Prayer Precedes WK-1

I am so excited because I believe that over the next couple months, God is going to take LFC on a journey; a journey of greater dependency on Him. This series is called — Prayer Precedes. A series on humility and deeper dependence

I think it could go without saying that the worst decisions I have ever made in my life have been made without prayer.

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As we begin this discussion of prayer, I find it critically important to begin by defining prayer. In the Old Testament, prayer is the Hebrew word pll [ Pee-lel]. The Dictionary of Bible Languages defines this as “Pronounce Judgement, be the arbitrator, intercessor, advocate, pray”

Right from the start we can understand that prayer is not just talking to God. You can talk to God, and absolutely should talk to God. However, to understand the work of prayer, one must realize that prayer, first and foremost, is the work of contending for Gods will to be realized on earth. Richard Watson in 1851 defined prayer this way: Prayer is in itself a becoming acknowledgment of the all-sufficiency of God, and of our dependence upon him[1]

James 5:16 says of prayer:  

James 5:16 NASB95

16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.

In short; prayer gets a lot of work done; prayer ensures that Gods will excels on earth. One misses the priority of prayer, the purpose of prayer and the possibilities of prayer when we view it as a passing pleasure rather than the responsibility and the necessary work of the believer.

Today, let’s begin where the Bible first mentions the work of prayer. Genesis 4:26 says simply:

Genesis 4:26 NASB95

26 To Seth, to him also a son was born; and he called his name Enosh. Then men began to call upon the name of the Lord.

At first glance, that verse seems almost like a passing statement tucked into a genealogical list. But when you slow down and read the verse before it, something beautiful begins to emerge. We are told that Seth had a son and called his name Enosh.

The Hebrew name Enosh speaks of mankind in its weakness. The Dictionary of Bible Languages defines the name Enosh as:

human, mortal, i.e., an individual human being, with a focus on one of a class of animate life that dies, and is non-deity (Job 32:8; Isa 51:12); 3.LN 58.31–58.35 ordinary, usual, common, formally, of man, i.e., what is not of a special class or kind[2]

Enosh paints the picture of man after the Fall. It shows mankind as broken, dying, unable to sustain himself. This is different from the Hebrew word Adam. Again, the Dictionary of Bible Languages says of the name Adam:

A class of being created by God without regard to sex, with a focus as a class of creature, distinct from animals, plants, or even spiritual beings[3]

While Adam often emphasizes humanity as God’s created image-bearers, Enosh emphasizes humanity in its fallen condition. David later asks:

Psalm 8:4 NASB95

4 What is man that You take thought of him, And the son of man that You care for him?

He is marveling that God would even notice creatures so weak and temporary. Again, in Psalm 103 we read:

Psalm 103:15 NASB95

15 As for man, his days are like grass; As a flower of the field, so he flourishes.

The emphasis is not on man’s greatness but on his mortality. Now think about where Genesis places this name.

Adam has fallen.

Abel has been murdered.

Cain has filled the earth with violence and rebellion.

Sin has left its mark upon humanity.

Into that world Seth names his son Enosh—weak man, frail man, mortal man. Then immediately Moses records these remarkable words:

“Then men began to call upon the name of the LORD.” Genesis 4:26

Mankind in his weak, powerless, impotent and fragile state realized the need for Gods intervention and begin seeking Gods face.

Prayer begins where self-sufficiency ends.

The greatest obstacle to prayer has never been a lack of time. It has always been the illusion of self-sufficiency.

As long as we believe we are capable of carrying the weight ourselves, prayer becomes optional.

But the moment we recognize our weakness, prayer becomes as necessary as breathing.

Prayer is our confession that we cannot accomplish God’s work apart from God’s power.

Years ago, a pastor said something to me that has stayed with me ever since. He said, “I can accomplish more in ten minutes of prayer than ten hours of hard labor.” The older I get, the more convinced I become that he was right.

Prayerlessness

Throughout Scripture, prayerlessness is consistently presented as evidence of spiritual decline.

Jobs Example

Job describes the wicked as saying to God,

Job 21:14 NASB95

14 “They say to God, ‘Depart from us! We do not even desire the knowledge of Your ways.

The Psalmist Example

The writer of Psalm 14 says:

Psalm 14:4 NASB95

4 Do all the workers of wickedness not know, Who eat up my people as they eat bread, And do not call upon the Lord?

Daniels Example

Daniel makes perhaps the strongest confession of all. Reflecting on Israel’s judgment, he says,

Daniel 9:13 NASB95

13 “As it is written in the law of Moses, all this calamity has come on us; yet we have not sought the favor of the Lord our God by turning from our iniquity and giving attention to Your truth.

Notice what Daniel identifies as Israel’s failure. He does not begin with Babylon. He does not begin with politics or economics or military defeat. He says, “We did not seek the Lord.”

Prayerlessness is not simply weakness. Prayerlessness is sin. It is the quiet declaration that we believe we can manage life, ministry, and the Kingdom of God without continual dependence upon Him.

When I speak about prayer today, I certainly mean personal prayer, and I intend to motivate you to engage more regular, and more fervent in your personal prayer. Every believer must cultivate a secret place with God. But I am also speaking about corporate prayer, because I believe the Lord is stirring Living Faith Church toward a deeper culture of prayer. He is calling us to rely up Him much more than we have until now. There are challenges before us that organization alone cannot solve.

