test of time,
God's Word, The Bible.
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Still relevant in
today's complex world.
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It Is Written,
Sharing hope around the globe.
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Thanks for join me
today on It Is Written,
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I'm John Bradshaw, and
today, a special program with a
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special guest.
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When you come to the Bible
and you start to think about
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matters of faith, and the
relationship with the God of
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heaven, one of the
fundamentals, one of the
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basics, one of the most
important ingredients in the
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Christian experience is prayer.
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But how do we pray effectively?
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How do we pray in a way
that we can expect God to answer
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our prayers?
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How can we pray knowing
that the hand of the omnipotence
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will be moved?
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Long time author, minister,
a man who for decades has
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thought the Word of God
and has encourage people and
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thought people in the
principles of prayer is Ron
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Halverson.
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Ron, thank you
for joining me today.
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Very happy to be hear
for this important meeting.
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One of the things that
you have made a whole mark of
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your ministry and
particularly in recent times
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is the subject of prayer.
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Before we start to get too
specific about this, lets be
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general, let me
ask you what prayer is.
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What is it?
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I think there is two
faces of prayer, one is personal
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prayer, personal experience
relationship with Jesus
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Christ, that prayer is the
breath of the soul, someone
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had said.
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Someone had said that is like
talking to God like a friend,
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personal.
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The other is like a key
that opens the treasure house of
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heaven.
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That's so personal.
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I think that
prayer goes eyond that.
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Prayer is a weapon, -a
weapon- in the hand of the
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believer.
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How is prayer a weapon?-well
because if we study around
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closer, we discover that
we are in a world of war.
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We are in a battle.
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But this is a spiritual
battle that is going on.
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The battle for your soul.
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And in a battle, God tells
us how to be prepared for the
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battle, how to dress for
the battle, how to stand for the
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battle and then what
weapon to use for the battle.
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That is found in Ephesians
the 6th chapter, yeah, I'm
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turning there right now, in
fact, if you, if you allow me
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while I turn, I'm going to
read just that little passage
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because there talks
about taking the whole armor of
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God, right.
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That's a very interesting
point, because when we talk
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about the whole armor of God
in Ephesians chapter 6: "Take
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the helmet of salvation and
the sword of the spirit which
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is the Word of God, praying
always with all prayer and
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supplication of the Spirit.
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So even thought when you
think about the armor of God,
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prayer often is left off
the list and some people's
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recitation is connected
inextricably actually with
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the armor of God, isn't it.
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Yeah it's the only
weapon that he has.
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There is no other weapon,
you don't fight with the flesh
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against the spirit.
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You can't fight against
the invisible with the visible.
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So you need that invisible
power, that invisible force
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which is prayer.
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And prayer
surrounds the warrior.
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Prayer is the weapon
through the Word of God.
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It Is Written that's the weapon.
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But is a weapon of
prayer that delivers the soul.
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Ok, lets talk about what
a prayer ought to look like.
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"Now I lay me down to sleep
I pray my soul the Lord will
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keep" that's a prayer,
kneeling by your bed at night
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and your hand like this
and your eyes closed, that's
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prayer, kind of what I do.
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I have people ask me all
the time, "you have to How do I
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pray?
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Do I pray like this.
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Tell me how prayer
works practically, what is it?
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The first experience I've
had in prayer, I was a gang
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banger in Brooklyn New York
and I stole a boat, you stole
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a boat?
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Yeah I stole a boat.
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On this boat I went
fishing and a storm comes up.
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A wind is blowing, water is
coming over the boat and here
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I am black leather jacket,
skull blood dripping over the
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skull, tough dude.
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And I am in this boat, no
religion, I mean, and all the
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sudden the boat starts
filling up with water so I'm
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trying to bail it
out with my motorcycle.
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Boat is going to go down.
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My brother says bail I'm
bailing then he says raw so
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I'm rawing and the tide
changes and I fell down on my
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knees on that boat and I
said, God help me in and I'll
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be good.
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God knew better than that.
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But that was the expression
of a need within a human
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heart.
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And God didn't weight
that prayer upon whether I was
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going to be good
or that I was bad.
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But he weight upon my
need and so He answered that
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prayer.
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So you got out of there.
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Have you been in a storm
where cloud ripped apart and
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the sun comes through, yeah,
right on that boat, a speed
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boat was coming by so our
predicament I said, I got my
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feet on the ground
and I forgot the prayer.
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But that was the beginning.
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You see, there are no
atheist in sinking boats, right,
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crashing planes, sure, when
death angel moves around the
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heart there is something
instinctively within the
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human nature.
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Because to me that was
a very dramatic moment.
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To me that was an answer.
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So I thought, wow, if God
can answer in such a way to a
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gang banger in a stolen
boat, imagine what he does to a
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believer on his knees,
open his heart to God as to a
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friend.
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Now when you knelt down
in that boat to pray were you
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thinking flowery oratory
or were just thinking I got to
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tell God what's on my mind.
