Prayer: A Passion For The Presence of God

 So many people say or think that God doesn’t hear their prayers, or at least, IF he hears them he doesn’t listen or doesn’t answer them. The fact is that He hears all of our prayers. I believe that whether or not He answers in the affirmative or negative, which can be a non-answer, depends on the specific request itself and how we ask for it in the first place. In observing thousands of Christians in prayer, I can say unequivocally that, at the very least, the problem isn’t with God…but with us. Duh! We, yes, even us Christians, don’t really have any idea of how to pray…and that applies to newbie Christians and ‘veteran’ Christians of 20 or even 40 years just the same. I’m totally convinced that 99% of all Christians simply think and believe that prayer is the act of coming to God with a list of requests, asking Him to solve our problems, pay our rent, help us find love, etc…without any concern for how He feels in the matter. The old ‘show up and throw up’ sales approach for getting what we want doesn’t work with God…he created the heavens and the earth and everything on it, so I think he’s a bit smarter than that.  Oh you might get the occasional prayer answered - He loves you that much - but you won't see consistency. Remember that God is a person and that He created us, His children, in His image…which means that, as His children, we carry His DNA. He is our Father…our Papa. So, let’s talk about how to talk with Him instead of to Him.

When you were a kid, if you wanted to ask your earthly father for a favor, how would you approach him? Would you just go running in and ask him straight up for what it was you wanted? I don’t think so. Most of us would try and schmooze up to dad a little, soften Him up if you will, before going in and asking for what we want him to do for us. The same principle is true with God. We have to set the stage with God before asking Him to help us. Why you ask? Because He made us for one reason and one reason only…to love and worship Him. So, if we truly love Him and long for His company and the honor of continuing to do His work - and want to fully receive His love in return (in the form of answered prayers in this case), we will do what He wants us to do…the reason for which we were created in the first place.

I recently heard prayer described as “the atmosphere of fellowship that you create with God in order to express your love for Him.” That’s about the best description of prayer that I’ve ever heard. As 1 Corinthians 1:9 states, "God is faithful (and therefore ever true to His promise), who has called you into FELLOWSHIP with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord." Therefore, prayer is fellow-shipping (creating companionship) with Jesus Christ - not just the mere act of asking Him to fulfill your wants and needs but truly coming into His presence and just…being with Him. Remember when you were first saved and had that experience of Him coming to you and simply holding you and loving on you? Well, He loves it when we love on Him back...not just coming to Him with a laundry list of the things we want but really, sincerely, showing our love for Him. That's when you will quicken His response to your petitions and get real results. Notice I didn’t say positive results? That’s right. God can still be God and deny our requests based on what He deems right for us. Remember, He knows every second of your entire existence before you ever came into this world…and He knows what’s best for you. The scripture says “I will give you a future and a hope” - that future and hope comes through obedience…so stop whining about not getting your way and accept that God is doing the right thing by you.

Isaiah 56:6-7 says "And foreigners who JOIN THEMSELVES to the Lord to minister to him, to love the name of the Lord...these I will bring to my holy mountain and make them joyful in My HOUSE OF PRAYER..." That is pretty specific about how to pray. When we pray correctly, we are entering into God’s house. We are no longer operating in the natural but in the Supernatural. The only way for us to do this is to ‘join ourselves’ to the Lord God…and minister to Him. Wait a minute, ‘minister to Him?’ Wow, how can we as mere fleshy parts minister to The Most High God? How ‘bout this…LOVE HIM and PRAISE HIM! Praising Him is the fastest way to God’s heart…and when we even attempt to honor Him, He loves us for it.  

Instead of making prayer all about us, try making it all about Him -  And remember that in the original Greek language of the New Testament, Koine Greek, ‘All’ means ALL! Ask Him how he would like you to pray to Him, what you can do to please Him, ask for His guidance. Then wait for your response. I guarantee you’ll get one…and quickly. Remember the story about Cain and Abel? Why was Abel’s offering accepted by God and Cain’s not accepted? Because Abel entered into prayer with God and asked Him what He wanted -  and then gave it to Him. Cain, on the other hand, didn’t consult with God at all and just threw some veggies together with no regard for what God wanted at all. The result was catastrophic for Cain. 

Everybody wants results from prayer. The issue is how we come before God in His house, how we create that atmosphere of fellowship with Him and just love, worship and praise Him. If you do this, you won't even have to ask - He knows what your wants and needs are anyway. He's God - Johovah Jireh, Yahweh, Yeshua - and He loves you. The only thing He asks is that you love Him in return.

