INSIDE THIS ISSUE
march 2010
THE Prayer of faith
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the music of prayer
The Power of the Blood & You
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FEATURES 7 THE Power of the blood and you As an intercessor, it is vital that we understand the power of the blood of Jesus. We are taught so much about the Trinity in the church today, but we lack teaching on the blood, its role and its value to the believer. 9 THE PRAYER OF FAITH Christians often grab onto James 5:16 as a “power scripture” when praying. It boosts our confidence that God will hear and respond to our prayers. When God promises that a certain type of prayer avails much, we should pay attention. 15 the music of prayer Music is made up of all kinds of things such as harmony, melody, rhythm, pitch and timbre. It can be expressed both instrumentally and vocally. The Bible is full of references about music, singing and instruments. It has great significance to God.
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE
march 2010
Ministry Spotlight
19 Calendar
MONTHLY
Book Reviews
04 FRONTLINE 05 KNOWLEDGE
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19 SPOTLIGHT 21 PRAYER SECRETS
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23 Q & A SESSION 25 BOOK REVIEWS 27 CALENDAR
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Powerful Prayer Secrets
On The Cover: La Pietà (1499) is a masterpiece of Renaissance sculpture by the renowned artist Michelangelo Buonarroti, housed in St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City. This famous work of art depicts the body of Jesus on the lap of his mother Mary after the Crucifixion.
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MARCH | contributors
From the desk of...
Rick Thorp is the Founder and Executive Director of a multifaceted prayer organization called The Joshua Group. The organization serves as a covering for numerous ministries that solely focus on the promotion of Christian prayer. He has been in church leadership for over 31 years and is a licensed and ordained minister currently serving at Tacoma Christian Center, a large inner-city church in Tacoma, Washington. Rick is the inventor of a unique prayer program for churches and groups called PrayerMap; is the publisher of Prayer Matters Magazine; and the Director of a grass roots movement called Prayer Move America. He and his team conduct seminars and conferences on prayer and revival. Mr. Thorp also serves as a consultant to churches and groups that desire a stronger, more effective prayer ministry. Rick resides in the Pacific Northwest with his wife Jennifer, has a daughter Ashley, and two grandchildren, Malachi and Rion. For invitation information, email: contact@thejohuagrouponline.org www.thejoshuagrouponline.org
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ROXANNE MILES is currently the Founding Director of Purposeful Progress Strategic Solutions, which is dedicated to helping faith and community based nonprofit organizations succeed through training, group facilitation, project management and strategic planning. Mrs. Miles has been in church leadership for almost 20 years and is a licensed evangelist, leader of intercession, Bible course instructor and regular conference presenter for women and prison ministries. Additionally, Roxanne uses her creative gifts to demonstrate God’s heart through illustrated sermons, drama and dance. She lives in Tacoma, Washington with her husband and two sons. TERRY HARRIS is the Founder and Senior Pastor of Tacoma Christian Center in Tacoma, Washington. With Pastor Harris’ leadership, the church, with over 1200 members, has been a powerful force in the city and the entire Western Washington region. After close to 30 years of vision and commitment, the church campus encompasses over 1-1/2 city blocks, and along with the sanctuary and offices, it includes a restaurant and a state-of-the-art gymnasium named Winners. In addition to operating a large church, Pastor Harris has taught God’s Word via a weekly television broadcast, serves on numerous Boards, has authored a book and continues to be a integral leader of the community. ANTOINNETTE W ILL I AMS currently serves on the Board of Directors of The Joshua Group, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting Christian prayer, where she also holds the office of Secretary. Mrs. Williams is an active leader of her local church for nearly seven years where she is an ordained evangelist, Bible College teacher and Chief Intercessor. She uses her powerful gift of ministering the Word of God to empower and inspire people to become all that God has predestined them to be. Antoinnette impacts the Kingdom of God by sharing her ministry gifts at Women’s Conferences, Intercessor Seminars and area churches. She lives in Federal Way, Washington with her husband Michael.
MARCH | frontline
Spring is coming
PEOPLE OF PRAYER I always know when Springtime is here --our lawn guy starts cutting the yard again! Once that happens, I know that I can expect the flowers to bloom, the trees to bud and the days to get longer. I start thinking about dusting the golf clubs off, going to the park with the grandkids and maybe even pumping up the tires on my bike for a ride. Although I‘m a bit early in thinking about Spring, it still feels good. It is my favorite season of the year. Perhaps it’s because we are coming out of Winter; maybe it’s the expectation of Easter; or where I live, the hope of sunshine in the future. Regardless, my emotions seem to change with the seasons. There’s something about Spring that gives me a hopeful outlook. Isn’t it interesting that a season, or a certain day of the week, or even a time of the day can change the way we feel? Aren’t you glad God doesn’t change His attitudes with us like we do with the Seasons? Isaiah 40:8 says, “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever.” Hebrews 13:8 states that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” And of course, Malachi 3:6: “I the LORD do not change.” Thank you Lord for remaining faithful, loving, forgiving, merciful and holy. RICK THORP, Publisher
PRAYER MATTERS MAGAZINE, is a premier online publication that educates, empowers and engages Christians around the world. It challenges readers to take responsibility to advance the Kingdom of God. The mission of PMM is to equip individuals to become more effective in prayer, fasting and spiritual warfare. To submit an article to be considered for publication; if you have comments or questions; or for advertising opportunities, email: contact@prayermattersmagazine.org Copyright Notice: The written and visual contents of this magazine are protected by copyright. Excepting translations, you may not reproduce our articles online or in print without first obtaining written permission. Once you receive permission, inform us where and when the article will be reprinted. Prayer Matters Magazine articles cannot be reprinted without obtaining permission and notifying the magazine. Prayer Matters Magazine is a ministry of The Joshua Group. Copyright © 2010 Prayer Matters Magazine. All Rights Reserved. March 2010 4 Prayer Matters Magazine
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PROPHETS O F In Judaism, a prophet is seen as a person who is selected by, and speaks as a formal representative of God. The intention of the message is always to effect a social change to conform to God’s desired standards. •
In Hebrew, the word that traditionally translates as prophet is (navi), which means “spokesperson” or “fruit of the lips”. The meaning of navi is perhaps described in Deuteronomy 18:18, where God said, “I will put my words in his mouth and he will speak to them all that I command him.” Thus, the navi was thought to be the “mouth” of God.
