Welcome to another edition of "Issues and Answers." 00:00:29.73\00:00:31.70 So glad you were able to join us today. 00:00:31.73\00:00:33.71 We know that your time is precious 00:00:33.74\00:00:35.62 and we're glad that you decided 00:00:35.65\00:00:37.02 to include us within your time schedule. 00:00:37.05\00:00:39.39 Today, we have as our guest 00:00:39.42\00:00:40.79 Dr. Joseph Warren of Andrews University. 00:00:40.82\00:00:43.22 He is a professor of English there 00:00:43.25\00:00:45.43 and has had the opportunity to mentor many young people 00:00:45.46\00:00:48.13 in the service of the Lord. 00:00:48.16\00:00:49.53 He's been married 28 years to the lovely Cynthia Warren 00:00:49.56\00:00:52.83 and has three almost grown children. 00:00:52.86\00:00:55.44 He is an avid supporter of men's ministries. 00:00:55.47\00:00:59.29 And that's what we're gonna talk about today. 00:00:59.32\00:01:01.21 I have his brochure, as a matter of fact with me 00:01:01.24\00:01:03.83 and it tells a little bit about 00:01:03.86\00:01:05.63 what type of ministries he offers. 00:01:05.66\00:01:08.33 Men's ministries, family ministries, 00:01:08.36\00:01:10.20 women's ministries, but I was most impressed 00:01:10.23\00:01:12.65 with the mission statement that was on the back 00:01:12.68\00:01:14.86 that describes why he has this ministry. 00:01:14.89\00:01:18.52 "God's son equal to God, now seated in heaven 00:01:18.55\00:01:21.27 and interceding for all mankind, 00:01:21.30\00:01:23.78 Savior of the world who came in the flesh to die 00:01:23.81\00:01:26.59 for all the sins of mankind, 00:01:26.62\00:01:28.79 Lord of the Sabbath 00:01:28.82\00:01:30.19 who continues to undo the works of Satan. 00:01:30.22\00:01:32.47 The son of man who lived 00:01:32.50\00:01:34.03 by indwelling power of the Holy Spirit 00:01:34.06\00:01:36.20 and perfect obedience to God's will, 00:01:36.23\00:01:38.42 coming King and Judge, who is returning to claim 00:01:38.45\00:01:41.56 all who confess Him as King of kings 00:01:41.59\00:01:43.82 and to destroy Satan's kingdom forever." 00:01:43.85\00:01:47.63 Don't we want to be a part of 00:01:47.66\00:01:49.03 destroying Satan's kingdom forever? 00:01:49.19\00:01:50.96 And be a part of God's new kingdom? 00:01:51.10\00:01:53.24 I know we all do and we're here 00:01:53.27\00:01:54.77 to talk about prayer and how to be-- 00:01:54.80\00:01:57.04 how to receive the Holy Spirit as a warrior. 00:01:57.07\00:01:59.89 Thank you so much, Dr. Warren, for coming to our program. 00:01:59.92\00:02:01.32 Thank you, Karen. It's good to be here. 00:02:01.35\00:02:03.08 Let's welcome the Holy Spirit officially. 00:02:03.11\00:02:05.30 Holy Spirit, we invite you to be in this place 00:02:05.33\00:02:08.29 and no other presence but yours. 00:02:08.32\00:02:10.39 Amen. Amen. 00:02:10.42\00:02:12.39 We want to talk about receiving 00:02:12.42\00:02:13.83 the Holy Spirit for man as a warrior. 00:02:13.86\00:02:17.15 We're talking about offensive spiritual warfare now. 00:02:17.18\00:02:20.91 The word in the Old Testament 00:02:20.94\00:02:22.31 means "to tread on" or "to tramp over." 00:02:22.34\00:02:26.35 Means you got to go somewhere with this. 00:02:26.38\00:02:28.24 New Testament means to be in armed combat, hand to hand. 00:02:28.27\00:02:33.21 This is a pretty tough teaching now. 00:02:33.24\00:02:35.43 Lot of us want to believe that we can just be Christians 00:02:35.46\00:02:39.10 and everything is gonna be all right. 00:02:39.13\00:02:41.27 That's not true. 00:02:41.30\00:02:43.14 Satan is gonna come against you mightily, 00:02:43.17\00:02:46.77 at the moment you decide to obey. 00:02:46.80\00:02:49.19 That's just who he is. To rob, kill and destroy. 00:02:49.22\00:02:52.87 So here we want to talk about every man, 00:02:52.90\00:02:54.55 every person, women as well, but every man first, 00:02:54.58\00:02:58.25 being an offensive warrior going in to claim. 00:02:58.28\00:03:01.47 The Bible says in Matthew 16:18 about the gates of hell. 00:03:01.50\00:03:05.93 There is a reason the gates-- that hell has gates on it. 00:03:05.96\00:03:09.03 There are people captivated by Satan 00:03:09.06\00:03:11.54 and it is our job to go and get them. 00:03:11.57\00:03:14.74 And bring them back or to fight 00:03:14.77\00:03:16.49 as Paul said "The good fight of faith." 00:03:16.52\00:03:18.75 Amen. I don't wanna mislead anyone. 00:03:18.78\00:03:20.94 There is a fight in Christian warfare. 00:03:20.97\00:03:24.50 You are gonna have to fight. 00:03:24.53\00:03:26.15 As Ellen White said 00:03:26.18\00:03:27.55 "The last battle will be the battle over self." 00:03:27.58\00:03:30.84 So, here we're going to do today. 00:03:30.87\00:03:32.33 So read that text for us please, Karen, 00:03:32.36\00:03:34.08 Ephesians 6:10-20, where it talks about 00:03:34.11\00:03:37.26 going to war, to battle. 00:03:37.29\00:03:39.46 "Finally, my brethren be strong in the Lord 00:03:39.49\00:03:42.45 and in the power of His might. 