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Jean Ross: Good
morning, friends.
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Welcome again to "Sabbath School
Study Hour," coming here from
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the Granite Bay Seventh-day
Adventist Church and also the
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Amazing Facts
International Ministry.
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We're actually in the Amazing
Facts offices this morning and
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we'd like to welcome all
of those joining us live.
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I know we have a number of
friends across the country and
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even in other
places around the world.
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You watch every week through
social media or the Internet and
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we'd like to welcome you.
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Also those who will be viewing
this program after the edit and
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on the various
television networks.
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We're just delighted that you
have chosen to come and study
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the Bible with us this morning.
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Now, our quarter we're--this
quarter we're focusing on a
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lesson and the title of
the lesson is "Making Friends
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for God."
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It's talking about the
joy of witnessing and sharing.
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Today, we're on lesson number
four and the lesson is entitled,
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"Prayer Power:
Interceding for Others."
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Very important lesson.
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Now, if you don't have a copy
of the Sabbath School lesson and
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you'd like to receive one
and follow along with us, we
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encourage you to contact
your local Seventh-day Adventist
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Church where your membership
is and you can ask them for a
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lesson quarterly.
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Otherwise, you can visit
the Amazing Facts website, just
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amazingfacts.org.
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Click on the "study hour" link
and you'll be able to download a
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copy of the lesson
and study along with us.
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So it's lesson number four
dealing with prayer and, more
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specifically,
intercessory prayer.
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Now we do have a free offer
we'd like to tell you about.
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This is just a great resource
that we'd like to make available
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to anyone who calls and asks.
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The number to call is
866-788-3966 and you just need
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to ask for offer
number 1, or rather 717.
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Again, that number is
866-788-3966, ask for offer
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number 717, we'll be happy
to send this to anyone in North
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America that calls and asks.
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If you'd like to get a digital
download of the book, you want
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to text the code
"SH065" to the number "40544."
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Again, that code is
SH065 to the number 40544.
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You'll be able to receive a free
download of the book, "Teach Us
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to Pray," and it goes along
very well with our study today
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talking about prayer
and intercessory prayer.
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Well, before we get to our
study, let's begin with prayer.
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Dear Father, we thank You that
we're able to gather together
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and open up Your Word and study
and even though we are separated
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by distance, we are
still united in Your presence.
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Your Spirit is not limited to
a particular place but You can
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speak to our hearts
wherever we might be.
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So, Father, we ask once again
for Your blessing as we open up
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Your Word and study
together in Jesus' name, amen.
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Now, our lesson, as we
mentioned, is entitled, "Prayer
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Power: Interceding for Others,"
and we do have a memory verse
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and if you'd like to follow
along with that memory verse,
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it's James
chapter 5 and verse 16.
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I'll be reading from
the New King James Version.
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James chapter 5, verse 16 says:
"Confess your trespasses to one
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another, and pray for
one another, that you may
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be healed."
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Then it says: "The effective,
fervent prayer of a righteous
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man avails much."
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There are three things
I'd like to highlight in this
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memory verse.
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It says, "Pray for one another."
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So intercessory prayer and
praying for one another is a
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very important biblical truth.
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Then it promises the fervent
prayer of a righteous man
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avails much."
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Now, you might think,
"Well, I'm not very righteous.
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How can my prayers do anything?"
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Remember, the righteousness that
produces any result, especially
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in answered prayer, is
the righteousness of Jesus.
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A righteous man is one who
claims Christ's righteousness,
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one who is surrendered to
Christ, and in the name of Jesus
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we can pray, trusting fervently
that as we lift our petition
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before the Lord, He will
hear and answer it according to
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His will.
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So, yes, there is
power in intercessory prayer.
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Now, if we look at the example
given to us in the Bible,
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especially of the 1st century
church, we find that the new
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church--the New Testament church
members, they felt the need
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of prayer.
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Not just any kind of prayer
but fervent intercessory prayer.
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In Acts chapter 4, verse 31, we
read: "And when they prayed, the
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place where they were assembled
together was shaken and they
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were filled with the Holy Spirit
and they spoke the Word of God
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with boldness."
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Notice the three
things highlighted here.
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When they prayed, they
were filled and then they spoke.
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So in order for us to be
effective witnesses, we need the
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Holy Spirit.
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In order to be filled with the
Holy Spirit, we need to seek it
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through prayer.
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So you have prayer, the Holy
Spirit, and then the sharing of
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the Word.
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They spoke the Word, it says,
with boldness and you can read
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on how that God added daily
to the church those who were
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being saved.
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So intercessory prayer is a
very important part of being
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a Christian.
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It's very important with
reference to our witness.
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In Acts, the book of Acts,
called "Acts of the Apostles,"
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on page 37, we have the
following quotation: "The
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disciples did not ask for a
blessing for themselves merely.
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They were weighted with
the burden of the salvation
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of souls.
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They realized that the gospel
was to be carried to the world,
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and they claimed the
power that Christ had promised."
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Now, the command ringing in
the minds and the ears of the
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disciples was that famous Great
Commission that Jesus had given
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to the disciples
just before His Ascension.
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He told them to go to all
the world, make disciples of all
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nations, baptizing them in the
name of the Father, the Son, and
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the Holy Spirit, teaching them
to observe all things that He
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had commanded them and the
promise that He would be with
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them always even
unto the end of the age.
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So here is just a handful of the
disciples there, gathered with
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Jesus, and they witnessed
Christ ascending to heaven.
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They hear the last
words spoken by Jesus.
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Jesus told them in essence
to take the gospel to the world.
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Well, how were they, a small
band of believers, most of them
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very poor, how were they to
take the gospel to the world?
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Well, as they gathered together
there in the Upper Room, they
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realized that on their own
strength they couldn't do it.
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They needed a special
empowering of the Holy Spirit.
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And as they gathered together,
burdened with that desire to
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take the gospel to others,
that's when the Holy Spirit came
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upon them as the result of
prayer, and we read in the Bible
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that in one generation they
pretty much turned the world
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upside down.
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The gospel was, indeed, preached
out to the furthest reaches of
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the known world at that time.
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Now, if we take that
illustration and we apply it to
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where we are today, do we as
God's people living in the last
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days, do we have a special
work just as the disciples had a
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special work, a message that
has to be taken to every nation,
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kindred, tongue, and people?
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And the answer to
that is, of course, yes.
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Where do we find that message?
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Well, you'll find it in
Revelation chapter 14 and if you
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have your Bibles,
you can turn to that.
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I'd like to just highlight
a few things about this Great
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Commission, this end-time gospel
warning message, that has to go
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to the world before Jesus comes.
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And you find the three angels'
messages in Revelation chapter
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14 beginning in verse 6.
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And John writes: "Then I
saw another angel flying in the
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midst of heaven, having the
everlasting gospel to preach to
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those that dwell upon the
earth--to every nation, tribe,
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tongue, and people--saying with
a loud voice," the message needs
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to go far and wide, "'Fear God,
give glory to Him, for the hour
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of His judgment has
come; worship Him that made the
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heavens, the earth, the
sea, and the springs of water.'"
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Now, that's the
first angel's message.
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And here we find in verse 6 and
7 that it is proclaimed with a
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loud voice.
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But the second angel, we find
in verse 8: "And another angel
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followed, saying, 'Babylon
is fallen, is fallen, that great
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city, because she has made all
nations drink the wine of the
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wrath of her fornication.'"
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So we understand that the first
angel, the second, the third
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angel, this is part of this
everlasting gospel that is to
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go to all the world.
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Now, the third angel's message
you find in verse 9: "Then a
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third angel followed them,
saying with a loud voice, 'If
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any man worships the beast or
his image, or receives his mark
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in the forehead and the hand, he
himself shall also drink of the
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wine of the wrath of God.'"
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And you can read on.
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You'll find the most fearful
warning found anywhere in
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Scripture, is a warning, "Don't
worship the beast, don't worship
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his image, don't
receive his mark."
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Now, you'll notice
something here in the three
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angels' messages.
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The first angel's message is
proclaimed with a loud voice.
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The third angel's message
is also proclaimed with a
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loud voice.
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But you find the second angel in
verse 8 simply saying, "Babylon
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is fallen, is fallen."
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Now that's interesting to note.
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Why does the first angel and the
third angel have a loud voice,
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but we find the second
angel simply saying, "Babylon is
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fallen, is fallen"?
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Well, we find another angel
which helps to answer that in
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Revelation chapter 18
and the first few verses.
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Notice this, Revelation 18,
verse 1: "After these things I
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saw another angel," this would
be the fourth angel, "coming
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down from heaven, having great
authority, and the earth was
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illuminated with his glory."
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Now, the angels of Revelation 14
and this angel in Revelation 18,
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in a very real sense represents
God's people in the last days,
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empowered by the Spirit, taking
a warning message to the world.
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This fourth angel, it says "is
illuminated with the glory of
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God," a manifestation of God's
character through His people in
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the last days.
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Verse 2 says: "And he cries
mightily with a loud voice,
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'Babylon the great
is fallen, is fallen.'"
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So we have a repeat of
the second angel's message.
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The difference between the
fourth angel of Revelation 18
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and the second angel, Revelation
14, is that the fourth angel is
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said to say his
message with a loud voice.
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It says, "A mighty
strong or loud voice."
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Mighty voice,
"Babylon is fallen."
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You see, God is calling upon
His people in these last days to
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take a very special
warning message to the world.
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That message must be given with
a loud voice and, going along
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with that message, is a
revelation of God's character.
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The earth is filled
with the glory of God.
00:11:03.22\00:11:06.39
How are we, as the church today,
to fulfill this Great Commission
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that God has given to us, this
last warning message before the
00:11:10.37\00:11:13.34
Second Coming,
how are we to do it?
00:11:13.37\00:11:15.67
Well, the disciples had a
similar concern or a similar
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problem in that they were to
take this Great Commission given
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to them by Jesus.
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They didn't have the resources,
they didn't have the manpower,
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but when they earnestly sought
the Holy Spirit to empower them
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to take the gospel to the world,
that's when the Holy Spirit came
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with power.
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We today, need to seek for
the Holy Spirit the special
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outpouring known as the latter
rain so that we can do the work
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that God has called us to do:
that of taking the three angels'
00:11:41.43\00:11:44.87
messages to the world.
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So intercessory prayer, the
outpouring of the Holy Spirit,
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is very much connected to the
fulfillment of the work Christ
00:11:50.94\00:11:54.41
is calling upon us to do.
00:11:54.44\00:11:57.05
Well, let's take a closer look
then at some of the things that
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are brought to view
in this week's study.
