activated november 2004

8/14/2019 Activated November 2004

1/16

CHANGE YOUR LIFE. CHANGE YOUR WORLD.

MORE POWERTO YOU

Who says you cant

move mountains?

INTERCESSORY PRAYERHow it works and what it can do

FIXED DETERMINATIONThe secret to getting results from God

ctivated


2/162 activated VOL 5, ISS

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Unless otherwise indicated, all

Scripture quotations inActivated are

from the New King James Version of

the Bible 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc.

When other versions are quoted,

some typographical changes have

been made for the sake of clarity and

uniformity.

Vol 5, Issue 11

November 2004

EDITORKeith Phillips

DESIGN

Giselle LeFavre

ILLUSTRATIONS

Etienne Morel

PRODUCTION

Francisco Lopez

activated CHANGE YOUR LIFECHANGE YOUR WOPERSONALLY SPEAKING

Life is filled with difficulties and challenges, and

at one time or another we all find ourselves in somparticularly desperate situation. These desper-ate situations cause us to turn to God for help, buthats often when we feel that our own prayers areinadequate. Sometimes thats because were outof practice, sometimes its because we think wedont have as much faith as we need, sometimesits because we feel undeserving of the Lords heland sometimes we fear that even our most heartfeprayers will fall short. Its at times like that when wmost appreciate the love and concern and prayerothers.

And it works both ways. Being there for others their times of need and putting our love and con-

cern into action by praying for them are two of thetruest and most effective ways in which we can livthe Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would havthem do unto you.

But praying for others is not only the rightthingto do, its also the smartthing. Worrying about thesituation will get us nowhere. Taking matters into o

own hands wont get us much further. But taking tsituation to God in prayer will get us impossibleresults, for nothing is impossible for God (Luke 1:3and all things are possible to him who believes(Mark 9:23).

Nothing else we can do for another costs so littor goes so far as prayer. Of course when we pray,God may show us that there is something more

we can do to help relieve the situation, but our firsand immediate response to any problem should bto pray. Lets remember that the next time a loved

one or neighbor needs our prayersand, as Jesutaught, our neighbor is anyone who needs our he

Keith Phillips

For the Activated family


3/16activated VOL 5, ISSUE 11

So the next time you feel you arent exerting

a feathers weight of influence on othersthrough your prayers, remember the cork. Godhears and answers every prayer in His timeand as He knows best, but sometimes youmust be patient. Often people and situationsdont change overnight, even after we haveprayed. But if you will be like the cork, yourlove and prayers will eventually prevail. Everyprayer you pray is like another tap of thecork. It may not appear to make a difference,but over time it will all add up and bring the

victory.What if the cork had taken one look at the

steel bar and decided it was no usethe bar

wasnt going to budge? Or what if the cork ha

struck the bar once or twice and given up?What if it had tried to do it at its own pace, anhad gotten out of the rhythm that the one whset it in motion knew was needed?

You must not get discouraged when yourprayers dont seem to be having any effect, ortry to take matters into your own hands. Thesecret of the corks success was simply doingits part and keeping at it. You cant change thperson or situation you are praying for. OnlyGodcan do that. Your part is to pray and keep

prayingto keep giving it one more tap in thright direction. The results will come in Godstime.

MORE POWER TO YOU

In prayer you align yourselves to the purpose and power of God and He is able to do thingsthrough you that He couldnt do otherwise. This is an open universe, where some things are leftopen, contingent upon our doing them. If we do not do them, they will never be done. God has

left certain things to prayerthings that will never be done except as we pray.DR. E. STANLEY JONES

IN A FACTORY, AN ELONGATED STEEL BAR WEIGHING 500 LBS (ABOUT 225 KG) WAS

SUSPENDED BY A CHAIN. NEAR IT AN AVERAGE-SIZE CORK WAS SUSPENDED BY A SILK

THREAD. WHEN WE COME BACK TO THIS SPOT LATER, A TOUR GUIDE TOLD A GROUP

OF SIGHTSEERS, YOU WILL SEE SOMETHING THAT IS SEEMINGLY IMPOSSIBLE. THIS

CORK WILL HAVE SET THIS STEEL BAR IN MOTION. THE GUIDE SET IN MOTION A MECH-ANISM WHEREBY THE CORK TAPPED GENTLY AND REPEATEDLY AGAINST THE STEEL

BAR, WHICH REMAINED MOTIONLESS. THE VISITORS WATCHED FOR A MINUTE OR TWO

AS THE CORK STRUCK THE IRON BAR WITH PENDULUM-LIKE REGULARITY, THEN THEY

MOVED ON. TEN MINUTES LATER, THE BAR WAS VIBRATING SLIGHTLY, AND WHEN THE

TOUR GROUP RETURNED AT THE END OF AN HOUR, THE HEAVY BAR WAS SWINGING

LIKE THE PENDULUM OF A CLOCK.

