Hope Australia – Notes for “Preparing For His Presence” May, 2013
Reasons why Community Transformation Projects are not Sustained
1). An insufficient appetite for the Presence of God that denotes the longevity required to ensure He remains the Potter and we the clay!
2). An insufficient personal and collective commitment to the Community and the propendency towards a “same ‘ole same ‘ole”.
3). An insufficient collective vision for the community (too much individualism and an independent spirit based on entitlement and lawlessness).
4). An inability to sustain targeted and accountable fervent intercession (too little revelation and too few results to keep the appetite of prayer fueled and satisfied).
5). Not stewarding the essentials (see 10 keys below) that “maintain” the Presence of God in an area
6). Entering into Experiential Theology or Extra Biblical “Activity” thus losing “Plumb Line” reference and ignoring God’s required Boundaries.
Avoiding Attrition- Stewarding Revival (10 non-negotiables)
-Watch out for lethargy within the Body of Christ – necessity of persevering leadership
- Retain Prevailing Prayer, tenacity, aggressiveness
-Don't lose intimacy with the Father (personal, then corporate transformation) – Fear of the Lord vs. the Fear of man!
-No compromise or justification over "issues of sin" - watch out for "footholds" - Eph 4:27 – we need to allow for new wineskins
-Don't neglect new territory - steward it carefully and prayerfully - learn how to guard, keep, and occupy - nurture leadership relationships, corporate times of prayer, fasting, joint local church events, regular prayer walking, extend the tent pegs carefully and correctly
-Establish Revival in Society – all 3 Generations are at the same time today’s church – Be mentoring and protecting the next generation
-Remember A.O.K. – Jesus was moved with compassion – such “Acts Of Kindness” are still essential today for sustaining revival/transformation
-Establish godly watchmen – extended territory means increasing responsibility – Keep Watch! – esp .over potential footholds!
-Pray the correct gatekeepers into places of authority and influence. They determine doorways / spheres of influence and protection in a community
-Guard against jealousy / personal ambition / denominationalism / misunderstanding / criticism, etc. – these endanger unity! – The Unity Principle!
Keys to City and National Transformation
•Understand the spiritual climate – this was essential for Paul – Acts 17-19 – see the background to his famous sermon in Acts 17:22ff
•To change the city – the marketplace must be changed – this requires spiritual reconnaissance (Acts 19:26-27)
•Marketplace ministers and pulpit ministers need to walk side by side which releases the “spiritual wealth” in a city
•Divine strategy comes from a combination of revelation and knowledge (dia-gnosis)
•This reveals the “iniquitous patterns”
Protocol For Entering A City
•Understand the spiritual climate – this was essential for Paul – Acts 17-19 – see the background to his famous sermon in Acts 17:22ff
•To change the city – the marketplace must be changed – this requires spiritual reconnaissance (Acts 19:26-27)
•Marketplace ministers and pulpit ministers need to walk side by side which releases the “spiritual wealth” in a city
•Divine strategy comes from a combination of revelation and knowledge (dia-gnosis)
•This reveals the “iniquitous patterns”
•Know the pulse of the city (its sins / wounds / destiny)
•Plan to pray and pray to plan – with posture (humility), persistence, perseverance, patience…and for provision
•Steward your work (attain – maintain – retain…guard – keep – occupy)
Practical Steps
•Who else of like mind is in your area?
•Determine regular times of meeting for prayer and relationship building
•Determine who has done any “research” in the past
•Come together for a time of envisioning
•Determine who else – in isolation – may be part of God’s developing strategy
•Collate any and all prophetic words – and / or earlier attempts in developing a transformation template – and determine what happened
•Determine 3-4 may strengths of your area
•Determine the 3-4 main weaknesses / challenges
•Describe God’s intent in your area in 1-2 sentences
•Develop research and mobile and interceding intercessors
•Determine what is involved in your assigned and attainable area
•Be in contact with those in other areas
•Gradually see the “jig saw” pieces emerge and connect
The Key “Doorways” (Access Points) To A Community
•The Church – God’s Voice in Society
•The Legal Doorway
•The Political Doorway
•The Education Doorway
•The Business / Economic Doorway
•The Media Doorway
•The Health & Welfare Doorway
•Armed Forces (where applicable)
The Importance of Keeping The House Clean
•Deut. 7:26 – No detestable thing is to be brought into the house – abhor it / detest it – otherwise destruction is inevitable!
