Participants: John Bradshaw (Host), Ron Halvorsen
Series Code: IIW
Program Code: IIW001324
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00:01 (Music) It has stood the test of time,
00:12 God's Book, The Bible. 00:16 Still relevant in today's complex world. 00:22 It Is Written, Sharing hope around the globe. 00:36 Thanks for join me today on It Is Written, 00:38 I'm John Bradshaw, and today, a special program with 00:41 a special guest. 00:43 When you come to the Bible and you start to think about 00:45 matters of faith, and the relationship 00:47 with the God of heaven, one of the fundamentals, 00:49 one of the basics, one of the most important 00:52 ingredients in the Christian experience is prayer. 00:56 But how do we pray effectively? 00:58 How do we pray in a way that we can expect God to answer 01:02 our prayers? 01:03 How can we pray knowing that the hand of the omnipotence 01:07 will be moved? 01:08 Long time author, minister, a man who for decades 01:12 has thought the Word of God and has encourage people 01:15 and thought people in the principles of prayer 01:19 is Ron Halverson. 01:20 Ron, thank you for joining me today. 01:23 Very happy to be hear for this important meeting. 01:25 One of the things that you have made a hallmark 01:27 of your ministry and particularly in recent times 01:30 is the subject of prayer. 01:32 Before we start to get too specific about this, lets be 01:35 general, let me ask you what prayer is. 01:37 What is it? 01:38 I think there is two phases of prayer, one is personal 01:40 prayer, personal experience relationship with Jesus 01:44 Christ, that prayer is the breath of the soul, someone 01:47 had said. 01:48 Someone had said that is like talking to God like a friend, 01:50 personal. 01:51 The other is like a key that opens the treasure house of 01:56 heaven. 01:57 That's so personal. 01:58 I think that prayer goes beyond that. 02:00 Prayer is a weapon, -a weapon- in the hand of the 02:03 believer. 02:04 How is prayer a weapon?-well because if we study around 02:08 closer, we discover that we are in a world of war. 02:11 We are in a battle. 02:12 But this is a spiritual battle that is going on. 02:14 The battle for your soul. 02:16 And in a battle, God tells us how to be prepared for the 02:19 battle, how to dress for the battle, how to stand for the 02:23 battle and then what weapon to use for the battle. 02:25 That is found in Ephesians the 6th chapter, 02:28 JB: So even thought when you think about the armor of God, 02:30 prayer often is left off the list and some people's 02:33 recitation is connected inextricably actually with 02:38 the armor of God, isn't it. 02:39 RH: Yeah it's the only weapon that he has. 02:42 There is no other weapon, you don't fight with the flesh 02:44 against the spirit. 02:46 You can't fight against the invisible with the visible. 02:48 So you need that invisible power, that invisible force 02:52 which is prayer. 02:54 And prayer surrounds the warrior. 02:58 Prayer is the weapon through the Word of God. 03:02 It Is Written that's the weapon. 03:05 But is a weapon of prayer that delivers the sword. 03:09 JB: Ok, lets talk about what prayer 03:11 ought to look like "Now I lay me down to sleep 03:14 I pray my soul the Lord will keep" ... alright, 03:20 that's a prayer. 03:21 I have people ask me all the time, 03:23 "you have to How do I pray? 03:24 Do I pray like this? 03:25 Tell me how prayer works practically, 03:27 what is it? 03:28 RH: The first experience I ever had in prayer, 03:30 I was a gang banger in Brooklyn, New York 03:32 and I stole a boat, and I'm out in this boat. 03:34 JB: You stole a boat? 03:35 RH: Yeah I stole a boat. 03:36 And I'm out on this boat fishing and a storm comes up. 03:40 A wind is blowing, and the water is coming over 03:42 the boat and here I am black leather jacket, 03:46 skull blood dripping over the skull, 03:48 beachcomber, real tough dude. 03:50 And I am in this boat, no religion, 03:52 I mean, and then all the sudden the 03:54 boat starts filling up with water and so I'm trying to 03:56 bail it out with my motorcycle boot. 03:58 The boat is going to go down. 03:59 And my brother says "bail" I'm bailing, 04:02 and then he says "well row", and so I'm rowing and the 04:04 tide changes and I fall down on my knees on that boat and I 04:06 said, God get me in and I'll be 04:09 good. 04:10 God knew better than that. 04:12 But that was the expression of a need within a human heart. 