Transformation Through Prayer 2

transcript

HEBRIDES REVIVAL

1949-1952

Duncan Duncan CampbellCampbell

Berneray

Peggy & Christine Smith: They Prayed A Promise

hebrides revival 1949-1952

"For I will pour water "For I will pour water upon him that is upon him that is

thirsty, and floods thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground:" upon the dry ground:"

––Isaiah 44:3a.Isaiah 44:3a.

Psalms 23:3Psalms 23:3--66 “Who shall ascend the “Who shall ascend the hill…..”hill…..”

"Oh God, are my "Oh God, are my handshands clean? clean?

Is Is my heart pure?" my heart pure?"

hebrides revival 1949-1952

Our VISION

2012 Theme :2012 Theme :

TRANSFORMATION TRANSFORMATION THRU’PRAYERTHRU’PRAYER

Col. 4:2 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.

Transformation Thru’ Prayer Transformation Thru’ Prayer Part I : Praying Like Jesus

• What is Prayer ? – Conversation with God

“Talking to the Father, through the Son by the Holy Spirit” • Why Pray ?

–Jesus Himself prayed, also taught and expected his followers to PRAY …

Part I : Praying Like Jesus Praying

At all times …

On all occasions

For all people

With the ‘Right Spirit & Attitude’

Prayer was CENTRAL to His entire Ministry

… and still is…

What is Jesus doing now in heaven ?

God’s Word says …

Rom 8:34 “…Christ Jesus,… is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.”

Heb 7:24-25 “… Jesus ... always lives to intercede for them.”

the purpose of prayer… IS to IS to get God’s will done on get God’s will done on

earth, NOT earth, NOT to get man’s will to get man’s will done in done in heaven. heaven.

IS asking IS asking God for that which He God for that which He wants to do and wants to do and give give -- according according to His to His will, NOT will, NOT telling God what telling God what to to do or give.do or give.

Transformation Thru’ Prayer II : Col 4:2-6

“DEVOTE yourselves to prayer” Meaning “devoteMeaning “devote” ” : to : to GRABGRAB HOLDHOLD of of

something something and and NOTNOT let let go, to go, to PERSEVEREPERSEVERE

Pray diligently (Message)

Continue earnestly (NKJ) / steadfastly (ESV)

Be persistent (GN)

It is not only about length of time ….

Eg I Thes 5:17 “Pray without ceasing”

Matter of the heart, mind, whole attitude …

"Devote yourselves to prayer."

5 times in the NT : "be devoted to" or "persevere in" prayer …. 1. Acts 1:14, "These all with one mind

were continually devoting themselves to prayer."

2. Acts 2:42, “ continually devoting themselves to . . . prayer."

3. Acts 6:4, the apostles said they would devote themselves "to prayer and ….."

4. Romans 12:12, "Rejoice in hope, persevere in tribulation, be devoted to prayer."

5. Ephesians 6:18, "Pray at all times in the Spirit . . . with all perseverance."

Devoted To Pray … • Pray often & regularly ;

Not haphazard and being forgetful

• Not just ‘something’ we just ‘do’

• It must come out from the heart …

It must become an important & vital part of our life …

Being "WATCHFUL"...

“to keep awake” (literally & figuratively) Mark 13:33 “Be on guard! Be alert !...” Eph 6:18 And pray in the Spirit on all

occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. 1 Peter 4:7 “… Stay wide-awake in

prayer. “

1: TO STAY AWAKE when praying;

don’t fall asleep.

Eg Matt 26:41 -the Garden of Gethsemane

find the time of day when we are the most awake and dedicate that time to prayer.

position our bodies in a way that keeps us alert.

Being "WATCHFUL"...

2: INTENTIONAL and FOCUSED in prayer.

Jesus told the disciples to watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation.

1 Peter 5:8 Be alert, be on watch! Your enemy, the Devil, roams around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. (GNT)

Just because we pray ….

Being "WATCHFUL"...

3: Through "watchful" praying,

we will not be caught unprepared ….

… When GOD ANSWERS … Col 4:2 TLB

“Don't be weary in prayer; keep at it; watch for God's answers, ….

when they come.”

Being "WATCHFUL"...

4: PREPARED for CHRIST’S RETURN.

Eg Matt 24:40-42

“….Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.”

When we pray we should be looking for and longing for the return of Christ.

Paul concluded in 1 Cor 16:22 :

“maranatha” - ‘Our Lord, come!’

“It is strange that, while praying,

we seldom ask for change of character,

but always a change in circumstance”

“In these many days of prayer at Joy’s “In these many days of prayer at Joy’s bedside, bedside, I I have learned that my prayers do not change have learned that my prayers do not change

God; God; God God changes mechanges me.” .” CC. S. Lewis. S. Lewis

Gk : eucharistia -

thankfulness; gratitude;

a thankful heart ;

remember to be thankful when they come;

with an attitude of thanksgiving;

Being "THANKFUL"...

Full Of Praying & Thanksgiving…. Col 1:3 We always thank God, the Father

of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, Col 1:10-12 And we pray … giving thanks

to the Father,… Col 2:7 “rooted and built up in him,

strengthened in the faith …overflowing with thankfulness.”

Being "THANKFUL"...

Full Of Praying & Thanksgiving…. Col 3:15-17 Let the peace of Christ

rule in your hearts,…. And be thankful. … And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

Being "THANKFUL"?

LOOKING BACK - Our SALVATION • Being THANKFUL for our own salvation • We were once lost in our sins ….. • Somehow–people, situation,

happenings we…. heard about Jesus … believed & had faith in Him … invited Him into our heart as Saviour no turning back ….

