The prior enemies

The LAST enemy to be destroyed is death — 1 Cor. 15:26 NIV (caps mine). It should be obvious that if there is a LAST enemy, then there are PRIOR enemies.

The last of the unholy horde, death will be killed. Before that — in other words, NOW — other enemies need to be eliminated: scarcity in your ministry, stingy giving, doubtful offering, poverty mentality. These are enemies of your ministry because they are holding up, limiting, blocking the advancement of God’s kingdom.

We need to proceed against these enemies now — in prayer. They should be destroyed with no further waiting. The Bible specifies that we should NOT subdue death because that is reserved for the End. But we mustn’t hold off the rough treatment of other enemies that must be defeated before the end. Be violent in your upper room with these spirits that are strangling the flow of money.

God likes it hot

 

Not all chili sauces are equal. Some are extremely hot. Others are muted; they specialize in flavor from non-pepper ingredients like vinegar. Chiliheads are the studs who boast about how much heat they swallow without throwing up. Some chili peppers are so hot they can burn a hole through metal (JK). There actually is a scientific scale for measuring heat potency.

Not all prayers are equal. Some are duds. Jesus Himself prayed fervently, not  half-hearted mumblings. During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission — Heb. 5:7 NIV.

Think of the reverent submission as the vinegar, the loud cries as the heat level. For Jesus, prayer was not mechanics; it was pure passion. It was not a boring routine or requirement; it was His lifeblood. We need to imitate Christ in our prayers. I appreciate poetic prayers, but those who espouse too much theological correctness sometimes lack spice.

Turn up the heat!