Post by disciple on Jun 3, 2010 13:58:22 GMT -5
PRAYER: THE POWER OF MISSIONS
·WE CANNOT KNOW WHAT PRAYER IS FOR UNTIL WE KNOW THAT LIFE IS WAR (2 TIM. 4:7, 1 TIM. 6:12, 2 COR. 10:3-5)
o ARMOR OF GOD: EPH. 6. IN WARTIME, EVERY BLESSING BECOMES A WEAPON.
o GOD’S CONCEPT: PRAYER AS WARTIME WALKIE-TALKIE FOR THE MISSION OF WORLD IMPACT
o MAN’S CONCEPT: DOMESTIC INTERCOM TO CALL FOR MORE COMFORTS IN THE DEN (CHURCH)
o CHARACTERISTICS OF WARTIME: HEARING ABOUT IT ALL THE TIME; TALK ABOUT THOSE SERVING IN OTHER LANDS, WRITING TO THEM & PRAYING FOR THEIR SAFETY; ALERT, ARMED, VIGILANT PEOPLE; MONEY & RESOURCES USED STRATEGICALLY, NOT SELFISHLY; UNITY
o WE MUST SEEK A WARTIME MENTALITY FOR OURSELVES AND OUR DISCIPLES.
·OUR FRUIT-BEARING MISSION: JN. 15:16
o PRAYERS ARE ANSWERED BECAUSE THEY ARE PRAYING IN ACCORDANCE WITH THEIR MISSION, TO BEAR FRUIT & SET PEOPLE FREE. PRAYER IS DESIGNED TO EXTEND THE KINGDOM INTO FRUITLESS ENEMY TERRITORY.
o BATTLE #1: TO CHERISH THE KINGDOM ABOVE “ALL OTHER THINGS” (MK. 4:18-19), THE FIGHT OF FAITH
o BATTLE #2: THEN JOINING IN THE FIGHT TO COMMEND THE KINGDOM TO ALL THE NATIONS
·GOD GUARANTEES THE VICTORY OF HIS CAUSE!
o GOD WINS THE BATTLES SO THAT HIS PURPOSE IS ACCOMPLISHED, TO UPHOLD & DISPLAY HIS GLORY FOR THE ENJOYMENT OF THE REDEEMED FROM ALL NATIONS
o SCRIPTURES SHOWING THE CERTAINTY OF HIS CAUSE: MATT. 16:18, 24:14, GEN. 12:3, 49:10, PS. 2:8, 22:27, 66:4 (“I WILL,” “I SHALL”)
·GOD’S CALLING OF THE NATIONS TO HIMSELF THROUGH US
o IN THE EARLY CHURCH (MK. 3:11, MATT. 28:18-20, AC. 1:8, 2:47)
o IN THE GLOBAL EXPANSE OF THE CHURCH (ROM. 15:18-19, 1 COR. 15:10, 3:6-7)
o IN THE CONVERSION OF OTHER NATIONS (AC. 11:18, 16:14)
o THE ONE WHO GIVES THE POWER GETS THE GLORY. IF THE STRENGTH IS NOT OF GOD, HE DOES NOT GET THE GLORY & ALL IS VAIN, EVEN IF IT SEEMS SUCCESSFUL. PRAYER MAKES IT OBVIOUS THAT “THE BATTLE IS THE LORD’S”
·PRAYER’S MAIN PURPOSE: THE GLORY OF GOD. PRAYER’S SECONDARY PURPOSE: THE JOY OF GOD’S PEOPLE
o PS. 50:15—“CALL ON ME” (OUR ACTION) “I WILL DELIVER YOU” (GOD’S ACTION) “YOU WILL GLORIFY ME” (OUR ACTION)—WE GET DELIVERANCE, BUT HE MUST GET THE GLORY.
o THINGS THE EARLY CHURCH PRAYED FOR
THE SPIRIT’S FULNESS (LK. 11:13)
SALVATION OF THE LOST (ROM. 10:1)
SIGNS AND WONDERS (AC. 4:29-30)
CASTING OUT DEMONS (MK. 9:29)
WISDOM (JAS. 1:5)
LABORERS (MATT. 9:38)
KNOWLEDGE OF HIS WILL AND OF HIM (COL. 1:9-10)
FAITHFULNESS (LK. 22:32)
HEALING (JAS. 5:14-15)
o GOD’S GLORY WILL NOT BE RECOGNIZED WITHOUT THE PROCLAIMING OF THE WORD, AND THE WORD WILL NOT BE PROCLAIMED IN POWER TO ALL THE NATIONS WITHOUT PRAYER (EPH. 6:19, COL. 4:3)
o EXAMPLES: JIM ELLIOT, GEORGE MUELLER (p. 68-9)