“When we pray for the salvation of others, isn't the fervency of our prayer a mirror of how thankful we are for our own salvation?” “If we don't feel thankful for our own salvation—for the time when God opened the door of our heart—then how can we pray with steadfastness and vigilance for the salvation of others?” “O be thankful for your own salvation, & you will pray with new zeal for others”

Being "THANKFUL"?

LOOKING AHEAD - In FAITH

Being THANKFUL for what God is going to do

In FAITH thank Him

"We should thank God just as diligently in our prayers as we make requests of Him.”

Eg Phil 4:6

oonly two nly two basic prayersbasic prayers

Someone has said that there are only two basic prayers, &

each is only one word:

“Help!” & “Thanks!” If we said “Thank you” to the Lord more often, we might just get the

“Help” we need more often.

Being "THANKFUL"?

LOOKING WITHIN – with GRATITUDE

to "abound with thanksgiving"!

Why ? : Ingratitude was one reason why God's wrath comes …

Eg Rom 1:21-28

Our VISION TRANSFORMING LIVESTRANSFORMING LIVES

EXPANDING HIS KINGDOMEXPANDING HIS KINGDOM

Transformation Thru’

Prayer

“If prayer could have been dispensed with in any life,

surely it would have been in that of the sinless Son of Man…

and Apostle Paul …” Oswald Oswald Sanders Sanders

“a “a prayerlessprayerless Christian is a Christian is a defeated Christian”defeated Christian”

bbut in Col 4:3 Paul writesut in Col 4:3 Paul writes “And “And pray for us, pray for us, too…”too…”

What then was Paul’s What then was Paul’s Prayer Request ?Prayer Request ?

Transforming Lives >>>>>>>>Transforming Lives >>>>>>>> Expanding God’s Kingdom>>Expanding God’s Kingdom>>

Paul’s Request …..

1.Open Doors (v3)

2.Proclaim the Gospel (v3)

Thru’Thru’ PrayerPrayer

D L MoodyD L Moody

England in 1872 England in 1872

Donald: The Boy Who Prayed

The Praying Butcher

1. Open Doors

2. Proclaiming the Gospel

Clearly v4

Kairos Timing v5

Through Our Action v5

By Our Words v6

Transforming Lives >>>>>>>>Transforming Lives >>>>>>>> Expanding God’s Kingdom>>Expanding God’s Kingdom>>

Thru’Thru’ PrayerPrayer

If God answered all your prayers… • If God answered all your prayers with ‘yes’

how would the kingdom be furthered?

• How much time do I spend praying about Spiritual things?

• What true good would come from God giving me all the things I am praying for?

• We need to learn how to pray kingdom minded prayers.

Persevering in Prayerin Prayer

Consider 1 Sam 3:19

God's delays are not God's

denials God’s Delays

are for His Glory

Consider John 12:9-11

After hearing a message on prayer, we can be so … Overwhelmed that we give up before

even beginning Moved to pray, but do not know how… Convinced, see the need to pray, start

strong but cannot sustain - dies Convicted, Committed & in

Partnership – grow in prayer possible responses…

“Yesterdays praying will not suffice for today.” E. M. Bounds

“You can delegate many things,

but prayer is not one of them.”

A.W. Tozer

Enough “Theory”Enough “Theory”

..for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.”

Isaiah 56:7b

Nation

Community

Church

Family

Focus on You and Your FamilyFocus on You and Your Family

Focus on OUR Church

I have posted watchmen on your I have posted watchmen on your walls, Jerusalem; they will never be walls, Jerusalem; they will never be

silent day or night. You who call on the silent day or night. You who call on the LORD, give yourselves no rest, LORD, give yourselves no rest,

Isaiah 62:6Isaiah 62:6

Focus on OUR Community

for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.”

Focus on Our Nation

It It will be good for those will be good for those servants whose master finds servants whose master finds

them watching when he them watching when he comescomes..

Luke 12:37Luke 12:37

Our VISION

2012 Theme :2012 Theme :

TRANSFORMATION TRANSFORMATION THRU’PRAYERTHRU’PRAYER

Col 4:2 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.

Develop an attitude of Develop an attitude of prayerfulnessprayerfulness Worried ! Worried ! pray itpray it Troubled !, Troubled !, pray itpray it Insulted !, Insulted !, pray itpray it Slandered !, Slandered !, pray itpray it Family problems, Family problems, pray itpray it Confused !, Confused !, pray itpray it Sickness !, Sickness !, pray itpray it You succeed, You succeed, pray itpray it YOU WANT REVIVAL IN YOUR LIFE, YOU WANT REVIVAL IN YOUR LIFE,

YOUR FAMILY, OUR CHURCH, YOUR FAMILY, OUR CHURCH, OUR NATION …OUR NATION … JUST PRAY IT.JUST PRAY IT.

“Prayer is the fountain from which revival springs.

The key to revival in every age is prayer.”

Frank Beardsley

“Revival won't come by preaching or teaching, great worship music or beautiful sanctuaries.

It is scripturally & experientially linked … TO PRAYER.”

INVITATION: Those who truly and earnestly want to see

REVIVAL IN SSMC, I invite you to contact

any of the Leadership Team - phone call, email or sms just a to indicate your desire…. Just to remind all who so desire that there is a

COST & COMMITMENT to pay…. Please

count the cost before deciding.

Convicted, Committed &

In Christian Partnership Grow Together in Prayer

YOUR respond today…

God’s Stewards : God’s Stewards :

New New People & New PositionsPeople & New Positions

Ass Pastor, Chinese Ministry :

Julia Chong