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Just told him what's
bothering at that moment.
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You have to talk to
God like you do a friend.
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We don't go ye, ne, now,
thou, no, we talk hey, hey
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buddy I'm in a predicament
here, you are my friend,
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would you help me?
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Sometimes I get angry at God.
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I get angry at God.
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I can't understand
sometimes human suffering.
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Is that ok?
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Someone watching and say, you
shouldn't get angry with God,
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that's disrespectful.
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Is God ok with that?
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Well I think He is
because the prophets were.
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When prophets said, Hey God
why you let this people go to
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our city and rape our
women and take our children into
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slavery.
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Through out the history
of the bible we find men and
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women at times
calling up to God in anger.
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I have a friend, this
man was a Christian leader.
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Things weren't
going well in his life.
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He had some debts, he
had some struggles, real
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struggles.
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He would pull up a chair
and say, Jesus, sit down, I need
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to talk to you.
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Say I didn't think you like
me very much, what's going on
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in my life?
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Prayer got to
be honest and real.
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That's right.
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God understands it already.
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He understand the
anger in our heart.
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The only way you get rid
of anger is to express it.
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Yeah, you don't suppress it.
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So it's the same in
your prayer life you don't
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suppress it.
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You tell Him, God, I
don't understand this, come on,
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lets get on board on
this, what's the problem.
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Sometimes I rejoice,
I'm happy, I laugh with God.
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God has great sense of humor,
he made a giraffe, he made me
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and he made you, John, and
so you see, I laugh with God.
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A friend is a friend
and is a friend forever.
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So prayer is coming to a
friend sharing what is on
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your mind.
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That's right.
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Any time?
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Any place?
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You don't have to be in
a position, is not about a
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position, anywhere.
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In my book on prayer warrior
in the last chapters, I talk
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about a place, everyone
should have a place maybe a
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quite place in your house,
maybe out there in the woods,
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maybe surrounded
by woods you'll find a
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little place where you pray.
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That 's a part of your growth,
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part of your spiritual life.
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But it has to go beyond that.
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It has to go on to
the battle to the fight.
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See much praying is personal,
is asking, is asking for
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self.
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Almost becomes selfish.
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We find that prayer is use
114 times the word prayer in
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the bible.
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313 times pray, so that's
how important it is to the word
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of God.
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So to a believer in the word
of God, prayer is essential.
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And prayer is a
wonderful communion.
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Hey, you hassle all day long
and you go aside with God and
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He listens not superficial
but he listens and he hears
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and he answers you.
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I learned from a lady
once, I was praying with her and
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after I finished my prayer,
I was getting up to go and she
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is all, no, we
got to listen now.
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And that revolutionized
my prayer experience.
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We pray quick and we run.
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Everything is quick.
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You know, fast, fast, fast.
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Just listen.
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And you will be surprise,
got will even talk to you in a
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dream.
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God will even wake
you up in the night.
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I know God did that for you.
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And in some stage we are
going to talk about that.
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Prayer, prayer
with Ron Halverson.
00:09:11.53\00:09:14.50
Ron, thanks for being here
today, we are going to come
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back in just a moment and
talk about more, we are going
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to talk about more about
listening to God, hearing the
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voice of God then, how prayer
can be most effective in your
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life.
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I'll be right back with
Ron Halverson on It Is Written.
00:09:27.90\00:09:31.10
(Music) In Matthew 4:4
the Word of God says: It is
00:09:31.10\00:09:35.60
written, man shall not
live by bread alone but by every
00:09:35.60\00:09:39.36
word that proceeds
from the mouth of God.
00:09:39.36\00:09:41.93
Every Word is a one minute
bible base daily devotional
00:09:41.93\00:09:45.50
presented by pastor
John Bradshaw and designed
00:09:45.50\00:09:48.33
specially for
busy people like you.
00:09:48.33\00:09:51.43
Look for Every Word on
selected networks or watch on
00:09:51.43\00:09:56.53
line everyday on our
website, itiswritten.com.
00:09:56.53\00:10:00.10
receive a daily spiritual
boost, watch Every Word,
00:10:00.10\00:10:03.70
you'll be glad you did.
00:10:03.70\00:10:06.46
Thanks for joining me today,
my special guest today is Ron
00:10:06.46\00:10:08.83
Halverson, author, preacher,
minister, man of God and
00:10:08.83\00:10:13.80
expert in the area of prayer.
00:10:13.80\00:10:16.60
Ron we are talking about
effective prayer and a moment
00:10:16.60\00:10:18.80
ago you talked about
listening and hearing.
00:10:18.80\00:10:22.10
I want you to fetch that
out because it would be too
00:10:22.10\00:10:24.50
difficult for someone to take
that to an unhealthy extreme.
00:10:24.50\00:10:27.86
And someone is going to say,
well, how do I know what I am
00:10:27.86\00:10:30.03
hearing is from God, I
am asked this question as I
00:10:30.03\00:10:32.36
travel, how do I know what I
am hearing is from God or not
00:10:32.36\00:10:35.83
the devil and
so, talk about that.