00:03:42.48\00:03:44.24 Put on the whole armor of God, 00:03:44.27\00:03:45.89 that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 00:03:45.92\00:03:49.52 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, 00:03:49.55\00:03:51.97 but against principalities, against powers, 00:03:52.00\00:03:54.48 against the rulers of the darkness of this world, 00:03:54.51\00:03:57.64 against spiritual wickedness in high places. 00:03:57.67\00:04:00.55 Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, 00:04:00.58\00:04:03.61 that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, 00:04:03.64\00:04:06.77 and having done all, to stand. 00:04:06.80\00:04:09.25 Stand therefore having your loins girt about with truth, 00:04:09.28\00:04:13.13 and having on the breastplate of righteousness. 00:04:13.16\00:04:15.84 And your feet shod 00:04:15.87\00:04:17.24 with the preparation of the gospel of peace. 00:04:17.27\00:04:19.67 Above all, taking the shield of faith, 00:04:19.70\00:04:22.58 wherewith ye shall be able to quench 00:04:22.61\00:04:25.23 all the fiery darts of the wicked. 00:04:25.26\00:04:27.48 And take the helmet of salvation, 00:04:27.51\00:04:29.79 and the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God 00:04:29.82\00:04:33.55 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, 00:04:33.58\00:04:37.92 and watching thereunto with all perseverance 00:04:37.95\00:04:41.25 and supplication for all saints. 00:04:41.28\00:04:43.73 And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, 00:04:43.76\00:04:47.06 that I may open my mouth boldly, 00:04:47.09\00:04:49.48 to make known the mystery of the gospel, 00:04:49.51\00:04:51.98 for which I am an ambassador in bonds 00:04:52.01\00:04:55.65 that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak." 00:04:55.68\00:04:59.26 Amen. 00:04:59.29\00:05:00.66 Karen, I've read that text all my life, 00:05:00.69\00:05:02.55 but only recently, verses 18 00:05:02.58\00:05:06.12 or so talks about what all kinds of prayers. 00:05:06.15\00:05:09.68 The words helmet and breastplate, 00:05:09.71\00:05:11.87 those are metaphors. 00:05:11.90\00:05:13.27 I don't have a breastplate or helmet or gird up my loins. 00:05:13.30\00:05:16.49 Those are all metaphors of mental toughness. 00:05:16.52\00:05:19.45 But verse 18 talks about all kinds of prayers. 00:05:19.48\00:05:23.58 Today, we wanna talk about 00:05:23.61\00:05:24.98 give some examples of the kinds of prayers 00:05:25.01\00:05:27.26 we use as weapons to reclaim what Satan has stolen. Okay. 00:05:27.29\00:05:32.61 The blood of Jesus brought back everything 00:05:32.64\00:05:36.43 that Satan stole from Adam. 00:05:36.46\00:05:38.35 We as Christians live far below our inheritance. 00:05:38.38\00:05:43.44 Satan has our prosperity, he has our health, 00:05:43.47\00:05:46.59 he has our peace, he has our joy. 00:05:46.62\00:05:49.33 And we are to reclaim these things in spiritual warfare. 00:05:49.36\00:05:52.91 On the earth, it is the man's responsibility 00:05:52.94\00:05:56.16 to launch, to announce the offensive. 00:05:56.19\00:05:59.58 We're talking about offensive spiritual warfare. 00:05:59.61\00:06:02.85 All kinds of prayers. 00:06:02.88\00:06:04.76 The most powerful example is the one we find in Acts 1 and 2. 00:06:04.79\00:06:08.35 "On the day of Pentecost, they went in agreement." 00:06:08.38\00:06:11.59 That's called the prayer of agreement. 00:06:11.62\00:06:14.67 That is the most powerful prayer on the earth. 00:06:14.70\00:06:17.31 "If my people who are called by name 00:06:17.34\00:06:21.23 will humble themselves," and all the rest. 00:06:21.26\00:06:23.66 "Whenever two or three are gathered 00:06:23.69\00:06:25.40 and touch and agree I will do, not doubting." 00:06:25.43\00:06:28.52 So the first weapon to reclaim what Satan has stolen 00:06:28.55\00:06:32.72 is for any two people to come together and pray about it. 00:06:32.75\00:06:36.57 But I'd like to tell you more about this. 00:06:36.60\00:06:38.48 Christ is beside the Father ever interceding for us. 00:06:38.51\00:06:42.96 And this has really blessed my spirit. Yes. 00:06:42.99\00:06:45.23 If I can't find anybody to pray with me, 00:06:45.26\00:06:48.85 I can simply pray to Christ that He will agree with me 00:06:48.88\00:06:53.21 and I will agree with Him, concerning a certain issue. 00:06:53.24\00:06:56.19 That makes two. Amen. 00:06:56.22\00:06:57.79 The Holy Spirit bears, that makes three. 00:06:57.82\00:07:00.23 And I want to know as Ellen White tells us, 00:07:00.26\00:07:02.48 "Whatever God asked the Father, 00:07:02.51\00:07:05.57 whatever Christ asked the Father to do, God does." 00:07:05.60\00:07:09.32 The prayer of agreement. 00:07:09.35\00:07:10.81 We are so far beneath our power as Christian men and women 00:07:10.84\00:07:15.60 because we do not take up the Word of God, 00:07:15.63\00:07:18.14 pick it up and claim what's already there. 00:07:18.17\00:07:21.30 Spiritual warfares. On the day of Pentecost, what happened? 00:07:21.33\00:07:23.93 Hey, it was a powerful day. It was powerful. 00:07:25.54\00:07:27.88 It took to them ten days to come into agreement. 00:07:27.91\00:07:31.10 Ten days, but in ten minutes they baptized 3,000. Why? 00:07:31.13\00:07:36.84 That's the power of agreement. 