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Navi is the first and the most generally used word for a prophet. In the time of Samuel another word, ro’eh, “seer”, began to be used (1 Sam. 9:9). It occurs seven times in reference to Samuel. Afterwards another word, hozeh, “seer” (2 Sam. 24:11), was employed. In 1 Ch. 29:29 all these three words are used: “Samuel the seer (ro’eh), Nathan the prophet (navi’), Gad the seer” (hozeh).
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The “prophet” proclaimed the message given to him, as the “seer” beheld the vision of God. (Num. 12:6,8.) Thus a prophet was a spokesman for God; he spoke in God’s name and by God’s authority (Ex. 7:1). He is the mouth by which God speaks to men (Jer. 1:9; Isa. 51:16), and hence what the prophet says is not of man but of God (2 Pet. 1:20,21; compare Hebrews 3:7; Acts 4:25; 28:25).
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Prophets were the immediate organs of God for the communication of His mind and will to men (Deut. 18:18, 19). The whole Word of God may in this general sense be spoken of as prophetic, inasmuch as it was written by men who received the revelation they communicated from God, no matter what its nature might be. The foretelling of future events was not a necessary, but only an incidental part of the prophetic office. The great task assigned to the prophets whom God raised up among the people was to correct moral and religious abuses, to proclaim the great moral and religious truths which are connected with the character of God, and which lie at the foundation of his government.
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The seventy elders of Israel (Num. 11:16-29), “when the spirit rested upon them, prophesied;” Asaph and Jeduthun “prophesied with a harp” (1 Chr. 25:3). Miriam and Deborah were prophetesses (Ex. 15:20; Judg. 4:4). The title thus has a general application to all who have messages from God to men.
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Even though the prophetic gift was thus exercised from the beginning, the prophetical order as such began with Samuel. Schools of the prophets were instituted for the training of prophets who were constituted a distinct order (1 Sam. 19:18-24; 2 Kings 2:3, 15; 4:38), which continued to the close of the Old Testament. Such schools were established at Ramah, Bethel, Gilgal, Gibeah, and Jericho.
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MARCH | knowledge
The Talmud (a central text of mainstream Judaism) teaches that there were hundreds of thousands of prophets: twice as many as the number of people who left Egypt, which was 600,000. But most of the prophets conveyed messages that were intended solely for their own generation and were not reported in scripture. Scripture identifies only 55 prophets of Israel. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Abraham: Gen 11:26 - 25:10 Isaac: Gen 21:1 - 35:29 Jacob: Gen 25:21 - 49:33 Moses: Ex. 2:1 - Deut. 34:5 Aaron: Ex. 4:14 - Num. 33:39 Joshua: Ex. 17:9 - 14, 24:13, 32:17 - 18, 33:11; Num. 11:28 - 29, 13:4 - 14:38; 27:18 - 27:23, Deut. 1:38, 3:28, 31:3, 31:7 -Joshua 24:29 Pinchas: Ex. 6:25; Num. 25:7-25:11; Num. 31:6; Josh. 22:13 - Josh. 24:33; Judges 20:28 Elkanah: I Samuel 1:1 - 2:20 Eli: I Samuel 1:9 - 4:18 Samuel: I Samuel 1:1 - I Samuel 25:1 Gad: I Sam 22:5; II Sam 24:11-19; I Chron 21:9-21:19, 29:29 Nathan: II Sam 7:2 - 17; 12:1 - 25. David: I Sam 16:1 - I Kings 2:11 Solomon: II Sam 12:24; 1 Kings 1:10 - 11:43 Iddo: II Chron 9:29, 12:15, 13:22 Michaiah son of Imlah: I Kings 22:8-28; II Chron 18:7-27 Obadiah: I Kings 18; Obadiah Ahiyah the Shilonite: I Kings 11:29-30; 12:15; 14:2-18; 15:29 Jehu son of Hanani: I Kings 16:1 - 7; II Chron 19:2; 20:34 Azariah son of Oded: II Chron 15 Jahaziel the Levite: II Chron 20:14 Eliezer son of Dodavahu: II Chron 20:37 Hosea: Hosea Amos: Amos Micah the Morashtite: Micah Amoz (the father of Isaiah) Elijah: I Kings 17:1 - 21:29; II Kings 1:102:15, 9:36-37, 10:10, 10:17 Elisha: I Kings 19:16-19; II Kings 2:1-13:21
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Jonah ben Amittai: Jonah Isaiah: Isaiah Joel: Joel Nahum: Nahum Habakkuk: Habakkuk Zephaniah: Zephaniah Uriah: Jeremiah 26:20-23 Jeremiah: Jeremiah Ezekiel: Ezekiel Shemaiah: I Kings 12:22-24; II Chron 11:2-4, 12:5-15 Barukh: Jeremiah 32, 36, 43, 45 Neriah (father of Barukh) Seraiah: Jeremiah 51:61-64 Mehseiah (father of Neriah) Haggai: Haggai Zechariah: Zechariah Malachi: Malachi Mordecai Bilshan: Esther Oded (father of Azariah) Hanani (father of Jehu)
Female Prophets • Sarah: Gen 11:29 - 23:20 • Miriam: Ex. 15:20-21; Num. 12:1-12:15, 20:1 • Deborah: Judges 4:1 - 5:31 • Hannah: I Sam 1:1 - 2:21 • Abigail: I Sam 25:1 - 25:42 • Huldah: II Kings 22:14-20 • Esther: Esther
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The Power of the by Antoinnette Williams
