Abide Class One - Colossians 3:1-4 - 10

This week we are offering the Abide Class Session 1. This is an online version of the Bible Study class we offer at Rise Up for the discipleship program but if you can attend one in person you will get so much more!

Laurel Wike, Chalee Brown, and Ashley Frazier sit down with Kim this week and lead you through this episode.

Chapters

• 0:09 Abide
• 18:51 Starting the Day With Intention
• 27:45 Position, Obedience, Real Life
• 43:23 Speaking Victory
• 57:11 Prayer for Revival and Salvation

Transcript

Kim McIntire: 0:09

Welcome to the it's Time to Rise Up podcast. I'm your host, Kim McIntyre. I want to thank everyone for joining us this week. If you're not familiar with our show, please check out our website at itstimetoriseuporg. There you will find our social media links and for our podcast platforms, you'll find us on YouTube, apple Podcasts, spotify and anywhere else you find your podcast. We would humbly ask you to subscribe, follow, leave a comment, give a thumbs up or, even better, leave a five-star review on Apple Podcast Podcast. Thank you again for joining us for this episode.

Kim McIntire: 0:48

We are going to jump right in today. I'm honored to have three amazing young women here with me in the studio Laurel Wike, Ashley Frazier and Chalee Brown. These women have completed Abide Session 1, and they are ready to help facilitate the podcast class for our listeners today. So grab your Bible, a pen and something to write on A notebook is great. Press, pause and jump back in if you need to. Before we start, I would love it if each one of you would tell us a little bit about yourself, your family and what life looks like in this season. Laurel, we'll start with you.

Laurel Wike: 1:25

All right. Well, I've been married for 16 years to my husband, jason, and we have three kids a 20-year-old, a 12-year-old and a 7-year-old. And I've been a homeschool mom for the last gosh seven and a half years, and we are in a season of transition where my youngest is actually going to be starting public school in January. So that's kind of exciting and fun for all of us.

Kim McIntire: 1:49

You're a busy woman, I know that.

Laurel Wike: 1:51

Yes, ma'am, but slowing it down a little bit.

Kim McIntire: 1:52

Yes, that's good. Thank you, Chaley. How about you?

Chalee Brown: 1:56

Yeah, awesome. Well, I'm just so thrilled to be on the podcast here. And so I have been married. We just celebrated our 12 year anniversary in the fall, so my husband congratulations Jeremy. And then we have two boys Judah is nine and Josiah is six just turned six the day after Christmas. He kind of has a bad birthday, but then I actually. So this is our second year. We are just our second year of homeschooling, so a little bit behind Laurel there, but we are having an amazing time and just growing in that. And then I also get to be part-time at my local church Awesome, Awesome.

Laurel Wike: 2:42

So that's going on as well. I did forget to mention that I am also on staff at our church.

Kim McIntire: 2:47

And you, ladies, do a fabulous job. Thank you so much, shailene. How about you?

Ashley Frazier: 2:51

Ashley, yeah, my husband Drew and I, we've been married for 16 years now. We have three children Aiden is 14, madeline is 12, and Jude is 9. We also homeschool, which is we've done it the whole time and it's looked different in different seasons. So I mean, right now we're in that teenage and preteen season and it's a lot of fun. But, yeah, I'm also on staff at the church and get to work with the little ones there, which I love. And yeah, it's awesome.

Kim McIntire: 3:28

Oh, thank you so much. Yes, my little granddaughter Everly gets to see Miss Ashley.

Chalee Brown: 3:33

Lots and lots and lots of church.

Kim McIntire: 3:35

It's a blessing. Well, we are here because we are launching Abide Class 1 through the podcast for people who do not live local to Joplin, missouri, and so we're excited because all of our classes that are launching in January are at capacity. But we know there is interest outside of the Joplin area and so the fact that you all have agreed to come alongside me for class one and just help walk our listeners through what Abide looks like. And just a little side note, there will be curriculum available, hopefully by August, when we have our prayer conference at the Keter Center next summer. That's in process, so it's not quite complete but it's getting close, and I'm hoping to submit that to the publisher by March. So if you are interested in that, then you can always check back with the website and we will get you hooked up with where you can purchase that. So, anyway, welcome you guys and thank you for your time. I have loved watching you guys grow through this process. It's been amazing. It's been amazing. It has been amazing.

Kim McIntire: 4:49

Well, abide was created for people who, admittedly, struggle to read the Word and pray, and the reason it was created is because 22 years ago, I was a person who struggled to read the Word and pray and I attended a class led by our lead minister back in the day, randy just. He led out a class on a Saturday morning called how to Read the Bible for Personal Devotion and it really caught my attention because when he invited the congregation to be part of that, the personal really caught my attention because I was reading the Word really as preparation to teach Sunday school and I feel like the Holy Spirit revealed that to me because I don't think I would have acknowledged that up to that point. And his process was simple really, but yet profound. He taught me and many others that day to engage our hearts and our minds with God's Word through asking questions. And so I began doing that and over the last two decades and actually it's a very rare occasion that I'm not in the Bible with my journal and a pen first thing in the morning, and it's not because I feel like I have to, it's because I want to and it's truly become a hunger and a joy to be in God's Word and to be in prayer. And I know that that's not the case for everyone and I was one of those people. So as I've grown in this process of asking questions. The Lord taught me key words that have helped my heart and mind to engage, and so that's what we're here to do.