00:07:36.87\00:07:39.42 What are the most--most famous function, dysfunction today? 00:07:39.45\00:07:42.97 Function of disagreement. 00:07:43.00\00:07:44.37 Yeah, the lack of ability to agree. 00:07:44.40\00:07:46.23 Couples getting married, I ask them one question. 00:07:46.26\00:07:48.54 Only one, what is the marriage to accomplish? 00:07:48.57\00:07:52.84 What have you agreed on, 00:07:52.87\00:07:54.24 that God's gonna do through your union? 00:07:54.27\00:07:56.21 You're okay by yourself, single male, single female. 00:07:56.24\00:07:59.87 Nobody's incomplete. You're both whole parts. 00:07:59.90\00:08:02.63 Why are you bringing these parts together? 00:08:02.66\00:08:04.57 What is it that God is gonna do, 00:08:04.60\00:08:06.67 through the two of you as one? 00:08:06.70\00:08:08.36 And they, they sit there befuddled. 00:08:08.39\00:08:10.35 They have not thought through the power of agreement. 00:08:10.38\00:08:13.80 And God loves the power of agreement. 00:08:13.83\00:08:15.71 So, for a child who's having all kinds of problems, this is-- 00:08:15.74\00:08:19.22 the parents shouldn't talk about it. 00:08:19.25\00:08:20.88 They shouldn't fuss about it. 00:08:20.91\00:08:22.28 They shouldn't disagree. They should agree. 00:08:22.31\00:08:24.60 Lamentations 2:19, it says "Get up pour out their hearts 00:08:24.63\00:08:27.85 like water before the Lord in the morning 00:08:27.88\00:08:30.38 and say, 'Greater is He that is in us, 00:08:30.41\00:08:32.78 than he that's in the world.'" 00:08:32.89\00:08:34.26 Yes. "I will contain with those who contain with you." 00:08:34.29\00:08:37.09 Yes. "And I will save your children." Guess what? 00:08:37.12\00:08:42.19 As they pray that prayer Christ agrees automatically. 00:08:42.22\00:08:47.69 That's His nature. He can't disagree. 00:08:47.72\00:08:50.32 And God begins then to work in the life of that child, 00:08:50.35\00:08:54.47 to bring that child back to repentance. 00:08:54.50\00:08:56.51 It may take a while. 00:08:56.54\00:08:58.39 And Satan would do everything he can 00:08:58.42\00:09:00.09 to bring that praying couple out of agreement, 00:09:00.12\00:09:02.34 but as long as they are in agreement they shall win. 00:09:02.37\00:09:05.46 For this Holy Spirit is praying through them. Amen. 00:09:05.49\00:09:08.07 The second kind of prayer 00:09:08.10\00:09:10.78 is Thy will be done prayers, Matthew 6. 00:09:10.81\00:09:15.27 And here we have to simply 00:09:15.30\00:09:16.84 pick up the Bible and claim God's promises. 00:09:16.87\00:09:21.08 From Genesis to Revelation. 00:09:21.11\00:09:22.73 That's why you must have a concordance. 00:09:22.76\00:09:25.08 Every promise in God drives a stake through Satan's heart. 00:09:25.11\00:09:29.37 Now let's talk about a concordance. 00:09:29.40\00:09:30.88 What is a concordance? Tell them, our-- 00:09:30.91\00:09:32.41 A concordance is a listing of Bible text alphabetically. 00:09:32.44\00:09:36.28 Okay. By title, by subject, all-- 00:09:36.31\00:09:39.46 It's just a reference tool. Okay. 00:09:39.49\00:09:41.19 So look up the word child. 00:09:41.22\00:09:43.41 We have all the texts in the Bible 00:09:43.44\00:09:44.94 where the word child is listed. 00:09:44.97\00:09:46.55 Okay. So you pick up with word child and salvation. 00:09:46.58\00:09:50.25 You claim those texts. All right. 00:09:50.28\00:09:52.59 So the proper way to pray concerning this 00:09:52.62\00:09:54.75 "thy will be done" prayer is starting in Genesis, 00:09:54.78\00:09:58.57 whatever God said about your children, 00:09:58.60\00:10:00.19 "All of thy children should to be taught of the Lord 00:10:00.22\00:10:02.08 and great shall be thy peace." 00:10:02.11\00:10:03.48 And through the entire Bible, go into your closet. 00:10:03.51\00:10:07.18 And say, "Father, I hereby take this text 00:10:07.21\00:10:11.18 as my weapon against Satan, concerning my child." 00:10:11.21\00:10:15.14 Now, God doesn't always respond to our needs like that. 00:10:15.17\00:10:19.17 But He always responds to His word, you see. 00:10:19.20\00:10:23.29 Need doesn't move God that much. 00:10:23.32\00:10:24.91 Oh, Lord, I'm hungry. 00:10:24.94\00:10:26.31 Oh, Lord... Well, so what? 00:10:26.34\00:10:29.35 What He has to respond to is His word. 00:10:29.38\00:10:33.05 He says remind me of My word. 00:10:33.08\00:10:34.96 Put me in remembrance of My word. 00:10:34.99\00:10:37.06 Tell me how good I've been in the past. 00:10:37.09\00:10:39.15 Tell me what a great God I am. 00:10:39.18\00:10:41.42 Put My word before me. 00:10:41.45\00:10:43.06 In other words, every promise in the Bible 00:10:43.09\00:10:45.96 is a dimension of God's character. 00:10:45.99\00:10:48.72 That's who He is. 00:10:48.75\00:10:50.12 So you tell God again who He is 00:10:50.15\00:10:52.48 and He has no choice but to respond to His word. 00:10:52.51\00:10:55.82 Now-- I know that's absolutely true. 00:10:55.85\00:10:58.08 Before--many years ago, before I started college 00:10:58.11\00:11:00.76 someone introduced me to this idea. 00:11:00.79\00:11:02.63 That actually taking the Bible open, 00:11:02.66\00:11:05.32 I probably was about 17 or 18 years old then. 00:11:05.35\00:11:07.73 And put your finger on the promise 00:11:07.76\00:11:10.62 that's in God's word. 00:11:10.65\00:11:12.10 And my promise was 00:11:12.13\00:11:13.50 "The prayer of the righteous prevaileth much." That's it. 00:11:13.53\00:11:16.26 And to pray without ceasing. That's right. 