Renewed Focus on prayer

Last week we talked started a new series called Recalibrate by renewing our focus on Jesus.

When we think about recalibrate in a new year we often start with resolutions. But it’s almost becoming a joke because every year we make the same resolutions as we always expect to revert back to our old habits.

Not that our resolutions were bad, maybe our goals weren’t measurable or attainable… maybe we didn’t plan out a good strategy to meet our goals… maybe we didn’t vocalize, communicate, or write down our goal so it’s always in front of us.

Habits are important, good habits require discipline, bad habits happen require no discipline. We don’t like to attend to the things that need our attention.

Weeds in a garden, cracks in the driveway, leaks in the roof, the engine light in the car. We don’t like to have to reseal the driveway, go out to the garden every day to pull weeds, take the car to the mechanic (as long as it’s running we’re good).

When things get neglected, eventually the cracks will be exposed and moisture will go underneath make the cracks bigger.

When things are neglected, bad habits show up like cracks in the asphalt or a leaky roof… they will take over like weeds in the garden.

Today we are going to highlight prayer as we recalibrate our life in 2024. As we go through the Book of Ephesians we see how Paul prays.

First he talks about the blessings that we receive through Jesus. As we renew our focus on Jesus we will be reminded that Jesus blessed us with every spiritual blessing necessary for success. (vs. 3)

Through Jesus we have every spiritual blessing necessary for life.

Through Jesus we have been chosen by God before the foundations of the world were formed. We were set apart to be holy through adoption into HIS family through salvation.

We have been redeemed and forgiven through the riches of HIS grace. God revealed to us, through HIS wisdom and insight, the mystery of HIS will and purpose.

Through Jesus we have been sealed and filled with the Holy Spirit. Through Jesus we can know God’s fulness; we can live in God’s unity and HIS eternal plan fulfilled throughout the fulness of time.

Through Jesus we have an eternal inheritance, a living hope, everything we have is from God who has ultimate power and authority over everything… yet HE invites us to receive HIS blessing through HIS sacrifice.

Jesus loves us, we are forgiven, HE has given us every spiritual blessing necessary for us to be victorious.

Listen to this powerful prayer that Paul prays after focusing on our blessings through Christ, he prays and encouraging prayer for the saints. Let this prayer encourage us renew our focus on prayer.

Ephesians 1:15–23 (ESV)

15 For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, 16 I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, 18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,

19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

PRAY

Paul begins by focusing on Jesus: the blessings we have through Jesus, our complete and total victory promised and sealed through Jesus, our inheritance, our purpose, our calling…all given to us through Jesus.

Paul then shifts to being thankful.

Ephesians 1:15–16 ESV

15 For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, 16 I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers,

Paul begins his prayer by being thankful for the church, for their faith and for their love toward the saints.

A renewed Prayer life begins with thanksgiving and praise.

Ephesus was not a perfect church. We see in the book of Revelation that this church had abandoned their first love, they became caught up with religion, caught up with the consequence of sin that they forgot that Jesus came to restore those who repent of sin. They had to be reminded how far they had fallen and that’s why Jesus called them repent and to turn back to there first love.

This was not a perfect church because there is on such thing as a perfect church. The church is full of imperfect people who need to return to their first love.

Yet, Paul was thankful for the church.

Lord I thank you for the people in my life… my church family… Thank you Jesus for making these blessings possible so we can grow in your love as your church.

Thank you Jesus that you chose the church to represent Christ as Your Body.

Thank you that Your desire is for the church to grow. Yes numerically, yes in influence but to grow in our knowledge of God, to grow in the joy of our salvation, to grow in love for one another because we are growing in our love for Jesus.

Don’t stop praying for the church… Ephesians 1:16 “16 I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers,”

Having a renewed prayer life begins with thanksgiving and praise regardless of our painful circumstances… Jesus is Lord over our pain, our disease, our loss, our heartache.

Praise and thanksgiving is what will shift our focus from our circumstance to the one who has power over ALL THINGS including our circumstance.

Let’s turn to Psalms.

Psalm 100:3–5 (ESV)

3 Know that the Lord, HIS is God! It is HE who made us, and we are HIS; we are HIS people, and the sheep of HIS pasture. 4 Enter HIS gates with thanksgiving, and HIS courts with praise! Give thanks to HIM; bless HIS name! 5 For the Lord is good; HIS steadfast love endures forever, and HIS faithfulness to all generations.

When we seek to know God, the ONE who created us, the ONE we belong to and the ONE who owns the pasture that we live in, it’s so much easier to be thankful.

