Dear Beloved,
Welcome to our newsletter. I can't believe a month has almost gone since I last wrote to you. It feels like it was only yesterday. However, we are at a pivotal time in history, with so many happenings in the world. We have elections in the USA a few days away, war in Syria and Iraq that are getting more complex and economic challenges in our nation, to mention a few. It is of utmost importance that we co-labour with our Lord so that His will comes to pass. I was contemplating this the other day, and thinking about how disastrous it will be if things don't go according to His will. I felt I heard Father God say to me that "Prayer is the Key....". It's not like this is new, as we have songs about it, but I thought I would press in for any new insights I may get, and I am sharing these below.
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PRAYER IS THE KEY.
Are you one of those that gets frustrated because you are searching for your keys to your car, home, office and so on? Keys are of crucial importance because without them, you can't gain access to the fullness of what is due you. For example, you can't use your car if you can't find the keys, and that can disrupt your journey and have far reaching consequences.
A key is a small piece of shaped metal with incisions cut to fit the wards of a particular lock, which is inserted into a lock and turned to open or close it. A key represents the fact that you have been given ownership of a place or things of value for a period of time as decided by the owner. You are entitled to entering and taking possession or having a share in what is available. Your ability to enter in involves bringing your thoughts, ideas, creativity and desires.
A key also represents an upgrade in trust by the owner. It implies that you are being invited in to share in what belongs to the other person. The owner is choosing to make Himself vulnerable to you as He has given you access to areas that are private to Him. If you don't want people to share of what you have, you do not trust them with your key.
Having written a bit about the key, let's turn our attention to what Prayer is and where, or what, this all important key opens. This access that we are being offered is such a big deal, and demands higher priority, and more faith.
A really simplified description of Prayer is that it's a telephone call between us and God, using Heaven's number 333 (Ezekiel 33v 3). Prayer is the way in which Father God has decided that He would like us to communicate with Him. It is a means whereby we have a two-way conversation with our Father in heaven. So when Father God says 'Prayer is the key', He is saying that we need to press in to use prayer to unlock the treasures of His Kingdom, so that His will is done here on earth as it is in heaven. The issue then is, how do we do this?
I am one who always advocates going back to the Source. I find that the Lord has never left us in doubt over what His desires are. The question is usually whether we want to walk where He leads. Just like the disciples asked (Luke 11v 1- 4), let us also ask Jesus how to pray. Although there really is no right or wrong way to pray, as prayer really flows out of a conversation with the Lord, Jesus taught them what we refer to as the "Lord's Prayer" and there are some principles here that we can incorporate into our prayer life that may make our key more effective.
The Lord's Prayer begins with us acknowledging our identity and relationship with the same Father that Jesus had. He taught also that we should pray for His will to be enforced through us, on earth as it is done in heaven. In other words, what is not tolerated in heaven, should not be tolerated on earth. Jesus taught us to pray simply for daily provision as sons (and daughters), and that the measure of forgiveness that we extend to others, will determine His measure towards us. If we hold on to some principles here, the most important principle is that we pray out of a place of loving Father-son (daughter) relationship. Jesus modelled this (John 17) and we will find that our key will be very effective because expectations will be high and there will be little room for unbelief. We must not pray as slaves, begging a strict master, but as children whose Father knows what their needs are even before they tell Him.
There are times that information is needed from the owner, on what exactly a key will open up to you. This is where listening in prayer is so important. Father God has given us lots of information about making effectual prayer. In other words, we need Father God to share His heart and will with us so that we are informed about which door we use our key for. Sometimes, our prayers are so general, because we have not asked Father God's opinion, and it's like a boxer throwing punches in the air and not really hitting any target on his opponent's body. He ends up tired and ineffective. When we haven't sought Father God's Heart to pray specifically, our key may not open the door.
James 5 v 16-18 writes about how prayers have to be faith-filled and heartfelt and in that way, they are dynamic in their power. He gives the example of Elijah, a man like us, who shut the heaven of rain for 3 years and the heavens responded, and released the rain at Elijah's request.
We were given this key (prayer) because Father God really wanted His children to co-labour with Him, in bringing His will to earth. If this is the case, why does so much seem shut to us?
Jesus assured us so many times, John 16v 23,24,26,27; Matthew 7v 7-11 to mention a few, that God would grant us whatever we ask for in His Name, and that we should ask, seek and knock and keep on asking, seeking and knocking. Sometimes, rather than doing this, we complain, grumble and criticise and keep on complaining, grumbling and criticising. We are told to pray for our leaders. There is no alternative to that if we want them to succeed.The key here has to be put in the right door.