04:17 And God didn't weigh that prayer upon whether I was 04:19 going to be good or whether I was bad. 04:21 But he weighed it upon my need and so He answered that 04:24 prayer. 04:25 JB: So you got out of there. 04:26 RH: Have you been in a storm and the clouds ripped apart 04:28 and the sun comes through? 04:29 JB: Oh yeah RH: Right on that boat, 04:31 and a speedboat was coming by, 04:33 saw our predicament, towed us in. 04:35 I got my feet on the ground and I forgot the prayer. 04:37 But that was the beginning. 04:39 You see, there are no atheists in 04:41 sinking boats JB: Right, 04:42 RH: crashing planes. 04:43 JB: Sure. 04:44 RH: when death angel moves around the heart there is 04:46 something instinctively within the human nature. 04:49 Because to me that was a very dramatic moment. 04:52 To me that was like an answer. 04:55 So I thought, wow, 04:57 if God can answer in such a way to a gangbanger 05:02 in a stolen boat, imagine what he does 05:04 to a believer on his knees, opening his heart to God 05:08 as to a friend. 05:09 JB: Now when you knelt down in that boat to pray were you 05:11 thinking flowery oratory or were just thinking I got to 05:14 tell God what's on my mind. 05:16 RH: You just told him what's bothering you right at that 05:18 moment. 05:19 You have to talk to God like you do a friend. 05:21 We don't go yay, nay, now, they, no, 05:26 we talk hey, hey buddy I'm in a predicament 05:28 here, you are my friend, would you help me? 05:31 Sometimes I get angry at God. 05:32 I get angry at God. 05:33 I can't understand sometimes humans suffering. 05:37 JB: Is God okay with that? 05:38 Someone watching and say, you shouldn't get angry 05:40 and saying you shouldn't get angry with God, 05:43 that's disrespectful. 05:44 Is God ok with that? 05:45 RH: Well I think He is because the prophets were. 05:48 One prophets said, Hey God why you letting these 05:50 people come into our city and rape our women and take our 05:52 children into slavery. 05:53 Throughout the history of the bible we find men and women 05:56 at times calling out to God in anger. 05:59 JB: Prayer ought to be honest and real. 06:01 RH: That's right. 06:02 God understands it already. 06:03 He understands the anger in our heart. 06:05 The only way you get rid of anger is to express it. 06:08 Yeah, you don't suppress it. 06:10 So it's the same in your prayer life you don't suppress 06:13 it. 06:14 You tell Him, Hey God, 06:16 I don't understand this, come on, 06:18 lets get on board on this thing, 06:20 what's the problem. 06:21 Sometimes I rejoice, I'm happy, 06:23 I laugh with God. 06:25 God has great sense of humor, he made a giraffe, 06:28 he made me and I mean he made you, John, 06:32 and so you see, I laugh with God. 06:34 You now, a friend is a friend 06:37 and is a friend forever. 06:38 JB: So prayer is coming to a friend sharing 06:42 what is on your mind. 06:43 RH: That's right. 06:44 JB: Any time? 06:45 RH: Openly, any time. 06:47 JB: Any place? 06:48 RH: You don't have to be in a position, 06:50 it's nothing about a position JB: You can be anywhere? 06:52 RH: Anywhere. 06:53 In my book on prayer warrior in the last chapters, 06:55 I talk about a place, everyone should have a place. 06:57 It maybe a quite place in your house, 06:59 it maybe out there in the woods, 07:01 maybe surrounded by woods. 07:02 You find a little place, a grove where you pray. 07:05 That's a part of your growth, your part of your spiritual 07:09 life. 07:10 And prayer is a wonderful communion. 