•Joshua 7:12-13 – Cleansing is required for consecration
•Judges 6:25-26 – Gideon tearing down unholy altars – an infestation to people and the land
•Nehemiah 13:8 – Tobiah’s household goods – remove what is unholy!
•2 Kings 23 – The Josiah Declaration – Cleansing of people and land at the King’s command!
•2 Chronicles 29-30 – Hezekiah’s Initiative – starting with the priests, the Levites – the Temple and then all of society!
•Matthew 12:44 – Keep the “house” clean so as to avoid re-occupation / re-contamination
•Matthew 23:25-28 – Internal cleansing precedes external cleansing
•Mark 11:12-17 – Jesus cleansed the Temple
The Seven Attractors – It’s An Issue of the Heart
•Humility
•Holiness
•Relational Unity
•Integrity
•Transparency
•Vertically Informed and Horizontally Accountable Intercessory Prayer
•Public Power Encounters
The Keys To A Healthy Church
The Church is people who have been redeemed by the Blood of Christ, anointed by the Holy Spirit, and commissioned by Jesus Himself (c.f. Matthew 16:18 – I will build My Church….)
- Faith is the open hand by which we take what God is offering us in His Grace
- Faith is confidence in a God that is absolutely trustworthy and utterly reliable
- Faith is willing to accept what it cannot understand
- Faith is neither encouraged nor discouraged by circumstances
- Faith is ever discovering what God is able to do in the face of all difficulties and opposition
- Faith’s chief mandate and responsibility is in obtaining the promises of God
- Faith distinguishes between the authentic and the deceptive
Obstacles To Authentic Revival
•1. Pride (individual / corporate)
•2. Unbelief / Scepticism (Can God really….?)
•3. Dishonesty /Devoted Things / Opaqueness
•4. Theology / Sovereignty / Abstraction / Timing (God is ‘waaaay up there….dualism)
•5. Offence / disunity – “jigsaw pieces missing”
•6. Sufficiency in self / Programmes (they keep things safe and under our control)
•7. Distractions and Multi-tasking….
Lessons From Joshua
How was he to lead the people?
Chapter 1 – Position – Presence – Promise
Be Strong and Courageous
Don’t Partner with Fear or Discouragement
How to Enter New Territory
Follow God’s Promise
Don’t default to the Familiar
A New Readiness
A New Level of God’s Activity
Taking the Territory (4:1-7 – 5:13-6:5)
TWO IMPORTANT KEYS IN THIS TASK
Remember God’s Works and Wonders (4:1-7)
Tear Down the Enemy Stronghold (5:13 – 6:5)
What About Your Community?
- Knowingthat at the heart of every community lies a spiritual fabric which determines what goes on in that community politically, economically, ecologically, educationally, recreationally, morally and ethically, and spiritually.
- Learningto see your community through the eyes of the Lord - that is, the way things really are, not the way they appear to be.
Identifyingwhat is God’s deposited purpose and gifts in your community that reflects His characteristics and purpose
A City’s Foundation and Personality
•Every city composed has character (the peoples’ character) - composed of their vision, their traditions, their stewardship, their culture, their sociology, their spirituality
• Every city is shaped by these components which continue to be shaped by incoming people who build upon others’ foundations
• Foundation - rudimentary principles and precepts (see Heb. 11:10 and Josh 6:26; Isa 28:16; 1 Cor 3:11; Eph 2:20; 2 Tim 2:19). Abraham looked for a foundation with specifics
•A city takes on the foundation and personality of the influences (people) of its founding
• (c.f. 1 Cor. 3:10-12) - Paul uses the same word as the foundation of the human personality and character (Now one’s stewardship becomes an important issue)
• A city has personality and character - see Matt 11:22-24, Acts 8:5-8 . . . it can change/be transformed for the better
• God has a love for cities (c.f. Nineveh; Sodom & Gomorrah; Jesus weeping over Jerusalem; the Seven Churches inRevelation - Asia Minor)
When To Implement
- When you can evaluate the effectiveness of your prayers
- When accountability is operative
- When what you want for your city has been applied personally!
