Contend by Prayer

Alright, well, good morning. And welcome to redeemers. My name is Brett. If I met you, I am one of the pastors here at redeemers church having to be here with you. Typically we are going through 1st Corinthians, but for the next four weeks last week included in that we are going to be taking a break and we are going to be talking about what it looks like to contend contend in prayer contended preaching and to contend with basically people are with one another not contend against but you contend with and so you have a Bible you can open up to Jude. There's only one chapter in June. If you don't know where Judy is, are you going to the very end of your Bible the last book there is revelation and it is the letter right before Revelation that Jude wrote now once once in my life and and my wife can attest to this, I'm a pretty peaceful kind of guy. I'm a third child anybody have a third child and there's four of us and so in my family my role. Peacemaker always so brother and sister were fighting and I just wanted there to be peace in the house. And so all of my life, I was kind of conditioned and raised into this role of Desiring to be a peacemaker. Maybe I didn't for the good of everybody else. But just for the good of my own heart and my own soul, but once in high school, I was faced with a situation in which I was nose-to-nose fists clenched with this guy named Dane he on a Friday night had spoken some not wise words to my 13 year old little sister and he himself being what 17 almost 18 years old. I decided that Monday morning at high school did I would take a stand against him? So I made my way towards Dane and his posse that hung out by the buses and where they drop the kids off and I got in Danes face and had some words with him and I Begin to get in his face. I could feel my blood boiling. I could feel my fist clenching and then I can sense this crowd and it come around me not as a person who typically lives in PS4 than uneasy moments, but I realized that in the moment of war in the moment of fighting there is some senses that were heightened and I was aware of like how tight I could clench a fist and how good it might feel to clock the guy in the face. I noticed my friends coming in around me and joining in in the confrontation and you can feel the intensity of the atmosphere Rising until Pierre. This guy was like 65290 came in told me back and sat me down and said just think about this for a minute. in the whole situation of a Time deescalate it the intent and the purpose of that story if you ever been in a fight a war zone, or maybe you've just simply been married.

You realize you realize when things are tense your senses are a little bit more height you're aware and you're contending you're fighting for something and here in this letter very very short. Jude says in verse 3 beloved. Although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation riding to this group of people and he says we have a common salvation in Jesus. This means it's for the church. This is for everyone who are followers of Jesus. I found it necessary to write appealing to you listen to contend for the face. That was once for all delivered to the Saints not a progressive face that's going to continue to be revealed to you. None of there's going to be something that wasn't known that is not going to be made known but for the faith in Jesus Christ, I want you to contend for that face biblically means to struggle in opposition to contend with the Enemy for control of the way. They would have used it of port to strive in dr.ali to compete to contend for the price 18 this charge. I entrust you Timothy my child in accordance with the prophecy is true. She made about you that by then you may win judge the good Warfare. What does all of that mean if IDF contending and competing in this race that Paul talked about in 1st Corinthians 9? What have we entered into? You've entered when you've entered into the life of Jesus you've entered into a site and I need you to hear that this morning typically happen because we have desires in these passions inside each and everyone of Us game says Kings chapter for these wars around you take place because you have not and you have these won Emmys desire to in your wife and your desires you go in war and take from other people and this isn't so much of why these things happen, but this idea of when we understand that were in a fight. Our senses or awareness they are when you enter a fight you are aware that is hostile. You understand that it's wartime and wartime and technology is much different in peacetime mentality, isn't it? We were talking about relationships with her talking about real war zones understand that life looks different when things are not as we would wish in areas of peace and as a Christian with entered into a fight and so this morning the question is, how do we fight? Not only that who do we fight with? The most influential way the enemy would like to rip apart the people of God it's to turn fighting in word and honor themselves. And we dealt with that in previous the teachings this morning. I want to talk about this fight and it has two aspects to it one. It's with your self. It's against one's own self. Meaning innocent when you become a follower of Jesus you have declared war on your old self many of you may be in times past and you forgotten it. But if you can remember back to the old life the things that you used to love and desire and want and crave and go for when you respond to the goodness of Jesus skinny jeans to change and transform inconforme you into his image, and now the things that you once loved are no longer the things that you love but But there is still the struggle and this battle as we want and persist in this life because it doesn't just bring a piece when you follow Jesus it certainly brings back but it also brings a Strife into your life. The coming of