Dufresne Ministries Podcast

Episode: Our Place In Christ | Joel & Amy Siegel | Paducah, KY | Thursday AM | Miracle Crusade 2022
Date: June 6, 2022

Episode Overview

This episode, led primarily by Pastor Joel Siegel and his wife Amy, is a faith-building message focusing on understanding the believer's position “in Christ” and exercising spiritual authority. Drawing from New Testament scriptures, especially Paul's prayers in Ephesians, the discussion encourages believers to recognize their true identity, authority, and partnership with God in prayer. The service is both teaching and demonstration, culminating in a time of corporate prayer and prophetic declarations.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Understanding Prayer in the New Testament Context (00:09–07:50)

• Difference between Old and New Testament Prayer: In the Old Testament, prayer often focused on asking God to act. In the New Testament era (after the resurrection), much has already been made available to believers through redemption.
• Greek Meaning of 'Ask':
  • The word often translated “ask” in the New Testament also means to “call for.”
  • “When Jesus said, ‘If you ask anything in my name, I'll do it’... one meaning of ask is ‘to demand as your rights and privileges.’” — Pastor Joel (06:37)
• Prayer is About Receiving and Knowing:
  • The emphasis is no longer begging God to do something, but seeing, knowing, and receiving what’s already ours in Christ.

2. Authority and Identity in Christ (07:50–15:00)

• The Believer's Authority:
  • Understanding who you are and what belongs to you is essential for effective prayer and faith.
  • “When a believer prays from their place in Christ, now you're talking about something.” — Pastor Joel (09:30)
• Prayer Isn't a Game of Chance:
  • “Prayer is not a roulette thing. It's not like a Las Vegas game... Faith is not chance to us. We're hitting about 100% success rate in faith.” — Pastor Joel (11:22)
• Renewing the Mind:
  • If believers feed daily on truths like authority and dominion, confidence grows, but neglect it, and fear or uncertainty creeps back in.

3. Intimate Partnership with God (12:31–15:00)

• Prayer as Breathing:
  • Taking our place in prayer isn't burdensome but as natural as breathing for a believer.
  • “Prayer ought to be the same way [as breathing]... you and God are intertwined. Your lives are intertwined.” — Pastor Joel (13:53)
• Continual Fellowship:
  • Real Christianity is fellowship with God 24/7; not visiting with Him occasionally.

4. Seated With Christ — A Position of Victory (15:00–30:52)

• Exploring Ephesians 1 and 2:
  • Paul's prayers are that believers’ eyes would be enlightened to see their inheritance and the exceeding greatness of God's power toward them.
  • “The power that raised Christ from the dead... is wired to you.” — Pastor Joel (20:32)
• No Greater Victory:
  • “When [Jesus] came up, we came up. When he walked out, we walked out.” — Pastor Joel (21:30)
  • We're not striving for righteousness, healing, or provision; in Christ, we already have these things.
• Not Earthlings But Citizens of Heaven:
  • Our true citizenship is in heaven, not just America or earth (cf. Philippians 3:20).
  • “You have a right to experience the conditions of heaven on earth to the degree that it's been made available.” — Pastor Joel (33:52)

5. Perspective: Our Problems vs. Our Position (35:00–40:00)

• Seated at God's Right Hand:
  • Believers are to see themselves seated with Christ at the right hand of the Father, far above all principalities, powers, and every name named.
  • “You are not an earthling... you've been created in the image of God, in the likeness of God... placed at the right hand of the throne of God.” — Pastor Joel (28:14)
• Heavenly Perspective Provides Joy:
  • “He that sits in the heavens laughs.” — Pastor Joel quoting Psalms (38:43)
  • Problems seem small when seen from heaven’s vantage point.