00:10:35.83\00:10:39.03
Well, see, first of all, how
I know is from God is because
00:10:39.03\00:10:42.90
I am in communion with Him.
00:10:42.90\00:10:45.20
I can sense the voice of
God, I can sense when is God
00:10:45.20\00:10:50.00
convicting me, and
not Satan convicting me.
00:10:50.00\00:10:53.13
First of all, God
doesn't lie to me.
00:10:53.13\00:10:56.43
God doesn't flatter me.
00:10:56.43\00:10:57.66
I can sense his presence.
00:10:57.66\00:10:59.76
Also in the will of God I
can pray for things that is not
00:10:59.76\00:11:04.36
in the will of God and
so I ask but is not given.
00:11:04.36\00:11:07.96
I seek but is not found,
I knock but the door is not
00:11:07.96\00:11:10.53
opened.
00:11:10.53\00:11:11.53
And when that happens,
I realize that I begin to
00:11:11.53\00:11:13.80
analyze that what I am asking
or a seek is more selfish or
00:11:13.80\00:11:18.06
maybe the timing is not right.
00:11:18.06\00:11:21.00
So you listen to God and
how is God going to speak.
00:11:21.00\00:11:24.60
Let me tell you
what happened to me.
00:11:24.60\00:11:27.93
I was sleeping one night, and
my wife says that sometimes I
00:11:27.93\00:11:31.13
sing in my sleep,
sometimes I preach in my sleep.
00:11:31.13\00:11:33.43
This time I woke up and
I heard like a voice such a
00:11:33.43\00:11:38.36
strong impression.
00:11:38.36\00:11:41.63
Get a colonoscopy.
00:11:41.63\00:11:43.03
Mercy, I said, a colonoscopy?
00:11:43.03\00:11:45.30
I thought it was a nightmare
I thought I was in digestion,
00:11:45.30\00:11:51.10
so I went back to sleep.
00:11:51.10\00:11:51.80
Two nights later,
same thing happened.
00:11:51.80\00:11:53.53
So I called my doctor,
doctor I need a colonoscopy, he
00:11:53.53\00:11:55.33
says, do you have these
symptoms, and he named four
00:11:55.33\00:11:57.06
or five different symptoms.
00:11:57.06\00:11:58.13
I had no symptoms, I would
jump fences, they are smaller
00:11:58.13\00:12:01.13
now, but I still jump fences.
00:12:01.13\00:12:02.90
I said no, no, then he said
why, I said because the Lord
00:12:02.90\00:12:06.53
said I should have one.
00:12:06.53\00:12:07.40
He said, do you have another
reason, I said, not a better
00:12:07.40\00:12:10.00
reason.
00:12:10.00\00:12:10.66
And so they put me in
the hospital and did a
00:12:10.66\00:12:11.73
colonoscopy and they found
a very aggressive cancer above
00:12:11.73\00:12:12.86
the appendix.
00:12:12.86\00:12:16.33
The doctor said, 99% of
thei people that get that colon
00:12:16.33\00:12:18.96
cancer they die, because by
the time they get symptoms is
00:12:18.96\00:12:22.66
broken to the wall.
00:12:22.66\00:12:23.66
Once it breaks to the
wall is very dangerous.
00:12:23.66\00:12:27.26
So they cut out the piece,
this was 12 years ago and I
00:12:27.26\00:12:31.56
went to the oncologist and
he came out shaking his head and
00:12:31.56\00:12:34.66
he said Mr. Halverson, I
can't explain he said, 99% of
00:12:34.66\00:12:38.33
the people with that colon
cancer, we have to give heavy
00:12:38.33\00:12:40.50
dozes of of chemo and
radiation and still they die.
00:12:40.50\00:12:43.40
I said, well do you
believe in miracles?
00:12:43.40\00:12:45.60
Doctor said, yeah I do.
00:12:45.60\00:12:47.50
And I shared the miracle.
00:12:47.50\00:12:48.80
To me it was a miracle.
00:12:48.80\00:12:50.36
That was a
personal answered prayer.
00:12:50.36\00:12:51.66
God had to wake me up and
talked to me, and when you
00:12:51.66\00:12:53.26
have a relationship with God
in that way, God will talk to
00:12:53.26\00:12:55.06
you.
00:12:55.06\00:12:55.76
Just listen.
00:12:55.76\00:12:57.66
I mean, everything worked
together because as I walked
00:12:57.66\00:13:02.83
in that way, God
kept fulfilling the dream.
00:13:02.83\00:13:07.90
And for 12 years I have
been free form colon cancer.
00:13:07.90\00:13:13.46
I thank God for that.
00:13:13.46\00:13:15.93
Amen.
00:13:15.93\00:13:18.00
So as you pray, as you pray,
do you get to understand the
00:13:18.00\00:13:19.76
voice of the Lord more and
better, you get to know the
00:13:19.76\00:13:21.36
voice that is
speaking and you understand.
