How's Our Praying (Article 13)

HOW’S OUR PRAYING?

The moving of the Ark and prayer. (A comparison)

II Sam. 6 & I Chron. 15: 13-28

We may be assuming the position, praying with all our might, standing on the word, and even being in the will of God. But… God may not be answering or blessing? Why ?

As the story goes, Uzzah died; the anger of the Lord was against him, all the while David thought he was doing right. David was angry, but he feared the Lord, and he knew something had to be wrong.

Is the disapproval of the Lord against us? How would we know? Are we assuming we have the right motives, insights, use of the word of God and that we can make certain demands of God simply because we come fasting, or in Jesus name?

David starts to move the ark and Uzzah dies, and suddenly something is wrong? God was not pleased. They assumed they had the idea right, the right motives, the musicians, dancers, making merry with all their heart and might. But… there was an error in presumption. David is distressed and now has this question, “how can I bring the ark home?” He leaves the ark there in the house of Obededom, and goes home for three months.

Now while the ark was in Obededom’s home they received blessing and that blessing was reported to David. The blessing proved God’s presence and David seeks to have understanding of what to do. He gains some insights into the way that the ark was to be handled and transported. There was God given instruction and procedure to be followed and a high priestly calling to be met. Instruction laid out by God was to be carefully carried out. This was no small matter to God and the people had to come into an agreement of what He was asking. I believe a great fear was upon the people after Uzzahs death.

Caring for the ark in the prescribed way and the Levites responsibility.

They had up to this point not inquired of the Lord. I Chron. 15:13

Do we take the time to inquire on how to pray or intercede for situations or do we simply jump in with both feet and mouth?

Vs. 15> In accordance with the WORD of the Lord.

Vs. 26> God helps the Levites.

They attempted to move the ark in the natural, when God was requiring spiritual means. There was a coming together of King David and the people; a unity, oneness before the presence of God.

The requirement of the Levites; consecration and set apart for service.

I Chron. 13: 1-4 David had the approval of the people and it seemed right before God. This is how it started, the idea, action, was right but the method was the problem.

Prayer = Discernment. Pray before you pray = process, clearing the slate

Word = Authority = Clarification, “your ways are not my ways, declares the Lord.”

When we have discernment, then we can move on in God given authority.

The ark is moved according to Gods design, the people are blessed and David rejoicing before the people humbles himself and dances with all his might, even to the point of foolishness.

We must take on humility making ourselves available to have his will accomplished through us. Let’s not assume by thinking we know the way or even have the approval of others that this is the order by which God will pour out his favor and blessing upon us.

The goal here is not to be afraid to move, but to have the first thought of inquiring of God with regards to the situation being prayed for.

DISCERN: differentiate, distinguish, recognize, detect as different, to perceive with the eyes or intellect, what is Holy Spirit telling you?

Example of God’s discernment: Jonah 4:11 “the people are unable to discern their right hand from their left, and there are more than 120,000.” (Emphasis mine)

Jonah could care less about these people, but God was concerned and was showing forth his mercy.

We want the presence of God, the power, wisdom, revelation, and all he is willing to show us and lead us into residing within our lives, being that “we are” the temple of God.

Questions:

1) What are the requirements of his residency to continue on in us in power and the transference of that same power that changes us from “glory to glory?”

2) What was it about the ark that we need to understand today?

3) Was all of God really inside the ark?

4) Is all of God really inside of us?

5) What is there about us as a corporate body that needs to change?

6) What happened to David that we need to embrace?

7) What is the priestly requirement for the intercessor to understand?

(See: Col.1:15-20, Eph.3;19, 4:13)

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QUERY (from Handbook)

 How’s our Praying?

1) Read I Sam. 6 & I Chron. 13 – 15

2) Time lapse> We need to learn to rest in God and not be in a hurry.

God was not sweating it about the ark.

3) Do you pray before you pray? See Nehemiah. 1:4-11 Fasted prayed and then he …

4) David says after he tries to move it, “How can I bring the ark home?”

5) Was there a problem with the ark? No… blessing in Obededom’s home.

6) Instruction and caring. Are we getting instruction for our intercession and do we care about the circumstance or are we just participating because others are doing it?

7) Vs. 15> In accordance with the WORD. What WORD do we have?

8) DISCERNMENT: Can we trust ourselves? Why or why not?

9) HUMILITY: Was David humble at the beginning? (No but it sure came fast after someone dies.)

What should be in us?

10) Col.1:15-20 “in him all things…

11) Eph.3:19 “that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God”

12) Eph.4:13 “until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” (See Amplified Bible)