Finally, Thessalonians 3:10 tells us that prayer strengthens faith. So, if you lack faith pray more :) 

May the blood of Jesus Christ cover, bless and protect you!
~Mark Williams



 

Renee Basta: Pastoral Administrative Assistant and Bible Teacher

A Theology graduate from the Franciscan University at Steubenville,  Renee Basta has not only been ordained, but has a background in  Practical nursing and teaching which explains her big helping heart! Acting as the official church Treasurer she not only balances the books but is an educated and talented Bible teacher as well, taking the helm on Wednesday nights as needed. Upon occasion she has answered the need in the community for teaching and for ministry. Renee is greatly appreciated at the Word & Worship Center!   She welcomes interests in her teaching ministry in the community.

Julie Warren: Worship Pastor and Intercessory Prayer Team Lead

Worship Pastor and Intercessory Prayer Team Leader, Julie Warren has been a music teacher for over 30 years and is a great assist to the ministry here at the Word and Worship Center. Like her daughter, Kelley, Julie’s worship is highly anointed and with Pastor Cecil teaching the Word and Pastor Julie leading the worship we continually enter into His presence with an attitude of praise and thanksgiving! Julie is a humble servant whose only desire is to please God.  

Julie is another true 'warshiper' whose anointing includes powerful intercessory prayer. Julie is the walking definition of the term 'prayer warrior'.

Senior Pastor Cecil Warren

Pastor Cecil Warren has been the senior pastor of the Word & Worship Center for 25 years. The church is the former St. Timothy's Lutheran Church of Cutler Bay. Cecil was raised in a Southern Baptist environment but it was when he began attending a Lutheran church that he met his wife Julie. They have three daughters and a son. His daughter Kelley Warren-Augi, is a globally renowned worship leader and lead worship at Catch The Fire, Toronto, formerly known as the Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship, during the 'Toronto Blessing' years of the 1990's. His wife, Julie, is also the highly anointed worship leader at Word & Worship. 

 Prior to entering the ministry Pastor Warren was a very successful high school football coach and choral director at local Miami high schools during the 70's. Upon hearing the word of God, he attended and graduated from a Lutheran Seminary at the top of his class and became a the Pastor at the largest Lutheran church in Charleston, South Carolina, a church of 6,000 members. It was while serving in Charleston that he and his family began traveling around the South, leading worship at various churches. It was during that time, in a little charismatic country church that he  experienced the baptism of the Holy Spirit that caused a hunger for more of the Lord and, in his words, "hasn’t been the same since".

 

Pastor Warren is an extremely anointed Teacher presenting the gospel in ways that are dramatic and intelligent. His concepts for interior decoration for special services are renowned and make the message visible for all ages. When God called him back to Miami, and away from the mega church in Charleston, He gave him a vision of a ministry that would have 200 sent out teachers, ministers and missionaries. Cecil has sent out dozens of people in ministry all over the globe and the Word & Worship Center has come to be known as a Spirit Renewal Center. When the congregation started to consider a new way to identify our ministry the two words that always came to the surface were “Word” and “Worship” - and isn't that really what it's all about?

Can a Christian be ‘Demonized’?

As part of our ministry in deliverance, I have been made aware that there is in the church today a very wide divide when it comes to the notion of Christians being under the influence of demonic spirits. The main reason for this divide is an incorrect translation of one word in the original Koine Greek of the New Testament. This article will explain in simple terms how this one word has created such a misunderstanding that has lead to such a rift in the body of Christ. 

In the Greek of the New Testament, the word 'daimonizomai' expresses  presence of demonic spirits in a person. What this word really means is: 'to be demonized' which simply means 'to be under the influence of a demonic spirit'. The word 'possessed' used throughout the translated scripture, is an incorrect translation of the Greek word  'daimonizomai' and does nothing but create confusion on the subject of deliverance in Christians. The reason is that in English, the word 'possessed' implies total control or ownership. As we know, a true Christian cannot be possessed. This concept of possession, when applied to the relationship between a demonic force and a person, has no support in the scripture or in the original translation of the Greek. 

This is a crucial point because, while a Christian cannot be possessed by a demonic spirit, they can certainly become 'demonized', or 'under the influence of' a demonic spirit. This happens when we are not in control of a specific area in our lives and a demon finds it's way into that area and torments us. Scripture in support of this idea includes the following:

2 Corinthians 11:13-15 “For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be according to their deeds.”

This scripture warns us that the enemy is deceitful and can work through people who act like they are following Christ but by their false prophesies, preaching of a different gospel, and by the fruit of their actions we can discover that they are really demonized false apostles.

Galatians 5:17: “For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.”