As an intercessor, it is vital that we understand the power of the blood of Jesus. We are taught so much about the Trinity (the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit) in the church today, but we lack teaching on the blood, its role and its value to the believer. Most often, we hear about the blood during communion. We symbolically partake in it and then we stop talking about it until the next time. Jesus was, and is, more than just a drink of remembrance at Communion Services. His blood is power! His blood creates boundaries of protection and spiritual coverage. First, let’s get a visual of the blood as we know it in a physical sense. Blood carries oxygen, and like skin or other organs in our body, it is living. Everything in our body depends on the blood. The blood takes its place within the territory of the body. It keeps us alive and functioning. It is powerful and essential for our existence. Even though we were created just like Jesus and carry the same blood, we did not shed it for the sins of the world, and therefore our blood lacks the power His does. Christ’s blood provides life and covers spiritual things that our blood cannot. The shedding of His blood is where it all began for all mankind. The book of Leviticus teaches us so much about the offering of blood and sacrifices. Leviticus 16:14, says that the high priest sprinkled the blood seven times when making atonement for the people. When the high priest on the Day of Atonement sprinkled the lamb’s blood seven times on the mercy seat, he was looking ahead to the seven-fold offering of the blood of Jesus. Atonement means the “reconciliation of, or restoration of, fellowship.” Each time the blood was offered, it symbolically removed the barrier that sin had erected between God and man. The blood on the mercy seat reconnected God and man. Through the atonement of sin, God blessed and protected his people. He continues to use blood to cover our sins to this day. However, there is only one type of blood that will suffice. It is not 7
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the blood of lambs, goats, or any other animal. It is only the blood of Jesus that does the work of atonement for God’s people. Hebrews 9:22 explains the importance of the shedding of the blood. “And almost all things are by law purged with blood and without shedding of blood there is no remission.” Sin, and the condemnation of it, has to stick with the person unless blood causes the remission of it. Sin does not go away unless confession happens. We confess sin and Jesus’ blood causes its remission. The gospel of Jesus Christ is a message of blood: the blood of the Lamb of God slain for the foundation of the world. Satan and his demons hate this message about the blood of Jesus because it means destruction. They tremble at the very sound or mention of Jesus’ blood. They know that the blood of Jesus keeps mankind out of their reach. The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:14) and so demons are always ready to claim ownership, however, the blood of Jesus terminates those rights and secures man forevermore as a Child of God. In studying the Scriptures, the Bible tells us seven ways that Jesus shed His blood as He offered
Blood & You His life as a sin sacrifice on our behalf: • He sweated drops of blood ( Luke 22:44) • He bled from beatings to His face ( Luke 22:64) • He bled from having His beard ripped out (Isaiah 50:6) • He bled from brutal scourging (Matthew 27:26) • He bled from a cross of thorns crushed into His head (Matthew 27:29) • He bled from the nails driven through His hands and feet ( Luke 23:33) • He bled from a Roman spear piercing His side ( John 19:34) One of the most powerful statements in the New Testament is John 1:29, “Behold the Lamb of God, which takes away the sin of the world.” It sounds so simple but yet it is so deep and rich to contemplate. His blood makes us whole and complete. He was without blemish. He was pure and precious. He provided the precious blood of the Lamb! Jesus Christ was the perfect sacrifice; His incorruptible blood alone possessed the power to redeem all mankind. Life is in the Blood. The Israelites took the blood to heart, they literally placed themselves “under the blood” when they painted it on their door posts in accordance to God’s command. The blood then created a boundary from the death angel. The blood was necessary to keep them from death’s grip. By spreading the lambs’ blood on the door posts of their houses and then staying inside through the night, they were protected; their life was sustained. The Passover is the Jewish holiday that remembers this historical event. It is important to remember because it was foreshadowing the blood of Jesus. It was showing mankind the power of the blood that the Lamb of God would pour out over later generations to come in order to cover the sins of men.