- When common denominators between intercessors and researchers and leaders are clear and defined
- When the leadership says "it's time"!
- When you are ready to stewards the results
When the attractors of God's presence are present
The Seven Blessings Upon The Land
People that honour the Lord – what they are promised - Micah 6:8
- Ecological health - Leviticus 26:4
- Economic Health - Leviticus 26:5
- Personal Security - Leviticus 26:6b
- Civil Security - Leviticus 26:6b
- International Security - Leviticus 26:7
- Honour and Growth - Leviticus 26:9
- Innovation and Creativity - Leviticus 26:10
A Simple Definition Of A TransformedCity
“A Transformed City is one where the very character and influence of the culture of the kingdom of God is resident in His people and lived out through their lives and relationships in such a way that the systems of life in the city, visibly, and measurably impact all aspects of life in and of the city. In other words, every fabric of life becomes subject to shift and change that reflects the higher purposes of the Living God in that area / community - city - region. Simply put - Societal life has been given a substantial wake-up call and has responded accordingly”.
Items For Marketplace Intercession
-Start with the spiritual diagnosis of the business – mapping your business cartographically!
-Pray into the issues raised – plus the overall covering – and determine the following….
-Improper spiritual foundations
-Ungodly attitudes and business practices
-Curses (past and present)
-Unholy alliances
-God’s timing
-Speaking “life” into the business
-Protection from the Enemy's schemes
-God’s favour re new customers, markets, and ideas
-Righteous relationships with customers, employees and partners
-Righteousness & integrity in business practices
-Discernment re the schemes of the enemy
-Proper delegation of authority
-A “spirit of Godliness” to permeate the enterprise.
-For God's will to be done on earth in the business as it is in heaven (Kingdom prayer).
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What do we do as Intercessors and Leaders?
-1).Build a foundation of truth and spiritual principles for undoing error, and
-2). Understand Covenant. David understood covenant and from the OT understood how to address the broken covenant and to restore covenant. From a NT perspective – how do we appropriate what Jesus has done in spirit and in truth?
-3). Confession and repentance…with those from different sides of the broken/unholy covenant…. Are there descendants who are in a place to stand here or is this something to take in prayer and begin to build a foundation of truth and faith for a ‘real’ positioning in the future at the Lord’s direction? Sentimentality or mental ascent to this isn’t enough and is presumption. This isn’t a ‘technique’ to produce a ‘result’ – this will layer upon injustice. This is spiritual warfare so ‘where are we in reality’ in this and what is the Lord saying to us today concerning the specific areas of our responsibility?
-4). Restitution (if the Lord requires) – what does this mean and what does this look like in the community(ies) and how do we walk this out in our daily lives? What is the Lord saying?
In Summary
-If there is a broken covenant there is darkness, there that alters the mind-sets of the people directly affected by the unholy covenant. It is important for people to recognise and acknowledge ‘changed’ beliefs because of this in order to unmask its affects in their own lives. The worldly principle is ‘if you can change the mind-sets you can change the law’.
-Broken covenants also re-align decision-making structures within affected communities – these also need to be recognised, acknowledged and understood in order for the Lord to bring vision for change.
-Broken covenants also brings new people into leadership who are of the darkened mind-set. What is not of God is then perpetuated (wittingly and unwittingly)
Results of Covenant Breaking Of Making Wrong Covenants
•Vulnerability
•Absence of God’s protection
•Invoking of God’s anger
•The land suffers accordingly
•Confusion and deception enter into the people of the land
•Schism and territoriality result
How To Receive Forgiveness
•It affects us – in the NOW moments
•It removes the result / consequence of past sin that still affects the present
•It causes God to arise and to come to us – making “us” our place / work etc.)His resting place
•It restores intimacy with God and removes estrangement
•It allows His love and His direction and His healing to be received and applied to the lives and land of His people
•It stops the legal right of the enemy
•It releases God’s Destiny upon His people - & on the generations that follows (c.f. Deut. 28; Exodus 23 etc.)
