The Value Of Prayer
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Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
State: “My Grace is all you need”
Grace = God’s favor
Goes on to say......”My power works best in weakness”
State: God’s intention in any weakness is to show his power through it
The word for power here is DUNAMIS
(MIRACULOUS POWER, STRENGTH, ABILITY)
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
State: If you are in Christ…you have the DUNAMIS…because you have the Holy Spirit.
For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.
State: There may be some waiting for the power/ability/strength/might
“And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.”
State: The waiting was not in vain
The disciples may have been frustrated by the waiting
Wanted to get on with the restoration of Israel
But when they possibly least expected the power to arrive (9 am in the morning)
State: What do we do during the waiting....??
We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.
State:
In verse 11, Paul states that the prayers of those in the church at Corinth were instrumental.
Paul also says that the continual deliverance of the Lord will comes through their prayers
State:
Sometimes we can believe that our prayers are insignificant or do not change anything
We feel that our contribution does not amount to much
That praying is meant for the leaders and those with “out front” gifting
Jesus speaks to this attitude in
While Jesus was in the Temple, he watched the rich people dropping their gifts in the collection box. Then a poor widow came by and dropped in two small coins. “I tell you the truth,” Jesus said, “this poor widow has given more than all the rest of them. For they have given a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she has.”
Maybe you do not know all the scriptures
Maybe you don’t have some big visible ministry
Maybe you don;t have a big prayer ministry
But when you give out of what you do have, even if it is small, in God’s eyes it is noticed by God
Prayer is instrumental in the furthering of God’s plan
Paul in Jail…saying how he will get out
For I know that as you pray for me and the Spirit of Jesus Christ helps me, this will lead to my deliverance.
Paul is speaking to the general church
Dear brothers and sisters, I urge you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to join in my struggle by praying to God for me. Do this because of your love for me, given to you by the Holy Spirit.
One more thing—please prepare a guest room for me, for I am hoping that God will answer your prayers and let me return to you soon.
Elijah
Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years! Then, when he prayed again, the sky sent down rain and the earth began to yield its crops.