Prayer as ministry and partnership

Every once in a while I hear something that makes me dig into the scriptures. Bill Johnson has been criticized in Got Questions and other forums because he teaches that how God operates in history is also how he operates now. In a video,  How to Take Authority in Prayer he said "without God we can't, and without us he won't" 

1. Prayer as Heaven's Gateway
Prayer is the primary ministry of the believer, the means by which heaven invades earth. We don't represent God in action what we haven't first discovered in prayer.

• Matthew 6:10 — "Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."
• Isaiah 62:6-7 — Watchmen who give God no rest until He establishes His purposes.
• This maps to Christ's current intercessory ministry. Hebrews 7:25 says He "always lives to make intercession" for those who come to God through Him — He is the watchman on the walls of 62:6 who gives God no rest. (Romans 8:34)

2. Partnership with God
God is sovereign, yet He has chosen to move in partnership with human prayer. He can do it without us, but often won't.

• Ezekiel 22:30 — God looked for someone to stand in the gap.
• James 4:2 — "You do not have because you do not ask."
• Ask boldly and persistently — Scripture consistently commands believers to ask, seek, and knock, with the promise that those who do will receive, find, and gain access (Matthew 7:7-8, John 16:24). Prayerlessness is itself the reason many needs go unmet (James 4:2).
• Faith and alignment with God's will are the conditions — Effective prayer is rooted in belief (Matthew 21:22, Mark 11:24), obedience (1 John 3:22), and conformity to God's purposes (1 John 5:14-15), not anxiety or self-reliance (Philippians 4:6).
• Answered prayer produces joy and completeness — God's intention is not merely to meet needs but to bring His people into fullness of joy through the ongoing experience of receiving from Him (John 16:24).

3. Prayer as Labor
Transformational prayer is persistent, travailing intercession — something is birthed through it.

• Galatians 4:19 — Paul speaks of being "in the anguish of childbirth" until Christ is formed in his people.
• Romans 8:26-27 — The Spirit intercedes with groaning too deep for words.

4. Prayer Removes Obstacles; Faith Takes Possession
Prayer clears the way, but action is still required to possess the promise. The two are not in competition — they complete each other.

• Joshua 6 — Israel marched and shouted; the walls fell, but they still had to take the city.
• Acts 12:5-17 — The church prayed constantly for Peter; God sent the angel, but Peter had to walk out.
• James 2:26 — "Faith without works is dead."

5. Joy as the Fruit of Answered Prayer
Believers are designed to live in the ongoing experience of answered prayer, which produces deep, overflowing joy.

• John 16:24 — "Ask and you will receive, that your joy may be full."
• Psalm 126:3 — "The Lord has done great things for us; we are glad."

6. Lifestyle of Prayer, Not Just Petition
The call is not to pray only in crisis but to develop a sustained posture of prayer and fasting that reflects the Father's heart.

• Luke 18:1 — Jesus told a parable about the need to always pray and not give up.
• 1 Thessalonians 5:17 — "Pray without ceasing."
• Matthew 9:15 — Jesus implies fasting will be the natural posture of believers after His ascension.

7. Asking for "the More" of God
God wants His people to press beyond the familiar and ask for moves of His Spirit that exceed human explanation.

• Ephesians 3:20 — "Exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think."
• Habakkuk 3:2 — "Lord, revive your work in the midst of the years."
• John 14:12 — "Greater works than these will he do."

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God holds you when your strength fails (Isaiah 41:10)

God as the one who holds your position when your strength gives out  Isaiah 41:10:

"Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."

In Yahweh Never Said 'Stop Being Afraid.' He Said This Instead. "אַל תִּירָא", the "Al Tira" (fear not) isn't comfort — it's a commander saying "hold the line." And the second half of the verse is the reason you can: God is present at that position with you, strengthening and upholding you when your own strength fails.

Joshua 1:9 is the other key verse from the teaching:

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."

Notice "Have I not commanded you?" — pure military language, exactly the point the teaching makes.

Isaiah 41:10, read through the lens of God as a commanding officer who doesn't just encourage you but stations himself at your post with you.