00:11:16.29\00:11:18.28 So I asked God to please cover me 00:11:18.31\00:11:20.11 with Christ's righteousness. 00:11:20.14\00:11:21.51 And He blessed me with a job, 00:11:21.54\00:11:23.07 blessed me to go all the way 00:11:23.10\00:11:24.47 through college without extra support. 00:11:24.50\00:11:27.43 He blessed me. And I know that works. 00:11:27.46\00:11:29.98 Well, see that's what I'm learning now. 00:11:30.01\00:11:31.80 The Bible talks about praying amiss. 00:11:31.83\00:11:34.27 Okay, here is a prayer that goes amiss. 00:11:34.30\00:11:36.43 Oh, Lord, oh, my child is so sick. 00:11:36.46\00:11:40.04 Oh, Lord, I don't know how I'm gonna make it. 00:11:40.07\00:11:43.10 What can God do with negative affirmations? 00:11:43.13\00:11:48.04 Not much. He can do nothing. 00:11:48.07\00:11:50.28 We haven't really requested anything, have we? 00:11:50.31\00:11:52.01 We just say, "Father." We just kind of complained. 00:11:52.04\00:11:53.62 "I know your name is Jehovah Ropha. 00:11:53.65\00:11:56.09 You are the healer of my child because you cannot repent, 00:11:56.12\00:11:59.78 you cannot declare, you're not who you are. 00:11:59.81\00:12:02.20 I commit good to my credit. You will save my child. 00:12:02.23\00:12:05.55 For you are God Almighty and there is none like you. 00:12:05.58\00:12:08.52 From the rising of the sun, to the going down of the same, 00:12:08.55\00:12:12.50 you are God Almighty. 00:12:12.53\00:12:14.14 And I stand on this word and I shall not be moved." 00:12:14.17\00:12:18.62 Now God gets excited about that. 00:12:18.65\00:12:20.32 Give you an example, my house was burning down, 00:12:20.35\00:12:22.39 couple of years ago. 00:12:22.42\00:12:23.79 Got home, the house was full of smoke. 00:12:23.82\00:12:25.19 That's right. There in Berrien Springs. 00:12:25.22\00:12:27.58 And every floor at the house. 00:12:27.61\00:12:29.47 I went in the living room. 00:12:29.50\00:12:31.52 And I knelt down, I said, " Father, 00:12:31.55\00:12:34.20 as this house burns down, let me just tell you 00:12:34.23\00:12:36.93 who You are and what You've promised. 00:12:36.96\00:12:39.69 And what your word says about no evil 00:12:39.72\00:12:41.90 coming nigh my dwelling." 00:12:41.93\00:12:43.42 And I knelt down and prayed ten or fifteen texts, 00:12:43.45\00:12:46.92 concerning who He is. 00:12:46.95\00:12:48.83 Yes. That's all. 00:12:48.86\00:12:50.23 When the firemen came, they searched our house 00:12:50.26\00:12:52.58 from top to bottom confining the fire, 00:12:52.61\00:12:55.64 but the smoke had a sweet smell, 00:12:55.67\00:12:58.05 a sweet smell. Oh, my-- 00:12:58.08\00:13:00.74 And in my personal experience, 00:13:00.77\00:13:02.63 it's just my personal belief. No doctrine on this. 00:13:02.66\00:13:05.44 I think I've seen angels of evil 00:13:05.47\00:13:07.84 and angels of good had a fight in my house. 00:13:07.87\00:13:10.48 And the angels of God won because I didn't tell God-- 00:13:10.51\00:13:13.92 Amen. My house is burning down. 00:13:13.95\00:13:15.74 I said, "Lord, as my house gets ready to burn, 00:13:15.77\00:13:18.60 I just want to declare to You, Your greatness and Your power." 00:13:18.63\00:13:22.38 And how did God answer your prayer? 00:13:22.41\00:13:24.09 God answered my prayer for me, 00:13:24.12\00:13:26.28 personally, with a miracle that I believe. 00:13:26.31\00:13:28.77 When the firemen came, 00:13:28.80\00:13:30.39 my house was full of smoke, no fire. 00:13:30.42\00:13:32.92 No fire. No fire. 00:13:32.95\00:13:34.61 And that was sort of a-- Praise the Lord. 00:13:34.64\00:13:36.21 A sort of a sweet smell about the fire. 00:13:36.24\00:13:38.83 And I'm led to think, if me personally there, 00:13:38.86\00:13:41.05 not for anyone else, just me personally. 00:13:41.08\00:13:42.76 There were some angels 00:13:42.79\00:13:44.16 fighting in my house good and evil. Certainly. 00:13:44.19\00:13:46.15 And God decided that He would not let the evil angels 00:13:46.18\00:13:49.22 set my house on fire. 00:13:49.25\00:13:50.74 I praise His name. 00:13:50.77\00:13:52.14 And anyway my faith has been greatly strengthened 00:13:52.17\00:13:55.80 in this personal experience for myself. 00:13:55.83\00:13:58.33 Now that will lead us to another kind of prayer 00:13:58.36\00:14:00.05 that I pray often called "praise prayers." 00:14:00.08\00:14:02.96 Turn your Bible to Psalm 103. Okay. 00:14:02.99\00:14:06.16 The 103rd division of the Psalms. Okay. 00:14:06.19\00:14:09.38 Just read some of that. 00:14:09.41\00:14:10.89 Psalms 103, "Bless the Lord, O my soul 00:14:10.92\00:14:13.15 and all that is within me, bless his holy name. 00:14:13.18\00:14:16.03 Bless the Lord, O my soul, 00:14:16.06\00:14:17.43 and forget not all his benefits. 00:14:17.46\00:14:19.71 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities, 00:14:19.74\00:14:21.73 who healeth all thy diseases. 