At other times, we stay awake, trying to solve the problems in our minds, thus never really handing the problem over in the first place to God. Sometimes, God is waiting for our prayers, because He is so interested in answering them and He wants the outcome even more than we do. We however get distracted as we approach with our key and begin to discuss among ourselves, rather than pray. Sometimes, from past experiences, we have a lot of distrust and disappointment in God, that we have not dealt with and we are filled with unbelief. The bible tells us that unbelief hinders our prayers. The key here may need some oil, (repentance and forgiveness), to make it effective again.
Matthew 7v 11 tells us that if we who are evil, know how to give good gifts to our children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask. Father God knows that His Holy Spirit is the best and most awesome gift He can give to us. Also He is the Divine Enabler, and will help us do all things.
The enemy also knows that Prayer is the key. He knows what would happen if the Body of Christ gets her prayer-life sorted.
This is the reason why there is such a battle for the effectiveness of this key and a lot of our prayers are hindered. Some have lost this key completely due to busyness, cares of the world and worry like Martha (Luke 10v40), who choose work over intimacy. Blind Bartimaeus used his key persistently at the door of healing for his eyes, and even though people tried to dissuade him, Jesus unlocked the door and healed him.
In some cases, we seek the Lord only for His presents, rather than His Presence. We want only what we can get from His Hand and we don't want to behold His Face like David in the Psalms ( Psalm 84) tell us about. Everyone wants to be desired for who they are and not only for what you can get from them. In some cases, all we really want is a vending machine. However we have a God who is so desiring of heart relationship. Sometimes, there are things Father God wants us to pray about, and it's only as we spend time in His Presence that we receive this, for example the persecuted Christians all over the world. It is important that our prayers are not only about us and our families, but we really co-labour with our Father who is in heaven, for the world. Sometimes, He gives us the specific word to pray or declare over situations.
In addition, Prayer not only impacts our generation but grants us influence to unlock destinies in our children's, generation. Let us arise and contend for treasure that Father God has given us the key to access in future generations!
In 1 Peter 2v 9, Peter said we are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a dedicated nation. We are God's special people that were called out of darkness into His marvelous light. Isn't this so amazing? As priests we "re-present" Gods desires to the people and the people's desires to God. What a privilege it is to pray.
Let us approach His throne of grace with thankful hearts and a boldness, knowing that we will receive His mercy and grace as we use prayer in a more effective way as the key to unlocking the treasures of heaven, and the will of God, for our world.
Amen.
Mina.
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May the Lord continue to uphold and preserve us all.
God's blessings,
Femi and Mina Bajomo
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Matthew 6: 9 - 13 (NKJV)
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In this manner, therefore, pray:
Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
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Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
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Give us this day our daily bread.
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And forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.
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And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
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1. Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men,
2. for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.
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Lapis Lazuli Ministries
Contact Details
Email
Website
Address
3rd Floor Maku House,
109 Awolowo Road,
South West Ikoyi,
Lagos, Nigeria.
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SOZO
by Dawna De Silva
& Teresa Liebscher
Seeing Through Heavan's Eyes
by Leif Hetland
There Is More!
by Randy Clark
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PROGRAMME FOR THE BETHEL SOZO AWARENESS WEEK IN LAGOS, NIGERIA.
We would like to invite you to our Bethel Sozo Awareness Week holding from
Wednesday 23rd of November to Tuesday 29th November 2016.
Programme is as follows:
Wednesday 23rd of November, 2016
09:30am to 6:00pm - Talks on Introduction and Background to Bethel SOZO, Highlights of its growth in Nigeria so far, how to get it into your churches and training. Also DVDs, Testimonies and Prayers, different stations at the venue to tell you all about Bethel Sozo .
Thursday 24th, Friday 25th, Monday 28th and Tuesday 29th of November, 2016
10:00am to 6:00pm - Personal Bethel Sozo Sessions.
Venue: The Education Hub, 1st Floor, East Wing, Lagos City Hall, Catholic Mission Street, Lagos Island.
(Opposite Holy Cross Cathedral. Take the side gate of the building that is beside Kings College and drive to the back car pack. Enter the building; take the stairs on the left to the 1st Floor)
To get more information about Bethel SOZO, please go to our website
http://lapislazuliministries.org/bethel-sozo-nigeria/
You can book for a Personal Bethel Sozo Session by sending an email to
info@lapislazuliministries.org or
bethelsozo@lapislazuliministries.org. Alternatively please call 07034371401 or 08097167491. Appointments have to be made latest in the first week of November, 2016 to enable you get a personal Sozo session during the SOZO Awareness week. The teams are few, so please book as early as you can. Appointments are on a first come, first serve basis.
If you can't get an appointment for the Personal SOZO during the SOZO awareness week, please book, and we will get back in touch with you early next year.
Dr. (Mrs.) Mina Bajomo
Sub -Director Bethel Sozo, Nigeria.
r call 07034371401 or 08097167491.
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Copyright © 2016 Lapis Lazuli Ministries
All Rights Reserved.
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