we need to call upon the blood for its miraculous power to cover us. This means we have to acknowledge sin and remove it before praying, interceding and working in line with God’s Will. When we are faithful at home and at church, we are allowing God’s power to flow, but when we error, then we have to acknowledge it so the blood can do its work. Knowing that the blood has done its work in you allows the believer to walk in faith and authority; it allows God’s power to flow. The blood was shed to save us, but there is a fuller manifestation of its intent to defeat the enemy and his tactics and deliver the saint through all circumstances. Imagine if the Church today taught more on the blood – our need to apply it to our sins and the power that it carries. How powerful the saints would be! How much more territory would be restored through the healing of the land and delivering of God’s people. Under the cover of His blood, captives are set free and the lost are redeemed. Complete ourselves with a good bathing in the blood whenever sin has created a need. This is how we become complete within Christ’s perfect image: we are covered by His Blood, aligned with His Spirit, and live in service to His Father. v
The blood of Jesus is our protection, but we need to apply it just as the Israelites did. When we sin,
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MARCH | feature
Positioning Ourselves to Pray
The Prayer of Faith
By Roxanne Miles
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MARCH | feature
“The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” (James 5:16b) We all want our prayers to avail much. We want the answers to our prayers to be seen. We want evidence that our prayers were heard, and we prefer that the reply is what we requested. Christians often grab onto James 5:16 as a “power scripture” when praying. It boosts our confidence that God will hear and respond to our prayers. When God promises that a certain type of prayer avails much, we should pay attention. We should dive
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MARCH | feature into His Word to fully understand how we tap into this power. We have to challenge ourselves to study and follow the lead of the scriptures on prayer. Let us ask ourselves: What is an effectual, fervent prayer? Who is righteous? Often, we focus on “fervency” in this scripture. We think that if we are passionate about what we are asking for and express this desire deeply and personally, we will receive what we want. This may be part of the truth of this scripture, but God has not said that He moves more aggressively the louder we pray. There are, however, several clues in James 5 as to what inspires God. As always, scripture should be interpreted within the context it is provided in order to understand what is required and what is offered. If I know what is required of me, then I can also find the promise that God will fulfill. It is not that God is trying to avoid fulfilling His Word, but He does make it so those who diligently seek Him (and not just quick fixes) receive the greatest reward. Prayer is about relationship and not manipulation. It isn’t about making God do what we want as much as it is about the expression of need, hope, and expectation to our Creator and Father. God established a system where man had to study and interpret scripture under the influence of the Holy Spirit to understand Him. That is because He wants relationship. In many Bibles, this set of scriptures is entitled “The Prayer of Faith”. Reading the whole section
gives us great insight into how to pray in a way that moves God. You will see that praying in faith is key – as well as the integrity of the petitioner. There is full involvement of the Body of Christ in a commitment to see an answer come into the earth that represents God’s power and love. James 5:13-20 (NKJV) 13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. 14Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16Confess your trespasses[e] to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. 17Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. 18And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit. 19 Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, 20let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins. Notice (verse 13) that when you are afflicted, when you are in trouble, when you undergo hardship; it is a time to pray. It is these times when you turn to your source of comfort and help. It is an expression of your faith to turn to the One who can walk with you through the valley. It shows that you recognize God in times of need. If you are happy, you sing praises. The joys you experience in life are meant to be expressed in relationship with God as well. You are showing that you know the source of your blessings. God is the source either way – of comfort and strength, and of joy and provision. He is there for the highs and the lows. A relationship with God necessarily generates a life of prayer and praise. Now, if you are sick, if you are in need of something supernatural to happen then you are to get
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MARCH | feature others to pray with you. You are to call elders to pray over you and anoint you with oil in the name of the Lord. This is important. There are situations where you have to involve others. You are told to engage those in the body of Christ who are “mature” in the things of God so they can call forth spiritual things on your behalf. These prayers aren’t just about how you feel. You can always talk to God alone about your troubles and joys; these prayers are about changing circumstances – and not just waiting to see what God wants to do; but seeking Him, praying for health, anointing with oil and using the authority the Lord has given us as believers. The Word of God says that this prayer, offered in faith, will make the sick person well. Often people want their needs and prayers to be private – that way no one knows if it doesn’t work out. This isn’t an act of faith. Faith requires the action of extending a need to a brother or sister in Christ and coming into agreement that God will resolve the need. The prayer (euche) done between the person in need and the elders of the church is a wish expressed as a petition to God; it is a votive obligation or vow. Making a votive obligation is to offer ones faith for the item requested. You are making a choice to enter into this dialogue and commitment with God. You vow and give faith in exchange for God responding to your needs and desires. Not just you, but the brethren you enlist in your cause. When you do the prayer of faith, you are exercising your relationship with God and others and making a commitment to “see it through”. There is not a “let’s wait and see what happens” approach. It isn’t just mere hope or idle words. Faith (pistis) is a conviction, credence, constancy of profession, assurance, or fidelity in your petition. Your prayers are an
expression of confidence and conviction that God will respond to your need with a powerful answer. It is a vocalization of what you know to be true about God’s will and promises. Your prayer is a petition to the Throne Room of God as a specific request for a desired end with full expectation of receiving it from the only One who can provide it. That is faith. This is how you become filled with the assurance of things hoped for and stand firm on evidence not seen (Hebrews 11:1). It is especially important to note from these scriptures that there is a link between the prayer of faith and healing and the forgiveness of sin (vs. 15-16). Why must sins be forgiven as part of, or prior to, the healing process? Sin inhibits the ability of God to intervene on our behalf. Sin is a prayer-blocker. Sin is a barrier that resists the presence and power of God. It is counterproductive to allow sin to freely flow in offense of the One we are seeking great blessings from. Note that the confession of sins comes before the praying in faith which comes before the healing. Many times we want to start with, and end with, faith. We want the blessing we know God is capable of providing but we often fail to address the issues that disrupt our relationship with God first. We put the deliverance of blessings on God without removing the interference of our sin. We have to consider if we have invited the situation into our lives by our choices. We need to assess if the situation we are in is allowed to make us
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MARCH | feature more attentive to the life we live. Many things happen to disrupt our lives and cause us to review our priorities and assumptions. What have we been living for? Whom have we been serving? What do we take for granted? Do we have a solid relationship with our God? Are we outside of His Will? Are we spirit or fleshled? Sin (hamartia) is an offense before God. Romans 14:23b says, “whatsoever is not of faith is sin”. Whatever does not conform to the will and law of God, is sin. When we go against the Word
