IS SPEAKING IN TONGUES A MUST? (DAILY DIET E-BOOK SERIES 02 DAY 03)

The Work of the Holy Spirit in the New Birth 

There is the work of the Holy Spirit in the new birth, as we can see by the following scriptures. JOHN 3:5-8 5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of THE SPIRIT, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is BORN OF THE SPIRIT is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be BORN AGAIN. 8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is BORN OF THE SPIRIT.

ROMANS 8:16 16 THE SPIRIT itself I Himself ] beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God. 

The Work of the Holy Spirit In the Baptism of the Holy Spirit 

From these scriptures, we can see the work of the Holy Ghost in the new birth. But there is also a work of the Holy Spirit that God desires to perform in the life of every believer subsequent or following the new-birth experience, and that is called the infilling of the Holy Spirit or the baptism in the Holy Spirit. 

That is what Jesus was talking about in Luke 24:49 and Acts 1:8. LUKE 24:49 49 And, behold, I send THE PROMISE OF MY FATHER upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be ENDUED WITH POWER FROM ON HIGH. ACTS 1:8 8 But ye shall receive power, AFTER THAT THE HOLY GHOST IS COME UPON YOU: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

I had told the Lord that I believed in the baptism of the Holy Ghost, but that I wasn't sure about the tongues part. The Lord spoke to me again, "What does Acts 2:4 say?" Of course, I could quote these scriptures from the Book of Acts, but just because you have the Word in your head does not mean that you really know what it means. In other words, you need to have the revelation of God's Word in your spirit to really know and understand what it means. 

I quoted Acts 2:4: "And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." I got that far and said again, "And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak. .. ." Then I exclaimed, "Oh, I see it! I see it! It says, '. . . they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak WITH OTHER TONGUES' [Acts 2:4]. And when I get filled with the Holy Ghost, I will begin to speak with other tongues too! Lord, that settles it. I am going right down to the Full Gospel preacher's house and receive the Holy Ghost." 

FFT: Tongues is not just the initial evidence of Spirit' baptism but a spirit-builder and edifier.

ACTION POINT: Receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit now!

INTERACTIVE SESSION: Do you believe in spirit-inspired tongues?

THE PROMISED POWER IS FOR YOU! (DAILY DIET E-BOOK SERIES 02 DAY 02)

God Is Not Nervous! I wasn't used to church services where everyone would pray all together at one time, and this bothered me at first. I started to say something about it a time or two to straighten these Full Gospel folks out. In fact, I once heard someone else tell them, "Now God's not hard of hearing, you know." But the Full Gospel folks just replied, "He's not nervous either!" When these Full Gospel folks invited Christians to come and pray at the altar, I would go forward to pray with them. But I would get as far away from them as I could because they bothered me all praying at the same time like that. I would get off in the corner somewhere and pray quietly.

However, after a while the thought occurred to me, These folks knew about divine healing and my church didn't. They might know something more here in this area of praying than I do too. So I decided I would read through the Book of Acts and see how the Early Church prayed. As I read, I couldn't find one place where they called on "Deacon Brown" or "Sister Jones" to lead in prayer while everyone else remained silent. Instead, I found to my utter amazement that the Early Church all prayed at the same time!

ACTS 4:23,24 23 And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them. 24 And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God WITH ONE ACCORD.... The thing that cinched it with me was when I got down to Acts chapter 16 where it says that Paul and Silas were in jail. Their backs were bleeding; their feet were in stocks. Yet at midnight they prayed and sang praises to God. And the Bible says, ". . . and the prisoners heard them" (Acts 16:25). Until that time, I had believed in praying to God, but I believed in being quiet about it. But then I saw that Paul and Silas didn't pray quietly, not even in jail.

The next time I went to the Full Gospel service and they called us to the altar to pray, I got right in the middle of them and lifted my voice just like they did. When I did, I felt a release in my spirit. The Word of God will set you free. Jesus said, ". . . ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:32). God's Word is truth, and it will set you free.

The Baptism in the Holy Spirit

These Full Gospel folks preached something else I couldn't quite accept — the baptism of the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in other tongues. I believed in the Holy Ghost and in the baptism of the Holy Ghost. I knew I hadn't received the baptism in the Holy Ghost, but I believed in it. But that "tongues" business — that was a bitter pill for me to swallow. I had been warned against speaking with tongues.

But fellowshipping with Full Gospel people who did speak in tongues was kind of like one fellow down in East Texas said: "It's like a slippery creek bank. You keep fooling around it long enough and you'll slip in." As a young boy preacher and pastor of a community church, I meditated and thought on the scriptures concerning the Holy Spirit, and I came to the conclusion that these Full Gospel folks were wrong about tongues. I concluded that tongues weren't necessary; they weren't for us today.

I decided that believers could receive this enduement of power — the baptism in the Holy Ghost — without speaking in tongues. That was my own opinion, of course. It certainly wasn't Scripture. I said to the Lord in my heart, "Lord, I know these folks are good people. They are thoroughly saved — born again — and they knew about divine healing when my church didn't. I certainly do believe in the Holy Ghost. And I believe in the infilling of the Holy Ghost, the enduement of power from on High.