Kim McIntire: 6:37

We're here to talk about a couple of the six key words tonight we're going to introduce those. We're going to actually go through Scripture together. We're going to share what the Lord has taught us by asking those two keywords, which are know and obey, and we're going to come back to that in a minute.

Kim McIntire: 6:55

But the structure of abide always begins with worship, and so the song that we're going to be playing really soon is really my life song. It's called abide, and it's my prayer for every listener, it's my prayer for every person who takes the class in person that the lord would teach all of us to abide, because in that abiding we bear much fruit. Yes, and bearing much fruit that glorifies God is our purpose for being on earth. Right, if you remain in me, if you abide in me, I will abide in you and you will bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples, and so that's just a scripture near and dear to my heart. So we're going to go into this song, but before we do, I want to just say to the listeners God healed my mind through His Word and prayer and until I was 32 years old, my mind was in a constant state of worry and what if?

Kim McIntire: 8:03

And that did continue into my 30s. But something shifted radically. After a few years of just diving into the Word and praying and just having time, appointed time with the Lord, his Holy Spirit began doing a radical work of healing. Doing a radical work of healing and I can truly say it's very unlike me to worry, and my husband would even testify to that.

Chalee Brown: 8:32

So if your husband will say that, you know it's legit right, Because he's the one who lives with me.

Kim McIntire: 8:35

It's rare that I worry. It's a very rare occasion for me to have anxiety, but my heart goes out to people who do. But I know that there's healing in the Word of God and that's why I do what I do. That's why I teach classes, that's why I'm on the podcast, it's why I'm writing this curriculum called Abide, and so we pray the Lord would just meet with you as we go into this time of worship. Settle yourself. We are going to worship along with you. Let these words settle into your heart today.

Song: 9:35

For my waking breath, for my daily bread. I depend on you. For my daily bread, I depend on you. I depend on you. For the sun to rise, for my sleep at night. I depend on you, yes, I depend on you. You're the way the runs dry. I'm the branch and you are the vine. Draw me close and teach me to abide. Where the Spirit leads as I'm following, I depend on you. Yes, I depend on you. For the victory, I depend on you for the victories still in front of me. I depend on you, yes, I depend on you. You're the way, the truth and the light. You're the well that never runs dry. I'm the branch and you are the vine.

Song: 11:38

Draw me close and teach me to abide. Be my strength, my song in the night, be my all, my treasure, my prize. I am yours forever. You're mine. Draw me close and teach me to abide. Reach me tonight when I pass through death as I enter rest. I depend on you. I depend on you. I depend on you For eternal life To be raised with Christ.

Song: 12:45

Oh, I depend on you. Yes, I depend on you. Yes, I depend on you. You're the way, the truth and the life. You're the world and never on the side. I'm the branch and you are the vine. Draw me close and teach me to abide. Be my strength, my song in the night, be my all, my treasure, my prize. I am yours, forever, you're mine. Draw me close and teach me to abide. Would you teach me? Would you teach me, to love? Here I am Lord. Would you teach me to abide? Would you teach me? Would you teach me, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh. I depend on you, I depend on you. Yes, I depend on you. I depend on you. I depend on you. I depend on you. Yes, I depend on you. I depend on you. I depend on you. I depend on you.

Laurel Wike: 15:57

And with that, we are going to pray over our listeners, now that you just have a ready heart for this class today. Lord, we just come to you in the name of Jesus, in reverence and in awe of who you are, and we thank you for your presence here with us and with each listener. Father, we pray, as we open your word, that you would grow each one of us in wisdom and knowledge and understanding. And, father, we pray that any knowledge that we gain would serve to help us love you and others more and not puff us up, lord, and we ask that you give us fresh eyes to see the truth of your word and who you are tonight through these texts. And, god, that you would use your word to correct any lies we believe about you or anything we misunderstand. That you would direct our steps according to your word. In Jesus' name, yes, Lord.

Kim McIntire: 16:51

How do you begin your day? This is a really important question. We're going to talk about this a little bit, but one day I was watching a teaching video and Beth Moore was showing her audience what it looks like when she starts her day and she said I decided to do this because it's a question I get asked often all the time which really caught my attention. So she's on the stage with a desk and this LED light shining straight down onto her Bible and she said the very first thing I do when I wake up is I go to my desk and I look at God's word and I let God speak first before anything else happens in my day. And it just struck me as so powerful and so anointed and genuine and I was like Lord, I want you to show me how you want me to start my day, the way you showed Beth, because she actually was talking about.

