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“And
from the days of John the Baptist until now the
kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the
violent take it by force.” April, 2011 Dear Friend, Trusting that all is well with you and your loved ones. We are all fine and pushing ahead to the things God is calling us to this year. We are praising God for opening new doors of ministry! As you know, our phone prayer ministry has recently expanded. A special thank you to all of our partners who help to support this vital work! Thank you also, to all who keep the Watchman Battalion requests in prayer. We are receiving wonderful answers to prayer! I just wish I was able to have them all printed and sent to you each month, but it would cost a fortune. God is certainly hearing His Intercessors! As we fully entered into this new year, my thoughts turned to all those who are crying out to the Lord for their needs; some may be situations that have gone on for years. Why are some prayers answered right away, and why are some taking so long? This month we are commemorating the life, death, and Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus came to the earth as a baby, born of a woman; He was subject to His parents as He grew up and He studied and learned the Sacred Scriptures. He suffered everything that we suffer. He was hungry, He was thirsty, He was tired, He felt sorrow when His cousin John was beheaded; He felt sorrow when Lazarus died. He knew what it was to be betrayed, and also abandoned. He felt compassion towards all who came to Him sick in mind or body. He healed the blind, He healed the Lepers. When the time came for Him to suffer and die on the Cross for our sins, He was so frightened that the angels came to minister to Him. (Luke 22:39-46) He felt every emotion, every pain, every thing that all of us feel at various times in our life. When we pray, we know that we are not praying to a God who is distant and aloof to our pain. He knows exactly what we feel! While on earth, Jesus had so much to say about prayer! The Bible tells us that Jesus healed everyone. No one who went to Him for help was turned away. Even the woman with the issue of blood found mercy simply by reaching out in faith and touching the hem of His garment. (Luke 8:43-48) Women in those days were considered unclean if bleeding, so it took an enormous amount of boldness on her part to even try to get near Him, let alone touch his clothing! But she was persistent, she wanted more than anything to be healed of this illness. Can you imagine her walking in the crowd of all those following Jesus and being pushed aside as people shoved to get closer to Him? The noise of all the people talking and crying out to Him had to overpower any words she may have tried to say to Him. As a woman, she had no strength to hold herself up and make her way through, but she pushed with all her might. Since she touched the hem of His garment, I imagine she was pushed down and was frantically crawling to reach Him! In her final desperation, she reached out while people were almost walking all over her, and she, by the tip of her fingers found the hem of His garment. At that moment, Jesus turned around and asked “Who touched Me?” My friend, everyone was touching Him. He was surrounded by people pushing and shoving to get near to Him! But her touch was different. Her touch had purpose! Her touch had faith! Her touch told a story of a broken woman who had tried every doctor, done everything possible, with no success. Her touch told Him that her faith reached out into the very core of Who He was. Her touch demanded attention because of who she knew He was. At that very instant, power went out of Him. The Bible says when she realized that she was not hidden she fell down before Him, trembling, in the presence of all and declared the reason she had touched Him and how she was healed immediately. His answer was, “Daughter, be of good cheer, your faith has made you well. Go in peace.” Let us ponder this for a while. We all have things that we are in need of. It could be health, or finances, or salvation of a loved one. How desperate are we to see the answer to our prayers? Are we willing to go the distance, to press in, fast, spend time in prayer instead of watching TV, or spending hours on Facebook? What is of utmost importance to us? Are we willing to serve our King of Kings and Lord of Lords to the fullest extent of our being? How enthusiastic and committed are we to respond to God’s call in our lives? How radical are we? God calls all who are committed to Him to become warriors! There are people who need to be set free from the bondages of sin. There are people who need healing and deliverance. What is our reaction when we walk through the streets and we see the lost looking at drugs or alcohol for comfort? Does our heart break? When Jesus turned around, feeling power leave His body, He knew that someone had touched Him in total faith for healing. There are those who are not able to do this themselves because they do not know Him, or are suffering so badly that they cannot focus on believing for what they need. This is where we come in! This is where YOU come in!! God is calling forth intercessors. He is calling forth those who are willing to be mocked for their faith in Him. He is calling forth those who are serious in their walk with Him and want more than anything to see the lost saved and captives set free. It is time to be violent in our prayers! It is time to be bold in our walk, and not be timid when it is time to speak out words of truth, of love, of comfort, of healing. Let us pray. Father, in Jesus Name, I praise You and I worship You. Thank You for dying on the cross for me. I believe that You rose from the dead, and that you now live in me. Use me Lord, to do your will here on earth. Give me wisdom, insight, understanding, and boldness in spiritual warfare to expand Your Kingdom. Give me Holy Spirit power and anointing when I pray for others. Let my life glorify You in all things. In Jesus Name I pray. Amen. Happy Resurrection Sunday to you and your loved ones! Rev. Barbara Anne Yovino, Ph.D.
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