Then I said to the Lord, "I sense a lack of power in my own life, and I know I need the infilling of the Holy Ghost. And I expect to receive, all right. But I am of the opinion that tongues don't go along with the baptism in the Holy Ghost, and that they are not for us today." Immediately the Lord spoke to my heart. I knew it was the Holy Spirit speaking through the Word of God. That same still small voice that had brought me off a bed of sickness and into divine healing asked me, "What does Acts 2:39 say?" I quoted the scripture, "For THE PROMISE is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call" (Acts 2:39). Then the still small voice said, "What promise is that?" I said, "The last part of Acts 2:38 says,'. . . and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.' So the reference here is to the promise of the gift of the Holy Ghost."

Then I hastened to add, "But, Lord, I believe in the Holy Ghost. It's tongues I am not sure about." (I had changed it a little bit this time to "I'm not sure.") The Holy Spirit always leads us in line with the Word of God. The Word and the Spirit agree (1 John 5:7,8). I am not in favor of just following voices, because you can go wrong following voices; you can follow the wrong voice (1 Cor. 14:10). But you can never go wrong following the voice or the leading of the Holy Spirit because He will always lead you in line with the Word of God (John 16:13; 1 John 5:6-8).

Jesus said, ". . . he [the Holy Spirit] shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you" (John 16:14). And ". . . he shall not speak of himself [But, thank God, He does speak!]; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak . . ." (John 16:13). Every born-again believer has the Holy Ghost in a measure through the new birth (John 3:5-8; John 4:14). But this is not the same as the baptism in the Holy Spirit — the enduement of power from on High that Jesus talked about in Luke 24:49, Acts 1:8, and John 7:38. Just because someone is born again doesn't mean he is filled with the Holy Spirit.

FFT: The promised power is for you!

ACTION POINT: Believe & Receive!

INTERACTIVE SESSION: Have you been baptized in the Holy Spirit since you believe?

RECEIVE THE HEALING POWER IN THE WORD! (DAILY DIET E-BOOK SERIES 02 DAY 01)

Raised From the Bed of Sickness I was born again on April 22, 1933, at twenty minutes to eight o'clock in the south bedroom of 405 North College Street in McKinney, Texas. I was raised up from the bed of sickness on the second Tuesday of August 1934, after spending sixteen long months flat on my back with two terminal organic heart conditions and an incurable blood disease. And my body was almost totally paralyzed. 

When I first started reading the Word of God on the bed of sickness, Grandma would prop the Bible up in front of me as I lay there on my bed. I could only read for about ten minutes at a time — after that I could hardly see. Then that was all I could read for the day. The next day I would read for another ten or fifteen minutes. After a few weeks of reading like that, I got so I could read for an hour at a time; eventually I could read for as long as I liked. 

As a child, I had been brought up going to Sunday school; I can't remember the first time I went to church. Nor can I remember the first time I ever read the Bible. It seemed I had prayed all of my life, yet I had never been born again until April 22, 1933. You see, you can be religious and yet not really be a born-again child of God. But when you are born again, the very same Bible that you have been reading looks different. 

The Bible becomes clear and easy to understand when you are born again. And as I read Grandma's Bible, I found that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Heb. 13:8). The doctors had said I could die at any time, so when I began reading the Bible, I began reading in the New Testament. I reasoned, I might not be alive ten minutes from now, so I will utilize this ten minutes, or whatever time I have, and I will start reading in the New Testament. I began reading in Matthew 1:1. When I got to Mark 11:24,I read, ". . . What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them." 

From the first time I read that verse, I never forgot it. I didn't take time to memorize it; it just branded itself on my mind, so to speak, because Mark 11:24 was my answer for healing. MARK 11:23,24 23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. 24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

However, immediately after I read Mark 11:23 and 24, the devil hopped on my shoulder and said, "Yes, but divine healing has been done away with, you know." I said, "Well, thank God, faith hasn't been done away with! This scripture says, '. . . What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe . . .' (Mark 11:24). I have never heard anyone say that believing and faith have been done away with." "Yes, but healing has. You know all that healing business has been done away with." I said to the devil, "What about Mark chapter 5? In Mark chapter 5, Jesus said to the woman with the issue of blood, '. . . Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole . . .' [Mark 5:34]. Mr. Devil, if her faith made her whole, my faith will make me whole." And, thank God, it did! 

At that time, I didn't know of anyone else in the whole world who believed in divine healing besides me. There was no Full Gospel church in my town at the time, and I had never heard healing preached. There weren't any Christian radio programs such as we have today; at least, if there were, I didn't know about them. After my healing, I began my ministry just as a young Baptist boy preacher. When I heard that Full Gospel people preached on healing too, I began to fellowship with them because fellowshipping with those of like-precious faith was just like getting a spiritual shot in the arm. It built up my faith. The Full Gospel folks preached some things I didn't quite understand or altogether agree with at that time, such as the baptism in the Holy Spirit, but I put up with that to have a little fellowship around the doctrine of healing! 

FFT: There is tremendous power in the word of God.

ACTION POINT: Believe His word! Hold on to His word at all times! Your miracle is certain!

INTERACTIVE SESSION: Share your experience of the healing power in HIS word:

THE POWERFUL PRAYER YOU MUST PRAY (DAILY DIET E-BOOK SERIES 01 DAY 16)

Paul says several things that give us a clue about how to pray for others and about our attitude in prayer. This is what he wrote to the Romans: ROMANS 1:9-12 9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers; 10 Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you. 11 For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established; 12 That is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me. 