Kim McIntire: 17:53

I wanted the Lord to show me how do you want me to start my day, and so I began asking the Lord what do you want it to look like, lord? And I don't share this for people to copy this, although it wouldn't do any harm at all to copy it. I've had a lot of people say you sharing. That has made a significant difference in how my day starts. But when the Lord revealed to me what he wanted me to do, it really did change a lot of things. So what he spoke to me one morning was I just want you to simply bow and just express that you need me, and so the first thing I do when I wake up is I get on my knees and I just express to the Lord I need you, lord, I love you and I need you. And acknowledging that sets the day in order, doesn't it? So who would like to just share about the start of their day, maybe before versus now? Okay, go ahead.

Laurel Wike: 18:51

Yeah, I am one of those who was deeply impacted by you sharing that story and I started praying Lord, show me how you want me to start the day, but I'm totally good with how Kim does it too. So I just started with that and I think a key is I sleep with my phone next to my bed in airplane mode, and I just read recently on a social media post open your Bible before you open your phone, and it's just always such a good reminder. So I just leave it in airplane mode and I do go and bow down because of what you shared on the floor in my bedroom, or the floor even in the bathroom, depending on where you're at.

Laurel Wike: 19:35

Yeah, and pray those things. Lord, I love you, lord, I need you. And praying for my husband as well has been something that you've spoken about, and I will take that time to pray for my kids in the armor of God, and it has been. It just really shifts the morning.

Kim McIntire: 19:53

Yeah, that's an intimate detail, but I'll go ahead and share it, so that's okay. It's a good reminder too. You know, when I wake up, before I get on my knees, I put my hand on my husband and I pray silently for him, and he knows if my hand is on him, that's what I'm doing. He doesn't really hear my voice, but he knows that I'm praying and it really it's helped his day as well, and so, yeah, those are starts to the day that they've made an impact and they seem so simple, but sometimes the most simple things can be the most profound, right, chaley?

Chalee Brown: 20:27

You know, I think that when you shared that with us, it really affected me because, being somebody who can struggle with, I'm the to-do list girl, you know, all my friends know that like I want to be organized, I love having a planner, you know, and so it's so easy, it's no matter what, but especially like being home with my boys and having the combination of mom role and homeschool and all that, you know, it's like I can so easily go into checklist mode, absolutely. And so I think, whether you know, sometimes I'll, sometimes I'll start kneeling, sometimes I'll start on the couch in prayer and you know, sometimes I start with the pause app. A friend told me about the pause app and just sometimes, when I'm waking up, maybe I feel anxiety and I just start in prayer with that. It's this really awesome guided resource. But what I love about the differences in some of those is that I want to seek the Lord first.

Laurel Wike: 21:28

That's my bottom line.

Chalee Brown: 21:30

But you know you think about like the Psalms and how, like some of the Psalms, like are just so joyful, or some of the Psalms. You know we come to God in a different mentality, sometimes Sure, but so I think for me it varies a little bit Sure, but I want to get myself right before the Lord, you know, and so you really impacted me on that, thank you.

Ashley Frazier: 21:54

Yeah, yeah, I started searching, you know, whenever you mentioned that in class. Okay, Lord, because I can be like a checklist person, like Chaley too, or more of a. Okay, this is what I do. And so I was really like, okay, I'm going to focus on what the Lord wants me to do. I will say that I would prefer that it be the same every day. And it doesn't seem to be that way.

Kim McIntire: 22:23

But I don't know that it needs to be or has to be. I really think it's very personal and individual right and that's what I found.

Ashley Frazier: 22:31

So, like you know, like the checklist, you know mentality of like this was how it should go. But every day I feel like the Lord does something new. But one of the things that I've found is a daily, consistent thing, since the abide class is conversation, and so I feel like, as I wake up, I'm just praising and saying I love you Lord, I love you Lord, and then he sometimes takes it Like there are days I will wake up and there is a song in my heart.

Ashley Frazier: 22:59

There is a song and it can be a song I haven't heard in years but, it's in me and he brings it and he'll use it to minister to me that day. And so, yeah, I mean there's my prayer bench and there's I've done the pray over my husband thing, when he doesn't know, and I you know, but like yeah, I know it's just the Lord leading and but yeah, I think conversation has been the biggest thing that I've loved.

Kim McIntire: 23:26

Well, one thing we were. I think Laurel and I were talking one day and or maybe I think I let you see chapter one or something and she was reviewing chapter one for me or something, and she was reviewing chapter one for me and I wrote in that particular chapter I said the reason I know it was from the Lord is because it never feels like a routine or a rhythm.

Kim McIntire: 23:51

It just feels very much like what I'm supposed to do and not it doesn't grow boring. Fresh, fresh every day, that's the word. Thank you, so, so we would encourage listeners. Ask the Lord, start today, If you don't have a rhythm with the Lord in those waking moments, ask him, Lord, how do you want me to start my day with you? Because with Him is the most important part of all of that. Right? Don't just mindlessly wake up. I did that for so long, just kind of mindlessly stumbling into the day until I got, you know, a little coffee in me to get my eyes focused on the Word and focused on prayer. But you know, just those moments of just waking, they're beautiful and they're so personal, aren't they?

