My Recipe for Prayer

My Reverse Oreo Cookie Recipe for Prayer

Recently Shell Cowper-Smith was sharing Graham Cooke’s formula for prayer that he calls a “faith sandwich.” It’s “praise + prayer + praise.”

I very much liked the concept and I labeled it my “reverse oreo cookie.” I take the purity of my devotion TO Him in the knowledge of His love, His goodness, and that He hears my prayers. I then take my “dark” need and present it to Him in prayer, supplication, and sometimes travail and tears. Finally, I give Him my song of praise and worship that He has heard me. From that point on, until resolution comes, Iactively rest… as Shell puts it, STAND, in His peace.

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• I have seen breakthroughs in my family with long-standing issues.
• I have seen deep-seeded issues come out of the closet and be dealt with — both in myself and in others.
• I have been set free from hidden wounds and personal judgments.
• I have seen new strategies released for our business.
• I have been blessed with dreams, visions, and revelations in the night. I have journaled these and then found that they are confirmed by prior revelations or daily experiences, tying it all together.
• I have noted a new militancy in my tongues and in my prayers… based on my study and understanding of Ephesians.
• I have been drawn even deeper into meditating the Word and actually understood hard passages for the first time.
• I have enjoyed intimate times with the Lord.
• The floodgates of my emotions have erupted with cleansing tears that have brought healing.

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… back to Isaiah 59: ¹⁵ Yes, truth is gone, and anyone who renounces evil is attacked. The Lord looked and was displeased to find there was no justice. ¹⁶ He was amazed to see that no one intervened to help the oppressed. So he himself stepped in to save them with his strong arm, and his justice sustained him. ¹⁷ He put on righteousness as his body armor  and placed the helmet of salvation on his head. He clothed himself with a robe of vengeance and wrapped himself in a cloak of divine passion.

[WOW!!! How amazing that the Lord looked for an intercessor and not finding one, He Himself put on His divine armor to go to battle for righteousness' sake.]

Isaiah 59: ¹⁹ In the west, people will respect the name of the Lord; in the east, they will glorify him. For he will come like a raging flood tide driven by the breath of the Lord.

[Recently I heard a statement that blew my mind. We all know Psalm 103:12 and quote it often. "He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west." Think about this. If David had written "north" and "south" there would have been a demarcation line. We know it as the equator. BUT, east and west do not have a defining line. It's like forgiveness just goes on and on and on. So, when I read verse 19, it impacted me powerfully. All the earth and all it's people will glorify Him and there will be no end.]

Isaiah 59: ²⁰ “The Redeemer will come to Jerusalem to buy back those in Israel who have turned from their sins,” says the Lord. ²¹ “And this is my covenant with them,” says the Lord. “My Spirit will not leave them, and neither will these words I have given you. They will be on your lips and on the lips of your children and your children’s children forever. I, the Lord, have spoken! {Isaiah 60:} ¹ “Arise, Jerusalem! Let your light shine for all to see. For the glory of the Lord rises to shine on you. ² Darkness as black as night covers all the nations of the earth, but the glory of the Lord rises and appears over you.

GLORY! I believe with all my heart that the Lord is arising in power in these days. AND I believe we are going to see such a powerful awakening especially in our youth. So many pastors, teachers, prophets and evangelists have been declaring Isaiah 60 over the church these past couple of years. I believe we’re almost there.

Onward with my Scripture Study and landed on Psalm 59: ¹⁶ But as for me, I will sing about your power. Each morning I will sing with joy about your unfailing love. For you have been my refuge, a place of safety when I am in distress. ⁷ O my Strength, to you I sing praises, for you, O God, are my refuge, the God who shows me unfailing love.

I believe Isaiah 59:21 is a companion to a scripture given by our children’s ministry leader at prayer on Wednesday night. Isaiah 44:³ For I will pour out water to quench your thirst and to irrigate your parched fields. And I will pour out my Spirit on your descendants, and my blessing on your children. ⁴ They will thrive like watered grass, like willows on a riverbank.

