Miracles Magazine: May/June/July 2012
Features
- The Freedom that Comes from Forgiveness by Richard Roberts
- Give it to God by Faith by Lindsay Roberts
- The Power of the Resurrection: What It Means to Have Jesus Alive in You!
- How You Can Have God’s Unlimited Power in Your Life a classic message by Oral Roberts
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May 2012 Partner Letter
Dear Partner,
What if I told you that one of the devil’s biggest tools to use against you is something so common…yet so deceptive…that you might be seeing it at work in your life right now…and you might not even know it?
And what if I told you that God has a simple answer to stop this tool of the devil in its tracks? All it takes is three simple things…
I’ve said it many times before, and I’ll say it again. The devil has no new tricks up his sleeve. He’s been doing the same thing to human beings since the Garden of Eden. He is a liar and the father of lies. He sends distractions and obstacles our way to try to hinder us from obeying God. And one of his favorite tools is something so common that we can miss the fact that satan is the author behind it!
I’m talking about STRIFE…also known as DIVISION! This is one of the devil’s favorite tools, and it can be deadly to God’s plans for us as individuals and for our nations unless we stop it in its tracks.
Now, it is not surprising that satan loves to promote strife and division among Christians. The Bible says, For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work (James 3:16). You see, when we fight against one another, we give satan the room to promote all kinds of evil works among us.
No doubt you have seen the negative effects of strife and division… Strife can cause us to be divided by political parties and in our governments, which can hinder us from receiving the healing we so desperately need in our nations!
Quarrels can lead to gossiping, telling lies, and believing the worst about people, even though the Bible tells us to love others and believe the best about them (1 Corinthians 13:7 Amplified). Contentious disagreements can lead to anger and violence. Envy divides people and tempts them to steal, kill, and destroy in order to take what rightfully belongs to someone else.
These behaviors are a part of the sinful nature we all received through the sin of Adam. But the blood of Jesus was shed to set us free from sin. When we accept Jesus as our one true Lord and Savior, He comes into our lives to set us free.
Do you see what this means? You can be free from strife and every evil work that results from it! That’s good news! But to enjoy that freedom fully, you must LIVE IT OUT in your choices, your words, and your actions…
How do we live free from strife as individuals and in our nations? We do it God’s way—through praying for UNITY! Unity is God’s answer to strife. In fact, through Jesus Christ, God the Father has already made all Christians to be ONE BODY under Jesus, who is our Head (1 Corinthians 12:12–14). We are united by Christ!
There’s no question that we are one Body of believers, under Christ who is our Head. The only question is, are we living like one Body? Are you and I speaking and acting like brothers and sisters in the Lord? It’s OUR decision…
Remember, it is up to you to live in the freedom that God has given us through Jesus. The choice is yours! Ephesians 4:1–6 says it like this…
Walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the UNITY of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is ONE body and ONE Spirit, just as you were called in ONE hope of your calling; ONE Lord, ONE faith, ONE baptism; ONE God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
You are called, through Christ, to humbly and gently pursue UNITY and PEACE with others, especially those who are also Christians. Why? Because we are already ONE in the faith. We are ONE in Christ! And when we pursue UNITY and love for one another, the Bible says that we inherit a blessing (1 Peter 3:8–9). I believe part of that blessing is righteousness in our nations, as we come together in unity under the leadership of Jesus Christ.
In fact, the good things that come from unity are so valuable that Romans 12:18 tells us to make every effort to walk in peace with everyone, especially those who belong to the Body of Christ!
Now, that’s the opposite of what we see in the world around us… People may cry out for peace, but the news shows a different story. It’s politician against politician, race versus race, men against women, rich versus poor, nation opposing nation. We see conflict in all walks of life! The devil is having a field day…
But you don’t have to let the devil have his way! Resist him by submitting yourself in faith to what the Lord commands in John 13:34–35, which says, A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.
It’s important for us to love our fellow Christians, because it is a witness to the world that Jesus is the risen Son of God and that He makes a difference in the lives of those who follow Him! It helps to show the world that His Word is true. And as people come to the Lord in faith and receive salvation, it increases the number of people who can stand in faith for God’s healing in our nations!
How do we show love for one another? We do what the Apostle Paul said in Ephesians 4:1–6. We stay in UNITY with one another with the help of the Holy Spirit. Let me share with you some practical ways of doing that.
Partner, you pursue unity and peace through focusing on the ONE who has brought us together in the first place… The Lord Jesus Christ. Think about the last time you had an argument with someone. Who did you focus on during that argument? What did you talk about?
Chances are, your attention was on yourself and the person you were arguing with, and you were focused on whatever it was that upset you. Jesus was probably not the center of your focus while you were arguing. I don’t say that to condemn you, but merely to make you aware of how the devil uses strife against us. You see, most arguments are centered around our earthly circumstances in some way.
But you can shift your focus… When strife arises, you can choose to turn your attention to Jesus instead of the situation that has caused the strife. He has answers that can help you and our nation’s leaders resolve whatever is going on at that moment, and you can ask for His help, even in the middle of a crisis!
More importantly, AFTER you step away from the situation, keep yourself from dwelling on any anger or hurt that may have arisen by focusing on Jesus and asking Him to turn things around for good. Pray and put your focus not on your temporary circumstances but on God and His eternal Word… This helps you avoid the trap of strife.
