Hope Australia – Notes for “Preparing For His Presence” May, 2013
Reasons why Community Transformation Projects are not Sustained
1). An insufficient appetite for the Presence of God that denotes the longevity required to ensure
He remains the Potter and we the clay!
2). An insufficient personal and collective commitment to the Community and the propendency
towards a “same ‘ole same ‘ole”.
3). An insufficient collective vision for the community (too much individualism and an
independent spirit based on entitlement and lawlessness).
4). An inability to sustain targeted and accountable fervent intercession (too little revelation and
too few results to keep the appetite of prayer fueled and satisfied).
5). Not stewarding the essentials (see 10 keys below) that “maintain” the Presence of God in an
area
6). Entering into Experiential Theology or Extra Biblical “Activity” thus losing “Plumb Line”
reference and ignoring God’s required Boundaries.
Avoiding Attrition - Stewarding Revival (10 non-negotiables)
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Watch out for lethargy within the Body of Christ – necessity of persevering leadership
Retain Prevailing Prayer, tenacity, aggressiveness
Don't lose intimacy with the Father (personal, then corporate transformation) – Fear of the
Lord vs. the Fear of man!
No compromise or justification over "issues of sin" - watch out for "footholds" - Eph 4:27 –
we need to allow for new wineskins
Don't neglect new territory - steward it carefully and prayerfully - learn how to guard, keep,
and occupy - nurture leadership relationships, corporate times of prayer, fasting, joint local
church events, regular prayer walking, extend the tent pegs carefully and correctly
Establish Revival in Society – all 3 Generations are at the same time today’s church – Be
mentoring and protecting the next generation
Remember A.O.K. – Jesus was moved with compassion – such “Acts Of Kindness” are still
essential today for sustaining revival/transformation
Establish godly watchmen – extended territory means increasing responsibility – Keep
Watch! – esp .over potential footholds!
Pray the correct gatekeepers into places of authority and influence. They determine
doorways / spheres of influence and protection in a community
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Guard against jealousy / personal ambition / denominationalism / misunderstanding /
criticism, etc. – these endanger unity! – The Unity Principle!
Keys to City and National Transformation
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Understand the spiritual climate – this was essential for Paul – Acts 17-19 – see the
background to his famous sermon in Acts 17:22ff
To change the city – the marketplace must be changed – this requires spiritual
reconnaissance (Acts 19:26-27)
Marketplace ministers and pulpit ministers need to walk side by side which releases the
“spiritual wealth” in a city
Divine strategy comes from a combination of revelation and knowledge (dia-gnosis)
This reveals the “iniquitous patterns”
Protocol For Entering A City
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Understand the spiritual climate – this was essential for Paul – Acts 17-19 – see the
background to his famous sermon in Acts 17:22ff
To change the city – the marketplace must be changed – this requires spiritual
reconnaissance (Acts 19:26-27)
Marketplace ministers and pulpit ministers need to walk side by side which releases the
“spiritual wealth” in a city
Divine strategy comes from a combination of revelation and knowledge (dia-gnosis)
This reveals the “iniquitous patterns”
Know the pulse of the city (its sins / wounds / destiny)
Plan to pray and pray to plan – with posture (humility), persistence, perseverance,
patience…and for provision
Steward your work (attain – maintain – retain…guard – keep – occupy)
Practical Steps
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Who else of like mind is in your area?
Determine regular times of meeting for prayer and relationship building
Determine who has done any “research” in the past
Come together for a time of envisioning
Determine who else – in isolation – may be part of God’s developing strategy
Collate any and all prophetic words – and / or earlier attempts in developing a
transformation template – and determine what happened
Determine 3-4 may strengths of your area
Determine the 3-4 main weaknesses / challenges
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Describe God’s intent in your area in 1-2 sentences
Develop research and mobile and interceding intercessors
Determine what is involved in your assigned and attainable area
Be in contact with those in other areas
Gradually see the “jig saw” pieces emerge and connect
The Key “Doorways” (Access Points) To A Community
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The Church – God’s Voice in Society
The Legal Doorway
The Political Doorway
The Education Doorway
The Business / Economic Doorway
The Media Doorway
The Health & Welfare Doorway
Armed Forces (where applicable)
The Importance of Keeping The House Clean
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Deut. 7:26 – No detestable thing is to be brought into the house – abhor it / detest it –
otherwise destruction is inevitable!
