Prevailing Prayer

2 Cor. 10:4 We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments.

INTRODUCTION

So we are going to continue on our study on prayer.

Around 2000 years ago, a decree was issued from the Judgement seat of God. It provided “legal” protection for the church against the devil.

When Jesus died for our sins, the “ruler of this world was judged.

John 16:11 Judgment will come because the ruler of this world has already been judged.

Our debts were nailed to Christ’s cross and canceled: Principalities and powers were disarmed.

Because of Jesus, we have a legal right not only to be protected from our enemy but to triumph over him.

Col. 2:13 You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins.

Col. 2:14 He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross.

Col. 2:15 In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.

Christ’s death is the lawful platform upon which the church rises to do spiritual warfare: His Word is the eternal sword we raise against wickedness.

But to attain the protection of Christ, the church must embrace the intercession of Christ.

We must become a house of prayer.

Now this is what I want us to look at quickly: In the beginning of the early church, men and women were devoted to the Word of God and prayer.

Acts 2:42 All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer.

Here in Acts 6— there was a problem that come up and the widows were not be taken care of they should be and they appointed 7 men to handle this so that the apostle could what? Look

Acts 6:4 Then we apostles can spend our time in prayer and teaching the word.”

So prayer is a big thing to all the believers and to the leaders.

But our qualifications for Godly men and women today include almost everything but devotion to God’s Word and prayer.

This is what must get our attention about prayer.

In Luke 18 Jesus challenges us:

Luke 18:7 Even he rendered a just decision in the end. So don’t you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?

Luke 18:8 I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly! But when the Son of Man returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?”

This question at the end of verse 8- but when the Son of man returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?

This question is a warning to Christians who would limit the power of God at the end of the age.

I believe here Jesus is asking us to resist the doubt and laziness, He asking us individually , Will I find faith in You?

This is what we need to understand that Jesus associates faith with “day and night prayer.

Luke 18:7 Even he rendered a just decision in the end. So don’t you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?

Jesus intention here in this parable in Luke 18 is to show that “ At all times” we “ought to pray and not to lose heart.

Luke 18:1 One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up.

In this parable, Jesus tells about a widow who petitioned a hardened judge for legal protection.

This judge was unwilling to help here but she continually kept coming to gain what was legally hers.

Jesus concluded by asking:

Luke 18:7 Even he rendered a just decision in the end. So don’t you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?

Luke 18:8 I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly!

So Jesus is saying don’t you understand that this hard judge uncaring judge gave to this woman because of her continually come before him, don’t you think that My Father who is the righteous, loving and caring will grant to you but don’t give up. Have Faith!!!

Now let look at This day and night prayer.

1 Cor. 12:26 If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad.

Praying people are people who love and care for the one they are praying for.

You see, God unites us to other people which will empower our prayer. God allows us to be identified with the sufferings of those, that we care for.

If we stop loving, we will not pray. Love is the fuel behind prayer.

Love with identify you with those you love, it will revive your prayer and prayer will revive your loved ones.

So let look at Daniel. Daniel loved Israel. He loved the temple.

So Daniel put on sackcloth and ashes and sought the Lord with prayer and supplication.

Now we know that Daniel was not guilty of the sins of Israel, but his prayer was an expression of his identification with the nation.

I prayed to the LORD my God and confessed:

Daniel 9:4 “O Lord, you are a great and awesome God! You always fulfill your covenant and keep your promises of unfailing love to those who love you and obey your commands.

Daniel 9:5 But we have sinned and done wrong. We have rebelled against you and scorned your commands and regulations.

This is my question: Had Daniel sinned?

No, But his love and identification with Israel made his repentance real.

Daniel was faithful in his daily prayer for Israel, He had prayed all his life for the restoration the nation.

Think about this, our own prayers for our nation and other things that we have been praying for let a year go by or two and those prayers start become far and in between.

Daniel was faithful every day throughout his life!

When the King passed a law forbidding praying to any god or man other than himself, Daniel was not intimidated.

Daniel 6:10 But when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God.

When Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, Daniel knelt down on his knees three times that day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, just as he did before the law as passed.

Now this is what we know about Daniel, he was one of the first exiles from Israel to Babylon.

And Daniel as a child had been praying for nearly 70 years this prayer> This was King Solomon Prayer. Daniel’s parent taught him this

I Kings 8:33 “If your people Israel are defeated by their enemies because they have sinned against you, and if they turn to you and acknowledge your name and pray to you here in this Temple,

1 Kings 8:34 then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your people Israel and return them to this land you gave their ancestors.

For 70 years, you see the work of God takes time.

How long should we pray?

We pray as long as it takes>

We do not understand the responsibility and privilege God places upon a person who continues in faithful prayer.

What sustained these champions of prayer?

Praying people loved God and loved the people of God.