THE SCHOOL OF PRAYER #2: TOGETHER WITH OTHERS
CHILDREN’S PRAYERS:
Dear God: Please help me is school. I need help in spelling, adding, history, geography and writing. I don’t need help in anything else. Lois, 9
Dear God: Please send a new baby for Mommy. The new baby you sent last week cries too much. Debbie, 7
Dear God: Who did you make smarter? Boys or girls? My sister and I want to know. Jimmy, 6
Dear God; I am saying my prayers for me and my brother, Billy, because Billy is six months old and he can’t do anything but sleep and wet his diapers. Diane, 8
Dear God: This is my prayer. Could you please give my brother some brains. So far he doesn’t have any. Angela, 8
THE SUMMER OF SEEKING:
Every Sunday from 6-7 pm this summer. Come and join us.
“And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.” (Jer. 29:13).
OPENING TEXT:
“Now it came to pass, as Jesus was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, teach us to pray.” (Luke 11:1).
• If you wanted to learn how to fish, who would you go to? Mark or Morgan.
• If you wanted to learn how to make a marvelous mocha, who would you go to? Larry.
• If you wanted to learn how to rock out on the guitar, who would you go to? Ken.
• Who would you go to if you wanted to learn how to pray? A master prayer warrior:
• This summer, we are going to Jesus and saying, “Lord, teach us to pray!”
KEY TEXT:
“Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” (Matthew 18:19-20).
• In this Scripture, Jesus teaches us the power of the prayer of agreement.
• What does it mean to agree? Greek word, sumphoneo, means ‘to sound together, be in accord, be in harmony, to agree together in prayer.” (Spirit-filled Life Bible).
• This is more than just agreeing about your prayer request, it means your lives are in agreement – in peace and unity in Christ!
THE BIG IDEA: One of the most important lessons we can learn in prayer is the power of agreeing together with other believers. When we pray together, miraculous things happen.
DRAMATIZE THE BIBLE STORY: (Daniel 2:1-23).
The Cast: The King, three wise men, Captain Arioch, two soldiers, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, Azariah.
Background: In chapter one, many young Hebrews were carried away captive to Babylon under the rule of King Nebuchadnezzar. Daniel and his three friends were among them.
“1 One night during the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar had a dream that disturbed him so much that he couldn’t sleep. The king said, “I’m so disturbed, I can’t sleep!”
2 He called in his magicians, enchanters, sorcerers, and astrologers, and he demanded that they tell him what he had dreamed. 3 The king said, "I have had a dream that troubles me. Tell me what I dreamed, for I must know what it means." 4 Then the wise men said, "Long live the king! Tell us the dream, and we will tell you what it means."
5 But the king said, "I am serious about this. If you don’t tell me what my dream was and what it means, you will be torn limb from limb, and your houses will be demolished into heaps of rubble! The wise men said, “Ouch!”
6 But if you tell me what I dreamed and what the dream means, I will give you many wonderful gifts and honors. Just tell me the dream and what it means!”
• Basically the king was giving them an ultimatum – tell me what my dream means, or die!
10 The wise men replied in a really whiny voice, "There isn’t a man alive who can tell Your Majesty his dream! And no king, however great and powerful, has ever asked such a thing of any wise man! You’re not fair!”
12 The king was furious when he heard this (give them your angriest face and growl!), and he sent out orders to execute all the wise men of Babylon. 13 And because of the king’s decree, men were sent to find and kill Daniel and his friends.
14 When Arioch, the commander of the king’s guard, came to kill them, Daniel handled the situation with wisdom and discretion. 15 He asked Arioch, "Why has the king issued such a harsh decree?" So Arioch told him all that had happened.
• What did Daniel do next? Did he and his friends throw a pity party? Did they go out and get drunk one last time before they were executed? Did they run away? No!
16 Daniel went at once to see the king and requested more time so he could tell the king what the dream meant.
17 Then Daniel went home and told his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah what had happened. 18 He urged them to ask the God of heaven to show them his mercy by telling them the secret, so they would not be executed along with the other wise men of Babylon.
• Have Daniel and his three friends get down on their knees and pray.
• Remember what Jesus taught about the power in the prayer of agreement!
19 That night the secret was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven.
• God answered their prayers! And Daniel’s first response? To praise God for it.
• Give the actors a hand, and they can have a seat.
20 Daniel prayed: "Praise the name of God forever and ever, for he alone has all wisdom and power… 23 I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors, for you have given me wisdom and strength. You have told me what we asked of you and revealed to us what the king demanded."
• Notice Daniel’s humility, recognizing the role his friends played in his answered prayer.
• Because they prayed, the King spared the wise men, and honoured Daniel and his three friends with promotions and many gifts. God answers prayer!
HOW IMPORTANT IS IT FOR US TO PRAY TOGETHER?
Some people might wonder why God ordained strength and blessing in the prayer of agreement. Why can’t we just pray alone? We can, but here are some of the reasons for agreement:
1. The context of family relationships in the Lord’s prayer:
“Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.” (Matthew 6:9-13).
• Jesus never intended us to go through life alone! We need each other…
• When you become a Christian, you become a part of the family of God.
• God wants us to bear one another’s burdens, and encourage and bless one another!
• This speaks to us of the importance of corporate prayer (come join us tonight!)
• Also, we can pray the prayer of agreement together in our families – husbands and wives together, and parents with their children.
2. Two are better than one:
“Two are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, For he has no one to help him up. Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; But how can one be warm alone? Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12).
• What is the threefold cord? You, a Christian friend, and Jesus. Powerful!
3. There is strength in numbers:
“One can put a thousand to flight, and two can put ten thousand to flight.” (Deut. 32:30).
• When we pray together, our prayer power isn’t only added, it is multiplied!
ILLUSTRATION:
Five young American college students were spending a Sunday in London, so they went to hear the famed Charles Spurgeon preach. While waiting for the doors to open, the students were greeted by a man who asked, "Gentlemen, let me show you around. Would you like to see the heating plant of this church?" They were not particularly interested, for it was a hot day in July. Not wanting to offend the stranger, they agreed. They were taken down a stairway, a door was quietly opened, and their guide whispered, "This is our heating plant." Surprised, the students saw 700 people bowed in prayer, seeking a blessing on the service that was soon to begin in the auditorium above. Softly closing the door, the gentleman then introduced himself. It was none other than Charles Spurgeon.
STORY: Of attending the revival prayer meeting at CLA, starting one at BF, then REVIVAL!
CLOSING CHALLENGE:
Because we have been given this amazing gift, let us not neglect praying together.
“So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it.” (Hebrews 4:16).
• Break up into small groups of 3-4 people, and take the time to pray for one another.
• Ask the people in your group: What is your biggest challenge that you are facing right now that you need the Lord to help you with?
Beausejour Community Church Website: www.beausejourchurch.ca
Pastor Chris Jordan’s Blog: http://thelandofpromise.blogspot.com/
