Prayer is Priority

Why is prayer the most important ministry of the church?

Prayer is the church’s duty (1 Timothy 2:1-2)

“Even them I will bring to My holy mountain, And make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices Will be accepted on My altar; For My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.” The Lord God, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, says, “Yet I will gather to him Others besides those who are gathered to him.”” (, NKJV)

Paul’s first command to Timothy is to look after the prayer ministry of the church.

Paul’s command to the church (“I exhort”) is reflective of God’s desire for His church.

God says, “Even them I will bring to My holy mountain, And make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices Will be accepted on My altar; For My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.” The Lord God, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, says, “Yet I will gather to him Others besides those who are gathered to him.”” (, NKJV)

What Prayer is: Paul uses four different words for prayer

Supplications - Need

Prayers - Desire

Intercessions - Intimacy, Familiarity, Friendship

Thanksgiving - Appreciation of God’s Grace

Who We Pray for

All people

Kings and those in High Positions

Why We Pray

We pray so that we can live a “quiet” (undisturbed) and peaceable (well-ordered) life.

The ultimate aim of prayer is trusting God to providentially create an environment that is conducive for the spread of the Gospel and the Word of God.

A Prophetic Perspective: “After these things I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, on the sea, or on any tree. Then I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God. And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, saying, “Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.”” (, NKJV)

The salvation of all people is God’s desire (1 Timothy 2:3-5).

The church’s duty to pray is rooted in God’s desire for the salvation of all people.

God shows His desire for all people to be saved through Jesus Christ as our Representative.

God shows His desire for all people to be saved through Jesus Christ as our Ransom.

World evangelization is the church’s destination (1 Timothy 2:6-7).

The testimony about Jesus Christ as humanity’s Ransom and Representative must be preached and taught among the nations (“Gentiles,” Gk. “ethnos”).

“And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.” (, NKJV)

“And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations (Gk. “ethnos”), and then the end will come.” (, NKJV)

“Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people—” (, NKJV)

“Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people—” (, NKJV)

God gives His heart to His people through prayer.

God gives His heart to His people through prayer.