07:12 Hey, you hassled all day long and 07:14 you go aside with God and He listens, 07:18 you know, not superficially, 07:20 but he listens and he hears and he answers you. 07:23 I learned from a lovely Quaker lady once. 07:27 I was praying with her and after I finished my prayer, 07:31 I was getting up to go and she said, 07:33 oh no, we got to now listen. 07:35 And that revolutionized my prayer experience. 07:39 We pray quick, we run. 07:41 Everything is quick. 07:42 I mean just, you know, 07:44 fast, fast, fast. Just listen. 07:48 And you will be surprised. 07:49 God will even talk to you in a dream. 07:51 God will even wake you up in the night. 07:53 JB: I know God did that for you. 07:55 And in some stage we are going to talk about that. 07:57 Prayer, prayer with Ron Halverson. 08:00 Ron, thanks for being here today, 08:02 we are going to come back in just a moment and talk about 08:04 more, we are going to talk a little 08:06 bit more about listening to God, 08:08 hearing the voice of God and then, how prayer can be 08:10 most effective in your life. 08:13 I'll be right back with Ron Halverson on It Is Written. 08:17 [Music] In Matthew 4:4 08:20 the Word of God says: It is Written, 08:22 man shall not live by bread alone but by every word 08:25 that proceeds from the mouth of God. 08:28 Every Word is a one minute bible base daily devotional 08:31 presented by pastor John Bradshaw and designed 08:33 specially for busy people like you. 08:36 Look for Every Word on selected networks or watch it 08:40 on line everyday on our website, 08:43 itiswritten.com. 08:44 receive a daily spiritual boost, 08:47 watch Every Word, you'll be glad you did. 08:50 Here's a sample. 08:59 In 1 Thessalonians 5, Paul tells his readers 09:03 that the day of the return of Jesus is going to come 09:06 for many people like a thief in the night. 09:08 They are not going to be ready, even though they have had 09:10 the same opportunity as everybody 09:12 else to be ready and with the thought of Jesus' return in 09:15 the center of the picture, Paul adds in verse 6, 09:18 therefore, let us not sleep as do others 09:20 but let us watch and be sober. 09:23 There is nothing more important than being ready to 09:25 meet Jesus when he comes back and people ought to watch for 09:28 that day, alert to the signs of the 09:30 times and living in a way that suggests you are serious about 09:33 meeting Jesus. 09:35 If ever there was a time to be living with eternity in mind, 09:39 this is definitely it. 09:41 Why? 09:42 Because Jesus is coming back soon. 09:46 I'm John Bradshaw for It Is Written. 09:48 Let's live today by every word. 09:53 Thanks for joining me today, my special guest today is Ron 09:54 Halverson, author, 09:56 preacher, minister, 09:58 man of God and expert in the area of prayer. 10:01 Ron we are talking about effective prayer today 10:04 and a moment ago you talked about listening and hearing. 10:07 And I want you to flesh that out because it wouldn't be too 10:10 difficult for somebody to take that to an unhealthy extreme. 10:13 And someone is going to say, well, how do I know what I 10:15 am hearing is from God. 10:17 I get asked this question as I travel, 10:19 how do I know what I am hearing is from God and if it 10:21 is not the devil and so on, talk about that. 10:24 RH: Well, I think first of all that how 10:26 I know, how I know it's from God is 10:28 because I am in communion with Him. 10:31 I can sense the voice of God, I can sense when it's God 10:35 convicting me, and not Satan convicting me. 10:38 First of all, God doesn't lie to me. 10:40 God doesn't flatter me. 10:44 I can sense his presence. 10:46 Also in the will of God I can pray for things that is not 10:49 really in the will of God and so I ask but it's not given. 10:53 I seek but it's not found, I knock, the door is not opened. 10:57 And when that happens, I realize that I begin to 10:59 analyze that what I am asking or a see that it may be 11:02 selfish or maybe the timing is not right. 