Unceasing Prayer
Go Vertical Series
Preaching Portion: Selected Scriptures
Subject: Prayer
Theme: Unceasing Prayer That Describes the Church
INTRO: Fervent, faith-filled, persistent prayer is a
prerequisite to God’s manifest presence in a church!
·
Prayer is the easiest thing to assume in church
and the hardest thing to maintain. Prayer is the first thing our flesh stops
when times get easy, and true prayer is the last thing we resort to when things
get tough.
·
Prayerlessness in a church will lead you to attempt
weird horizontal programs to fulfill what is lacking in the spirit world.
·
Without prayer, the other three facets of our
DNA do not matter [Unashamed Adoration, Unapologetic Preaching, & Unafraid
Witnessing].
·
As a congregation we must respond to God’s
invitation; “Call to me, and I will
answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.”
·
If that scripture is true then, are we failing
to see God work among us because we are selfish in our prayers? Listen to God’s
Word; “You do not have because you do not
ask, you ask and do not receive because you ask amiss.”
·
If we are to become a vertical church that
establishes the Glory of God back into the house of God then we are going to
have to deal with our iniquities. Isaiah 59:1,2; “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his
ear dull, that it cannot hear; but your iniquities have made a separation
between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you, so that
he dies not hear.”
Explanation
·
Actual praying, not thinking, I need help, not
wondering when God will act, but actual kneeling, out-loud, faith-filled
calling out to God is needed among God’s people.
·
“Call upon
me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me”
[Psalm 50:15]. The word translated “call” is used some 720 times in the Old
Testament. The indication of this word is to raise your voice, to accost, to
proclaim.
·
The other pieces of our churches DNA [Unashamed
Adoration, Unapologetic Preaching, Unafraid Witness] will amount to nothing if
we are not praying. Where prayerless people pursue powerless methods as a
substitute for the glory of God revealed, why would Satan ever bother us?
·
As the church prays, God is making us
spiritually fit to receive what He is already willing to do.
·
Prayer changes us into the people who can
participate in the greater work of God without being spoiled by it through
pride or becoming discouraged by the increased weight of greater fruitfulness.
PROP: New Harvest Assembly of God is to become a
“prayer-saturated” congregation that seeks the manifested glory of God among
us!
T.S: New Harvest Assembly of God can become a
prayer-saturated congregation seeking God’s glory by gleaning the selected
insights from scripture,
1.
Jesus Cleanses The Church – Matthew 21:12-17
a.
The Purification – vv.12,13
i. It
is safe to say that commentators are divided on the meaning of Christ’s actions
and the intent of those actions. There are various interpretations offered,
ranging from political statements to establishing holiness in temple.
ii. So
that we are not overly simplistic, let us allow the narrative to speak to us.
1.
Understand that the money changers tables was an
appropriate part of the religious structure – currency needed to be converted
to the Temple shekel so that worship could be fulfilled.
2.
The issue – the money changers had turned what
was appropriate into a merchandizing aspect of religion – making a profit from
worshippers.
3.
Christ is obviously not happy – turning over the
money changers tables created a real scene
4.
The instruction that follows is note-worthy: My
house is to be a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves…
5.
The activity of Christ following this scene is
not to be overlooked – he healed the blind and the lame that came to him.
iii. I
feel that we can draw from this pattern a powerful insight for the Vertical
Church: Prayer will lead to repentance first then the glory will fall! “If my people who are called by my name
humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways,
then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land”
2 Chronicles 7:14
b.
Spiritual things happened when Christ cleansed
the temple. The worship center is to be Holy Ghost emergency room where people
in spiritual trauma can be rescued.
i. Scottish
devotional writer Andrew Bonar wrote in 1853, “God likes to see His people shut
up to this, that there is no hope but in prayer. Herein lies the Church’s power
against the world.”[1]
ii. Do
not overlook the fact there were blind and lame people already present, but
what was missing to effect any real and lasting change was the power and glory
of God in the midst of the place of worship.
2.
God Challenges his People – Psalm 50:14,15
a.
“Offer to
God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and perform your vows to the Most High, and
call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify
me.”
i. God
had just stated in essence, “Do you think that I need your sacrifices because I
am hungry and need your continual burnt offerings?”
ii. The
answer is NO! Rather the real issue is COMMITMENT!
1.
It has been said that you can tell how popular a
church by who attends on Sunday morning, you can tell how popular the Pastor of
Evangelist is by those who attend Sunday evening, and you can tell how popular
Jesus is by those who attend prayer service.
b.
In consulting various tools to understand the author’s
intent by his word selection, the word translated “call” indicates “fervency.”
i. Actual
praying, not thinking I needed help, not wondering when God would act, but
kneeling, out-loud, faith-filled calling out to God.
ii. As
we pray, God is making us spiritually fit to receive what He is already willing
to do.
iii. There
is one additional thought that can be gleaned from this one word “call.” It is
generally understood that specificity is implied – ask for exactly what you
need.
c.
Are we living in a day of trouble? Do we need
the deliverance of the Lord and His glory among us?
i. Our
prayer should not be God just whisper me something in passing, I know that your
busy. Just throw a couple of thoughts my direction; a couple of quick requests
over your shoulder while you’re on your way to the grocery store. That is all I
desire.
ii. Isa.
40:9; Lift up your voice with
strength…lift it up, fear not”
iii. Psa.
116:1; “I love the Lord because he heard
my voice…”
iv. Ro
8:15; “You have received the Spirit…by
which we cry, Abba Father!”
d.
Something happens in the heart of God when his
children go out on a limb and cries out; “God, if it’s not you, it’s nothing!
We don’t have plan “B,” we don’t have another hope.”
Conclusion
·
Commitment to a prayer strategy
·
Daniel Prayer & Fasting January 7-11 [For
those interested in the 21 fast can continue on].
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