The POTENTIAL in PRAYER

(S1) — SERIES (21 days) — PROMISE/POWER/POTENTIAL— JOHN

Do we underestimate the POTENTIAL in Prayer?

In other words, do we BELIEVE in the PROMISE, and POWER in our prayers, given to us in the Holy Spirit, to lead people to Jesus?

‘Nobody is beyond God’s reach’ — Airplane story(22)

Jesus words to the disciples, reveal the given task of every follower of Jesus to do the WORK of prayer

13 You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. 14 Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!

It’s easy to pray...but do we find it as easy to believe in the POTENTIAL in our prayers?

Praying for a Bike — A little boy wanted $100 to buy a new bike, and his mother told him to pray to God for it. He prayed and prayed for two weeks, but nothing turned up. Then he decided perhaps he should write God a letter requesting the $100.00. When the postal authorities received the letter addressed to God, they opened it up and decided to send it to the President. The President was so impressed, touched and amused that he instructed his secretary to send the little boy a check for $5.00. He thought that this would appear to be a lot of money to a little boy. The little boy was delighted with the $5.00 and sat down to write a thank-you letter to God...

Dear God; Thank you very much for the money. I noticed that you had to send it through Washington. As usual, they deducted $95.00 for themselves.

Some of you might be thinking, I’ve prayed for…

(S2) — The point of Jesus words is not just faith in a promised result…it’s in willingness to do the WORK of prayer.

John 14:12 “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done...

The POTENTIAL in our prayers comes from the WORK of our prayers.

What is to be the POTENTIAL in of our prayers? Not just the SAME works, but GREATER works of Jesus

PRAYER — Holy Spirit , use us to bring the Saving — Transforming love of God to others. In Jesus name!

(S3) —

(1-5) Returning to his Father (Home) — Promise/with him — Questions — Thomas/Phillip

Jesus Declares Himself to be the WAY to the Father

6 Jesus told him, “I AM the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. 7 If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is. From now on, you do know him and have seen him!”

1. I am — “A personal name for God — Moses asks what to tell the Israelites when they ask who sent him.”

Exodus 3:14 “God replied to Moses, “I Am Who I Am. Say this to the people of Israel: I Am has sent me to you.””

Through Jesus’ relationaship with the father, they would come to know God — A relationaship with I am...

2. Jesus claim as being THE WAY to the Father.

“There is a difference between pointing the way to a particular place and taking someone by the hand to lead him there. The person who guides someone to his destination literally becomes the way himself. Jesus Christ not only points out how to walk through life and how to reach God, He personally shows the person the way." The Gospel according to John (King James Version) (E. The Way to God Is by Jesus Alone, 14:4–7)

(S4) —

God made A WAY to reconcile himself with us in Jesus. John the Baptist prepared the WAY for Jesus — who showed the disciples he is THE WAY — so we would know the way to God

Disciples — followers of the way (Acts 19:9, 23)

Acts 9:2 “He (Saul) requested letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for their cooperation in the arrest of any followers of The Way he found there.

Jesus had led them…his was the path to follow — The way...

Many today either don’t know the way or have lost their way

Freeland Cross country lead runner

People are in need of Jesus who is the WAY to a RIGHT relationaship with God — Prayer then is the WORK needed in getting them there

(S5) —

John 14:8–9 (NLT)

8 Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.” 9 Jesus replied, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don’t know who I am? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! So why are you asking me to show him to you?

Ironic that it is Phillip who asks a legitimate question — Jesus found Philip...

Read 1:45-46

Without Phillip would Nathaniel have found Jesus?

It’s possible…but Jesus is INITIATING something GREATER here — preparing the disciples…in leading others to him

(S6) — Think of someone you know right now who is far from God and ask yourself this question

Without out my prayers, will ________________ find Jesus?

STEWARDESS on the PLANE

(S7) —

The POTENTIAL in their prayers, would come from BELIEF in who Jesus is.

John 14:10–11 (NLT)

10 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words I speak are not my own, but my Father who lives in me does his work through me. 11 Just believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Or at least believe because of the work you have seen me do.

BELIEVE — That I speak for the Father and He for me

In view of the circumstances...Jesus was affirming their faith in God as the basis of their faith in Him. As Jews they believed in God, and nothing had transpired to destroy that faith. Faith in God had never been a problem with them; faith in Jesus, on the other hand, had been a problem and at that time was undergoing its most severe test. The Wesleyan Bible Commentary, Volume 4: Matthew–Acts (B. I Go Away; I Will Come Again (14:1–31))

BELIEVE — in the works of Jesus — Not juts his miracles — His person, his life his words

(12:37) — Discipleship Problem — Seeing but not BELIEVING — Some would fall away

Is BELIEVING the FOUNDATION of your prayers?

Through their BELIEVING that they would come to see the POTENTIAL in their prayers, which would lead them to the WORK of PRAYER

(S8) —

John 14:12 (NLT)

“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father.

Notice first that ALL believers are called to do the works of Jesus — Two categories

Same works? — Miracles — GIFTS

Romans 12:6 “In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well.

Greater works? — SALVATION…show others THE WAY...so that they will BELIEVE —

1:50 — Nathanael...believe in GREATER things

(S9) —

“We are more worried about losing 10# than saving a person from an eternity without God (hell).” Tim Keller

We spend more time praying people to good health and less time praying them into heaven...

(S10) — What is the GREATER work of the follower of Jesus?

The work of PRAYER is to lead others to BELIEVE so they will FOLLOW Jesus

The greatest work you can ever do is to pray for someone to receive Jesus as their savior — Your prayer has the potential to save a life

Without out my prayers, will ________________ find Jesus?

Do we underestimate the POTENTIAL in our prayers? Our WORK must arise out of our INTIMACY with Jesus!

John 14:13–14 (NLT)

13 You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. 14 Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!

Jesus did a greater thing in LAZARUS — LIFE — The disciples would do greater things in the WORK of PRAYER

HALLOWEEN (dead) — Followers of the WAY (LIFE ) —

PRAYER — Holy Spirit , use me to bring the Saving — Transforming love of God to others. In Jesus name!