Two Men, Two Destinies

Published on: by Ora Holloway Category:Understanding Bible Basics

Luke 16:19- 31

  1. There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day. 
  2. But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who lay at his gate.
  3. Desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table.
  4. So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried.
  5. And being in torment in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 
  6. Then he cried and said, “Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.” 
  7. But Abraham said, Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise, Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented.
  8. And besides, all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to   pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.
  9. Then he said, I beg you; therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house.
  10. For I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.” 
  11. Abraham said to him, they have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.
  12. And he said, No father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent. 
  13. But he said to him, if they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead.

Many would have you believe that this passage of scripture is a fairy tale or fable.  But Jesus said, “there was a certain rich man that went to hell”, (a place prepared for the devil and his angels). Please do not take this out of context. It doesn’t mean all rich people are going to hell. Only those who do not accept Christ as their Savior.  The beggar died and as soon as he departed his earthly life, the angels immediately carried his spirit to a place called Abraham’s bosom, the place of the righteous dead at that time which is now in the heavens. His body was on earth in the grave, but his spirit was with God. “Desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom.  The rich man also died and was buried.”  (Luke 16:21), notice this verse says the angels took him.

Request # 1
Notice verse 24 says, “The rich man recognized he was being tormented in a flames.”  He was informed by Abraham to think back during his lifetime. Remember he is dead, but his spirit is somewhere else and he is having a dialogue with Father Abraham. This verse also stated that he thirst for water.  His appetite was alive. He requested Lazarus dip the tip of his finger in water to cool his tongue.  Notice verse 25 says, “the rich man memory was intact. But Abraham said, son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receiveth thy good things and Lazarus evil.” 

Request # 2
The rich man request was for Lazarus to go back to earth and testify to his five brothers and tell them not to come to this place.

I pray thee send Lazarus to my Father’s house. I have five brethren that (he) may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.

Requests denied Luke 16:29-31
Abraham saith unto him. They have Moses and the prophets, let them hear them.  And he said, nay, father Abraham, but if one went unto them from the dead they will repent.

And he said unto the rich man, if they hear not Moses and the prophets, either will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead. Now, my friend, God does not want you to disturb the dead in any way, especially through séance, in order to obtain any kind of guidance. God stated in (Deuteronomy 18:10-12)

“ Let no one be found among you … who practices divination (black magic or white), or sorcery, interprets omens (one who call on the evil spirit for aid), engages in witchcraft (fortune teller, sorcerer), or casts spell, or who is a medium, spiritist (consults with spirits) or necromancer (consult the dead) anyone who does these things are detestable to the Lord (NIV).

Beloved, no one knows the way to  heaven or hell; therefore, when we die an angel will come and escort us to our destination.

Worship: Hearts Connecting To God

Published on: by Ora Holloway Category:Worship

…let us come before His presence with thanksgiving and enter into His courts with praise (Ps. 100).
O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker” (Ps. 95:6).

The definition of worship in Hebrew is “Shachah” meaning to prostrate, to bow or fall down in submission as to pay homage.  Worship is not about how the presence of God falls on you nor is it about how wonderful you can sing or pray it’s not about impressing others. Worship is about our spirit  connecting to the heart of God and  hearing what He has to say. Worship is about being truthful and bowing in submission before God. “But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him” (John 4:23, 24).

The Father is seeking believers who will worship from their born-again spirit instead of an intellectual knowing. Intercession should begin with a heart filled with praise and thanksgiving. When we praise God, it leads us to a place of worship. According to the Americana International Encyclopedia, worship is defined as “giving honor to a divine God, to acknowledge Him worthiness.” It is words addressed to Him, either said or sung, to acknowledge His acts and greatness.

The Stirring of Worship
Worship is a stirring in your spirit where you begin to feel His presence and find yourself seated in the throne room of Heaven; a place where you are no longer concerned about your surroundings but basking in the Almighty’s presence.

  • Worship is a conversation between you and God.
  • Worship is the heart expression of love, praise and adoration to God and acknowledging his Lordship and supremacy.
  • Worship is an act of worship, reverence, honor expressed to a Holy God.
  • Worship is unashamed pouring out of our inner self unto your Lord.
  • Worship is obedience.  Worship is the ability to magnify God with your whole being, spirit, soul and body. True worship will always bring our heart closer to God.

