I desire that the Lord would open our eyes to the spiritual world so that we could know what He is doing. Ecclesiastes says that it is very difficult for man to see what God is doing. We often operate with concepts, the essence of which we do not understand, and say: “Behold, God did this…” It is written that “what God does that endures forever,” but what man does will be destroyed. One religious teacher once said: “Leave them, if this work is of men, it will come to nothing.” This means that people can do things for God, and they will come to nothing.
One day, when Peter was in custody, an Angel appeared to him.
“Now behold, an Angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison. And he struck Peter on the side and raised him up saying: “Arise quickly.” And his chains fell off his hands. Then the Angel said to him: “Gird yourself and tie on your sandal”; and so he did. Then he says to him: “Put on your garment and follow me.” Peter went out and followed him, and didn’t know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision” (Acts 12:7-9).
It often happens to us that we don’t know that we are in His destiny. Imagine, Peter thought he was in a dream. Here he comes, the gates open, the chains fall, his garment lying nearby… He was guarded by sixteen warriors. The chains fall, the doors open, the gates rise, everyone is asleep, and the Angel takes him out of the place, and Peter thinks that he is in a dream. How is that? It was such “dense glory” that Peter didn’t even figure that he was in reality: he was in a deep trance. How could you imagine that a man appeared to you and you wouldn’t know that you were awake? That is, he was in a deep trance, beaten, handcuffed, in a dungeon of the Roman Empire. It was very serious. That is, there were all the conditions to wake up.
“When they were passed the first and second guard posts, they came to the iron gates that lead to the city, which opened to them of their own accord: and they went out and went down one street, and suddenly the Angel wasn’t with him. Then Peter came back to his senses and said: “Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel and has delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Jewish people.” (Acts 12:10-11).
Sometimes, when the Lord takes us out of the lot, we find ourselves in our own world, in the human world, and we begin to realize that we were in the lot. This is what prayer should be: so that we can understand what God is doing. Because not all of us understand that this is God doing it. Sometimes the Lord takes us into His lot so that we can discern and long for the Lord to take us. Some of us have not been there for years – for years God has not taken you as His portion, has not used you to be His instrument, His weapon, but we were made to be spiritual weapons. Going to meetings is not Christianity, it is not service at all. Are you there for the Lord? You come for yourself. Sacrifice to the Lord is service to God, life as service. Think about it! And this is proof of love for God. If a person does not serve God, he does not love Him. Jesus says: “Do you love Me? Feed My sheep!” Reach out to people and give them God’s love, because you serve them and serve God. If you don’t serve people, it means you don’t serve God. That’s all. “By this will my heavenly Father be glorified,” Jesus said, “if you bear much fruit.” And “a branch that bears no fruit is cut off and thrown into the fire.” What is it about? This is not about us not experiencing juiciness or the like, no, one can really die, this is about fiery hell – from infertility – into the fire. “Show you faith through your works!” Let’s look at the list of your faith without works. And He says: “You have a name as if you were alive, but you are dead! Repent!”
Today, more than ever, there is a need to turn our houses, the churches of Christ, into houses of prayer. The Lord once said: “And He taught them, saying: Is it not written: “My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations?” Think: can your house, your church be called a house of prayer? Are you already so “perfect” that you don’t pray? And take your homes where you live in some homes you can no longer hear prayer: neither the wife nor the husband prays, they say that they are tired from work… Before you know it, work will consume you, and you will lose your spirituality. What revelations are we talking about? Gifts have faded, Springs have dried up, the land has dried up, it becomes a norm to communicate in a worldly way in Christian families, worldly communication – like other people, simply with the name of the Lord on their lips. Because His House has ceased to be a house of prayer. Think about it. You live in your homes – is there prayer there at all? You live in your churches – can they be called a house of prayer? Not a house of food or communication, not a house of spending time, but a house of prayer?! Think! I am calling you on board this ship! “My house is a house of prayer,” said the Lord. But you have made it a den of robbers.”
“And He taught them, saying: “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations’?” But you have made it a den of robbers.” The scribes and chief priests heard this, and they sought how they might destroy Him, for they feared Him, because all the people were astonished at His teaching. When evening had come, He went out of the city. In the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up to the roots. And Peter, remembering, Peter said to Him: “Rabbi! Look, the fig tree that You cursed has withered away.” So Jesus answered and said to them “Have faith in God, for assuredly, I say you, whoever says to this mountain, “Be removed and be cast into the sea,” and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive it, and you will have them” (Mark 11).