00:11:59.38\00:12:01.85
On Sunday, the title of the
study is, "A Cosmic Struggle."
00:12:01.88\00:12:05.89
The question is why is
intercessory prayer needed?
00:12:05.92\00:12:10.03
Why is it so important?
00:12:10.06\00:12:12.26
Well, I think we all realize
that if you read the Bible, you
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understand that there is a great
controversy taking place between
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the forces of good and the
forces of evil, between Christ
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and Satan.
00:12:21.60\00:12:23.64
And in this great controversy,
there seems to be certain, I'll
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call it, rules of engagement.
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There are certain things that
God will not allow the devil
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to do.
00:12:32.98\00:12:34.88
Now we can be very grateful for
that because if the devil had
00:12:34.92\00:12:36.48
his way, he'd probably try
and destroy all of those who
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are Christians.
00:12:39.75\00:12:41.99
He'd probably try to possess
every person on earth but God
00:12:42.02\00:12:45.26
will not allow the
devil to possess or destroy.
00:12:45.29\00:12:48.36
Yes, he can tempt, he can
harass, but God has put bounds
00:12:48.40\00:12:51.37
upon the devil.
00:12:51.40\00:12:53.37
Now, if somebody opens up the
door and gives more authority to
00:12:53.40\00:12:56.14
the Bible to take possession of
his mind or his heart, that's a
00:12:56.17\00:12:58.94
different story, but there are
limitations that God has put on
00:12:58.97\00:13:01.78
the devil.
00:13:01.81\00:13:04.11
Now, God being a God of justice,
and God being fair, He has also
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limited what He does to
influence a person for good.
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Now, in this great controversy,
when we intercede on behalf of
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somebody else, when we are
praying specifically for the
00:13:16.36\00:13:19.13
salvation of another person,
it in one sense gives God the
00:13:19.16\00:13:23.60
ability or the right to do more
to influence that person for
00:13:23.63\00:13:28.07
their salvation
than if we didn't pray.
00:13:28.10\00:13:32.51
You see, when God is going to
do more to influence that person
00:13:32.54\00:13:34.88
because we're praying, we're
interceding for them, and the
00:13:34.91\00:13:37.95
devil says, "Unfair, unfair,
You're not allowed to do that,
00:13:37.98\00:13:40.32
You're breaking these so-called
rules of engagement," God can
00:13:40.35\00:13:43.65
say, "No, I have a legal
right to do so because one of My
00:13:43.69\00:13:46.25
children are specifically
interceding on behalf of
00:13:46.29\00:13:51.23
that person."
00:13:51.26\00:13:53.70
That's why intercessory prayer
is so important when it comes to
00:13:53.73\00:13:56.97
witnessing, evangelism,
and the salvation of others.
00:13:57.00\00:14:01.74
Intercessory
prayer makes a difference.
00:14:01.77\00:14:04.47
It's not that God doesn't want
to do more to influence someone,
00:14:04.51\00:14:07.41
but He limits what
He does because of this
00:14:07.44\00:14:10.88
great controversy.
00:14:10.91\00:14:12.98
But when we pray, that
enables God to do even more.
00:14:13.01\00:14:17.12
Now, we get a glimpse of this
controversy that we read about
00:14:17.15\00:14:19.95
in the Bible, found
in Revelation chapter 12.
00:14:19.99\00:14:23.16
Revelation chapter 12 is that
famous passage talking about
00:14:23.19\00:14:27.13
this war in heaven.
00:14:27.13\00:14:28.86
Revelation 12, beginning in
verse 7, if you're following
00:14:28.90\00:14:31.67
along with your Bibles.
00:14:31.70\00:14:34.44
It says in there: "War broke
out in heaven: Michael and his
00:14:34.47\00:14:37.14
angels fought with the
dragon; and the dragon and his
00:14:37.17\00:14:40.04
angels fought."
00:14:40.08\00:14:42.58
So we find war
taking place where?
00:14:42.61\00:14:44.75
Not on earth, but it
says war broke out in heaven.
00:14:44.78\00:14:47.75
What a strange place for
war to begin, but that's where
00:14:47.78\00:14:50.29
it happened.
00:14:50.32\00:14:52.29
The devil, here referred to as
the dragon, he rebelled against
00:14:52.32\00:14:54.49
God, rebelled
against God's authority.
00:14:54.52\00:14:56.89
As a result, there is this war,
this conflict in heaven between
00:14:56.93\00:14:59.86
the devil and his angels,
those angels that he was able to
00:14:59.89\00:15:03.03
deceive, and
Michael and his angels.
00:15:03.06\00:15:06.17
Now, we're going to talk about
Michael a little later on in
00:15:06.20\00:15:08.44
our study.
00:15:08.47\00:15:10.61
Verse 8 says: "But they did not
prevail, nor was there a place
00:15:10.64\00:15:12.67
found for them
any longer in heaven."
00:15:12.71\00:15:15.18
Verse 9: "So the
great dragon was cast out."
00:15:15.21\00:15:19.01
Now, who's the dragon?
00:15:19.05\00:15:20.75
"That serpent of old, called the
devil and Satan, who deceives
00:15:20.78\00:15:23.49
the whole world; he was cast to
the earth, and his angels were
00:15:23.52\00:15:27.46
cast out with him."
00:15:27.49\00:15:29.99
Now, you'll read earlier in
Revelation chapter 12 that this
00:15:30.03\00:15:32.53
great dragon was able to swoop
a third of the stars of heaven.
00:15:32.56\00:15:37.20
According to Revelation chapter
1, stars in Bible prophecy can
00:15:37.23\00:15:40.80
represent angels.
00:15:40.84\00:15:43.77
So here we find the devil being
able to deceive a third of the
00:15:43.81\00:15:46.51
angels of heaven to join
his rebellion against God.
00:15:46.54\00:15:49.71
The good news is that God
retained two thirds of the
00:15:49.74\00:15:52.38
angels of heaven.
00:15:52.41\00:15:54.12
But the devil loses this battle
and he is finally cast out
00:15:54.15\00:15:56.65
of heaven.
00:15:56.69\00:15:58.75
Now, verse 10, still Revelation
chapter 12: "Then I heard a loud
00:15:58.79\00:16:02.66
voice in heaven saying, 'Now
salvation, and strength, and the
00:16:02.69\00:16:05.43
kingdom of our God, and the
power of His Christ has come,
00:16:05.46\00:16:08.63
for the accuser of our brethren,
who accused them before our God
00:16:08.66\00:16:12.13
day and night,
has been cast down.'"
00:16:12.17\00:16:15.57
Now, there is
something I want you to note.
00:16:15.60\00:16:17.67
There is a war in heaven and the
devil and his angels are cast
00:16:17.71\00:16:20.54
out but in verse 10 of
Revelation chapter 12, we read
00:16:20.58\00:16:24.78
about the devil being cast down.
00:16:24.81\00:16:27.62
Is there a difference
between being cast out and being
00:16:27.65\00:16:31.02
cast down?
00:16:31.05\00:16:33.39
The reason I emphasize this is
because if you look in verse 11
00:16:33.42\00:16:35.56
it says in there, "Overcame him
by the blood of the Lamb and by
00:16:35.59\00:16:38.26
the word of their testimony, and
they did not love their lives
00:16:38.29\00:16:40.90
until death."
00:16:40.93\00:16:42.56
It appears as though the casting
down is connected with Christ's
00:16:42.60\00:16:45.10
sacrifice on
Calvary at the cross.
00:16:45.13\00:16:49.20
So that's resulted in people
asking, "Was this war in heaven,
00:16:49.24\00:16:51.67
did it only take place at
the time of the Crucifixion?"
00:16:51.71\00:16:55.18
Well, no, this war in heaven
took place even before the
00:16:55.21\00:16:57.38
creation of the earth.
00:16:57.41\00:16:59.41
The devil and his angels were
cast out of heaven before the
00:16:59.45\00:17:02.65
earth was created because we
read back in Genesis, Genesis
00:17:02.68\00:17:05.65
chapter 3 where the devil
appears to Eve there in the
00:17:05.69\00:17:09.09
Garden of Eden, he is at that
point the rebellious one, he is
00:17:09.12\00:17:12.06
the devil.
00:17:12.09\00:17:14.46
But it seems as though even
after Adam and Eve sinned, that
00:17:14.50\00:17:17.80
the devil at least claimed to be
the prince of this world or the
00:17:17.83\00:17:22.37
leader of this world.
00:17:22.40\00:17:24.41
You see, God had given the
leadership of this earth to Adam
00:17:24.44\00:17:26.68
but when Adam sinned, he had in
essence handed that leadership
00:17:26.71\00:17:30.08
or that kingship to the devil.
00:17:30.11\00:17:33.85
So the devil now claims the
earth is his, claims this is
00:17:33.88\00:17:36.79
his kingdom.
00:17:36.82\00:17:38.65
You'll recall the story
where there was this gathering.
00:17:38.69\00:17:41.26
You can read about it in the
book of Job where the sons of
00:17:41.29\00:17:43.26
God appeared before God and the
devil came and God said, "Where
00:17:43.29\00:17:46.46
did you come from?"
00:17:46.49\00:17:47.96
He says, "Oh, I've come from the
earth, from walking up and down
00:17:47.96\00:17:49.60
in it."
00:17:49.63\00:17:51.33
You see, the devil claimed
to be the representative of
00:17:51.37\00:17:52.87
this earth.
00:17:52.90\00:17:54.54
And to a certain degree, even
Jesus acknowledged the devil as
00:17:54.57\00:17:56.77
having some right to the earth
when He referred to the devil as
00:17:56.81\00:18:00.48
the prince of this earth,
or the prince of this world.
00:18:00.51\00:18:03.88
Now, one of the temptations that
the devil brought to Jesus was,
00:18:03.91\00:18:06.55
"If you bow down and worship me
I will give You the kingdoms of
00:18:06.58\00:18:10.29
this earth."
00:18:10.32\00:18:12.65
Now, one might wonder why would
that have been a temptation to
00:18:12.69\00:18:15.16
Jesus if there was no way that
the devil could actually give
00:18:15.19\00:18:17.63
the kingdoms.
00:18:17.66\00:18:19.56
At least he appeared to be able
to give the kingdoms to Christ.
00:18:19.59\00:18:22.26
But at the cross, when Jesus
died on the cross, the devil was
00:18:22.30\00:18:27.10
cast down to this earth, meaning
that he no longer was the
00:18:27.14\00:18:31.77
representative of the earth.
00:18:31.81\00:18:33.94
You see, Jesus now
becomes the second Adam.