11:06 JB: So you listen to God and God is going to do what? 11:08 He will speak to you how? 11:09 How does God speak? 11:10 RH: Let me tell you what happened to me. 11:12 I was sleeping one night, and my wife says that 11:14 sometimes I sing in my sleep, sometimes I preach 11:18 in my sleep. 11:19 This time I woke up and I heard like a voice. 11:22 It was such a strong impression. 11:25 Get a colonoscopy. 11:26 Mercy, I said, a colonoscopy? 11:29 I thought it was a nightmare I thought I had indigestion, 11:32 so I went back to sleep. 11:34 Two nights later, same thing happened. 11:36 So I called my doctor, I said Doc, 11:38 I need a colonoscopy, he says, well, do you have 11:40 these symptoms, and he named four or five 11:43 different symptoms. 11:44 I had no symptoms, I mean I was jumping fences, 11:46 they are smaller now, but I still jump fences. 11:47 I said no, no. 11:49 He said, well then, 11:50 why? 11:50 I said because the Lord said I should have one. 11:52 He said, do you have another reason, 11:53 I said, not a better reason. 11:55 And so they put me in the hospital and did a 11:57 colonoscopy. 11:58 They found a very aggressive cancer way above the appendix. 12:01 The doctor said, 99% of the people that get 12:03 that colon cancer there die, because by the time they get 12:06 symptoms it has broken through the wall. 12:09 And once it breaks to the wall, 12:10 it is very dangerous. 12:12 So they cut out the piece, took care of it 12 years ago 12:15 and I went to the oncologist and he came out shaking his 12:19 head and he said Mr. Halverson, I can't explain this, he said, 12:23 99% of the people that get colon cancer there, 12:25 I have to give them heavy dozes of chemo and radiation 12:27 and still they die. 12:28 I said, well do you believe in miracles? 12:31 Doctor said, yeah I do. 12:33 And I shared the miracle. 12:34 To me it was a miracle. 12:35 That was a personal answered prayer. 12:37 God had to wake me up to talk to me, 12:40 and when you have a relationship with God in that 12:42 way, God will talk to you. 12:44 Just listen. 12:45 I mean, everything worked together 12:47 because as I walked in that way, 12:49 God kept fulfilling the dream. 12:53 And at 12 years I have been free form colon cancer. 12:55 JB: And we thank God for that. 12:56 RH: Amen. 12:57 JB: So as you pray, as you pray, 12:59 what you are saying is you get to understand the voice of 13:01 the Lord more and better, you get to know whose voice 13:04 that is speaking and you understand. 13:06 You know frankly, I get asked by some people, 13:08 how am I going to know is the Lord, 13:11 you know if you pray and you get an impression to go jump 13:13 of the roof, it's probably not the Lord. 13:15 But if you pray and the impression is pray more or 13:18 help a little old lady or whatever the case might be, 13:22 it's not that difficult to figure out is it? 13:25 RH: No, isn't, that's right, 13:28 if it's towards an experience to helping people, 13:30 of growing in your spiritual life. 13:31 You know, the devil is not going 13:33 to tell you, Hey Ron, 13:35 let's grow spiritually today, lets be a spiritual giant. 13:37 No, but you know that is the 13:39 voice of God. 13:40 When you go to help others, you know that's the voice of 13:43 God, when he tells you to pray 13:45 more... 13:46 Satan doesn't want you to pray more. 13:48 The fact it's one thing he fears, 13:51 he fears the prayers of God's people. 13:54 Every prayer you pray is important to God. 13:56 JB: Before we go to break I just want to repeat a point. 14:00 God will hear anyone's prayers. 14:03 What about the guy that says I am too bad, 14:05 God doesn't love me. 14:06 He won't hear me when I pray. 14:07 God wouldn't bother with a guy like me. 14:09 What do you say to that, that guy or that girl? 14:11 RH: I just finished studying the Pharisee and the publican, 14:14 praying, the Pharisee prays and prays, 14:17 thank God I am not like others, 14:19 like that publican over there, 14:22 and the publican was a money changer. 