That’s why it’s entering into HIS gates starts with thanksgiving and praise…

The gateway into the presence of God is through a thankful heart. Honoring the Lord and exalting HIS name is the gateway into a renewed prayer life.

That’s why Paul begins this prayer with thanksgiving and praise but he doesn’t stay there. Paul shifted from thanksgiving to his bold request.

A renewed prayer life is sustained through bold prayers

T‌he limitlessness of God’s great power means that our requests may seem impossible but God’s power is limitless. Impossible is not in God’s vocabulary… He is not aware of anything that is impossible, that’s why HE want’s us to pray bold prayers.

Ephesians 1:16–20 (ESV)

Remembering you in my prayers, 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, 18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,

When Jesus went to the cross, rose from the grave, ascended into heaven and now seated at the right hand of God, HE paid for our access.

When you have access to something, payment is required. Gyms, streaming services, xbox live.

Watching the Michigan Wolverines win the CFC national championship required access to ESPN.

Through Jesus we now have access into bold prayers but our bold prayers must be rooted in knowing God.

That’s why Jesus gave us full access to knowing God by giving us the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation so we can…

Know our calling:

Knowing the hope to which we are called. We are set apart for HIS purpose.

Know our new identity:

We are no longer sinners but saints. We are no longer orphans but sons and daughters of the King.

Know God’s limitless power working for us:

That’s how we can pray bold prayers as we recognize what that access truly means. Seek to truly know the fulness of God.

Through Jesus we have access by the Spirit of wisdom and revelation of the knowledge of HIM.

Bold prayers are stemmed from a heart enlightened by the hope of our calling.

Bold prayers are motivated by HIS rich and glorious inheritance for us, the saints.

Bold prayers inspired by HIS limitless power toward the believer.

God made bold prayers possible and available for us but bold prayers will only be answered through consistency. The purpose behind those bold prayers is to build up our faith, to know our calling, to know our identity, and to see God’s limitless power on display so don’t give up on bold prayers.

Let God open those doors as you seek to know the Lord… God will save your wayward child… God will heal your broken marriage… God will bring freedom, real life transformation, deliverance.

Don’t stop praying those bold prayers because with God nothing is ever impossible!

A renewed prayer life confidently rests in God’s authority.

God’s power is unlimited and HE has complete authority over every rule, every power, and every dominion throughout time.

Ephesians 1:20–23 ESV

20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

When Jesus resurrected and ascended, HE is now seated at the right hand. That means Jesus has full authority.

God’s authority covers everything, “Far Above All”

All rule -

HE is above every government leadership, pray for our leadership in government whether we voted for them or not.

Pray for the election but also rest in the outcome because Jesus will always rule.

All Authority -

It’s the Lord who raises up and It’s the Lord who tares down.

The Bible is full of bad kings but without those bad kings there would be no Elijah vs Ahab, Jeremiah, Daniel vs Nebby, Isaiah, Paul.

All power and All dominion -Remember this is a spiritual battle.

Ephesians 6:12 ESV

12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

We must recognize that prayer is the tool in which we fight every battle.

Jesus is far above every name that is named… Depression, Sickness, Cancer, Addiction, gender and identity confusion… every name that is named.

“Not only is this age but also in the one to come.” Jesus will always be relevant!

Things are changing quickly but Jesus is still King of everything.

Ephesians 1:22–23 ESV

22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

As the church, we cannot look backwards, we must look to Jesus, “the author and perfecter of our faith”

As the Body of Christ we must know who we are in Jesus, as we focus on Jesus, as we confidently rest in God’s authority, as we boldly pray bold prayers knowing that God is far above everything.

We have to fill our mind and our heart with God’s Word if we are going to grow in our faith. This is a slow process.

Prayer is like wasting your time. We waste time with the people you call friends.

Prayer is the best use of wasted time. God is saying come and waste your time with ME, come rest in ME, come delight in ME, come cast your cares upon me. Prayer is the best use of your time. Prayer itself is a miracle. That we can come before the Lord, take everything to HIM and rest knowing that HE is far above everything.

Take Away:

Renew your focus on prayer

Start with Thanksgiving and Praise

We will not only come to Jesus only in crisis mode when we enter HIS gates with thanksgiving and praise.

Praise HIM every day.

As we seek to know God’s power and wisdom Pray Bold Prayers.

God can handle our bold prayers, those impossible prayers.

Don’t neglect giving God the impossible and consistently ask God.

Confidently rest in God’s full authority.

Keep reminding yourself that God’s authority is far above every other authority, power, dominion, name, rule.

Our job isn’t to try to figure it out, our job is to rest in HIM.

Our job is to be the church the Body of Christ who God choose to have authority through.