00:18:33.98\00:18:36.21
Jesus paid the price.
00:18:36.24\00:18:38.15
He redeemed the earth.
00:18:38.18\00:18:40.02
Jesus is now the representative.
00:18:40.05\00:18:42.02
The devil is sort of
bound to this planet.
00:18:42.05\00:18:43.82
He knows he has
but a short time.
00:18:43.85\00:18:45.82
That's why we read in verse 12:
"Therefore rejoice, O heavens,
00:18:45.85\00:18:48.66
and you that dwell in them!
00:18:48.69\00:18:51.33
But woe to the inhabitants
of the earth and the sea!
00:18:51.36\00:18:53.46
For the devil has come down to
you, having great wrath, because
00:18:53.50\00:18:55.86
he knows that he
has a short time."
00:18:55.90\00:18:58.97
So the devil's cast out of
heaven before Creation but he's
00:18:59.00\00:19:02.24
cast down at the cross.
00:19:02.27\00:19:04.27
He's bound to this earth.
00:19:04.31\00:19:06.04
He knows he's running out
of time and, as a result, this
00:19:06.07\00:19:08.84
great conflict, this great
controversy, is intensifying as
00:19:08.88\00:19:11.95
we near the end of time and, of
course, we can witness that in
00:19:11.98\00:19:15.75
our world today, not only
through natural disasters but
00:19:15.78\00:19:19.22
just these strange diseases.
00:19:19.25\00:19:21.16
We see stress amongst
nations, amongst peoples.
00:19:21.19\00:19:25.13
These are all signs of this
great controversy that is taking
00:19:25.16\00:19:28.60
place in the world.
00:19:28.63\00:19:31.00
Now, Paul says in Ephesians
chapter 6, verse 12, "For we do
00:19:31.03\00:19:33.87
not wrestle against
flesh and blood, but against
00:19:33.90\00:19:36.47
principalities, against powers,
against the rulers of the
00:19:36.50\00:19:39.57
darkness of this age, against
spiritual hosts of wickedness in
00:19:39.61\00:19:43.21
high places."
00:19:43.24\00:19:45.71
So Paul acknowledges this great
controversy and he says, "We're
00:19:45.75\00:19:47.78
not fighting against a physical
foe; it's a spiritual battle."
00:19:47.82\00:19:51.75
In verse 13: "Therefore take up
the whole armor of God, that you
00:19:51.79\00:19:55.59
might be able to withstand
in the day of evil, having done
00:19:55.62\00:19:58.59
all, to stand."
00:19:58.63\00:20:01.06
So we get admonished to put on
the armor of God, the helmet of
00:20:01.10\00:20:03.16
salvation, the sword of the
Spirit which is the Word of God,
00:20:03.20\00:20:06.94
the shield of faith, the
breastplate of righteousness,
00:20:06.97\00:20:09.67
and the belt of
truth, and so on.
00:20:09.70\00:20:11.77
So that we can stand.
00:20:11.81\00:20:13.68
We can stand against the
wiles of the enemy, the devil,
00:20:13.71\00:20:15.64
his temptations.
00:20:15.68\00:20:17.78
2 Corinthians chapter 10, verse
4, says: "For the weapons of our
00:20:17.81\00:20:21.72
warfare are not carnal but
mighty in God for the pulling
00:20:21.75\00:20:26.15
down of strongholds, casting
down arguments and every high
00:20:26.19\00:20:29.56
thing that exalts itself against
the knowledge of God, bringing
00:20:29.59\00:20:33.56
every thought into the captivity
of the obedience of Christ."
00:20:33.60\00:20:37.93
So a big part of this great
controversy that we read about
00:20:37.97\00:20:41.50
in the Bible is a battle not
only in the world but it is a
00:20:41.54\00:20:44.57
battle in the hearts and
the minds of individuals.
00:20:44.61\00:20:47.78
As Christians, our work is to
bring every thought into harmony
00:20:47.81\00:20:51.01
with the will of Christ.
00:20:51.05\00:20:53.98
That is a day by day experience.
00:20:54.02\00:20:56.99
It is the surrender of self,
as the apostle Paul says, "I
00:20:57.02\00:20:59.45
die daily."
00:20:59.49\00:21:01.56
It is a moment by moment coming
to Jesus, surrendering our
00:21:01.59\00:21:04.13
hearts, our minds, asking
Him to do His work within us to
00:21:04.16\00:21:08.03
transform our hearts, our minds.
00:21:08.06\00:21:10.80
In the book, "The Great
Controversy," page 525, we read
00:21:10.83\00:21:16.20
the following: "It is a part of
God's plan to grant in answer to
00:21:16.24\00:21:21.14
the prayer, to our prayers,
which He would not bestow did we
00:21:21.18\00:21:25.78
not thus ask."
00:21:25.81\00:21:28.58
That's a very
important statement.
00:21:28.62\00:21:30.95
God is willing to answer in
response to our prayers that
00:21:30.99\00:21:35.06
which He would not
bestow had we not asked.
00:21:35.09\00:21:38.79
So when it comes to intercessory
prayer, there is a power and
00:21:38.83\00:21:41.70
that power is asking, coming
before the Lord, interceding on
00:21:41.73\00:21:45.57
behalf of somebody else.
00:21:45.60\00:21:47.64
We might not see
results immediately.
00:21:47.67\00:21:49.67
We might be praying for someone
for quite a period of time,
00:21:49.70\00:21:52.67
sometimes many years for
some, perhaps even a lifetime.
00:21:52.71\00:21:56.21
And we might not see the results
but God takes note of those
00:21:56.24\00:22:00.25
prayers and He will answer them
as we put our faith and trust
00:22:00.28\00:22:04.89
in Him.
00:22:04.92\00:22:06.72
There is power in prayer.
00:22:06.76\00:22:08.56
I remember hearing a
story a friend shared with me.
00:22:08.59\00:22:10.96
She was a missionary in South
America and she was on a small
00:22:10.99\00:22:16.30
plane flying from Bolivia to one
of the other--Peru, I think, in
00:22:16.33\00:22:21.57
that area.
00:22:21.60\00:22:23.47
And they were flying up over
the mountains and they found
00:22:23.51\00:22:25.64
themselves in the midst of
a very violent storm with much
00:22:25.67\00:22:29.08
turbulence and the plane
was leaning to the left and the
00:22:29.11\00:22:32.91
right and going up and down and
people were afraid in the plane
00:22:32.95\00:22:36.45
and some were crying out.
00:22:36.48\00:22:38.39
You could hear some people
praying and, of course, she
00:22:38.42\00:22:40.82
wasn't very comfortable either
and she closed her eyes and
00:22:40.86\00:22:43.46
began to pray and said,
"Lord, just keep us safe.
00:22:43.49\00:22:45.73
Take care of us."
00:22:45.76\00:22:47.96
And after she had finished
praying, she looked over to the
00:22:48.00\00:22:50.23
person sitting beside her
and this lady also had her eyes
00:22:50.27\00:22:53.57
closed and her head bowed and
my friend thought, "Oh, at least
00:22:53.60\00:22:57.51
there's another Christian here
and it's comforting to know that
00:22:57.54\00:23:00.34
this person's also praying."
00:23:00.38\00:23:02.48
So after the person finished
praying, sitting next to her, my
00:23:02.51\00:23:05.75
friend said to her, "I'm so
glad, it's comforting to know
00:23:05.78\00:23:08.28
that there is another Christian
praying for the safety of
00:23:08.32\00:23:10.45
this flight."
00:23:10.49\00:23:12.45
Well, she was very surprised
by the response that this
00:23:12.49\00:23:14.36
person gave.
00:23:14.39\00:23:16.09
She said, "I'm not a Christian."
00:23:16.12\00:23:18.13
She said, "Actually,
I'm praying," and she was
00:23:18.16\00:23:20.16
dead serious.
00:23:20.20\00:23:21.80
She said, "I'm
praying to Lucifer."
00:23:21.83\00:23:23.80
She says, "I am a follower of
Lucifer and I'm praying that his
00:23:23.83\00:23:25.70
will, will be done as
a result of this flight."
00:23:25.73\00:23:30.17
Well, needless to say, my friend
began to pray like never before.
00:23:30.21\00:23:33.38
You see, there's power in
intercessory prayer and I think
00:23:33.41\00:23:36.64
it works both ways.
00:23:36.68\00:23:38.71
When God's people pray and they
intercede on behalf of others,
00:23:38.75\00:23:42.55
there is power behind that but
we need to recognize we have an
00:23:42.58\00:23:45.52
adversary, the devil, and
his followers, they're doing
00:23:45.55\00:23:49.12
everything they can to try and
increase the devil's ability to
00:23:49.16\00:23:53.86
influence somebody else
or to bring chaos, suffering,
00:23:53.90\00:23:57.83
and despair.
00:23:57.87\00:24:00.60
So this is a very real struggle,
this great controversy theme.
00:24:00.64\00:24:04.27
Prayer is to be one of
our most powerful weapons in
00:24:04.31\00:24:07.58
this warfare.
00:24:07.61\00:24:09.91
Well, then that brings us
to Monday's lesson and Monday's
00:24:09.94\00:24:13.05
lesson is entitled
"Jesus: The Mighty Intercessor."
00:24:13.08\00:24:16.35
And if you look at the example
of Jesus, you can clearly see
00:24:16.38\00:24:19.69
that Jesus believed in the
power of intercessory prayer.
00:24:19.72\00:24:23.32
In Luke chapter 22, beginning in
verse 31, Jesus is speaking to
00:24:23.36\00:24:27.60
Simon Peter: "And the
Lord said, 'Simon, Simon!
00:24:27.66\00:24:30.87
Indeed, Satan has asked for you,
that he might sift you as wheat.
00:24:30.90\00:24:35.97
But I have prayed for you, that
your faith should not fail; and
00:24:36.00\00:24:40.94
when you have returned to
Me, strengthen your brethren.'"
00:24:40.98\00:24:44.75
Now, this is an
interesting verse.
00:24:44.78\00:24:47.08
Jesus says that Satan has asked
for you, or asked for Peter.
00:24:47.12\00:24:50.59
Why do you suppose
Satan had asked for Peter?
00:24:50.62\00:24:53.69
Well, did Peter deny Jesus?
00:24:53.72\00:24:56.26
Yes, he did.
00:24:56.29\00:24:58.39
And the devil
said, "No, he's mine.
00:24:58.43\00:25:00.40
Look at him.
00:25:00.43\00:25:02.20
He's going to deny You.
00:25:02.23\00:25:04.10
He's going to turn against You."