00:13:21.36\00:13:23.10
You know frankly, I get
asked by some people, how am I
00:13:23.10\00:13:25.56
going to know is the
Lord, if you pray and you get an
00:13:25.56\00:13:26.66
impression to go jump of
the roof, is probably not the
00:13:26.66\00:13:27.76
Lord.
00:13:27.76\00:13:28.60
But if you pray and the
impression is pray more or
00:13:28.60\00:13:30.23
help a little old lady or
whatever the case might be,
00:13:30.23\00:13:37.56
is not that
difficult to figure out is it?
00:13:37.56\00:13:39.76
No, that's right, if
it's towards an experience to
00:13:39.76\00:13:44.13
helping people,
growing in your spiritual life.
00:13:44.13\00:13:49.43
You know, the devil is not
going to tell you, Hey Ron,
00:13:49.43\00:13:52.90
let's grow spiritually today,
lets be a spiritual giant.
00:13:52.90\00:13:56.53
No, but you know
that is the voice of God.
00:13:56.53\00:13:58.30
When you go to help others,
you know that's the voice of
00:13:58.30\00:14:00.63
God, when he tells
you to pray more...
00:14:00.63\00:14:03.13
Satan doesn't
want you to pray more.
00:14:03.13\00:14:04.33
The fact is one thing he
fears, he fears the prayers
00:14:04.33\00:14:08.63
of God's people.
00:14:08.63\00:14:09.43
Every prayer you
pray is important to God.
00:14:09.43\00:14:12.33
Before we go to break I
just want to repeat a point.
00:14:12.33\00:14:15.73
God will hear anyone's prayers.
00:14:15.73\00:14:17.93
What about the guy that
says I am too bad, God doesn't
00:14:17.93\00:14:20.53
love me.
00:14:20.53\00:14:21.43
He won't hear me when I pray.
00:14:21.43\00:14:23.03
God wouldn't
bother with a God like me.
00:14:23.03\00:14:26.40
What do you say to that?
00:14:26.40\00:14:27.23
Whether that guy or girl.
00:14:27.23\00:14:28.13
I just finished studying
the Pharisee and the publican,
00:14:28.13\00:14:30.36
praying, the Pharisee prays
and prays, thank God I am not
00:14:30.36\00:14:33.83
like others, like that
publican over there, and the
00:14:33.83\00:14:37.33
publican was a money changer.
00:14:37.33\00:14:39.23
He worked for Rome, he was
a jew that worked for Rome.
00:14:39.23\00:14:42.43
Everything he would pay
for Rome and everything above
00:14:42.43\00:14:45.63
that he collected
he kept for himself.
00:14:45.63\00:14:48.13
And there he is in the
courtyard of the temple, and
00:14:48.13\00:14:51.03
that is a big courtyard
in the days of Jesus like 20
00:14:51.03\00:14:54.20
football fields, and
there is the Pharisee in its
00:14:54.20\00:14:57.13
filature's you know, dress
for church, in fact they sow
00:14:57.13\00:15:01.20
bells in the bottom of the
filaturies to make noise so
00:15:01.20\00:15:03.73
when they pray people looked
and say ah, there is a man of
00:15:03.73\00:15:07.03
God.
00:15:07.03\00:15:08.10
And there is this poor
publican, he is afraid to
00:15:08.10\00:15:14.00
look above his tips of his toes.
00:15:14.00\00:15:22.40
And looked to heaven and
says, help me, I'm sinner.
00:15:22.40\00:15:24.00
See, he confess something,
Pharisee confess nothing got
00:15:24.00\00:15:25.80
nothing.
00:15:25.80\00:15:26.60
So you confess it, you
see, that's what God is.
00:15:26.60\00:15:29.10
Our job description is
sinner, he is the Savior.
00:15:29.10\00:15:31.70
I want you to recognize we
need to depend more and more
00:15:31.70\00:15:34.23
on him, to pour his
righteousness upon us to pour
00:15:34.23\00:15:37.50
his life upon us.
00:15:37.50\00:15:38.90
I mean is so exciting to know
that this God is so personal.
00:15:38.90\00:15:42.80
Yeah, if you can say that
publicly the passage says,
00:15:42.80\00:15:46.00
that man went down
to his house justified.
00:15:46.00\00:15:48.60
He'd been pardon and
forgiven, justified as if he
00:15:48.60\00:15:51.53
had never sinned.
00:15:51.53\00:15:52.53
Yeah, so if he can save a
gang banger in a boat, that's
00:15:52.53\00:15:55.70
right, there is no
one God cant' save.
00:15:55.70\00:15:57.86
There is lots of
prayers God will hear.
00:15:57.86\00:15:59.86
I've had the privilege
to lead people to Christ in
00:15:59.86\00:16:02.53
bars, praying with them
there and giving their life to
00:16:02.53\00:16:05.13
Christ.