Have you ever wondered if your prayers really make a difference?

Most people do at one time or another, especially if theyve beenpraying long and hard for a breakthrough in a certain situation buthavent seen the desired result. The next time your faith in prayergets tested, consider this:



O, THEYRE NOT IN THE BIBLE, but theyrecertainly Scriptural and express an important truth.

If prayer doesnt change things, then lets quit praying. Butif prayer doeschange things, then we ought to devote more

time to prayer, for all around us there are many things thatneed changing. If prayer does change things, then lets getbusy praying and change the things that need changing!Just think what could happen if you really believe that! Jesussaid, If you can believe, allthings are possible (Mark 9:23).If youve prayed and things havent changed, then this littletalk is just for you.

Years ago a common expression amongst Christians waspraying through. Praying through meant that you keptpraying until you had received a definite assurance thatGod had heard the prayer and would take action. Perhaps

youve felt that assurance at timesthat you didnt need topray any more, because you were sure that God had heard

your prayer, the matter was in His hands now, and He wouldwork it out as He knew best.

The Bible is full of accounts of those who prayed through,particularly King David in the book of Psalms. I get a thrillin my soul whenever David emerges from prayer and comesout with a bold expression of assurance: The Lord hasheard my prayer!

FIXED

DETERMINATION

FOR YEARS I NEARLY ALWAYS CLOSED MYMEDITA-TION MOMENTS RADIO SHOW WITH THE WORDS

GOD IS STILL ON THE THRONE, AND PRAYER

CHANGES THINGS! SOMEONE WROTE IN AND

SAID, I DONT FIND THOSE WORDS IN THE BIBLE.

BY VIRGINIA BRANDT BERG


5/16

At the beginning of one psalm, whenDavid began to pray, he was almostin despair over some great trouble,but it wasnt long before he cameaway declaring, Blessed be the Lord,because He has heard the voice of my

supplications! My heart trusted in Him,and I am helped; therefore my heartgreatly rejoices (Psalm 28:67).

Another time David was discour-aged about himself almost to the pointof despair, but he poured out his heartto the Lord and came away with thesweet assurance: The Lord has heardthe voice of my weeping. The Lord willreceive my prayer (Psalm 6:89). Andanother time David comes away from

prayer with the words, Certainly Godhas heard me; He has attended to thevoice of my prayer (Psalm 66:19).

That assurance became so fixed inDavids heart and mind that he beganone psalm with the words, I love theLord, because He has heard my voiceand my supplications. Because Hehas inclined His ear to me, thereforeI will call upon Him as long as I live

(Psalm 116:12). He knew God wasgoing to hear and answer even beforehe prayed.

Years ago I was injured in a terribleaccident, which left me a total invalid.Paralyzed from the waist down, I wasmostly confined to bed for five years.I also had life-threatening heart andlung problems, and suffered variousother side effects from numerousunsuccessful operations to try to

restore the use of my legs. It was thisfixed determinationthis prayingthroughthat brought the fullnessof faith for the great deliverance, themiracle healing, that I needed.

Through Jesus Christ you too canhave your prayers answered just as

wonderfully. Hold on to His promises.If you ask anything in My name, I will

do it (John 14:14). Whatever you askthe Father in My name He will give you(John 16:23). Have this fixed determi-nation. Im going to hold on until theanswer comes. Dont give up!

How badly do you want your prayer

answered? Are you willing to meet thiscondition, this fixed determination, or

will you let delays discourage you andcause you to give up, or allow obstaclesto block your way to victory, or letothers doubts frustrate and foil yourfaith? There are many ways of meetinga crisis, but only one way guaranteesvictory, and that is to pray straightthrough it.

The Bible says, Let us not grow

weary while doing goodin this case,praying for an important needfor indue season we shall reap if we do notlose heart (Galatians 6:9).

May your faith be strengthened asyou think of King David and others inthe Bible who through this fixed deter-mination brought down the walls ofJericho, marched through the Red Seaas by dry ground, and wrought many

other miracles. (Hebrews chapter 11contains quite a list!)Take Gods promises and march

straight through any difficulty, sayinglike the saints of old, Im determinedthat nothing shall cheat me out of whatGod has promised me in His Word!