00:25:04.13\00:25:05.90
And Jesus says, "No, I've prayed
for him, that his faith will
00:25:05.93\00:25:07.94
not fail."
00:25:07.97\00:25:09.84
So here we find Jesus
interceding for His disciples.
00:25:09.87\00:25:12.57
And of course, even now in
heaven, Jesus, our high priest,
00:25:12.61\00:25:15.04
is interceding for us.
00:25:15.08\00:25:17.41
Our prayers are ascending up
to Christ and He intercedes on
00:25:17.45\00:25:19.95
our behalf.
00:25:19.98\00:25:22.08
We can also find this
principle in the book of Jude.
00:25:22.12\00:25:24.25
Jude just has one chapter so
it's Jude verse 9 and it says:
00:25:24.29\00:25:26.69
"Yet Michael the archangel, in
contending with the devil, when
00:25:26.72\00:25:31.99
he disputed about the body of
Moses, dared not bring against
00:25:32.03\00:25:35.40
him a reviling accusation, but
said, 'The Lord rebuke thee!'"
00:25:35.43\00:25:40.24
So here we find again Michael
and we're going to talk about
00:25:40.27\00:25:43.20
who Michael is.
00:25:43.24\00:25:44.91
That's Christ in
just a few moments.
00:25:44.94\00:25:47.14
But he's contending with the
devil about the body of Moses.
00:25:47.18\00:25:49.61
Now, we know, according to the
books of the Old Testament that
00:25:49.64\00:25:51.85
Moses died and he went up
onto a mountain where he died.
00:25:51.88\00:25:54.95
God, it says, buried him, but it
seems as though, based on Jude
00:25:54.98\00:25:59.32
here, that shortly after
his death, God came to resurrect
00:25:59.35\00:26:03.93
Moses and the devil was there to
protest and say, "No, You can't
00:26:03.96\00:26:07.40
resurrect him because he
had sinned in striking the rock.
00:26:07.46\00:26:11.70
No, he's mine."
00:26:11.73\00:26:13.47
And yet it says the Lord
didn't get into an argument.
00:26:13.50\00:26:15.40
He just said,
"The Lord rebuke thee."
00:26:15.44\00:26:17.44
So here we find Jesus
interceding on behalf of His
00:26:17.47\00:26:19.74
people and Christ is interceding
and contending with the devil
00:26:19.77\00:26:23.71
for the salvation of souls.
00:26:23.75\00:26:26.08
Now, of course, that lesson is
important for us today when it
00:26:26.11\00:26:28.95
comes to witnessing and
evangelism, recognizing that
00:26:28.98\00:26:31.45
Jesus is interceding on behalf
of our loved ones, those that we
00:26:31.49\00:26:36.02
are praying for.
00:26:36.06\00:26:38.23
And Jesus hears our prayers.
00:26:38.26\00:26:40.23
Hebrews chapter 7, verse 25:
"Therefore He also is able to
00:26:40.26\00:26:43.33
save to the uttermost those who
come to God through Him, since
00:26:43.37\00:26:46.57
He always lives to
make intercession for them."
00:26:46.60\00:26:49.50
And again, that's a powerful
verse talking about Jesus, our
00:26:49.54\00:26:52.11
high priest, interceding
for us and He does so in heaven.
00:26:52.14\00:26:55.58
So throughout the Bible, we find
that effective soul winners were
00:26:55.61\00:26:58.85
men and women of prayer.
00:26:58.88\00:27:01.62
They recognized the power of
prayer, intercessory prayer, and
00:27:01.65\00:27:05.32
God works as a result of
our prayers for the salvation
00:27:05.35\00:27:08.79
of others.
00:27:08.82\00:27:10.76
But when it comes to soul
winning and witnessing, one of
00:27:10.79\00:27:13.43
the things that we like to share
with our AFCOE students is first
00:27:13.46\00:27:15.83
of all, you need to recognize
that when you're giving someone
00:27:15.86\00:27:18.30
a Bible study, that you are
cooperating with the Holy Spirit
00:27:18.33\00:27:20.84
in bringing that person to a
point of conviction, ultimately
00:27:20.87\00:27:24.37
by God's grace to conversion.
00:27:24.41\00:27:27.08
You can't do it on your own.
00:27:27.11\00:27:29.18
It requires the
moving of the Holy Spirit.
00:27:29.21\00:27:31.55
So we need to be
working with the Holy Spirit.
00:27:31.58\00:27:33.65
We need to be aware of what
the Holy Spirit is doing in the
00:27:33.68\00:27:36.02
heart and in the life of
the person that we are studying
00:27:36.05\00:27:39.12
with, and that's
why intercessory prayer
00:27:39.15\00:27:41.39
is important.
00:27:41.42\00:27:43.63
Usually, our students will go
out to do Bible studies two by
00:27:43.66\00:27:45.76
two, and the work of the one
person in the group is simply to
00:27:45.79\00:27:49.56
pray, to intercede.
00:27:49.60\00:27:51.60
Now, it's not an official sort
of visible prayer where they
00:27:51.63\00:27:54.87
close their eyes and they
pray there in the Bible study.
00:27:54.90\00:27:57.44
And there is the lead
person doing the Bible study.
00:27:57.47\00:28:00.54
The other person is
there to offer up those silent
00:28:00.58\00:28:03.01
intercessory prayers, especially
as they begin to see conviction
00:28:03.04\00:28:07.02
come into the heart of
the person that they're
00:28:07.05\00:28:09.02
studying with.
00:28:09.05\00:28:10.95
And maybe they're experiencing
a bit of a struggle.
00:28:10.99\00:28:12.82
Then it is that that person
needs to pray and say, "Lord,
00:28:12.85\00:28:15.02
please move upon
this person's heart.
00:28:15.06\00:28:17.56
Help them to realize the
issues at stake, and so on."
00:28:17.59\00:28:20.10
So intercessory prayer is very
much involved in the work of
00:28:20.13\00:28:23.50
soul winning.
00:28:23.53\00:28:25.37
And that's what's
being emphasized here.
00:28:25.40\00:28:27.07
There is power in prayer.
00:28:27.10\00:28:29.84
There's a statement that we
find in the book, "Ministry of
00:28:29.87\00:28:31.47
Healings," page 143.
00:28:31.51\00:28:33.51
It's a statement that we've
already seen in our study of
00:28:33.54\00:28:36.51
this quarter and it's probably
a statement that we will hear
00:28:36.54\00:28:39.85
several more times.
00:28:39.88\00:28:41.72
It's a very important statement.
00:28:41.75\00:28:43.65
"Ministry of Healing," page
143, and this is what it says:
00:28:43.69\00:28:46.76
"Christ's method alone will
give true success in reaching
00:28:46.79\00:28:51.03
the people.
00:28:51.06\00:28:53.06
The Savior mingled with men
as one who desired their good.
00:28:53.09\00:28:56.13
He showed his sympathy for them,
He ministered to their needs, He
00:28:56.16\00:29:00.04
won their confidence.
00:29:00.07\00:29:02.24
Then He bade them, 'Follow Me.'"
00:29:02.27\00:29:05.41
So what was the
example that Christ gave?
00:29:05.44\00:29:07.78
Notice, "Christ's method
alone will give true success."
00:29:07.81\00:29:11.08
There is one method that works
when it comes to soul winning
00:29:11.11\00:29:13.55
and that's Christ's method.
00:29:13.58\00:29:15.55
What did Jesus do?
00:29:15.58\00:29:17.29
He mingled with people.
00:29:17.32\00:29:19.12
He sympathized with them, He
ministered to their needs, He
00:29:19.15\00:29:23.43
won their confidence.
00:29:23.46\00:29:25.46
Then He said, "Follow me."
00:29:25.49\00:29:27.73
Now, in our work of soul winning
and evangelism, we follow the
00:29:27.76\00:29:30.90
same example.
00:29:30.93\00:29:32.87
We want to mingle with people.
00:29:32.90\00:29:34.50
We want to sympathize with them.
00:29:34.54\00:29:36.71
We want to minister to
their needs where we can.
00:29:36.74\00:29:39.67
But we ultimately want to win
their confidence so that we can
00:29:39.71\00:29:41.81
share with them
spiritual things.
00:29:41.84\00:29:44.01
For many people, that
ends up being a real challenge.
00:29:44.05\00:29:46.72
How do we win
someone's confidence?
00:29:46.75\00:29:48.82
We might have a friend.
00:29:48.85\00:29:50.39
Maybe it's someone we work with,
maybe a neighbor, maybe even a
00:29:50.42\00:29:52.35
family member, and we have
a good relationship with them.
00:29:52.39\00:29:55.66
They will share with us what
their genuine concerns or needs
00:29:55.69\00:29:59.13
might be, but when we try
to share spiritual things with
00:29:59.16\00:30:02.70
them, we notice that
they're not interested.
00:30:02.73\00:30:05.73
It's as if they
build a wall right there.
00:30:05.77\00:30:07.64
They don't want to hear
what we have to say about
00:30:07.67\00:30:09.37
spiritual things.
00:30:09.40\00:30:11.24
How do we win their confidence
so that they will hear what we
00:30:11.27\00:30:13.91
have to say about Jesus?
00:30:13.94\00:30:15.94
One of the ways that we can win
people's confidence is through
00:30:15.98\00:30:18.98
intercessory prayer.
00:30:19.01\00:30:22.05
And this is
usually how it works.
00:30:22.08\00:30:24.82
I'll give you an
illustration of how this works.
00:30:24.85\00:30:26.86
We moved to a new house here in
Sacramento a number of years ago
00:30:26.89\00:30:29.89
and just down the street
from us, our neighbor, a very
00:30:29.92\00:30:32.69
friendly family,
we got to know them.
00:30:32.73\00:30:35.53
He was a secular-minded man.
00:30:35.56\00:30:37.83
He was doing
very well financially.
00:30:37.87\00:30:39.73
His business was doing well.
00:30:39.77\00:30:41.80
And even though we became good
friends, he was not interested
00:30:41.84\00:30:44.14
in anything spiritual.
00:30:44.17\00:30:46.17
Whenever I tried to bring up
something spiritual, he'd say,
00:30:46.21\00:30:48.08
"No, I'm not
interested, don't have time."
00:30:48.11\00:30:52.11
And so I began to pray and say,
"Lord, how can I somehow reach,"
00:30:52.15\00:30:54.65
his name was Nick.
00:30:54.68\00:30:56.45
"How can I reach Nick so
that I can share with him
00:30:56.48\00:30:57.92
spiritual things?"
