Preparing for Visitation: Part 2

Dear Friends,

We are just about an hour (Eastern Time) from the New Year and from our special seven days of fasting and prayer for miracles, breakthrough, and answers from the Holy Spirit.

We will be having a couple of special times of “Corporate” Prayer and Ministry times during the week that we would like to make you aware of.

Each morning I will be “live” on RAVEN TV for one hour of prayer and ministry at 7:00 AM (EST) and then Melanie will be joining me nightly at 9:00 PM (EST) for another hour of prayer & ministry. We will be praying and taking prayer request live at that time and would love to see you there.

You can either go to www.BigGrace.com and click on the RAVEN TV button to join in, or you can go to www.RavenOutreach.blogspot.com to be a part too.

Preparing for Visitation: Part 2

I have been receiving many email requests for special prayer needs during our seven days of prayer and fasting. These prayer requests range from needing a miracle for a terminal illness, to the salvation or a loved one, to a financial breakthrough and many for wisdom and direction for the New Year.

While some of these may appear to be more serious or even urgent that others—not of them are so big that they would cause the Holy Spirit to even break a sweat in moving miraculously on our behalf! I am believing for EVERY PRAYER requests to be answered supernaturally!

As I said in my last message—this is not the time for im-possible thinking, but rather Him-possible thinking! If we had the power to accomplish any of these things (from what seems to be the simplest to that which appears most urgent) then why on earth would we even waste our time praying in the first place!! We have got to have God move in every singe situation that we will be bringing before Him over the course of the next seven days!

It says in Matthew 12:15, “…great multitudes followed Him and He healed them all.” I am glad that is doesn’t say, “Great multitudes followed Him and He healed the easiest cases, or the not-too-serious ones.” No---He healed them ALL. I am glad that we serve the God of the ALL!

But before the enemy quickly slips in and whispers, “Well that we Jesus doing that and YOU are certainly not Jesus”—let me show you this scripture from the Word of God.

Matthew 10:1 “And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.”

Now look who is the one sent to heal ALL manner of sickness and ALL manner of disease and to have power against unclean spirits: His disciples!

I love that He calls them “disciples” or mathetes which is a learner or a pupil. Some would argue that these guys were Apostles and thus given a more lofty or powerful position than we are. Granted, they did operate and possess a duty that was very specific for their time and for their needs—but by no means was the empowerment limited to just those twelve.

Consider this: In Matthew 10:1 Jesus calls them “learners” utilizing the Greek word mathetes to describe who He had given this supernatural power to walk in the realm of the Him-possible. This is extremely important for you and I during this time as we are going to be dealing with the same obstacles that they were: unclean spirits, sickness, and disease.

Now look closely at the next verse: Matthew 10:2 “Now the names of the twelve apostles are these…” and He gives the list of names. Notice that He now refers to them as apostles in this verse. This is not the methetes or the learner-pupil, but rather the apostolos or the delegate-ambassador!

You might ask: Why is this extremely important? The answer is found in verses 6 & 7, “…Go…to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as ye go, preach, saying, the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.”

The duty of the apostolos or delegate-ambassador was to specifically to go to “the lost sheep of the house of Isreal (the Jews) and to preach that “The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” The duty of the mathetes or the leaner-pupil was to walk in “power over unclean spirits, to cast them out and to heal ALL manner of sickness and disease!”

We may not we accounted as one of the original twelve Apostles, but there we are ALL CALLED to be His disciples!

Matthew 16:24 “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.”

Just six chapters from the call and commission to the “learner-pupils” He extends this place (disciple) to any that would “deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow Him.” The interesting part about this is that He says, “If any man will come after Me…”

This sounds harmless and unspectacular enough doesn’t it? “Just come on! It’s no big deal. Just get moving.” That is the idea that could easily be ascertained by just merely passing over quickly what Jesus was trying to say, but that is not the meaning at all!

He said, “Come” or erchomai, which is to “get established in your place of influence!” DO NOT MISS THIS NEXT PART!! This is where we will see the application of the “come” in regards to what we are believing God to do in the next seven days of prayer, fasting and consecration (and beyond!)

Acts 5:15-16, “…they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them. There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one.”

There are a few things that you will immediately catch in this passage: 1) They brought forth the sick. 2) There were multitudes 3) They were vexed with unclean spirits 4) He healed everyone.

Those (4) things are obviously an echo of Isaiah 58:6 and of Matthew 12:15 and you probably noted that in your mind instantly upon reading those two verses—but there is something that I know you missed in it that makes this verse so critical and important to you and I right now.

How were they healed? “That at the least the shadow of Peter passing by…”. That’s it! They knew that “at the least” they would be healed because of Peter passing by!

This is going to BLOW YOU AWAY! The word translated “by” here in Acts 5:15 that was instrumental in seeing miracles happen is the same word (erchomai) that was translated as “come” in Matthew 16:24 “If ANY man will COME..”. (or) If any man will get established in His (rightful) place of influence!

When we “position ourselves” and “get established” in that place that He has called us to get—then at the very least, THIS will bring a miraculous outcome to those who we over-shadow with our prayers and intercession!

In Acts 5:15-16 they brought the sick, bound and oppressed and because Peter had established himself in the least (learner-disciple) place and as a result everyone was healed! THAT is where I am planning on being during this time we have strategically set apart to establish 2007 in the miraculous promises of our Lord Jesus!

Isaiah 58:6 “This is the type of fasting that I am after: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke?”

We must be EXPECTANT and ESTABLISHED.

Colossians 2:6-8 “As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving. Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.”

Don’t get bullied out of your victory by anything or anyone during this time! Let not the philosophies, deceitfulness, or traditions of men be successful in cheating you out of your answer! Don’t let your flesh get you “out of position” to grab your miracle as it passes by!

Next time: What is it going to take to get me there??

Blessings,

Pastor Troy D. Bohn

“Happy New Year!”

PS. Continue to email me concerning your prayer needs and your desire to stand with us during this time. PastorTroy@BigGrace.com