Author Sheila Walsh reveals how you can pray from a place of victory

praying for you right now Sheila Walsh helps us understand that we are loved by God and we’re victorious because of Christ [Music] hi welcome to life today my name is Sheila Walsh and I’m so glad you joined me do you ever feel as if life just is just like one thing after another after another after another so let me ask you what it feels like everything is a struggle how do you pray through to get to a place of victory yeah I love this question victory it’s it’s a big word it’s hard to see going from struggle to hope so let me ask you this do you have what I call a fighting verse I do this is mine you’ll find it Psalm 27 I remain confident of this I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living wait for the Lord be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord the last two verses of Psalm 27 but honestly that didn’t always feel true to me I didn’t know that I would ever see the goodness of the Lord again in the land of the living now I knew I would see the goodness of the Lord when my life down here was over but when I was in the middle of the darkest struggle in my life I thought how will I ever get through this struggle now if you or anyone in your family has ever experienced severe depression you’ll understand the desperate hopelessness and the darkness it’s as if it’s as if your soul is trapped in a perpetual winter well although I didn’t feel that those verses that the words of those verses in some 27 were true I declared them to be true so many nights I would get out of bed and put my feet on the ground and I would declare those out live it so let me ask is there a scripture that you hold on to that you declare over your life when everything around you seems to be falling apart you know that is a great starting place to move forward in prayer now if you don’t have one maybe you know you even thought of having a fighting verse here’s just a few of my favorites the name of the Lord is a strong tower the godly run him and her safe you’ll find that in proverbs 18:10 or one of my most favorite ones those who live in the shelter of the most high will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty this I declare about the Lord he alone is my refuge my place of safety he is my god and I trust him you might want to write those down that Psalm 91 or what about this from a book you maybe haven’t read in a while Nahum Nahum 1:7 it says the Lord is good a strong refuge when trouble comes he is close to those who trust in him another one about the Lord being a tower of strength is this but you are a tower of refuge to the poor Oh Lord a tower of refuge to the needy in distress you are a rest of refuge from the storm and a shelter from the heat we can declare an arrest in these verses we can declare them out loud with absolute confidence because for one simple reason these are from the Word of God you know we don’t just hope their truth we know that truth and the great thing is the smallest weakest one who places their trust in Christ against all odds makes the demons in Hell tremble you know for the past two years I think have mentioned that I threw myself into studying what God’s Word says about prayer and one of the things that became crystal clear was this prayer was Christ’s weapon of choice have you ever noticed how many times in the Gospels we read that Christ withdrew to pray we read in Matthew chapter 14 after sending them home he went up into the hills by himself to pray we read this in mark chapter 1 before daybreak the next morning Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray we read this in Luke Luke chapter 6 as one day soon afterward Jesus went up on mountain to pray and he prayed to God all night now there’s many more references to Christ praying all night long before daybreak in Gethsemane before he faced the greatest battle of all prayer was Christ’s weapon of choice on this earth but did you know that it’s been his weapon ever since we read this there were many priests under the old system for death prevented them from remaining in office but because Jesus lives forever his priesthood lasts forever therefore he is able once and forever to save those who come to God through him but listen to this he lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf Hebrews chapter 7 we just pause for a moment and let that sink in Christ the spotless Lamb of God the one whose words brought our world into being the one who holds the Stars and the planets in place the one who was betrayed beaten tortured and crucified the one who rose from the dead is praying for you right now in that previous text the writer to the Hebrews talks about the old system where there would be a high priest who once a year entered the Holy of Holies to make a sacrifice to cover the sins of the people but it was an imperfect system because the priests after all were human and they would die and then a replacement priest had to be found but our high priest is Jesus who died once and rose again they will never be an interruption in his prayer for you well not only is prayer Christ’s weapon of choice do you know that it’s God’s chosen fragrance in heaven our son Christian was a student at Texas A&M in College Station he’s now in grad school at Houston Baptist but when he left for college we sold house and we downsized we used to live in Frisco Texas but now we’re in Dallas 30 minutes closer to where he was in College Station and so far he doesn’t seem to have noticed that were gradually inching toward him when we visited him when he was there there’s a hotel that we love to stand for a few reasons the hotel has a train themed College Station was named because it used to be the stop where students would get off the train to go to college in the elevator Nyssa tell you don’t press a button for your floor but for your platform the hotel’s mascot is a sheep and they have a life-sized flock scattered around the hotel now the first time we stayed there Barry thought it would be funny to fetch one of these big sheep from the lobby once I was asleep and put at my side of the bed now if you happen to be staying there at that time I would like to apologize if you walk to a blood-curdling scream but honestly the main reason we love this hotel is that the moment you walk through the doors that signature fragrance greets you it’s not like anything I’ve smelled before I asked at the front desk and they said it’s oak and amber and it’s light fragrances everywhere in the lobby the elevator and the rooms I once asked one of the staff why they chose that fragrance and he said that it represents a woodsy smell reminiscent of Texas nights it was specifically chosen to be used in that one hotel alone do you know that God has specifically chosen one fragrance for heaven and it’s the prayers of his people in the revelation that was given to John on the island of Patmos speaking of Jesus he wrote this down he stepped forward and took the scroll from the right hand of the one sitting on the throne and when he took the scroll the forward living