- Promises: “Then”
Anon: “1949 in the Hebrides, revival hit. At the time devotion to God had been replaced with devotion to whisky. The churches were nearly empty and many were about to close. But at a time like this there were people willing to intercede. Two elderly ladies in their eighties had been praying for some years. Then a small group of men had gathered in a barn. They prayed for six hours a day, three days a week for several months, determined to keep seeking God until He sent revival. In one meeting they read 2 Chronicles 7:14. They cried out to God for cleansing from personal sin and that night they faced the glory of God. The two elderly ladies were told that same night by God, that he would send his reviving Spirit within two weeks, and that He would use a man by the name of Duncan Campbell. The promise came true, and these small Scottish Islands experienced one of the most powerful outpourings of Gods Spirit in history. In one village, within two days, every young person had been converted. Eye witness accounts describe people suddenly coming under the conviction of their sin, even while they were out working on their boats, or down the mines. Conversions were numbered not by a one-time decision but by their commitment to prayer meetings.”
- “Hear” b) “Forgive” c) “Heal”
God wants to pick up the pieces of our broken lives and start again. “God’s restoring love!”
Obstacles to God answering our prayers: Pride, unforgiving sin – ourselves, others.
Deep down a need for close communion and relationship with God. Reality is what you are in the presence of God, no more, no less. We need to be real people never a moment out of the atmosphere of prayer.
- Power of Prayer – ‘Called by His Name’
- Matthew 6:33, “Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness…”
- Philippians 3:10, “I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death.”
In developing a relationship with God and knowing His will we must increasingly experience and appreciate God’s character (Who He is), justice (No mistakes) and sovereignty (He is totally in control) and apply His will (Romans12:1-2) to our lives. We need to know His heart for the very basis of our prayers to be on target. Prayer is an opportunity to bring our will and life into line with God’s plan and purpose. Demonstrate our trust in God, speak with Him, and develop a growing and dynamic relationship with Him. In prayer we reveal how real we believe God is! Just as children naturally want to learn to talk so God’s children have a built-in motivation to pray.
This is a spiritual battle and people who are bound by the enemy can’t win it. Only Jesus Christ can release us to enter into praying powerfully. To be bound by a system, a ritual, even a tradition and not have the freedom of the Holy Spirit in your prayer life is to miss the mark. We need to know God’s heart for the very basis of our prayer life to be on target. Praying develops my relationship with God and I enjoy communion with Him. God works through prayer.Watch the temptations of Pride, Sex and Money! Thought about God’s will for your life? For example: Dating, getting married, choosing a career, finding a church family, handling money and debt, how you spend your leisure time, etc.
Anon: “In order to understand the deep significance of prayer, we all, I believe, must come to see that we have to die on one level in order to live on another. We must lose ourselves in order to find ourselves.”
There are times when we arrive at the parking places of life and there we need to discover God’s will. Are you there today? When we come in prayer before God we need to remember that we are in a war and not preparing a list to go shopping at Migros! Need to remember the spiritual resources available! Pray in the Spirit’s power!
- Ephesians 6:10-20, (NLT) “Be strong with the Lord’s mighty power…Pray at all times and on every occasion in the power of the Holy Spirit. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all Christians everywhere. Pray also for me…Do you have this power?
- Changed lives: (Conversions) b) Circumstances, c) Change me!
- Matthew5, “Secret” Pray in secret and God will reward openly. Jesus went to lonely places to pray Luke5:16, Audience of one.
Seeds of revival: “Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me.” “Spirit of the Living God fall fresh on me…”
Thank-you for allowing us to share in your lives, to sit at the table of life and enjoy your company and Friendship! Philippians 3:12-14 “Press on toward the goal to win the prize…”
Your friend and pastor
Jim