14:24 He worked for Rome, he was a Jew that worked for 14:26 Rome. 14:27 Everything he would pay for Rome and then everything above 14:30 that which he collected he kept for himself. 14:33 And there he is in the courtyard of the temple, 14:35 and that is a big courtyard in the days of Jesus, 14:38 it was like 20 football fields, 14:40 and here is the Pharisee in his Phylacteries, 14:43 you know, dress for church. 14:45 In fact they sewed bells in the bottom of the Phylacteries 14:48 to make noise so that when they were praying people 14:50 looked and say ah, there is the man of God. 14:52 And there is this poor publican, 14:55 he is afraid to look above his tips of his toes. 15:00 And looked to heaven and he says, 15:03 help me, a sinner. 15:05 You see, he confessed something, 15:07 Pharisee confessed nothing got nothing. 15:10 So you confess it, you see, 15:13 that's what God is. 15:14 Our job description is sinner, His is Savior. 15:17 I once we recognize it we are going to depend more and more 15:20 on him, to pour his righteousness 15:22 upon us and to pour his life on us. 15:24 I mean it is so exciting to know that this God is so 15:27 personal. 15:28 JB: Yeah, if He can save that publican, 15:31 the passage says, that man went down 15:33 to his house justified. 15:34 He'd been pardon and forgiven and cleansed. 15:36 RH: Justified as if he had never sinned. 15:39 JB: Right, right, 15:39 so if he can save a gang banger in a boat, 15:41 RH: that's right, JB: there is no one God cant' 15:42 save. 15:43 There is no one's whose prayers God won't hear. 15:45 RH: Oh, that's right. 15:45 I've had the privilege of leading people 15:47 to Christ in bars, praying with them there and giving their 15:50 life to Christ. 15:51 I've worked with prostitutes on the street, I've worked 15:54 with drug addicts for many years in New York and the hippies 15:56 and the yippies, and the wan gums, 15:58 and the freebee gypsies back then in the 60's. 16:01 We had a coffee house there in Greenwich Village, 16:06 the rag tag people. 16:07 But the God we serve offers life for them. 16:11 He is the only one that can see something beautiful in 16:14 them. 16:15 JB: If God can save us he can save anybody. 16:17 RH: That's right. 16:18 JB: In a moment we are going to be back, 16:20 we are going to discuss in just a moment with Ron 16:22 Halverson prayer warfare. 16:23 Prayer as a weapon. 16:24 We began earlier talking about prayer being a weapon. 16:27 In just a moment more on that subject with Ron Halverson. 16:30 I'll be right back. 16:33 (Music) 16:40 On today's program you've heard, 16:42 us talk about the importance of prayer. 16:44 Prayer is a powerful tool, is our lifeline, 16:47 our vital connection to God. 16:49 Now there is something I want to share with you 16:51 on the subject. 16:52 The secret of answered prayer. 16:55 You'll learn how to experience a deeper prayer life and you'll 16:57 discover simple and effective ways to help you pray 17:00 more effectively. 17:02 The Secret of Answered Prayer, in just a few pages you'll 17:05 discover what the bible has to say on this vital subject. 17:08 And it is our free gift to you. 17:11 And in The Secret of Answered prayer, 17:14 you'll discover the seven secrets of answered prayer. 17:16 Right now this informative and practical booklet 17:19 is available free from It Is Written. 17:22 Just call 1-800-253-3000 and ask for: 17:27 The Secret of Answered Prayer. 17:28 You can also request this booklet by writing to It Is 17:30 Written, Box O, Thousand Oaks, CA 91359 and we'll mail 17:35 a copy to your address in North America. 17:38 And be sure to visit our website itiswritten.com where you'll 17:41 discover many helpful resources on a wide variety 17:46 of life changing topics. 