From verse 9 we see that Paul never forgot to pray for the Romans. (It is so easy to forget, isn't it?) When he prayed for them, he mentioned one of his requests was that "I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you." He wanted to be made a blessing to them; he wanted to impart spiritual things to them. 

Then again, we have Paul's prayers in Ephesians. These are the longest prayers Paul prayed; they are more detailed than prayers in his other letters. EPHESIANS 1:16-23 16 [I] cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers, 17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: 18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

 19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to usward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power. 20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, 21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: 22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,

 23 Which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all. Paul prayed that the Ephesians might receive a revelation of the knowledge of God in their hearts; in other words, that the inner man might be enlightened. One translation says, "The eyes of your heart, or your spirit...." (Eph. 1:18). Paul didn't pray for their mental understanding, because we know it's beyond human (mental) comprehension to grasp the meaning of what Paul said here under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. 

We know the Word Paul at Prayer 37 means what it says, but we need to get the revelation of it in our hearts. I made giant strides in my spiritual life when I began to pray this Ephesian prayer for myself. At my last pastorate in Texas, I shut myself up in my church during the winter of 1947-48 for hours and even days, never coming out. I left my Bible open to this chapter on the altar, and nearly every time I went in, I got on my knees and prayed this prayer for myself. I would say, "Now, Lord, Paul was inspired by the Spirit of God to pray this prayer, and he was inspired by the Spirit of God to write it. 

I am praying it for myself." Every place Paul said your, I would insert I. Where he said, "I pray that the eyes of your understanding ...." I would say, "I pray that the eyes of my understanding ... ." Then I would turn to the next prayer, in Ephesians 3:14-21, and I would pray for myself again. Since I would be there for hours at a time, I would pray those prayers every two or three hours—perhaps half a dozen times a day.

 The Lord spoke to me one day while I was at the altar praying. He said, "I am going to take you on to revelations and visions." Immediately after that, revelations in line with the Word began to come. In fact, they came so fast I said to my wife, "What in the world have I been preaching the last 15 years?" I learned so much and got so much new knowledge from the Bible, praying these prayers on my knees before God, it seemed as if I didn't know anything before. 

When the eyes of your understanding—your spirit—are enlightened, you can make more spiritual progress in a few days or weeks than you can in 15 years of studying the Bible and preaching. That doesn't mean we shouldn't study; I still study! But I'm saying these are good prayers to pray for yourself. 

END OF DAILY DIET E-BOOK SERIES 01. (PRAYING TO GET RESULTS by Kenneth Hagin)

FFT: Revelational knowledge is the key to rapid spiritual progress!

ACTION POINT: Pray Paul's prayer!

INTERACTIVE SESSION: What have you learnt so far in this DAILY DIET E-BOOK SERIES 01? kindly share it below for the benefit of others:

JOYFUL IN JAIL! THANKFUL IN TIMES OF TEST! (DAILY DIET E-BOOK SERIES 01 DAY 15)

Paul had decided to go into Asia Minor, but said he was forbidden to go by the Spirit. So Paul and Silas went over into Macedonia, and thus the first time the Gospel was preached on the European continent was in Philippi.

This is what happened: ACTS 16:13,14 13 And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither. 14 And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.

Lydia was converted to Christianity and invited Paul and Silas to stay in her home. While in that city, Paul would often go into the synagogue and discuss the Scriptures. On the streets of Philippi, a little maiden with a spirit of divination, or fortune-telling, would follow along behind Paul and Silas and say, "These men are servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation" (Acts 16:17).

She knew who they were because the evil spirit in her knew. (But who wants the devil testifying for him?) Finally, one day Paul turned around on the street and cast the devil out of her—making it impossible for her to tell fortunes any more. Her masters became angry and had Paul and Silas arrested. They were stripped, beaten, and thrown in jail. At midnight they prayed and sang praises to God, as we studied earlier.

This Church at Philippi was born in persecution, yet Paul says, "I thank my God upon every remembrance of you" (Phil. Paul at Prayer 35 1:3). When you have the right perspective, you can thank God for every test. I always thank God for them. I thank God when I am in the midst of them, and I thank God when they're over; not because they are over, but because I had the privilege of proving Him faithful.

Believers should be full of joy and love, like a sponge is full of water. Then when the devil puts pressure on you, all that oozes out is joy and love instead of griping and complaining! ".. .Making request with joy, For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now " (Phil. 1:4,5).

When Paul and Silas were in jail at Philippi, they prayed and sang praises to God. Anyone can sing praises to God after he has been delivered; it doesn't take faith to do that. But Paul and Silas sang praises to God at midnight while they were in the midst of trouble. That's the way it should be!

                                                ...To be continued

FFT: Faith; Joyful in Jail! thankful in testing times!

ACTION POINT: Rejoice in the Lord always!