00:16:05.13\00:16:06.13
I've worked with prostitutes
on the streets, I've worked
00:16:06.13\00:16:08.93
with drug addicts for
many years in New York and the
00:16:08.93\00:16:11.30
hippies and the yippies, and
the free de gypsies back then
00:16:11.30\00:16:14.96
in the 60's.
00:16:14.96\00:16:17.50
we had a coffee
house in Crensh village.
00:16:17.50\00:16:21.10
The rag tag people but the
God we serve offers life for
00:16:21.10\00:16:25.26
them.
00:16:25.26\00:16:26.46
He is the only one that
can see something beautiful in
00:16:26.46\00:16:29.96
them.
00:16:29.96\00:16:31.16
If God can save us
he can save anybody.
00:16:31.16\00:16:32.66
That's right.
00:16:32.66\00:16:33.26
In a moment we are going to
be back, we are discussing in
00:16:33.26\00:16:35.46
just a moment with Ron
Halverson prayer warfare.
00:16:35.46\00:16:38.46
Prayer as a weapon.
00:16:38.46\00:16:39.46
We began talking
about prayer being a weapon.
00:16:39.46\00:16:42.20
In just a moment more on
that subject with Ron Halverson.
00:16:42.20\00:16:44.83
I'll be right back.
00:16:44.83\00:16:45.86
(Music) It Is Written
is dedicated to sharing the
00:16:45.86\00:16:48.60
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00:16:48.60\00:16:50.13
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Visit out website
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00:17:02.50\00:17:06.03
On today's program
you've heard, us talk about the
00:17:06.03\00:17:08.30
importance of prayer.
00:17:08.30\00:17:10.20
Prayer is a powerful
tool, is our lifeline a vital
00:17:10.20\00:17:14.03
connection to God.
00:17:14.03\00:17:15.16
But there is something I
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00:17:15.16\00:17:17.50
subject.
00:17:17.50\00:17:18.50
The secret of answered prayer.
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You'll learned how to
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00:17:21.03\00:17:23.03
life and discover simple
and effective ways to help you
00:17:23.03\00:17:25.73
pray more effectively.
00:17:25.73\00:17:28.23
The Secret of Answered
Prayer, in just a few pages
00:17:28.23\00:17:31.00
you'll discover what
the bible has to say on this
00:17:31.00\00:17:33.26
vital subject.
00:17:33.26\00:17:34.50
And it is our free gift to you.
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And in the Secret of Answered
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00:17:37.23\00:17:40.73
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00:17:40.73\00:17:42.20
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00:18:32.73\00:18:35.70
I'm John Bradshaw, thanks
for joining me today on It Is
00:18:35.70\00:18:38.00
Written.
00:18:38.00\00:18:39.00
Today, our special guest Ron
Halverson whose literally has
00:18:39.00\00:18:42.10
written a book on prayer.
00:18:42.10\00:18:43.56
Ron let me talk
now on prayer warfare.
00:18:43.56\00:18:47.00
Prayer as a weapon.
00:18:47.00\00:18:48.00
When we began this program
you were talking about prayer
00:18:48.00\00:18:50.00
being a weapon.
00:18:50.00\00:18:51.26
Something we
take on the offense.
00:18:51.26\00:18:53.70
We are in a spiritual battle,
the Bible makes it very very
00:18:53.70\00:18:57.76
clear.
00:18:57.76\00:18:58.76
We don't wrestle with
flesh and blood but with
00:18:58.76\00:19:00.83
principalities and powers.
00:19:00.83\00:19:02.13
Prayer as a weapon in warfare
that is a new concept with
00:19:02.13\00:19:05.50
people.
00:19:05.50\00:19:06.50
Well I was forced into that.
00:19:06.50\00:19:08.06
I'm working in the cities,
I spent most of my 50 years in
00:19:08.06\00:19:11.20
ministry 53 years
working in the city.
00:19:11.20\00:19:13.96
In the inner cities.
00:19:13.96\00:19:14.96
And I am working for
this people that are being
00:19:14.96\00:19:17.16
harassed I mean a kid, 8
years old dies in my arms,
00:19:17.16\00:19:22.10
throwing up on me,
over doze with drugs.
00:19:22.10\00:19:24.33
I'm forced to say, how
can this happen, how can I go
00:19:24.33\00:19:27.60
beyong just as supercitial,
I was forced to pray.
00:19:27.60\00:19:32.36
Forced to really
get into this prayer.
00:19:32.36\00:19:35.20
And then I began to see more
and more that this is a war.
00:19:35.20\00:19:38.53
This is a spiritual war.
00:19:38.53\00:19:39.86
the turf ,the territory,
he takes principalities, he
00:19:39.86\00:19:42.46
takes powers.
00:19:42.46\00:19:43.73
He takes areas of
cities, whole areas, whole
00:19:43.73\00:19:46.73
neighborhoods, and give
it all to the satanic forces.
00:19:46.73\00:19:51.86
And I say, here I am one
lone evangelists trying to war
00:19:51.86\00:19:55.10
against this.