“Right standing with God needs to be in place for prayers to enter the Throne Room.” of God, we sin, and when we fail to fulfill the Word of God, we sin. Prayer, tithing, serving, loving: these are things we are called to do. When we don’t do these things we open ourselves up to sin. When we allow sin to remain in us, then the consequences of it comes forth. The enemy begins to take advantage of our service to him. Make no mistake, the enemy is content with us pursing our “own” agenda because it pulls us away from God’s Will. He is just fine with us not thinking that we’re serv-
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ing him. He knows that he is gaining ground once he gets us to turn from God to ourselves. Being self-centered is not being faith-centered and our relationship with God suffers. That is all the serpent got Eve to do in the garden – believe she was doing something good for herself while disobeying God in the process. To be forgiven and have the sins we’ve committed laid aside, we have to confess our faults one to another and pray for one another that we may be healed. The act of faith involves confession of sins, a profession of need and expectation of healing. There is no hiding anything in the process, because your relationship with God is at the core of the exchange. When you confess your sins, you are agreeing that you did something outside of God’s Will. He already knows that you have, what He is waiting for is the confession of it so He can clear the air. As soon as we “get real” with Him and remove the hindrance of sin by confession, the Blood of Jesus does its work and then the blessings of God can flow. Our faults, willing transgressions, failings, offenses and sins block the anointing and blessings of God until addressed. 1 John 1:9 (KJV) 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. A “power scripture” always requires the wielder to have
counted the cost. Confession is required to make the petitioner righteous. Only the Blood of Jesus, applied through continual confession, brings that about. The practice of confession is part of the Christian life; the confession of our sins and acknowledgement of Jesus as Lord started us out (Romans 10:9-10), but we have to maintain our walk through the same practice – belief and confession. Right standing with God needs to be in place for prayers to enter the Throne Room. When you know you are in right standing with God, then you can be effectual and fervent in your petition. You can be assertive, confident and passionate. If you have an uninhibited relationship with God, then you know His Will, know He is hearing you and know that nothing stands between you and God. A pure relationship with God provides the direction for your prayers and an understanding of how to petition effectively. Bold faith can flow that will continue until the result comes forth. James 5:16-20 (The Message) 16-18 Make this your common practice: Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together
MARCH | feature whole and healed. The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with. Elijah, for instance, human just like us, prayed hard that it wouldn’t rain, and it didn’t—not a drop for three and a half years. Then he prayed that it would rain, and it did. The showers came and everything started growing again. My dear friends, if you know people who have wandered off from God’s truth, don’t write them off. Go after them. Get them back and you will have rescued precious lives from destruction and prevented an epidemic of wandering away from God.
he specifically was praying for rain and was committed to see it stop or start. It is clear what he wanted and why he wanted it. It was for a cause that had nothing to do with personal need, greed or gain. It was about ensuring that God was well represented here on earth – because that was consistent with Elijah’s relationship with God.
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We have to be right before we can get mighty, active and effective prayers to work on our behalf. We have to pursue righteousness in order to have a relationship with God that lends itself to faith powerful enough to move mountains. Notice that we are immediately, given an example of Elias (Elijah). He is our demonstration of the “prayer of faith”. Right away we learn that Elijah was “subject to like passions as we are”. He was human. He had to deal with his flesh and mind just like any believer does. He was not perfect; but he was humble enough to acknowledge and address his sins. His passions had to be addressed; sin had to be moved out of the way first. Once he was right with God, he prayed earnestly. To pray earnestly proceeds from an intense, serious state of mind. He made up his mind what he was praying for. He knew that
Elijah was never caught up in whether it was God’s Will or not. Elijah did not shoot up a quick prayer and wait and see what God would do with it. Elijah stood on his expectation. And where did this faith come from? Elijah’s faith came from his conversion (vs.18-19). He had been saved from a multitude of sins. Elijah knew what God does to get man on the right path. The turning of man from sin is a powerful force. To convert is to transform; it is to alter ones nature, change form, or function. It is to be altered for more effective utilization; to bring man
from a place of sin to a place of redemption. As Christians, we are made a new spiritual creature upon conversion. We
have a regenerated spirit which enables us to overcome the flesh. To not actively grow as a spirit-led being means that we remain submitted to the flesh. In the flesh is “no good thing” (Romans 7:18). When we chase the flesh, we sin. We have to acknowledge this and actively confess our sins regularly to have a prayer life that can be effectual. Sin inhibits a relationship that invites fervency. We have to remove sin to develop a pure relationship with God and stand righteous before Him as we speak our petitions in faith. What are we to learn from this? God builds precept upon precept. Many people focus on trying to exercise faith when their relationship with God is compromised and the result is ineffectual, weak prayers. We have to be attentive to sin in our life and not allow the spirit of err to pull us from the truth. We have to put ourselves firmly on the path God has proclaimed for us to follow. Verse 20 says, “Let him know, that he which convert the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.” We need to break the habit of sin. In doing so, we remove the prime barrier to prayer. Elijah knew enough to remove his sins so he could be powerful in his prayers. God chose to make him our example. Let us do likewise. Let us do our part to ensure our prayer of faith “avails much”. v
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The of P MUSIC
has always been a part of my life, but things really started taking shape when I was in my early teens. There was a contest on our local radio station and if you were the first caller upon hearing a certain song, you would win a prize. I remember listening to that station 24/7. In fact, I had the radio playing all night long. One morning, I woke up and in that half-in-half-out of sleep stage, I heard the song! I jumped out of bed faster than I ever had moved in my life and made my way to the phone. After dialing the number several times, I finally got through. I won a guitar! From that point on, I learned how to play the guitar. I would play for hours upon hours until my fingers had blisters. I began to sing and write songs and had dreams of becoming the greatest rock star that the world had ever seen. Well, the rock star thing didn’t turn out so well, but surprisingly, I did win a couple of song writing contests and made a few girlfriends cry. But more importantly, I learned
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a lot about chords, notes and harmonies and eventually, learned how to use them to worship God. Music is made up of all kinds of things such as harmony, melody, rhythm, pitch and timbre. It can be expressed both instrumentally and vocally. The Bible is full of references about music, singing and instruments. Music has great significance to God. The book of Psalms, in-and-of itself, tells us a lot about the importance of music. Psalms says to praise God with a loud voice; praise Him with joy and gladness; worship Him with the congregation; worship Him individually; praise Him with singing; praise Him with instruments, and a whole host of musically related passages. Going to a symphony is a wonderful experience. If you let it, it can stir your inner core. Dozens of distinct instruments from violins and cellos, to flutes and trumpets, to drums and cymbals, each with a unique sound and vibration, somehow all become as a single instrument that moves in one direction in perfect harmony. The music becomes a living creature. The peaks and valleys of volume, the ebb and flow of the notes, and the sudden surprises of
Music Prayer By Rick Thorp
sound, create something that can only be attributed to the brilliance of God.