Why do you pray and not receive? Well, because the house of prayer has ceased to be a house of prayer. The Lord is not only a “well-provided” Help in troubles, He is the Lord of our lives. Why should He “run” around your prayers when you need urgent help? If you don’t live with Him, you aren’t friends with Him, don’t fellowship with Him, then why should He serve you when you suddenly feel bad? Think about this. A phone call: “Hello, dad. I need money”. You understand that nothing more is needed from you. You understand that they came to you only for help. And so God receives this attitude from the church: always only what is needed. How can He be the object of love in this case? Think about how we pray, how we fellowship, if we only ask and give nothing in return. But He is Alive, He is a Person. Therefore, He chooses others – those who love Him, He has fellowship with them! It is written that “He dwells with those who fear God, and He reveals His covenant to them.”
It is also written that we should forgive when we stand praying. But how much complaining about people there’s today! If you have a bad attitude, it means you haven’t forgiven. But it is said we should forgive when we stand praying: “If you do not forgive people their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Matthew 6:15).
In our life there are good days and there are evil ones: “so that the evil day doesn’t take you by surprise.” We spoke on martial arts of the spirit how to build your days in the midst of crises, amidst darkness to have this stream of worship, to create a spring that flows both in rain and drought.
In times of prosperity or darkness, the stream still flows. This stream has to flow from your heart. Why did you worship so fervently before, but not today anymore? Has God changed? No! You have changed! You have lost your first love. Admit it! No one can make you “stumble” or “tempt” you if you love. Will this interfere with your love? Whether you are hungry or well-fed doesn’t affect love, if it’s there. Let’s return to God and make our homes a house of prayer. Let prayer flow from our homes. Let it flow in the morning and in the evening. Give back the altar to God. Take it out of your closet, clean it out and place a living sacrifice on it.
David prayed in all circumstances. This is a very interesting research. Circumstances can often “pull us away” from prayer. And David – why was he “after the Lord’s heart” (as it says in another translation, I found a man with a heart like God’s) – he will fulfill all My desires,” God said so about a man. How can God, who created the entire universe, say this about a man?
Here David is fleeing from Absalom and gives a psalm to God, right as he flees.
“A Psalm of David when he fled from Absalom his son. Lord! How they have increased who trouble me! Many are they who rise up against me. Many are they who say of me: “There is no help for him in God.” But You, Lord, are a shield before me, my glory and the One who lifts up my head. I cried to the Lord with my voice, and He heard me from His holy mountain. I lay down and slept; I awoke for the Lord sustained me. I will not be afraid of ten thousand of people who have set themselves against me all around. Arise, O Lord! Save me, O my God! For You have struck all my enemies on the cheekbone. You have broken the teeth of the ungodly. Salvation belongs to the Lord. Upon Your people is Your blessing. Glory” (Psalm 3:1-9).
Perhaps this psalm was that lifeline. His son wanted to kill him, desecrated his concubines so as to never be reconciled with him, pursued him at night, such hatred seized his heart – the devil had entered.
But David continues to live, and already in the seventh psalm it says:
“The song of lament that David sang to the Lord concerning the matter of Cush, a Benjaminite. “O Lord my God, in You I put my trust;
Save me from all those who persecute me; And deliver me,Lest they tear me like a lion, Rending me in pieces, while there is none to deliver. O Lord my God, if I have done this: If there is iniquity in my hands, If I have repaid evil to him who was at peace with me, Or have plundered my enemy without cause, Let the enemy pursue me and overtake me; Yes, let him trample my life to the earth, And lay my honor in the dust.
Arise, O Lord, in Your anger; Lift Yourself up because of the rage of my enemies;
Rise up for me to the judgment You have commanded! So the congregation of the peoples shall surround You; For their sakes, therefore, return on high.
The Lord shall judge the peoples; Judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness, And according to my integrity within me.Oh, let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end, But establish the just; For the righteous God tests the hearts and minds. My defense is of God, Who saves the upright in heart.God is a just judge, And God is angry with the wicked every day. If he does not turn back,
He will sharpen His sword; He bends His bow and makes it ready. He also prepares for Himself instruments of death; He makes His arrows into fiery shafts.