Christ solve a lot of problems for us. Doesn't it brings us hope that you turn off perspective gives us new life ever respond to the gospel and it brings a tremendous amount of Peace, but in Matthew 10:34, Jesus said think that I have come think not that I have come to bring peace on Earth. I have not come to bring peace on Earth but a sword item to turn a man versus his father and a daughter versus her mother. We see but because of Jesus becoming a follower of Jesus. There is now an internal struggle J C Ryle wrote this in bear with me. It's about a paragraph and a half long, but it's very pertinent. What we're going to talk about today. There is a vast quantity of religion current in the world, which is not true genuine Christianity. It passes muster. It's satisfied sleepy conscious, but it is not good money. It is not the real thing which is called Christianity 1800 years ago. There are thousands of men and women who go to churches and chapels every Sunday and call themselves Christians their names are in the baptismal register their married with a Christian marriage service. They are mean to be buried as a Christian when they die, but you never see any fight about the religion espiritual strife and exertion and conflict and self-denial and watching and warning they know literally nothing at all. It certainly is not the Christianity. The Bible true Christianity is a fight I say again, but if take comfort the child of God is too great marks about him and at least to have one he may be known by his inward Warfare and as well by Edward p This is incredible almost 200 years ago written this idea that a Christian is going to be known by the inward teeth that Jesus has transformed and made us new but also there's now an inward striped inside each and every person who is a follower of Jesus a radical radical pee but a brand new fight when you become a Christian Paul talks about it in the terms of the war of two natures. As you are united in Jesus in Russian and growing and being Sanctified in the ways of Jesus. We're told that we also have this old nature that we shut off and won't turn from understand that we been Sanctified in Christ, but we're growing in that thing fication as well and it's resulted in this new nature this submission to the things of God and the gospel didn't solve one of these problems for us that we've now been made right with God. That one this morning is the sort of for free to give you this idea that there is a nature inside each and every one of us that we're at war with but also at war against the enemy of Darkness Paul declare this in Ephesians chapter 6 in turn there if you like, but he wrote We do not wrestle against what flesh and blood but against powers of Darkness. Spiritual principalities is ruling authorities and before walking with proclaiming being transformed and changed by Jesus. We're actually not even a tune really to what is going on in that way because we're simply coming underneath of it, but having them become a follower of Jesus or now aware or eyes are open to this fight that we have engaged in this Cosmic war that we've been invited to actually fight participate and be a part of The Paul says there is a war. That's why there's problems and pain and strife. That's why there's anguish and suffering in the world here today. And as long as you only look at your problem as the Practical problems will never actually begin to uncover what God is calling us to and how to participate in the fight. Let me give even a just a pertinent example here this morning. People today Governor's mayor's president who ever the same. What are we going to do about our City's upheaval is unrest and you'll have one camp that says here's what we have to do. We have to have better programs more education better jobs better line income for everyone and then the world would be progressively better honey and show people how to work and get more police out there to handle the situation and was interested in these different arguments if you stop and think about it, all they're saying is all of our problems are flesh-and-blood. All of our problems are flesh-and-blood. If we try to tackle the world problems without the gospel. We're going to continue to be damned in our efforts because out Jesus changing and transforming we still have this inner defiled man who is far from God and is giving in to that old nature. We need the gospel to Center us to transform us to change us to be what whereabouts so we realized that our problems and even our personal problems are complex and not just Flesh and Blood. We're going to strive and Zayn. That's as big ski now even on a person to game. 4 things you need to understand this morning. There's an evil. Better than me. Let me look at herself. Only asked a question. Why am I messed up? Why do I react the way? I react to Christian at times just yesterday. I was upstairs painting a room. It's my favorite past but apparently Hot painted a lot and a my kids they were outside and my wife was at the grocery store. I'd rather paint and go to the grocery store with a good trade and all of a sudden my third child Eleanor comes running up stairs and says one of her siblings is stuck in a tree. And I thought of beyond what should my reaction of Ben and p**** and p****. I've been stuck in a tree before it's horrible. It's not fun tonight. March downstairs go outside anymore. Get the kid down put them out and said go inside go hang out in the basement. All right, just totally responded in his horrible way and after about 30 minutes, I felt so bad. I went to two of my kids and said, I'm really sorry for how I responded to you. Why am I not. Why are there problems because they're still just old stuff that I can clean too that says my way is the right way to get in line or get out of the way. What does idling evil is inside of us? There's an evil outside of me. But if somebody has sinned against you