Worship is the place where new songs, ideas, plans, vision, dreams and inventions are birthed. I call it dwelling in the secret place with God.

Worship and music calms trouble emotions, 2 Kings, Psalm 24:7 says, Lift up your hands, O you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. What are these gates? It’s the gates our heart, mind, will, soul and emotion. If we would lift off those ancient gates that barricade our hearts, the King of glory would come in and rest with us.

It’s sad to say, but we are living in a time where many are trying to worship the Father, without being connected to Him. God is a Spirit. No one is able to truly worship God in Spirit without being born of His Spirit. Jesus said, “…except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the spirit is spirit” (John 3:4-6).

Jesus said that which is born of the flesh (human birth) will produce fleshly results. The flesh will never connect with the Spirit of God without being born anew, at best we’ll only produce fleshly worship exciting the emotions of man, but not producing any spiritual. Flesh and spirit is like trying to mix oil and water; no matter how you stir the two they will never come together. Jesus explained to Nicodemus, one must be born again in order to communicate with God. In the natural realm we communicate through our five senses—tasting, smelling, touching, seeing and hearing.

Therefore, in order to worship and fellowship with God a person must possess God’s nature. He is a Spirit (John 4:24). Your  spirit must be born again before you can connect with God. How can you become born from above and enter into true worship? You must repent of your sins, confess and acknowledge that you are a sinner, ask for His forgiveness and then invite Him into your heart to live forever.

What Is Meant By Prophetic Worship?

Published on: by Ora Holloway Category:Worship

O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker” (Ps. 95:6).

What does it mean to move prophetic in worship? It means to move with an awareness of the desire and leading of the Holy Spirit to discern the direction of the Spirit and to lead the people of God in that direction. Worship is also a way of expressing our love for God. Worship is the humbling of self and the exalting of God, which brings brokenness that is a key element of worship.

Prophetic Worship is an expression of our spirit in direct communion with our Maker; sharing and receiving from Him as well as giving Him homage, honor, and reverence for who He is.  We should not rush into God’s presence unprepared and insensitive to His majesty. When we commune with God, our spirit becomes one with Him, and we are on the same page with God. We are connected.

First Corinthians 6:17 says, “But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.” That gives room for the Holy Spirit. Jesus says, “…when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come.”  (John 16:13)

“The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.” (1 Cor. 2:14 NIV)

Prophetic Worship will usher one into the presence (glory) of the Lord. It will at times bring brokenness or conviction within one’s heart. Prophetic worship will prompt us to examine ourselves, revealing the true nature of our hearts so that we may see ourselves the way we really are, without hiding behind the mask. Isaiah 6:5 gives a perfect example of this. “Woe is me! For I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.”

Isaiah was convicted of his mouth and his sinful condition. He saw himself as an unclean man before a Holy God. His sins were revealed, and he saw himself unworthy to be in the presence of a Holy God. Isaiah became broken and confessed he wasn’t in his proper place. So often, we find ourselves in a place that we know we should not be in. We allow our members to indulge in things that are displeasing and that we know is wrong in the site of God. “..for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart brings forth good things and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.. But I say unto you, that a every idle word that men shall speak they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.  For by thy words thou shall be justified and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.” (Matthew 12:34-37.)

Prophetic Worship will reveal the envy, strife, greed, hatred, lust, pride, anger, evil desires, malice and a host of other things in our hearts that must be repented of. I believe when we are in the presence of God any existing unrighteousness is brought to the surface so that we can begin to deal with the issues of our hearts.

Waiting is another attribute of worship. Prophetic Worship is characterized and developed through the process of waiting upon God. We must learn to wait before our Father in prayer, reading the word and listening to His voice. True worship requires submission of the whole person—spirit, soul and body. True worship will cause us to examine ourselves, our motives and the way we respond to people and situations.  The question was asked in Psalms, “…who shall stand in his holy place (His presence)? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart…” (Ps. 24:3, 4). From this place you can petition, intercede, declare and do spiritual warfare. This is a place where your prayers can cause changes to take place on the Earth.

Should we praise Him? For the Lord is good; His loving kindness is everlasting, and His faithfulness to all generations.

Praise is always proceeding before worship. That means we should act according to Psalm 100. We should:

  1. Shout joyfully, Serve His with gladness, Come with joyful singing; Know our God who made us.
  2. Enter His gates with thanksgiving, His courts with praise, Give thanks and bless His name.

