Kingdom Principle: Jesus brought the Kingdom of Heaven to Earth, now we can ascend to Heaven on Earth

The veil of the heavens and earth has been torn.

1 Kings 8:(1,6,10-11), 22-30, 41-43 Psalm 84 Ephesians 6:10-20 John 6:56-69

The most common catalyst to prayer is crisis. The crisis of identity is often first engage in puberty. This is why so much maturity takes place in these years. Prayer & Puberty move us to develop a maturity that is needed in our lives.

• Prayer shifts our focus from what is happening to what can happen.
• Prayer shifts our focus from the reality of this world to the realm of the heavens.
• Prayer changes you, even if it doesn’t result in your desired outcome.
• Prayer is a conversation with God, in which you learn to ask, seek and find.
• Prayer includes listening to the response from God. (This is true Wisdom)
• Prayer guides us in the journey of faith, teaching us the very Will of the Father.

This post may be as challenging as the stage of puberty; however without it we never reach maturity.

Prayer has been a part of the faith narrative since the beginning of time. However, prior to the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the veil was not torn. In Christ, the Word became flesh and dwelt (tabernacle) amongst us. (John 1:1-14) This new reality culminated in the tearing of the veil in the temple physically(Matt. 27:51)as well as the veil of heaven and earth being torn spiritually (Matt. 16:19, Rev. 3:7-8) The tearing of the veil made a two-way movement possible from heaven to earth, and earth to heaven. This veil is also spoken of as covering the hearts of those who do not turn to the Spirit, but rather trust in the ways and laws of the this world. For those whom the veil is removed, the result is transformation into the likeness of God through the power of the Spirit (2 Cor. 3:15-18), and admittance to the Throne room of God. (Hebrews 4:14-16) This change is the very change that we speak of when we say, “Prayer Changes things”.  You are the very “thing” that is being changed when you engage in prayer.

Last week we read Solomon asking for wisdom, because the Lord asked him what we wanted. This conversation came in the form of a dream and resulted in a prayer. This prayer is not a request for more; it is a declaration of all that already is.  (Declarations and Commands are another means to move heaven on earth- but that will be a future post) God is already at work prior to your prayer being expressed. When you pray, God is confirming in you the work that He has already begun.

READ THIS CAREFULLY – Not praying actually causes us to experience more change than praying. When we pray, we are emotionally connecting with our desired or preferred future, therefore when it happens we do not experience it as change, rather completion.

God is at work prior to your act of prayer and in prayer God is transforming your will unto His…. Therefore, not praying is to actually working against the will of God and can thwart the desires of God’s heart.  We can delay God for God is patient and willing to wait, this makes God long-suffering and full of mercy. What happens when we delay God is that we engage in painful repeating patterns of our problems of this world. In prayer we participate with the movement of God and continue the plans of God.  So for those who feel that change is hard, how much harder is not seeing change happen where you want it most, only to repeat painful patterns. The greater change to experience the seamless transformation that God desired for our very lives which is rooted in prayer.

• Prayer removes any separation between us and God.
• Prayer is our expression of intimacy with the Father. (because of Jesus)

From this place we engage kingdom warfare, which is to serve the King of Kings rather than the prince of this world. Our fight is not of this world, and we are called to be wise in how we engage this world. We can and do have access to the Throne Room of God which is where the war is fought. (Hebrews 3:1-3, 4:3, 12-16) Therefore the Psalm of this week is not wishful thinking rather a very reality, right here and right now from which we can transform earth from heaven.

If prayer is a difficult thing for you…. It will be my assessment that you may struggle as well with wisdom. Wisdom is a gift of the Spirit, for which you must ask for in prayer. (see last week) So if you struggle with prayer – it won’t typically work to simply start praying. Rather I encourage you to seek someone (in the “flesh”) who you believe has wisdom of God.

• The problem with prayer is not our inability to express our wants; it lies in the resistance of our hearts to receive God’s will.

So rather than resolving that prayer does not work, seek wisdom from those who you see that prayer is working. This seeking is the training ground from prayer. In listening to them, you will develop the needed act of listening which is essential to prayer.

Food is unto the body, as prayer is unto the spirit. (John 4:34) Is your spirit starving? Much like food, our palette changes and our desires are shaped by what we feed it. So if you want to eat a “healthy diet” you have to introduce healthy food – even if it does not taste good. Then soon that will shift your taste buds and you will not only like the healthy food, you will no longer desire the junk food. Are you willing to introduce prayer to your spiritual diet?

Does Crisis prompt you to pray more than Contentment? If so – join the crowd of the masses. However, the way of the cross is narrow, so if you desire to not only pray in crisis but also in contentment, rather than asking God to change what is going on…. Ask God what is going on. The change moves outside of you, to the inside as you listen to God. So ask, “Jesus what is your prayer for me in this situation? Then wait for an answer, then pray as Jesus is praying for you. (Romans 8:26-39)