Take a BIG gulp of living water....

“For the LORD your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.” ~ Zephaniah 3:17 (NLT).

Our mighty maker is an awesome God and he is living among us just like this scripture says. He is indeed a mighty savior and has freed us from the spiritual forces of wickedness.

God is excited with us, His foot soldiers, as we battle darkness in the air, on the land, and in the sea. He smiles as we shake off the dust , rise up and free ourselves from the chains that bind us.

Is Jesus in your life? Don’t go another day without him. Take a Big gulp of living water. Let His blessings flow through you. As you are blessed, you will be a blessing to others.

“Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.” John 7:38 (NLT).

Led By The Holy Spirit,

Rick Hawbaker
Praying 4 U Ministries †

Forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart

"If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you.” Matthew 6:14 (NLT).

Don’t let Satan keep you in darkness. He and his cronies have been lying to you long enough stirring up trouble within your family, among your friends, in your neighborhood, and in your workplace.

You can hardly go through a day without hearing someone talk about their list. It may be their bucket list, their list of things to do on their next day off, their grocery list, etc. Everyone has a list of some sort. But isn’t the list we need to be making the list of people we need to forgive and get on our knees and take it to the LORD in prayer?

It is imperative that we forgive. Jesus came to earth as God in the flesh and told us a lot about forgiveness. He gave us parables like the “Unmerciful Servant” and the example of his own life. His holy word is full of scripture on forgiveness.

Let the light of the LORD shine into the darkness of this world as you forgive others. The hardest part of forgiveness may be forgiving those who haven’t forgiven you. That must be done as well.

Don’t let forgiveness be the stumbling block between you and freedom. The last words of chapter 18 of the book of Matthew are “forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart." It’s a hard lesson to learn, but that is where it has to come from. Forgiving from your mouth isn’t enough.

Who do you need to forgive from your heart today?

But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too." Mark 11:25 (NLT).

Led By His Holy Spirit,

Rick Hawbaker
Praying 4 U Ministries †

Spreading the Word of God in India...

“And then he told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone.” ~ Mark 16:15 (NLT).

I have been in contact several times this week with Kranthipaul Somavarapu, my brother in Christ over eight thousand miles away in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, India.

We have been praying together that God will come over Prince Ministries-India in a mighty way as the outreach ministry takes the Gospel into 19 villages in south India on Monday.

My brother is leading a team of 35 pastors and 13 evangelist into the villages, distributing tracts, telling people about God, and praying in the name of Jesus for many sick people.

Prince Ministries-India needs you to come up alongside of them as ministry partners offering prayer support in a unified effort to further the kingdom work in India.

Please join me in the next few days lifting up this kingdom work to our Father in heaven. Ask God to surround them all with his mighty angels and ask that the angels shoot arrows of fire at the enemy so that nothing will stop the furthering of God’s kingdom.

Pray that God’s love and power will be carried into the villages on Monday as many people will be “healed by His stripes”. Yes, Jesus took our sicknesses, diseases and sins to the cross, and “by his wounds we are healed.”

I praise God for the mighty works that will be done on Monday and thank Him for the glory that will be shown. All honor, glory and praise goes to the King of Majesty, King Jesus.

“And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come.” ~ Matthew 24:14 (NLT).Led by the Holy Spirit,

Rick Hawbaker
Praying 4 U Ministries†

Nobody loves you like God...

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” ~ John 3:16 (NIV).

There is a lot of talk about love on Valentine’s Day and I can’t let it pass without mentioning just how much God loves you. Nobody loves you like your maker, the LORD God Almighty.

Everyone has a love story to tell, but the greatest love story of all-time is the one about God sending his own son to die for you, that you might live.

If you have found God, you have witnessed his goodness as you have found in him all you need or desire. Share God with someone today.

“The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” ~ Psalm 23 (NIV).

Led by the Holy Spirit,

Rick Hawbaker
Praying 4 U Ministries†

Praying together to further the kingdom...

“As you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.” 2 Corinthians 1:11 (NIV).

It is always special to me to pray together with others. I had the chance to pray with my brother in India, Kranthipaul Somavarapu, of Andhra Pradesh, via the telephone.

Although we are over eight thousand miles from one another, we have some of the very same prayer concerns as we both work to glorify our King and Savior Jesus Christ.

