iMission - (Part 1)
“iPray”
TEXT: Multiple
INTRO: This morning we start a new 3 week series called the iMission. Why iMission? “I” is not for the internet as some of you are thinking…. because the church is made up of who? People… the “I” is for individuals. We as the church or the Body of Christ according to 1 Corinthians are made up of many members but all one body. Scripture also tells us that when one rejoices, we are all to rejoice, likewise… when one suffers we all suffer. Everything we do affects the lives of the body. Individually.
YES, We have a corporate responsibility to live the iMission but more importantly we have a individual & person responsibility whether your 3 or 93 years old… we are to live out the iMission that Christ has given all of us.. We are to pray, to give, and to go!
My Personal Life Motto is: “Serving God By Serving Others.” This is not to be just a motto but an action in move forward in the iMission. You and I are to reach everyday people where they are at. We have got to live this iMission. To be a Christ follower is to embrace this mission and run with it… We are to be the men, women, youth, & kids, that God has called us to be and to set the people of our community and around the World FREE. AMEN?
The first part of the iMission we want to look at is: “iPray”
I. WHAT IS PRAYER?
Prayer is simply talking with God. Think of it this way: prayer is like talking on the phone with a friend. Prayer is not a one way conversation but its an active… Often times we feel as if prayer is only One-sided or one-way, but in reality its not. God may seem silent at times, but God has much to speak and say to you by His spirit as you learn to pray. The Question becomes are you willing to listen? He may say something's that you might not like or even want to hear.
With this said lets look at: Why Pray?
II. WHY PRAY?
We pray because God wants us to tell him what is on our minds. Even though He sees and understands our situations better than we do, he still wants to hear from us in our own words.
Prayer is the key to the heart of God. Prayer is the only way to a real and personal relationship with Him. For the Christian, praying is like breathing. It is easier to do it than to not do it…. And we pray for a variety of reasons.
Prayer is a form of serving God and obeying Him.
- God commands us to pray. (Philippians 4:6-7)
- Prayer is an act worship to Him. (Daniel 3x a day)
- Prayer is an example given to us by Christ and the early church.
(Mark 1:35; Acts 1:14; 2:42)
If Jesus thought it was worthwhile to pray, we should also. If He needed to pray to remain in the Father’s will, how much more do we need to pray?
Prayer is a means of obtaining God’s solutions in a number of situations. (A Few Examples)
- Pray in preparation for major decisions. (Luke 6:12-13)
- Pray to overcome demonic barriers. (Matthew 17:14-21)
- Pray for strength to overcome temptation. (Matthew 26:41)
- Pray to strengthening others spiritually. (Ephesians 6:18-19)
- Pray to gather workers for the spiritual harvest. (Luke 10:2)
This is the key to the iMission Life.
(Luke 10:2) Jesus said...
“The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.”
We are to be praying for the harvest (people.) Let me let you in on a known fact… Praying for the community and the lost changes your heart and mindset to be more like Christ’s.
(ILL) Coming home from Work after midnight coming down Rt. 13
If you don't have a burden for the lost & perishing, for our community, our city…. Here ‘s what we do. We Pray, We pray until your heart begins to hurt, or be burdened for people and our community that God would change our heart and are mindset. That you will begin to see the people in life with the eyes of Christ….. He will do it. Prayer changes everything.
We Pray about situations in which we do not know God's will specifically... prayer is a means of discerning His will.
- If the Syrian woman with the demon-influenced daughter had not prayed to Christ, her daughter would not have been made whole. (Mark 7:26-30)
- If the blind man outside Jericho had not called out to Christ, he would have remained blind. (Luke 18:35-43)
God has said that we often go without because we do not ask.
(ILL) Everyone Blink you Eyes. It is said that in the time it takes you to blink your eyes that light has travel around the world 6 times. Wow that’s fast, that’s like hyper fast.
Here’s my point in telling you this… If God can make light travel so fast why is it that we have a hard time believing God to change our city? Heal our families? To bring about breakthrough or the Miracle that we so desperately need. What about the cities and nations around the world.
I think for many of us we don’t realize that the Father has our best interests at heart as long as our prayers are not selfish and for personal gain. The motive of our prayer needs to be kept in check.
Mark Batterson recently said, “Prayer births Vision & Dreams. When you pray you will begin to dream, so dream BIG or pray more.
BOTTOM LINE: Prayer Changes things, it gives us a heart and vision for people. Prayer should not be seen as our means of getting God to do our will on earth, but rather as a means of getting God's will done on earth. God’s wisdom far exceeds our own. There is nothing we can’t pray about.
But Wait There's More...
III. HOW DO I PRAY?
Jesus gave his disciples, what we call, “The Lord’s Prayer” as a model. (Matthew 6:9-13)
“Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.
10 May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today the food we need, 12 and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. 13 And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.”
In addition, Hebrews 4:14-16 tells us we can pray boldly -- “That is why we have a great High Priest who has gone to heaven, Jesus the Son of God. Let us cling to him and never stop trusting him. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same temptations we do, yet he did not sin. 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.”
BOTTOM LINE: Jesus taught us how to pray, He modeled it for not only the disciples but for All believers. We have looked at what is Prayer, Why Pray, & How to Pray. To understand the iMission we must have this first part down in our life.
VIDEO: Who Cares
CLOSING: How do you know your living the iMission? Its when you pray for people, leaders, nations, situations…. Wanting to see God move and intervene in the lives of people more then you want something for yourself.
Its when you stop worrying about your day to day issues, hang-ups, so called problems. Its when you stop looking at your life and start look at others and seeing how precious people are to God. Friends again Prayer changes your Heart and Mindset. It really is like getting a check up from heart up. iPray is individually taking action and praying for others regardless of the situation.
Will you join me over the next 3 weeks in letting God change you so that you too can live the iMission?
Lets Pray...
