Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 2818 BOCNEWS.com OCTOBER 2016 A Burning Desire It seems as though prayer has been lost in the church. We know how to shout and sing, but we've forgotten how to pray. You would be surprised at how many people can talk on the phone for hours, but can't pray for more than a few minutes. We seem to be more interested in entertainment than we are in praying. It's through prayer that God strengthens us. It's through prayer that our faith grows. As we face the challenges of this life, we must pray and cast all our cares on the Lord. We must pray and trust the Lord with all our hearts. The Bible says that if you worry enough, it will steal the Word of God out of your heart. Prayer is more than going to God with a wish list. It's more than treating Him like Santa Claus. It's about lean- ing on Him, and trusting in Him. When people don't pray very much, they are say- ing they don't need for God to take care of their problems. But genuine prayer is about us saying, "God, I can't do anything without You." (Jesus told us to speak to every mountain with a burning desire) I found out a long time ago that it's not what you know but who you know. You don't have to know everything, as long as you know the one who does know everything. Most of our messes are because we didn't pray. Hezekiah was told that he was going to die. The Bible says that he turned his face toward the wall and began to pray. Hezekiah prayed with a burn- ing desire and God added 15 years to his life. It’s praying with a burning desire that will accomplish things that you can't accomplish by yourself. We all need to pray more because God knows it all. You see through a little hole in the fence, but God sees around the fence. We need God's wisdom for the situations in our lives because we're not smart enough. We all need to reach the point that we don't do anything without praying first. Don't ever buy a car without praying first. Don't ever buy a house without praying first. Don't ever take a job without praying first. He'll save you a lot of trouble if you pray and wait. "Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed by Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Lord, I need your kingdom in my family. I need Your kingdom in my finances. I need Your kingdom in my business. I need Your kingdom in my body. I need Your will to be done in my life." When Jesus rose from the dead and ascended into heaven, He became our advocate with the Father. In other words, you don't have to go through a priest or a pastor to reach God. You go directly to Him through Jesus Christ. He is your 911. He is your ever-present help in time of trouble. Listen, God doesn't answer our prayers because we deserve it. He answers our prayers because we used our faith and trusted in Him. God answers our prayers because we are obedient and we speak to every mountain with a burn- ing desire. "If My people who are called by My name will humble them- selves and pray, and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, I will forgive their sin and will heal their land." There’s something about praying with a burning desire that will accom- plish much. If you'll increase your prayers today, God will do impossible things. God will bring healing to your family, if you pray. No matter how bad it looks, there is nothing that God can't fix. God says, "Call on Me while I am yet near, and see if I will not answer you." When you need supernatural results, you need to go to extra ordinary measures. If you need more of God, may I suggest the baptism of the Holy Spirit? (Expand) When I pray in the spirit, I don't know what I'm praying, but the Holy Spirit inside me is praying God's perfect will. The problem with so many people is they have to figure everything out. One reason that some people have such a hard time with the baptism of the Holy Spirit is they can't figure it out. It sounds foolish to them. You'll never go to the next level, until you pray and speak to every mountain with a burning desire. You'll never go to the next level until you forgive oth- ers as God has forgiven you. One of the greatest keys to seeing your prayers answered is to truly release others from the things they’ve done to you. If you drop the charges against others, you will see God move in a special way. Once you let it go, it’s amazing how God moves. If you'll lay your judgmental attitudes on the altar in prayer, God will help you. It's time to confess your faults and let God strengthen you. Quit blam- ing everybody else for your problems and start pray- ing with a burning desire. Confess your bitterness. You'll never receive much from God by praying, "Lord, if it's Your will, please heal me. Lord, if it's Your will, please bless me?" You have to know what God's Word says, and then boldly come to His throne of grace. This mountain cannot stay in Jesus name. When you know who you are in Christ, you can boldly come to Him and expect Him to bless you. There is something about praying with a burning desire that causes boldness to rise up in you. He will bless you and meet every need according to His riches. Sometimes you have to look the devil straight in the eye and tell him that he has to let you go. Sometimes you have to plead the Blood of Jesus over your family. Sometimes you have to draw a line in the sand and tell the enemy, “I will fear no evil.” Jesus said, "Whatsoever things ye desire when you pray, believe you have received them and you shall have them." The word desire actually trans- lates as burning desire. If something isn't burning on the inside of you, then you probably won't see much happen. God is looking for a burning desire. He's looking for someone that wants something so badly that they begin to speak to every mountain. He's look- ing for somebody that won't quit until they get their answer. When you have a burning desire, you can see your vision come to pass. When you have a burning desire, you can believe for things that are impos- sible. You can see your child living for the Lord, even though they're living like the devil today. You can see that house. You have to have a burning desire in order to be healed. You have to have a burning desire to get out of the hood. You have to have a burn- ing desire to see your family members get saved. I’m speak- ing to that mountain. God says, "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart." If you'll put the Lord first, He'll give you every desire of your heart. If you'll put Him first, He'll make all your dreams come true. The Lord’s eyes roam the earth looking for someone to bless. "For I know the plans that I have for you declares the Lord. Plans for success and not for evil. Plans to give you a future and a hope. If you seek Me, you will find Me. If you speak to your mountains. If you’ll pray with a burning desire." Those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength. Start praying with a burning desire and watch God strengthen you. Spend time in prayer and watch how He does things for you. Spend time speaking to your mountains and watch God show up. No matter what you're facing today, with prayer you can make it. No matter what your husband says, you can make it. No matter what the court says, you can make it. No matter what the doctor says, you can make it. If you're in trouble today, speak to your mountains and His favor will show up. It's my burning desire that causes my faith to rise up on the inside. The reason I'm in the Word is because I have a burning desire. The reason I'm in church every time the doors open is because I have a burning desire. The reason I tithe like I do is because. Cornelius prayed and gave his money to the Lord. His prayers and money went up as a memorial to God. Your giving and prayers makes a place for you. When you catch on fire in your giving, you know that something is about to change. You know you have a burning desire when you're praying in the middle of the night. You know you have a burning desire when you are tithing and giv- ing offerings like never before. Touch three people and say, "It’s time to catch on fire." Hannah wanted a baby, so she began to call on the name of the Lord. She prayed until she had a burning desire. Her burning desire caused her to press in with God and she conceived a baby. Yes situations have come against you, but if you'll pray some hot prayers, you'll see the power of the Holy Spirit in your life. The odds are against you. But if you'll speak to your mountains, it won’t be long... It’s time to pray with a burning desire. God is bigger than cancer. He's bigger than marriage prob- lems. It's the effectual fervent prayers of a righteous man that will accomplish much. When you get seri- ous with God, He will get serious with you. God says, "If you'll pray and catch on fire, I'll heal your land. If you'll pray and catch on fire, I'll heal your family. If you'll pray and catch on fire, I'll heal your finances. If you'll pray and catch on fire, I'll heal your body. If you’ll pray and catch on fire, I’ll move that mountain." When the day of Pentecost had finally come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came a noise from heaven. There appeared to them tongues as of fire. The fire rested on each of them. It’s time to catch on fire. By Bishop Dennis Leonard Dennis Leonard One of the greatest keys to seeing your prayers answered is to truly release others from the things they’ve done to you. If you drop the charges against others, you will see God move in a special way. Once you let it go, it’s amazing how God moves. SERMON