Trademarks of Transforming Prayer (HHBC Homecoming)

We talk a lot about prayer and its importance in evangelism. But I want to challenge you this morning about prayer that will transform your church and community. Have you thought about the importance of praying for your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ? What about your fellow churches in the community? God has given me a burden for other churches. Here is why, we are not in competition with the other churches; we are in partnership with them! If they do poorly the Kingdom suffers. If we do poorly or fail then the mission of Christ suffers. We are all one body and we need one another.

Here is the disconnect, however, I don’t believe most of us (churches) see it that way because we have functioned under a business model for church for the past 25 years. So, in order for us to come together God has to work in our hearts. He has to breakdown our bad methodologies, shake us out of our apathy, and convict us of our complacency.

So, how should can pray for one another, our fellow Christians, and our sister churches? I believe that Paul gives us the trademarks of transforming prayer in Colossians 1:9-14

Colossians 1:9–14 NKJV

9 For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10 that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; 12 giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. 13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, 14 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.

This morning I want us to look at 3 trademarks of transforming prayer, that we should praying for our fellow Christians and churches. In fact, your prayer should be that someone is praying this prayer for you.

I. Trademark 1: Filled with the Knowledge of God’s Will.

A. Churches don’t need another program, bigger buildings, bulging budget or glimmering lights until they have in hearts the will of God.

First, Paul prayed that the Colossians would be filled with the knowledge of God‘s will. It is interesting that Paul used epi-gnosis rather than gnosis. The difference is this, God’s will goes beyond intellectual enlightenment. It is a personal knowledge of God’s will, that God has worked into you. The difference of these two nuances of knowledge is seen in 1 Corinthians 13:12

1 Corinthians 13:12 (NKJV)

12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.

I call epiginosko know with a capital K.

The word filled is passive which means God is the One who fills us with this knowledge of His will.

Second, God’s will comes with Spiritual wisdom and understanding. Do you know what is interesting about the Will of God? God doesn’t paint a picture with all the details in the beginning. You must walk with Him and discern His will. It is a journey with twists, turns, failures, successes, disappointments, surprises, and everything in between.

I have thought a lot about the will of God. At one point in my life and ministry I felt like I removed myself from the Will of God. During that time I got this picture of God’s will as a fast moving train with many cars, and many seats. We can occupy any one of those cars or any one of those seats. We can move through all the ebb and flows of God’s will at the pace that the engineer of the train travels, but we can also jump from the train and lose your seat. Now I think that it is possible to catch back up with the train and get back onboard, however, you may never occupy the same car or the same seat. That is why it is so important to have Spiritual wisdom and understanding. We need to keep pace with the engineer.

3. Third, as we think about the Will of God. The Will of God enables us to accomplish things that we can never accomplish outside of His Will. Doesn’t that make sense that experience increases knowledge?

We will conduct our lives in a way that is pleasing to the Lord (v. 10).

We will be fruitful in every good work (v. 10)

We will increase in personal knowledge of God (v. 10)

Now let’s apply a little. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if this happened in our lives?

How much more though if this were the experience of every Christian and every church in Burnsville and Tishomingo County?

Do you think that Paul prayed believing that God couldn’t do this in the church at Colossae? No, absolutely not! He prayed fully expecting God to do it. So should we.

II. Trademark 2: Strengthened by the Power of God

One of the last messages that I preached here was my mother’s funeral. She died on August 27th 2018. As I stood by her bed moments after she died, I said, Lord I am ready for whatever assignment you have for me. Two weeks later I was contacted by Hazelwood Baptist Church in St. Louis, MO. They sent me a questionnaire as most churches do. One of the questions was, “When do you feel that you were most successful in ministry?”

The Will of God brings the realization that in order to accomplish His Will we need His strength. Paul’s prayer for the Colossians is that they would be filled with God’s might. I want to give you a few reasons why:

First, God’s might pushes out all of our arrogance and sufficiency and ushers in a dependence that is required to fulfill His will. Not to go too heavy on the song illustrations but do you remember the song “Breathe” that we used to sing?

This is the air I breathe, this is the air I breathe. Your holy presence living in me. And I, I’m desperate for you. And I, I’m lost without you.

God’s might removes our arrogance and replaces it with dependence. Listen, churches have come to a place where they think they can do it without God.

2. Second, God’s might equips us to endure with patience the difficulties of fulfilling His Will (V. 11). Listen to Paul’s parting words to young Timothy.

2 Timothy 2:1–7 NKJV

1 You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. 3 You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. 4 No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier. 5 And also if anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. 6 The hardworking farmer must be first to partake of the crops. 7 Consider what I say, and may the Lord give you understanding in all things.

B. How many can give a testimony that following the Lord can be difficult? It calls for sacrifice, and it is hard work. Listen to Matthew 8:18-27

Matthew 8:18–27 (ESV)

18 Now when Jesus saw a crowd around him, he gave orders to go over to the other side. 19 And a scribe came up and said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” 20 And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” 21 Another of the disciples said to him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” 22 And Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.” 23 And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. 24 And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. 25 And they went and woke him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.” 26 And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. 27 And the men marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?”

Following Jesus comes with discomforts, demands, and dangers, but it comes with joy! Colossians 1:11

Colossians 1:11 (ESV)

11 being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy;

C. Now again let’s apply. When the world looks at us and our churches, do they see us dependent on the strength of God or sufficient in our own strength? I don’t want people to see what I can do, I want them to see what only God can do!

How would the church landscape look if we began to pray for each other and all the churches in the area to be strengthened with all power according to God’s glorious might?

III. Trademark 3: Filled with Thanksgiving to God.

A. I believe that this trademark ties all the others together because it speaks of our attitude toward God’s Will and ministry. Paul is praying for the Colossians that they will be filled with Thanksgiving to God who qualified them to share in the inheritance of the saint in light.

Thanksgiving is an interesting attitude. You cannot manufacture thanksgiving. Thanksgiving springs from a heart of genuine appreciation and realization that you don’t deserve what you have. Many of us men as we get older and see the dedication of our wives are filled with thanks because we realize that we didn’t deserve that gift.

B. We see three gifts given to us that should result in Thanksgiving and even motivation to fulfill the Will of God.

One, we have been brought into the inheritance of God. I love the KJV’s translation of Colossians 1:12

Colossians 1:12 KJV 1900

12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:

Have you thought about the magnitude of that statement? We are adopted into God’s family with all the benefits. Once an enemy but now a child.

2. Second, we have been delivered from this world of darkness and transferred to the kingdom of His beloved Son. I’ve lived in a lot of places but I have never lived in the perfect place.

3. Third, in Jesus, through Jesus, by Jesus we have been set free and forgiven.

C. Do you know what I see missing in churches and among Christians today? Testimony! I remember hearing from a heart overflowing how thankful people were for what Jesus had and was doing for them. Thanksgiving should be one of our Trademarks.