monic chord. Praying in agreement is like the sound of music.
What does music have to do with prayer? Surprisingly, a lot. Jesus, as recorded in Matthew 18:19-20 says: “Again I say to you that 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.” This scripture is one of the all time favorites in the list of prayer quotes. Upon examining it deeper than the surface, we find something quite amazing. The word, “agree” makes this scripture even more meaningful.
The word sumphoneo is also used in Romans 15:5-6 :
“Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one an other, accordThe Greek word for agree is “sumphoneo.” ing to Christ Jesus, that you may with one mind Sumphoneo comes from two words: “sum” (to- (sumphoneo) and one mouth glorify the God and gether), and “phoneo” (sound). It means: to Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” sound together, to be in accord, to be in harmony, to be united. Sumphoneo is where the To add to this musical discovery is the picture English word, “symphony” comes from. of complete unity of the Apostles as they returned to Jerusalem after the ascension of JeThis word of agreement states that if two peo- sus. Take note of the word, “accord”: ple unite in one accord with the sound of harmony, they can ask anything and it will be done Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount by the Father. But add the third person (the called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath Father), and you have what in musical terms is day’s journey. And when they had entered, they called a “triad”: three notes producing a har- went up into the upper room where they were stay-
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MARCH | music of prayer ing: Peter, James, John, and Andrew; Philip and Thomas; Bartholomew and Matthew; James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot; and Judas the son of James. These all with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers. (Acts 1:12-14).
twisted strands or fibers and used to bind, tie, connect, or support. Look at these words together and see how close they relate to each other: •
After this time, the day of Pentecost had come when they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Again, note the word, “accord”.
•
When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing, mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance (Acts 2:1-4).
•
•
• •
Agree – to sound together; to make a symphony together Accord – one mind; one passion; rush along; in unison; in tune with one another Chord – a combination of three or more pitches sounded simultaneously Cord – a fiber that is used to bind, tie, connect, or support Harmony – the art of using chords in music; fastening or joining Unity – the state of being one
The Greek word for “accord” is homothumadon (haw-maw-thu-muddon) and is a unique word used only twelve times in the Bible, ten of the twelve times, in the book of Acts. It is a compound of two words meaning to “rush along” and “in unison”. Strong’s Concordance makes a very interesting comment about homothumadon: “the image is almost musical; a number of notes are sounded which, while different, harmonize in pitch and tone. As the instruments of a great concert under the direction of a concert master, so the Holy Spirit blends together the lives of members of Christ’s church. Get the picture? Agree - sumphoneo (symphony); accord - homothumadon (in unison) To take a step further, the English word, “chord’ derives from “cord”, a Middle English shortening of “accord” in the sense of “in tune with one another”. The definition of cord (strand) is, “A slender length of flexible material usually made of
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Praying together in one accord, with the same mind paints a picture of music without singing or instruments. I have stood in prayer circles before where every word of every prayer seemed to have a cadence to it. The power behind these prayers were beyond imagination. The unity of the group was so strong that none of us wanted to leave. It was as if each of us were an individual note, blending together to create chords and harmony in the heavenlies, blending together in unity. It was a group of people that desperately sought after God, not inhibited or fearful, but only focused on the
will of God. I’ll never forget watching the famous Japanese violinist Midori Goto on stage at a theatre in Tacoma, Washington. For those who have never seen her play, she ‘attacks’ the violin with extreme vigor and passion. Her dramatic and precise body movements as she played, left me with the impression that she literally was ‘one’ with the instrument. She was so in touch with what she was doing, that she embodied the music as if she actually was the musical notes themselves. I watched in amazement and found myself in awe at how she put her entire being into what she was doing. Even though she was playing an instrument, the real music seemed to come from her spirit, as if she was the music herself. It left a lasting impression on me. This is how we should pray. Next time you go into prayer with someone, remember the words: agree and accord. It will make Matthew 18:19-20 come alive: “Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth con-
cerning 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.” God is waiting to hear the sound of music through your prayers. v
And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.
~ Jeremiah 29:13
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Introduci
MINISTRY | spotlight
Light of the Wor Light of the World Prayer Center consists of groups of people gathered together ever y hour of the day to make a place where God can dwell in our midst! It is our vision to establish a Lighthouse of Prayer for the Lord’s light to shine 24/7 in the city of Bellingham, Washington. In this place, people gather in Jesus’ name, praying and singing God’s Word out loud to Him ever yday, 24/7! It is organized around weekly prayer meetings, 1-2 hours each with a prayer leader present at each one. This is a multi-church, multi-denominational effort.