beings and the 24 elders fell down before the lamb each one had a harp and they held gold bulls filled with incense which are the prayers of God’s people I mean again in Revelation he writes then another angel with a gold incense burner came and stood at the altar and great amount of incense was given to him to mix with the prayers of God’s people as an offering on the gold altar before the throne the smoke of the incense mixed with the prayers of God’s holy people ascended up to God from the altar where the angel had poured them out the Psalms David even knew that our prayers are like a fragrant offering to God this is what he wrote except my prayer as incense offered to you and my up raised hands as an evening offering you might remember that two of the gifts brought to Christ as a child from the three kings were frankincense and myrrh now in the Old Testament it was made clear that the only time frankincense could be used was in the Holy of Holies to offer up to God alone the gift from that King said that now God had come to live with us the myrrh used to anoint bodies for burial said that this King would indeed die for us I think about it God could have chosen anything as the fragrance of heaven he could have chosen church attendance art or tithing or good behavior God chose prayer when this present life is over and we’re finally entering and to heaven there it will be that familiar fragrance the prayers of God’s people sometimes our prayers our offerings of worship sometimes of petition but there are times when our prayers need to be prayers of authority boldly prayed in the name of Jesus on June the 6th 2019 the world paused to honor a significant date it was 75 years since d-day on that day which began the end of the Second World War British American and Canadian forces invaded northern France by means of beach landings in Normandy their steely commitment was to push back Hitler’s Nazi war machine remembering is a child asking my mom what she remembered about the war and she told me about the evening a young German paratrooper who’d missed his landing spot came down in my grandparents backyard well my grandfather called for the Home Guard to come and take him away but before they arrived mom slipped out to take a look at this enemy soldier he was just a boy she said how could this be an enemy there is a war however where the enemy is very clear there can be no missing his motives or evil intent no negotiating no possibility of a peace treaty because he is pure evil now when you and I move into praying with Authority it’s important to notice where we are sitting that begins by understanding where Christ is sitting right now this is what we read I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him this is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else not only in this world but also in the world to come God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church we read that Ephesians 1 that’s where Jesus is seated at God’s right hand but Paul goes on to explain that because of where Jesus is well you and I have been given a significant upgrade and where we are this is what he writes but God is so rich in mercy and he loved us so much that even though we were dead because of our sins he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead it is only by God’s grace that you’ve been saved for he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus now if we’d be known as frankly that’s a little bit hard to understand what does it mean that we’ve been seated in heavenly realms you know right now as far as I can see I’m seated in the studio here in Texas so what is Paul saying well he’s saying a few things one thing for sure just as death and judgment are behind Christ they are behind us too death has zero power over the believer we don’t ever have to be afraid we go straight from this life to be with Jesus also we will never face God’s judgment at the great white throne that’s only for those who have never accepted Christ’s sacrifice for their sins but I don’t know if you remember this you and I every will believer will stand before Christ to be judged this is what we read for we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body whether good or bad second Corinthians five now that judgment you’ll notice is not about punishment it’s about rewards don’t think from a moment that God missed everything you do to serve him for that anyone else Caesar or not God does whatever you do for God might not get the applause you wished for down here but just you wait till you get home just you wait so death and judgment are behind us but what else is Paul seeing we get a little more clarity when we read this since then you’ve been raised with Christ set your heart on things above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God set your mind on things above not on earthly things for you died and your life is now hidden with Christ in God when God looks at you and me he sees us seated with Christ already it’s a done deal Paul’s encouragement to the Colossians is helping them to see that yes you may be here for a while longer but this is not your real home and it’s not our real home either he’s encouraging us to set our hearts and our minds on what’s going to last forever you and I we are children of the king of all kings we’re not invited into his presence for a passing moment you and I we get to stay forever and honestly that makes me want to live differently now and I pray it does for you too I’m asking God that you will be able to hold your head up high no matter what no matter who has tried to diminish you to silence you to disrespect you to leave you let me tell you those things have a shelf life a sell-by date you have a future in heaven that no one can touch you are a loved child of God you’re victorious because of Christ and he shall reign forever and ever I know life can be discouraging down here perhaps you serve God faithfully over and over you’re always the one that shows up early for things or maybe the last one to leave and sometimes you think you know I don’t think anybody ever notices this let me tell you God doesn’t miss a thing and on that day when you and I stand before the judgment seat of Christ it said the passage goes on to say clearly that for some everything will just burn up at their feet like wood and hay and stubble because yeah they’re saved so their names in the Lamb’s Book of Life they are going to Eternity but they have nothing to offer back to the Lord but for you who have faithfully served you will discover that you will have jewels crown to throw back at the feet of Christ you know in one of the ways that you have done that and can continue to do that is the way that you have supported the ministries here at life today you know we I mission feeding I love being able to see water for life but one of the ministries is closest to my heart it’s what I want to show you right now there are some people who feel there is no hope but we can bring hope in the name of Jesus would you watch this the bonds of family are among the most powerful in humankind in