Chalee Brown: 24:43

Yeah, yes, and you know when, Laura, when you said that word fresh, it reminded me. Kim and I have had this conversation before, but it reminds me of the Israelites, and when they were getting manna from heaven, you know, God told them like you can't, you can't save manna to the next day. It's not going to be good. They had to depend on the Lord each day for a fresh word, and that's just what it reminded me of.

Kim McIntire: 25:05

Yeah, yeah, so I'm going to. I'm going to restate what I said.

Kim McIntire: 25:09

It doesn't feel routine but, it does feel like a sweet rhythm. That's me rethink the way I spoke that. So we're going to dive in Know. So when, you guys, when we started class one which is what we're doing right now, over the air, a keyword know is really the starting place, and we're asking ourselves, lord, what do you want me to know for my heart and for my mind? So we are going to read Colossians 3, and we're going to just work through the first few verses together, asking that question Lord, what do you want me to know? So, hopefully, everyone has their Bible ready. I'm going to read these first four verses and I'm reading from the NIV translation what a beautiful opening to the chapter, right? What? A beautiful opening to the chapter right.

Kim McIntire: 26:38

So what does God want us to know for our heart and our mind from these first four verses of this chapter? Who would like to lead out?

Laurel Wike: 26:51

with their thoughts. Laurel, go ahead. Well, I have to say, when we first sat down for this class, I remember thinking this particular chapter in the beginning especially, is one that I've heard so many times that it had honestly lost its power for me. And I remember praying Lord, bring back the power of your word, because I know the issue is not with your word, it's with me. Wow, so change me through this text and through this class.

Laurel Wike: 27:20

And that's exactly what he did, and I could hardly get past the first verse after praying that and what I really feel like the Lord highlighted to me as I prayed about what he wants me to know.

Laurel Wike: 27:33

It actually was a combination of verse one and verse three where it says and I have the New Living Translation it says Jesus sits at God's right hand in the place of honor and power.

Laurel Wike: 27:45

And then, down in verse 3, it says your real life is hidden with Christ and God. And I think we all long for that position of significance, that place of significance, right position of significance, that place of significance and when I say position, I mean like we long for it in a way that can't be taken away from us where we really feel like this is the reality of my life, rather than this is something I have to perform for, to achieve. And I think, as we look at verse 3, that our lives are hidden with Christ in God, that that is the reality of what God has already blessed us with in Christ, that we are in that position, at God's right hand, in a place of honor and power. And do we want to pray that in into the reality in different areas of our lives? Absolutely. But as we just meditate on our identity of who we are, that that is a positional reality of what God has done for us through Christ.

Ashley Frazier: 28:45

That's so good. Yeah, I love that you mentioned NLT, because that's what I read in verse three. It says for you died to this life and your real life and I mean that real life like jumped out to me and it's in my notes, like you know, since I have been raised to new life with christ. That's how it starts, yeah, and then it says your real life. So our life in christ is our real life. What we were living before christ was not real. It wasn't, it wasn't what it was about. You know, and this life we're living here on earth is temporal, it's fleeting, it's passing, but to know that I am raised, you know, when Jesus was raised, he left the tomb. So we're leaving that old life.

Ashley Frazier: 29:35

We are raised to new life and it's the real one. Yeah.

Kim McIntire: 29:40

I loved how the NLT worded that it's very rich real life yeah.

Ashley Frazier: 29:45

Yeah.

Kim McIntire: 29:45

Because, apart from Christ, there is no life. Right, right, yeah, it's the grave, really. Thank you for sharing. These are powerful. Chaley, did you have thoughts about that?

Chalee Brown: 29:55

Yeah, absolutely. What I really love is that, just from this one scripture of four verses, just the variety of like what the Lord shows us individually. You know, yes, yes, what jumped off the page for me was verses one and two together, where seek the things that are above, and then, in verse two, set your minds on things that are above, and then, in verse two, set your minds on things that are above.

Chalee Brown: 30:19

And what jumped out for me is that seek and set have to go hand in hand right so if I seek the Lord in my actions and then I'm not setting my mind on the Lord, then I can feel like a hypocrite right. Think about first Corinthians 13, where it talks about you're doing all these things for the Lord, but you don't have love.

Ashley Frazier: 30:42

Well, that's not going to work right, it feels hollow.

Chalee Brown: 30:48

But if I set my mind on the things of above but I don't seek the Lord in my action, then I feel my mind is stayed on Christ. I feel un mind is stayed on Christ. I feel unfulfilled. And the scripture came to mind. I just want to read it Jeremiah 20, verse 9. It says if I say I will not mention him or guys, I'm a crier. It's okay. I will not mention him or speak anymore in his name, it's okay.