Here’s another way to prevent strife… Avoid the kinds of behaviors and words that provoke others to become offended. Galatians 5:22–23 tells us the spiritual attitudes we ought to display… But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control… That gives you a good picture of what to do and what not to do.
We are NOT to pick fights, play favorites, or be selfish… We are NOT to be arrogant, mean-spirited, impatient, or unforgiving… We are NOT to lose our temper or be dishonest… And we are certainly NOT to bring division and strife into the places we live and work. Instead, we are to say and do things that are loving, peaceable, patient, and kind. We are to do good and maintain control over ourselves. And we are to pray for peace in our nation and in our world.
A simple way to check yourself and see if you’re pursuing UNITY is to ask yourself questions like these: “Am I saying something that is going to produce peace or an argument? If I choose to do this, will it hurt someone else? Will they feel attacked, or will they feel loved and respected?”
If your actions or words don’t reflect the spiritual attitudes listed in Galatians 5:22–23, then change what you do and say! A change of direction can help you promote peace instead of strife. Remember, this isn’t something that happens automatically… It comes from a mind that is renewed by God’s Word (Romans 12:1–2). It’s something you have to choose to do daily.
Believe me, the devil works hard to separate Christians. He creates opportunities for us to be divided in our relationships, families, churches, politics, and other areas of life. When we don’t stand together, we are easier to defeat. Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand (Matthew 12:25). That’s the devil’s plan for the Body of Christ and for your nation…to make us fall apart and be completely ineffective!
But look at God’s plan for the Body of Christ… Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion… Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken (Ecclesiastes 4:9–12).
In those verses, God gives us the three simple things that lead us to victory over strife and cause us to INHERIT THE BLESSING that comes from unity, according to 1 Peter 3:8–9. The three simple parts of the picture are YOU, ME, and the LORD! That’s what it takes to defeat the enemy’s attempts to divide us and cause evil works among us. We must stand together as brothers and sisters under the leadership of our Lord Jesus Christ!
Now, I’m sure you know that a vital part of this healing ministry is the Abundant Life Prayer Group. Our prayer partners make a major impact on people around the world 24 hours a day because they pray according to God’s Word in agreement with the people who call in for prayer.
The power of agreement…which is another word for UNITY…is found in Matthew 18:19–20. There, the words of Jesus are recorded, saying, If two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.
Did you catch what Jesus said? It’s important for your VICTORY and for the healing of our nations… He said, Where two or three are gathered TOGETHER in My name, I AM THERE…
The One who holds the solutions for whatever you’re facing in life is JESUS! He is the Source of all you need and the Source of healing for our nations. Everything good comes from Him! So, when He says, “Here’s what it takes for me to be WITH YOU,” you listen and do what He says, right? That’s just common sense…
I believe this is why God cares so much that His children live in UNITY with one another… When we are in agreement in His name, then He can be there with us to do great and mighty things on our behalf!
Every day, I get praise reports from people who called the Abundant Life Prayer Group, agreed in prayer according to God’s Word, and received the help they needed from the Lord. AGREEMENT is a powerful spiritual force that brings God’s unlimited power into the situations we face.
I want to come into agreement with you right now… That’s why I have included with this letter three pieces of cord for you to use as a point of contact to pray for unity among the Body of Christ in your community and your nation. I have prayed over these cords and asked the Lord to bring about the inheritance of blessings (1Peter 3:8-9) that come from unity in Him.
Take hold of these cords in your hand right now… The three cords in it represent YOU, ME, and the LORD… As you pray, tie these cords together and ask Him to help you walk in unity with other people. I’m believing for good things to come to you as you obey the Lord and walk in peace with them, avoiding the devil’s trap of strife.
When you respond, return the cords and let me know your specific prayer requests too, so I can come into agreement with you for your needs to be met in God’s perfect way and timing…knowing that Jesus is in our midst as we pray!
Let me give you one final way to avoid the trap of strife and division… Don’t allow the devil to divide you from God and the Body of Christ in the area of your giving! That’s one area where he loves to tempt us to disobey the Lord…
But you can resist him by planting your seed to the Lord in faith. Take your seed and declare through your words and your sowing that you are NOT giving place to the devil in your finances… Declare right now that the Lord is your Source in all things! Say it aloud in faith…
And then ACT in faith by sowing your seed today. This ministry is good ground. We’ve received over 135,000 testimonies so far of answered prayer just through The Place for Miracles… We’ve sent more than 5 million meals to hungry children and their families worldwide… We’ve seen countless thousands and thousands of people saved, healed, and delivered in our overseas crusades…
So, as you plant your seed-faith gift this month into the Oral Roberts Ministries, do it in faith expecting a harvest from the Lord! And know that Lindsay and I, and everyone here, are standing in AGREEMENT with you for your needs to be met. And that means the Lord is here too, in our midst, making His power available to meet your needs according to His riches in glory (Philippians 4:19).
May you be richly blessed as you walk in unity with your fellow Christians all year long! I can’t wait to hear from you just as soon as you can send your response to me!
Your partner for miracles,
PS. Be sure to send in your three pieces of cord with your prayer requests, sow your seed, and join me by tuning in to The Place for Miracles on Thursday, May 31, for a Day of Prayer for the Healing of Our Nations. Together, we will stand in faith for your needs and the needs of our nations to be met, and for God’s healing and restoring power to flow into every area where it is so greatly needed. I’m expecting God to move in our lives in response to our obedience and faith in Him!
Download your copy of the "Prayers for Healing and Restoration of the Nations" pamphlet