00:14:21.76\00:14:23.87 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction, 00:14:23.90\00:14:25.91 who crowneth thee with loving 00:14:25.94\00:14:27.37 kindness and tender mercies." 00:14:27.40\00:14:28.77 That's good. 00:14:28.80\00:14:30.17 Now this is a favorite prayer of mine. 00:14:30.20\00:14:31.57 Favorite type of prayer. 00:14:31.60\00:14:33.01 And I always-- when you look at the Book of Psalms, 00:14:33.04\00:14:34.64 I almost start anyway in going to this kind of praying. 00:14:34.67\00:14:37.89 That text talks about He's my healer 00:14:37.92\00:14:40.03 and bless the Lord, oh, my soul. 00:14:40.06\00:14:41.97 Now in my own personal worship, I believe 00:14:42.00\00:14:45.52 that when I start telling God how good He is, 00:14:45.55\00:14:48.31 and how marvelous He is and how magnificent He is 00:14:48.34\00:14:51.67 and how joyful He is, 00:14:51.70\00:14:53.88 God just loves hearing good things about Himself. 00:14:53.91\00:14:57.22 Amen. I just believe that, okay? 00:14:57.25\00:14:59.61 So when I'm up against something 00:14:59.64\00:15:01.10 and I don't know how to pray 00:15:01.13\00:15:02.73 or don't know what to pray, or the-- 00:15:02.76\00:15:04.71 The issue is so overwhelming 00:15:04.74\00:15:07.74 that I can't find a text to pray, 00:15:07.77\00:15:10.02 I just start praise prayers. 00:15:10.05\00:15:12.20 And, Karen, I confess, I make them up as I go. 00:15:12.23\00:15:16.40 I have great fun. 00:15:16.43\00:15:17.80 As you know, it is impossible to praise God too much. 00:15:17.83\00:15:21.40 Yes. It's impossible. 00:15:21.43\00:15:22.80 If this-- We've got to do more of that. 00:15:22.83\00:15:24.74 If the sea were, you know, 00:15:24.77\00:15:26.16 ink and the sky was scroll or whatever, 00:15:26.19\00:15:30.34 we could never pen it. So... 00:15:30.37\00:15:32.17 In my own personal worship, 00:15:32.20\00:15:33.57 never in corporate, only personally, 00:15:33.60\00:15:35.51 I say, "Father, bless the Lord, 00:15:35.54\00:15:37.93 oh, my soul and all that is within me. 00:15:37.96\00:15:41.19 You are one beautiful, lovely, kind, supernatural, 00:15:41.22\00:15:44.23 expialidocious Father to me and I bless your name 00:15:44.26\00:15:47.29 with everything that's within me." 00:15:47.32\00:15:49.28 And I go from there, make it up as I go. 00:15:49.31\00:15:52.29 It is a sincere, praise prayer from my heart 00:15:52.32\00:15:55.65 and sometimes-- I'll confess to you, 00:15:55.68\00:15:57.86 sometimes I kind of lose track of what I am doing 00:15:57.89\00:16:00.31 and it just gets fun. 00:16:00.34\00:16:01.71 I don't write them down. I don't record them. 00:16:01.74\00:16:03.68 But it's just my way of praying to Him in superlatives. 00:16:03.71\00:16:08.54 Every word, I can think that's wonderful and great. 00:16:08.57\00:16:11.75 One day, I took the dictionary and took the letter 'm'. 00:16:11.78\00:16:16.24 Every word on the 'm,' positive word, good word, 00:16:16.27\00:16:20.28 a word that sounds like God's character, 00:16:20.31\00:16:22.51 I prayed it back to him. That's called a 'praise prayer.' 00:16:22.54\00:16:25.63 That's like my private worship at home. 00:16:25.66\00:16:27.08 I wouldn't do it in church. 00:16:27.11\00:16:28.48 But let me tell you something. 00:16:28.51\00:16:29.88 When I was facing prostate cancer 00:16:29.91\00:16:31.38 and I prayed like this, 00:16:31.41\00:16:33.12 I began to feel a moving in my body. 00:16:33.15\00:16:35.65 A pain, a twisting. 00:16:35.68\00:16:37.57 I have prostate cancer no more. 00:16:37.60\00:16:39.02 The signs all gone. Praise the Lord. 00:16:39.05\00:16:40.63 That's my personal wish, you see. 00:16:40.66\00:16:42.85 I was at church one Sabbath 00:16:42.88\00:16:44.49 and they were praying for someone else's cancer. 00:16:44.52\00:16:47.55 I lay down on the floor, 00:16:47.58\00:16:49.05 prostate, because I wanted 00:16:49.08\00:16:51.20 a healing from God so desperately. Yes. 00:16:51.23\00:16:54.43 That I didn't care who was watching, 00:16:54.46\00:16:56.44 I've been healed and my PSA is down below 4 now, see. 00:16:56.47\00:17:00.05 So praise prayer or one of my favorite kinds of prayer, 00:17:00.08\00:17:03.89 but I don't do it in public much. 00:17:03.92\00:17:05.29 It's kind of a personal thing 00:17:05.32\00:17:06.70 because folks may not understand. 00:17:06.73\00:17:09.13 Another kind of praying I do, as spiritual warfare. 00:17:09.16\00:17:11.73 Can I have your Bible, Karen? 00:17:11.76\00:17:13.13 It's Psalms 7. Okay. There you go. 00:17:13.16\00:17:16.40 And sometimes I get mad at the devil, 00:17:16.43\00:17:19.08 but you never address the devil ever. 00:17:19.11\00:17:21.07 You never speak to evil spirits. 00:17:21.10\00:17:22.97 The Bible says that Christ-- Satan the Lord rebukes thee. 00:17:23.00\00:17:26.80 Right. That's all He said, okay. 00:17:26.83\00:17:28.84 So you never wanna talk to the devil 00:17:28.87\00:17:30.81 or address the devil. 