Prophetic Intercession

Published on: by Ora Holloway Category:Intercession

The definitions of intercession is “to cause a coming together or meeting between two opposing sides for the purpose of bringing agreement.” To engage in prophetic intercession is to commit to praying through God’s prophetic purposes. In this ministry you become a co-laborer working together with God, you enter into partnership with the Almighty. Prophetic is only prophetic, if it brings you into the knowledge of what’s on the heart and mind of God. It can be an inner conviction of his will,  a sudden revelation from His word,  hearing the condition of some situation or event that triggers the prophetic spirit to move and react.

  1. Prophetic Intercession is waiting before God in order to hear or to receive God’s burden, His Word, His concern, His directive, His vision or His promises, then responding back to the Lord and/or to the people with appropriate actions or instructions. When operating in prophetic intercession, there may be times of weeping and travailing. Sometimes one may experience pain in his/her body. There are burdens given for an immediate response and there are others you will carry with you over a period of time. When you have the heart of God you’ll begin to experience brokenness and your heart begin to connect with the purposes of God’s heart (Luke 2:36)
  2. Prophetic Intercessors have the ability to receive instant prayer requests from the prompting of  the Spirit of God that should be prayed about until the burden is lifted. Prophetic intercession  often times come with instruction, direction, guidance, confirmation and warning regarding  unseen situations and circumstances.
  3. Prophetic Intercession can come in the form of a sudden urge or a prayer burden, prayer  prompting, strong crying and/or a certain feeling of sadness flowing deep within. I have even  experienced a sensation of hunger, but not for food. This is an example of God interrupts an  intercessor’s schedule and stepping in to alter certain situations for another person.
  4. Prophetic Intercession paves the way for the fulfillment of the promises and prayer requests.  Prophetic intercession is an urgency or pulling on one’s spirit to pray, given by the Holy Spirit for  situations or circumstances with which you have little knowledge of in the natural. When we do  this, we begin to pray requests that are in the heart of God. “Surely the Lord GOD will do  nothing, but he revealeth His secret unto his servants the prophets” (Amos 3:7).
  5. Prophetic Intercession includes intercession and prophecy. As we pray what the Holy Spirit  reveals, God releases it in the Earth.
  6. Prophetic Intercession is where the anointing of the prophet and priest merge together and  plead with God about situations and circumstances in order to fulfill God’s divine purpose and  will. “But if they are prophets, and if the word of the LORD is with them, let them now make intercession  to the LORD of Hosts…” (Jer. 27:18).

What is Prayer Intercession?

Published on: by Ora Holloway Category:Intercession

“And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.”  (Ezek. 22:30)

What is prayer intercession?  Prayer Intercession is being an advocate on behalf of someone else physically or spiritually. Prayer Intercession is standing in another place before God to stay the hand of destruction. Prayer intercession is a prayer shield to ward off the attacks of the enemy. God said to Ezekiel that he looked for an intercessor that would stand in the gap but found none. Spiritual intercession is the hand of God reaching down and connecting with our problems, situations, circumstances and affairs.

Intercession is a background support ministry to the Body of Christ. This is a very important assignment. Much evil and various sins have entered our society because we as intercessors have not remained faithful in guarding, protecting, shielding and hedging. Thereby opening the door to the spirit of destruction. “And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor…” (Isa. 59:16).

If  intercessors were on their guard in prayer, God would not have any need to say He was unable to find  them. Where are the faithful intercessors? As intercessors we operate and move in two worlds, the physical and spiritual. Therefore, it is imperative to guard your spiritual post. Any effective prophetic intercessor must have a quiet place, a place to get away and be alone. The Psalmist says, “Be still, and know that I am God” (Ps. 46:10). On many occasions Jesus went to a solitary place to pray and to be alone, especially right after ministering. Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus would arise and go to a solitary place, where He prayed (Mark 1:35).

Another requirement for effective intercession is being righteous before God. That means to confess and repent of un-confessed sin and clothe yourselves in righteousness. When it seems as though you have difficulty getting into the presence of God, begin by sitting still and begin to speak in your heavenly language (tongues) for it makes your faith stronger. “But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost” (Jude 20).

The character of intercessors should be integrity, humility, loyalty, honesty and faithfulness. Character is the real you, not your gift Intercessional gift on display.