Desperation can lead people to do unimaginable things, including things they aren't proud of. And yet, desperation can drive people to make choices that transform their lives and the lives of others for the better.
Nowhere is this better displayed than in the experience of a Greek woman from Tyre, which is in modern-day Lebanon. She had a demon-possessed daughter who needed healing. When she heard Jesus was visiting her area, she found Him and cried out for help.
Unlike with Jairus or the Centurion, Jesus didn't agree to heal the woman's daughter. Instead He noted He was sent to bless the children of God alone, saying, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel” (Matthew 15:24). Undeterred, she continued to insist and He said, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs” (Matthew 15:26).
Instead of being offended and getting petty, her next words displayed great humility and wisdom. “Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table” (Matthew 15:27). Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment (Matthew 15:28).
Despite the supposed insult, Jesus rewarded this woman with something He Himself admitted belonged to a select group of people - the children of God. This was a group she acknowledged she didn't belong to. Why?
To teach the rest of us that desperation and firm faith in Him will produce positive results and fast track even an unbeliever into becoming a child of God who enjoys the benefits of sonship (Romans 8:15). This woman went from serving Greek deities to knowing without a doubt that Jesus was the Son of the only true God.
If you are yet to know Him, He wants you to enjoy the blessings reserved for those who belong to the Lord. This privilege is available even if you didn't previously believe in God or His Son. Jesus is in the business of changing people's minds and transforming lives, just as He did with this woman and her daughter.
What are you desperate for? Believe in Jesus and pour that desperation out at His feet. He is THE solution you need. Cry out to Him as the Greek woman did and ask Him to solve your most pressing problem. Today is the day to believe He can do it. Once you experience Jesus, allow Him to change you. If you submit to His changes, you will grow in the word and the ways of God, enjoying more of what is reserved for His daughters and sons.
Interested in becoming a child of God and enjoying the children's bread? The next post has more details. God bless you and I thank the Lord you have chosen to put your faith in Jesus.
To learn more, please read,
FINAL MESSAGE
We've talked a lot about coming to the Lord and submitting our lives to His Son, Jesus Christ. If you have done so, God bless you. If you, however, are yet to encounter and receive the Holy Spirit - the mark of sonship, I pray for You that IJN, You will receive the Holy Spirit of the Lord. I pray that You will experience His fire and that out of your belly shall flow living waters as you speak in heavenly tongues granted to You by the Spirit. I pray that the weight of the Dove will descend upon you, marking you as one pleasing to the Lord God Almighty. Amen and Amen.
God bless you.
CLOSING PRAYER
Great and mighty God, You did it again! I do not take it for granted that You brought us together to honor You. We could have gathered for all manner of things but by Your providence and wisdom, You saw it fit to bring us to this place to worship and give of ourselves in prayers for other people. Thank You for this privilege. Thank You for showing us such grace.
Father, as we disperse to face the other things that require our attention, I pray that we will be mindful of today's message and remain focused on You and what You desire from us. Help us to remain prayerful today and not mindless. Help us to not forget the things we are desperate for. Help us to hold onto faith and stand firm, petitioning for that which You have placed in our hearts as a desire. May we continue to pour out our prayers and praises to You.
Lord, cover those who joined in fellowship - both those I am aware of and those I am unaware of. You know all. May they each enjoy Your grace and mercy. May they enjoy the children's bread. Be Thou glorified in their lives now and always, IJMN, Amen. Thank You for freedom to enjoy what is for Your children. Hallelujah!
Your praises I will sing
All my days
So thank You Jesus
Ese oh, ese oh (Thank You, oh)
fROM M22 - Father Lord I pray for the wrongfully convicted in prison that you connect them to spirit filled lawyers and legal reform organizations that will represent you and appeal for their release in court. I pray that you restore everything they have lost in the process and you help them reintegrate back into society and surround them with wonderful people and communities IJMN Amen
LAST 10 MINUTES
What did you learn from today's message? Whatever you took away, please turn it into a prayer point and pray for yourself. If you are unsure how to pray, please join me in saying the prayer below:
God, thank You for pointing us to the Greek woman and her encounter with Jesus. Thank You for the many lessons her story contains. Please open our minds to more revelations from this story, IJMN, Amen. Father, we pray for Your grace and mercy upon us. That we may not only be meek in spirit but humble in speech and actions. Like the Canaanite woman, may we persevere in petition and praise to push through everything standing in our way. May those who didn't know You prior follow her example. May their desperation and faith combine to trigger the provision that solves their problems. And may such desperation and faith bring all Your children the answers to their prayers, IJMN, Amen.