This scripture also warns us against becoming complacent or apathetic as Christians, explaining plainly that the enemy can demonize true believers. The pat argument amongst uneducated Christians is that sin or a demon cannot exist in the same body where the Holy Spirit exists – and, as this and other scripture points out, is incorrect on two counts.  First, this false security reduces the person of the Holy Spirit to some kind of ‘good force’ and totally takes away His position as the third person of the Trinity. Second, the Holy Spirit (and the entire Trinity) is omnipresent and is constantly at work in the regenerate believer – but the believer is constantly struggling with the old, sinful nature. In other words, just because we are saved doesn’t mean that we are perfected yet. We are constantly at war with the dark side. The idea that the Holy Spirit cannot be in the same space as evil has no biblical merit at all and creates a very weak statement regarding the power of God. God has dominion over all things, that is true, but it is totally up to us as believers to believe in Jesus and to overcome.

In deliverance ministry, we must command the demons to go in Jesus Name. He will not cast the demons out for us because He has given us that authority and He expects us to use it!

Mark 6:7 confirms this to be fact. "And He summoned the twelve and began to send them out in pairs, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits"

A perfect illustration of the fact that Christians can be demonized appears in Acts 8, the story of Simon the Sorcerer. This from Acts 8: 9-24:

“Now there was a man named Simon, who formerly was practicing magic in the city and astonishing the people of Samaria, claiming to be someone great;  and they all, from smallest to greatest, were giving attention to him, saying, “This man is what is called the Great Power of God.” And they were giving him attention because he had for a long time astonished them with his magic arts.  But when they believed Philip preaching the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were being baptized, men and women alike. Even Simon himself believed; and after being baptized, he continued on with Philip, and as he observed signs and great miracles taking place, he was constantly amazed."

"Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent them Peter and John, who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. For He had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they began laying their hands on them, and they were receiving the Holy Spirit. Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was bestowed through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, saying, “Give this authority to me as well, so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! You have no part or portion in this matter, for your heart is not right before God. Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray the Lord that, if possible, the intention of your heart may be forgiven you.  For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bondage of iniquity.” But Simon answered and said, “Pray to the Lord for me yourselves, so that nothing of what you have said may come upon me.”

In this scripture we see that Simon, a former practitioner in the occult of magic, had believed and accepted Christ, was baptized in water and observed great signs & wonders. But when he saw the people receiving the baptism in the Holy Spirit, out of jealousy he offered Peter money to bestow the Spirit on him. Simon had been saved, accepted Christ but there was still an issue. Simon needed deliverance from the occult. He had believed in Christ but still had the heart of an occult sorcerer. He was still a captive to sin even after he had believed and been baptized. A prime example of a Christian being demonized and in serious need of deliverance.

In summary, the argument that many use that "a Christian cannot be demonized" is that the Holy Spirit cannot reside in a person who is being demonized, or that they cannot co-exist in the same person. But the Bible gives many examples where the Holy Spirit was at work in demonized believers. Below is a partial list of scriptures for self-exploration.

Ephesians 6:10-18             1 Thessealonians 2:18           1 Corinthians 10:12-14 
1 Peter 5:8-9                      Ephesians 4:25-27                  1 Corinthians 5:1-5 
2 Timothy 2:24-26             Galations 3:1                          Acts 5:1-11
1 Timothy 4:1-2                 2 Corinthians 12:7 
1 Timothy 3:6-7                 2 Corinthians 11:3-4 
1 Timothy 1:19-20             2 Corinthians 2:10-11 

For more in-depth information on demons and the ministry of deliverance, see the Derek Prince section under the Video Teaching area of this web site.


Be Blessed & Be A Blessing!
 ~Mark Williams, Minister of Healing & Deliverance

Hollis Caravetta-Coleman, Bible Teacher

Hollis is the daughter of a Russian Jew who fought in WWII with the American army. He kept the fact that he was Jewish a secret from her for many years. He even changed his last name to hide the fact that he was Jewish.  As a youngster Hollis was raised in the cult of Christian Science.  Her Christian mother was dying of breast cancer at the time and she had no interest in "her god", being a self-righteous hippy, flower-child artist of the 60's. Hollis was sure that her Charismatic tongue-talking mother had lost her mind, but God chose Hollis and spoke audibly to her in the form of questions directed at her, while traveling on a private plane. Questions like “Why don't you as an artist believe in Me when you see my artistry all over My creation?” One day shortly thereafter,  a friend of her mother’s read Hollis one of the poems she had written and to her total shock and amazement it contained the same question that she had received from the voice on the plane! 

Hollis went to bed that night and prayed for the first time in almost twenty years, "God if you are real, am I a Jew or a Gentile?” At about 2:00 AM Hollis' stepfather knocked on the bedroom door and said that God had told him to tell her, "You are a daughter of Abraham!"  The next morning Hollis accepted Jesus as her savior and her life has never been the same!  The Lord began using her to prophesy the first week she was saved and she has never stopped.

Hollis has been used as a speaker in several countries at large conventions but lately feels that her calling is to the home church speaking and teaching God's Word - with heavy emphasis on eschatology or end times ministry and the coming of the Lord.