00:17:30.84\00:17:32.35 And you never wanna talk back to people, 00:17:32.38\00:17:34.27 who's speaking for the devil. Mm-hmm. 00:17:34.30\00:17:36.76 Now my wife has caught me couple of times, 00:17:36.79\00:17:38.71 when I was tired and weary 00:17:38.74\00:17:40.40 and frustrated and evil. 00:17:40.43\00:17:41.90 And she said, "Joseph, you're speaking for Satan. 00:17:41.93\00:17:44.00 Please be quiet." She was right. 00:17:44.03\00:17:46.59 She corrected me. 00:17:46.62\00:17:47.99 But sometimes I pick up the Bible 00:17:48.02\00:17:50.16 and I just want to let-- Satan knows my past, 00:17:50.19\00:17:54.01 but I know his future. Amen. 00:17:54.04\00:17:56.15 So I read this text out loud to strengthen my faith. 00:17:56.18\00:17:59.79 Okay. This is Psalms. 00:17:59.82\00:18:01.48 And I change a few words to make it work for me, 00:18:01.51\00:18:04.42 'cause God cannot disagree with His word. 00:18:04.45\00:18:07.08 "Oh, let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end." 00:18:07.11\00:18:10.27 I'll change it couple of words. 00:18:10.30\00:18:12.36 "Oh, let the wickedness of Satan come to an end. 00:18:12.39\00:18:15.65 But establish the just, 00:18:15.68\00:18:17.24 for the righteous God tries the heart and reigns. 00:18:17.27\00:18:20.36 My defense is of God will save the upright in heart. 00:18:20.39\00:18:23.57 God judges the righteous 00:18:23.60\00:18:24.97 and God is angry with the devil every day. 00:18:25.00\00:18:28.69 If he turn not, he will whet his bow, 00:18:28.72\00:18:31.42 God will and bend his bow and make it ready. 00:18:31.45\00:18:35.22 He has also prepared for him that ordaineth death of Satan. 00:18:35.25\00:18:38.48 He ordained his arrows against his persecutors. 00:18:38.51\00:18:41.27 Behold, he travaileth with iniquity 00:18:41.30\00:18:43.24 and hath conceived mischief 00:18:43.27\00:18:44.64 and brought forth falsehood for satan. 00:18:44.67\00:18:46.62 Satan has made a pit and digged it 00:18:46.65\00:18:51.20 and is fallen into the ditch which he made himself. 00:18:51.23\00:18:54.33 Satan's mischief shall return upon his own head, 00:18:54.36\00:18:57.49 his violent dealings shall come down upon his own pate. 00:18:57.52\00:19:02.01 I will praise the Lord 00:19:02.04\00:19:03.55 according to his righteousness of his own." 00:19:03.58\00:19:05.59 Now, I will never talk to the devil. 00:19:05.62\00:19:07.33 But I sure talk bad about him. 00:19:07.36\00:19:09.10 I see you got your portable Bible. Yeah. 00:19:09.13\00:19:11.39 That you carry around with you. 00:19:11.42\00:19:12.79 And sometimes I just want to say, you know, wickedness. 00:19:12.82\00:19:15.85 You know, I punch in 'wicked', okay. 00:19:15.88\00:19:18.62 And I get 50 texts on wicked. 00:19:18.65\00:19:20.88 And I say, "Father, you said this about the devil. 00:19:20.91\00:19:23.43 Now I'm talking to you about him, 00:19:23.46\00:19:25.29 'cause I never address the devil, 00:19:25.32\00:19:26.69 I only address God." 00:19:26.72\00:19:28.09 But my faith gets so strong as I let the Lord know that 00:19:28.12\00:19:31.67 I agree with Him. Yes. 00:19:31.70\00:19:34.53 I agree with God that Satan is already defeated 00:19:34.56\00:19:38.40 and has no authority and no power in my life. 00:19:38.43\00:19:41.76 Praise the Lord. That's my personal prayer again. 00:19:41.79\00:19:45.38 Not in public, but private, you know. 00:19:45.41\00:19:47.49 Public prayers and private prayers 00:19:47.52\00:19:48.89 are totally different things. 00:19:48.92\00:19:50.29 And we should keep that in mind. 00:19:50.32\00:19:51.69 And my personal worship is vastly unlike my public worship. 00:19:51.72\00:19:56.17 Quite frankly, sometimes in my private worship, 00:19:56.20\00:19:59.80 I need to have movement. 00:19:59.83\00:20:01.20 I play certain kind of songs 00:20:01.23\00:20:02.82 to help me to lift some spirits off of me. 00:20:02.85\00:20:05.45 I kind of exercise a little bit and put it nicely. 00:20:05.48\00:20:08.24 But I would never do that publicly. 00:20:08.27\00:20:10.22 Some time ago, I was with Dwight Nelson 00:20:10.25\00:20:11.84 down in Ohio and we talked about 00:20:11.87\00:20:14.44 Satanic attacks in his sermon. 00:20:14.47\00:20:16.31 I took some notes and we should know this. 00:20:16.34\00:20:18.61 As a man of God, Satan is gonna come after you. 00:20:18.64\00:20:21.05 As a woman of God, just count on him. 00:20:21.08\00:20:23.98 And the Bible says that we are not ignorant of his devices. 00:20:24.01\00:20:27.31 He is gonna come after you and your husband 00:20:27.34\00:20:29.51 and your family and this ministry. 00:20:29.54\00:20:31.19 That's all Satan can do. 00:20:31.22\00:20:33.03 So point one, Satan will attack you, 00:20:33.06\00:20:35.76 after you made a public confession of God, okay. 00:20:35.79\00:20:39.21 I can expect it, when I get back home from this taping, 00:20:39.24\00:20:43.01 I will have an attack. 00:20:43.04\00:20:44.41 I can just about count on it. 00:20:44.44\00:20:45.99 Number two, he attacks upon our stress, 00:20:46.02\00:20:48.51 carelessness, distraction, achievement, disappointment, 00:20:48.54\00:20:51.91 celebration, tiredness, disobedience 00:20:51.94\00:20:55.06 and his greatest attack will come 00:20:55.09\00:20:57.36 just before God does His most mighty work in your life. 00:20:57.39\00:21:01.74 I don't know why it's like that. 00:21:01.77\00:21:03.34 It's like climbing a mountain. 