17:47 It Is Written is a faith-based outreach made possible 17:50 by viewers like you. 17:51 Thank you for your letters and emails. 17:54 And thank you for your continued financial support. 17:57 It's what enables us share clear bible teachings with the 18:00 world. 18:01 Our toll free number is 1-800-253-3000 and our web 18:06 address is itiswritten.com. 18:11 Planning for your financial future is a vital aspect of 18:14 Christian stewardship. 18:16 For this reason, It is Written is pleased to 18:18 offer free planned giving and estate services. 18:21 For information on how we can help you, 18:23 please call 1.800.992.2219. 18:27 Call today or visit our special website, 18:30 www.hislegacy.com. 18:36 I'm John Bradshaw, thanks for joining me today 18:37 on It Is Written, and today, 18:39 our special guest, Ron Halverson, 18:41 whose literally has written a book on prayer. 18:43 Ron, we are going to be talking now about prayer warfare. 18:46 Prayer as a weapon. 18:47 When we began this program you were talking about prayer 18:49 being a weapon. 18:51 Something we take on the offense RH: That's right. 18:53 JB: in spiritual warefare. 18:54 No doubt we are in a spiritual battle, 18:57 the Bible makes it very very clear. 18:59 We don't wrestle with flesh and blood but with 19:01 principalities and powers. 19:02 Prayer as a weapon in warfare. 19:03 That is a new concept to some people. 19:06 RH: Well I was forced into that. 19:08 I'm working in the cities, I've spent most of my 50 19:10 years in ministry, 53 years, working in the cities, 19:13 the inner cities. 19:14 And I am working for these people who are being harassed. 19:16 I mean a kid, 8 years old dies in my arms, 19:21 throwing up on me, overdosed with drugs. 19:23 I'm forced to say, how can this happen? 19:26 How can I go beyond just this superficial? 19:29 I was forced to pray. 19:31 I was forced to really get into this prayer. 19:34 And then I began to see more and more that this is a war. 19:37 This is a spiritual war. 19:39 the turf , the territory, 19:41 he takes principalities, he takes powers. 19:43 He takes areas of cities, whole areas, 19:46 whole neighborhoods, and give it all to the 19:48 satanic forces. 19:49 And I said, here I am one lone evangelists 19:52 trying to war against this. 19:55 And I began to see more and more of this battle. 19:57 And even as a pastor. 19:59 I had pastored a college church and at first prayer 20:01 meeting there were 30 people. 20:03 I went home and I fell on my face and I cried all night 20:06 long and prayed and said, God you are dishonored here. 20:08 And then God brought me a vision that prayer 20:12 that would be the center of saving that church. 20:14 We went from 30 people and within a month we 20:18 were 1500 hundred. 20:19 And then for 5 years, 1500 people coming out to 20:22 pray and to prayer meetings, because I had the vision that 20:26 we are at war, we are at battle. 20:28 And wouldn't you tell people that and show people that? 20:31 Then we are going to get in different stance. 20:33 The day of picnic praying is over. 20:36 I mean we are in a battle. 20:37 In fact we should know it above all. 20:39 Armageddon is not about a battle way down in the end of 20:42 time in a little valley called Megiddo. 20:44 It started in heaven, Revelation 12 tells us that. 20:48 And Satan was cast out. 20:49 He came to garden and turned him into a wilderness, 20:51 John. 20:52 Jesus came to the wilderness and turned it back into a garden 20:54 JB: Yes. 20:55 RH: And that's the struggle between good and evil. 20:57 But not only with them, you and me. 21:00 We are in that struggle, is a personal battle. 21:02 JB: How do I take prayer and use it as a weapon 21:05 in the spiritual battle that I am in? 21:07 RH: First of all, I think there are 3 principles 21:10 that we need in victory in this battle. 21:14 One is the Blood. 21:16 He says, they overcame him 21:18 by the blood of the lamb. 21:19 Revelation, John writes, 21:21 his pen is dipped in the red blood ink of Calvary when he 21:23 writes Revelation. 