INTERACTIVE SESSION: Is it possible to be joyful in jail and thankful in times of test? (share your comment below)

INTERCESSION; THE HIDDEN SECRET OF SPIRITUAL GROWTH (DAILY DIET E-BOOK SERIES 01 DAY 14)

Let's look at more scripture where Paul said something about prayer. Paul at Prayer Second Corinthians 1:11 isn't exactly his prayer for the Corinthians, but Paul is asking their help in prayer: "Ye also helping together by prayer for us...." Paul already had said in the 10th verse, concerning his difficulties, "Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will deliver us." And then he said, "Ye also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf" (v. 11). 

He is talking here about the prayer of the church "helping together." The church had prayed for him, hadn't they? The Bible says, "The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much" (James 5:16). We are encouraged to pray one for another. When people are in trouble, or if their lives are in danger—like Paul's was—we need to remember to pray. 

In Second Corinthians 9:14, Paul said, "And by their prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding grace of God in you." Here he is talking about other people in his company who also had prayed for the Corinthians. They prayed one for another; they were concerned one for another. We are selfish many times in our praying. Really, we should put others first in our prayer life. Most of the time, all we do is pray for ourselves and our own little group or family—our own needs. We are much like the farmer who said, "God bless me and my wife, my son John and his wife, us four and no more."

We wouldn't say it that way, but if you analyze it, that's about the extent of many of our prayers! For an individual to grow spiritually, he's going to have to reach out and help others. You can't put yourself first. For a church to grow and develop, it's going to have to do the same thing. In Philippians, Paul makes mention of praying for the Church at Philippi, "I thank my God upon every remembrance of you..(Phil. 1:3). This is quite a statement, isn't it? Do you remember what happened at Philippi? Do you remember when Paul first went down there? In a night vision, a man stood up and said, "Come over to Macedonia, and help us " (Acts 16:9). 

                                                                                 ...To be continued

FFT: The mastery of all ministries is the ministry of intercession.

ACTION POINT: Join yourself to this chariot of intercession ministry today!

INTERACTIVE SESSION: Are you an intercessor? (share your experience and testimony below)

PAUL; UNVEILING MYSTERY OF PREVAILING PRAYER (DAILY DIET E-BOOK SERIES 01 DAY 13)

And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment. —Philippians 1:9

Many times when praying for Christians we say, "God bless Sister So-and-so" and "God bless Brother So-and-so," yet we don't find where Paul ever prayed that way. That kind of praying really doesn't do much good; it only salves our conscience and makes us feel we've prayed. 

Paul was specific when he said, "I pray, that your love may abound more and more." That's a good way to pray for Christians, isn't it? Paul is praying for believers. Notice Colossians1:9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. 

This is Paul's prayer for the Church at Colosse. If you are filled with the knowledge of His Will, then you're going to know what all these blessings are with which the Father has blessed you. In Ephesians 1:3, Paul prayed: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. That means He already has provided everything we need— all the blessings we will ever need. They are all wrapped up in Jesus. 

"God bless So-and-so" would cause God to say, "I can't answer that prayer. I've already done that, but they don't know it." Instead of Paul's saying, "God bless them," he said, "[My] desire [is] that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding." That would be a good way to pray for Christians. 

That's what most Christians need, isn't it? Paul wrote this prayer under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Since it's Spirit given, it would be a good prayer for you to pray for yourself. You can say, "Lord, I'm going to pray this prayer for myself. It's my desire and prayer that I might be filled with the knowledge of your will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding." 

I think these prayers Paul prayed for the Christian Church will give us insight on how to pray for other believers as well. For example, Paul wrote in Second Thessalonians 1:11 Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power: that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. I particularly like where Paul said, "fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power." (That's what God wants fulfilled in us.) I also like the phrase, "that the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you." Whoever thought of praying for a whole church that the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ might be glorified in them? Are you praying that way? 

This is a clue for us. I'm convinced we need to be specific in our praying one for another. Paul was very specific and very definite in his praying.

                                                                                ...To be continued

FFT: All you need is already provided. pray aright to possess.

ACTION POINT: Ask and you shall receive; don't ask amiss ask aright!

INTERACTIVE SESSION: Have you discover this mystery of prevailing prayer? (share your comment below)

THE PATTERN OF PREVAILING CORPORATE PRAYER (DAILY DIET E-BOOK SERIES 01 DAY 12)

Coming from different church backgrounds, sometimes we're used to doing things a certain way. Sometimes we think the way we've always done them is the way they ought to be done. I was raised in a Southern Baptist church and was not accustomed to hearing people pray out loud in united prayer. Usually, in our church, an individual led in prayer, but we never lifted our voices as a congregation.

 My grandmother, however, had been saved many years before in an old-fashioned Methodist Camp meeting, so she was accustomed to hearing people pray out loud. Later, when some Full Gospel people came to our town and put up a tent, my grandmother went to their meetings. She told me I should go, too.

I already had been saved and healed, although I never had heard the name "Full Gospel" before. I stopped by one night and stood outside the tent listening to the message. The next week I went by and went inside the tent for the whole service. After the minister had preached, he came back through the crowd, shaking hands with people and asking if they were Christians. Practically everyone he talked to went to the altar. 

He asked me if I were a Christian. I told him I was a minister. 

He told me to go to the altar and pray because it wouldn't hurt me. Then he went on. We didn't do things that way in our church. For a moment, I felt a bit insulted. I never had heard of prayer hurting anybody, so I went down and prayed. But I was bothered because they did all their praying out loud and I did mine quietly. 