Kim McIntire: 31:30

Wow Praise.

Chalee Brown: 31:30

God. If we have our minds set on Christ and we're not actually sharing that in our action, in our life, then it's so discouraging. Like I said, it just feels so unfulfilled.

Kim McIntire: 31:40

So that's, that's really what jumped out to me, powerful words I feel like for me I'm just kind of like pieces of everything you said. But my initial takeaway on the no was position.

Chalee Brown: 31:53

Yeah, if.

Kim McIntire: 31:54

I understand the position Christ has given me. It's not what I've earned, I'm not good enough, lord knows but it's the position he's given me. It changes everything if we really understand that. It really does set our identity in who Christ is, in us and through us, and so rich.

Kim McIntire: 32:22

So four verses, four thoughts a couple of them are the same, but that one question, lord, what do you want me to know? Can really, if you really ask it with an intentional and purposeful heart, the Lord's going to reveal truths that maybe you've missed before. I know that he's been doing that for me. So the second key word is the word obey, and there's a lot of significance in the word, the key word obey, because Jesus says in the Gospels many times if you love me, you obey my commands, and so it's important that what we read in God's Word, we take it to our heart with the posture of obedience, a response of obedience. So as we look at those same four verses and actually if someone wants to volunteer to read that out loud from their translation, we'll read those four verses again with the question in mind Lord, are you asking me to obey Something specific that you want me to obey? I'm sorry, I didn't give people time to get there, but that's all right.

Chalee Brown: 33:27

I just flipped around here.

Laurel Wike: 33:29

I've got it right here, okay, okay. Yeah, jamie, are you good? I'm good, okay. Since then, you have been raised to new life with Christ. Set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits at God's right hand in the place of honor and power. Let heaven fill your thoughts. Do not think only about things down here on earth, for you died when Christ died, and your real life is hidden with Christ, in God. And when Christ, who is your real life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.

Kim McIntire: 34:05

So what call to obedience do we find here? If we're asking the Lord, what are you calling me to obey you in?

Chalee Brown: 34:16

I know that what I felt, like the Lord laid on my heart, is that I need to choose to hide my life in Christ. So, for whatever reason even though this usually comes off like a derogatory term this is what the Lord kept downloading in my mind. Have my head in the clouds. And you know, usually it's like, okay, you have your head in the clouds means like you're kind of just drifting to something that is not as important, but I think it kind of goes back to what we were talking about earlier actually, when, Ashley, you said real life, like the life that you had before, that wasn't real life, you know.

Chalee Brown: 34:51

So my head in the clouds, my mind is so stayed with Christ that I'm not accepting the world's thinking. I do pause in the moment, you know. Maybe I pause because I don't have a flesh reaction and anger. Maybe I pause, um, because I, I know my value in Christ is, you know, it's in Christ, it's not from others, you know I, I refuse to have my my mind in a place that where the is. If I'm meditating on the Word throughout the day, then I can quickly speak wisdom and truth because, again, I've got my head in the clouds, I have my mind stayed with Christ. So maybe something comes up with homeschooling for me or with my two boys and I get to walk them through something in wisdom because I'm choosing to have to hide my life in Christ. That's good, yeah.

Laurel Wike: 35:41

I love that visual image, and I think what the Lord spoke to me through this was also a visual image that was so gripping for me the first time that we walked through this that it has just stayed with me again and again and I think about it so frequently. But I'll just read the statement that conveys the image If, then, you have been raised up with Christ and come up out of the waters of baptism, stop seeking the things underwater that will suffocate you, but come up to the life-giving air of His presence.

Kim McIntire: 36:14

That's good, that's very good. It's challenging too. Yes, there's challenge in that. The thing about the keyword obey is, I find it to be, that it challenges me, but in such a good way, because the only reason the Lord asks us to obey him is because he sees what's best when we don't right, yeah, and so that's so good. Ashley, did you want to share your thoughts on that?

Ashley Frazier: 36:40

Yeah, I just, you know kind of what Chaley said, setting my focus, putting my focus there daily, asking for my attention and my focus to be on what God wants, and just how the verse mentions that we are citizens of heaven and how we are joint heirs with Christ. Like that's the position. That's our position. So if that's our position, what are our thoughts going to be Right, not on the things of the world or the things of the earth, and so bringing heaven down to earth in our daily lives. Yeah, yeah.

Kim McIntire: 37:13

For me it was definitely the mindset.

Kim McIntire: 37:16

I felt like the Lord when I read this and and I've read it many, many times and I'm still praying and asking Lord, help me to obey you in what you call me to, in the realm of my mind, and taking every thought captive and making it obedient to Christ. Because if our thoughts are taken captive and made obedient to Christ, our hearts and minds are set on things above. It's an automatic. But you have to take those thoughts captive in order to set your heart and mind on things above. So to me, the Lord's just he's on a regular basis reminding me set your heart and mind on things above.