21:24 He says the blood of the lamb, the testimony they bore, 21:26 and they would not shrink from death. 21:28 But there is 3 things, the Blood. 21:30 And then God says, put on the armor of God. 21:32 Before I get out of the bed in the morning, 21:34 John, I place the blood in my 21:36 heart. 21:37 I pray for my family, for those on my prayer list. 21:39 I place the blood on their hearts. 21:41 Because that is the beginning of deliverance. 21:43 You want deliverance. 21:44 How many watching this program, 21:46 wants deliverance? 21:47 It's first in the blood. 21:49 Then he says, put on the armor of God. 21:51 Why? 21:52 Because the arrows of the Devil can't penetrate 21:55 the armor of God. 21:56 I'm dressing in armor, but the armor never wins 21:58 the battle. 21:59 Armor is only defense. 22:00 JB: That's right. 22:01 RH: Right? 22:02 JB: Yeah. 22:03 RH: And so he says, well, 22:05 put on the loin cloths, and that was eye opening 22:07 to me, because the loin cloth 22:09 protects the reproductive organ. 22:11 You see, every believer is supposed to 22:13 reproduce Christ. 22:14 You see, we are not to be members, 22:16 we are to be disciples. 22:17 And that is to disciple the lost, 22:19 to win the lost. 22:20 Jesus said, I've come to seek and to save 22:22 that which is lost. 22:23 And now the church is just, I mean, 22:25 it's a place to be entertained, it's a place to come once 22:28 a week for an hour, give God an hour and you'll 22:30 please him... NO, you've got to become a disciple. 22:34 And disciple comes about through warfare. 22:36 He dresses in the armor of God. 22:38 He has the sword, the only offensive weapon, 22:40 if you notice. 22:41 JB: That's right. 22:42 The sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. 22:44 RH: The two-edged sword, the Old and New Testament. 22:47 It pierces the heart. 22:49 This is talking about a battle. 22:51 And then when I went into these neighborhoods. 22:53 I go into neighborhoods where you gotta duck behind cars, 22:55 they are shooting at each other. 22:57 I mean I go into the barrios in Los Angeles, 22:59 and Brooklyn, and Harlem, 23:02 and I mean I got to carry my Bible with me because if they 23:06 shoot me they got to go through Genesis, Exodus, 23:08 Leviticus, Numbers. 23:11 I mean it's bad and I'm saying to myself, 23:13 I got to go with the sword, I can't conquer this with 23:15 sweet words, little homilies... 23:17 JB: So tell me how to take this weapon and use it 23:19 practically. 23:20 I'm battling in my life. 23:22 I've got some problems. 23:23 There is something in the word of God. 23:25 I got to take that through prayer and use that 23:27 offensively to drive out Satan from me. 23:29 Someone's got a marriage difficulty, 23:32 lets say, marriage is falling apart and 23:36 kids are in jeopardy. 23:37 Someone's got a drug problem. 23:38 What am I going to do with prayer to use that offensively 23:40 as a weapon in that situation. 23:41 RH: Well, first of all, 23:43 you've got to let them first know that you are going to 23:46 pray for them. 23:47 Then you've got to give them the principles of their 23:50 personal prayer experience, that they must put the blood 23:52 on their heart. 23:53 You see, they gotta dress in the armor. 23:56 Before I get out of bed in the morning, 23:59 put blood, dress in the armor and then 24:01 he gives you the third key that says, 24:03 give him praise from your lips. 24:05 You know, even someone in church try to 24:07 squelch praise. 24:08 But praise, when the devil hears you 24:10 singing a song, or hears you quoting 24:12 a scripture, when the devil hears that 24:14 he says, hey man that guy is hot today 24:16 stay away from him. 24:17 You see, we got to teach them that 24:19 principle. 24:20 We got to teach them the principle that as soon 24:22 as the temptation comes, to go to God and ask 24:24 for help. 24:25 At that moment we got to teach them that they have 24:29 to hold on. 24:30 That it is not a quick fix. 24:33 It's not a quick fix. 24:35 My life has not been a quick fix, has yours? 