areas stricken by poverty young children willingly seek jobs to support their households after being tricked and kidnapped at the age of 13 Sivan chenda was raped for a month to break her psychologically her captors also beat her and threatened her if she tried to escape and their methods were effective sitting here with Sivan Genda today we asked her why she did not escape at this moment and this was her answer on sizing like a champion thigh high volumes our kids don’t like we like make me what we’re dealing with here it is a very intentional evil I can’t unsee ah run hear the voices of these little girls Southeast Asia is so organized with their sex trafficking it has become a multi-million dollar business if not a billion dollar business so we have to be so intentional to say no we’re gonna stop this let me read you something from Ephesians chapter 6 this is first 12 for we are not fighting against flesh and blood enemies but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world against mighty powers in this dark world and against evil spirits in the heavenly places I have never felt that as much as I did walking those streets in Southeast Asia there is so much palpable evil from the pit of hell you know the young girl at the beginning there she said you know my family owed money and you think well you know what were they doing it was simply because so many of the areas we work in the the families are desperately poor and when someone in the family gets sick they have to borrow money from a moneylender to be able to get to get help they need and then when the moneylender wants the money back he has raised the interest over and over and over until there is no way that a poor family can pay that back and so that’s how so many of these young girls get tricked and trapped into trafficking me she thought she was gonna be serving food in a restaurant instead they serve her up in a plate this is wrong in Jesus name this is so wrong we have the most amazing partners who are boots on the ground in Southeast Asia and so many places and they have learned because just as these traffickers are organized we as the body of Christ have to be even more organized and intentional and here’s what they’re in it for the money we are in it for the kingdom of God and we need your help we have some friends who are particularly moved by some stuff they saw recently on our rescue life mission and they’ve put up 250,000 dollars as a matching gift which means they will match you dollar for dollar when we begin this process of reaching into the villages and warning children before they ever come close to being trafficked then when when it’s too late when we don’t get to girls in time in there they’re trapped you know we’ve seen the SWAT teams go in at midnight kick down the doors and pull these young girls out now we have a beautiful place where they can go and begin the journey of restoration that whole process to get that going in the life of one child cost 128 dollars but because of the matching gift if you’re able to give a hundred and twenty-eight dollars that will now be two girls pulled from this hellish place if you’re able to give $64 they will match it and now one girl will be begin that journey of going from utter darkness into the light of the love of Christ we need your help to do it they will reach rescue and restore as many girls as we can give them help so please would you go to your phone would you dial that number on your screen would you go online will you give the best gift possible let’s reach them let’s rescue them let’s restore them in the name of Jesus behind the bright lights there is a darkness where a world of innocence is lost and abuse runs rampant scarring the souls of children with no one and nowhere to turn for help with bodies broken and hopes crushed these young victims are trapped in a never-ending nightmare today you can shine the light of God’s love in this dark world to reach rescue and restore these young ones to the life God designed for them to live with a generous $250,000 matching gift now add your gift of 128 dollars to help reach rescue or restore one child can be double to help two children your sixty four dollar gift will be matched to help save one child from the horrors of human trafficking and a $32 mission rescue gift will be doubled to sixty four dollars with your gift we’ll send you this beautiful freedom bracelet and crafted by survivors of human trafficking who want to say thankful for helping those still trapped wear it as a wonderful reminder to pray for the outreach we do a gift of 128 dollars or more you’ll receive the freedom tote this quality canvas tote bag is made by trafficked survivors store now learning a new trade and include spiritual life resources such as books devotionals CDs or DVDs finally please consider a gift of twelve hundred eighty dollars which will now help rescue twenty children and you may request our beautiful new bronze sculpture a mother’s strength please call write or make your gift online vulnerable little children need three things they need to be reached we need to continue going into the village is going into the places where children vulnerable and warning them educating them they need rescued we have talked with some of the most amazing SWAT teams are going in and rescuing these little girls and seeing traffickers who go to prison but then the most beautiful part of this is this restore reach rescue restore we have seen where these girls are taken and their loved is our work here over absolutely not I think it’s never been more urgent but we need you to continue this work God is moving in the darkness and saving lives one life at a time thank you so much please keep calling and you know for any gift at all there’s a beautiful bracelet made by the girls who get rescued it’s it’s a way of being able to help restore them they get a job and they want you to have it as a thank you so for any gift at all we will send you the bracelet if you can give more if you can give 128 we have this beautiful tote that that also is made by the girls and we will put some of our some of our gifts from life outreach here in that bag for you and if you were able to give twelve hundred eighty dollars do you know that that will actually rescue and restore reach twenty girls and we’ll send you a beautiful bronze so I’m Sheila Walsh for all of us here at life today thanks for being with us god bless you and pull yourself away from never there promised to set you free [Music] you made a vow to your mother let you give your life to your father I’ll help you see [Music] ah a safe builds for the kingdom they seed this world the way God sees it Hasson Bevier uncovers the sacred identity of Saints life today is made possible by the supporters of Life outreach International your gift will be used exclusively for the exempt purposes of life the ministry features specific outreaches as examples of the programs it supports and conducts gifts are considered to be without restriction as to use unless explicitly stipulated by the donor the ministry is a member at the ECFA