K now someone to s p o
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MINISTRY | spotlight
ld Prayer Center LOWPC The Ludeman Capital Building 2115 Barkley, Basement Suite 100 Bellingham, Washington 98226 www.lowpc.org 360-303-6789 Jason Hubbard, President
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MARCH | prayer secrets
(12)
Twelve Powerful Prayer Secrets (part 5)
By Pastor Terry Harris
In 1 Samuel: 16:1, we find these words: “Now the LORD said to Samuel, how long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go; I am sending you to Jesse the Bethlehemite. For I have provided Myself a king among his sons.” In verse 7 the Lord continues and says to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” We introduce a prayer secret that has proven to be successful for me. I call it the “man up” prayer. If it is going to work for you, you have to “man up”. What’s on the inside of you is huge with God; there is no getting around it. W hat’s in your heart? What is your motive? What type of person are you? W hen a man’s heart is right, he is humble before the Lord; he’s a man of integrity; he’s a man of character and he loves God. When he makes a mistake, his heart is taken into account. Compare that to a Christian that has his salvation but is a “rascal”. His heart isn’t right. He’s saved, he’s received Christ as Lord and Savior, but he would sell out his own mother. Now, when that man whose heart isn’t right makes a mistake there is
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a big difference. So, you want to examine yourself and ask, “how ’s my heart? Am I a person of character and integrity?” There are lots of Christians in the world today that have the “get-over ” mind set. They can still be a Christian because, as we know, salvation is not based on works. It is based upon the finished work of Jesus Christ and us receiving that finished work. Once we are saved, we are meant to grow into good works. But with that said, I’ve learned over the years that there can be a vast difference in the quality of the heart
MARCH | prayer secrets
of Christians. Some have hearts that are phenomenal; others don’t. Some people love the Lord, but they are not right.
and then bless me according to the type of individual that I am.” God loves this prayer and He answers it.
1 Kings 8:39 says, “then hear in heaven Your dwelling place, and forgive, and act, and give to everyone according to all his ways, whose heart You know (for You alone know the hearts of all the sons of men).” Notice here again that God knows the heart. He isn’t about the outward. He “gives to every man according to his ways”. Are you sneaky or are you trustworthy? Are you a hell-raiser or a peacemaker? God needs to give to every man according to his ways. These are the things that God is looking at.
Here is what I pray:
Christians are meant to look in the mirror. The ability to assess our own weaknesses and faults is part of a person’s heart condition. God is looking for the man or woman who has a heart that is accountable and responsible and will step up. If you mess up, own up. That’s heart condition. Those who are accountable for ones actions, accountable for choices, accountable for one’s own decisions – those are the people whose hearts touch God. So what are your ways? What’s in your heart? Understand that you can’t fool God. God knows if you are an individual that refuses to look in the mirror, or has a heart that is accountable and takes responsibility for your words and your actions. Which one are you? God is looking for His children to be accountable and responsible.
“Father God in heaven, You know me. Father, in the name of Jesus, judge my heart. God, I ask of You, in Jesus name, to bless me according to my integrity. God, I ask that You move mountains for me according to the condition of my core being, according to the condition of my heart. God, You know me. You know my history with You, You know my heart. God judge my heart. No, I’m not perfect, but You know me and You know my character. You know what I’m about because I’ve demonstrated it to You. God I’m asking You to bless in accordance with my heart.” These words can only be spoken by someone who is confident that they treat God and others well. It’s about the heart. No matter how tough things are, purpose to hold to integrity. When you mess up, go into the Throne Room and let God know that you plan to make it right. Ask God to judge your heart and not your error. Ask Him to move on your behalf according to your integrity. Put yourself on the line—let your commitment to integrity be the ingredient you are confident in while in your prayer closet. Own up to being that man or woman whose heart pleases God and He will move and answer your prayers. v
Psalms 7:8 says, “the Lord shall judge the people; judge me o Lord according to my righteousness.” You want your heart to be so right that you can pray, “God, judge me according to my righteousness.” Have Him purge you of your old ways and have your heart right before God. The statement, “judge me according to my heart and integrity” is a powerful prayer secret in itself. It is a prayer based upon what is in the inside of you. You are saying, like King David, “God look at me, look at my heart
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Q MARCH | q and a
What are the Greek words for prayer?
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A MARCH | q and a
Pray, a prayer The verb Euchomai (7 uses) and the noun euche (3 uses)are prayer in the general sense and can include the idea of wishing. Euche can also mean a vow, and of its three uses, twice it is used to mean vow (Acts 18:18; 21:23) and once to mean prayer (James 5:15).
Pray, a prayer The verb proseuchomai (85 uses) and its noun form proseuche (36 uses), like euchomai and euche, denote prayer in the more general sense. This means the content of the prayer may include various specific requests (aitema), supplications (deēsis), intercessions (enteuxis), etc. However proseuchomai and proseuche are only used as prayer to God.
Ask, question The verb erōtaō (58 uses), means to ask; can mean (1) to ask a question or (2) to ask a request, i.e., entreat, beg, beseech.
Ask, request The verb aiteō (70 verb, 3 noun uses), like erōtaō, means to ask. Its noun form aitēma means “that which is being asked for,” i.e., requests. “In distinction from deēsis, aitēma points to the content of the request” while deēsis points to the urgency or need of the request.
Implore, supplication The verb deomai (22 uses) and the noun deēsis (18 uses) also means to ask, but connotes urgency and necessity. “To make known one’s need, urgently request, supplicate, beseech”. The noun form deēsis is specifically petitionary as opposed to the more general proseuche. The former usually emphasizes the “particular benefits” of the thing being asked for. Further, deēsis can be used in relation to man, while proseuche is used only to God.