Now, give God a shout! Thank Him for answered prayers. Glory to God!
From M22 - Father Lord I pray for the sick and recovering that your healing power permeates every inch of their bodies and perfects their health. I pray Father that you coordinate the eyes and hands of operating surgeons to carry out successful surgeries. I pray Father that you touch the hearts and minds of leaders and governments worldwide to improve the healthcare system for citizens. I pray that healthcare will be accessible for everyone irrespective of their financial status IJMN Amen
Good God, You are the Almighty. Nobody compares to You. Father, thank You for hearing my prayer for people that they come to a knowledge of You as You promised in Jeremiah 24:7. Thank You for giving people a desire for You. Thank You for whetting their appetites for more of You. Thank You for letting hearts clamor for You. Thank You for kindly pouring out Your Spirit on all mankind in accordance with Your word in Joel 2:28. Be glorified, Lord our Redeemer.
Now and forever more, IJMN, Amen.
From JIR - I pray for the spiritually blind to have the scales and veil removed from their eyes. I for them to no longer be stagnant. I pray Lord that You reveal Yourself to them in a major way. I pray that You stir their hearts to read the Bible with full understanding and clarity and for the Bible to become alive to them. I pray that they have supernatural experiences in where they can’t deny You which causes them to make a radical change in their lives to fully give their lives to You and live for You. IJMN. Amen.
Living waters flow from You to me
Lord, praise be unto You, Jehovah Sabaoth. The God of the Heavenly Hosts.
Father, I come against witchcraft in the lives of the members of this fellowship and their families I speak against every attempt to control, destroy and ensnare with such arts, IJMN, Amen. I know satan's modus operandi is to steal, kill and destroy the glorious destinies of Your people by enticing them with slickly-packaged, deceptive messaging that blurs the lines between what is godly and what You have specifically forbidden Your people to get entangled with.
Nevertheless, I thank You, Father, for You are He who has all dominion (Daniel 4:34-35). You are the Sovereign Lord. And no matter what satan's desires are, no matter how much it flexes and roars, it is Your purpose and plan that shall be fulfilled to the last letter (Isaiah 14: 24 & 27). Hallelujah!
I therefore pronounce Your word upon these wicked practitioners of witchcraft, necromancy, and other dark arts. As they are used against your people, Ezekiel 11:21 applies. Repay them, Lord, as promised in Jeremiah 16:18. Let Your word in Isaiah 45:16 be thoroughly fulfilled for them. Hit them with the mighty blows of Your arm, oh Lord (Isaiah 30:32).
Thank You for Your word that satan itself is less than nothing and those who choose it are detestable and nothing just as the power source they rely upon (Isaiah 41: 24 & 29). Expose them, Father. Drag them out, pull them down and bring them to ruins, Lord.
For the Kingdom of God is of power not about talk (1 Corinthians 4:20). Oh my God. I look forward to seeing the fulfillment of this prayer pronounced to Your glory and by Your grace, IJMN, Amen. Let me see what will happen to who will stand against You, my Lord.
From M22 - Father Lord we thank you for sis @FFJ . We bless you for how you strengthen her to steer this community forward. I pray that has she has been faithful with this community, you will expand her and her loved ones in every area of their lives. I pray that as she pours into us, that you will continue to replenish her IJMN Amen
From M22 - Father Lord I pray for couples waiting on you for the fruit of the womb that you will turn their waiting into fruitfulness. I pray Father that you will bless them with healthy and Godly babies. I pray that you will put an end to miscarriages, failed IVFs and difficult adoption processes IJMN Amen
Father, I thank You for Your word states that even the lawful captive shall be set free because of Your power, Your might, Your word and Your Spirit.