Pray through, my friend, with thisfixed determination that youre notgoing to give up. There are many rea-sons why God does not always answer

immediately or in the way we expect,but He does eventually answer everyprayer thats prayed in full faith. Do

you want your prayers answered badlyenough to keep praying until Godassures you Hes going to answer? Then

you wont be disappointed, becauseGod is still on the throne, and prayerdoeschange things!

activated VOL 5, ISSUE 11

HOW BADLY

DO YOU

WANT YOUR

PRAYER

ANSWERED?



RAYEGODHASHISREASONSforallowingprob-

lemsinlife,andoneofthemainreasons

istoteachustopray.Heletsuscome

totheendofourrope,theendofour

strengthandwhatwethinkwecando

tosolvetheproblemathand,sowewill

realizethatHeistheOnewhohasgot

todoitandthenprayforHimtowork,

byHispower.Iftheressomethingwecandoto

helpthesituationandweaskHim

whatthatisandhowtogoaboutit,

Hewillshowusandhelpusdoit.

Butintheend,thethingthatwill

helpmorethananythingandwith-

outwhichallourlaborsareincom-

pleteisprayertoprayforHimto

dotheworkinthespirit.HestheonlyOnewhocan

changeheartsandminds.Hes

theonlyOnewhocanbringpeopletothepointwheretheyrewillingtochangeordowhateversnecessarytomakeprogressorfixtheproblem.Sothebestthingwecandotohelppeopleinproblemsituationsistoprayforthem.Wecantdothemiraclethatsneeded,buttheL

ordcan.O

urprayersmoveHishandandmakethingshappeninthespiritualrealmthatchangethingsinourphysicalrealm.Prayingforthepersonorsitua-tionnotonlyhelpstosetthingsupforthemiracle

THEBESTTHING

tohappen,butitgivesuspeaceof

mindthatwevedonethebestthing

wecouldpossiblydo.WhenwecommitthingstotheLordinprayer,

thenwecantrustthatwhateverhappensisinHishan

dsandunder

Hiscontrol.Peopledontfullyrealizehow

importantprayeris,especiallypeoplewhoarebynatureaccom-

plishmentoriented.Itsalltheharderforthemtoprayandnotalwaysbetryingtodosomething

inthephysical.Weneedtounder-

standandbelievethatonlyGodcan

workinthespirittochangepeople

andsituations,andthebestthing

wecandotohelpGodhelpothers

istoprayforthem.Ifwedontpray,

HeoftenhastowaitbeforeHecan

bringabouttheneededchange.HisWordsays,Youdonothavebecauseyoudonotask(James4:2).

Prayerisaverymysteriousspiri-

tualphenomenon.Itsimpossible

tofullyunderstandhowtheLord

choosestowork,howHechooses

toanswerprayer,whysomeprayers

areansweredquickerthanothers,

orwhyHedoesanobviousmiracle

inonesituationandnotinanother.

Wecantexpecttoknoweverything

aboutGodsbusiness,butwecanbe

surethatwehaveHisearandthat

ourprayershaveabigeffect.

BY DAVID BRANDT BERG

YOUCANDOFOROTHERS

People dont

fully realize

how importan

prayer is



I SORTOFLIVEINABUBBLENOW. Over the past four years,Ive spent a total of one year and three months in hospitals.My immune system is shot, so I cant be around anybodythats sick. If I come down with even a slight fever, I have togo back to the hospital. I tire easily and need a lot of care.Every morning I pray, Lord, keep me another day. But Imhappy to be alive! Even if the Lord never heals me com-pletely, Im happy.

That hasnt always been the case, though. There havebeen times since Ive been sick when I told Jesus I couldnt

take the pain any longer, times when I prayed, Lord, pleasetake me home to Heaven. But here I am! I dont know whatthe Lord has in store for me, but He must have more forme to do because Im still here. I also know Im still herebecause of the prayers of others.

I cant have many visitors, but I do get a lot of phone callsand email, mostly from people who are praying for me. Atone point I started receiving phone calls and email frompeople all over the countrypeople I didnt even know.Someone would phone and say, Im calling for the prayer

chain in Pomona, California. We just want to let you knowthat were praying for you, or Id get an email saying, Ourprayer chain here in Chicago is praying for you. Who arethese people, I wondered.Andhow do they know about me?

I found out later that my brother had started askingeveryone he could think of to pray for me, and it spreadfrom there. Every time he knew my condition had taken aturn for the worse, he would first phone the nearest com-munity of The Family and ask that they put an updatedprayer request for me on The Familys worldwide prayer list.

The

of prayerlove giftBY RANDY MEDINA

Then he would phone a church or twasking them to also pray for me. Befolong, the whole country was prayingfor me, as well as members from TheFamily all around the world.