apparently a friend a government articulate with the people energy problems outside of us actually aren't our own doing in our own causing. There's also an evil above me. There's an evil that influences this world. Are we going to tackle that the first two a little bit more practical me then? How are we going to handle? Let me give a scenario which even lose away some kind of physical action in the government thing. But if you ever wrestled with any sort of depression and you talk to somebody about it. You might hear it's just a skin problem in your life. It's just your conscience. You're overwhelmed by a sense of guilt. Maybe maybe but also it could be a physiological problem. Somebody has caused suffering and harm and slavery in your life. Or maybe it's a physical problem coming off inside of you because of him balances because of something not firing, right or maybe it is a spiritual problem because the enemy is attacking you and we have to look at all of our problem is they're complex problems and how we go about fighting those might look different in different scenarios. If it is a sin problem your conscience has been to find out where to repent confess and embrace the joy of Jesus in our lives if it's physiological. So if you need somebody, I'm so sorry for your loss. I'm so sorry for your pain. I'm so sorry for the trauma that can cause to you but know that you are valuable you are loved you are cared for and that can be Why would you approach that person if they you're depressed? It's just a skin issue with the geological.

Physical problems you diet and not outside exercising and it's causing sorts of problems with in you or maybe the spiritual problem requires prayer. Truth and righteousness and in most cases of the combination of all of these why is this important? Because sometimes in the church, we even try to reduce her problems into one simple answer it and it's not always that way I can do a doctor for everything we say it's just send her this one book. I had to read for college. It said everything wrong in your life cuz there's some sort of demon in you we need to cash that thing out with a specific prayer and I'm just going on my goodness. This is Christianity in America. We are failing as pastors are people we need to teach well and talk about the complexity of human and push them toward any one of these things in order to best serve them. And Paul is recognizing that here and he says look watch out at the end of his letter to the Church of Ephesus. He's basically saying I want you to go forth. I want you to grow in Christ that I want to see the church built up, but it'd be really foolish. For example, if I were to send out a group of people and say Here's a blueprint for building and here's where the Macy's need to go in here for the Carpenters into done. You need to build this and I just sent them out like that. What if I had this information that there was actually a war going on in that area if I neglected to tell them that I would be doing a disservice to them and see what all does hears. He says as a Christian when you go out into the world there are forces that are against you but there is a God who is giving you his armor and there is freedom in the gospels that has granted to you because you are his child. Think about this and some very practical means to remember maybe when you first became a Christian or I'm reading a book emotionally healthy spirituality incredible by Peter scazzero any talked about basically for we'll use the word revelation or Revelations that happened in his life, but not for salvation moments before moments that moved him deeper into the things of Jesus in Isaiah Lane and maybe you've had some of these know what to think about it when you have those types of moments. What do you say? I'm going to go read my Bible. I'm going to pray for 30 minutes. I'm going to sit and be still before God. I'm in a rest and have it and trust that God is actually in control and I'm going to engage in this fight that God has called me to I'm going to fight against my laziness. I'm going to get up every morning and I'm going to pray and pursue and seek Jesus and then he said, Couple of weeks. You're really alert. After it's been a couple of weeks go by. And it's Thursday afternoon and you like man I have just disengaged in the battle. Any forgotten that we are at War time not this time. And we need these moments by Paul wrote to the church where he says. Oh you sleep or wake up and engage in the drama of God engage in his life that he has called you to you. Remember what it is to fight as a Christian and what it looks like to pursue and Wap in that manner. 7 quick thoughts from Paulie said strive to enter in Jesus said press into the kingdom watch stand be strong and do our hardness as a good soldier of Jesus fight the good fight of safe that language is used all over the scriptures. Western evangelicalism has took an incredibly positive approach because of our comfort atheist and securities to what it looks like to engage in this battle. Wake up. You put your bookmark or whatever and acts 2017 through 36 Paul is talking to the church at Ephesus and he is contending with those people in those verses I won't read them. Her time is also telling them I touch you preach to them and he's trained them and then in the end he pursues them and do the three things that stick out in art institute at least for me in that section of scripture is so what does that mean for us prayer is not mainly a piece time activity. in the New Testament Not at all. I'm a quiet. The kids are down. I've got some time to myself a phone's not ringing. I guess it's peacetime O'Lantern to prayer prayer is some think we're going to engage in first and foremost to truly understand that we are in Wartime mentality and it is vitally important for our personal life for the church to engage in prayer is surrounded by a sense of urgency.