Joshua 7:12-13 – Cleansing is required for consecration
Judges 6:25-26 – Gideon tearing down unholy altars – an infestation to people and the
land
Nehemiah 13:8 – Tobiah’s household goods – remove what is unholy!
2 Kings 23 – The Josiah Declaration – Cleansing of people and land at the King’s command!
2 Chronicles 29-30 – Hezekiah’s Initiative – starting with the priests, the Levites – the
Temple and then all of society!
Matthew 12:44 – Keep the “house” clean so as to avoid re-occupation / recontamination
Matthew 23:25-28 – Internal cleansing precedes external cleansing
Mark 11:12-17 – Jesus cleansed the Temple
The Seven Attractors – It’s An Issue of the Heart
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Humility
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Holiness
Relational Unity
Integrity
Transparency
Vertically Informed and Horizontally Accountable Intercessory Prayer
Public Power Encounters
The Keys To A Healthy Church
The Church is people who have been redeemed by the Blood of Christ, anointed by the Holy
Spirit, and commissioned by Jesus Himself (c.f. Matthew 16:18 – I will build My Church….)
Faith is the open hand by which we take what God is offering us in His Grace
Faith is confidence in a God that is absolutely trustworthy and utterly reliable
Faith is willing to accept what it cannot understand
Faith is neither encouraged nor discouraged by circumstances
Faith is ever discovering what God is able to do in the face of all difficulties and
opposition
6. Faith’s chief mandate and responsibility is in obtaining the promises of God
7. Faith distinguishes between the authentic and the deceptive
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Obstacles To Authentic Revival
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1. Pride (individual / corporate)
2. Unbelief / Scepticism (Can God really….?)
3. Dishonesty /Devoted Things / Opaqueness
4. Theology / Sovereignty / Abstraction / Timing (God is ‘waaaay up there….dualism)
5. Offence / disunity – “jigsaw pieces missing”
6. Sufficiency in self / Programmes (they keep things safe and under our control)
7. Distractions and Multi-tasking….
Lessons From Joshua
How was he to lead the people?
Chapter 1 – Position – Presence – Promise
Be Strong and Courageous
Don’t Partner with Fear or Discouragement
How to Enter New Territory
Follow God’s Promise
Don’t default to the Familiar
A New Readiness
A New Level of God’s Activity
Taking the Territory (4:1-7 – 5:13-6:5)
TWO IMPORTANT KEYS IN THIS TASK
Remember God’s Works and Wonders (4:1-7)
Tear Down the Enemy Stronghold (5:13 – 6:5)
What About Your Community?
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Knowing that at the heart of every community lies a spiritual fabric which determines
what goes on in that community politically, economically, ecologically, educationally,
recreationally, morally and ethically, and spiritually.
Learning to see your community through the eyes of the Lord - that is, the way things
really are, not the way they appear to be.
Identifying what is God’s deposited purpose and gifts in your community that reflects
His characteristics and purpose
A City’s Foundation and Personality
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Every city composed has character (the peoples’ character) - composed of their vision,
their traditions, their stewardship, their culture, their sociology, their spirituality
Every city is shaped by these components which continue to be shaped by incoming
people who build upon others’ foundations
Foundation - rudimentary principles and precepts (see Heb. 11:10 and Josh 6:26; Isa
28:16; 1 Cor 3:11; Eph 2:20; 2 Tim 2:19). Abraham looked for a foundation with specifics
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A city takes on the foundation and personality of the influences (people) of its founding
(c.f. 1 Cor. 3:10-12) - Paul uses the same word as the foundation of the human
personality and character (Now one’s stewardship becomes an important issue)
A city has personality and character - see Matt 11:22-24, Acts 8:5-8 . . . it can
change/be transformed for the better
God has a love for cities (c.f. Nineveh; Sodom & Gomorrah; Jesus weeping over
Jerusalem; the Seven Churches in Revelation - Asia Minor)
When To Implement
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When you can evaluate the effectiveness of your prayers
When accountability is operative
When what you want for your city has been applied personally!