00:19:55.10\00:19:56.03
And I began to see more
and more of this battle.
00:19:56.03\00:19:58.73
And even as a pastor, I
have pastor churches and first
00:19:58.73\00:20:05.33
prayer meetings
there were 30 people.
00:20:05.33\00:20:07.60
I went home and fell on
my face so I cried all night
00:20:07.60\00:20:08.96
long and prayed and said,
God you have to do something
00:20:08.96\00:20:11.40
here.
00:20:11.40\00:20:12.20
And then God brought me a
vision in prayer that would
00:20:12.20\00:20:14.20
be the saving
center that church.
00:20:14.20\00:20:15.76
We went from 30 people in
a month we were 1500 hundred.
00:20:15.76\00:20:19.33
And for 5 years, 1500 people
coming out to pray to prayer
00:20:19.33\00:20:23.90
meetings, because I had the
vision we are at war, we are
00:20:23.90\00:20:27.70
at battle.
00:20:27.70\00:20:30.43
Wouldn't you tell people that.
00:20:30.43\00:20:34.60
Then we are going to
get in different stands.
00:20:34.60\00:20:36.43
The dead pick
nick praying is over.
00:20:36.43\00:20:38.13
We are in a battle.
00:20:38.13\00:20:39.00
In fact we should know
that armagedon is not about a
00:20:39.00\00:20:40.90
battle way down in the
end of time in a little valley
00:20:40.90\00:20:42.33
called Megido.
00:20:42.33\00:20:45.10
It started in heaven,
Revelation 12 tells us that.
00:20:45.10\00:20:47.90
Satan was cast out.
00:20:47.90\00:20:50.30
He came to God and turned
him into a wilderness, John.
00:20:50.30\00:20:53.90
Jesus came to the wilderness
and turned it back to God.
00:20:53.90\00:20:55.86
That's the struggle
between good and evil.
00:20:55.86\00:20:57.33
But not only
with them, you and me.
00:20:57.33\00:20:59.93
We are in that
struggle, is a personal battle.
00:20:59.93\00:21:01.66
How do I take prayer and
use it as a weapon in the
00:21:01.66\00:21:07.60
spiritual battle that I am in?
00:21:07.60\00:21:09.93
First of all, there are 3
principles that we need in
00:21:09.93\00:21:11.76
victory in this battle.
00:21:11.76\00:21:13.60
One is the Blood.
00:21:13.60\00:21:18.00
He says, they overcame
him by the blood of the lamb.
00:21:18.00\00:21:20.06
Revelation, John writes,
his pen is dipped in the red
00:21:20.06\00:21:21.96
blood from Calvary
when he writes Revelation.
00:21:21.96\00:21:24.66
He says the blood of the
lamb and by the word of their
00:21:24.66\00:21:28.40
testimony, it would
not shrink from death.
00:21:28.40\00:21:30.63
But there is 3
things, the Blood.
00:21:30.63\00:21:32.63
And then God says,
put on the armor of God.
00:21:32.63\00:21:33.96
Before I get out of the bed
in the morning, john, I place
00:21:33.96\00:21:37.26
the blood in my heart.
00:21:37.26\00:21:38.36
I pray for my family,
for those in my prayer list.
00:21:38.36\00:21:40.76
I place the
blood on their hearts.
00:21:40.76\00:21:42.10
Because that is the
beginning of deliverance.
00:21:42.10\00:21:43.66
You want deliverance.
00:21:43.66\00:21:44.93
How many, watching this
program, wants deliverance?
00:21:44.93\00:21:47.83
Is first in the blood.
00:21:47.83\00:21:49.63
Then he says, put
on the armor of God.
00:21:49.63\00:21:51.73
Why?
00:21:51.73\00:21:52.73
Because the arrows of
the devil can't penetrate the
00:21:52.73\00:21:55.13
armor of God.
00:21:55.13\00:21:56.73
Undressing the armor, but
the armor never wins the battle.
00:21:56.73\00:21:59.43
Armor is only defense.
00:21:59.43\00:22:00.80
Right?
00:22:00.80\00:22:01.80
Yeah.
00:22:01.80\00:22:02.80
And so he says put on the
loin cloth, and that was eye
00:22:02.80\00:22:05.53
opening to me, because
the loin cloth protects the
00:22:05.53\00:22:07.86
reproductive organ.
00:22:07.86\00:22:09.10
You see, every believer is
suppose to reproduce Christ.
00:22:09.10\00:22:12.23
You see, we are not to
be members, we are to be
00:22:12.23\00:22:17.30
disciples.
00:22:17.30\00:22:18.30
And that is to disciple
the lost, to win the lost.
00:22:18.30\00:22:20.53
Jesus said, I've come to
seek and to save that which is
00:22:20.53\00:22:23.73
lost.