A church was built from this revival, and I went to the services because they stimulated my faith. But when I would go down to the altar to pray, I would move far away from the others. One time I ventured to tell them God wasn't hard of hearing. They replied He wasn't nervous, either! As I got to thinking, I remembered that these people knew about divine healing and my church didn't. And they were right about divine healing. They might know some other things I didn't know. I decided to read through the Book of Acts and underline with a red pencil, everywhere two or more prayed in a group. 

I was going to see how they did it back then. As I read through Acts underlining these Scriptures, I couldn't find a single place where there was a group and one person was called on to lead in prayer. I also couldn't find sentence prayers or anything like that. I found the Bible said they lifted their voices. They all prayed at once, and they all prayed out loud! The next time I went to the Full Gospel services, I got right in the middle of them when they prayed.

                                                                                ...To be continued

FFT: God is not hard of hearing, neither is he nervous!

ACTION POINT: Make up your mind to pray aright

INTERACTIVE SESSION: Do you believe in corporate prayer? (share your experience below)

DAILY DIET E-BOOK SERIES 01 DAY 11; EXPERIENCE THE POWER IN CORPORATE PRAYER

And being let go, THEY WENT TO THEIR OWN COMPANY, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them. And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is... And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus. —Acts 4:23,24,29,30

 It's good to be among friends when you're in trouble. It's good to be with people who know how to pray. Peter and John found this to be true. One day, as Peter and John passed through the Gate Beautiful on their way to the Temple, they saw a man who sat there daily to beg alms. Peter told the man, "Look on us." The beggar looked up, expecting to receive some coins. Peter said, ". . . Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk" (Acts 3:6). Peter took the beggar by the hand and lifted him up. The man began to walk and went into the Temple ". . . walking and leaping, and praising God." 

Peter and John were arrested, threatened, and commanded to preach and teach no more in the Name of Jesus. We read in Acts 4:23-30 what happened when they were released. "And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them...." It was good to be among friends who knew how to pray! If this company of believers had been like some people in churches today, they would have appointed a committee to make some kind of deal whereby they could get along together. After all, these chief priests and elders were religious people, too. Although they didn't accept Jesus as Messiah, they believed in the same God, in prayer, and in going to the Temple. 

But this company of believers didn't appoint any committee; they didn't make any deals. They "lifted up their voice to God with one accord." There's power in united prayer. 

FFT: Explore and experience the anointing of corporate prayer.

ACTION POINT: prayerfully seek your prayer partners!

INTERACTIVE SESSION: Do you have prayer partners? share your experience about the power of corporate prayer (right in the comment section below, include your name after the comment and click PUBLISH)

DAILY DIET E-BOOK SERIES 01 DAY 10; CAST THEM ON THE LORD, ONCE AND FOR ALL

The ministers in our area had a fellowship meeting on the first Monday of every month. The preachers talked about their burdens, cares, responsibilities, and anxieties. Often they would ask me, "How goes the battle?" (They were all in a battle, but I didn't have any battle. I had the victory! Men in battle haven't won the victory yet. The battle is the Lord's; the victory is ours.)

Here were these preachers with long faces talking about their burdens, cares, and problems in their churches. One of them said to me later, "Your faith condemned us when you'd wave your hand and say, 'Men, I don't have a care! Things couldn't be better!'" Some would shake their heads and say, "The poor boy—he doesn't have enough sense to worry." The truth is, I had too much sense—too much Bible sense—to worry!

If I had cast my cares on the Lord, then I didn't have them. He did. I didn't say no cares existed. I said, "I don't have a care." One pastor would say, "He's lying. I'm his neighboring pastor, and I know him better than the rest of you. I know about the problems in his church." But I'd breeze by and say, "Men, I don't have a care!" I didn't. I had cast them on the Lord once and for all. You can, too!

                                                                                 ...To be continued

FFT: Take your burdens to the Lord and leave it there!

ACTION POINT: Cast your cares on the Lord, once and for all!

INTERACTIVE SESSION: Have you decided to cast all your cares on HIM? (share your comment below;)

DAILY DIET E-BOOK SERIES 01 DAY 09; GET RID OF WORRIES; THE SECRET OF PREVAILING PRAYER

Jesus had this to say: MATTHEW 6:25-27 25 Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? 26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? 27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? 

Jesus is asking which of you by worrying is going to change anything. Luke records, "Therefore, I say unto you, Take no thought for your life...." (Luke 12:22). Paul said in Philippians 4:6, "Be careful for nothing...." The Amplified Bible reads, "Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything ...." Too many times people want to pray and get God to do something about their anxieties. But God tells you to do something about them. He said, "Be careful for nothing." Or, "Don't you fret or have anxiety about anything." 

As long as you do not take this first step—as long as you fret and have anxiety—you are nullifying the effects of your prayer. You haven't cast your burden on the Lord. You still have it. And if you have it, God doesn't. Casting all your care on Him isn't something you do every day. It's a once-and-for-all proposition. This puts your situation in His hands. The Lord could do a lot for us, but often we don't let Him because we don't follow His rules that govern the operation of prayer. We don't do what He tells us to do. Then we wonder why things don't work out. If you cast your burden on the Lord, He has it. You don't. You cannot go around talking about your worries anymore. 

