The Priority of Prayer.
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Introduction
Introduction
I believe the most important possession you have that Satan wants to steal is your TIME.
One can make more money. Money comes and it goes and for the most of us it does more going than coming.
Tonight I want us to see the importance of Prayer being our top priority.
Time is important.
So teach us to number our days
that we may get a heart of wisdom.
a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?
Since his days are determined,
and the number of his months is with you,
and you have appointed his limits that he cannot pass,
Do not boast about tomorrow,
for you do not know what a day may bring.
yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.
It is clear throughout God’s Word that time is very important. We must use our time wisely.
In the Power of God, he chose to use men in his unfolding plan here on earth. God chose prayer as the communication route and needed preparation time to give us the energy and understanding we need to carry out His Will.
Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
Prayer aligns the body of Christ with Christ. It gets things in line to be effective in its purpose.
For many of us, We are to busy to stop and pray intentional, specific, and targeting prayers. However, I have noticed we are never to busy for what we are busy for. It seems much easier to go and rush and attempt to fix and carry out our day ourselves than to stop and spend needed time with the Father. Many times we tend to put off prayer and save it for when we cannot fix something.
We must understand we are approaching a HOLY, PERFECT, ALL POWERFUL GOD. We should prize this and be careful not to take that for granted.
God created the universe by word, WE have not created anything
He is perfect and maintains all power in heaven and earth. We stumble and rely on his strength.
Prayer aligns the body of Christ with Christ. It gets things in line to be effective in its purpose.
For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body.
God is not dependent of anything at all, we are totally dependent on Him
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
He knows every detail of every thing at any time day or night and at all times.
O Lord, you have searched me and known me!
You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
you discern my thoughts from afar.
You search out my path and my lying down
and are acquainted with all my ways.
Even before a word is on my tongue,
behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.
You hem me in, behind and before,
and lay your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
it is high; I cannot attain it.
Where shall I go from your Spirit?
Or where shall I flee from your presence?
If I ascend to heaven, you are there!
If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
If I take the wings of the morning
and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
even there your hand shall lead me,
and your right hand shall hold me.
If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me,
and the light about me be night,”
even the darkness is not dark to you;
the night is bright as the day,
for darkness is as light with you.
For you formed my inward parts;
you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works;
my soul knows it very well.
My frame was not hidden from you,
when I was being made in secret,
intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw my unformed substance;
in your book were written, every one of them,
the days that were formed for me,
when as yet there was none of them.
How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!
If I would count them, they are more than the sand.
I awake, and I am still with you.
This is why prayer should be kept in the the front of things.
First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time. For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.
I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling;
1 Timothy
Jesus Prioritized Prayer above anythings else. The disciples were constantly seeing him pray and watching. Every time he would pray the disciples would notice that his prayer was answered by the Father. He prioritized praying therefore his disciples said in Lord teach us how to pray.
Your kids and grandkids must be taught the importance and how to pray. It is important that they see the importance and the necessity in praying.
Even when he ran the money changers out of the temple Jesus reminded them that his house shall be a house of prayer.
HE did not say a house of evangelism, teaching, fellowship, He said a house of prayer.
To prioritize prayer is to prioritize God himself.
. How do I do that?
Must put God first. Seek God first. How do I do all of this?? Seek God desperately in prayer taking what you are hearing and learning to God’s Word also Take God’s Word what you are learning and hearing to prayer. Get and and be obedient to what you have learned and heard. God’s Voice will never contradict His Word.
I believe Jesus knew that everything that eats up the church’s time would be powerless without Prayer. Connecting to God to get linked together in Heart and Mind.
Page 23 The Author Writes, “Too often, however, we put the cart before the horse by making prayer an add-on. An afterthought. A bonus feature to what we’re already doing, placing our own work ahead of God’s. But this puts us on a path to eventually becoming dead churches with lifeless worship, featuring well prepared but powerless sermons, delivered to lukewarm, distracted members who live in sinful defeat and share superficial fellowship with one another. “
God’s plan has always been for us to rely on the Power and Strength of the Holy Spirit and be obedient to God in what he has revealed to us in prayer and in His Word. Allowing Christ to be manifested in our life and through our life. Let Christ Shine.
If we as Christians would pause our fast pace lives and repent for lack of and abusing our weapon of prayer and begin to prioritize prayer our lives, families, marriages, churches, would be so much more healthy.
A deep devotion to prayer was always connected to the success of the NT Church.
All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.
Word devote means to insist on something and cling to it. It is a pretty picture of a solider who listen and obeyed his commanding officer.
Acts Chapter 1:24 People Prayed - Holy Spirit falls on the people and 3,000 souls get saved. Peter and John Prayed - many who they preached to believed and the number came to about 5,000 devoted themselves to prayer- next couple of verses disciples multiplied greatly Stephen prayed and Jesus Gives him a standing ovation- Chapter 8:4 the people that were scattered were preaching everywhere they went. Acts chapter 9 Paul meets God and is converted and meets with Ananias which all of chapter 9 is in the context of prayer. peter goes to the housetop to pray. 10:30 Cornelius is praying and by Gods grace they come together through prayer. A door is open for the gospel to be preached and the Holy Spirit falls on the Gentiles. Peter in jail verse 5 the church was in constant prayer for peter. Verse 7 an angel taps him on the side and leads him out of Prison. Church was worshipping and Praying - Holy Spirit says to them separate for me Barnabas and Saul. This begins a missionary movement that forever changes the Roman Empire.
First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people,
Romans 12:10
Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.
Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.
Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.
When you study Prayer in relation to the NT church you will be intrigued by what happens in the context of prayer.
Evangelism of the Lost. (;
cultivation of discipleship (; )
True Christian Fellowship ()
Wise decisions ()
Obstacles overcome ()
Needs Met (; )
True Worship ignited (; )
Revival Sparked ()
Conclusion:
Conclusion:
The Early Church.
Acts Chapter 1:24 People Prayed - Holy Spirit falls on the people and 3,000 souls get saved. Peter and John Prayed - many who they preached to believed and the number came to about 5,000 devoted themselves to prayer- next couple of verses disciples multiplied greatly Stephen prayed and Jesus Gives him a standing ovation- Chapter 8:4 the people that were scattered were preaching everywhere they went. Acts chapter 9 Paul meets God and is converted and meets with Ananias which all of chapter 9 is in the context of prayer. peter goes to the housetop to pray. 10:30 Cornelius is praying and by Gods grace they come together through prayer. A door is open for the gospel to be preached and the Holy Spirit falls on the Gentiles. Peter in jail verse 5 the church was in constant prayer for peter. Verse 7 an angel taps him on the side and leads him out of Prison. Church was worshipping and Praying - Holy Spirit says to them separate for me Barnabas and Saul. This begins a missionary movement that forever changes the Roman Empire.
Message
Message
How to prioritize prayer?
Block your time.
Have an organized prayer list.
Target certain request on certain days.