Saints, 18 Jan 11
I have to share something before we get to our main point today. Reading in Luke 15 this morning, I was reminded that Jesus spent time connecting with “sinners.” Yes, He even touched a coffin. Was He somehow stained by touching a box with a dead person in it? No, He transformed reality. After Jesus touched that coffin, the man rose from the dead. Jesus defines reality—he defines life. He is life! I confess that sometimes I don’t truly believe this for my actions don’t always point to this truth--we live what we believe. But, when I am resolute about this truth, God’s hope and confidence lead me to pray for bold things like revival in Colorado and Asia and Africa and Ireland, India, Sterling, Wiggins, Norwood, Montrose, Ridgeway, Denver, Aspen, Boulder, Karval and everywhere. One thing I have come to realize as we pray for revival...we have to be revived ourselves—it starts with us. We can’t pray for God to only revive or awaken others. This prayer request or heart-cry starts with praying for revival in us. In other words, may God make us the fire that spreads. Please, Saints, let us pray for this! Today, we will look at praying God’s Word boldly.
As we have seen before, Jesus directs us to pray in His name and according to His Word. He repeats this direction six times. When He was preparing His disciples for His departure in John chapters 14-17, Jesus issued the command to pray in His name and according to His will six times. Within this farewell narration is found the repeated promise for prayer (1 & 2: John 14:13-14, 3: John 15:7-8, 4: John 15:16, and 5 & 6: John 16: 23-24). He then prayed including prayer for us in Chapter 17.
Here are the first two of the six promises Jesus gives:
John 14:13-14 (NASB)
13 "Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 "If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.
13 "Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 "If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.
So, here are suggested passages in God’s Word to pray. Remember, we are to pray in Jesus’ name and according to His will. Praying in His name does not mean adding the phrase “In Jesus name” to whatever we dream up to pray, like a “hocus pocus” magic word. No, we pray His purposes for His glory as led by His Spirit.
Let’s pray like John the Baptist lived, May we decrease and Christ increase in our lives, from God’s perspective…
John 3:30 (NASB)
30 "He must increase, but I must decrease.
30 "He must increase, but I must decrease.
Let’s pray like Paul prayed for believers, that they might have the eyes of their heart enlightened and that they will know the depths of God’s love…
Ephesians 1:18-20 (NASB)
18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might 20 which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,
18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might 20 which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,
Ephesians 3:14-19 (NASB)
14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, 16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.
14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, 16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.
Let’s boldly proclaim to God as John Hyde did,
“God, grant me souls or I die!”
Let’s ask God for an undivided heart for Him—a life that is completely His, not compartmentalized or marginalized. This means we are the same Christ-follower at church, work, school, while shopping, as we are when we are on our knees.
Psalms 86:11-12 (NASB)
11 Teach me Your way, O Lord; I will walk in Your truth; Unite my heart to fear Your name. 12 I will give thanks to You, O Lord my God, with all my heart, And will glorify Your name forever.
11 Teach me Your way, O Lord; I will walk in Your truth; Unite my heart to fear Your name. 12 I will give thanks to You, O Lord my God, with all my heart, And will glorify Your name forever.
Let’s pray as Jesus did for intimacy with the Father and churches which are in unity, all for God’s glory--that the world may know…
John 17:20-23 (NASB)
20 "I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; 21 that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me. 22 "The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; 23 I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me.
20 "I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; 21 that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me. 22 "The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; 23 I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me.
Yes, Father, we pray in Jesus name for Your Holy name to be honored and glorified in the church—our churches. Father, may we truly make disciples and witness. May we be a picture of Your love to all others—now. Forgive us for forgetting the real purpose of the church. Forgive us for our apathy. Revive us again. God please hear and grant this request to Your glory.
Compelled to pray and desperate for God, Steve
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