Entreat, call on, beg, urge The verb parakaleō (109 uses) and its noun form paraklēsis (29 uses) have a very wide range of meaning. Further, they appear quite often in scripture. The words’ basic meaning are to call to one’s side. To call some one hither, that he may do something…to use persuasion with him; to comfort; summon or invite.
Intercession, petition The verb entynchanō (3 uses) has a basic meaning of “to fall in or happen with.” This falling in occurs when one party meets with another especially for the purpose of supplication or making intercession or petition on behalf of another. Thus the noun enteuxis (2 uses) is a falling in with, a coming together esp. for the purpose of making petition on behalf of someone or something.
Intercede The verb huperentynchanō (1 use) is simply the verb entynchanō with the prefix huper. It means to intercede on behalf of another; the huper emphasizes that the intercession is on behalf of another and that it is above and beyond. Interestingly, its only occurrence is found in Rom. 8:26 where “the Spirit itself intercedes for us.”
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EDUCATION | bookshelf
read
BOO B book
learn The Seven-Mountain Prophecy Johnny Enlow
God is preparing a spiritual tsunami that will sweep the nations and reclaim our society for the kingdom of God. This modern-day Elijah revolution will impact seven culture-shaping areas of influence over society-media, government, education, economy, family, arts and entertainment, and religion. The author offers guidance for determining one’s specific calling in the revolution, while correcting misguided understandings of the End Times and the role of believers in it. Each chapter that follows provides intensive, detailed study of each “mountain” of influence, how it will be taken, and what resistance will be encountered by individuals assigned to claim this mountain. This is not a book about the end times. It is a book about how you, the church, are called to get involved in God’s plan for mankind.
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OKS BOOKS ks
EDUCATION | bookshelf
ENJOY
educate
GROW study
For these and other Spirit-led books, go to www.arsenalbooks.com
God Still Speaks
John Eckhardt
In God Still Speaks, best-selling author John Eckhardt shows you how combining instructive, narrative teaching with powerful truths will change your life. In this dynamic book, he explains: the proper role and function of the prophetic in your life; the characteristics of the prophet; the way God uses these gifts in the world today, and more. Building from a biblical foundation, Eckhardt incorporates his own experiences along with the experiences of the people in his church. There is no need to make prophecy more complicated or difficult than it is. As you walk into your full inheritance in the Spirit, you can do your part to build a prophetic culture in your life, your family, your church, and your community.
March 2010 4 Prayer Matters Magazine  
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H
MARCH | calendar
ap penings
mar-april MARCH 4-6 | Cedar Hill, TX CONVERGENCE: A CRY TO AWAKEN A NATION Mike & Cindy Jacobs, Peter Wagner, Ed Silvoso, Harry Jackson, Lance Wallnau and many more. www.generals.org Trinity Church of Cedar Hill 1231 E Pleasant Run Rd Cedar Hill, TX 75104 972-576-8887 ext. 211 MARCH 4-6 | Fort Mill, SC MORINING STAR MINISTIRES OPEN HEAVENS PROPHETIC CONFERENCE Bob Jones, Larry Randolph , Rick Joyner www.morningstarministries.org MorningStar Fellowship Church at Heritage International Ministries
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MARCH 5-6 | Kirkland, WA OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER www.watchmanministries.com Christ Church Kirkland 11725 NE 118th Street Kirkland , WA 98034 Meet The Joshua Group at this event! MARCH 7-14 | Port Canaveral, FL FROM GLORY TO GLORY CRUISE James Goll, Jeremy Lopez, Julie Meyer, Stan Smith God has just given us another reason to be excited about this cruise: Our worship leader, Julie Meyer, is one of the worship leaders at IHOP Kansas City and has been in that glorious outpouring from the beginning. www.gospelsmith.com EGPMinistry@gmail.com 209-588-9565 MARCH 18-20 | Cranford, NJ EAGLES’ WINGS CONFERENCE Robert Stearns, Lance Wallnau, Rusty Nelson, Bishop Carlton Brown, Paulette Polo, Leon Timbo www.eagleswings.to Calvary Tabernacle 69 Myrtle Street Cranford, NJ 07016
MARCH 19-20 | Virginia Beach, VA THE AWAKENING & REFORMATION TOUR Dutch Sheets, Tim Sheets, Eric Reeder, Jayde Duncan, Rick Pino, Jeremy Burk, Eddie James theartour.com www.rockchurch.org The Rock Church 640 Kempsville Rd. Virgina Beach, VA 23464
MARCH || calendar December.09 calendar
APRIL 2-3 | Phoenix, AZ SIT, WALK AND STAND Patricia King and Graham Cooke www.extremeprophetic.com Grace Inn 10831 S 51st Street Phoenix, Arizona 85044 480 893-3000 APRIL 6-9 | Santa Rosa Beach, FL WATCHMAN INTERCESSORS ASSEMBLY Dr. Bill Hamon, Cindy Jacobs, Dutch Sheets, Chuck Pierce, Barbara Yoder, Jane Hamon www.watchmanintercessor.com Christian International 177 Apostles Way Santa Rosa Beach, FL
APRIL 14-17 | Spokane, WA TAKE YOUR MOUNTAIN Cal Pierce, Jim White, Mark & Pam Walker http://healingrooms.com/ Healing Rooms Ministries 112 E. First Avenue Spokane, WA 99202 Fax: 509-456-8674
got an event? let us know by emailing: contact@prayermattersmagazine.org
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