The Power Of Repentance
-We need to see repentance from God’s point of view – without our justification or compromise – in other words – what has offended – affected God?
-Nehemiah 1:4-9 – Note the extent by which sin had devastated Nehemiah.
-He saw it had all but spiritually paralyzed the people of the land in relationship to God (vs 4-7)
-Ezra 9 :5-12 – note the offense on the land
Protocol For Standing In The Gap
-We are taking responsibility for what has been done by anyone we represent based on
-Race (Scottish)
-Office (your portfolio)
-Culture (Canadian / Brazilian / American etc)
-Affiliation (denomination etc)
-Gender
-Sometimes age
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-God is multi-generational and the impact of our prayer of repentance is more than saying “sorry”!
-It is an ownership of responsibility – we WILL turn from the ways of the past
-We represent those before us who have brought offense to the Lord that has affected the land
-We will seek whatever restitution is required to lift the offense from the land (removing the “foothold” / topos).
-Our wickedness has been rebellion before the Lord and we now choose to separate from that – and return to the Lord so that His Presence and Purpose will rest in our midst (ponder what God says in 2 Chronicles 6:40-41; Isa 33:10; Ps 132;8; Ps 12:5)
Results Of Repentance
-It affects us – in the NOW moments
-It removes the result / consequence of past sin that still affects the present
-It causes God to arise and to come to us – making “us” our place / work etc.)His resting place
-It restores intimacy with God and removes estrangement
-It allows His love and His direction and His healing to be received and applied to the lives and land of His people
-It stops the legal right of the enemy
-It releases God’s Destiny upon His people - & on the generations that follows (c.f. Deut 28; Exodus 23 etc)
Understanding Boundaries and Cover
-Being “in” cover is relational (c.f. Ephesians)
-God
-Spouse
-Family
-Work
-Church
-(Only then do you do the spiritual warfare)
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Within These Categories….
-Accountability
-Corporate Counsel
-Willingness to be shown one is wrong
-Fine-tuning of our vision
-Recalibration where necessary
-NOTE – None of this dilutes the Visionary / Leader – but rather – enhances and protects and qualifies and facilitates the Vision
Being In Cover
-Knowing your boundaries of God-given authority (watch out for Macbeth!)
-Assuming the family issues are in order…..
-Your ministry relationship – denomination etc.
-Your Board
-Your peers of reference
-Those you have entrusted to praying for you
-Receiving feedback – counsel – and understanding proper timing for implementation of the Vision (which may be in parts over a period of time)
-Coming under the “guest ministry” cover and their boundaries during your visit.
WARNING……
-Never “assume” someone else’s authority as being your “cover” (irresponsible and endangers everyone!) – this also becomes “usury” of someone else’s anointing and “status”
-Your “gifting” does not necessarily qualify your being involved in an assignment….
-Ask the right questions to ensure you are fighting the right battles!
Coming Out Of Cover
-Doing your “own thing” your way – in your timing – without reference to any of the securities God establishes for His leaders
-It buys into independence and pride and presumptuousness – c.f. Gen 3 and 11 – and we build our own Tower….c.f. spirits of lawlessness and entitlement
-It also makes us vulnerable to the snares and attacks when we are “exposed” (spiritual “streaking”) – far more liable to footholds – Eph. 4:27ff
-Even if part of “your cover” is questionable – God uses that relationship to ensure your safely and growth – until He chooses to change that reference point in your life.
-God “hates” the removal of His Boundary Lines – this is what invites “deception” to gain entry.
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©Rev. Dr. Alistair P. Petrie
Partnership Ministries – 2013
(Not to be reproduced or printed without permission from Partnership Ministries)