has already fulfilled our every need, is waiting for us to simply ask Him to pray through us. When we do that, praying scripture back to Him, He cannot deny Himself and will jump at the chance to complete the circle of intimacy between Himself and us. In so doing, we will be blessed and changed as He connects with us, and He will receive the glory.

So what will we do with intimacy, prayer and faith, the mighty weapons of our warfare? If we do not use them, but rather lay them aside, not only will we be ineffective and powerless, but we will also be targets of the enemy, easily defeated and consumed.

My challenge to you and me is this: "To pray back scripture. To walk as though we cannot possibly fail, for that is faith that pleases God. And all of heaven stands behind it to make it so."

* denotes Author paraphrase

Copyright ©2012, Nancy Arant Williams. Used by permission