Together we prayed for the advancing of God’s kingdom in India. The pastors working with him need prayer and financial support to continue the outreach programs they have in the surrounding villages and towns.

We also prayed for God’s favor and blessings to be on Freedom Fellowship, a church plant I am involved with locally. More people are needed to join the launch team and financial provisions are also needed for this ministry.

In the matchless name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, I ask you all to join us in praying for Prince Ministries – India and for Freedom Fellowship.

Intercessory prayer has a great value in furthering the kingdom. Apostle Paul knew the strength and comfort he gained by asking others to pray for him and the work he was doing for the LORD.

Two thousand years past Paul’s time I, too, ask for strength and comfort for the teams working to further the kingdom of God.

“I urge you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me.” Romans 15:30 (NIV).

Led by the Holy Spirit,

Rick Hawbaker
Praying 4 U Ministries†

There is a HUGE God that will free you...

“I prayed to the LORD, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears..” ~ Psalm 34:4 (NLT)

May the LORD God almighty stir you up to pray for yourself. The LORD has been in the business of helping people that have sought Him from the beginning. King David was not the first that sought His help and you won’t be the last.

David did not confide in his own wisdom, but he prayed for the protection of God from his enemies and ask for guidance. That is exactly what we need to do, too.

We are beaten down and trounced upon by our foes daily. We run but can not hide for long. If there was a huge cave to hide in from our oppressors it would be full. There is a HUGE God that we can take our concerns to and He and He alone can deliver us.

We need to face our giants and claim the victory over them that Jesus has already given us. May you feel freedom and be delivered from the things that are oppressing you.

Take it to the LORD in prayer and receive victory through prayer. Your words and prayers can destroy the works of darkness and remove the things in your life that are keeping you from being free.

“I cried out to the LORD, and he answered me from his holy mountain.” Psalm 3:4 (NLT)

Led by the Holy Spirit,

Rick Hawbaker
Praying 4 U Ministries†

He will meet you today...

We are His and His alone. He paid the ultimate sacrifice for us giving up His only son. Turn from the sin that is separating you from our Father and come home to Him. He will meet you today no matter where you are on the rocky road of life.

Don’t be embarrassed to be coming to God now that your life is in shambles. Step out of your life that has been taken over by the passions of your body. You need Him most when you have nobody else.

Paul told us in Romans 10:9-10, “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved.”

Pray the words that God has given us through Paul in your own words. Confess with your mouth that Jesus is LORD and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead.

God is where the morning dawns and the evening fades. Host heaven in your own body and leak his love to others right out of your heart. He is risen and He lives in you. Bask in the presence of God.

Led by the Holy Spirit,

Rick Hawbaker
Praying 4 U Ministries†

From Spectator to Participant...

“Now eagerly desire the greater gifts.” 1 Corinthians 12:31 (NIV).

My role has changed in my walk with King Jesus. I was a spectator in the body of Christ sitting along the sidelines. I assumed, like a lot of people do, that the gifts of God were given to priest or pastors.

I have discovered first hand that the gifts of God are for everyone and they are for now. They did not stop when Jesus ascended to heaven or when the last apostle died. The very power that raised Jesus from the dead is within us as the Holy Spirit.

I am a fully charged participant of the kingdom of God, using His gifts to minister to others showing His love and power. We are to eagerly and earnestly desire the greater gifts. I encourage you to do that so you can let the LORD’s love leak from your heart into a hurting world.

“Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.” 1 Corinthians 12:7-11 (NIV).

Led by the Spirit,

Rick Hawbaker
Praying 4 U Ministries †

Trust in the LORD...

"If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me.” ~ Psalm 139:9-10 (NLT).

Our LORD is a God of sheer power and strength. Always willing and always able to reach down and pull us, his children, up out of the muck that surrounds us.

He is on high, where he looks down upon us, the lowly, and though we walk in the midst of trouble daily, he preserves our lives delivering us from evil. We are encircled by the filth, dirt and slime of ungodly things. But yet he is there to help us through it all, picking us up and brushing us off.

He is Holy and he is mighty. Mighty to save us from ourselves and all the things this dark world is throwing at us. Every bit of honor, glory and praise goes to Him. For there is none other, no one can we trust except for Him. No one can help us like He can.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.”~ Proverbs 3:5 (NLT).

Led by the Holy Spirit,

Rick Hawbaker
Praying 4 U Ministries†