At the end of each chapter, there are 10 reflection questions. You will be required to respond to 1 reflection question of your choice for each chapter. Post your answer in the comments section below the prompt in the Spaces App. Answers must be at least 2 paragraphs, grammatically correct, and spell-checked. Read the post of one class peer and comment one paragraph on what they said. Due each Friday. Class discussion may be based upon these reflections.
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Why does God use prayer as His primary means of running His government and partnering with human beings?
Through prayer, God allows us to be involved in His work that will go on forever. When we pray, we participate in God's will being done on earth as it is in heaven (marriage 6:9-10).
Prayer in fact reduces stress. Doctors who have studied the phycological effects of prayer have reported that when praying the heart rate and blood pressure decreases and breathing regulates..
Prayer also helps with increasing empathy, building relationships, spiritual exercises, and emotional health 🙏
#4 Why does God use prayer as His primary means of running His government and partnering with human beings?
Prayer is the primary means of communication between God and man. This is the way God draws us closer in relationship with Him. It is the way we get to know Jesus and the plans that God has for us and the Nations. Prayer prepares our hearts to be in one with God's heart. Through prayer we learn to be grateful in ALL things. We learn to trust, rely on and value Jesus's leadership in our lives. Prayer teaches us to be spiritually minded and able to identify and enjoy the things of the Lord which are "excellent things". Prayer teaches us discernment, to be able to start the process of meditating and joining Christ in one mindness. It gives us the peace of God that is uncompareable to things of this world. Praying for others allows us to join with them for their needs and desires. Jesus uses intercessory for believers to ask the Father for His grace.
"He always lives to make intercession for them" Hebrews 7:25
By praying the Word to God, we unleash power that God ordains through intercessory prayer. We pray and Jesus intercedes to establish and govern the world under God's aurthority. Prayer sets a fire in us, deeply, where transformation and great agreement with God can take root. The excellent things that transform our minds are prayed back to God in our cries. They power us and wipe out the fear, disbelief and untruths that are trying to cripple us. This great work, that is created within us and throught grace for our saslvation, is acted out through obedience to the Father. His great work established His will in us and produces fruits of righteousness for God's good pleasure. When we first read the Word we may be confused, frustrated or even baffled. We must begin and continue to pray unceasingly in our daily walks so that our hearts can be set to that burning desire, with passion, hearts with vision, purpose and direction. Then the guarding of our minds and hearts are unified with Christ and this allows for a lifestyle that Jesus wants to work in.
When we as the church come to unity and fullness as the perfect Bride for Christ, we will be ready to be united with God as His government in the end plan. We have to come to fullness before God allows this. Praying and fasting and interceeding for others are the disceplines that prepare us to be fully used for God's purposes. We must be ready to be unified, firey and mature to stand against the trials of the Antichrist. We will be saut out to be destroyed and we will have to stand firm in communication, prayer, and with discernment from God.
WE MUST BE UNSHAKEABLE IN ORDER TO RECEIVE HIS KINGDOM, A KINGDOM THAT CANNOT BE SHAKEN. HEBREWS 12:29
THE SAINTS WILL BE REFINED AND MADE, SPOTLESS IN HIS SIGHT, AND FIT TO RULE WITH HIM. EPHESIANS 5:26-27
2. Why is singing such a surprising, yet dynamic, part of God's end-time plan for the Church to walk in victory over the powers of darkness?
There are many instances of music and singing being used in the Bible to do a mighty work of God. Yet we are often surprised by how singing can release God's power. When we are feeling sad, singing can bringing us joy. Prophetic singing has always been one of God's most powerful weapons. When we worship God, we open up a two-way communication between us and the Holy Spirit. To move prophetically in worship is to move with an awareness of the desire and leading of the Holy Spirit, moment by moment, to discern the direction of the Spirit and to help God's people participate in it.
What is the main way that we as the Church worship God? Through singing praise and worship songs or hymns or just the words of our hearts untoward the Lord to paraphrase Eph. 5:19. Psalm 96 makes reference to singing a new song and of all that the Lord has and will do. (Isaiah 35:10) And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. Ultimately it's all about being in unity with God and together as believers, and singing is crucial element.
7. How do worship and prayer work together with the Bible and the leadership of the church to help bring all believers into maturity and authority and love and ministry?
Worship and prayer unite God’s people with His heart. These are the two main vehicles that shape our hearts in agreement with His. When our hearts are in agreement with His; by reading the Word, by leadership in the church, teaching and exhorting us, we speak life, truth, love, hope, faith, comfort, blessing, and encouragement, rather than partnering with fear, hate, unbelief, confusion, doubt, or discouragement. We speak God’s promises and hope for the future, rather than focusing on ourselves and the world around us. We learn to trust God, and not our thoughts or emotions, or even the things around us as they shatter and fall apart. We learn to have a confidence in Him and His plan for us, when our hearts are knit to His. Worship and prayer take us deeper into relationship with the Trinity and into maturity as a son or daughter resulting in unity with the body of Christ. 
When we worship, we worship our Creator and King for who He is. When we pray, we pray to our Father who is sovereign over all. What an honor to serve, participate and partner with Him! 
5. How does prayer help draw us into deeper relationship and agreement with God and His leadership?
As we spend time with other people we naturally become closer with them. The same is true of our relationship with God. But even if two people were to spend years of their life together that doesn’t necessarily mean that they know each other. Suppose two people were to spend an afternoon together and they spent that time learning about each others’ interests, hobbies and cares. It is likely that they would know and possibly even care more about each other than two people who spend plenty of time together but never bother to pay attention to each other. When someone gives someone else both time and attention, the potential for a strong and healthy relationship (provided the time and attention are both reciprocated) is great. All this to say, a strong relationship with God, although it will work a little differently than human relationships, is based on love, trust, obedience, time spent, and attention given.
Prayer is vital to our relationship with God. It is one of the best ways to spend time with Him and to get to know Him, as long as we both talk and listen. As we get to know Him better we’ll understand what He wants more clearly. We’ll start living our lives in agreement with His goals and plans. What He wants will become what we want. As the shape of our lives change to follow His calling and leadership, we will live purposefully, glorifying Him.