Kim McIntire: 37:50

And that doesn't mean you deny the reality of the world we're living in, right, but if our eyes are on what God's doing and our eyes are on the Word, there's always hope, right. There's always bits and pieces of joy and hope and peace that we can just take throughout the day that we couldn't get anywhere else but from Him, because the world's not offering these things. They don't have substance. They may be temporary, but there isn't substance to them. So can I jump?

Laurel Wike: 38:24

in with one more thing, absolutely yes. So, after we had been through several sessions of Abide, I decided to take the format and use it with my kids and with their friends. And use it with my kids and with their friends. And you know, you can say, set your mind on the things above, but when you're talking with kids, they don't necessarily know what that means. And so I asked them that question, because that was what they said when we were talking through the key words, and I said, well, you know, do you know what that means? They're like nope.

Laurel Wike: 38:55

And I said, well, let's think about what the Bible tells us about what's happening in heaven. We know that the angels are worshiping God, holy, holy, holy. So could an obey be? Let's join the angels in worshiping God. Yeah, amen. Or we know that Jesus is at the right hand of God interceding for us, and you know, I mean, how good does it feel when you know a friend is praying for you consistently, man, how much more Jesus right. And so just to think through those tangible things with kids or I find that super helpful for myself, even as an adult like and being able to draw what is an obey from.

Kim McIntire: 39:38

Okay, let's stop and think about what are the realities of heaven that we can think about, for sure there's so many benefits to obedience, and so we don't want to shy away from that word, even though it's a challenging word. We want to just be like yes, lord, show us and invite him to because he will show us and invite him to because he will. That's the beautiful thing about these questions or these keywords, is that when we're asking with a pure heart that wants to grow, the Lord will show up and he will speak to you through his word. So the idea is you're reading these verses with the purpose of I want to respond to what the Lord speaks, because His Word speaks, and I would like to say the most accurate way to hear from the Lord is through His Word, and he does speak through other people.

Kim McIntire: 40:26

He speaks through books, he speaks through prophetic words, but His living Word, the Bible, never fails. It's flawless, and so, as he speaks to us, our natural response should be in the spirit. I should say the spiritual response should be Lord. This is what I want to speak back, right, and so that's kind of this process. We're just talking about the Lord speaking to us and then us responding yeah to him, and this creates relationship and intimacy like nothing else I've ever known. Yeah, yeah, because a relationship involves speaking and listening. Right, the very best relationships you have, the best ones that I have, are people in my life that they're willing to listen to me and I'm willing to listen to them. It's an exchange, right, and it's the same with the Father. It's an exchange, right, and it's the same with the Father. How much more important that we listen to what he has to say and then speak in response to Him. So I've just seen so much growth happen when people apply these questions or these key words to their time with the Lord Chaley.

Chalee Brown: 41:51

Yeah, you know, and I actually got the privilege of being in Kim's very first Abide class Before it was Abide Before it was Abide.

Kim McIntire: 42:00

The class we call it.

Chalee Brown: 42:01

Come to the class. So I just kind of wanted to speak to you just for a minute, yeah, just as somebody who has gone through it. The power of the key words, just specifically these two key words. I just had some thoughts. I know that, like for no, for me, I'm a church kid. I got saved when I was little, right, and I didn't have a prodigal son phase where I stepped away from the Lord and I have, you know, read my Bible and I've been consistent, you know, throughout the years. And so I think, for me, the no it really focuses me on the wisdom of the word versus Chaley wisdom Because I think, as a church kid, as I went to Bible college for a year or JBQ when you're grown up, you know what JBQ is, junior Bible Quiz you know, know a lot of scripture.

Chalee Brown: 42:53

When you're growing up, if you know what JBQ is Junior Bible Quiz, you know a lot of scripture. So I could very, very easily just turn my mind to my own wisdom and just be like, okay, yeah, and Kim and I have talked about this before Quick answer, okay, what do I know about the word? And that's awesome that we can fall back on the word. But I think what this does is in the moment. It makes you Holy Spirit dependent to honor and hear the lord in the now. What is this word for me today? And so I think that really gives me the dependence of the holy spirit.

Chalee Brown: 43:23

And then, on the obey side, again, it keeps me really scripture focused, right, because I think on the obey side it's really easy to slip into this um, like a world mentality, worldly mentality of like just self-improvement, right, everybody likes to talk about, like you know, we're coming into the new year, like we set goals for ourselves, all the things I can do, I can do, I can do. And there is an element where we obey the Lord, but it's centered around my own strength, right, versus Like self-will, yes, versus, you know, yeah, just my effort. Only I get to obey Christ in reality, but it's not my own strength, it's the Lord's Amen. So I think for me that was a huge game changer with these key words whenever I started to take your class oh, that's so good, yeah.

Kim McIntire: 44:07

That's so good.