My brother has organized anotherprayer chain himself. Every time hemeets people who say they believein prayer, he asks if they want to bepart of a prayer chain for me. If they

say yes, he gets their phone numberor email address and adds them to hilist. Whenever Im especially in needof prayer, he calls all these people orsends them an email note, and theypray for me.

Knowing that friends and evenstrangers are praying for me has notonly kept me alive these last four yeabut their love in doing that for me

helps me feel the Lords love in a veryspecial way.

RANDY MEDINA WENT TO HISHEAVENLY REWARD IN MARCH2004, AFTER PERSONALLY WINNINGMANY HUNDREDS TO JESUS ANDSERVING HIM FAITHFULLY IN THEFAMILY INTERNATIONAL FOR OVER

30 YEARS.

THE FOLLOWING IS FROM A

TALK RANDY MEDINA GAVE

TO A GROUP OF FRIENDS

FOUR YEARS AFTER BEING

DIAGNOSED WITH LATE-STAGE

CIRRHOSIS OF THE LIVER

THE RESULT OF HAVING

CONTRACTED HEPATITIS C

ABOUT 30 YEARS EARLIER

AND ABOUT TWO AND A HALF

YEARS AFTER RECEIVING A

LIVER TRANSPLANT.


8/16

Intercessory prayerw

ha

t

it

can

do

work takes place in thespirit, and thats whereyour prayers come in.

Your prayers move Mhand to work on behalf the one for whom you apraying. I have promiseAsk and you will receiv(Matthew 7:7). When yoask in faith, I not onlybring about the desired

results, but I do far greathings than you couldpossibly do yourself. Itdoesnt make sense logically, and it goes againshuman nature to not tryto fix problems yourself

when they arise, but themore you pray, the more

you will see Me removeobstacles and changehearts and situations, athe more your faith in Mand the power of prayer

will grow.Im waiting to move

mountains on your behaso dont hold back. Theneeds that you and othehave are great, but they

Jesus: Prayer may seema small thing. Usuallyit doesnt take much of

your time and involveslittle physical effort, butif you knew the dynamicsof prayer and the effect

your prayers have in thespiritual realm, you wouldunderstand that prayer isindeed the greatest help

you can be to another.People equate action withdoingsomething. But they

must realize that prayingisactionthe most

efficient and powerfulkind of action.

When you prayyoure operating in

the realm of faith.Youre operating

in the spirit worldwhere miraclesare born, where

the impossible takesplace. Sometimes youcan be My hands or feetor mouth to help relievethe problem with physi-cal action, but the greatest

8 activated VOL 5, ISS

WHEN YOU

OPERATE IN

THE REALM

OF FAITH,

YOURE

OPERATING

IN THESPIRIT

WORLD

WHERE THE

IMPOSSIBLE

TAKES

PLACE.

How

it

wor

ks

WHEN JESUS DISCIPLESASKED HIM to teach them topray, He taught them theprayer that we now knowas the Lords Prayer. Just66 words long, it is possiblythe most comprehensiveand powerful generalprayer ever. There is a lotmore to learn, however,about this marvelous and

mysterious thing calledprayer, and Jesus is morethan happy to answerour questions. Here areHis answers, received inprophecy, to somecommon ques-tions abouthow prayer

worksparticu-larly intercessoryprayer, which is

when we pray forothers.

Q: Ive heard it said thatprayer isnt the least wecan do for someone else,but the most. If thats true,how so?


9/16

help win the victory. Theare times, however,when you need otherto pray with you. Itsreassuring to know

youre not fighting thebattle alone, but itsimportant that you pray

as well, since personalprayer also wields greatpower.

Sometimes those whoneed My help arenteven aware that they do.They either cant see the

problem, dont realize hoserious it is, or dont knowhow real I am or how read

willing, and able I am tohelp, so they dont turnto Me like they should. Inthese situations, othersprayers can set things inmotion in the spirit andget things moving in theright direction. Often the

persons own faith willeventually come into playbut in the meantime, thefaith and prayers of otherare vital.

Other times those whoneed prayer may be too

weak physically or toodrained spiritually tocarry the burden ofprayer alone. Theirspirit might be willinbut their flesh isweak. If they are ve

sick or in great pafor example, theymay need othersto help them prOr if they are

strong in body b

are not too great for Me.Let loose your prayers,and stand back and watchMe work. Your prayersand My power are an

unbeatable force!

Q: Why do some prayersseem to go unanswered,particularly prayersfor some of the mostdesperate situations?