1. Divine Presence — God stations himself with his people

• Joshua 1:9 — God goes with you everywhere
• Deuteronomy 31:6 — He will never leave nor forsake
• Matthew 28:20 — With you to the end
• Deuteronomy 7:21 — Great God dwells among you
• Leviticus 26:12 — God walks among his people
• Exodus 6:7 — I will be your God
• Psalm 23:4 — Beside you through the darkness
• Isaiah 43:1,5 — Fear not — I am with you

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2. Fear as a Positional Threat — don't retreat, hold the line

• Joshua 1:9 — Commanded to stand, not retreat
• Deuteronomy 31:6 — Do not be afraid or terrified
• Isaiah 41:10 — Fear not; hold your position
• Isaiah 12:2 — Trust God; refuse to fear
• Isaiah 43:1,5 — Called by name — do not fear
• Psalm 23:4 — No evil feared in darkness

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3. Covenant Identity — you belong to him

• Exodus 6:7 — You are my own people
• Leviticus 26:12 — My people, my God
• Isaiah 43:1,5 — Redeemed, called by name, mine
• 1 Chronicles 12:18 — Your God is on your side

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4. Strength as a Gift — not summoned, transferred

• Psalm 18:32 — God arms me with strength
• Philippians 4:13 — All things through Christ's strength
• Ephesians 3:16 — Spirit strengthens your inner being
• Isaiah 40:29-31 — He renews strength for the weary
• Deuteronomy 33:27-29 — Everlasting arms are beneath you
• Psalm 29:11 — God gives strength to his people

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5. God as Active Helper — present intervention, not passive comfort

• Psalm 54:4 — God sustains my soul
• Hebrews 13:6 — Lord is helper; nothing to fear
• Psalm 46:1 — Ever-present help in trouble
• Isaiah 41:13,14 — God holds your hand and helps
• 1 Chronicles 12:18 — God helps those who are his

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6. The Upholding Hand — he catches you when you fall

• Psalm 63:8 — His right hand upholds me
• Psalm 18:35 — Right hand upholds; gentleness exalts
• Psalm 37:24 — Lord holds him by the hand
• Psalm 37:17 — Lord upholds the righteous
• Psalm 41:12 — Upheld in integrity before God

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7. God's Righteousness as the Basis of Trust — his character guarantees his commitment

• Psalm 65:5 — God answers in righteousness
• Psalm 89:13,14 — Mighty arm, righteous right hand
• Psalm 99:4 — God establishes equity and justice
• Isaiah 52:7 — Your God reigns
• Isaiah 60:19 — God is your everlasting light

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8. Through, Not Around — presence in the trial, not exemption from it

• Psalm 23:4 — Through the valley, not around
• Deuteronomy 33:27-29 — Refuge; enemy thrust out before you
• Isaiah 41:10 — Do not be dismayed or afraid

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What has God made known to us?

I was looking at Eph 6:19, the greek word made known

Pray in the Spirit at all times, with every kind of prayer and petition. To this end, stay alert with all perseverance in your prayers for all the saints. Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will boldly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it fearlessly, as I should (Eph 6:18-20)

The Mystery of God's Redemptive Plan — this is by far the dominant subject, especially in Paul's letters. Ephesians alone hits it four times: the mystery of God's will (Eph 1:9), the mystery revealed by revelation (Eph 3:3), the mystery hidden from prior generations (Eph 3:5), and the mystery of the gospel (Eph 6:19). Colossians 1:27 ties it to "Christ in you, the hope of glory," and Romans 16:26 describes the mystery now disclosed to all nations.

God's Own Attributes — His power and wrath (Rom 9:22–23), the riches of His glory (Rom 9:23), His grace (2 Cor 8:1), and His manifold wisdom made known to heavenly rulers through the church (Eph 3:10).

The Father's Name and Character — Jesus declares in John 17:26 that he has made the Father's name known and will continue to do so, connecting to John 15:15 where he says he's disclosed everything from the Father to the disciples.

The Gospel itself — 1 Cor 15:1 and Gal 1:11 use gnōrizō for the gospel's content and origin (not from human beings).

Christ's power and coming — 2 Pet 1:16, explicitly distinguishing eyewitness proclamation from myth.

Mundane/practical uses — Tychicus making Paul's circumstances known (Eph 6:21, Col 4:7, 4:9), requests made known to God (Phil 4:6), and Paul saying he doesn't know which to choose (Phil 1:22).