Umatilla and Morrow Counties need revival

We have hundreds of new believers to be connected to Purple Book Mentors

As many of you know we are raising capital for a new building

Strategies are necessary, but organization has never been our motivation; The Kingdom of God is our motivation. Jesus did not come preaching “Get to work and be organized about it…” He preached:

Matthew 4:17 NASB95

17 From that time Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

There are three key areas of Kingdom Work we need to assess today

Moving A Region To Repentance

We have to ask ourselves, as a church, what is our goal? Is our goal church attendance, or is our goal Biblical education, or is our goal really to see the kingdom of God on earth? The kingdom of God is marked by radical repentance from sin, and only a praying church will move a region toward repentance. This is evidenced in Scripture.

· The New Testament church prayed for boldness, and “the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved” (Acts 2:47; 4:23–31).

· Nineveh turned in repentance after God sent Jonah, who had first been broken and humbled before the Lord (Jonah 1–3).

· The church in Antioch worshiped and fasted, and God launched the first great missionary movement (Acts 13:1–3).

How Are Enemy Forces Pushed Back?

It’s not by new ministries or motivational messages. Only a praying church will stand against the powers of darkness.

· Daniel prayed faithfully, and after twenty-one days the angel revealed that spiritual warfare had delayed the answer, yet God prevailed (Daniel 10:2–14).

· The early church prayed for Peter, and God sent an angel to deliver him from prison (Acts 12:5–17).

· Jehoshaphat sought the Lord in prayer, and God fought the battle for Judah (2 Chronicles 20:1–30).

How Are Miracles Realized?

We often want miracles, but not often enough do we contend, prevail, or relentlessly pursue miracles. Only a praying church will experience the miraculous power of God.

· Ananias was praying when the Lord sent him to Saul. Through his obedience Saul received his sight, was filled with the Holy Spirit, and began the ministry that would shape the Gentile church (Acts 9:10–19).

· After ten days of united prayer in the upper room, the Holy Spirit was poured out at Pentecost. Three thousand believed, and shortly afterward the lame man at the Beautiful Gate was healed (Acts 1:12–14; 2:1–41; 3:1–10).

· Paul and Silas prayed and sang hymns in prison, and God shook the prison with an earthquake that led to the salvation of the Philippian jailer and his household (Acts 16:25–34).

· Elijah prayed earnestly, and God withheld the rain and later sent it again, demonstrating His power before all Israel (1 Kings 18:41–46; James 5:17–18).

A greater harvest is not sustained by systems, ministries, and leadership. These things have their place, but Acts 6 reminds us that these hinge upon something else.

      “But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” Acts 6:4.

The answer is not working harder. The answer is praying first. Here is the wording, write this down.

Prayer Precedes, God Prevails

David understood this when he wrote in Psalm 5:

Psalm 5:1–3 NASB95

1 Give ear to my words, O Lord, Consider my groaning. 2 Heed the sound of my cry for help, my King and my God, For to You I pray. 3 In the morning, O Lord, You will hear my voice; In the morning I will order my prayer to You and eagerly watch.

I love that phrase: I will order my prayer.

— Before David ordered his kingdom, he ordered his prayers.

— Before he faced people, he sought God. Before he worked, he worshiped.

— Prayer preceded everything.

2023 Church Prophecy

Several years ago, during our transition service on May 3, 2023, Pastor Robert Jamison shared a prophetic word over Stella and me that I have never forgotten.

“As we were being prayed over, he described seeing a flood coming from the north toward Hermiston. Then he saw us standing with our backs toward the flood, lifting up a great cloak. The flood struck that cloak and divided around the city. Immediately, the Lord brought Isaiah 59:19 to his mind: “When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD will raise up a standard against him.”

Then he said something that has echoed in my heart ever since. He said:

“The cloak represented an increased ministry of prayer.”

He challenged us to make prayer a priority, to make intercession the foundation of every area of the church, and to allow prayer to precede everything. I have carried that word for three years, and I believe now is the time to obey it. I want to take that prophetic word literally. If God is to prevail, then prayer must precede everything.

— Not just when there is a crisis.

— Not only when someone is sick.

— Not merely before a Sunday service.

Prayer must become the atmosphere in which every activity, ministry, leader and person who calls themselves part of this church operates.

Practical Steps of Action

Let me give you three simple ways to put this message into practice. These are not intended to add another burden to your schedule. The goal is to invite prayer into the life you are already living.

1. Attach Prayer to Your Existing Rhythm

Connect prayer to something you already do—your morning coffee, your drive to work, your lunch break, or bedtime.

Begin with five intentional minutes. The goal is not to start with a long prayer, but to begin seeking God first.

2. Turn Pressure into a Prayer Prompt

Whenever you feel worried, overwhelmed, or uncertain, pause before reacting and pray:

“Lord, I need You. What is Your will in this situation?”

Before the conversation, the decision, or the response—pray first.

3. Carry One Burden

Choose one person or situation and pray for it consistently throughout this series.

Don’t merely think about it or worry about it. Carry it before the Lord and contend for His will to be accomplished.

Opportunities to Pray Together

We are also creating opportunities to seek God together. These are invitations—not measurements of your spirituality. Join us whenever your schedule allows.

We will gather every Sunday at 7:15 a.m. to pray over our services.

Beginning August 16, the church will also be open for the Hour of Prayer, Monday through Thursday from 11:00 a.m. until noon.

Attach prayer to your rhythm.

Turn pressure into prayer.

Carry one burden before the Lord.

Prayer precedes. God prevails.