00:22:23.73\00:22:24.73
And now the church is
just I mean is a place to be
00:22:24.73\00:22:27.50
entertained is a place to
come once a week for an hour,
00:22:27.50\00:22:30.66
give God an hour
and you'll please him...
00:22:30.66\00:22:33.26
NO, you got to
become a disciple.
00:22:33.26\00:22:35.43
A disciple comes to warfare.
00:22:35.43\00:22:36.43
He dresses in the armor of God.
00:22:36.43\00:22:38.63
He has a sword, the
only offensive weapon if you
00:22:38.63\00:22:40.63
notice.
00:22:40.63\00:22:41.63
That's right.
00:22:41.63\00:22:42.63
The sword of the Spirit
which is the Word of God.
00:22:42.63\00:22:44.93
The two edged sword,
the old and new testament.
00:22:44.93\00:22:47.46
It pierces the heart.
00:22:47.46\00:22:49.06
This is talking about a battle.
00:22:49.06\00:22:51.06
And then when I went into
these neighborhoods, you go
00:22:51.06\00:22:53.06
to neighborhoods and you got
to duck behind cars, they are
00:22:53.06\00:22:55.73
shooting at each other.
00:22:55.73\00:22:57.13
I go into the barrios in
Los Angeles, and Brooklyn, and
00:22:57.13\00:23:01.50
Harmarville, and I mean I
got to carry my bible because if
00:23:01.50\00:23:05.90
they shoot me they got to
go through Genesis, Exodus,
00:23:05.90\00:23:09.66
Leviticus, Numbers.
00:23:09.66\00:23:11.30
I mean its there.
00:23:11.30\00:23:12.86
And I'm saying to myself,
I got to go with the sword, I
00:23:12.86\00:23:14.86
can't conquer this with
sweet words, little homilies...
00:23:14.86\00:23:16.86
so tell me how to
take this weapon and use it
00:23:16.86\00:23:20.20
practically, I'm battling in
my life I have some problems.
00:23:20.20\00:23:23.60
There is something in
the word of God I got to take
00:23:23.60\00:23:26.50
that through prayer and use
that offensively to drive out
00:23:26.50\00:23:29.16
satan from me.
00:23:29.16\00:23:30.10
Someone's got a
marriage difficulty, lets say,
00:23:30.10\00:23:32.10
marriage is falling
apart and kids are in jeopardy.
00:23:32.10\00:23:34.20
Someone's got a drug problem.
00:23:34.20\00:23:35.53
What am I going to do
with prayer to use that
00:23:35.53\00:23:38.50
offensively as a
weapon in those situations.
00:23:38.50\00:23:40.83
Well, first of all, you've
got to let them know you are
00:23:40.83\00:23:43.60
going to pray for them.
00:23:43.60\00:23:44.93
Then you have to give
them the principles of their
00:23:44.93\00:23:47.60
personal prayer experience,
that they must put the blood
00:23:47.60\00:23:50.00
on their heart.
00:23:50.00\00:23:51.00
You see, they got
to dress in the armor.
00:23:51.00\00:23:53.70
Before I get out of bed
in the morning, I put blood,
00:23:53.70\00:23:57.26
dress in the armor and
then he gives you the third key
00:23:57.26\00:23:59.66
that says, give him
praise from your lips.
00:23:59.66\00:24:03.93
You know, even someone in
church try to squelch praise.
00:24:03.93\00:24:07.20
But praise, when the devil
hears you singing a song, or
00:24:07.20\00:24:10.76
hears you calling a
scripture, when the devil
00:24:10.76\00:24:12.96
hears that he says, hey
man that guy is hot today stay
00:24:12.96\00:24:15.63
away from him.
00:24:15.63\00:24:16.76
You see, you got to
teach him that principle.
00:24:16.76\00:24:22.36
We got to teach them the
principle that as soon as the
00:24:22.36\00:24:24.36
temptation comes, to go
to God and ask for help.
00:24:24.36\00:24:26.36
At that moment we got to
teach them that they have to
00:24:26.36\00:24:29.36
hold on.
00:24:29.36\00:24:30.53
That it is not a quick fix.
00:24:30.53\00:24:34.23
Is not a quick fix.
00:24:34.23\00:24:35.70
My life has not been a
quick fix as yours, he's still
00:24:35.70\00:24:38.86
working, he is
still working on my life.
00:24:38.86\00:24:41.16
And I think, wow I had
victory here, and then two
00:24:41.16\00:24:44.66
other things
come up in my heart.
00:24:44.66\00:24:47.60
So we got to teach them
continually to reach out and
00:24:47.60\00:24:50.73
to continue to holding on.
00:24:50.73\00:24:53.23
Holding on for God.
00:24:53.23\00:24:54.90
And trouble in marriage
today is because of selfishness,
00:24:54.90\00:24:59.10
and who deals more
with selfishness than God.
00:24:59.10\00:25:03.13
So once I find out what
the need is with drug addicts,
00:25:03.13\00:25:08.03
the need is that
someone loves them.
