The Power of a Praying Church- Vision

The Power of a Praying Church A Church that has power with God in Prayer must have a vision/goal to accomplish something for God.

Text: Acts 4:29-31 (KJV) 29 And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, 30 By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus. 31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.

I. A Vision is a Goal or a target. Our churches today need a renewed vision. We need new target to aim our prayers at as a church.

Proverbs 29:18 (KJV)

18 Where there is no vision, the people perish…

Unnecessarily Blind

A woman named Rose Crawford had been blind for 50 years. “I just can’t believe it!” she gasped as the doctor lifted the bandages from her eyes after her recovery from delicate surgery in an Ontario hospital. She wept for joy when for the first time in her life a dazzling and beautiful world of form and color greeted eyes that now were able to see. The amazing thing about the story, however, is that 20 years of her blindness had been unnecessary. She didn’t know that surgical techniques had been developed, and that an operation could have restored her vision at the age of 30. The doctor said, “She just figured there was nothing that could be done about her condition. Much of her life could have been different.”

(Isaiah 54:2-4)

2 Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes; 3 For thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited. 4 Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed: neither be thou confounded; for thou shalt not be put to shame:

We serve a big God! We limit him by our puny vision. Dare to dream big for God! William Tyndale had a vision that all English people, including the common plowman, should have the Scriptures in their own language. In 1408 the Catholic Church had banned any translation of the Bible into English. Once Tyndale’s New Testament was completed and copies were smuggled into England, his life was in danger. Orders to find Tyndale and silence him went out.

Tyndale was eventually arrested, “tried,” and sentenced to death. After 15 months in prison, where he continued translating and writing, he was strangled and burned at the stake at age 42. Less than a year after Tyndale’s martyrdom, King Henry VIII gave his official approval to an English Bible that, unknown to him, was nearly 70 percent Tyndale’s work. The King proclaimed, “If there be no heresies in it, then let it be spread among the people.” Tyndale had won! His translation later formed the basis for the Authorized and Revised Versions of the Bible. Jesus told a church that had lost its vision in the book of Revelation:

and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.

Revelation 3:14-22 (KJV)

14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; 15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. 17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: 18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. 21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. 22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. Jesus stood on the outside of the church knocking to get in:

A. A church without a vision is a lazy church. B. A church without a vision is a disobedient church.

C. A church without a vision is a blind church. D. A church without a vision is a powerless church.

E. A church without a vision is a sickening church.

A. It makes Jesus sick.

B. It makes the world sick.

1) There is nothing worse than expecting something one way and finding it another.

2). The world expects the church to be different.

3). Trying to reach the world by trying to make the church more palatable to the world, only makes us look like idiots.

II. First of all, a Vision is a goal that we have set before us as a church. Paul said it best in:

Philippians 3:13-15 (KJV)

13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark

III. This vision is where we set our minds as a church in prayer. In other words, this focuses our prayers in on what God has called this church do.

for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded:

IV. We need to pray as a church for God to reveal to us what He would have us do.

and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.

John 16:12-15 (KJV)

12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. 13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. 14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. 15 All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

V. A churches vision starts with individuals.

Illustration: How God used “vision” to call me into the ministry.

VI. A vision is the ability to see, with the mind’s eye, what God is able to do if we follow His divine calling.”

A. You ask “How do I know if I am called of God to do something?

B. Here is the process of how we know what God has called us to:

1). “Every vision starts with a burden for what God has a burden for” a. Keeps coming back- Dad’s answer to me when I was a child-

b. God wakes you with this on our mind

c. God keeps opening your eyes to it in His Word

2). “Out of a burden a desire is born” You begin to search for a way to fulfill the desire God has placed on your heart. It may be:

a. Preacher

b. Missions

c. Deacon

d. Music

e. Health Care

f. Business

G. Government

H. Science

3). “Out a desire a vision of what God can do is born”

4). “When we have the burden, then the desire, then God gives us a vision”

a. This is why God gave us an imagination

5). When we, by faith act, on the vision that God has given us, God in turn gives us ability. Ability to fulfill the vision he has placed within us.

A. The ability may not be present when you start.

Luke 19:39-40 (KJV)

39 And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples. 40 And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.

Exodus 4:10-17 (KJV)

10 And Moses said unto the LORD, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue. 11 And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man’s mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD? 12 Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say. 13 And he said, O my Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send. 14 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses, and he said, Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart. 15 And thou shalt speak unto him, and put words in his mouth: and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do. 16 And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people: and he shall be, even he shall be to thee instead of a mouth, and thou shalt be to him instead of God. 17 And thou shalt take this rod in thine hand, wherewith thou shalt do signs. Romans 9:15-16 (KJV) 15 For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. 16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.

Jeremiah 1:4-9 (KJV)

4 Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. 6 Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child. 7 But the LORD said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak. 8 Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD. 9 Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.

B. If you have the ability, but you don’t have the desire, then this is not God’s calling on your life.

C. God is not interested in our level of ability, but our level of commitment/obedience. D. When we put God given ability into action, (GO), God makes our vision a reality.

VIII. When these steps are accomplished in the life of the believer, then we see the evidence of a calling of God on the life of an individual.

A. The Spirit of God reveals this calling to others in the church.

B. Just because someone in the church says you should do something doesn’t make it so.

C. God expects you to find the work he has called you to.

E. Doing something because no one else will do it is not the right motive in God’s work.

F. There is no such thing as a lay-preacher.

There is an old story of a farmer who said lightning struck an old shed and thus saved him the trouble of tearing it down, and rain washed off his car and saved him that chore too. When asked what he was doing now, he replied, “Waiting for an earthquake to shake the potatoes out of the ground.”

“I am afraid too many churches today are waiting for an earthquake to shake lost souls into the kingdom of God.”

IX. We need God to open our eyes and give us a vision for this church. “We need some people who can “Visualize what God can accomplish right here, right now, with this church.

2 Kings 6:15-17 (KJV)

15 And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do? 16 And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. 17 And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.

Revelation 3:15-18 (KJV)

14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see…

John 4:35 Jesus said:

behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.

X. Real evangelism begins not by talking to people about God, but by talking to God about people.

A. This is where the Power lies. Praying for the lost. This is the heart throb of God. B. This is where our church will find Power with God.

Matthew 16:17-19 (KJV)

17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. 18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

C. The gates of Hell is Death,

D. The Keys to the Kingdom is the Gospel, the Word of God.

C. Only the Church holds the keys to the kingdom of God- The Word of God- the Gospel

D. If we withhold the World of God, we bind souls to damnation.

E. If we proclaim the Word of God, we lose souls from damnation to eternal life.

Praying for the lost is spiritual warfare. Evangelism or personal soul winning is like a paratrooper jumping in behind enemy lines to rescue those who have been captured by the kingdom of Satan and leading them out to the safety and protection of the Kingdom of God.

Hell is on the defense, and we are on the offence- We are supposed to be attacking the very gates of Hell!

Jude 22-23 (KJV)

22 And of some have compassion, making a difference: 23 And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.

This church needs to attack the gates of Hell on its knees praying for the lost people of your community.

XI. “God has a nickname it its “Go” (Luke 14:22-23)

Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind. 22 And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. 23 And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.

Mark 16:14-20 (KJV)

14 Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen. 15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. 17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. 20 And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen..

Matthew 16:18 (KJV) and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.