Prophetic Prayer-Shema: A Prophetic Lullaby

Many of the songs we learned in elementary or Sunday school or that our parents sang to us as infants, still ring in our memories even decades later. When faced with one of life’s most difficult questions, Christ sang a children’s lullaby.

As Jesus’ ministry continued to grow, and more and more people began to follow Him. The religious elite at the time, The Pharisees and Sadducees, tried to stumble Jesus with obscure religious questions that would divide the crowds into arguing factions and hopefully end His Ministry. Previously, the Pharisees asked whether the Imperial Tax should be paid to Caesar, while the Sadducees asked about marriage after the Resurrection.

When Jesus was again challenged by the teachers of the Law, asking what the greatest commandment was, they were laying down another desperate rhetorical trap, hoping to finally have an excuse to criticize and condemn Him. This mob consisted of some of the most highly educated and trained religious leaders in the Nation of Israel. They would have had the equivalent of a Doctorate in Theology or Law and their extensive education made them feel as though they should be the ones the crowds should be clamoring to hear from.

When Jesus finally answered their question, the audience would have been astonished to have heard the familiar tune that they all knew from their childhoods, pass from His lips.

The words were all the same, but some mother’s sang to their children with lovely sweet tender voices, while others were rough and raspy but still filled with love for their baby and the G3D who had blessed them with their little marvel.

Yisra’eil, Adonai Eloheinu, Adonai echad

The stanza was a command directed to all of Israel, but modern Followers should still head its Wisdom.

Shema Yisra’eil

Hear, O Israel

Somehow, hear doesn’t quite fit everything that is being said. It’s probably best translated as “Listen”. G3D doesn’t want us to just hear His Voice, He wants us to Listen and Obey.

Adonai Eloheinu

The Lord is our G3D

Though they were surrounded by pantheons of false foreign gods, they knew they belonged to the One True Living G3D. And if He was their G3D, it meant that they were His People and had the blessed opportunity to worship and praise Him.

Adonai echad

The Lord is One

Better understood as the “Lord alone”, meaning they were to serve G3D exclusively. Though the Romans worshiped not only their gods but also their emperors and government, G3D’s People instead were to serve Him exclusively.

Love the Lord Your G3D with all your Heart, Soul, Mind, & Strength.

The rest of Christ’s response was also possibly sung as well and is the focus of the Greatest Commandment. We are to love our Creator with every aspect of our being.

While the religious leaders of the day sought to try to make obeying G3D complex and complicated, so that the average worshiper was required to go through them to understand the Law, Jesus presented a different option. The Greatest Commandment was the very first prayer a Jewish child learned to recite and something that every member of the community would have already known by heart. This prophetic lullaby was simple and fundamental and was also the basis for hearing and serving G3D.

Incidentally, the Shema is the accidental basis for PMT’s motto. It is the inaugural Prayer children learned, its first word instructs reciters to Hear what is being said, and the closing lines explain how we can Obey our G3D through the many facets of our three part being.

Following Christ doesn’t need to be complicated. We say Pray, Hear, & Obey; It’s the Christian Way. For the audience who was watching Jesus being confronted by the religious leaders of His era, He put it in a way every man, woman, and child could understand: He sang the Shema, a prophetic children’s song.

To learn more about Prophetic Songs and Lullabies, check our our latest CPN podcast at the link below.

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Prepared by, Kent Simpson, Apostolic Prophet & Eric Sepulveda, PMT Administrator

Prophetic Prayer-Hide & Seek His Voice

Popular films, such as War Room, about prayer closets being an essential part of Christian households, have made the concept of a special secluded place to connect with G3D mainstream. Though Jesus didn’t have a dedicated room, He demonstrates how separation and seclusion were necessary for even the Son of G3D to connect with Our Father in Heaven.

The first time that prayer closets are mentioned is when Christ is speaking to the crowds listening to him preach, warning them not to be like the religious leaders at the time who gave their tithes and offerings in the Temple with great fanfare to receive applause and recognition by those in the streets. Likewise, these proud and boisterous hypocrites would pray loudly in the synagogues and street corners to receive attention for their supposedly religious behavior.

