newsletter
Servant Ministries, Inc.
Issue No. 113 Ira & Judy Milligan Oct 1, 2007

United Ministers’ Fellowship Conference Report

It is interesting that I’ve been writing about, “contending for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints” in The Prophet’s Perspective because that’s exactly what we did in Joshua. We fought – and won! As usual, we started the conference with fellowship and prayer but we didn’t get a real breakthrough until we overcame the restraints of religious tradition and pressed into the Spirit. The rewards were impressive. Many were healed, including one woman who has walked with a painful limp for 54 years! She participated in an old fashioned, Pentecostal style, “Jericho March” and her knee was healed as she marched. In fact, several more received healing in their knees. I wonder if it’s because knees represent “submission” and when we willingly submitted to the Spirit’s leading and marched, He responded by answering our prayers – or maybe it was just coincidental – you think?

I’m reminded of the ten lepers in Luke 17:14 who asked Jesus to heal them: “...[Jesus] said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, [obeyed] they were cleansed.” Many of God’s people long to experience something new and refreshing but their religious traditions stand in their way. These traditions were developed over time and they served their purpose well, but God is calling for a change now, so it’s imperative that we learn to obey!

The Prophet’s Perspective
Abiding in Him

Faith activates the anointing. The anointing to teach, preach, prophesy, heal, even the anointing to work miracles – regardless of what anointing is needed at any given time – all are readily available through faith. Paul said, “Do not say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into heaven?' " (that is, to bring Christ down from above)... The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach” (Rom. 10:6,8).

“The WORD is nigh thee...” Jesus is the Word! He is the one authorizing us to speak for Him and wanting us to work with Him. He said, “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me” (John 15:4). He continued with, “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you” (John 15:7). In both verses the one constant is “abide”. It isn’t enough to just pay God a visit during Sunday morning worship, we have to abide in Him 24/7! How is that possible? The answer is threefold – persistent study; frequent prayer and constant mediation upon His word.

When Joshua was sent into Canaan, God admonished him with, “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success” (Joshua 1:8). Notice that Jesus said, “If... My words abide in you...”. We cannot, “do according to all that is written in [the Scriptures]” as He instructed Joshua without first learning what they teach! This can only be accomplish by faithfully reading and meditating upon what they say.
We should discipline ourselves to read His word faithfully and pray frequently, but without “meditating upon His Word”, prayer and study quickly becomes little more than an empty ritual! It isn’t until we learn to “meditate in [His Word] day and night” that we actually begin experiencing the constant, abiding presence of His Spirit. As we learn to “practice the presence of God”, we began to see our prayers answered regularly and our faith soars to new heights. Jesus promised that if you live in His presence and His word lives in you, “you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you”.

Whether we are praying for ourselves or for someone else’s needs, answered prayer is a powerful incentive to nudge us toward developing a close, intimate relationship with God.” The much beloved and often quoted Psalm 91 is predicated upon this principle: “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty” (Psalm 91:1). David, the man after God’s own heart, testified. “You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forever-more” (Psalm 16:11). Amen!

“Helping Hands”

While we were at the conference in Joshua someone told me that at this present time traveling in northern Europe is “very expensive”. Since we have tentative plans to go and minister there next year their report troubled me a bit. But when we got home from the conference there was an offering in the mail along with a note pledging a specific amount toward the trip. Isn’t God amazing? He is wonderful? – Thanks friends. We couldn’t succeed without you!

Prayer Partners’ Update

It is not too early to start praying for next year’s conference in Branson. I’ll send out the registration forms in January. Another request is please help us pray for our 2008 mission trip to Scotland and Finland. Also, as we mentioned last month, we need you to pray with us that God would open new doors, at home and abroad, where our ministry can be the most effective. Thanks, and God bless you!

Misdirected Faith

The writer of Hebrews states that without faith it is impossible to please God. Since “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God”, when faith is mentioned most Christians immediately turn their thoughts toward the word (see Heb. 11:6; Rom. 10:17). But Jesus said, “Have faith in God” (Mark 11:22). Is there a difference? Can one’s faith be misdirected?

Jesus said that on judgment day many would say, “Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?” (Matt. 7:22). One cannot deny that these men and women operated in faith – their works certainly testify to that fact – but obviously, they completely failed to please God!

To please God we must know more than His word; we must know Him! This principle is illustrated in the Gospel of Luke: When the Samaritans refused to receive Jesus as He journeyed toward Jerusalem, James and John asked, "Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?" Both men knew the Scriptures, but Jesus “...rebuked them, and said, ‘You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives but to save them’.” (Luke 9:52-56). Their faith was based upon the letter of the word instead of upon the Spirit of the word.

It is also worthy of note that Jesus didn’t shake the dust off His feet against the Samaritans as He had previously instructed His disciples to do, either (see Matt. 10:14). Why? Because He planned on saving everyone of them in a citywide revival within a few, short, years! (See Acts 8:6-8).