00:21:03.37\00:21:04.89 Just before you go across the summit of the mountain. 00:21:04.92\00:21:08.25 There's-- you could fall off. 00:21:08.28\00:21:09.65 You're the most tired. Satan comes like that. 00:21:09.68\00:21:12.93 And therefore, we have to resist him 00:21:12.96\00:21:14.45 constantly in the mind. 00:21:14.48\00:21:16.29 So I can expect. I was in another place 00:21:16.32\00:21:19.08 doing ministry and my wife didn't tell me 00:21:19.11\00:21:21.42 she had crashed a van. 00:21:21.45\00:21:23.47 She told me later the van is now fixed, 00:21:23.50\00:21:25.61 but there are always distractions. 00:21:25.64\00:21:27.36 And then a true Satan will attack 00:21:27.39\00:21:29.79 via significant individuals and unexpected circumstances. 00:21:29.82\00:21:33.81 People you've counted on. You've relied upon. 00:21:33.84\00:21:36.66 Folks that have made you promises, 00:21:36.69\00:21:38.38 they're gonna disappoint you. 00:21:38.41\00:21:39.78 So true. Expect it. 00:21:39.81\00:21:41.82 Be ready for the battle. 00:21:41.85\00:21:43.48 Now the battle is always for the mind. 00:21:43.51\00:21:46.44 Always for the mind because the sin 00:21:46.47\00:21:49.17 that God cannot put up with, is the sin of disbelief. 00:21:49.20\00:21:53.29 That's my current devotion booked 00:21:53.32\00:21:54.83 called "Triumph in Christ." 00:21:54.86\00:21:56.23 Okay. He cannot deal with disbelief. 00:21:56.26\00:21:59.22 When Satan was in heaven known as Lucifer, 00:21:59.25\00:22:01.58 he said that God is not good. 00:22:01.61\00:22:04.78 God can hang with that. 00:22:04.81\00:22:06.18 That's-- that won't work. 00:22:06.21\00:22:07.62 We cannot approach Him without faith. 00:22:07.65\00:22:09.76 So I've learned now, 00:22:09.79\00:22:11.80 here are my weapons these prayers. 00:22:11.83\00:22:14.39 Speak the word, as the word is going forth, 00:22:14.42\00:22:18.30 Satan's got to stand back. The word itself is power. 00:22:18.33\00:22:21.89 Obedience to the word. All that you know to do, obey. God-- 00:22:21.92\00:22:25.89 See, obedience is God's parameters for your safety. 00:22:25.92\00:22:31.08 If I'm driving down the road at 65 miles per hour 00:22:31.11\00:22:34.49 and the police pulls up behind me, 00:22:34.52\00:22:36.40 my heart doesn't skip a beat. 00:22:36.43\00:22:38.12 I am in the parameters of obedience, see. 00:22:38.15\00:22:42.63 Okay, good point. Right. 00:22:42.66\00:22:44.22 If they have a checkpoint for drugs in the car, 00:22:44.25\00:22:47.49 I couldn't care less. Right. 00:22:47.52\00:22:49.43 If there's some thing for drunk drivers, it's irrelevant 00:22:49.46\00:22:52.40 because I am in the parameters of obedience. 00:22:52.43\00:22:55.25 Now some folks call obedience a jail 00:22:55.28\00:22:57.39 or limiting, not for me. 00:22:57.42\00:22:59.85 Obedience means I am at the place 00:22:59.88\00:23:01.96 where God has provided 00:23:01.99\00:23:03.59 all my blessings and my protection. 00:23:03.62\00:23:05.92 As long as I am obedient, Satan can only roar at me. 00:23:05.95\00:23:11.32 He can only scream at me. 00:23:11.35\00:23:12.72 But he cannot touch me. See? 00:23:12.75\00:23:15.50 So with Christ we're always in the safety zone. 00:23:15.53\00:23:17.47 That's right. See? 00:23:17.50\00:23:18.87 And that's what heaven is all about. 00:23:18.90\00:23:20.27 One day you could be with him. 00:23:20.30\00:23:22.42 Praise is based on the word. 00:23:22.45\00:23:23.82 We talked about that. Pray in the word. 00:23:23.85\00:23:25.93 Just take the Bible and say, 00:23:25.96\00:23:27.33 "Lord I am just going to pray these texts back to you." 00:23:27.36\00:23:29.44 Just assault the kingdom with violence. 00:23:29.47\00:23:31.92 Lord I'm going to pray one of your texts, back to you. 00:23:31.95\00:23:34.77 And if you don't like Your word, well, 00:23:34.80\00:23:36.29 God is all over you, but I am through with this. 00:23:36.32\00:23:38.71 Then God says His word does not return void. 00:23:38.74\00:23:40.74 Say what? So you know he's gonna act. 00:23:40.77\00:23:42.14 Say, listen to Karen. There it is, there you go. 00:23:42.17\00:23:44.50 Another thing about warfare is silence. Tough one. 00:23:44.53\00:23:49.70 Sometime God says,"Be still and know that I am God. 00:23:49.73\00:23:56.18 Sometimes I have talked myself out of protection. 00:23:56.21\00:24:00.80 Don't say a word. How so? 00:24:00.83\00:24:02.48 Doubt, fear, what could happen? 00:24:02.51\00:24:06.09 What might happen? I might lose. 00:24:06.12\00:24:08.32 I might not. Huh, no, no, no. 00:24:08.35\00:24:11.77 Father, I don't see it right now. 00:24:11.80\00:24:14.06 But I shall have a home. 00:24:14.09\00:24:15.59 Father, I don't see this, but we shall be reconciled. 00:24:15.62\00:24:18.28 I will not speak against myself. 00:24:18.31\00:24:21.49 This past week, Karen, 00:24:21.52\00:24:22.89 the Holy Spirit slam-bammed me, real tough. 00:24:22.92\00:24:25.55 I was doing my devotion book. 00:24:25.58\00:24:27.32 And the Holy Spirit said through the word, 00:24:27.35\00:24:29.96 I was reading, I have to never speak 00:24:29.99\00:24:32.38 against another Christian ministry. 