School of Prayer: Spiritual Integrity, Pt3

Pursuing spiritual integrity is difficult. Physical temptations provide the opportunity to do something wrong but are preceded by mental and emotional temptations that appeal to our weaknesses and provide a strong incentive for us to compromise our place. James 1:14 KJV …but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. (Amp - But each one is tempted when he is dragged away, enticed and baited (to commit sin) by his own (worldly) desire (lust, passion). Matt 26:41 states that we should, “Watch (pay attention, be vigilant, and cautious) and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. Col 4:2 adds, “continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving.” Watching in terms of temptation is to be alert to those things that paralyze your spiritual will and seek to supplant our spiritual integrity with carnality.

Mental and emotional temptations seek to find fertile ground for the enemy. They provide carnal satisfaction to an emotional need that is screaming for vindication (like lust, vengeance, hate, envy, guilt, shame, self-deprecation or self-hate, jealousy, rage, insecurity, fear, worry, despair, etc.) These strong emotions are consuming and often paralyzing and drain away our spiritual strengths. They provide a lie about you and those around you and assume the place of judge, jury, prosecuting attorney, and defense attorney. They self-justify their existence and need no precursory facts to support why they continue. They eat us away until we are so preoccupied with them that our spiritual existence is starved, and we eventually falter. In the midst of this emotional and mental onslaught, spiritual integrity helps us to take control out of the hands of our carnality and return it to God and his word.

1. What are some good places where your spiritual values and behavior easily align? This will be the strongest places of obedience to God’s word. 2. What are some places where spiritual values and behavior do not align? What is the place where it is difficult to follow scripture? Is it a personality weakness, an emotional wound from the past, or a personal value? 3. What are the top three things that can be done to change your integrity in this area (submitting to accountability, accepting limits and boundaries, biblical thinking methods, specific praying for healing or change, repentance, forgiveness)?

Watch the heavy-hitters that hinder prayer: Unforgiveness (Mat 6:14-15), Selfishness (James 4:2-3), Watch your homelife (1 Peter 3:7), Unconfessed Sin (Ps 66:17-19), Unbelief (James 1:5-7), Refusal to hear (Prov 28:9), Not praying Gods will (1 John 5:14-15), an unconsecrated heart and repetitive willful sin (Ps 66:18)

Qualities and values of an intercessor:

• Dedication and discipline in lifestyle
  

• Availability
  

• Integrity: one who lives biblical character and exercises kindness, compassion, mercy, and grace.
  

• Understanding the word of God so that biblical truth can balance biblical grace.
  

• Willingness to bear burdens, pains, problems, and weaknesses of another, along with the emotional turmoil that comes with it.
  

• Willingness to set self aside and push past one's own issues to pray hard prayers and lay foundations in difficult places.
  

• Operate in such a way as to unify the body of Messiah.

The intercessor’s integrity is focused on maintaining four consecrated altars. The altar of the heart, the altar of the home, the altar of the church, and a saving altar for the community. Heb 12:14 admonishes us to “follow peace with all men, and holiness (consecration, purification, sanctification of heart and life) without which no man shall see the Lord.” As Messianics we think of holiness as our exclusive relationship with God in terms of prayer, fasting, worship, service attendance, and our form of modesty. Holiness in its original terms was to mimic the character of God. That is not carried out in a spiritual vacuum. Being a profitable servant is not just about investing our gifts, it is also about refining our character and showing the love and compassion of God to others (Matt 7:21-23, Matt 23:23). Our faith has a lot to do with our works. It is the belief we are willing to act on. If we actively watch over our spiritual integrity, our lives will be a living altar and people will have a means and opportunity to find Yeshua their Savior.

Rav Calev