Jesus: There are a numberof reasons why some

prayers arent answeredimmediately. Sometimesthe conditions arent yetright to bring about thebest result. Sometimesthe people involved needto learn lessons or growin areas they wouldntbe able to if the problem

were solved too quickly oreasily. Sometimes its due

to a lack of faith on thepart of those praying. Butoften its due to a lack ofdesperation.

Prayers are answeredin direct proportion tothe intensity with whichthey are prayed. If you

were trying to move aheavy object, you wouldsummon all your physicalstrength. The same istrue of prayer. The biggerand more impossiblethe problem, the morefocused and fervent youmust be in mind andspirit when you pray.Desperate situations callfor desperate prayer.

Q: If Youve promisedto answer everyprayer as You knowbest, does it reallymatter how many

people pray for acertain situation?Isnt one personsprayer enough?

Jesus: Using the sameanalogy of trying to movea very heavy object, whenthe object is too heavy for

you alone, even when you

use all your strength, youcall on others to help you.As you unite and pushtogether in prayer, as youall direct your spiritualenergy in the samedirection, your prayersbecome that much moreeffective.

Q: Are both personal

prayersprayers by theperson in needandprayers from others

needed?

Jesus:Both personalprayers and prayers fromothers are important.

When, for whateverreason, you arethe only oneaware of aparticularsituation and

youre not ableto call on othersfor support inprayer, yourprayers alone canturn the tide and



10/16

PEOPLE EQUATE ACTION WITH DOING SOMETHING. BUT THEY MUST REALIZE THAT

PRAYING IS ACTIONTHE MOST EFFICIENT AND POWERFUL KIND OF ACTION.

their faith is at a low ebb,they also need others topray with them.

The one involved in thebattle is like a soldier in themidst of the fray. He is theone in direct combat, buthis success also dependson the support of his fellowsoldiers behind the line ofbattle. So it is with prayer.Other people prayingare like reinforcements.The person in need canpray and I will answer

that prayer, but whenothers pray too, its doublyeffective.

Q: How can I become moreeffective in my prayers forothers?

Jesus: When a need is nearand dear to your heart,

when you are moved inside

for a loved one in need ordesperately desire for Meto intervene in a certainsituation, then you prayfervently and frequently.

And whenyou are moved,it moves Me to work on thebehalf of the one for whom

you are praying, or to rectifythe situation. Conversely,

when you are not personallytouched by a certain need,it is easier for you to brush itaside and either fail to prayor pray halfheartedly.

Empathy makes all thedifference, so ask Me togive you the gift of empa-thy. Then you will pray asthough you were the one

suffering sickness, finan-cial need, or whatever theproblem may be. You willpray as though it were yourchild, your loved one, or

your family that needs Mymiraculous intervention,and I will hear and answer.

Q: Why is it that it oftenseems easier to have faithwhen praying for othersthan when praying formyself?

Jesus: Many people arelimited in their faith whenpraying for somethingthemselves. They mayhave great faith whenpraying for others, but

when they have a need,they either feel unworthyof My help or are afraid ofappearing selfish, so they

either dont ask or prayweak prayers. When somone else prays for them their situation, its oftenmore powerful becausethe other person is able pray with full faith.

Intercessory prayer wolike a bank account thatmore than one person cadeposit into and with-draw from. When you prafor someone else, its likedepositing into the accou

which the person for who

you are praying can thendraw from. As long aseveryone is faithful with hor her deposits, there wilbe plenty in the account meet any need that arise

Q: Do our prayers for othhave an effect even when

we dont know enough

10 activated VOL 5, ISS


11/16

you form the good habitof thinking more of othethan yourself. It gives youmore love for those for

whom youre praying andothers in general, becausit focuses on their needs.

Intercessory prayer islargely a sacrificial servicIt is taking your timeand giving it to othersby petitioning Me fortheir needs. Its unselfishgiving, but there are alsodividends for the one

praying. Give, and it wilbe given to you (Luke6:38). As you pour out yoheart to Me in prayer forothers and their situationI will in turn care for youThats My rule in givingthe more you give, themore you will receive.

It will also strengthenyour faith in My ability

to answer prayer andhelp you learn to dependmore on Me. Your heartis touched, you want tohelp others in need, youask Me to come to theirrescue, and when I do, itencourages your spirit anincreases your faith.

You will also become

more Christlikemorefilled with My love andmore in tune with Mespeople will see more of Min you.

Praying for others willhave a positive effecton you in every way.

Your blessings will benumerous!

INTERCESSORY

PRAYER IS

LARGELY A

SACRIFICIAL

SERVICE. IT

IS TAKING

YOUR TIME

AND GIVING

IT TO OTHERS

BY PETITION-

ING ME FOR

THEIR NEEDS.

about the situation to prayfor You to take a specificcourse of action?