Christ instead instructs that when we pray, we should go into our room or a closet, close the door, and pray to our Heavenly Father, who is unseen. Then our Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward us.

While Jesus was trying to make sure that His Followers did not mirror the examples of their religious elite, I’ve always wondered how exactly G3D would reward us for choosing to pray privately. Given the fact that Christ practices this principle multiple times throughout His Ministry, it’s obvious that even He sought these same blessings and rewards.

Early in Jesus ministry, we see Him leave the home He was staying in and “very early in the morning, while it was still dark…and went off to a solitary place, where He prayed” (ref. Mark 1: 35).

Even after “news about Him spread even further, and large crowds were gathering to hear Him and to be healed of their sicknesses, Jesus…would still often slip away to the Wilderness and pray” (ref. Luke 5:15-16).

With all the voices of the sick and hurting constantly in His Ear, Jesus felt it necessary to separate Himself so that He could know what the Father wanted Him to do. Likewise, if we don’t make special efforts to remove ourselves from the demands and shouts of the World, it is hard to be able to hear His Voice.

The day before Jesus called His Disciples to Himself and chose twelve of them to be designated as Apostles, He “went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to G3D” (ref. Luke 6:12-13). As the world is turned upside down, in a new way, nearly every other week, it becomes even more important than ever to know what path that G3D intends for us to go. Whether it’s deciding business or romantic partners, career paths, where to live, or any other major life choices, spending secluded time in prayer with G3D will give you insights and answers you couldn’t realize on your own.

After hearing about His cousin, John the Baptist’s beheading, even Jesus withdrew privately to a solitary place (Matthew 14:13). Jesus was human and experienced deep feelings, including sadness and heartbreak. When we are overcome by these sometimes crippling emotions, we should take our overwhelmed heart to G3D who is the Great Comforter.

Jesus even encouraged His Disciples to go to solitary places to rest and pray. After sending out the Disciples to preach, drive out demons and heal many people, they returned to report all that they had done and taught. The crowds of people following them was so massive that they didn’t even have an opportunity to eat. So Jesus instructed them to “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest. So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place” (ref. Mark 6:30-31).

During the night of His arrest and betrayal by Judas, Jesus privately prayed intensely to G3D at Gethsemane, on the Mount of Olives, asking if the trial He was about to endure could pass from Him, but ultimately declaring that G3D’s Will be done. Christ was answered by an Angel from Heaven who appeared to Him and strengthened Him (ref. Luke 22:39-44). While not all of our prayers will be answered with responses that we will forgo what we fear, G3D will still send blessings to strengthen us to overcome our earthly challenges.

We know that prayer is important to G3D and that “the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective” (ref. James 5:16) but with our over-connected world and constant array of distractions, it’s difficult to fulfill the call to “devote [ourselves] to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart”, which is why we need to find a place where these distractions are not present.

As Covid-19 continues to spread and kill people throughout our country and around the world, and widespread political, social, and economic unrest has incited violent riots and looting, too many Christians have turned their eyes to their leaders or searched for replacements for their positions. But neither a change in administrations nor the extension of current leadership will do little if the problems in our lands stem from the problems in our hearts. G3D tells us that if His People “will humble themselves and pray and seek [His] Face and turn from their wicked ways, [He] will hear from Heaven and forgive their sins and restore their land” (ref. 2 Chronicles 7:14).

If finding time to be alone with G3D in prayer is capable of helping reset our nation’s path, how much more will our personal lives be affected by praying in solitude.

Christ’s Prayer Life is set as an example to us of how we should be in constant communication with our Father in Heaven. Before we begin new paths, when we are recovering, when the World is demanding our constant attention, when the World breaks our hearts, and when Life is too hard, we need to Hide and Seek His Voice. Hearing from Him is the great reward we’ll receive.