A lot of people don't want to get rid of their worries. They claim they do, but they really don't. If they got rid of them, they wouldn't have any reason for people to sympathize with them. They wouldn't have anything to talk about. They would have to cease conversation entirely. 

Years ago, when I was on the bed of sickness, this was the first thing God began to deal with me about. I had to quit worrying before I could receive healing for my body. This is the reason a lot of people are not healed. Sometimes worry is what is keeping them sick. Any disappearance of the symptoms would only be temporary because the cause of the sickness is still there. You may think a 15-year-old boy couldn't worry. But children are replicas of their parents, and my grandmother and mother were world-champion worriers. 

As a child, I knew they were always worrying. I had a heart condition, and I couldn't go out to run and play like other children. I had to stay in with my mother and grandmother. Hearing them complain and worry, I learned to worry at a very early age. While on the bed of sickness, I got saved, and I promised God I would never doubt anything I read in His Word. I further said, "As I read the Word and better understand it, I promise to put it into practice." I read the 26th verse in Matthew 6, "Take no thought for your life...." The Bible I was reading had a footnote that told me the Greek read, "Do not be anxious about tomorrow." 

Another reference said, "Do not worry, do not be filled with anxiety." I was full of anxiety, worry, and fear. Not only was I nearly dead, but also I was about to worry myself the rest of the way to my grave! My conscience bothered me because I was not practising the Word. As the Lord dealt with me, the words seemed to leap from the pages of the Bible. Yet I didn't think I could live without worrying—without being anxious—so I closed my Bible. When I did, I got in darkness. I opened the Word again and tried to read, bypassing that Scripture. Until then, everything I'd read had been all light and blessing, but now it was all dark and fuzzy to me. 

You're not going to get more light (or understanding) until you walk in the light you already have. Don't be concerned about the things you don't understand in God's Word; make sure you practice what you do know. The rest will take care of itself. You Don't Have To Worry I read on. I even studied about the Antichrist. (That certainly was not what was bothering me.) But I felt guilty because I was not practising the Word. 

Finally, I made a commitment to God. I said, "Lord, forgive me for worrying and for being full of anxiety. Forgive me for fretting and for being discouraged. Forgive me for having the blues and feeling sorry for myself. Forgive me for having a 'poor old me' attitude. I know You'll forgive me because You said You would if I would confess it. From this day on, because You've forgiven me, I promise I'll never worry again. I'll never be filled with anxiety again. I'll never be blue again. I'll never fret again. I'll never be discouraged again." Many years have passed since I made that commitment. Although I'll confess I've been sorely tempted, just like you have, I have not worried. I haven't been filled with anxiety at any time or become overly anxious. I haven't had the blues in all these years! God's Word works. I wouldn't encourage you to do anything I wouldn't do or haven't done. 

When I was 21 years old, I was pastor of a church which was 23 years old. There were people in that church who had had the baptism of the Holy Spirit two years longer than I had lived. You can understand why I would feel insufficient. The church had problems, and I knew something should be said, but I didn't know what to say. I knew if I said anything, I would say the wrong thing. I prayed, "Lord, there are problems here. I don't know what to do. I feel so inadequate." I could sense the Spirit of God reminding me of the Scripture, "Casting all your cares upon him; for he careth for you" (1 Peter 5:7). I said, "Lord, I know I have responsibilities as a pastor, but I'm going to turn this over to You. I'm not going to worry. I'm going to preach the Word and leave everything else to You." My burden lifted and I went singing on my way to church. God met us and marvellous things happened.

FFT: "Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything ...."

ACTION POINT: Be determined to cast all your cares on Him, once and for all!

INTERACTIVE SESSION: What is your commitment in regards to this charge (share your comment below)

DAILY DIET E-BOOK SERIES 01 DAY 08;DISCOVER THE KEY TO YOU R DELIVERANCE & BREAKTHROUGH

You Don't Have To Worry Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. —Philippians 4:6 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. —1 Peter 5:7 Casting the whole of your care—all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all—on Him; for He cares for you affectionately, and cares about you watchfully. —1 Peter 5:7 (AMPLIFIED) 

One evening after a service, a woman came to me and said, "I want you to agree with me in prayer about something. The burdens of life—the cares, the worries of life—are just so heavy I can't bear them." She began to cry. With sincerity she said, "I want you to pray God will either give me grace to bear these burdens or else take about half of them away. I can carry about half of them—I just can't carry all of them." 

"Dear Sister," I replied, "we don't have to pray about that— we've already heard from heaven. God's Word is our message from heaven. His Word couldn't be more sure if an angel suddenly came down here and wrote with his finger on a granite block: GOD'S WORD IS ETERNAL." 

She looked startled. I opened my Bible to First Peter 5:7 and asked her to read out loud. She read, "Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you." Then I said, "I can't pray God would give you grace to bear your cares and worries. He doesn't want you to bear them. And I can't pray God would take away half of them, because He doesn't want you to carry even half of them. He wants you to cast all of them on Him." 