Behold, the wicked brings forth iniquity; Yes, he conceives trouble and brings forth falsehood. He made a pit and dug it out, And has fallen into the ditch which he made. His trouble shall return upon his own head, And his violent dealing shall come down on his own crown. I will praise the Lord according to His righteousness, And will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High.” (Psalm 7:1-18).
There, a troublesome thing happened, something is going wrong with you – maybe you can give a psalm? Do you see? David was a man of prayer. He turned everything into prayer. Let’s return the house of prayer to God. But you quit it today. Unrighteousness comes and fills the house, and you simply live like a sinner – you pray neither yourself, nor with your wife, nor with your children. What kind of presence – why should God be there, tell me. He is with friends, with those who fear, He reveals His covenant to them and reveals mysteries to them at night.
Look how different life circumstances are – and David gives psalms. What a beauty!
“To the Chief Musician. At the Death of Laben. A Psalm of David.
I will praise You, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will tell of all Your marvelous works. I will be glad and rejoice in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High. When my enemies turn back, They shall fall and perish at Your presence.
For You have maintained my right and my cause; You sat on the throne judging in righteousness. You have rebuked the nations, You have destroyed the wicked;
You have blotted out their name forever and ever. O enemy, destructions are finished forever! And you have destroyed cities; Even their memory has perished. (Psalm 9:1-6)
Break the arm of the wicked and the evil man; Seek out his wickedness until You find none. The Lord is King forever and ever; The nations have perished out of His land. Lord, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will prepare their heart;
You will cause Your ear to hear, To do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed,
That the man of the earth may oppress no more.” (Psalm 10: 15-18).
“To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David the servant of the Lord, who spoke to the Lord the words of this song on the day that the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. And he said:
I will love You, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised; So shall I be saved from my enemies.” (Psalm 18:1-3).
The enemies have already been defeated, but David does not forget. The Lord has blessed you – separate yourself and give Him the glory for this very reason. David remembered to have a grateful heart. Separate yourself and give Him praise.
This is David – there is death, there is some kind of loss, some kind of deed, victory over Saul – it is over, you can calm down and set up prayer men. But no – how about the dawn? Who will glorify the dawn? The reason for the psalm is that the dawn has not yet been described! What an artist! This is David!
“To the Chief Musician. Set to “The Deer of the Dawn.” A Psalm of David. My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from helping Me, And from the words of My groaning? O My God, I cry in the daytime, but You do not hear; And in the night season, and am not silent. But You are holy, Enthroned in the praises of Israel. Our fathers trusted in You; They trusted, and You delivered them. They cried to You, and were delivered; They trusted in You, and were not ashamed.” (Psalm 21:1-6).
He speaks with the words of Christ: “My God, My God…”.
The next psalm is at the dedication of the house of David. See how we can be compared with David? How shameful it is when in our houses there is no tradition of thanking the Lord for this and that. When the Lord blesses you personally, and you don’t even thank Him! No praise, no thanks. And this is because your house is not a house of prayer.
“A Psalm of David. A song at the dedication of the House of David. “I will extol You, O Lord, for You have lifted me up, and have not let my foes rejoice over me. O Lord my God, I cried out to You, and You healed me” (Psalm 30:1-2).
David once experienced such shame that he had to “let his saliva fall down on his beard” because he was saving his life. And again he writes a psalm.
“A Psalm of David, when he pretended madness before Abimelech who drove him away from him, and he departed. “I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make its boast in the Lord; The humble shall hear of it and be glad. Magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together. I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. Those who looked to Him were radiant, and their faces were not ashamed” (Psalm 34:1-5).
It would seem this should be forgotten and locked in the memory closet! But no – the Word of God clearly indicated: yes, David had a problem – he pretended to be insane. Here he stands, disgraced, but alive! That’s what David was like – standing in front of everyone and praising God. That’s why the Lord loved him. He loved the Lord deeply. His entire life was clothed and enveloped in prayer.
Brothers and sisters! Let us magnify His throne! Let us not remain silent, but praise!
“Evil shall slay the wicked, and those who hate the righteous shall be condemned. The Lord redeems the soul of His servants, and none of those who trust in Him shall be condemned.” (Psalm 34:21-22).