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Prepared by, Kent Simpson, Apostolic Prophet & Eric Sepulveda, PMT Administrator

Prophetic Prayer-Did G3D Reinstate Prophecy?

For decades, there has been contentious questioning about whether the full five-fold ministry & spiritual gifts, including prophecy, has been reestablished in the modern age after a long period of inactivity following the 1st Century Church. What if He never stopped talking; we just stopped listening?

The argument that G3D suspended miraculous spiritual signs and wonders, including spiritual gifts and the office of Prophet after the events recorded in Scripture, comes from the fact that they expected G3D to fit their limited definitions of projected communication and behavior. There’s a similar dispute by Jewish Tradition, which states that prophecy ended after the Destruction of the First Temple, despite numerous examples of G3D communicating to His People.

Priest Zechariah, Father of John the Baptist, was confronted by Archangel Gabriel about his future son’s birth, while performing the incense offering. He remained in the Temple for an extended period of time and after exiting and being unable to speak, the other priests recognize that Priest Zechariah had received some kind of revelation, though they believed through a vision (ref. Luke 1: 8-23). After John’s birth, Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied (v. 67-79).

Mary was also informed by Archangel Gabriel that she would give birth despite being a virgin. When Mary went to visit her relative Elizabeth, the wife of Priest Zechariah, baby John the Baptist leapt in his mother’s womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Elizabeth recognized that Mary was carrying the promised Messiah and gave praise for Mary’s faith (ref. Luke 2:26-45).

When Joseph, the fiancé of Mary, discovered that she was pregnant, he quietly considered divorcing her, but was visited by an angel of the Lord in a dream informing Joseph that the child was the Messiah (ref. Matthew 1: 18-25). After Jesus’ birth, Joseph was again visited by an angel of the Lord, informing him that they needed to flee to Egypt to avoid the massacre that King Herod had planned.” After Herod’s destruction of the Innocents, he died and again Joseph was visited by an angel of the Lord in a dream, informing him that was safe to return to Israel. In yet another dream, Joseph was told to move to the district of Galilee in a city called Nazareth where Jesus grew up (ref. Matthew 2:13-235:2), that Christ would be born in Bethlehem of Judea. After this, they again were able to follow the star to find Jesus and were warned in a dream not to return to Herod and to go back home another way.

When Christ was brought to the Second Temple in Jerusalem, so his parents could perform the redemption of the firstborn son, there were people waiting for the “consolation of Israel” (Luke 2:25, 38). This is a reference to an additional ritual that occurred on or after the Yom Kippur animal sacrifice ceremony. First seen during the leadership of High Priest Simeon the Righteous, half of the red ribbon tied around the goat sent into the Wilderness was taken and hung on the Temple door. When the animal finally died, the scarlet threads would turn white. This miracle was meant to be a sign that G3D had not only forgiven the sins of the nation of Israel, but had also purified them.

According to Jewish Tradition, the red ribbon would turn white on Yom Kippur during the time of High Priest Simeon the Righteous, but after his death, many of the associated miracles during his tenure began to stop and sometimes it took days or weeks after Yom Kippur for the red ribbon to turn white after the death of the sacrificed goat in the wilderness. It is fitting that devoted men and women gathered at the Temple to wait for this miracle, this “consolation of Israel”, through which G3D spoke to His People.

Unsurprisingly, “the Rabbis taught that forty years prior (starting at Jesus’ Crucifixion in 30 A.D.) to the Destruction of the Temple (in 70 A.D.) [expected miracles related to Yom Kippur failed to occur such as] the lot did not come up in the [High Priest’s] right hand nor did the [ribbon] of scarlet wool become white…” (ref. Talmud, Tractate Yoma 39b). A definite clear statement by G3D to His People.

While the family of Jesus was at the Temple, a righteous and devout man, fittingly named Simeon, who had the Holy Spirit upon him, came to see the Christ Child as the Holy Spirit had said that Simeon would not die before he had seen the Messiah. After praising G3D, Simeon the righteous man, prophesied to Mary about Jesus’ role in the world (ref. Luke 2: 22-33).

