{"id":11142,"date":"2013-04-16T00:01:32","date_gmt":"2013-04-16T04:01:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/?p=11142"},"modified":"2016-01-04T14:52:57","modified_gmt":"2016-01-04T19:52:57","slug":"girls-with-swords-chapter-4-the-battleground-pgs-55-57","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/2013\/04\/16\/girls-with-swords-chapter-4-the-battleground-pgs-55-57\/","title":{"rendered":"Girls With Swords: Chapter 4 \u2013 \u201cThe Battleground\u201d (pgs 55-57)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Did you know that Jesus prayed a prayer that hasn\u2019t been answered yet?\u00a0 How can that be?\u00a0 Has Jesus given up hope of His prayer being answered?\u00a0 When the desires of our hearts are lined up with the will of God, our prayers will be answered.\u00a0 I believe Jesus was in the center of God\u2019s will for Him, therefore the prayers He prayed WILL BE ANSWERED according to his desires.<\/p>\n

But\u2026Jesus is still waiting\u2026patiently… for one very important prayer to be answered.\u00a0 In John 17:20-23 Jesus prays for you and me.\u00a0 It says,<\/p>\n

I do not ask for these (11 disciples) only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word(<\/i><\/b>all of us NOW)<\/b><\/i>, that they may all be one<\/span><\/b>, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.\u00a0 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one<\/span><\/b> even as we are one<\/span><\/b>, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one<\/span><\/b>, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me<\/i><\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jesus prayed for you and me BEFORE He went to the cross, before He died for your sins and mine\u2026\u00a0 It was His heart\u2019s desire to have us to be united as one body of believers, showing the world HIS glory, so that the world would know that God sent Jesus and that God loves all of US<\/b> as much as He loves His own Son.\u00a0 So, as long as we are still divided in our beliefs, religious activities and continue to hate other flavors of Christians, the enemy wins\u2026Jesus has to keep waiting for his prayer to be answered.\u00a0 \u201cChristians\u201d (Christ followers<\/i>) are standing in the way of Jesus\u2019 prayers.\u00a0 That can\u2019t be good.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/i>So Jesus waits on us.<\/p>\n

The eternal fate of this world is on OUR shoulders.\u00a0 The world is our Battleground and the Word tells us it is ready to be harvested.\u00a0 I guess that is a mixed metaphor\u2026the field is white with harvest, the battle is waiting to be WON.\u00a0 Jesus says to his disciples, this one from Matthew 9:37-38, \u201cThen he said to his disciples, \u201cThe harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.\u00a0 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.\u201d\u00a0<\/span> Jesus was showing his disciples the plans the Father has for each one of us.\u00a0 Have you guessed what that plan is yet?<\/p>\n

When sin entered the picture in the Garden of Eden there was one, singular NEED on this planet.\u00a0 We were separated from God by SIN and God put a plan in place to restore us to a right relationship with HIM.\u00a0 We were created for HIS GLORY, not our own.\u00a0 We do not have NEED for bigger, or better, or shinier.\u00a0 We have a NEED for a right relationship with God.\u00a0 (Ummm\u2026did you notice that Eden and Need have the same letters?\u00a0 They are in the wrong order, much like our priorities\u2026hmm)<\/p>\n

In our reading Lisa says, \u201cThe current behavior of Christian cultures and communities has caused the inhabitants of the earth to question everything we stand for.\u00a0 Are we acting as though God sent his Son to save the lost world, or do we behave in a way that says it is all about us?\u201d (p.56)\u00a0 Lisa challenges us to ACT like the answers to Jesus\u2019 prayer.\u00a0 What better privilege can there be than to be considered an answered prayer for Jesus????\u00a0 Are YOU the answer to Jesus\u2019 Prayer???\u00a0 I want to be.\u00a0 We are all gifts the Father gave to the Son.\u00a0 Jesus asked God for us and God granted him his deepest desire.\u00a0 Here are the same verses, but from the Message Bible:\u00a0 \u201cFather, I want those You gave me to be with me, right where I am,<\/span> So they can see my glory, the splendor You gave me, Having loved me long before there ever was a world.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

So Jesus \u2018 \u00a0heart\u2019s desire was for the world to be united as one body<\/b>, for one purpose<\/b>, for eternity<\/i>, by His side.\u00a0 How do we lay down the wrong thinking of tradition and religious behaviors and focus on the One who died for us?\u00a0 How do we show a godless world what a right relationship with Christ looks like?\u00a0 Since we found our mighty armor<\/b> in the book of Ephesians, let\u2019s look there for the purpose<\/b> of our battle:<\/p>\n

\u201cIn him we have redemption<\/i> through his blood,<\/span><\/p>\n

the forgiveness <\/i>of our trespasses,<\/span><\/p>\n

according to the riches <\/i>of his grace,<\/span><\/p>\n

which he lavished<\/i> upon us,<\/span><\/p>\n

in all wisdom<\/i> and insight <\/i>making known to us the mystery of his will<\/i>,<\/span><\/p>\n

according to his purposes<\/i>,<\/span><\/p>\n

which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time<\/i>,<\/span><\/p>\n

to unite all things in him<\/span><\/i><\/b>, things in heaven and things on earth.\u201d\u00a0 Eph. 1:7-10<\/span><\/p>\n

Lisa asks us this question, \u201cWhat might happen if we were one heart, one voice, one vision and purpose, one name, one kingdom, and one mandate to glorify Jesus?\u00a0 WE WOULD ONCE AGAIN WALK IN A WAY THAT OUR WEARY EARTH WOULD GLIMPSE HEAVEN.\u201d (p. 57)\u00a0 I submit to you that we would become the answer to the prayer Jesus prayed at the Last Supper.<\/strong>\u00a0 We would be the fulfillment of his desire for the people of the world to become one<\/strong> under the Lordship of Jesus\u2026and\u2026dare I say it, \u201cWorld Peace\u201d.\u00a0 (Beauty pageant moment, sorry)<\/p>\n

\"ONE\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The Bible tells us in Matthew that \u201cGod blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God.\u201d\u00a0<\/span> I want to be Blessed.\u00a0 I want to be His Child.\u00a0 Would you come and be my Sister???\u00a0 Together we can show the world God\u2019s plan for redemption.\u00a0 We can love one another no matter what Christian nametag we wear.\u00a0 We are in this battle together.\u00a0 The fields are white with harvest.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Let\u2019s Pray<\/strong><\/em><\/span>:<\/p>\n

Heavenly Father, I thank you for your perfect plan in Eden.\u00a0 I thank you for desiring a relationship with us to show us our Need.\u00a0 I thank you for providing the perfect plan of redemption so that we can be united with you for eternity.\u00a0 Father, I pray for each woman on this journey with us to continue to be united in faith and love, and show that love to others so that you might be glorified.\u00a0 We thank you for Peace.\u00a0 Peace that can only be found in you.\u00a0 Give us the strength and perseverance to harvest the fields, win the battles before us, and bring your peace to the world around us.\u00a0 We love you, Father.\u00a0 AMEN<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Looking for my sisters<\/span>,<\/p>\n

Teresa<\/p>\n

(The Harvester)<\/p>\n