When common denominators between intercessors and researchers and leaders are clear
and defined
5. When the leadership says "it's time"!
6. When you are ready to stewards the results
When the attractors of God's presence are present
The Seven Blessings Upon The Land
People that honour the Lord – what they are promised - Micah 6:8
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Ecological health - Leviticus 26:4
Economic Health - Leviticus 26:5
Personal Security - Leviticus 26:6b
Civil Security - Leviticus 26:6b
International Security - Leviticus 26:7
Honour and Growth - Leviticus 26:9
Innovation and Creativity - Leviticus 26:10
A Simple Definition Of A Transformed City
“A Transformed City is one where the very character and influence of the culture of the
kingdom of God is resident in His people and lived out through their lives and relationships in
such a way that the systems of life in the city, visibly, and measurably impact all aspects of life
in and of the city. In other words, every fabric of life becomes subject to shift and change that
reflects the higher purposes of the Living God in that area / community - city - region. Simply
put - Societal life has been given a substantial wake-up call and has responded accordingly”.
Items For Marketplace Intercession
- Start with the spiritual diagnosis of the business – mapping your business
cartographically!
- Pray into the issues raised – plus the overall covering – and determine the following….
- Improper spiritual foundations
- Ungodly attitudes and business practices
- Curses (past and present)
- Unholy alliances
- God’s timing
- Speaking “life” into the business
- Protection from the Enemy's schemes
- God’s favour re new customers, markets, and ideas
- Righteous relationships with customers, employees and partners
- Righteousness & integrity in business practices
- Discernment re the schemes of the enemy
- Proper delegation of authority
- A “spirit of Godliness” to permeate the enterprise.
- For God's will to be done on earth in the business as it is in heaven (Kingdom prayer).
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What do we do as Intercessors and Leaders?
- 1). Build a foundation of truth and spiritual principles for undoing error, and
- 2). Understand Covenant. David understood covenant and from the OT understood how
to address the broken covenant and to restore covenant. From a NT perspective – how
do we appropriate what Jesus has done in spirit and in truth?
- 3). Confession and repentance…with those from different sides of the broken/unholy
covenant…. Are there descendants who are in a place to stand here or is this something
to take in prayer and begin to build a foundation of truth and faith for a ‘real’
positioning in the future at the Lord’s direction? Sentimentality or mental ascent to this
isn’t enough and is presumption. This isn’t a ‘technique’ to produce a ‘result’ – this will
layer upon injustice. This is spiritual warfare so ‘where are we in reality’ in this and what
is the Lord saying to us today concerning the specific areas of our responsibility?
- 4). Restitution (if the Lord requires) – what does this mean and what does this look like in
the community(ies) and how do we walk this out in our daily lives? What is the Lord
saying?
In Summary
- If there is a broken covenant there is darkness, there that alters the mind-sets of the
people directly affected by the unholy covenant. It is important for people to recognise
and acknowledge ‘changed’ beliefs because of this in order to unmask its affects in their
own lives. The worldly principle is ‘if you can change the mind-sets you can change the
law’.
- Broken covenants also re-align decision-making structures within affected communities –
these also need to be recognised, acknowledged and understood in order for the Lord
to bring vision for change.
- Broken covenants also brings new people into leadership who are of the darkened mindset. What is not of God is then perpetuated (wittingly and unwittingly)
Results of Covenant Breaking Of Making Wrong Covenants
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Vulnerability
Absence of God’s protection
Invoking of God’s anger
The land suffers accordingly
Confusion and deception enter into the people of the land
Schism and territoriality result
How To Receive Forgiveness
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It affects us – in the NOW moments
It removes the result / consequence of past sin that still affects the present
It causes God to arise and to come to us – making “us” our place / work etc.)His
resting place
It restores intimacy with God and removes estrangement
It allows His love and His direction and His healing to be received and applied to
the lives and land of His people
It stops the legal right of the enemy
It releases God’s Destiny upon His people - & on the generations that follows (c.f.