In addition to Righteous Simeon’s blessing and prophecy, an elderly prophetess named Anna who had also been waiting in the Temple, fasting and praying day and night, recognized that Christ was not only the True Redemption of Jerusalem that the crowds had been waiting for but also the Messiah. This prophetess had the clarity to recognize both and gave thanks to G3D and spoke to the crowds about who Christ was and how He had come to redeem them permanently.

G3D has been in continual communication with Man in some way since the Creation of Adam. Though Jewish tradition holds that Prophecy ended some 2,500 years ago and some modern Christians contend that G3D’s Voice was strangled 2,000 years ago, they are both wrong because they refuse to recognize all the Ways G3D is able to communicate to us.

Whether by visions as Zechariah’s fellow priests anticipated. Or by visits by angels as Zechariah and Mary were blessed by. Both Joseph and the Wise Men from the East had dreams informing them of coming danger and G3D’s intentions. The Wise Men followed a star to Jerusalem and the Chief Priests and Scribes were able to locate Christ’s location through the writing of minor prophet Micah. Elizabeth, mother of John the Baptist, recognized Mary as the Mother of Christ after her baby leapt in her womb. High Priest Simeon the Righteous instituted prophetic signs of Redemption associated with the Yom Kippur sacrifice and the people of Jerusalem used the scarlet ribbon turning white as a message from G3D, that He had purified Israel. Simeon the righteous man, waiting for the Redemption of Jerusalem, was covered by the Holy Spirit and told that he would see the Messiah before his death and even prophesied to Mary. And Anna, an aged Prophetess, received direct revelation from G3D that this was the Christ and told everyone waiting for the Redemption of Jerusalem that this child would be the Final Sacrifice.

Many well-meaning preachers claim that the gifts, positions, and power have been reinstated in this Modern Age. They are incorrect, but not in the same way the first century Jews were wrong. They expected Him to communicate in their specific ways, so they ignored all the signs and ways He spoke to them. G3D never stopped talking, we are just finally learning to listen.

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Prepared by, Kent Simpson, Apostolic Prophet & Eric Sepulveda, PMT Administrator

Prophetic Prayer-Calling Down Fiery Forces

While Western Nations burst into violent riots and looting, and extremists attack and burn down churches, police stations, & courthouses, it’s easy to wonder where G3D is amongst the Chaos. We must remember that the Hosts of Heaven has Fiery Forces standing ready to be activated and called down on behalf of His Faithful Followers who abide in His Will.

When Syria was at war with Israel, the King of Israel was wise and received regular military advice from Prophet Elisha, the Man of G3D, who would make recommendations on troop movements and camp locations based on the information that he had received prophetically. This advice was greatly cherished, because Elisha heard the very words that the King of Syria spoke in his bedchamber.

When the King of Israel was able to route Syria and prevent being overtaken on multiple occasions, the King of Syria became suspicious that there was a spy in his chamber of counselors. They all explained that they were loyal to him, but were aware of the prophetic power that Elisha had which spoiled the king’s plans for military conquest.

The King of Syria determined that he would send a huge military force to capture Elisha in the city of Dothan where he was staying. So a grand army of horses and chariots surrounded the city by night and prepared to besiege the city and capture Prophet Elisha.

Elisha’s assistant rose early in the morning and when walking around the city border saw how the city had been encircled by a massive military force ready to destroy and it burn down. He panicked and ran to Elisha asking in desperation “What will we do?!”

Elisha was calm since he trusted in G3D, replying, “Do not be afraid, the forces that are on our side are far greater than theirs”.

Then Elisha prayed, asking “O Lord, please open his eyes that he may see”.

So the LORD opened the eyes of Elisha’s assistant and he beheld a marvelous sight: the mountain was filled with horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. The Hosts of Heaven were ready to do battle on behalf of G3D’s entrusted prophet and annihilate the forces that sought to steal, kill, and destroy.