Ashley Frazier: 44:09

And Kim, I just wanted to speak to what you were saying about the responding to the Lord, because in that first day of that first class you mentioned that same thing and you said it in a way like you know, if I am your friend, talking to you and I'm telling you something and you don't respond, what kind of a relationship would we have together? You know, and that was just the biggest mind grenade for me because, like Chaley, I mean, I'm a church kid. I haven't strayed, I mean not that my life's been perfect, but I have always loved and wanted to please the Lord, but, man, the intimacy that that brought and that has brought over the past few months has been huge. You know, I just I open God's word and I'm like he is right here, he is speaking these words to me and I'm having a conversation with him in response back. You know.

Kim McIntire: 45:02

I appreciate that. Thank you for that. You're so welcome. It's been such an honor just to watch you guys grow in your love for the word and prayer and even just growing in the community of like-minded sisters who were like running hard after God. I just feel honored that he surrounded me with these kind of people for such a time as this right For such a time as this.

Kim McIntire: 45:26

It's humbling. Actually it's so humbling. So one thing I want to speak before we move into the prayer time is these key words can seem somewhat elementary. However, it's kind of like at the beginning when we said something simple can be very profound. I think it has to do with the approach that you take.

Song: 45:52

Yeah.

Kim McIntire: 45:53

You know. So our encouragement to the listeners is finish the third chapter of Colossians. Ask the question, lord. What do you want me to know, lord? What are you calling me to obey in this passage? And record your answers. If not, record them with a pen and a paper. Speak them, because that's the relationship piece you know. Have that conversation and respond to the Lord, because the way you will grow will amaze and surprise you. I mean, this is the testimony I'm hearing on a consistent basis from people that are taking the class and right now getting ready to start session three, and then session one will start again. But it's just a lot of good. It's elementary and yet it's rich, and it's deep and worth the time. Right, ladies? Yes, and if I can just interject.

Laurel Wike: 46:56

What I have always said when we have discussed this point is that the reason it is so rich when it is so simple is because the way you approach the simple teaching is in the fear of the Lord. And when the fear of the Lord is attached to these things, you realize these simple truths are everything.

Kim McIntire: 47:17

Thank you, yeah, thank you for sharing that. Thank you so much. Well, the other segment of Abide is after. We read the passage and share our thoughts on what the Lord has spoken to us, because sharing has power. Right, we talk about if you learn something, then you want to share it, because that's how God multiplies truth. So we end with prayer practices, and over the past couple of decades, the Lord has taught me a lot of different ways to pray, and this particular way is called victory prayers, and every prayer practice has a testimony, and this is a testimony that's kind of difficult.

Kim McIntire: 48:06

You said you were a crier, chaley, so I'm going to try to speak this without getting too emotional. But grace, grace, grace over me right now. I found myself in a very desperate situation a couple of years ago and I was before the Lord on my knees and I was really just crying out to God in desperation for answers and solutions and I was, undone to be honest, feeling hopeless. Have you ever been there, where you're, in a situation that is so painful and unsettling that the enemy comes in and really plants despair or tries to? And I don't want to imply that there isn't a place for desperate prayer, because there absolutely is, and I believe the Lord honors it. But in those moments of crying and pleading with God and really begging God to change some things, the Lord, just in this most beautiful and gentle voice, but very firm as well, said why don't you get up on your feet and start declaring victory? Because when you start declaring victory, the walls will come down. So it was so real.

Kim McIntire: 49:43

In that moment the tears dried up quicker than quick, because I knew the Lord had spoken to me. I got on my feet, I remember exactly where I was in my living room. No one was home, but I just started literally shouting victory over situations in my family that I was desperate for God to change, just desperate. And within I don't know two, three minutes, that despair had been driven out and the glory of the Lord came into the room and I had an overwhelming peace, an overwhelming hope. Joy just flood my soul and I'm like this can only be God, you know, because I'm not a person that goes really from highs to lows and lows to highs. And so I was like, wow, lord, wow, I want to share this and it's through Abide that I've been able to share this.

Kim McIntire: 50:46

So when we conclude class one. We literally just ask the Lord what are the situations in my life that I feel are desperate, that I feel are hopeless, and, rather than drowning in that, declare victory. And it really does honor God because we're placing our faith not in our ability to solve a problem right, but in His ability to change what needs to be changed. And here's another thing If the only thing that changes is you, praise God. If the only thing that changes is the way you perceive situations, praise God right, because our perception drives so much in what we do and say and think so we're going to be minimal on the shouting, probably because of the microphones.

Kim McIntire: 51:43

But these ladies have all joined me in victory prayers. It's a very personal time, but we're trusting the Holy Spirit to guard this and we entrust Him with this moment. So right now, listeners, we would invite you to identify an area of struggle in your life where you feel there is no hope and no solution, and we would challenge you to believe God for the victory. His Word says thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord, jesus Christ. He is the victory, and so right now, we're just going to speak victory over areas of our life that we know we need God to move and just believe Him for that, and we pray and believe and declare victory in the name of Jesus.

