Scripture: Luke 24 v 44 - 49: "And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.
45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,
46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:
47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
48 And ye are witnesses of these things.
49 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high."
It is very important that we understand the scriptures for it is our road map of life. We were lost in the dark on a lonely road before Jesus came into our hearts and shone His light on our path. He put the only right map in our hands, His Word, and gave us the directions for home. In Psalms it says, Your Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my feet.
If we read the map incorrectly we will remain lost in a wilderness of false doctrines, lies and confusion of heart, so we need to ask Jesus to open our understanding to read His Word the way it was intended.
Too many are being led astray by New Age versions of the Bible. The only truly accurate version is the King James Bible or the New King James (Modern English) published by Nelson. When compared with the modern versions in a number of places the words "Jesus Christ" are changed to "he".
In the scripture above Jesus ended this discourse by telling His disciples that He was sending the promise of the Father upon them, which is the power of the Holy Spirit, also known as the Paraclete i.e. the One who comes alongside us to help us through all the twists and turns along our path.
The Holy Spirit conveys our prayers to the throne of God and brings the answers to us. He also helps us interpret and understand clearly the direction we should take. We do best on the road less travelled which is the strait and narrow way. On this path our unique personality is discovered and our relationship with the Father and Jesus grows abundantly.
Jesus says the strait (or disciplined) and narrow (morally pure) way leads to life and few there be that find it. Its not easy to find because of the lack of unity and proper direction in the church. I found it when Jesus called me to follow Him on unbroken ground. I had to discard so much complicated churchianity, plus all forms of compromise, excuses and doctrinal errors to follow His footprints - but it has been an awesome walk and those who choose this way receive many blessings for faithful service.
If we understand the Word of God correctly and have a vibrant personal relationship with Him, while walking the narrow way, we will receive many gifts and revelations which can be used to bring others into the beautiful light of Jesus Christ. He enjoys our simplicity and childlikeness rather than our proud superiority. So be humble before Him and He will raise you up to spiritual heights beyond your imagination.
In our meetings we have no set format. We come before the Lord to do His will. We wait upon Him to direct the meeting allowing Him to choose upon whom the anointing to pray or preach should land.
Mostly the anointing would be so strong that each person had a word, a discernment, a vision, a psalm, a revelation. It would be acted upon immediately. Also prophecy, tongues and interpretation of tongues. We simply obeyed every instruction until the Lord allowed us to close the meeting. He is always in full control, there is no man-made agenda.
Maybe your prayer meetings could follow this pattern and discover new dimensions of the power of the Holy Spirit in your midst. Tell the Lord that you have come into His presence to receive His desire on what needs urgent attention, and wait for Him to choose the person and the instructions. It's simply the best way of getting things done His way.
Prayer: Heavenly Father thank You for Your Word, the Manufacturer's Handbook, please open the scriptures and our understanding of them, so we may obey Your will for us in all things. We need to find unity in the invisible Body of Christ as well as the direction we must travel. In Jesus' name. Amen.