Deut. 28; Exodus 23 etc.)
The Power Of Repentance
- We need to see repentance from God’s point of view – without our justification or
compromise – in other words – what has offended – affected God?
- Nehemiah 1:4-9 – Note the extent by which sin had devastated Nehemiah.
- He saw it had all but spiritually paralyzed the people of the land in relationship to God (vs
4-7)
- Ezra 9 :5-12 – note the offense on the land
Protocol For Standing In The Gap
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We are taking responsibility for what has been done by anyone we represent based on
Race (Scottish)
Office (your portfolio)
Culture (Canadian / Brazilian / American etc)
Affiliation (denomination etc)
Gender
Sometimes age
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God is multi-generational and the impact of our prayer of repentance is more than saying
“sorry”!
It is an ownership of responsibility – we WILL turn from the ways of the past
We represent those before us who have brought offense to the Lord that has affected the
land
We will seek whatever restitution is required to lift the offense from the land (removing
the “foothold” / topos).
Our wickedness has been rebellion before the Lord and we now choose to separate from
that – and return to the Lord so that His Presence and Purpose will rest in our midst
(ponder what God says in 2 Chronicles 6:40-41; Isa 33:10; Ps 132;8; Ps 12:5)
Results Of Repentance
- It affects us – in the NOW moments
- It removes the result / consequence of past sin that still affects the present
- It causes God to arise and to come to us – making “us” our place / work etc.)His resting
place
- It restores intimacy with God and removes estrangement
- It allows His love and His direction and His healing to be received and applied to the lives
and land of His people
- It stops the legal right of the enemy
- It releases God’s Destiny upon His people - & on the generations that follows (c.f. Deut 28;
Exodus 23 etc)
Understanding Boundaries and Cover
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Being “in” cover is relational (c.f. Ephesians)
God
Spouse
Family
Work
Church
(Only then do you do the spiritual warfare)
Within These Categories….
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Accountability
Corporate Counsel
Willingness to be shown one is wrong
Fine-tuning of our vision
Recalibration where necessary
NOTE – None of this dilutes the Visionary / Leader – but rather – enhances and protects
and qualifies and facilitates the Vision
Being In Cover
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Knowing your boundaries of God-given authority (watch out for Macbeth!)
Assuming the family issues are in order…..
Your ministry relationship – denomination etc.
Your Board
Your peers of reference
Those you have entrusted to praying for you
Receiving feedback – counsel – and understanding proper timing for implementation of
the Vision (which may be in parts over a period of time)
- Coming under the “guest ministry” cover and their boundaries during your visit.
WARNING……
- Never “assume” someone else’s authority as being your “cover” (irresponsible and
endangers everyone!) – this also becomes “usury” of someone else’s anointing and
“status”
- Your “gifting” does not necessarily qualify your being involved in an assignment….
- Ask the right questions to ensure you are fighting the right battles!
Coming Out Of Cover
- Doing your “own thing” your way – in your timing – without reference to any of the
securities God establishes for His leaders
- It buys into independence and pride and presumptuousness – c.f. Gen 3 and 11 – and we
build our own Tower….c.f. spirits of lawlessness and entitlement
- It also makes us vulnerable to the snares and attacks when we are “exposed” (spiritual
“streaking”) – far more liable to footholds – Eph. 4:27ff
- Even if part of “your cover” is questionable – God uses that relationship to ensure your
safely and growth – until He chooses to change that reference point in your life.
- God “hates” the removal of His Boundary Lines – this is what invites “deception” to gain
entry.
©Rev. Dr. Alistair P. Petrie
Partnership Ministries – 2013
www.partnershipministries.org
(Not to be reproduced or printed without permission from Partnership Ministries)