A Life of Prayer

Housekeeping: Wednesday Groups

It’s a good time to re-emphasize our Wednesday night service format…

The work of the Holy Spirit in our lives take place through the preaching of the Word and through covenant relationship.

Throughout the year we will alternate Wednesday nights between a teaching/preaching night in a series, followed by alternating Wednesdays where you are invited to join us in groups to pray together and hear the Scriptures through one another.

Series: If My People - A Call to Prayer

Theme Verse: 2 Chronicles 7:14 “If my people, who bear my name, humble themselves, pray and seek my face, and turn from their evil ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.”

Definition:

Prayer is any moment where through faith we become aware of the presence of Jesus, then open our heart to that holy fellowship.

certainly in a church service

in worship and song

in your car

a moment of quiet reflection

when you wake in the morning, before you close your eyes to sleep

anytime throughout your day

-or-

Prayer is an invitation to get in on the work of the Holy Spirit in you and in the world around you.

*We tend to think of prayer as a performance (in our pentecostal tradition). But prayer is not what we do to God it’s what Christ is doing through us…if we will let him.

Prayer is not just something we do…Prayer is the Work of the People

We live in a culture that is defined by what we do (“What do you do for a living?”):

I am an electrician.

I am an insurance agent.

I am a public speaker.

I am technician.

I’m an artist.

I’m a marathon runner.

I work in sales.

I am a stay-at-home mom….etc.

Nothing wrong with any of those things. They are just not what defines our life!

God defines his people by calling them a People of Prayer:

Isaiah 56:7 “I will bring them to my holy mountain and let them rejoice in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be acceptable on my altar, for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.””

Matthew 21:13 “He said to them, “It is written, my house [oikos - family business] will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it a den of thieves!””

Jesus drives out the money changers…they had turn the business of prayer into the business of commerce.

Principle: We often have far more confidence in the power of our own energy and efforts than we do in the power of prayer.

Question: Why is that that we can believe in a virgin birth and a resurrection but still somehow struggle to believe prayer is enough???

We’re constantly unsatisfied with prayer, because prayer is not lever you pull to get God to act!

Prayer is a practice that opens my eyes to see like God sees.

Why do you rush ahead of prayer?

(How many of you have ever rushed ahead of God??)

We don’t like waiting on God’s timing.

We don’t like God’s answer.

Some things we already know what God has said…we just don’t want to listen!!!

The noise in our mind is too loud to hear God whisper to our heart.

We pray from a place of anxiousness, rather than from a place of confident rest.

So our prayers feel ineffective and pointless.

Madam Guyon (16th Century Christian Mystic): “The infant clinging closely to her mother is a lively illustration of prayer…the tiny infant is nourished by her mother without any anxiousness or exertion. The more peaceful she feeds, the better she thrives…She falls asleep against her mother’s skin. Just so, the soul that is tranquil and peaceful in prayer, sinks frequently into a deep peace, wherein all its powers are at rest.”

Prayer creates a guard around your heart, and out of your heart flow the “issues” of your life (Prov 4:23).

Our Prayers become a divine highway for the Fire of the Holy Spirit

*Notice the verses just before the famous “prayer verse” (v.14)…

2 Chronicles 7:11–16 “So Solomon finished the Lord’s temple and the royal palace. Everything that had entered Solomon’s heart to do for the Lord’s temple and for his own palace succeeded. Then the Lord appeared to Solomon at night and said to him: I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a temple of sacrifice. If I shut the sky so there is no rain, or if I command the grasshopper to consume the land, or if I send pestilence on my people, and my people, who bear my name, humble themselves, pray and seek my face, and turn from their evil ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land. My eyes will now be open and my ears attentive to prayer from this place. And I have now chosen and consecrated this temple so that my name may be there forever; my eyes and my heart will be there at all times.”

Solomon established prayer and order in his house FIRST

If prayer is not first in every area of your life, it will not be first in any area.

Psalm 16:8 “I always let the Lord guide me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.”

Matthew 6:33 “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.”

Then he made prayer first and PRIMARY in God’s house

Controversial: The church is not about me. Its not about you. It’s not about our wants, or preferences. It’s about gathering in the presence of Jesus in repentance and prayer.

What the people of God need is the presence of God, the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit (2 Cor 13:14).

We experience that through prayer.

As a result the Holy Spirit made his dwelling there.

2 Chronicles 7:12 “Then the Lord appeared to Solomon at night and said to him: I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a temple of sacrifice.”

When your house is ordered by God and This house is ordered by God, we know the Kingdom of God is near!

5 Practical thoughts on making Prayer First in your Life

A simple model for prayer that has been passed down for nearly 2000 years.

Be intentional about a time and place.

Traditional prayer times have been morning, noon, and evening prayer.

Quiet your mind and Open your heart.

acknowledge Jesus is there…welcome the Holy Spirit

don’t start with words…just make yourself aware that God is near

Begin with Simple Confession

Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed. In what we have done and in what we have left undone….

Pray a Psalm selection

Be anxious for nothing. Trust the prayers have done their work in you and in the world. Finish with a confident AMEN.