00:30:57.95\00:30:59.62
During that time, we
were studying something very
00:30:59.65\00:31:01.72
important in AFCOE: when it
comes to sharing our faith you
00:31:01.76\00:31:04.59
want to build a relationship
with someone so that they're
00:31:04.63\00:31:08.23
willing to share a genuine
concern that they have and then
00:31:08.26\00:31:10.83
you respond and say, "Well,
I understand the way you feel.
00:31:10.87\00:31:13.23
I'd probably feel the same way
if I was in your situation but
00:31:13.27\00:31:15.84
I've found that
God answers prayer.
00:31:15.87\00:31:18.97
I'm going to pray about that."
00:31:19.01\00:31:21.01
So this was one of the things we
were learning there in our AFCOE
00:31:21.04\00:31:22.84
class, and so I thought, "I'm
going to try this with Nick."
00:31:22.88\00:31:25.48
One day I was visiting
with him and I said, "How are
00:31:25.51\00:31:27.25
things going?"
00:31:27.28\00:31:28.75
He said, "Ah, it's
not going so well."
00:31:28.78\00:31:30.52
I said, "What's the problem?"
00:31:30.55\00:31:32.05
He says, "Well, our daughter,"
she had just graduated from
00:31:32.09\00:31:33.79
high school.
00:31:33.82\00:31:35.36
He said, "Our daughter has
decided to move to Las Vegas
00:31:35.39\00:31:37.06
with a friend."
00:31:37.09\00:31:38.73
Now, he was a secular-minded man
but he knew Vegas was not the
00:31:38.76\00:31:42.00
place for an 18-year-old, and
he said, "We're very concerned
00:31:42.03\00:31:45.37
about her."
00:31:45.40\00:31:47.24
So I responded and said,
"Well, I can understand the way
00:31:47.27\00:31:49.07
you feel.
00:31:49.10\00:31:50.51
I'd probably feel the same way
if my daughter was 18 and she
00:31:50.54\00:31:51.97
wanted to go to Las
Vegas, but I have found that God
00:31:52.01\00:31:54.24
answers prayer.
00:31:54.28\00:31:57.05
I'm going to pray for her."
00:31:57.08\00:31:59.31
Now, of course, the moment
I said anything about God and
00:31:59.35\00:32:00.92
prayer, he kind
of rolled his eyes.
00:32:00.95\00:32:03.08
I could see he
wasn't interested.
00:32:03.12\00:32:04.65
But I went home and I told my
family and my kids were little
00:32:04.69\00:32:06.49
at the time.
00:32:06.52\00:32:07.89
I said, "Hey, we have
a special prayer request.
00:32:07.92\00:32:10.09
We're going to pray for Mr.
Nick, and we're going to ask
00:32:10.13\00:32:12.59
that somehow the Lord will
reveal Himself to Nick through
00:32:12.63\00:32:15.56
this situation."
00:32:15.60\00:32:17.23
Every morning worship, evening
worship, at prayer meeting, we
00:32:17.27\00:32:19.90
would have a prayer request.
00:32:19.93\00:32:22.00
That would be for Nick.
00:32:22.04\00:32:23.51
So we prayed for
him, we prayed for him.
00:32:23.54\00:32:25.01
Couple of weeks went by and I
went over to visit with him and
00:32:25.04\00:32:27.21
in the conversation I asked,
I said, "Hey, Nick, I've been
00:32:27.24\00:32:30.38
praying about that
situation with your daughter.
00:32:30.41\00:32:32.65
Has God done anything yet?"
00:32:32.68\00:32:35.65
Ha, he had a little
smile that came over his face.
00:32:35.68\00:32:38.82
He said, "You've been
praying about it, huh?"
00:32:38.85\00:32:41.46
I said, "Yes, I've
been praying about it."
00:32:41.49\00:32:44.23
He said, "Funny
you should say that.
00:32:44.26\00:32:46.26
Just today, she called.
00:32:46.29\00:32:47.96
She said things were not
working out in Las Vegas.
00:32:47.96\00:32:50.20
She had decided
to come back home."
00:32:50.23\00:32:52.87
I said, "Praise the Lord."
00:32:52.90\00:32:55.07
He said, "Do you think
God answered your prayer?"
00:32:55.10\00:32:57.27
I said, "I know God
answered my prayer."
00:32:57.31\00:32:59.77
He says, "Does God
always answer your prayer?"
00:32:59.81\00:33:03.08
I said, "God always answers.
00:33:03.11\00:33:04.95
One way or
another, He will answer."
00:33:04.98\00:33:07.02
He says, "Does God only answer
your prayer or will He answer
00:33:07.05\00:33:09.52
anybody's prayer?"
00:33:09.55\00:33:11.55
Suddenly, Nick began to
have questions about prayer.
00:33:11.59\00:33:16.73
I was able to actually share
with him how that God wants us
00:33:16.76\00:33:19.06
to pray and that God is not
a respecter of persons, that He
00:33:19.09\00:33:22.53
likes and wants everyone to
come and bring their petitions
00:33:22.56\00:33:26.03
before Him.
00:33:26.07\00:33:27.77
And he was actually open to
learning more about prayer, how
00:33:27.80\00:33:29.64
he could actually try and
pray to see if God would move.
00:33:29.67\00:33:33.71
So when it comes to this work of
intercessory prayer, we want to
00:33:33.74\00:33:37.15
be specific.
00:33:37.18\00:33:38.68
We are praying
for an individual.
00:33:38.71\00:33:40.75
We need to get to know them,
find out what their need is,
00:33:40.78\00:33:42.78
what their concern is, and then
purposely pray for them, asking
00:33:42.82\00:33:45.79
that God would somehow reveal
Himself to the person through
00:33:45.82\00:33:49.86
the situation.
00:33:49.89\00:33:51.83
And then we need to follow up.
00:33:51.86\00:33:53.76
Often we neglect to follow up
with the person and so we don't
00:33:53.80\00:33:56.43
get to see what God is
doing to reveal Himself.
00:33:56.46\00:33:59.37
So intercessory prayer is just
so important when it comes to
00:33:59.40\00:34:03.44
soul winning.
00:34:03.47\00:34:05.07
And, of course, we see
the example of that throughout
00:34:05.11\00:34:07.11
the Bible.
00:34:07.14\00:34:08.84
One of the greatest evangelists
of New Testament times was the
00:34:08.88\00:34:10.61
apostle Paul and we have
many examples of Paul lifting up
00:34:10.65\00:34:13.25
intercessory prayer for people.
00:34:13.28\00:34:16.89
Paul believed that something
would happen as a result
00:34:16.92\00:34:19.92
of prayer.
00:34:19.95\00:34:21.92
For example,
Ephesians chapter 1, verse 15.
00:34:21.96\00:34:24.79
This is Paul writing to the
Ephesian believers in the town
00:34:24.83\00:34:28.23
of Ephesus and he says,
"Therefore I also, after I heard
00:34:28.26\00:34:31.47
of your faith in the Lord
Jesus and your love for all the
00:34:31.50\00:34:35.14
saints, do not cease to give
thanks for you, making mention
00:34:35.17\00:34:38.67
of you in my prayers."
00:34:38.71\00:34:41.08
So there he is, he's
specifically mentioning
00:34:41.11\00:34:43.41
individuals in his prayer,
and what is he asking God to do
00:34:43.45\00:34:46.11
for them?
00:34:46.15\00:34:47.95
Verse 17 says that "God--that
the God of our Lord Jesus
00:34:47.98\00:34:51.42
Christ, the Father of glory, may
give you the spirit of wisdom
00:34:51.45\00:34:55.69
and revelation in
the knowledge of Him."
00:34:55.72\00:34:59.43
So he's specific.
00:34:59.46\00:35:01.33
He's praying for people but he's
praying that they would have a
00:35:01.36\00:35:03.73
clearer understanding
or knowledge of God.
00:35:03.77\00:35:06.80
Verse 18: "The eyes of your
understanding being enlightened;
00:35:06.84\00:35:10.64
that you might know what is the
hope of His calling, what are
00:35:10.67\00:35:15.51
the riches of the glory of
His inheritance in the saints."
00:35:15.54\00:35:19.95
And verse 19, "and what is the
exceeding greatness of the power
00:35:19.98\00:35:24.59
towards us who believe,
according to the working of His
00:35:24.62\00:35:28.32
mighty power."
00:35:28.36\00:35:30.63
So the things that Paul is
asking for, he's interceding on
00:35:30.66\00:35:33.09
these believers, for these
believers, and he's saying,
00:35:33.13\00:35:36.20
"Lord, please help them to
understand more of who You are,
00:35:36.23\00:35:40.17
to understand more about
Your glory, to have a better
00:35:40.20\00:35:42.84
knowledge of You."
00:35:42.87\00:35:44.94
But he's also praying and
saying, "Lord, please allow Your
00:35:44.97\00:35:47.41
power to work within them, that
mighty power that transforms the
00:35:47.44\00:35:51.01
heart and the life.
00:35:51.05\00:35:53.55
Allow that power to
work in that person's life."
00:35:53.58\00:35:56.38
And of course, that needs
to be our prayer when we're
00:35:56.42\00:35:59.35
interceding for others.
00:35:59.39\00:36:01.12
And then one of my favorite
passages of Scripture is
00:36:01.16\00:36:02.76
Ephesians chapter 3.
00:36:02.79\00:36:04.69
This is the apostle Paul's
prayer request and what a prayer
00:36:04.73\00:36:08.53
request it is.
00:36:08.56\00:36:10.43
Ephesians
chapter 3 and verse 14.
00:36:10.47\00:36:13.70
This is what it says: "For this
reason I bow my knees to the
00:36:13.74\00:36:16.84
Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ."
00:36:16.87\00:36:18.87
So Paul's going to
pray about something.
00:36:18.91\00:36:21.04
Verse 15: "For whom the
whole family in heaven and earth
00:36:21.08\00:36:23.91
is named."
00:36:23.95\00:36:25.85
Verse 16: "That He would grant
you," so Paul is interceding for
00:36:25.88\00:36:30.72
the believers.
00:36:30.75\00:36:32.52
I believe this prayer request is
not only for the believers there
00:36:32.55\00:36:34.62
in Ephesus but I think
it's true for any believer.
00:36:34.66\00:36:37.13
Paul is praying that "God
would grant you according to the
00:36:37.16\00:36:40.83
riches of the glory--of His
glory, to be strengthened with
00:36:40.86\00:36:44.20
might through His
Spirit in the inner man."
00:36:44.23\00:36:49.10
So his prayer request is, "Lord,
please send Your Spirit to
00:36:49.14\00:36:52.57
strengthen these individuals
in their inner man, in
00:36:52.61\00:36:56.54
their hearts."