But because Elisha knew G3D’s Will, he did not call for their utter ruin and a grand show of power that would make the bloodiest battles of military history seem like lite skirmishes. He did not call for vengeance for challenging G3D’s anointed.

When the Syrians charged the city, ready to besiege and tear it down, Elisha prayed to the LORD, asking humbly, “Please strike this people with blindness”.

G3D, who had opened the eyes of Elisha’s attendant to see the horses and chariots of fire ready for battle, sealed the eyes of the Syrian military and struck them all blind in accordance with the prayer of Elisha.

Elisha calmly left the city walls and went amongst the mighty men of battle, clad in their armor and their weapons of war in hand, and told them that they were in the wrong location and the wrong city. He explained that if they followed him, he would take them to the person they were looking for.

The very men who had trained and prepared themselves for violence, to tear apart the Man of G3D, were pathetically led by him in their disabling blindness to the border of Samaria. When they had left Israel, Elisha prayed asking that G3D would restore their sight, where they saw and realized that they were now in Samaria.

When the King of Israel saw that Elisha had led the Syrian military to him, he asked the Prophet excitedly “My father, shall I strike them down? Shall I strike them down?”

Seeing the men who had been sent to capture and kill him, Prophet Elisha replied, “You will not strike them down. Would you kill those you have taken captive with your sword and your bow? They are prisoners of war, so provide them with food and drink so that they can be prepared to go back to their master.”

So the King of Israel prepared a great feast for the military he had been at war with and the men who had been send to capture and kill Prophet Elisha. After they had eaten and drank their fill, they were sent back to the King of Syria and the Syrians did not raid the land of Israel again.

As strategically profitable as it was to be able to hear the King of Syria’s voice in his bedchamber when he discussed military strategy, hearing, knowing, and obeying the Voice of G3D was of greater importance.

While Elisha could have called down a massive military, emblazoned for earth shaking warfare, he first sought to align himself with G3D’s Will.

Rather than ending the lives of an entire military, G3D instead chose to humble them by gently taking away their power to see.

When led to the King of Israel and given the opportunity to execute them, G3D’s Prophet instead ordered that they be declared prisoners of war, and given water and food.

After the soldiers were returned to the King of Syria, they told stories of the G3D who took away their sight, the prophet they were sent to kill, leading them through the entire country, and the king whom they had been at war with, giving them a banquet before sending them back home to their families. Whether out of awe, gratefulness, or fear, the Syrian army stopped raiding Israel. It was out of G3D’s Gentleness & Kindness, rather than the power of destruction, ready to be unleashed, that Peace overtook Israel (ref. 2 Kings 6:8-23).

We must remember that we serve the very same G3D that is able to open our eyes and reveal to us spiritual things, is also able to close the earthly eyes of those that threaten us. The very same G3D that readies armies to rescue us and destroy our enemies, is also able to humble them and make them experience His Power and Might, without shedding a drop of blood.

Prophet Elisha’s true strength did not lie in his ability to hear the plans of the foreign king or reign down death from above by the Heavenly Hosts, but to Hear G3D’s Voice and know when it was His Will to use force, or to kill them with kindness. Likewise, as societal, cultural, and political tensions exacerbate, before we instinctively ask for heavy handed responses or implement appeasement campaigns, we should first seek Him in Prayer, Hear His Voice, & Obey His Will.

Then our nations will be ruled by His Peace.

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Prepared by, Kent Simpson, Apostolic Prophet & Eric Sepulveda, PMT Administrator

Prophetic Prayer-Prayer for Understanding

Prophet Kent Simpson often says “It’s not enough to Hear G3D; you gotta know what He means”. Spiritually, whether that is speaking in tongues, or receiving prophecy, knowledge without understanding, doesn’t make any sense.

In Paul’s Letter to the Corinthians, he tells them that they should desire spiritual gifts and should actively use them for the strengthening of the Church. Since each gift contributed a necessary aspect to the Body, they would all be needed for the group to function properly.

But one of the issues that he brings up is the use of spiritual gifts that, when used without their compliment, would only benefit the user, without bringing blessings to the Church.

