Dr. Gary Miller “frames the debate” — spiritually — perfectly in the battle for the Soul of America!
“I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as You, Father are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe You sent Me.” John 17: 20-21
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Guest Contributor: Dr. Gary Miller |
Jesus prayed for you and for me, before, during and after, He went to the cross to die for you and for me. Jesus is The Intercessor and He continues to pray for believers, seated at the right hand of The Father. When He went to take His place beside His Father, He sent The Holy Spirit to sustain believers, by infusing them with the character of Christ. The Spirit takes the prayers of believers and places them in the hands of Jesus. He is not an errand boy, but an interpreter of the groanings of people praying with broken hearts.
The Holy Spirit is not a junior partner in the Trinity. He is the very Person of Christ, and The Spirit of Christ. He is not an “it,” a feeling, an emotion, or a doctrine. The Spirit is a living Person who dwells in every believer, and intends to exercise the authority and jurisdiction of The Living Christ, in every avenue and aspect of a believer’s life. To seal and secure the life of Christ in the believer, the Spirit intercedes for believers to maintain unity among themselves and intimate communication with The Father, through The Son.
There is no greater evidence for the priority and the purpose that prayer should hold, in the lives of believers, than the priority that it had in the life of Jesus, and the purpose for which intercession is continued, by The Spirit of Christ. Prayer is not an option for anyone who claims to believe in Jesus, and to be filled with His Spirit. Prayer may not be a priority in the life of every believer, but understand this principle. Prayerlessness is a liability for the faith they claim to have.
Prayerless people do not grow in faith. They may claim to be sealed in the Holy Spirit, but they are like shrink-wrapped portions of dead meat, stashed in a deep freeze of a frozen faith. They give no evidence of life in themselves, and no nourishment to those around them. It is a sad day when the security of the believer is allowed to be exhibited as a death-defying, freeze dried, plastic package. This is a pale image and pathetic substitute for a blood-bought, Spirit-filled, life-giving child of God.
Only God knows if the frozen chosen belong to Him, but going by the evidence provided by a frost-bite faith, they are like gangrene to the Body of Christ. Prayerlessness cuts off the flow of the lifeblood of The Spirit to the Body of Christ, one prayerless person at a time.
Follow this line of logic provided by the Word of God. Jesus prayed on earth, and Jesus prays in Heaven. Jesus sent His Spirit to indwell and infuse His character, into the lives of those who believed in Him, through His Word. Now, that being said. It doesn’t make any sense that a person who claims to be a believer in Jesus Christ, and filled with His Spirit can lay any claim to holding a true belief in Jesus, and still claim to have no heart for prayer. It is neither logical or theological to hold such a position, BUT…many do. So, what are we to do?
“Discernment is given for intercession, never faultfinding.” Oswald Chambers
What is being unleashed upon our nation is an all out assault by a movement of secular separationism, driven by those who intend to remove any influence of Christianity from the public square and the policies of this country. This malignant message camouflages itself, under the majestic legacy of “separation of church and state.”
Though specifically unstated in the U.S. Constitution, this protection of religious freedom has been an essential part of the peace and prosperity that has led to the development of a great nation. Though twisted and turned, in the past 75 years, to exclude Christian influence from the public square, it held no such place in the hearts of the Founding Fathers.
The enemy of religious freedom is not “separation of church and state.” It is “secular separationism.” By this I mean, the willful disregard of the well documented evidence that Christianity was the over-riding influence in the foundation of this nation. Removing Christianity’s legacy, in the birth of this nation, is a rewriting of history that is not only dangerous, but very near treasonous.
“The evidence from the American founders suggests…they sincerely believed that even if they themselves did not claim a faith, it would take faith to do the job of shaping the virtue needed to promote and protect republican freedom.”
Os Guinness, “A Free People’s Suicide”
Prayerless pulpits and prayerless people have led to prayerless churches that have meekly withdrawn the influence of faith, sustained byThe Spirit of Christ, from their communities, and country, one prayerless day at a time. Navigating a ship or plane, one degree off course, over a long period of time, leads to accumulative error. If left uncorrected, the point of no return is reached. In the study of history, it is that moment in time, when any political system or ship of state has ignored the warning signs,for so long, that they run out of options. The system fails, or the nation collapses.
The churches of American have not stopped functioning, but have traded away their birthright of Christian citizenship for political correctness. This has led to a drift towards maintaining a culturally approved system, without offering people a life-changing Savior.
To operate the church as a man-made system, without an emphasis upon prayer, is like operating a Mercedes-Benz without referring to a the owner’s manual. It eventually seizes up, and becomes a metal monument to man’s folly.
The landscape of the American culture is covered with churches, but they are symbols, great monuments, that were once expressions of great movements of God. These periodic course corrections in the churches of America were called Great Awakenings, and they kept a nation on course for 200 years.
This nation is ripe for another Great Awakening. Will you pray for a movement of God, and give Him the credit for it, when The Spirit comes? I believe I hear Jesus praying. Men of old have heard Him before. Don’t let the sound of the battle from the culture wars rob you of the comfort of His voice.
“If I could hear Jesus praying for me, in the next room, I would not fear a thousand enemies. The distance makes no difference. He is praying for me.” Robert Murry McCheyne
I know The Spirit within me is calling me to pray for a movement of God, a Great Awakening. Will you join me? The hour is late. The error accumulated is enormous. Still, The Intercessor is praying for you and for me. The hour has come to…TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!
Dr. Gary Miller
Dr. Miller was born in Dallas, Texas, graduated from High School on Long Island, New York. He is married to Dana Walker Miller and has two children Ashley & Allyson. His degrees include Baylor B.A., SWBTS M.Div., D.Min., DBU D.D. (Honorary) Dr. Miller’s prayer conferences equip people to utilize prayer as the foundation for family worship.
Read more at his blog: http://gmillerlight4u.blogspot.com/2011/09/talk-less-pray-more-wise.html