00:36:56.58\00:36:58.25
Verse 17: "That Christ might
dwell in your hearts through
00:36:58.28\00:37:01.58
faith; that you, being rooted
and grounded in love, may be
00:37:01.62\00:37:03.99
able to comprehend with all the
saints what is the width and the
00:37:04.02\00:37:08.39
length and the depth and
the height--to know the love of
00:37:08.42\00:37:12.16
Christ which passes knowledge;
that you might be filled with
00:37:12.19\00:37:16.33
all the fullness of God."
00:37:16.36\00:37:19.60
What a prayer request that is.
00:37:19.63\00:37:22.00
Lord, please fill these
individuals with the fullness
00:37:22.04\00:37:25.47
of Yourself.
00:37:25.51\00:37:27.74
And verse 20 says: "Now to Him
who is able to do exceedingly
00:37:27.78\00:37:31.58
abundantly above all that we
think or ask, according to the
00:37:31.61\00:37:35.48
power that works in us," that
is the Holy Spirit, "to Him be
00:37:35.52\00:37:38.95
glory in the church by
Christ Jesus to all generations,
00:37:38.99\00:37:41.26
forever and ever, amen."
00:37:41.29\00:37:45.33
So what is Paul praying for?
00:37:45.36\00:37:47.56
He's praying for a knowledge of
the truth and he's praying for
00:37:47.60\00:37:52.20
an indwelling of the Spirit,
that Christ might dwell in
00:37:52.23\00:37:56.37
the heart.
00:37:56.40\00:37:58.31
I was reminded of what Jesus
said to the woman at the well
00:37:58.34\00:38:00.14
when I read
Paul's prayer request.
00:38:00.18\00:38:02.24
In John chapter 4, verse 23,
Jesus said, "The time is coming
00:38:02.28\00:38:05.41
when those who worship God, the
true worshipers, will worship
00:38:05.45\00:38:08.42
Him in Spirit and in truth."
00:38:08.45\00:38:11.69
So the two things that Jesus
says are necessary for true
00:38:11.72\00:38:14.69
worship is being Spirit-filled
and following the truth of
00:38:14.72\00:38:18.53
His Word.
00:38:18.56\00:38:20.26
Those are the two things that
we should be praying for when it
00:38:20.30\00:38:22.40
comes to
interceding on behalf of others.
00:38:22.43\00:38:25.17
All right, well, then that
brings us, I need to move right
00:38:25.20\00:38:27.87
along, to Wednesday's lesson
and the title there is, "Unseen
00:38:27.90\00:38:31.17
Powers at Work."
00:38:31.21\00:38:33.17
This is just a really great
study in Daniel chapter 10.
00:38:33.21\00:38:36.71
Daniel chapter 10 is
probably one of the clearest
00:38:36.75\00:38:39.31
demonstrations of this great
controversy and the importance
00:38:39.35\00:38:42.05
of intercessory prayer.
00:38:42.08\00:38:44.45
Now, a little bit of
the background to the story.
00:38:44.49\00:38:46.76
Daniel at this
time is a captive.
00:38:46.79\00:38:49.22
He is still in Babylon.
00:38:49.26\00:38:51.33
This is nearing the
end of the 70 years of
00:38:51.36\00:38:53.19
Babylonian captivity.
00:38:53.23\00:38:55.30
Daniel has been studying the
writings of the other prophets
00:38:55.33\00:38:57.67
and, in that study, he has read
Jeremiah chapter 29, verse 10,
00:38:57.70\00:39:01.47
which speaks about that
captivity being 70 years.
00:39:01.50\00:39:05.31
Now, based upon 6 or 5 BC
when the Babylonians conquered
00:39:05.34\00:39:10.11
Jerusalem, Daniel
is doing the math.
00:39:10.15\00:39:13.18
He realizes we're coming up to
that seventy-year time period.
00:39:13.21\00:39:15.45
We're very close to that
seventy-year time period.
00:39:15.48\00:39:18.49
And so Daniel begins to
intercede and pray on behalf of
00:39:18.52\00:39:21.62
his people.
00:39:21.66\00:39:23.39
And we pick up the story here
in Daniel chapter 10, verse 1
00:39:23.43\00:39:25.93
and 2.
00:39:25.96\00:39:27.76
It says: "In the third year
of the reign of Cyrus king of
00:39:27.76\00:39:29.63
Persia a message was revealed
to Daniel, whose name was
00:39:29.66\00:39:32.37
called Belteshazzar.
00:39:32.40\00:39:34.57
The message was true, but the
appointed time was long; and he
00:39:34.60\00:39:38.07
understood the message, and had
an understanding of the vision."
00:39:38.11\00:39:42.51
Verse 2 says: "In those days I,
Daniel, was mourning for three
00:39:42.54\00:39:45.55
full weeks."
00:39:45.58\00:39:47.85
So as a result of his study,
realizing that that time period
00:39:47.88\00:39:50.82
was coming to an end, that the
Jews were to go back, and yet he
00:39:50.85\00:39:53.96
realized that the heart of the
Jewish people, they were not set
00:39:53.99\00:39:57.93
upon leaving, they were not
committed to God to be obedient
00:39:57.96\00:40:01.50
to him, and so Daniel
begins to intercede on behalf of
00:40:01.53\00:40:05.37
his people.
00:40:05.40\00:40:07.30
And he's praying
earnestly for three full weeks.
00:40:07.34\00:40:09.84
Well, an answer comes as a
result of his prayer and you'll
00:40:09.87\00:40:12.61
find in verse 12, the angel
comes and speaks to Daniel.
00:40:12.64\00:40:16.81
"Then he said to me, 'Do not
fear, Daniel, for from the first
00:40:16.85\00:40:21.55
day that you set your heart
to understand, and to humble
00:40:21.58\00:40:24.95
yourself before God, your
words were heard; and I've come
00:40:24.99\00:40:28.29
because of your words.'"
00:40:28.32\00:40:30.26
So the angel is saying,
"Daniel, your prayer was heard.
00:40:30.29\00:40:32.73
The day you
began to pray, I came."
00:40:32.76\00:40:35.66
"But," verse 13.
00:40:35.70\00:40:37.57
"But the prince of the kingdom
of Persia withstood me 21 days;"
00:40:37.60\00:40:41.57
and remember, earlier, it says
that Daniel had prayed for three
00:40:41.60\00:40:44.64
full weeks.
00:40:44.67\00:40:46.41
Well, that's 21 days.
00:40:46.44\00:40:48.31
So when Daniel began to pray,
the angel was sent to work with
00:40:48.34\00:40:50.85
the king of Persia but
the adversary, the devil, was
00:40:50.88\00:40:54.35
hindering the work of the angel.
00:40:54.38\00:40:57.02
Verse 13: "But the prince of the
kingdom of Persia withstood me
00:40:57.05\00:40:59.69
21 days; and behold, Michael,
one of the chief princes, came
00:40:59.72\00:41:04.46
to help me, for I had been
left alone there with the kings
00:41:04.49\00:41:08.13
of Persia."
00:41:08.16\00:41:10.00
So for 21 days, the angel works
on the heart of the king of
00:41:10.03\00:41:14.44
Persia but the devil
is there to withstand him.
00:41:14.47\00:41:16.74
Finally, in response to Daniel's
prayer, Michael comes to assist
00:41:16.77\00:41:21.21
in this work of convincing
the king that the Jews are to go
00:41:21.24\00:41:25.61
back and rebuild Jerusalem.
00:41:25.65\00:41:28.58
Now, this is an incredible
thought that in response to
00:41:28.62\00:41:31.49
Daniel's prayer, Michael comes.
00:41:31.52\00:41:34.39
Now, you might be wondering,
"Well, who is Michael?"
00:41:34.42\00:41:38.49
Well, Michael is the
prophetic name for Jesus.
00:41:38.53\00:41:44.70
And I'll give you
some verses on that.
00:41:44.73\00:41:46.43
The word "Michael" literally
means "who is like God."
00:41:46.47\00:41:50.57
And in Daniel chapter 12, verse
1, we read: "Michael the great
00:41:50.61\00:41:53.94
prince that stands watch
for the children of thy people."
00:41:53.98\00:41:56.85
We know that Christ intercedes
on behalf of His people.
00:41:56.88\00:42:00.25
Jude 9 talks about Michael being
the archangel or the ruler of
00:42:00.28\00:42:05.29
the angels.
00:42:05.32\00:42:07.22
We're not saying
Michael is an angel.
00:42:07.26\00:42:09.22
The word, the "archangel" means
ruler of or the one above, like
00:42:09.26\00:42:12.83
an arch, which is above the
door, archangel, the ruler of
00:42:12.86\00:42:15.46
the angels, or the
commander of the heavenly host.
00:42:15.50\00:42:19.47
Here He's called Michael.
00:42:19.50\00:42:21.84
1 Thessalonians chapter 4, verse
16 tells us: "For the Lord,"
00:42:21.87\00:42:25.61
that's Christ.
00:42:25.64\00:42:27.24
"The Lord Himself shall descend
from heaven with a shout, with
00:42:27.28\00:42:30.81
the voice of the archangel."
00:42:30.85\00:42:33.08
Did you notice that the Lord
Himself coming from heaven has
00:42:33.11\00:42:36.52
the voice of the archangel?
00:42:36.55\00:42:39.12
And it says: "The dead
in Christ shall rise first."
00:42:39.15\00:42:41.92
So Jesus is the one who has the
voice of the archangel and it's
00:42:41.96\00:42:44.99
that voice that raises the dead.
00:42:45.03\00:42:48.76
Now, one more verse:
John chapter 5, verse 28 says,
00:42:48.80\00:42:51.73
speaking of Jesus, "All those
who are in their graves shall
00:42:51.77\00:42:55.47
hear His voice," that's
the voice of Christ, "and shall
00:42:55.50\00:42:57.91
come forth."
00:42:57.94\00:43:01.48
So the voice that raises
the dead is the voice of Christ.
00:43:01.51\00:43:03.35
Michael is said to be the
archangel and the voice that
00:43:03.38\00:43:08.62
raises the dead is the voice of
the archangel, therefore Michael
00:43:08.65\00:43:10.25
is Jesus.
00:43:10.29\00:43:11.95
So Michael is the
prophetic name of Jesus.
00:43:11.99\00:43:14.76
And here we find Jesus actually
coming as a result of Daniel's
00:43:14.79\00:43:17.86
prayer of intercession.