00:25:08.03\00:25:10.83
I was in south Bronce,
and Fox street had the most
00:25:10.83\00:25:14.13
heroin addicts in the 60's
than any other street in the
00:25:14.13\00:25:16.80
world.
00:25:16.80\00:25:17.80
And these boys came
to a meeting one night.
00:25:17.80\00:25:20.40
High in heroin, they
were main lining heroin.
00:25:20.40\00:25:23.43
They left the meeting and
as they left the meeting I ran
00:25:23.43\00:25:26.00
off the pattform through the
aisle and jump and I met them
00:25:26.00\00:25:28.70
coming down the stairs, and
they were high on heroin, and
00:25:28.70\00:25:31.46
they saw me and said wow man,
you are in there, no I am out
00:25:31.46\00:25:35.80
here, because God
loves you and I love you.
00:25:35.80\00:25:38.66
And I wanted to say good
bye and I want you to come back.
00:25:38.66\00:25:41.36
And there on the street I
knelt with them and pray for
00:25:41.36\00:25:43.40
those 4 boys.
00:25:43.40\00:25:44.93
Heroin addicts, main liners,
I prayed all that night, I
00:25:44.93\00:25:48.80
could not sleep that night.
00:25:48.80\00:25:50.06
The next night, they show up.
00:25:50.06\00:25:51.70
And the next night, and
the next night, they come, and
00:25:51.70\00:25:54.20
when I asked people
to receive Jesus in their
00:25:54.20\00:25:56.16
hearts, those
four men came forward.
00:25:56.16\00:25:58.13
I grew up in the shooting
gallery in south Bronze, get
00:25:58.13\00:26:00.40
this, kids are laying
around in half stages, I find my
00:26:00.40\00:26:04.20
boys in the back.
00:26:04.20\00:26:05.80
And there they were, I
mean you cannot philosophy, they
00:26:05.80\00:26:10.46
did not need more theology,
they need to know that God
00:26:10.46\00:26:13.60
loves them.
00:26:13.60\00:26:15.33
And I sat there and I cried
there with them and said, God
00:26:15.33\00:26:18.30
loves you and God
wants to take this from you.
00:26:18.30\00:26:20.50
We talked about 5 day plan
10 day plan, God has a 5 minute
00:26:20.50\00:26:23.40
plan.
00:26:23.40\00:26:24.70
And God saved those
boys, became ministers and are
00:26:24.70\00:26:28.00
preaching the gospel.
00:26:28.00\00:26:30.00
That's the power of prayer.
00:26:30.00\00:26:31.56
Listen to me, that is the
power of God on the lives of
00:26:31.56\00:26:34.40
just four.
00:26:34.40\00:26:35.80
Imagine what he can
do for the whole city.
00:26:35.80\00:26:39.40
Imagine what he can do for you.
00:26:39.40\00:26:41.43
Imagine what God can you in
your life, the lives of your
00:26:41.43\00:26:43.96
family members, the lives
of your love ones, the lives of
00:26:43.96\00:26:46.10
someone you are working with.
00:26:46.10\00:26:47.10
People in your community.
00:26:47.10\00:26:48.30
People for whom
you are burdened.
00:26:48.30\00:26:50.66
As Ron said, that
is the power of prayer.
00:26:50.66\00:26:54.00
Ron, why don't we pray together.
00:26:54.00\00:26:56.00
Thank you.
00:26:56.00\00:26:57.00
Ask God to bless or if you
are listening and want to get
00:26:57.00\00:26:59.63
in deeper experience with him.
00:26:59.63\00:27:01.76
Our father and our God we
thank you in Jesus name that
00:27:01.76\00:27:03.76
prayer changes things.
00:27:03.76\00:27:05.56
That you work through our
prayers and with our prayers.
00:27:05.56\00:27:08.90
That prayer is an effective
weapon in the spiritual
00:27:08.90\00:27:11.33
warfare which we find ourselves.
00:27:11.33\00:27:13.86
Call us Lord to pray and as
we pray bless us by giving us
00:27:13.86\00:27:18.23
faith to know that
things would happen.
00:27:18.23\00:27:21.00
Allow us to see your hand move.
00:27:21.00\00:27:23.73
Work in us, and in others,
that your will will be done
00:27:23.73\00:27:27.93
in our lives.
00:27:27.93\00:27:28.93
Help us where we need help
and bless us and keeps close
00:27:28.93\00:27:32.73
to you always, please,
in Jesus name we pray, amen.
00:27:32.73\00:27:40.06
(Music) Thanks
for joining us today.
00:27:43.63\00:27:45.80
There will be more with
Ron Halverson later in It Is
00:27:45.80\00:27:47.70
Written program, and I
hope you don't miss that.
00:27:47.70\00:27:50.86
Until next time, please
remember, It Is Written, man
00:27:50.86\00:27:54.43
shall not live by bread
alone, but by every word that
00:27:54.43\00:27:57.76
proceeds from the mouth of God.
00:27:57.76\00:28:01.26