The theological weight of the word clearly falls on divine disclosure of what was previously hidden — particularly "the mystery," a technical term in Paul for God's plan to unite Jews and Gentiles in Christ, kept secret for ages but now actively being revealed through proclamation.

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Be strong and courageous... be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power (Joshua 1:9, Eph 6:10-20)

 I was listening to the idea yesterday:  You Were Never Told to "Be Strong". The Hebrew Behind Joshua 1:9 Reveals the Real Command. 

• According to the video, the Hebrew word amatz (אמץ) means to dig in or to be steadfastly determined.
• While the word chazaq (grip) refers to holding onto something external, amatz describes an internal posture—setting one's jaw and fixing one's direction. The narrator explains that chazaq and amatz are often paired together (as in Joshua 1) to form a complete picture of biblical strength: one is the act of holding on, and the other is the inward resolution to keep going,

Today in my normal reading I came to Eph 6:10-20, so I did a word study with biblehub.com to see how well these ideas match up.

"Be Strong and Courageous" — A Study in the Original Languages

The Core Command: Ephesians 6:10

The Greek is ἐνδυναμοῦσθε (endunamouste) — a present passive imperative. That grammatical form does most of the theological work. It's not "generate strength" but "be continuously empowered." The source is outside you; you are the recipient. The command is to keep receiving, keep positioning yourself under the supply.

Paul then piles up three distinct Greek power-words: κράτει τῆς ἰσχύος (kratei tēs ischyos) — "the dominion of his inherent strength." Kratos is ruling, governing power. Ischus is raw, inherent capacity. Neither belongs to you by nature.

This is the frame for every other verse.

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The Hebrew Foundation: Joshua 1:9

"Be strong and courageous" = חֲזַק וֶאֱמָץ (chazaq we-'emats).

Chazaq (חָזַק) means to grip, to seize, to hold fast — the image is fingers tightening around something. In context it's closer to brace yourself or hold your position than a feeling of confidence. It's used of Elijah gripping the hand of Ahab, of hands being clasped. It's volitional and bodily.

'Emats (אָמַץ) carries mental resolve — obstinate determination, refusal to flinch. Isaiah 41:10 uses the same root when God says "I will strengthen you" (immatstiykha) — meaning God does to you what you are commanded to do yourself. The divine action and the human action use identical vocabulary. That's intentional.

Critically, the command precedes the reason: be strong… because the Lord your God is with you. Courage is not the precondition for God's presence; it's the appropriate response to it.

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The Greek Power-Cluster: Ephesians 1:19-20

This is the densest power passage in the NT. Paul uses four Greek words in two verses:

• δύναμις (dunamis) — latent power, inherent ability
• ἐνέργεια (energeia) — active, working energy
• κράτος (kratos) — dominion, ruling might
• ἰσχύς (ischus) — strength as raw capacity

And he says: that same power — the resurrection power that lifted a dead man out of the grave and seated him over every cosmic authority — is the power toward (εἰς) those who believe. Not power for you as a distant resource, but power actively directed at you right now.

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Key Themes Across the Passages

1. Weakness is the prerequisite, not the obstacle (2 Cor 12:9)
"My power is perfected in weakness" — τελεῖται (teleitai), "brought to its full expression, completed." God's dunamis reaches its telos in your acknowledged insufficiency. Strength in your own resources actually limits what he can do; weakness creates the opening.

2. Waiting as weaving (Isaiah 40:29-31)
"Wait upon the LORD" = קָוָה (qavah) — not passive sitting but a word that means to twist together, to braid, to bind into a cord. Waiting on God is an intimate intertwining, not idleness. Those who qavah don't just get rest — they get renewed strength, literally "they exchange strength" (יַחֲלִיפוּ כֹחַ, yachalifū koach).

3. Joy as structural strength (Nehemiah 8:10)
"The joy of the LORD is your strength" — Hebrew עֹז ('oz), often translated fortress or refuge. Joy isn't an emotional bonus; it's a load-bearing wall. The context is fascinating: the people are grieving over the law they'd forgotten, and they're told this is not the day for grief — there's a holy boldness to appropriating joy as a weapon against despair.

4. The Word as the source of the young man's strength (1 John 2:14)
"You are strong… the word of God abides in you." The strength of the young men isn't their youth or zeal — it's the residing, settled presence of the Word. Abides = μένει (menei), a favorite Johannine word for permanent, relational indwelling.