00:43:17.89\00:43:20.90
Jesus comes to push back, to
hold back, the forces of evil in
00:43:20.93\00:43:25.60
order for the king of Persia to
make that decision to allow the
00:43:25.63\00:43:29.94
Jews to come, to
go back and rebuild.
00:43:29.97\00:43:32.24
Now, the reason for that is
because, as a whole, the Jewish
00:43:32.27\00:43:34.74
people, they weren't
fully committed upon returning.
00:43:34.78\00:43:37.71
Seventy years had gone by.
00:43:37.75\00:43:39.71
They had become comfortable
in their new home, Babylon.
00:43:39.75\00:43:42.35
They were doing quite well
and to actually now go back to
00:43:42.38\00:43:45.95
Jerusalem to a broken-down city
and to start rebuilding, that
00:43:45.99\00:43:50.19
required effort, there was a
commitment, there was sacrifice,
00:43:50.23\00:43:53.16
and Daniel knew this and so he's
praying, saying, "Please, Lord."
00:43:53.19\00:43:57.17
And the devil's
saying, "No, they're mine.
00:43:57.20\00:43:59.27
Look, they're not
interested in going.
00:43:59.30\00:44:01.04
They want to stay in Babylon."
00:44:01.07\00:44:02.94
And so this
controversy is taking place.
00:44:02.97\00:44:04.77
Jesus is even present
to answer the prayer of the
00:44:04.81\00:44:06.78
prophet Daniel.
00:44:06.81\00:44:08.71
Just incredible passage.
00:44:08.74\00:44:10.88
Well, then that brings us to
Thursday's lesson and Thursday
00:44:10.91\00:44:13.82
is "Prayer Focus."
00:44:13.85\00:44:16.48
So when it comes to intercessory
prayer, we want to be focused.
00:44:16.52\00:44:19.92
We want to pray specifically.
00:44:19.95\00:44:21.96
We can see the example of Jesus.
00:44:21.99\00:44:23.79
Jesus prayed specifically for
His disciples, even mentioning
00:44:23.83\00:44:26.66
them by name.
00:44:26.70\00:44:28.56
Paul prayed specifically for the
believers and he also mentions
00:44:28.60\00:44:31.37
specific individuals by name.
00:44:31.40\00:44:33.87
When we want to share our faith
and we begin to witness, we need
00:44:33.90\00:44:37.67
to pray specifically for the
people that we are working with.
00:44:37.71\00:44:40.84
Praying that somehow, God would
arrange circumstances where He
00:44:40.88\00:44:43.68
could reveal Himself to that
person where they'd be open to
00:44:43.71\00:44:47.38
hearing more spiritual truth.
00:44:47.42\00:44:50.15
So we need to be
specific in our prayer.
00:44:50.19\00:44:52.29
You have the prophet Samuel in
1 Samuel chapter 12, verse 23.
00:44:52.32\00:44:56.83
This is at the
coronation of King Saul.
00:44:56.86\00:44:59.59
And notice what Samuel says.
00:44:59.63\00:45:02.00
This is verse 23 of 1 Samuel 12:
"Moreover, as for me, far be it
00:45:02.03\00:45:06.40
from me that I should sin
against the Lord in ceasing to
00:45:06.43\00:45:08.87
pray for you."
00:45:08.90\00:45:11.07
So Samuel felt that this was his
calling and if he did not pray
00:45:11.11\00:45:15.61
for God's people, for the
Israelites, he would be sinning
00:45:15.64\00:45:18.65
against the Lord.
00:45:18.68\00:45:20.45
That's how serious
Saul took this work of
00:45:20.48\00:45:22.55
intercessory prayer.
00:45:22.58\00:45:24.75
And in Job chapter 16, verse
21, we read: "Oh, that one might
00:45:24.79\00:45:29.49
plead for a man with God, as
a man pleads for his neighbor!"
00:45:29.52\00:45:33.03
So here is a call that we, as
Christians, as believers, should
00:45:33.06\00:45:36.67
intercede, should plead,
for the salvation of others.
00:45:36.70\00:45:41.17
That's what Jesus did, that's
what the apostles did, that's
00:45:41.20\00:45:43.77
what the believers of the
Old Testament time period did.
00:45:43.81\00:45:46.21
That's what God wants us to do.
00:45:46.24\00:45:48.74
After all, conversion, the
moving of the Holy Spirit on the
00:45:48.78\00:45:51.58
heart of individuals
and you've got to pray.
00:45:51.61\00:45:55.02
You've got to allow the Holy
Spirit to do a work that only He
00:45:55.05\00:45:57.39
can do.
00:45:57.42\00:45:59.52
This is an encouraging statement
that you find in "Testimonies to
00:45:59.55\00:46:02.46
the Church, Volume I," page 346.
00:46:02.49\00:46:07.56
Notice this.
00:46:07.60\00:46:09.46
It said, "Satan cannot endure to
have his powerful rival appealed
00:46:09.50\00:46:13.97
to, for he fears and trembles
before His strength and majesty.
00:46:14.00\00:46:20.31
At the sound of fervent prayer,
Satan's whole host trembles."
00:46:20.34\00:46:26.08
So at the sound of fervent
prayer, when we intercede for
00:46:26.11\00:46:29.75
others, it says
Satan's whole host trembles.
00:46:29.78\00:46:33.59
So our lesson this week has been
emphasizing the importance of
00:46:33.62\00:46:38.19
intercessory prayer.
00:46:38.23\00:46:40.93
Now, some of you might be
wondering, "Well, where do I
00:46:40.96\00:46:43.60
really start with
this intercessory prayer?
00:46:43.63\00:46:46.03
I'm not even
quite sure how to pray.
00:46:46.07\00:46:47.94
It seems that when I pray, I
end up, you know, wandering off
00:46:47.97\00:46:51.31
topic and, you know, I
need some structure in prayer.
00:46:51.34\00:46:54.78
How do I get that?"
00:46:54.81\00:46:57.01
Let me share with you just
a simple little tool that I've
00:46:57.05\00:46:59.58
been using that's proven to be
very helpful in helping to keep
00:46:59.61\00:47:02.58
my prayers focused and it
might be a blessing for you.
00:47:02.62\00:47:06.19
I think of the word "pray,"
P-R-A-Y, and I think of each of
00:47:06.22\00:47:10.09
those letters as
representing something.
00:47:10.13\00:47:13.06
The word "P" can
stand for Praise.
00:47:13.09\00:47:16.46
So when you begin your prayer,
think specifically of things
00:47:16.50\00:47:20.27
that you can praise God for.
00:47:20.30\00:47:22.97
You want to thank God for the
blessings that He's given you,
00:47:23.00\00:47:25.21
answered prayers.
00:47:25.24\00:47:26.94
You want to thank Him for
providing for your physical
00:47:26.98\00:47:28.81
literal needs but also for your
spiritual needs and spend some
00:47:28.84\00:47:32.38
time being specific, thinking
of things that you can praise
00:47:32.41\00:47:35.32
God for.
00:47:35.35\00:47:36.69
That's the "P."
00:47:36.72\00:47:38.92
The "R" stands for Repent.
00:47:38.95\00:47:40.96
And that's where we need to say,
"Lord, please forgive me for
00:47:40.99\00:47:43.22
what I said here
or, Lord, help me.
00:47:43.26\00:47:45.86
Give me the strength to
overcome that temptation.
00:47:45.89\00:47:48.26
Give me victory."
00:47:48.30\00:47:50.03
We want to repent.
00:47:50.07\00:47:51.67
Repent of our sins, allow
the Holy Spirit to convict us of
00:47:51.70\00:47:53.67
those areas in our lives that
we have not fully surrendered
00:47:53.70\00:47:56.64
to Christ.
00:47:56.67\00:47:58.77
The "A," of course, stands for
Ask, and that's where we bring
00:47:58.81\00:48:02.58
all of our requests before God
and I think that in particular
00:48:02.61\00:48:05.45
is a time for us to
intercede on behalf of others.
00:48:05.48\00:48:07.88
Not only asking for our needs
but we're also asking that the
00:48:07.92\00:48:11.29
Lord would guide and bless and
move on the hearts of those that
00:48:11.32\00:48:14.59
we love or our friends, those
that we are sharing our faith
00:48:14.62\00:48:17.39
with, that God would
intercede on their behalf.
00:48:17.43\00:48:20.80
And then finally, the "Y" stands
for Yield, and that, in essence,
00:48:20.83\00:48:25.63
is surrendering.
00:48:25.67\00:48:27.47
Surrendering all to Jesus.
00:48:27.50\00:48:29.50
And that is surrendering
ourselves, surrendering our
00:48:29.54\00:48:31.17
families, and in particular,
surrendering those that we are
00:48:31.21\00:48:33.81
witnessing to, trusting that we
can place them in God's hands,
00:48:33.84\00:48:37.61
we can place them
in God's protection.
00:48:37.65\00:48:40.68
God knows what's best.
00:48:40.72\00:48:42.55
We're interceding on their
behalf and we're giving them, so
00:48:42.58\00:48:44.92
to speak, into the hands of
God, saying, "Lord, please do
00:48:44.95\00:48:47.69
whatever You have to do to
try and reveal Yourself to this
00:48:47.72\00:48:51.76
person, to bring them to a point
of repentance and a genuine
00:48:51.79\00:48:55.23
change of heart."
00:48:55.26\00:48:57.47
So intercessory prayer is
so important when it comes
00:48:57.50\00:49:00.60
to witnessing.
00:49:00.64\00:49:02.77
So quick summary.
00:49:02.80\00:49:04.87
What did we learn?
00:49:04.91\00:49:06.84
We looked at the
example of Jesus.
00:49:06.88\00:49:08.98
We found that He
interceded on behalf of others.
00:49:09.01\00:49:11.21
We looked at the example of Paul
and some of the examples of the
00:49:11.25\00:49:13.18
Old Testament Bible characters.
00:49:13.21\00:49:15.25
We realized that there is a
very real battle between good
00:49:15.28\00:49:17.75
and evil.
00:49:17.79\00:49:19.62
Intercessory prayer is the key
in gaining the victory so that
00:49:19.65\00:49:23.46
souls can be
won for the kingdom.
00:49:23.49\00:49:25.83
We'd like to again remind
you of our free offer for today.
00:49:25.86\00:49:28.43
It is a book entitled, "Teach Us
to Pray," and we'll be happy to
00:49:28.46\00:49:31.87
send this to
anyone in North America.
00:49:31.90\00:49:33.97
Just ask for the free offer.
00:49:34.00\00:49:35.64
It's 717 and the
number is 866-788-3966.
00:49:35.67\00:49:40.08
Again, that
number is 866-788-3966.