Jesus: When you expresslove and concern bypraying for others, I caneven answer requests that

you havent yet been able toput into words. Even when

you may not know whatto pray for specifically,I do. As the apostle Paulexplained, I live to makeintercession for you

according to the will of God(Hebrews 7:25; Romans8:27). As you beseechMe for others, as youexpress love and concern,as you acknowledge

your dependence onMe and commit peopleand situations to Me, I

will bring about the best

possible outcome, even ifyou cant see at the timewhat that may be.

Not knowing all thefacts can sometimes

work to your advantage,because the facts oftenundermine faith. Thesimple fact that over-rides all others is thatnothing is impossible forMe. Through your blindfaith in standing on thatpromise and asking Me tointervene and do a specific

thing, I am often able tomove more speedily anddo mightier miracles thanif al l I had to work with

were the prayers of the oneimmersed in the problem,

whose faith is hindered bythe facts.

Q: Intercessory prayeris mainly for the benefit

of others, of course, butdoes it also benefit the onepraying?

Jesus: Praying for otherpeople is putting your loveinto action in the spirit.

Youre not only thinking ofthem and wanting to help,but youre doingsome-

thing about it. Your lovefor them obliges you to callon Me for help, and I stepin and do what you needdone but cant do yourself.

One of the mostbeautiful results ofpraying for other people isthat it helps you becomeless self-centered. It helps




A vision of

the future

a vision of the future

ENDTIME INSIGHTS

DANIEL CHAPTER 8, PART 2

BY JOSEPH CANDEL

IN 552 BC, THE HEBREWPROPHET DANIELforetolda war between the Greeks and Persians, and itsoutcome. Part 1 of this article, which appeared inlast monthsActivatedmagazine, explained how thatprophecy was fulfilled in 333 BC, exactly as predicted.

Other parts of this same vision received byDaniel foretold other events farther in the future,

events of the Endtime, the time in which we arenow living. This is where we now resume our studyof Daniel chapter 8.

Vision: Out of one of them [the kingdoms intowhich Alexander the Greats empire fractured afterhis death] came a little horn which grew exceed-ingly great toward the south, toward the east, andtoward the Glorious Land (Daniel 8:9).

Interpretation:The angelic messenger whoshowed Daniel this vision made it unmistak-ably clear that this little horn was to arise inthe time of the end by saying so three timesverses 17, 19, and 23.

We know from a number of other scripturesuch as Daniel 7:8, that this little horn is

the soon coming world dictator known as theAntichrist. There is much in the Bible describthis man and his rule and reign, even thoughreign is shortonly seven years (Daniel 9:27)

In the latter time of their kingdom [theEndtime, just prior to Jesus return], when thetransgressors have reached their fullness, a kishall arise, having fierce features, who under-stands sinister schemes (Daniel 8:23).

We are also given the assurance thatduring the Great Tribulation the people who

know their God shall be strong,and carry out great exploits.



Here Daniel refers to theAntichrist as a king havingfierce features, and in Daniel11:21 as a vile person. In2 Thessalonians 2:3,8, theapostle Paul calls him the son

of perdition and the lawlessone (or the wicked one, inother translations). In the bookof Revelation he is the finalembodiment of the Beast.

Its not exactly clear in thispassage or other scriptures

which geographical part ofAlexanders empire the Anti-christ will come from. Some people have specu-lated that he will come out of Egypt because of the

three directions of his expansiontoward thesouth [Africa], toward the east [the Mideast andpossibly Asia], and toward the Glorious Land. ToJewish prophets like Daniel, the Glorious Landcould only mean Israel. The Scriptures also makeit clear that the Antichrist will eventually invadeIsrael (Ezekiel chapter 38; Daniel 11:4043).

In other passages of scripture, however, theAntichrist is referred to as the king of the north(Ezekiel 38:1416; Daniel 11:4043). In Ezekiel38:2, the Antichrist is called Gog of the land ofMagog. He is the prince of Rosh, Meshech, andthe place called Tubal, where he is said to comefrom. Ros or Rus is the name of the people

who settled around the Volga River and fromwhich the word Russia is derived.

How can the Antichrist possibly come fromEgypt, yet eventually come from the northRussia? Perhaps he comes from Egypt or hassome strong connection to Egypt, but rises topower in Russia.

At this point, where the Antichrist comes fromis one of the great Endtime mysteries. Now wecan see only the shadows and shapes of things tocome, but keep a watch on Egypt and Russia.

Vision: And it [the little horn, the Antichrist]grew up to the host of heaven; and it cast downsome of the host and some of the stars to theground, and trampled them (Daniel 8:10).