00:24:32.41\00:24:35.22 No matter how much I disagree with it. 00:24:35.25\00:24:38.07 My job is to pray for every ministry in my own church. 00:24:38.10\00:24:41.62 See, this ministry, other ministry. 00:24:41.65\00:24:43.21 I am not to use my mouth 00:24:43.24\00:24:45.32 as a habitation of Satan, demon spirits. 00:24:45.35\00:24:47.24 Of course, Satan can only lie. 00:24:47.27\00:24:49.14 All right, so when I speak to him I'm lying. 00:24:49.17\00:24:51.18 I'm saying what God cannot do and I stopped doing that. 00:24:51.21\00:24:55.33 Agreeing with others and here is something 00:24:55.36\00:24:57.54 very interesting. Service based on the word. 00:24:57.57\00:25:02.04 Lot of time, God wants us to take spiritual authority, 00:25:02.07\00:25:05.63 spiritual warfare by giving up 00:25:05.66\00:25:08.14 and doing something good for somebody else. 00:25:08.17\00:25:10.72 Amen. Yeah. 00:25:10.75\00:25:12.45 Yeah, I've seen that works. Yeah. 00:25:12.48\00:25:14.43 Get self out the way and think of someone else 00:25:14.46\00:25:16.40 and let God solve the problem. 00:25:16.43\00:25:17.80 Yeah, and see, while you--I love this, it's 00:25:17.83\00:25:19.62 my favorite phrase I use it in a lot of churches I go. 00:25:19.65\00:25:21.86 If I would do one thing for Karen, 00:25:21.89\00:25:25.65 God would do everything for me. 00:25:25.68\00:25:28.06 Yeah, if I'll do one thing for my enemy, 00:25:28.09\00:25:31.58 God will do everything for me. 00:25:31.61\00:25:33.23 So part of spiritual warfare is being in service. 00:25:33.26\00:25:37.43 You know, by the way, depression one of Satan's main devices 00:25:37.46\00:25:40.90 which is a sin according to Ellen White? 00:25:40.93\00:25:43.07 Depression often times is result of not serving others. 00:25:43.10\00:25:47.07 Get up, Job. Gird up yourself, Job. 00:25:47.10\00:25:50.21 Stop sitting there whining and complaining. 00:25:50.24\00:25:52.80 Job began to pray for other people 00:25:52.83\00:25:55.22 and God reversed his captivity. 00:25:55.25\00:25:58.20 All temptation comes within my zone to resist, 00:25:58.23\00:26:03.25 Dwight Nelson said that. 00:26:03.28\00:26:04.80 All temptation comes within my zone of ability to resist. 00:26:04.83\00:26:09.25 Satan cannot have me, 00:26:09.28\00:26:11.79 if I stay on the defensive and also on the offensive. 00:26:11.82\00:26:16.08 I made up my mind. 00:26:16.11\00:26:17.56 He shall not, he will not give-- 00:26:17.59\00:26:20.65 take place in my life for I am Christ's. 00:26:20.68\00:26:23.60 He is mine and I am His. 00:26:23.63\00:26:25.46 And we're connected together so tightly, 00:26:25.49\00:26:27.42 there is no way in between. 00:26:27.45\00:26:28.95 Oh, by the way that also talks about marriage. 00:26:28.98\00:26:32.06 That two shall become one and Satan has no place. 00:26:32.09\00:26:36.00 After all, marriage is very important. 00:26:36.03\00:26:38.29 Absolutely, 1 Corinthians 10:13 says 00:26:38.32\00:26:40.28 "God always gives us a way of escape." That's it. 00:26:40.31\00:26:42.43 In the few minutes remaining for our program, 00:26:42.46\00:26:44.43 we're gonna ask that you pray for us now. Amen. 00:26:44.46\00:26:47.09 Father, we come before you as reluctant warriors. 00:26:47.12\00:26:51.21 We have seen evil around and we have not done a thing 00:26:51.24\00:26:53.71 besides mourn and murmur and bicker and lament. 00:26:53.74\00:26:57.96 We repent of not being a warrior for you. 00:26:57.99\00:27:01.40 Satan can take no authority unless we give it to him. 00:27:01.43\00:27:04.40 And hereby today as men and as women, 00:27:04.43\00:27:07.65 as Christians worldwide, we stand against evil 00:27:07.68\00:27:11.02 in the name of Jesus, 00:27:11.05\00:27:13.05 for Satan cannot cross the blood of Jesus. 00:27:13.08\00:27:15.94 Amen. Amen. 00:27:15.97\00:27:17.73 Well, thank you so much for joining us on our program today. 00:27:17.76\00:27:20.31 It has been a blessing to have you, 00:27:20.34\00:27:21.73 we have learned about how to be-- 00:27:21.76\00:27:24.02 How the Holy Spirit can make us powerful Christian warriors. 00:27:24.06\00:27:27.14 That's it. And that's what it's all about. 00:27:27.17\00:27:29.19 God is so faithful. His promises are true. 00:27:29.22\00:27:32.01 He's never lost a case yet, has he? 00:27:32.04\00:27:33.94 Amen. God is so good. 00:27:33.97\00:27:36.10 And for those of you at home, 00:27:36.13\00:27:37.69 if you have never been a lover of the Bible, 00:27:37.72\00:27:40.09 this is a great reason. 00:27:40.12\00:27:41.64 Because if you wanna become strong spiritually, 00:27:41.67\00:27:44.46 if you wanna become a powerful warrior for the Lord. 00:27:44.49\00:27:47.23 Get into the Bible. Let the Holy Spirit equip you. 00:27:47.26\00:27:50.27 You know who the Lord calls, he enables and he equips. 00:27:50.30\00:27:53.78 Let's allow God to do that. 00:27:53.81\00:27:55.59 And until the next time, may God bless you, 00:27:55.62\00:27:57.54 as we see you in another edition of "Issues and Answers." 00:27:57.57\00:28:00.97