5. Patience and endurance as the fruit of power (Colossians 1:11)
This one surprises most readers. Being "strengthened with all power according to his glorious might" produces… ὑπομονή (hypomonē, steadfast endurance) and μακροθυμία (makrothumia, patient long-suffering). The proof of divine strength in a person isn't dramatic displays — it's the capacity to bear weight over time without breaking.

6. Grace as the medium (2 Timothy 2:1)
"Be strong in the grace" — same endunamou as Eph 6:10. Grace isn't just forgiveness; it's the operative field in which divine empowering takes place. You're not strong by discipline alone, but by inhabiting the grace-space.

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The Synthesis

The phrase "be strong and courageous" is not a pep talk. In both Hebrew and Greek, it's a command to reorient your source. Chazaq/emats in Hebrew and endunamoō in Greek both assume you don't have what's needed in yourself and that there is somewhere to get it.

The theological logic runs like this:

• God's power raised Christ from the dead (Eph 1:19-20)
• That same power is actively directed toward believers
• The passive voice — "be empowered" — is the appropriate posture
• Weakness, not strength, opens the channel (2 Cor 12:9)
• Joy, the Word, waiting/intertwining, and grace are the means of access
• The outcome is not invincibility but endurance — the ability to keep walking without fainting (Isaiah 40:31)

The command to be strong is, at its root, a command to trust someone else's strength rather than your own.

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Preach quietly and see the world change one relationship at a time

Had a wonderful time this weekend sharing the gospel with my brother and then recreation with Scott and Carolyn at their cabin with Kim. Encouraged to get into OKF and OSI for tri-bible.ai this week and my conversation with Michele to translate her study into Spanish. 

Today our church gave a report of growth in every area. Troy preach this message and I gravitated to Acts 19:9-10, Paul's two years at the hall of Tyrannus in Ephesus. Here are the core themes with cross-references to deepen each one. Great week with Troy Dobbs:  Riot | Acts 19:21-41 - Grace Church

1. Faithful, unglamorous ministry over time
Paul preached "quietly" and "daily" for two years (Acts 19:9-10). No spectacle, just steady proclamation. The fruit came from persistence, not a single dramatic event.

• 1 Corinthians 3:6-7 (Paul planted, God gave the growth)
• Colossians 1:28-29 (working hard with the energy God supplies)
• 2 Timothy 4:2 (be ready in season and out)
• Galatians 6:9 (don't get tired of doing good)

2. Conversion first, then renounced sin
The order on the slide is the gospel order. People were saved, and changed living followed. Behavior change is the fruit, not the root.

• 1 Thessalonians 1:9 (turned from idols to serve the living God)
• 2 Corinthians 5:17 (anyone in Christ is a new creation)
• Titus 2:11-12 (grace teaches us to turn from godless living)
• Ephesians 2:8-10 (saved by grace, then created for good works)

3. Power of the Spirit, not human strategy
The slide credits the Spirit for the social impact. Paul's method worked because God's power was behind it.

• Romans 1:16 (the gospel is the power of God to save)
• 1 Corinthians 2:4-5 (not clever words but the Spirit's power)
• Zechariah 4:6 (not by force or strength, but by my Spirit)
• Acts 1:8 (you will receive power when the Spirit comes)

4. The gospel reshaped the economy as a byproduct
Paul never targeted Artemis or the silver trade. Changed hearts changed spending, and the ripple hit the whole regional economy.

• Acts 19:18-19 (new believers burned magic books worth a fortune)
• Acts 19:23-27 (Demetrius admits the gospel is hurting their trade)
• Acts 17:6 (these men have turned the world upside down)
• 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 (gospel weapons tear down strongholds)

5. Preach Jesus, not a culture war
The slide's main point. Paul aimed at the person of Christ, not at smashing idols. The idols fell because Jesus rose higher in people's hearts.

• 1 Corinthians 2:2 (I decided to know nothing except Christ crucified)
• 2 Corinthians 4:5 (we don't preach ourselves, but Jesus as Lord)
• Acts 17:16-31 (in Athens Paul reasoned and pointed to God, didn't vandalize altars)
• Colossians 2:15 (Christ disarmed the spiritual powers)

The throughline for teaching: lift Jesus high, stay faithful over the long haul, and trust the Spirit to handle the culture. 

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