Interpretation:Because of the context andwhat we know from other scriptures, its clearthat this is talking about the Antichrists cam-paign to wipe out true believers in Godtheholy people of verse 24during the last halof his rule, the 3-year period known as the

Great Tribulation.His power shall be mighty, but not by hisown power; he shall destroy fearfully, and shaprosper and thrive; he shall destroy the mightand also the holy people (Daniel 8:24).

In Revelation 12:9 and 13:2 we find out thatthe Antichrist gets his power from Satan. Wealso know from other scriptures that the Anti-christ will speak great things and blasphe-

mies (Revelation 13:5), try to change times anlaws (Daniel 7:25), officially abolish all religion

except worship of himself, persecute believersof all faiths (2 Thessalonians 2:34), corrupt witflattery (Daniel 11:32), and make war with thepeople of God and overcome them for 3 year(Revelation 13:7).

Its not allbad news for the followers ofGod, though. We are also given the assurancethat during the Great Tribulation the people

who know their God shall be strong, and carryout great exploits, and those of the people

who understand shall instruct many (Daniel11:3233). The people of the world who hate th

Antichrists dictatorship are going to be desperate for the truth, and those who know Gods Woare going to teach and encourage millions. Inspite of all that the Devils forces will do to try tstop them, millions of Gods children will keepgoing for God till the very end (1 Thessalonians4:1617).

Vision: He [the Antichrist] even exalted him

self as high as the Prince of the host; and by himthe daily sacrifices were taken away, and the plaof His sanctuary was cast down (Daniel 8:11).

Interpretation: The Prince of the host (andthe Prince of princes in verse 25) is either GodJesus. 2 Thessalonians 2:4 confirms this wherit says that the Antichrist exalts himself abovall that is called God or that is worshiped.

At this point,

where the

Antichrist comes

from is one of the

great Endtime

mysteries, but

keep a watch

on Egypt and

Russia.



By him [the Antichrist] the daily sacrificewas taken away. Daily sacrifice refers toritual animal sacrifices carried out in theJewish Temple in Jerusalem, a practice that hasbeen suspended since the second Temple wasdestroyed by the Romans in 70 AD. It appears,

however, that some time between now and theGreat Tribulation, the Jews will finally be ableto rebuild their Temple on Jerusalems MountMoriah and reinstitute animal sacrifices onits altar. But in the middle of the Antichristsseven-year reign, when he exalts himselfabove all religions, he

will bring an end to thispractice (Daniel 9:27; 11:31;Matthew 24:15,21).

Then, in that holy place,

the Temple area, the worldgovernment will erect somekind of living (probablycomputer-controlled)image of the Antichrist.This is the abomination ofdesolation that both Danieland Jesus spoke of (Daniel11:31; 12:11; Matthew24:15). The Antichrist willthen demand that the whole world worship hisimage or be killed (Revelation 13:1418).

The place of His sanctuary was cast down.It doesnt seem that the Antichrist is goingto destroy the Temple, but rather occupy ithimself, because we are told in 2 Thessalonians2:4 that he sits as God in the temple of God,showing himself that he is God. So castdown apparently means that the Temple willno longer be sacred; it will be desecrated orpolluted (Daniel 11:31) by the abominable

Image of the Beast.

Vision: Because of transgression, an armywas given over to the horn to oppose the dailysacrifices; and he cast truth down to the grounHe did all this and prospered (Daniel 8:12).

Interpretation: Army (or host, as the Kin

James Version [KJV] renders it) may refer to theAntichrists followers in general, not only hisarmy or police force (Daniel 11:31).

And he cast truth down to the ground.The ultimate fulfillment of this will be whenthe Antichrist demands that the whole world

worship him as God, but anti-God, anti-Christ propaganda is already rampant in th

world today, particularly in the mass mediaAs you have heard that the Antichrist iscoming, even now many antichrists have

come, by which we know that it is the lasthour [Endtime] (1 John 2:18).

Through his cunning he shall cause dec(or craft in the KJV) to prosper under hisrule; and he shall exalt himself in his heartHe shall destroy many in their prosperity. Hshall even rise against the Prince of princesbut he shall be broken without humanmeans (Daniel 8:25).

The Antichrist is going to be full of pride

and try to exalt himself above every other worleader that ever lived, even claiming to be God(Daniel 11:3637; 2 Thessalonians 2:4).

He shall even rise against the Prince ofprinces: but he shall be broken without humanmeans. The Antichrist is even going to try tofight God, Jesus Christ, and the army of Heave(Revelation 17:1214), but the Antichrist and hforces will be totally vanquished in the Battle o

Armageddon (Revelation 16:1216; 19:1121).That will be the unhappy end of them, but the

happy beginning for all who have received andsided with Jesus!

