Gethsemane To The Upper Room: Passion In Prayer.

GETHSEMANE TO THE UPPER ROOM... SLEEP THROUGH PRAYER...

PASSION FOR PRAYER...

By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com

Matthew 17:21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.

I. WHAT IS PASSION? DOES THE PASSION OF GOD STILL BURN DEEP

IN YOUR HEART?

A. PASSION:

Desire, earnest, fevor.

Strong emotion, enthusiasm, eager, intensity, zeal.

Strong interest...

B. LIFE HAS A WAY OF STEALING OUR PASSION, INTENSITY AND

JOY?

C. Remember that first special friend?

Remember the sweaty palms? Remember the thumping heart?

Wow, how exciting life was?

THEN LIFE HAPPENS...

Your special little BO is in the arms of another teen?

D. Remember when you wanted to---?

Has life reduced itself to: HAVE TO...

DO I HAVE TO DO THIS?

E. Remember when you first went to the altar?

The heavy weight of sin was gone?

I went out the church and the grass was greener?

I loved every one --- I could have floated in V-I-C-T-O-R-Y.

F. Then the reality of spiritual life hurts.

Some people were not what they claimed?

G. HAS OUR CHURCH LOST THE PASSION FOR PRAYER?

II. EVEN GREAT MEN HAVE TO TRY AGAIN... AND AGAIN...

A. I was the pastor of a little mountain missions work.

One dear brother demanded the call to prayer.

We would establish special nights for prayer.

Never did this man ever attend one prayer night.

On a regular basis he put down others for not praying ---

WHEN HE NEVER ATTENDED A NIGHT OF PRAYER...

B. Elijah loved God.

The King Ahab and the Queen Jezebel hated THE MESSAGE.

When the message is not received --- the MESSENGER IS HATED.

C. Elijah knew how to pray but he HAD TO LEARN TO PRAY AGAIN...

D. Elijah is remembered in the New Testament:

He had like passions --- but HE HAD TO LEARN TO PRAY AND TO PRAY AGAIN...

James 5:17 Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. 18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.

III. NEVER FORGET THAT REMARKABLE PRAYER WILL BRING REMARKABLE

RESULTS!

A. Are we walking in PERILOUS TIMES? Do we know hard-difficult situations that try to destroy us? What are we going to do?

Will we COME TO GOD WITH A GREAT PASSION?

1 Cor. 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

B. WHEN WE FIND IT HARD TO PRAY WE MUST PRAY HARD.

Matthew 17:21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.

C. WHAT YOU GAIN BY INTERCESSION YOU KEEP BY INTERCESSION.

IV.YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT WHEN YOU SLEEP

THROUGH PRAYER TIME?

LET US BUILD THE CHURCH? LET US BUILD THREE CHURCHES?

WHILE WE SLEEP THROUGH PRAYER --- THERE WILL BE LITTLE CHURCH GROWTH?

A. During a great season of prayer JESUS WAS TRANSFIGURED ---

JESUS WAS CHANGED... THE SLEEPERS SEEMED TO STAY THE SAME...

Luke 9:32 But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep:

and when they were awake, they saw his glory, and the two men that stood with him.

33 And it came to pass, as they departed from him, Peter said unto Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias: not knowing what he said.

B.THERE GROWS MANY DANGEROUS PITFALLS WHEN CHRISTIANS

DESIRE TO BUILD GREAT WORKS AND SLEEP THROUGH PRAYER MEETINGS.

C. YOU CAN NEVER BUILD STRONG HEALTHY CHURCHES WITH SLEEPING,

SIPPING SAINTS?

D. PETER HAD GOOD INTENTIONS, BUT YOU CANNOT BUILD LASTING WORKS

TALKING AND BLOWING HOT AIR!

This is a real lesson: The way to Hell is paved with good intentions.

E. Be careful what you say?

Don’t talk too much if you don’t know what you are saying?

LEARN THE POWER OF REAL INTENSE PRAYER.

V. THE LESS PRAYERS PRAYED THE MORE A JUDGING SPIRIT GROWS.

WHEN WE LOOSE OUR PASSION FOR PRAYER WE GAIN A PASSION FOR

TRIVIAL PURSUIT.

A. Many today feel like they are GOD CALLED TO BE COWBOYS AND

CRACK THE WHIP. OTHERS CLAIM THE BLACK ROBE OF A JUDGE AND

CAN DEFINE WHAT IS WRONG WITH EVERY BODY?

WE CAN BECOME SPIRITUAL POLICEMEN, I WILL GIVE A TICKET

TO THAT SUCKER.

Think about what a police officer is?

B. Some times I would love to be a policeman instead of a preacher!

C. Sometimes at church or in my family I would love to be a policeman and write a ticket.

VI. THE LACK OF PASSION IN PRAYER CAN GET VERY COSTLY.