Sermon Tone Analysis

Good evening, and thanking you for coming to the Wednesday night prayer meeting.

I look forward each week to our time together as we gather to seek the Lord.

Tonight, we are going to do things a little bit differently.

Instead of jumping into a devotional, we are going to begin by praying for some specific needs in our church.

First, I want to pray for protection over our church family.

The fact of the matter is, over the past few months, as we’ve sought the empowerment of the Spirit, the enemy has been at work as well.

I know for Denise and I, we have experienced a greater level of spiritual attack in our lives, and I know from talking to some of you that you’ve experienced it as well.

So in the midst of our church seeking a greater move of God and outpouring of His Spirit, I think it would be appropriate as well that we pray for some specific challenges that I see surfacing in the church as well as some future direction for the church.

So, to begin with I want to take some time and pray for protection over our church family.

Protection against the enemy as he works to destroy what God wants to do in and through our church.

And please hear me, when I say that, I’m not saying that the devil is responsible for every challenge and problem in our lives.

The truth is, sometimes God allows trials in order to change us, grow us, and make us more dependent on Him.

But the truth is, there are some challenges and trials that are the result of attack.

That begin the case, I want to pray for two specific areas of protection where I think the enemy will and often does attack.

First, I want to pray for protection over our children.

It goes without saying that one of the ways the enemy tries to attack us is through our kids.

If he can get to them, or he can create some kind of crisis in their lives, or he can tempt them to make poor choices, then he knows he will be able to distract and discourage us.

As a parent I’ve experienced that many times.

I’ve watched as the enemy tried to infiltrate my home by getting to my kids.

And what is true for me will be true for all of you.

The fact is, anybody serious about being “All In” for Jesus has just painted a target on their back.

But it’s a target that extends to your family.

And I don’t say that to scare you, it’s just a fact.

We won’t take the time to go into the story, but the story of Job illustrates this.

Because from what the Bible tells us, Job was a righteous man.

Listen to what scripture tells us:

The Bible says Job was one of those guys that was “All In”.

Somebody Satan had a hard time getting to.

So, when Satan couldn’t get Job to bend, he went after his children.

Listen to what the Bible tells us:

Again, there’s a lot happening there we could talk about, but what I want you to notice is because of Job’s stance, his kids became a target.

And again, I don’t share this to scare you, but it should.

It should cause you to realize that there is a real spiritual battle going on.

The Apostle Paul writes:

First, I want to pray for protection over our church family.

Paul says our battle is of a spiritual nature.

And the fact of the matter is, the only way to battle the spiritual is through prayer.

Again, we know this to be true because of what the Bible tells us.

We see it in the book of Daniel as Daniel is praying and seeking God and angel appears to him.

Listen to what the angel tells him:

From this story we learn that when we pray, God hears our words and the enemy does everything he can to prevent a response.

The battle is spiritual.

That being the case, we need to pray for protection over our kids.

That the Lord would protect them and give us wisdom when it comes to situations that may arise.

The Psalmist puts it like this:

And so we need to pray for protection over our kids.

That the Lord would protect them and give us wisdom when it comes to situations that may arise.

The Psalmist puts it like this:

Pslam 25:1-5

The Psalmist looks to God for protection but also asks the Lord to give him wisdom and show him truth.

And isn’t it true that’s what we so often need when it comes to our kids.

As the enemy works to detour them, we need God to give us wisdom to keep them on track.

So, part of praying for protection over our children is praying that the Lord will give us supernatural insight, wisdom, and guidance.

So, tonight, we are going to pray for protection over our children.

Second, I want to pray for protection over the marriages in our church.

Again, the enemy knows if he can divide a home and destroy a family, then he may disrupt God’s plan for that couple.

I can personally attest to that.

Many of you know Denise and I’s story.

In 1992 when we got married, neither one of us were serving the Lord.

As a result, by 1994 we were divorced.

But God had a plan for Denise and I, and through our divorce both Denise and I put our faith in Jesus.

And our decision not only saved us, it saved our marriage.

Because by 1996 we were remarried to one another again and pursuing God’s plan for our life.

Looking back on what happened, I believe the enemy was well aware that God had a plan for us, and he tried to do everything he could to stop and destroy it.

But the good news of the gospel is that Jesus defeated the enemy.

And if we put our hope in Jesus, He can restore what the enemy is trying to destroy.

Jesus can reconcile what has been broken.

Unfortunately, I am aware of several couples in our church who are struggling, some even on the brink of divorce.

Couples that I believe God has a plan for.

Couples that the enemy would love nothing more than to break up, and not only destroy their family, but destroy God’s plan for their life.

But we serve a God who can overcome the enemies plans.

We serve a God who can use the enemies plan against him.

Because what the enemy meant for evil, God meant for good.

And so tonight, I want to pray for the marriages of our church.

That God would protect, that God would restore, that God would bring peace, and that God would reconcile broken relationships.

I want us to pray as the Psalmist prays in :

In this Psalm, the Psalmist says the Lord is the one who brings help and hope in the midst of trouble.

The reality is, there are some marriages in our church that need help and hope tonight.

They need the God of refuge and strength to bring hope into their relationship.

The Psalmist also says the Lord is the one who makes wars cease, who breaks the bow, shatters the spear, and burns the chariots.

Again, there are some marriages in our church full of warfare.

Full of fighting.

Full of insults.

Full of harsh words.

Full of threats.

Full of hate.

Full of abuse.

And tonight we are going to pray the Lord brings peace to those homes.

That he shatters the bow, shatters the spear, and burns the chariot.

Tonight we are going to pray that God builds a fortress around our marriages.

So, to pray for these things, here’s what I want to do.

First, regardless of how old they are, I want each of us to spend a few moments praying for our own children.

For each one of them one by one.

And If you’re married and your spouse is with you, then I want you to pray together for them.

And I want you to pray for two things.

First, pray for their protection.

That God would protect them from harm.

That he would protect them from temptation.

That He would protect them from unhealthy friendships.

Pray that God would go before your children and be with them when you’re not.