"I can't do it!" she said. I said, "Sister, God is not telling you to do something you can't do. He would be an unjust God to do that. You've been praying about this for years and have never gotten an answer. That's not the way to solve this problem. You solve this by doing what God said to do." "Yeah," she replied, "but you don't know what I've got to worry about!" "But God does," I said. "He knows and understands. And He said to cast all your cares upon Him." It seemed to me a person would be glad to find that verse in the Bible and would be thrilled to act upon it. But she turned, walked away, and said, "I couldn't give up worrying." 

Some people are content in the knowledge that God knows and understands their problems. But still they hold on to their cares, so they don't get deliverance. It's not enough that God cares and understands. We must go on and do what He said to do —cast all of our cares on Him, for He cares for us. This is the prayer of commitment, of casting or rolling our cares and burdens on Him. Psalm 37:5 says, "Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass." 

FFT: 'Casting all your cares on him...' its not just a memory verse but a commitment.

ACTION POINT: Cast all your cares on Him...take your burdens to the Lord, leave it there, don't pick it up again!

INTERACTIVE SESSION: Share practical ways on how to cast all cares on Jesus; (in the comment section below)

DAILY DIET E-BOOK SERIES 01 DAY 07; UNVEILING THE UNUSUAL SECRET OF ALL-ROUND VICTORY & FRUITFULNESS

A characteristic of the early disciples was their continual praises to God. We read in Luke 24:50-53: 

LUKE 24:50-53 50 And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them. 51 And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven. 52 And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy: 53 And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Then notice the second chapter of Acts, verses 46 and 47: ACTS 2:46,47 46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat with gladness and singleness of heart, 47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved. 

Notice the expression, "with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God." One reason the ministry of the early Christians was so effective was their continual gladness of heart and praising God. Worship and praise to God were a part of the daily lives of the early Christians. It wasn't something they did occasionally. 

Too many times today we see people who pray through about once every six months. You'd have to write of them that they praised God "occasionally" or perhaps "semi-annually" rather than "daily" or "continually," as did the New Testament believers. 

The late Smith Wigglesworth once said, "First thing every morning, when I get out of bed, I jump out. I don't just drag out, but I jump out! And when my feet hit the floor I say, 'Praise the Lord!' And I praise God every morning." That's a good way to start the day! 

When Paul and Silas were thrown in jail at Philippi, it was only natural they should pray and sing praises to God. Not only did the prisoners hear them, but God heard them. Suddenly there was such a great earthquake that the foundations of the prison shook! All the doors sprung open. Everyone's bonds were loosed. Deliverance came while they were praising God! 

An Old Testament counterpart is found in Second Chronicles 20, when Jehoshaphat went out against the enemy. Three armies—the Ammonites, the Moabites, and the inhabitants of Mount Seir—had banded together against Jehoshaphat. He didn't have the manpower to stand against them, so he called a prayer meeting. The people fasted and prayed. The Spirit of God moved upon a young man in the congregation, and he stood and prophesied. The Lord told them not to fear. He told them where the enemy was and said to go against them because the battle was the Lord's. 

The next morning they marched against the enemy and the Bible says they put the praisers upfront. Picture these men going against three armies of trained soldiers who had swords, javelins, and spears. Right up front to lead the parade of God's army were the praisers. They weren't led by a man with a sword or a spear. They were led by men singing and praising the Lord. They ministered to the Lord. As they marched along, they shouted, "Praise the Lord; for His mercy endureth for ever" (2 Chron. 20:21). We see in the next verse what happened as a result: "And when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten." When they began to sing and praise, God did something for His people. They saw a manifestation of His power. They didn't have to draw a sword or throw a javelin. The enemy ran off and left all their goods. There was so much spoil it took three days to gather it up and carry it home!

Paul and Silas had their feet in stocks. Their backs were bleeding. From a natural standpoint, they had every reason to be downcast. But at midnight, as they ministered to God, there came a manifestation of God's power. There are many today who have been praying and petitioning God to move in their behalf. If they would quit praying and begin praising, God would give them so much they couldn't carry it all home at one time! We need to have praise services where we gather to praise God and to minister to the Lord—not to minister to one another —not to brag on one another—not to tell what I have and you don't—or what I'm trying to get. We need services where we minister to the Lord and sing praises to Him. Then we would see mighty manifestations of God's presence in our day.

                                                                                 ...To be continued

FFT: Murmuring does not produce the miraculous but ministering to the Lord does.

ACTION POINT: stop murmuring, starting ministering to the Lord!

INTERACTIVE SESSION; Share your experience on the power of praise... (in the comment section below)

DAILY DIET E-BOOK SERIES 01 DAY 06 (...AT THE MIDNIGHT HOUR OF LIFE)

A Bible example of this is found in the 16th chapter of Acts. Paul and Silas were arrested in Philippi, where they had gone to preach the Gospel. They were beaten with many stripes and cast into prison. The jailer was charged to keep them safely, "Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stock " (v. 24). Notice particularly the 25th verse, "And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them." They certainly couldn't have been singing some of the songs we sing, because many of our songs don't praise God. 

Too often our songs are more of a complaint than praise. The songs seem to have the "poor old me" attitude—we're wandering through life destitute, downtrodden, and in dark valleys. Too much of the time the songs are about us—what we're doing and how rough life is. If we do sing anything about heaven, it's about when we all get there. That still doesn't give God any praise. But Paul and Silas sang praises to God. Notice, too, the prisoners heard them. They weren't quiet about this! If Paul and Silas had been like a lot of people today, instead of praying and singing praises at midnight, they would've been griping and complaining. 