And alertness and warning it's a wartime instruments and we can lose sight of this so quickly and so easily that we neglect this call to pray a lot of times from many people that I talked with prayers. This is kind of quiet in word heart that happens throughout the day. I love that. I think that's great and I'll tell you what, I know God is different than even how my physical relationship is with my wife talking with one another. But if I just tried to live marriage that way I don't think it goes very well hun just be the total introvert and not say much and don't you just know it's on the internet. What would it look like as the people of God every Demers Church to be more intentional about stopping whatever it is. We're doing at certain moments in our day. To verbally express our prayers to God.

Think about that and I know it can happen just quietly communion in your heart, but I want to challenge you to steal your heart for 2 minutes. Bench pressing to who God is giving thanks and praise and seeking after him. Talking out loud to God prayer is not a Divine experience. But a Divine activity what that means is prayer is not something that moves us into experiential moment. But joining him a God has called us to fight the evil forces of this day and to commune with our father. So many people are looking for some kind of transcendent experience when they pray to God, but it's this communion this conversation with god. We don't need to be looking for some sort of levitating moments are coming to just going to walk through the walls on us, but it's very normal and praying even in the Monday prayer as a Divine call of God for the longest time. I can see prayer as a way to get God's attention is for him to hear my agenda. Prepare the way for God to get your attention and for you to hear his agenda. That's a radically different paradigm shift into prayer. Just simply throw from Lord. Here's my agenda. Here's my ones. Here's my will to move from that and say I'm coming to hear from you not my will but your will Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want what do you have for me this day God to engage with God in that way. So you're saying. I want to be here with you.

Prayer is not a way to achieve but it's simply coming before who God is. making a request known sitting before him and contending for the Saints. 3 things that will walk away from here very quickly with the life of Danielle. braids How's my pain during the life of Daniel this week? If you don't know his story he was taking it about Babylonian captivity. You was there living in raised in Babylonian Society. He was persecuted. He was hated. It was thrown to a dinner Beast of lions. Why because she was a man who has committed to prayer, you know, one of the saddest things about Daniel story The Very things he prayed for he actually himself never experienced. About that praying to go back to the land plane to go back to Jerusalem, even though people began to in his lifetime. He never was part of that transition back to Jerusalem from many of us has an incredible discouragement because we forget that prayer is a cosmic Divine work that God has invited us into because we don't see the results. We don't ask you want to participate and pray that sort of a Individualistic Western mind kind of way of life if it's not going to benefit me here and now why would I do it? The praying is eternal train goes beyond you I would imagine that even people in this room are here because people outside of them were pray for this moment Z thing to happen this. You wake us up and encourage us. We may never see the fruit of our prayer. That doesn't mean we shouldn't continue to pray. When it comes to prayer. We have the Lord's Prayer when we look at the Lord's Prayer with Jesus said there's adoration submission confession the petition. Say that again adoration. I would be your name submission your kingdom come your will be done confession. Forgive me of my wrongs my sins. I forgive others who have wronged me petition. Give us this day our daily bread don't lead us into temptation. These should be ought to be structure looking for allies and how we pray. Paul he did this very thing he made his petitions and requests known he gave Thanksgiving and praise you pray for healing and deliverance. He prayed for government and churches for others to know the gospel to abound in love to grow and christlikeness to be filled with all wisdom. Demers it is not the first time and it has not been in your lifetime and is not just because of the pandemic that were living in it is wartime and we are to engage in it at a church you missed the announcement will be here Monday. 11:45 to 1 will be here Thursday 7 praying with you. We're back there at 8:55 every Sunday morning in that back room train cuz we want to see God's will done in Redmond as it is in heaven. Let's pray.