Kim McIntire: 52:46

Father, I thank you that victory comes through your son, jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit. Through your Son, jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit, I declare victory over unknowns. Father. I declare victory over the people in my family that I love who are struggling with health issues. Father, I declare victory over my loved one's health in Jesus' name, and I trust and I believe that you are Jehovah Rapha, the God who heals. So I speak victory over the health of my family in the mighty name of Jesus, victory, victory. Thank you Lord, thank you Lord.

Laurel Wike: 53:36

Lord, I want to speak. Victory over marriages, yes. Victory over desperate financial situations.

Kim McIntire: 53:43

Yes, Lord.

Laurel Wike: 53:44

Father, I declare victory over wayward children. Yes, thank you, lord, for victory. Mm-hmm.

Kim McIntire: 53:55

Victory in my thoughts, lord. Victory in my thoughts. Lord, victory in my thoughts. Let my mind be set on things above, not on earthly things. Thank you, lord, for the victory that you're giving me. Thank you for the victory you are giving our listeners in their thoughts. Victory over complacency, victory over those who are struggling to pray, struggling to be in their word, victory over the lies of the enemy. In Jesus' name, yes.

Chalee Brown: 54:28

Lord, I pray. Victory over cycles, yeah. I pray victory over generational curses.

Chalee Brown: 54:34

I pray victory over generational curses. I pray victory over family dysfunction. Yes, lord, lord, I pray victory over, lord, lord, the family members that I have that are not only away from you, lord, but their life is in shambles. Lord, I just pray victory over that. Thank you, lord, lord, thank you, lord, lord, I pray victory over the struggle of health and wellness and wholeness, physically, mentally, emotionally, lord, over swinging pendulums of highs and lows, lord, just lacking consistency. Lord, I pray victory over that.

Kim McIntire: 55:17

Yes, Lord.

Ashley Frazier: 55:21

Lord, I pray victory over fear.

Kim McIntire: 55:24

Yes.

Ashley Frazier: 55:24

Victory over anxiety yes. Victory in our children. Yes, lord. Victory in the generational curses yes, they are broken in Jesus' name. Thank you, lord. Yes, lord. Victory in the generational curses yes, they are broken in Jesus' name.

Kim McIntire: 55:37

Thank you, Lord.

Ashley Frazier: 55:38

Yes. Thank you Lord, thank you.

Kim McIntire: 55:40

Jesus Victory over lukewarmness. In Jesus' name, yes, lord.

Chalee Brown: 55:51

Lord, victory over apathy, victory over failure to act, lord, a failure to live out boldly what you have placed in our hearts, lord. Yes.

Laurel Wike: 56:03

Father, I pray for victory over job situations. I pray victory over small businesses that are launching. That will honor you in Jesus' name.

Song: 56:13

Yeah.

Kim McIntire: 56:17

Victory in the churches. Yes, victory over division. Yes, jesus, victory. Victory in the churches. Yes, god, victory over every enemy, scheme and tactic that seeks to destroy the church of the living. God Victory, thank you, lord. Victory over pastors and their families who are restless and weary. Victory, god. Victory over them.

Kim McIntire: 56:50

Jesus' name, jesus name, father, we thank you that you are a God of hope, a God of peace, a God of love and joy, a God who restores and rebuilds and redeems and renews, refreshes your people. Thank you, lord. Father, as we close, we pray in agreement that listeners will be impacted by your word, that, lord, in 2025, you are taking your people to new territories of love for your word and love for prayer and love for worship, like never before. Lord, we're believing for revival and this is part of revival. Your people seeking your face. Lord, god, we believe for it. We pray, blessing upon blessing and grace upon grace over every listener under the sound of our voice, and we give you glory and praise and honor, for you are worthy of it all, lord. Where would we be without you? O God, thank you for your love, grace, mercy and forgiveness.

Kim McIntire: 58:02

And, father, if there is a listener who does not know Jesus as Savior and Lord. We pray for those souls right now to come into personal relationship with you, lord, that they would ask for the forgiveness of sins through Jesus and they would receive you into their lives as Savior and make you Lord of their lives. Thank you, lord, that for God so loved the world, he gave his only Son that whoever believes in him would not perish but have everlasting life. Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. We thank you for salvation, lord. It is a free gift that we cannot earn, and we believe, lord, that you will save some listeners, god, from this podcast.

Kim McIntire: 58:48

We just believe it, lord. Make them hungry for you. Make them hungry for you, and I pray that you would move in ways in your people like never before in this new year of 2025. In the name of Jesus and for the glory of your name, we pray. Amen, amen. Ladies, thank you for your time. It's been a joy. Thank you for joining us today. We do want to remind everyone that Revival Night is going to be February 1st at the Cornell Complex in Joplin at 6 pm. Joplin, missouri, that is, and we hope to see everyone there. Be sure to check us out on our website at itstimetoriseuporg, or our Facebook page or Instagram. May God's grace and peace be with you In Jesus' mighty name.