Paul singles out Speaking in Tongues, since it was originally meant to serve as a sign to those who do not believe. If a group of believers gathered together and an unbelieving outsider saw them all speaking in different languages, none of which the speakers nor those watching understood, the outsiders would think the group to be insane (1 Corinthians 14:22-23).

Paul compounds that “unless I understand the meaning of what someone says to me, we will be like foreigners to each other” (v.11) and that speaking in unknown tongues when no one can translate would be like an instrument like a flute or harp that was not making clear musical notes, muddying the potentially beautiful music (v.7). You could be Praising G3D or thanking Him for His Blessings, but because what is said is not understood, other people in the community cannot be helped (v.16-17).

If you are already blessed with being able to speak in different languages already (especially unknown tongues), Paul instructs that we should pray for the gift of interpretation so that we may understand what is spoken. In this way, your Spirit and Mind (one of the aspects of our Soul) can join in unison and praise G3D fully. By speaking and interpreting tongues, you will pray and sing in the Spirit and Mind and those around you will be able to be blessed and helped since they will understand (v. 13-17).

Paul performs what a modern reader would call a humble brag, when he thanks G3D that he speaks in more tongues than any other within the Church. But he follows up that rather than speaking a thousand words in another language no one is able to translate, it is better that he speaks only five words that he can interpret and understand, since that gives him the opportunity to teach others (v. 18-19).

Because it must be understood by others for their strengthening, encouragement, and comfort, Paul encourages the Church members to actively pray for the gift of Prophecy (v.5) as it is one of the gifts that help the Church grow stronger (v.12). Though of course, prophecy is not limited to positively affecting people’s lives and emotions.

Though Prophecy is a sign for people who believe, if the whole congregation gathered together and all began to prophecy, and outsiders witnessed this, they would be convicted by their sin and judged by the wait of the words that fell on their ears. The secrets that they thought had been hidden in their hearts would be known and they would bow down in wonder and awe and worship G3D, declaring that “Truly G3D is with you” (v22-25).

While Prophecy should be desired as a spiritual gift, since those giving the message will speak with greater understanding, since it should be in a shared language, speaking in other tongues should not be discouraged, especially if those with the gift of interpretation are present. As Paul writes regarding the ideal Church meeting, one speaks in a different language, and another person interprets that language, each supporting the other with their spiritual gifts. But if there is no interpreter, they should still speak secret things in their Spirit to G3D (v.2, 28).

Though this speaking through the Spirit is uplifting to your personal relationship with G3D, it is essentially a half-blessing as you miss out on understanding what your Spirit is crying out and your spiritual community is denied this as well. Because our gifts all work for the purpose of building up an strengthening the Body, it is so important that those who speak in tongues pray that they also have the gift to interpret them or that G3D provides them with a member of the Body to aid with their gift to understand what has been said.

Likewise regarding prophecy, especially scriptural that was meant for a previous generation, it is important that we understand what was said so that we can see how it was fulfilled. Modern prophecy also must be expressed in a way that the receiver can understand and can use G3D’s Message to change their lifestyles, prepare for the future, or be comforted by His Presence.

If you weren’t already aware, PMT has partnered with Charisma Podcasting Network to host our School of Prophetic Knowledge show. Prophet Kent Simpson’s new series teaches listeners to Pray, Hear, & Obey; while Prophetess Savannah & PMT Administrator Eric Sepulveda are laying down the basics of Prophetic Principles, Properties, & Performances.

While the greater gift is not only being able to speak in tongues, but also to interpret what is being said, which is only superseded by prophecy, we hope these new resources are a great blessing to you during this time of great uncertainty & increase your understanding. By not only knowing how to hear G3D, but also being able to comprehend what He is means, we will be able to fulfill His Will on Earth.

You can check out the Podcast from these sources

Charisma Podcast Network

Apple Podcasts

Google Play

Spotify

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Prepared by, Kent Simpson, Apostolic Prophet & Eric Sepulveda, PMT Administrator