The Lord God Almighty is arising. He is clothing Himself in His divine armor. We, as individuals, have an armor according to Ephesians 6:10-18. I believe with all my heart that there is also a CORPORATE ARMOR for the Body of Christ. It could be our worship, our prayers, our meeting the needs of the Body, ministering to the lost, and living the ministry of reconciliation. Whatever it is, I believe we are being clothed in it now. AND it’s for ALL generations. Oh, Glory!!!! The river is rising and the wind is beginning to blow. Fire is coming into our hearts and assemblies. We will shine according to Isaiah 60:1 and 2!

Note: all scriptures in New Living Translation

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These layers reminded me of spiritual warfare. We live in the “first” heaven where the Holy Spirit is stirring our prayers. Excitement is mounting as the clouds are rushing in the Spirit’s direction. In the “second” heaven, where satan’s powers and dominion is, the clouds were actually moving in the OPPOSITE direction. In the third heaven, where our Father and His Son and angelic hosts preside, it was stationary. The verse that came to mind was “I change not!” God’s word is truth and it remains.

Because of the sun–SON, I was able to “see” into the heavens through His gift of the Holy Spirit.

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So often I feel You send the hummingbirds to me – for my delight and admiration. I never tire watching this marvel of Your creation. It’s as if You’re saying, “See, Mary, how much I love beauty? I love creating it.  AND THEN!

My Daughter,

I love sharing it with you. I delight in your delight. Your pleasure is My pleasure. Recall when hotel people or switchboard people reply with, “my pleasure”? Isn’t it gracious? Don’t you feel like royalty, a queen, when they reply to you like that? It is because they treat you special. You feel special because of their acknowledgment and their service to you. You get the feeling they live to do your pleasure.

That’s what it’s like for you and I and with My children. It truly does “go both ways” as the saying goes. It is My pleasure to serve you with beauty, with favor, with good things, with rewards, with loving people.

I love My creation and I love your appreciation of My work. You are My work just as the trees, the flowers, the critters, the sunsets, your flowers, the hummers, and the dragonflies.

You please Me. You don’t need to worry about pleasing anyone else. I know your heart, Mary. You want to please people and you want to know that they are pleased by what you do and say. But this could also be your area of wounding. You will have to be very transparent with Me in the days ahead. Run to me and climb up on My lap and we’ll talk about it. One day, you won’t have to run to Me. You’ll just have to check your heart and you’ll know how I would have you respond.

Yes, I heard you call that driver a jerk, who pulled in front of you. And yes, I heard you call that motorcycle rider a jerk for throwing the plastic water bottle on the highway. You caught yourself after the first one and confessed it. The second one you didn’t say, but you thought it.

But, Mary dear, I also heard you cry out to Me for help. You recognize that this is a fallen world and there are many unsaved people. You know how to love the unlovely, but I’m going to show you a more perfect way. My way. In the days ahead I’m going to give you scriptures and allegories. Write them down as they will be revelation for others.

Just as you were taught today, there are Pharisees and unsaved ones even in My church. I haven’t given up on them, so neither should you. Begin to quietly offer up a prayer of blessing (yes, you remember my servant Kameron’s talk about  being angry with his wife… bless her, bless Susie, bless my wife, bless Susie’s life and on and on).

All are called to intercession, Mary, but your call will be a little different because out of that intercession will come revelation and teaching. Yes, teaching, instruction, exhortation, comfort, and most importantly, edification for spirit, soul and body.

Do not despise the small beginnings. Rejoice with Me in your service to Me and My little ones. You almost wrote “people” didn’t you? Well, you all are my “Little Ones – My Children.”

There, that thought, you caught it. Good! Yes, you are a mother in My Kingdom. But, between you and Me, You are still My little one. I treasure you. You are My treasure. It is My pleasure to delight your eyes with My beautiful creation.”

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