6. How to Pray — From Position, Not Desperation (40:00–47:00)

• Moving Beyond Begging in Prayer:
  • Pastor Joel reflects on past immaturity: “I stayed up all night praying for her—sincerely...begging, crying, pleading...because I thought that's what got the job done.” (41:47)
  • True effectual prayer recognizes God’s work is finished and now it’s about calling for, enforcing, and cooperating with His plan.
• Fervency in Prayer Explained:
  • “Fervency isn't about how loud or emotional you get; it's about having the same heart as the Father.” — Amy Siegel (44:40–46:00)

7. Practical Authority and Local Impact (47:00–50:00)

• Exercising Spiritual Authority:
  • The Siegels share examples of using their authority in their geographic area to pray against law enforcement deaths and teen suicides.
• Local vs. Universal Authority:
  • “Your authority does not extend to every person...but your authority does extend to the influencing forces that would send them that way.” — Pastor Joel (49:00)

8. Corporate Prayer, Thanksgiving, and Declaration (52:00–69:43)

• Entering Prayer from Position:
  • The congregation prays from their seated position in Christ, giving thanks for their authority, for the laborers in the harvest, and for God's plan in the last days.
• Calling for the Move of God:
  • Referencing Ezekiel 47 and prophecy, they “call for” the increasing flow of God’s Spirit and the full manifestation of healing and miracle power.
  • Specific callings: “Thank you for the Finney anointing” (conviction for salvation), “the Wigglesworth anointing” (creative, outstanding miracles). (63:43–68:20)
• Declarations:
  • “We thank you that we have it...that it's ours... that it's here... that it's now.” — Amy Siegel (69:19)
  • Corporate praise and thanksgiving conclude the time of prayer.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On New Testament Prayer:

  “In the New Testament, when it comes to prayer, it's not that God would do something, but it's that we would see and know, understand and know how to receive. That's the emphasis of prayer.”
  — Pastor Joel (03:51)

• On Authority:

  “I dare you—come on, babies, come on, just try, you just try devil to do this...cause I know who I am.”
  — Pastor Joel (09:01)

• On our Seated Position:

  “We're not like the ones who used to stand outside the courtyard. We're in the throne room...You're there. You're seated there at the Father's right hand.”
  — Pastor Joel (24:13)

• On Perspective:

  “Jesus said, I saw Satan as lightning fall to the earth... In the time he's getting these 'I wills' out of his mouth... he finishes it with his rear end smoking on earth. Boom. And that's the power struggle that took place.”
  — Pastor Joel (37:30)

• On Prayer Maturity:

  “We’ve got to storm the gates of heaven. Well, what are you doing outside the gates? We just read, honey child, there’s a time to pray. There’s a place to pray.”
  — Pastor Joel (42:00)

• On Fervent Prayer:

  “Fervency doesn’t mean how loud you are or how emotional you are... Fervency just simply means this: Having the same heart as the Father.”
  — Amy Siegel (45:08)

• On Calling Forth God’s Promises:

  “There’s things in the Word that we see that we don’t yet see physically...What can we do? We can call for that, for those waves to be longer and stronger.”
  — Pastor Joel (62:46)

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | |---------------|-------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:09 | Opening remarks—confidence in God hearing our prayers | | 03:51 | New Testament prayer: shift from asking to receiving/seeing | | 07:50 | The importance of knowing authority and identity in Christ | | 13:53 | Prayer likened to breathing; natural fellowship with God | | 20:32 | The power that raised Christ from the dead is “to us” | | 28:14 | Believers seated at God’s right hand—our heavenly citizenship| | 38:43 | Perspective: God laughs at the devil’s attempts | | 41:47 | Pastor Joel’s testimony on past immature prayer | | 44:40 | Amy distinguishes fervency (heart-alignment vs. emotion) | | 49:00 | Testimonies of exercising authority in their neighborhood | | 52:00 | Shift to corporate prayer and declarations | | 62:46 | Calling for fullness of the move of God (Ezekiel 47) | | 68:28 | Calling for the Wigglesworth and Finney anointings | | 69:19 | “We thank you that we have it...it’s here...it’s now.” |

Conclusion / Key Takeaways

• Prayer in the New Testament is grounded in revelation knowledge—knowing our place in Christ, not striving or hoping for God to act, but calling forth what is already ours.
• Our authority, citizenship, and perspective are not earthly but heavenly; we are seated with Christ far above all powers.
• Corporate prayer and declarations are powerful when done from a place of knowledge and authority, calling God’s will into manifestation, particularly for a greater move of the Holy Spirit.
• Christians are encouraged to walk in this reality daily and to view prayer as a natural extension of their partnership with God.