And the Scripture might have read something like this: About midnight Paul and Silas griped and complained and Silas nudged Paul and said, "Paul, are you still there?" It's very dark, so Paul says, "Where else could I be?" Silas would have said, "You know, Paul, you really missed God, didn't you?" While Paul is trying to figure out where he missed it, Silas says, "I'll tell you one thing, when I was serving the devil, I never got thrown in jail. I don't know why God let this happen to us. Why, if I ever get out of here—and I doubt I will—I'll be ashamed to go home because they'll call me an old jailbird. I tell you, Paul, I got hooked up with the wrong fellow—that's all there is to it." "Yeah—we missed it somewhere," Paul says. "And I tell you, my poor back is really hurting me bad. You know, I really thought God was speaking to me in that vision, but if God were in it, we'd have been a success." 

During the 12 years I pastored, I heard members of my church say similar things. "I never had it this rough when I was serving the devil," some would say when a trial came their way. How do you help people like that? Well, I would smile and say, "God will forgive you of that, if you'll repent." Paul and Silas really were in trouble, weren't they? They were thrust into the inner prison. They had been whipped with many stripes until their backs were bleeding. Their feet were in stocks. I'm sure they were in great physical pain. It was a dark hour for them, but although Paul and Silas were in jail, they didn't let the jail get in them. That's the reason a lot of people are defeated. 

Everyone has trouble of one kind or another. We've all been lashed by the storms of life. But our attitude—how we look at a situation and how we accept it—makes the difference in how we come out, or whether we get out at all. In our midnight hour, when we don't understand why things have happened, even though we've tried our best, let us look at Paul and Silas. 

After all, they didn't go to Philippi on a pleasure trip. They were there to do the Lord's work. They were not out of the will of God. Sometimes when things don't go right, people think, "I must be out of the will of God." Or they ask, "What awful sin have I committed to cause God to send this on me?" God didn't send the trouble; the devil did. It wasn't God who whipped Paul and Silas; it was ungodly men. God didn't stir up those ungodly fellows; it was the devil. In spite of persecution, adversity, and depressing surroundings, "At midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God, and the prisoners heard them." They weren't quiet about it! They were praising God at midnight right out loud in jail.

                                                                                                                      ...To be continued

FFT: At midnight hour of life; exchange complaint and petition with praise!

ACTION POINT: stop complaining starting celebrating His majesty!

INTERACTIVE SESSION: Is it possible to exchange petitions with praise at the midnight hour of life? Share your comment below;

DAILY DIET E-BOOK SERIES 01 DAY 05 (MINISTERING TO THE LORD)

As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. —Acts 13:2 

Often it seems the only kind of prayer we are familiar with is the petition prayer. We're always petitioning (or asking) God to do something, and of course, that's scriptural. But in the Scripture quoted above, those Christians were not petitioning God to do anything. They "ministered to the Lord, and fasted...." Most of our church services are designed so we come together and minister to one another. We sing, but in very few songs do we minister to the Lord. Instead, we minister to one another. We have special singing, but still, we're not ministering to the Lord; we're ministering to one another. 

When we pray, our praying is primarily a petition. We're petitioning the Lord to move in our midst, to manifest Himself among us, to meet our needs. When the minister speaks, he's not ministering to the Lord; he's ministering to the congregation. And when the service is over, if we have a time of waiting on God, usually these prayers are still petitions. We know God is concerned about us and wants to meet our needs.

 Jesus said our heavenly Father knows what we need, and we should ask Him to supply these needs. But, too much of the time we're like the little boy who said, "My name's Jimmy, and I'll take all you'll gimme!" We need times of waiting on God and ministering to the Lord; times when we're not asking for anything—not petitioning —but ministering to Him. Perhaps we are already taking time for this in our individual prayer lives, but we need this kind of prayer as a group or a church. God can move in this kind of atmosphere. 

As they ministered to the Lord and fasted our text says, the Holy Ghost manifested Himself. God made man to fellowship with Him. He is our Father because we are born of God. I'm sure of this: There are no earthly parents who enjoy the fellowship of their children more than God enjoys the fellowship of His children. 

In one meeting I held, I said to the people after the sixth week, "Let's have some different kinds of services. I want us to come to minister to the Lord. I may read a little bit of Scripture, or make a few comments, but I'm not going to preach or teach a lot. We're not going to come to petition God; we're going to wait on the Lord and minister to Him. "I don't want us to come and wait 10 minutes. I want us to come with the thought that we're going to wait at least one hour. We'll minister to the Lord—tell Him how much we love Him and thank Him for His goodness and mercy." The people came and praised the Lord. I found they wanted to wait on God. In that kind of atmosphere, God ministered to us in very unusual ways. Although that was years ago, there still are things happening today as a result of what the Lord did in those services. I'm sure of this: We miss a lot of what God has for us because we don't take time to get into an attitude of worship and minister to the Lord. 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             To be continued

FFT: Ministering to the Lord is a potent key to unlock access into the supernatural realms.

ACTION POINT: Let's cultivate the attitude of ministering to the lord.

INTERACTIVE SESSION: In what practical ways can we minister unto the Lord......share your comment below;