Episode 142 - God hinted at the great reversal He would usher in to destroy the effects of the introduction of the experiential knowledge of evil into our adama lives in Genesis 3:15. And, gloriously, He chooses to use us as vessels of His redemption efforts, just as we were the vectors that brought the curse. Freewill is a reality—the only possible birthplace of true love. The fact that He would invite us to become part of the redemption plan is mind-boggling in itself, since we caused the whole mess to start with.

We have largely focused on the importance of being informed—and not just about the facts of human oppression; it is essential that we should have a solid Christocentric theology that shapes our perspective on everything, including the whys and hows of the fight against oppression in our century. Today we will focus on the next I's, interceding, involvement and influence.

Informed. Interceding. Involved. Influencing: the 4 I’s whisper, “yet not I but Christ in me.” The 4 I’s apply to the fights of our lives, and most of all to the foundation of it all—our relationship with God: to know in our heads and in our hearts who God is and what He has done for us; to thus know who we are and what He calls us to do in His Name.

Once you have caught the vision through information, wrestled the evil through intercession and entered the action through involvement, the influence becomes easy to spread. Look around you: who can you tell? Look in your family, your neighborhood, your church, your social media community. Make a list of names. Invite them for a meal. Share your preferred organization(s)’s vision and mission. Become an ambassador for them. Share these series!

To influence, you must advocate, inform, invite others into the cycle of 4 I’s that you have experienced. And don’t stop there: keep informed; keep interceding; keep involved; keep influencing our generation.

And one day, one day not too long from now, we will all look back and say with Paul, “I worked hard… yet not I but Christ in me.”

 

For more on this topic, join our guest teacher for a thorough look at how to put these 4 I's in practice, with our special Gospel Spice teacher, Linda. Become a member today for free to access her teaching, along with all the other, member-exclusive lessons that take you deeper into the Gospel Spice experience of Shades of Red.

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Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog

SHADES OF RED is a new original series by GospelSpice Ministries. We ponder humanity as loved, created, fallen and, in Christ, redeemed.

SHADES OF RED brings you a simple theological perspective to understand the consequences of the curse of sin on humanity, followed by a practical approach to step up against the evils of our day, rooted in unity between man and woman. Weaving real-life Bible stories, this series will help you get informed, keep interceding, get involved, and keep influencing our generation. We will also occasionally welcome special guests who share our passion to fight against oppression in all its forms, for example through the fight against human trafficking, or through racial reconciliation, and more.

Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog

You are invited to join us on the Gospel Spice Prayer Bible Study, titled "The heart behind prayer" starting September 20, 2025! Details and registration here: https://www.gospelspice.com/prayer 

There are a few things in our Christian life that we know we should do more, or at least better – and prayer just might top the list. Prayer is a mystery. Why would a conversation with a human have any influence on God’s eternal, sovereign plan? It defies logic, and beckons love. How can God, the Almighty Lord of Hosts, be this close, this personal? It defies understanding, and beckons involvement.

But, lack of time, inspiration, and discipline, combined with the ruthless tyranny of our busy lives, push prayer to the periphery, to the “one day I’ll get to it” pile. And yet, we can excel at what we endeavor to undertake. So, why isn’t prayer more of a spiritual priority? Could we develop a mindset around prayer that made it attractive, inspiring, even maybe delightful? What if we attuned our spiritual ears to listen to God, and our spiritual eyes to see His provision?

As an unassuming student, I’m going to humbly offer to share the little I have learned from others about the joy of prayer. I will give us theology, practical tips, and useful resources, sharing what works for me as we, together, learn to pray.

If you find prayer intimidating, or if your lack of prayer makes you feel guilty or “less than,” then this is the place for you! If you have been a student of prayer for many years, this is the place for you too! If you have breath in your lungs, then prayer can become one of the deepest joys of your day. Don’t miss out!

A PERSPECTIVE ABOUT PRAYER

To pray is to believe that God not only hears, but that He responds. It is to stand in the gap for a broken world, wielding the authority of Christ, empowered by the Spirit, and trusting in the goodness of the Father. The question is not whether prayer works, but whether we are willing to pray the kinds of prayers that invite God’s Kingdom into the darkest places of the earth—and of our own hearts.

We may never fully understand the mechanics of prayer, or how it intersects with God's sovereignty, but we are not called to understand everything. We are called to be faithful. And faithfulness means showing up—in prayer, in persistence, in expectation.

So today, let us pray not only for the comfort of our hearts, but for the transformation of the world. Let us take our place as image-bearers, co-laborers, and co-heirs. Let us believe that God is still listening—and still acting. Because He is.

There’s only one way to find out what might happen when we truly pray like this.

Let’s begin.

THE MINDSET BEHIND THIS COURSE

Before we begin, let me tell you the obvious: I don’t really know how to pray. I’m a humble student and absolute beginner at the holy endeavor that is prayer. So, this course isn’t really about what I’ve learned, or any wisdom I might have gathered. But, I’ve sat at the feet of many prayer warriors over the decades, through books and teachings.

So, I’ll share what I learned from them. Humility is going to be our primary heart posture! With each lesson, I will offer a few thoughts, practices, and ideas – with much humility, and not taking myself too seriously. I will also share her favorite books and resources about prayer. FInally, I will introduce you to some of the most influential prayer warriors of our history as the Body of Christ.

Most importantly, I will invite YOU to pray! Learning to pray comes from praying. Our humble ambition is to inspire you to pray, and to give you a few tips on how to do that. Then, it’s up to you! Prayer is a lifelong endeavor. Let’s make it delightful together!

So, let’s get started.

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