David knew this. We read it like complex poetry, and he knew what he was saying: “None of those who trust in Him will perish.” Each word weighs a ton.
And David continues through life, through twists and turns, bumps, and then he sits in the evening, calmly, quietly and thinks: “What am I missing? Memories!” Can you imagine? Give a psalm in remembrance! How “sentimentally” right this is!
“A Psalm of David. To bring to remembrance.
O Lord, do not rebuke me in Your wrath, Nor chasten me in Your hot displeasure!
For Your arrows pierce me deeply, And Your hand presses me down. There is no soundness in my flesh Because of Your anger, Nor any health in my bones
because of my sin. For my iniquities have gone over my head; Like a heavy burden they are too heavy for me. My wounds are foul and festering Because of my foolishness. I am troubled, I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long.” (Psalm 37:1-6).
He remembered his sin that he had to repent of it. It seems that he lives a simple life, but this sin has now soared, and he needs to bring it before God. He remembered that he had stepped away and returned in the memory of the Lord – and asked: “For this, Lord, forgive me!” I very much understand David – that sometimes you carry within you a condition that is displeasing before the Lord. Then you come to your senses and think: “Okay, either I will persist and continue, or I will repent! I ask you to remove this lawlessness from me! I don’t want that, I want to be God’s, a saint, I want to live so that I bring joy to His heart!” Let’s make our homes houses of prayer!
Then David gives the teaching to the head of the choir.
“The fool has said in his heart: “There is no God.” They are corrupt and have done abominable iniquity; there is no one who does good. God looks down from heaven upon the children of men to see if there are any who understand, who seek God. “Oh that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion!” When God brings back the captivity of His people, let Jacob will rejoice and Israel be glad.” (Psalm 53:1-2, 6).
Then the enemies attack. What is David doing? He does not raise vanity among everyone, but gives a psalm:
“To the Chief Musician. Set to “The Silent Dove in Distant Lands.” A Michtam of David when the Philistines captured him in Gath.
Be merciful to me, O God, for man would swallow me up; Fighting all day he oppresses me. My enemies would hound me all day, For there are many who fight against me, O Most High.” (Psalm 56:1-2).
Here David is in the cave, fleeing from Saul.
“To the Chief Musician. Set to “Do Not Destroy.” A Michtam of David when he fled from Saul into the cave.
Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me! For my soul trusts in You;
And in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge, Until these calamities have passed by. I will cry out to God Most High, to God who performs all things for me. He shall send from heaven and save me; He reproaches the one who would swallow me up. God shall send forth His mercy and His truth. ” (Psalm 57:1-3).
What kind of glory are you talking about? You’re in a cave!
“To the Chief Musician. Set to “Do Not Destroy.” A Michtam of David when Saul sent men, and they watched the house in order to kill him.
Deliver me from my enemies, O my God; Defend me from those who rise up against me. Deliver me from the workers of iniquity, And save me from bloodthirsty men. For look, they lie in wait for my life; The mighty gather against me, Not for my transgression nor for my sin, O Lord.
Do not slay them, lest my people forget; Scatter them by Your power, And bring them down, O Lord our shield.” (Psalm 59:1-3, 11).
David never said anything bad about Saul. But he spoke to the Lord out of his heart. This is why we become hardened; we don’t pour out our secret things to the Lord. We must open our homes so that bad things can leave, we must pour ourselves out, otherwise we will “go rotten.” And prayer is given to us as cleansing. Therefore, we need to cry, we need to cleanse ourselves, so that our hearts can be cleansed.
You may not be crying anymore, someone is always guilty of all things, some people are disturbing you… Look, there’s God! Isn’t He the One who blesses you?! Think about the roots, go to them and heal them.
“To the Chief Musician. Set to “Lily of the Testimony.” A Michtam of David. For teaching. When he fought against Mesopotamia and Syria of Zobah, and Joab returned and killed twelve thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt.
O God, You have cast us off; You have broken us down; You have been displeased;
Oh, restore us again! You have made the earth tremble; You have broken it;
Heal its breaches, for it is shaking. You have shown Your people hard things;
You have made us drink the wine of confusion.You have given a banner to those who fear You, hat it mtay be displayed because of the truth. That Your beloved may be delivered, Save with Your right hand, and hear me. God has spoken in His holiness” (Psalm :1-5).