24:38 JB: No, no. 24:39 RH: He's still working. 24:39 JB: Yes, he is. 24:40 RH: he is still working on my life. 24:41 And I think, boy, I have victory here, 24:43 and then two other things come up in my heart. 24:45 So we've got to teach them continually to reach out 24:50 and continue holding on, holding on for God. 24:54 And much marriage today is because of selfishness, 24:59 and who deals more with selfishness than God. 25:01 JB: That's right. 25:02 RH: So once I find out what the need is with drug addicts, 25:07 the need is that someone loves them. 25:10 I was in south Bronx, and Fox street had the most 25:14 heroin addicts in the 60's than any other street 25:16 in the world. 25:17 And these boys came to a meeting one night, 25:20 high on heroin, they were main lining heroin. 25:23 They left the meeting and as they left the meeting 25:25 I ran off the platform, went out through the alley, 25:27 jumped and I met them coming down the stairs, 25:29 they half high on heroin, and they saw me and they said 25:32 wow man, you are in there, 25:34 and I said no I am out here, because God loves you and I 25:36 love you. 25:38 And I said I wanted to say goodbye and I want you to come 25:40 back. 25:41 And there on the street I knelt with them and prayed for 25:43 those 4 boys, Heroin addicts, 25:45 main liners. 25:46 I prayed all that night, I couldn't sleep that night. 25:49 The next night, they show up. 25:51 And the next night, and the next night, 25:53 they come, and when I asked people 25:54 to receive Jesus in their hearts, 25:56 those four men came forward. 25:57 I go up in the shooting gallery in South Bronx, 25:59 get this, kids are laying around in 26:01 half stages, I find my boys in the back. 26:05 And there they were, they were ready. 26:07 You can't, I mean you cannot philosophy, they did not 26:09 need more theology, they need to know 26:13 that God loves them. 26:14 And I sat there with them and I cried with them and I told 26:16 them God loves you and God wants to take this from you. 26:18 And we talk about 5 day plan 10 day plan, 26:21 God has one 5 minute plan. 26:23 And God saved those boys, three of them became 26:26 ministers and are preaching the gospel. 26:29 That's the power of prayer. 26:30 Listen to me, that is the power of God on 26:33 the lives of just four. 26:34 Imagine what he can do for a whole city. 26:37 JB: Imagine what he can do for you. 26:41 Imagine what God can do in your life, 26:43 the lives of your family members, 26:45 the lives of your loved ones, the lives of someone you're 26:47 working with, people in your community, 26:49 people for whom you are burdened. 26:51 As Ron said, that is the power of prayer. 26:53 Ron, why don't we pray together. 26:55 RH: Thank you. 26:56 JB: and ask God to bless all are listening and want to get 26:59 in deeper experience with him. 27:00 Our father and our God we thank you in Jesus name that 27:03 prayer changes things. 27:05 That you work through our prayers and with our prayers. 27:08 That prayer is an effective weapon in the spiritual 27:11 warfare in which we find ourselves. 27:13 Call us Lord to pray and as we pray bless us by giving us 27:18 faith to know that things will happen. 27:21 Allow us to see your hand move. 27:23 Work in us, and in others, 27:26 that your will will be done in our lives. 27:28 Help us where we need help and bless us and keeps 27:32 close to you always, please, in Jesus name we pray, amen.@@@@ 27:37 RH: Amen. 27:40 (Music) JB: Thanks for joining 27:44 us today. 27:45 There will be more with Ron Halverson later in It Is 27:47 Written program, and I hope that you will not 27:49 miss that. 27:50 Until next time, please remember, 27:52 It Is Written, man shall not live by bread 27:55 alone, but by every word that 27:57 proceeds from the mouth of God. 28:00 (MUSIC). |
Revised 2015-02-05