The Antichrist

and his

forces will be

vanquished

once and for all

in the Battle of

Armageddon.

If you havent yet met Jesus or received His forgiveness and gift of eternal life, you can do soright now by praying the following:

Thank You, Jesus, for paying the price for my mistakes and wrongs, so I can be forgiven. I ask Younow, dear Jesus, to please come into my heart, forgive me, and give me Your gift of eternal life. Amen



sevenseven keyskeysThere is great power inunited prayer.Matthew 18:1920Acts 1:1314Acts 4:2331Acts 12:12

Sometimes its best to prayin private.Matthew 6:6Mark 1:35Mark 6:46Luke 5:16

Sometimes its necessary towatch in prayer.

Matthew 26:4041Luke 6:12Acts 12:5Ephesians 6:18

Cultivate the habit of pray-

ing always, about every-thing.1 Chronicles 16:11Proverbs 3:6Luke 18:1

1 Thessalonians 5:17

Fervent, wholeheartedprayer gets optimum results.Jeremiah 29:13Lamentations 2:19Luke 22:44Hebrews 4:16

James 5:16b

Be persistent.Genesis 18:2332Genesis 32:2428Luke 11:510Luke 18:18aEphesians 6:18

Challenge God to keep Hisword and answer prayer.2 Kings 2:14Isaiah 45:11b

PRAYER

POWER

FEEDING

READING

TO MORE EFFECTIVE PRAYERS

Do you often forget to pray, or dont know where to startor how to go about it when you do remember? It takes awhile for prayer to become a habit, but its a habit thatsworth cultivating because it can solve so many problemssometimes before they happen. If your prayer times need

jump-start, these tips should help.

Keep a prayer list.Keep a prayer list.Whenever you become aware that someone or some situation needs prayer, write it down. Carry your list with you,put it in yoWur notebook or agenda, or post it somewhereyoull be sure to see it at a good time. Then, as each prayis answered, thank the Lord and mark that item off your liEstablish regular prayer times.Establish regular prayer times.Regularity is a key to forming any good habit. Short timesof prayer throughout the day may work better than onelonger stretch, because shorter times are usually more

doable. Plus the more often you pray, the easier it will beto form the important habit of praying about every decisioand committing every activity to the Lord. Find what workfor you and stick with it.Have prayer promises handy.Have prayer promises handy.God has made hundreds of promises to us in His Word,and He likes for us to hold Him to those promises. Askand it will be given you (Matthew 7:7), for example. As yread and study the Bible, mark promises that stand out to

you, or compile them into a list.Find a place conducive to prayer.Find a place conducive to prayer.When possible, find a quiet, distraction-free spot. Godlooks at the position of your heart, not the position of youbody, so get comfortable enough to focusbut not socomfortable you fall asleep.Begin your prayer by praising and thanking God forBegin your prayer by praising and thanking God forHis goodness.His goodness.

Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving (Psa

95:2).Tailor your prayer to the situation.Tailor your prayer to the situation.Some situations call for longer, more fervent, or morefrequent prayer than others. Its always important to bespecific and definite.Join forces.Join forces.Pray with others when possible, or ask others to pray separately for the need at hand. It can be humbling to pray withothers if youre not accustomed to doing so, but youll soofind that its as inspiring and faith-building as it is effective.


16/16

If faith no larger than a mustard seed can move a mountain(Matthew 17:20), you figure that your faith must be small indeed,

because your prayers seem to go unanswered. That can be dis-heartening, I know, but it shouldnt stop you from asking Me for amiracle when you need one.

There are a couple of things you should know about faith: First,its not something you can earn or muster up yourself, but its a giftfrom your heavenly Father. Second, like a muscle, faith needs nourishment and exercise to grow. That spiritual nourishment comesfrom reading and absorbing Gods Word. You exercise your faith byacting on it. So nourish and put your faith to work daily through

your prayers and actions.You dont have to wait till you feel you have strong faith to begin

receiving My help, though. If you need results now but feel youdont have enough faith to warrant them, ask Me to increase yourfaith. Be like the man in the Bible who begged Me to heal his son,

who could not hear or speak. The man had every reason to doubtthat things could ever be different, and he did. He knew that hisfaith was weak, so when I asked him if he believed I could heal hisson, he replied, Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief. The moment heconfessed his inadequacy and asked for My help, he received bothfaith and the miraclehis son was instantly healed!

FROM

JESUS

WITH

LOVE

How

faithworks

activated november 2004

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