David engages in the principles of victory and the study of war. That is, he wrote a psalm for study.
The Lord takes him further. And here is David in the wilderness. We must pray in wilderness:
“A Psalm of David when he was in the wilderness of Judah.
O God, You are my God; Early will I seek You; My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You In a dry and thirsty land Where there is no water. So I have looked for You in the sanctuary, to see Your power and Your glory. Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, My lips shall praise You.” (Psalm 63:1-3).
Then David looks and gives a psalm to sing:
“To the head of the choir. Psalm of David. A song. “Praise is awaiting You, O God, in Zion; and to You the vow shall be performed. O You who hear prayer, to You all flesh will come. You visit the earth and water it, You greatly enrich it; the river of God is full of water; You provide their grain, for so You have prepared it.
You water its ridges abundantly, You settle its furrows; You make it soft with showers, You bless its growth. You crown the year with Your goodness, and Your paths drip with abundance. They drop on the pastures of the wilderness, and the little hills rejoice on every side. The pastures are clothed with flocks; the valleys also are covered with grain; they shout for joy, they also sing.” (Psalm 65:1-2, 9-13).
David’s whole life fit into songs. A whole life fits into prayer!
You can’t lie to God.
David gives a psalm about posterity. And then he praises the Lord.
“I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go into the house of the Lord.” Our feet have been standing within your gates, O Jerusalem!” (Psalm 122:1-2).
Song of Ascension – Let’s Ascend!
Around the seventieth psalm it says: “The psalms are over!” But no! While David is alive, his psalms continue. And so:
Praise of David
“I will extol You, my God, O King; and I will bless Your name forever and ever.
Every day I will bless You, and I will praise Your name forever and ever. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; and His greatness is unsearchable. My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord, and all flesh shall bless His holy name forever and ever.” (Psalm 144:1-3, 21).
Doesn’t this stir our admiration? I want to sing and dance my life. Let me cross my river with praise, let me and my people enter in and come out dry and come to our Lord, where there will be only praise. David’s entire life was spent in praise. He didn’t become bitter, he didn’t become insipid and dry, he left saturated.
What’s wrong with you? Have you dried up? Make your home a house of prayer!
The first prayer is a community prayer. If you deprive yourself of common prayers, you deprive yourself of a part in the work of the church. You come to receive, but you don’t want to give. This speaks a lot – whether a person goes to community prayers or not.
The second type of prayer is obligatory prayer—the prayer taught in Scripture. As Paul teaches, pray for the fullness of the church, for the weak, for Israel, for the salvation of the world, for the servants of God. Give a tithe of your prayer time for ministers. It all works, it’s all one. If you don’t pray for ministers at all, you can’t be a healthy member of the church, change your heart, cleanse yourself. Ministers are appointed to watch over the church, it is true. Don’t relax, because we have been given the doctrine. We are not just worshipers, we are disciples. We must know the doctrine. And according to doctrine, we must attend prayer gatherings. We must pray these prayers.
And there is also personal prayer – for your own cleansing, for your lips, for spiritual growth, for needs leading to salvation, and not to covetousness, for fruitfulness.
And there is also prayer-worship, mystical prayer. Where we pay tribute to God – we give glory, we glorify Him worthily as God, this includes contemplation – in singing, praise, giving all our love.
All these four types of prayers should be in our lives. You cannot be complete at the expense of one thing. This is not a disciple. A believer, maybe, but not a disciple. Do you agree or disagree with something? Look at your life in relation to fruitfulness.
Clothe in revelation. Remember and don’t forget the past revelations that the Lord gave. It is important to learn to receive revelations, correctly interpret them, clothe in them and apply them.
Now is the time of reading Isaiah 52, proclaim aloud, resound your walls with this prophecy. Show that you are in the kingdom of obedience to prophecy. This is the Scripture that God gave. Read it!
“Awake, awake! Put on your strength, O Zion; Put on your beautiful garments,
O Jerusalem, the holy city! For the uncircumcised and the unclean
shall no longer come to you. Shake yourself from the dust, arise; Sit down, O Jerusalem! Loose yourself from the bonds of your neck, O captive daughter of Zion!” (Isaiah 52:1-2)
Start small, read Scripture aloud within your own walls. Let prayer return to your home, to your temple, to your church. And your house will become a house of prayer for all nations.