And so, Lord, I stand on Your word and declare that the strongmen holding souls captive on LSA are shredded for Your glory. I speak the name Jesus into every place they are gathered. I bind them in the name of the Savior Jesus and decree that their chains are broken and their captives are set free.
Every strongman of fear, lack, spiritual deafness and blindness, antichrist, lies, deception, gossip, slander, libel, rape, death, sexµal perversion and immorality, suicide, intrusive thoughts, distractions, witchcraft, New Age practices, occult, demonism, devil worship, anxiety, self cursing, blasphemy, coarse language, thieving, and all others are broken. They fall and brash because the presence of my God is here. Like Dagon, they stand no more.
And God, as these souls experience liberty, I pray that they encounter Christ, believe and receive the Holy Spirit. That they be filled thoroughly so that those they were set free from cannot return with seven more evil spirits.
IJMN, I thank You for Your victory, Amen.
From M22 - Father Lord I pray that you continue to watch over children across the world. I pray that you continue to shield and preserve them from harm, violence and abuse. I pray Father that you will help then fulfil destiny and you will knockdown every altar of distractions and negative influences in their lives. I pray that you will touch tht hearts and mind of parents, caregivers, teachers and guardians that will nourish and nurture them in your ways IJMN Amen
When we fear, we limit what God can do. We create that limitation, not God. For the word is clear - with God, nothing is impossible (Matthew 19:26).
Lord, in the name of our Savior Jesus Christ, please help us to arrest fear using the faith You kindly have given us. For the Scripture says we lack no spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 1:7). And in the event anyone needs more faith, Father, let it come to them from You. Let them cry out like the disciples did when they told Jesus to increase their faith, IJMN, Amen (Luke 17:5).
I come against every stronghold of fear in this fellowship Father. I proclaim the Kingdom of God is in our midst and in Your presence God, there can be no darkness. Glory be to You oh Lord in the highest, Amen.
From JIR - “Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to the Lord: “I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; he has hurled both horse and rider into the sea. The Lord is my strength and my song; he has given me victory. This is my God, and I will praise him— my father’s God, and I will exalt him!”
Exodus 15:1-2 NLT
Lord, thank You for being King over all. The Bible teaches us that everything under heaven belongs to You.
God, as everything belongs to You, it is to You that I come to make this petition.
Father, parts of the US have been deluged with a frigid winter storm that has produced fatalities. Lord, I pray for those lost. I call on You to please comfort those in mourning. I pray for the poor and the struggling who have no homes, who have no means to heat where they reside, who are in unsafe and unwarm places in this season.
God, have mercy. When You made this world, You said it was good and Your word has been true since then and always will be. God, have mercy as the weather is creating unbearable conditions for some. I confess that the winter snow is absolutely stunning and a reflection of Your beauty and creative power. Thank You for the privilege to enjoy it.
I pray for those who cannot enjoy it and call on You to please ease the burden that makes it so. Not my will but Your will always, Lord, IJMN, Amen.
From M22 - Father Lord I pray that you will continue to strengthen our faith as we navigate each day. Even when the enemy tries to shake us up. Hello us to remain steadfast in you. IJMN Amen
from JIR - Please Lord look over all widows and orphans. Please turn their mourning and sorrow into joy and happiness. Please bless them with the strength and courage to keep pushing through and bless them with the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. Please touch their hearts Lord to turn to You and rely on You for strength and guidance. IJMN. Amen.
From JIR - I would like to pray for atheists and agnostics to be given a mustard seed of faith, so that mustard seed grows into a tree of faith in You Lord. Nothing is impossible with You in the midst. I pray that they rebuke their unbelief and they come to the realization that without You they and everything around them would fail to exist. Please bless them to humble themselves and open their hearts to hear Your calling Lord. I pray that they fall to their knees and ask You for forgiveness. I pray that they seek You Lord, they call on You Lord and they give their lives over to You Lord. IJMN. Amen