00:49:40.11\00:49:44.15
Ask for offer number 717.
00:49:44.18\00:49:46.35
Or you can request a digital
copy of the book by texting the
00:49:46.38\00:49:50.25
code, "SH065" to
the number "40544."
00:49:50.29\00:49:57.53
Again, we want to thank you so
much for joining us here for our
00:49:57.56\00:50:00.93
Sabbath School Study Hour
and until we study again, may
00:50:00.96\00:50:03.73
God bless.
00:50:03.77\00:50:05.77
male announcer: Don't forget
to request today's life-changing
00:50:08.80\00:50:10.84
free resource.
00:50:10.87\00:50:12.54
Not only can you receive this
free gift in the mail, you can
00:50:12.57\00:50:14.68
download a digital copy
straight to your computer or
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It's now easier than ever
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Amazing Facts
wherever and whenever you want.
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And most important,
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¤¤¤
00:50:45.04\00:50:47.44
announcer: "Amazing
Facts," Changed Lives.
00:50:47.48\00:50:50.85
male: I had a lot of pressure
as a pastor's kid to perform.
00:50:55.88\00:50:59.82
They're not allowed to make the
same mistakes as everyone else.
00:50:59.85\00:51:03.76
Not only are people looking
at you, but they're judging your
00:51:03.79\00:51:08.20
father according to
what they see in you.
00:51:08.23\00:51:12.37
After a while, you get tired of
carrying that load as a child.
00:51:12.40\00:51:15.57
By the time it got time for me
to leave home, I was pretty much
00:51:15.60\00:51:20.81
finished with all that.
00:51:20.84\00:51:22.91
I just--I wasn't good enough
and I didn't belong in there.
00:51:22.94\00:51:25.95
So when I left home, I went
to the world, at a dead run.
00:51:25.98\00:51:33.82
You know, I partied and went to
work and, you know, was living
00:51:33.86\00:51:36.79
my life as the way I wanted to.
00:51:36.83\00:51:39.29
And I just
wanted to be left alone.
00:51:39.33\00:51:42.16
One day, I was driving my
motorcycle with some buddies
00:51:42.20\00:51:45.03
of mine.
00:51:45.07\00:51:46.84
All of a sudden, I had oil
running everywhere, all up and
00:51:46.87\00:51:48.67
down my arm and across my legs,
and rippling down the tank in
00:51:48.70\00:51:52.07
the wind.
00:51:52.11\00:51:54.44
And we loaded it up on a trailer
and sent it to the shop to have
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it fixed.
00:51:57.05\00:51:59.08
So I went to pick it up
and the mechanic came out.
00:51:59.11\00:52:01.25
He said, "You know," he said,
"we got your front end rebuilt."
00:52:01.28\00:52:03.85
He said, "That
wasn't the bad part."
00:52:03.89\00:52:06.55
He said, "The bad part was
the only thing holding the front
00:52:06.59\00:52:08.79
tire on was the
weight of the motorcycle."
00:52:08.82\00:52:11.26
So all I would have had to have
done was accelerate quickly and
00:52:11.29\00:52:14.30
front tire would have came off.
00:52:14.30\00:52:17.30
And it got my attention, it got
me to thinking, you know, you
00:52:17.33\00:52:20.14
hear a lot of people
talking about, you know, the
00:52:20.17\00:52:23.71
relationship that they have with
Jesus and all that, and I didn't
00:52:23.74\00:52:26.84
even know what that
was supposed to look like.
00:52:26.88\00:52:29.71
It began to work on my mind.
00:52:29.74\00:52:31.71
I think God was
beginning to speak to me.
00:52:31.75\00:52:33.88
I believe that you can say I
may be a poster child for the
00:52:33.92\00:52:37.65
shepherd lost sheep
story because I wasn't looking
00:52:37.69\00:52:41.49
for God.
00:52:41.52\00:52:43.93
I didn't really care.
00:52:43.96\00:52:46.06
But He cared about me.
00:52:46.09\00:52:49.66
And He came and got me.
00:52:49.70\00:52:53.57
¤¤¤
00:52:53.60\00:52:57.61
announcer: Together, we have
spread the gospel much farther
00:53:00.71\00:53:03.28
than ever before.
00:53:03.31\00:53:05.75
Thank you for your support.
00:53:05.78\00:53:10.05
¤¤¤
00:53:13.15\00:53:23.06
Doug Batchelor: On Christmas
Eve, 1971, 17-year-old Juliane
00:53:23.10\00:53:26.77
Koepcke boarded LANSA flight 508
with her mother in Lima, Peru.
00:53:26.80\00:53:31.77
They intended to join her father
for Christmas at his research
00:53:31.81\00:53:35.58
station in the
Amazon rainforest.
00:53:35.61\00:53:38.38
After crossing the Andes
at about 21,000 feet, their
00:53:38.41\00:53:41.65
aircraft was enveloped by
large dark thunderclouds and it
00:53:41.68\00:53:45.69
encountered severe turbulence.
00:53:45.72\00:53:47.92
Lightning was flashing
everywhere and the plane was
00:53:47.96\00:53:49.99
shaking violently,
which naturally terrified
00:53:50.03\00:53:52.16
the passengers.
00:53:52.19\00:53:54.36
Then a bolt of lightning struck
the plane's engine and tore off
00:53:54.36\00:53:57.97
a wing.
00:53:58.00\00:54:00.14
As the doomed airliner hurtled
towards the earth, the cabin
00:54:00.17\00:54:02.54
came apart and the next thing
she knew, Juliane found herself
00:54:02.57\00:54:06.41
strapped alone to a row of
seats, falling and spinning
00:54:06.44\00:54:09.94
silently from over 10,000
feet above the rainforest.
00:54:09.98\00:54:14.28
She plummeted through the
jungle canopy and slammed to the
00:54:14.32\00:54:17.45
forest floor.
00:54:17.49\00:54:19.72
When she awoke the next day,
Juliane was amazed to realize
00:54:19.75\00:54:21.96
she had survived the 2-mile fall
with just a broken collarbone
00:54:21.99\00:54:25.89
and a bad gash in her arm.
00:54:25.93\00:54:28.43
After failing to find any other
survivors, Juliane relied on
00:54:28.46\00:54:31.30
what her father had taught her,
that walking downstream will
00:54:31.33\00:54:34.80
always lead to civilization.
00:54:34.84\00:54:37.97
So with a bag of candy that had
fallen from the plane and one
00:54:38.01\00:54:41.34
sandal, she started walking.
00:54:41.38\00:54:43.88
For ten days, Juliane hobbled,
swam, or floated downstream.
00:54:43.91\00:54:47.52
Her wounds became infected and
she was plagued by maggots while
00:54:47.55\00:54:50.95
having to dodge
crocodiles, piranhas, and
00:54:50.99\00:54:54.26
relentless insects.
00:54:54.29\00:54:56.73
Eventually, she came to a shack
where she slept and she was soon
00:54:56.76\00:55:00.16
discovered by Peruvian loggers.
00:55:00.20\00:55:02.83
Eventually, Juliane was
united with her amazed father.
00:55:02.86\00:55:06.63
It's hard to imagine a
17-year-old girl surviving such
00:55:06.67\00:55:10.01
a fall and then hiking
alone out of the world's
00:55:10.04\00:55:13.24
largest rainforest.
00:55:13.27\00:55:16.11
You know, the Bible talks
about some who survived an
00:55:16.14\00:55:18.11
even greater fall than Juliane.
00:55:18.15\00:55:20.55
In fact, according to the
Scriptures, when Adam and Eve
00:55:20.58\00:55:22.95
fell in the Garden of
Eden, it brought the whole human
00:55:22.98\00:55:25.59
race down.
00:55:25.62\00:55:27.62
But Jesus came to
redeem the world from sin.
00:55:27.66\00:55:29.76
Perhaps you're thinking to
yourself, "Well, that's okay for
00:55:29.79\00:55:32.56
the world but
I've fallen too far."
00:55:32.59\00:55:35.33
Well, if the Lord can
save Juliane, God can save you.
00:55:35.36\00:55:38.87
You've not gone farther than
Moses who was guilty of murder
00:55:38.90\00:55:41.54
or David who was guilty of
adultery or Peter who denied
00:55:41.57\00:55:45.11
Jesus, and all of them
were saved and restored from
00:55:45.14\00:55:47.88
their fall.
00:55:47.91\00:55:50.11
Or maybe you're thinking,
"I've fallen too many times."
00:55:50.15\00:55:52.65
Be of good courage.
00:55:52.68\00:55:54.58
It says in Proverbs chapter 24,
verse 16: "A righteous man falls
00:55:54.62\00:55:58.19
seven times and rises again."
00:55:58.22\00:56:00.76
And Jesus cast seven
devils out of Mary Magdalene.
00:56:00.79\00:56:03.56
So don't get
discouraged, friend.
00:56:03.59\00:56:05.53
If you've fallen,
get back up again.
00:56:05.56\00:56:07.66
The same way that He could save
Juliane, lead her from that lost
00:56:07.66\00:56:11.03
condition in the rainforest, and
restore her to her father, Jesus
00:56:11.07\00:56:14.50
can lead you from your lost
condition and restore you to
00:56:14.54\00:56:17.21
your heavenly Father.
00:56:17.24\00:56:19.71
¤¤¤
00:56:19.74\00:56:26.75
announcer: In six days
God created the heavens and
00:56:28.78\00:56:31.62
the earth.
00:56:31.65\00:56:33.39
For thousands of years man has
worshiped God on the seventh day
00:56:33.42\00:56:36.19
of the week.
00:56:36.22\00:56:38.03
Now, each week, millions of
people worship on the first day.
00:56:38.06\00:56:40.96
What happened?
00:56:40.96\00:56:42.90
Why did God
create a day of rest?
00:56:42.93\00:56:45.40
Does it really
matter what day we worship?
00:56:45.43\00:56:48.04
Who was behind this great shift?
00:56:48.07\00:56:50.37
Discover the truth behind God's
law and how it was changed.
00:56:50.41\00:56:53.81
Visit SabbathTruth.com.
00:56:53.84\00:56:58.31
¤¤¤
00:57:03.28\00:57:11.86
male: "I was a
stranger and you took Me in."
00:57:21.97\00:57:27.44
¤¤¤
00:57:27.48\00:57:32.25
male: "Assuredly, I say to you
inasmuch as you did it to one of
00:57:40.96\00:57:43.69
the least of these, My
brethren, you did it to Me."
00:57:43.73\00:57:52.33
¤¤¤
00:57:59.57\00:58:08.62
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00:58:10.22\00:58:17.99
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