Introduction

Welcome, dear brothers and sisters in Christ, to another blessed gathering in the house of the Lord. It is always a joy to come together, to bask in the warmth of fellowship, to share in the nourishment of God's Word, and to unite our hearts in prayer.

Today, we find ourselves standing on the threshold of a profound and powerful topic – the role of prayer in perceiving potential, and the unveiling of that potential through prophetic prayer. It's a topic that beckons us to look beyond the surface, to see with spiritual eyes, and to listen with spiritual ears.

The great Charles Spurgeon once said, "True prayer is neither a mere mental exercise nor a vocal performance. It is far deeper than that - it is spiritual transaction with the Creator of Heaven and Earth." This spiritual transaction, this divine dialogue, is what we will be focusing on today.

Let's turn to the book of Numbers, chapter 11, verse 29. Here we find Moses responding to Joshua's concern about two men prophesying in the camp. The Scripture reads,

"But Moses replied, 'Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all the Lord's people were prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit on them!'"

What a profound statement! Moses, a man of great spiritual stature, expressing his desire for all of God's people to be prophets, to have the Spirit of the Lord upon them. This is not a desire for personal glory or recognition, but a longing for God's people to be in deep, intimate communion with Him, to perceive His will and to participate in His divine purposes.

But how do we, as followers of Christ, tap into this prophetic perception? How do we align our hearts with God's heart, our will with His will, our vision with His vision? The answer, dear friends, lies in prayer. Not just any prayer, but prayer that is guided by the Spirit, prayer that seeks not our own will but the will of the Father, prayer that unveils potential and brings it to fruition.

As we embark on this exploration, let us bow our heads in prayer:

Heavenly Father, we thank you for the privilege of coming into Your presence. We thank you for Your Word that guides us, Your Spirit that empowers us, and Your love that sustains us. As we delve into the depths of prayer, open our hearts to perceive Your will. Unveil the potential that lies within us, and equip us to be vessels of Your love and grace. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

Let’s get started!

Prayer's Power to Perceive Potential

As we turn our hearts and minds towards the divine dialogue of prayer, we find ourselves standing at the precipice of an extraordinary revelation. This revelation is not one that is distant or detached, but rather, it is deeply personal and profoundly transformative. It is the revelation of potential, the unveiling of what could be, the glimpse of what is yet to come.

Potential: In the realm of the physical, potential is often associated with latent abilities or untapped resources. It is the seed that holds the promise of a mighty oak, the caterpillar that carries the blueprint of a beautiful butterfly. But in the spiritual realm, potential takes on a much deeper dimension. It is not merely about what we can do, but about who we can become in Christ. It is about aligning ourselves with God's divine purposes, about becoming co-laborers with Him in the great work of redemption.

But how do we perceive this spiritual potential? How do we discern the divine blueprint that God has for our lives? The answer, dear friends, lies in the power of prayer.

Divine dialogue: When we engage in prayer, we are not merely uttering words into the void. Rather, we are entering into a divine dialogue with the Creator of the universe. We are stepping into the throne room of grace, coming boldly before our Heavenly Father, and laying our hearts bare before Him. In this sacred space, we are not only heard, but we are also seen. We are seen in our entirety, in our vulnerability, in our potential.

Jeremiah 29:11: God declares, "For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." These plans, dear friends, are not arbitrary or accidental. They are purposeful, intentional, and filled with potential. And it is through prayer that we begin to perceive these plans, to discern the divine blueprint that God has for our lives.

We begin to see with spiritual eyes: We begin to perceive the potential that lies within us, the potential that God has placed within us. We begin to see ourselves not as we are, but as we could be in Christ. We begin to see the seeds of faith, the buds of hope, the blossoms of love that God has planted within us.

Pursuing potential: Prayer does not only enable us to perceive our potential, it also empowers us to pursue it. As we align our hearts with God's heart, our will with His will, our vision with His vision, we find ourselves propelled towards our divine destiny. We find ourselves stepping into the fullness of our potential, becoming all that God has created us to be.

Ephesians 3:20: The Apostle Paul declares, "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us." This power, dear friends, is not a worldly power, but a divine power. It is the power of the Holy Spirit, the power that raised Christ from the dead, the power that enables us to perceive and pursue our potential.

Infused with this divine power: We find ourselves equipped and empowered to step into our potential, to become co-laborers with God in the great work of redemption. We find ourselves transformed from mere spectators to active participants in the divine drama of salvation.

It’s communal: Prayer is not a solitary endeavor. It is a communal activity, a collective endeavor. As we engage in prayer, we find ourselves connected to a community of believers, a body of Christ. We find ourselves united in purpose, aligned in vision, and bound by love. In the book of Acts, chapter 2, verse 42, we read, "They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer." This early Christian community, dear friends, was not merely a social gathering. It was a spiritual powerhouse, a dynamic community that was united in prayer, empowered by the Spirit, and propelled towards their potential.

We find ourselves becoming part of this dynamic community: We find ourselves connected to a body of believers who are committed to perceiving and pursuing their potential. We find ourselves united in purpose, aligned in vision, and bound by love.

Prophetic Perception through Prayer

As we continue to reflect on the words of Moses in Numbers 11:29, we are drawn to the profound implications of his wish for all of God's people to be prophets ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO