THE PLACE OF PRAYER IN THE CHURCH
FBCF – 4/15/20 Midweek Service
Jon Daniels
INTRO – Many of us use the YouVersion app on our phones for Bible reading, devotional plans, & sharing Scriptures w/ others. I’m kind of old school when it comes to readin the Bible – like having an actual Bible in my hands. But I use YouVersion a lot for the devotional plans & to send verses to people.
- Doing the Christ > Corona plan right now – Really good!
Got a notice from YouVersion that the coronavirus is causing an historic level of Bible engagement over the last 6 weeks.
- Never seen it that high.
- People searching for answers & hope at all-time high levels.
- People sharing verses w/ others.
- Families engaging in the Word w/ their kids
- Tons & tons of people coming to faith in Christ.
- Global spiritual awakening happening.
Also shared that 1.6 million prayers added in just the last month to the YouVersion’s Prayer component on their app.
People are praying – People are seeking answers – seeking hope – seeking direction – seeking comfort – seeking peace – seeking healing – seeking salvation. And the Lord is providing all of those for millions of people as they seek Him through His Word & through prayer.
If there has ever been a time that the Church needs to be fervent in prayer, it’s now!
- James 5:16 – “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.”
- AMP – “The heartfelt and persistent prayer of a righteous man (believer) can accomplish much [when put into action and made effective by God—it is dynamic and can have tremendous power].”
- Phillips – “Tremendous power is made available through a good man’s earnest prayer.”
- MSG – “The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with.”
There are so many things changing right now in so many areas of our lives. And most of us hate that word “change!” And yet, we are all being forced to deal w/ it in some major ways in our lives.
- Kids not going back to school this year.
- Some folks unable to go to work.
- No sports for the foreseeable future.
- Families can’t see each other.
- People sick & dying alone in hospital rooms all over the world.
- Churches desperately trying to figure out how to keep reaching out to our communities & world w/ the Gospel.
o When will we be able to assemble together again?
o Even when we are told we can gather, will we be able to do it like we were doing it pre-Covid 19?
? Will we have to stay in groups of 50 or less for a while?
? Will we have to wear face masks?
? Will we be able to shake hands, hug?
? Will people who normally work w/ kids & youth be able to continue to do so if they are in a vulnerable group – health conditions, age, etc?
Do you know what ALL of this means? The short answer to that for all of us is NO – we don’t know what it all means right now.
But there is ONE thing that it means for all of us who are Christ-followers: THE CHURCH MUST PRAY!
There are at least 19 different occasions for prayer found in the book of Acts. Several of them are times of corporate prayer when groups of believers were together in prayer – about 9 different times.
- Acts 1:14 – Literally praying w/ one mind – homothumadon
- Acts 2:43; 4:23-24, 31; 6:6; 12:5, 12; 13:3; 14:23 – corporate prayer times – times when the Church was TOGETHER praying.
- “Corporate prayer unites the church in commitment to God’s purposes” (Disciples’ Study Bible note, p. 1362)
- “Pariticipating regularly in corporate prayer beings to take out the individualistic assumption that Christianity is only about ME & MY relationship w/ God; & it begins to re-situate us as individual Christiansk in the congregation so that we become aware of this person who’s sick, this person who’s just had a baby, this person who’s unemployed, this person whos just become a Christian – [add your category]. Participating in corporate prayer helps us discover that our lives as followers of Christ are tied up w/ one another’s.” (Mark Dever)
Something special happens when God people COME TOGETHER in prayer. It STRENGTHENS us like nothing else we do in the church.
- See a stalled car in the middle of an intersection w/ an elderly lady behind the wheel & an elderly man pushing it by himself. What are you going to do? Get out & help him.
o Stronger together.
o More energy together.
o More power together.
o More momentum together.
Same is true in prayer! We are stronger TOGETHER! Even as we apart, we are stronger together. The enemy would have us stay apart from each other – and we still need to physically right now. But the enemy CANNOT STOP US FROM BEING TOGETHER IN PRAYER!!! We cannot let him keep us apart in prayer!
We are stronger together in prayer!
- Strengthens UNITY in the Body of Christ as the FAMILY is TOGETHER in prayer!
o One of the great things that has happened in pandemic is that families are having more meals together, doing more Bible studies together, having more prayer time together.
o If you’re not, then you need to stop right now & PRAY & commit to the Lord that you will begin doing that TOGETHER.
o Posted a resource for family devotions on church FB page yesterday.
o “[Corporate prayer] works against disunity b/c you begin to realize that the person you are disregarding, mocking, or dismissing is actually a part of your own body. You have to approach them & their problems – even when you disagree w/ them – differently than you would before.” (Mark Dever)
- Strengthens COMPASSION for one another as we hear cries of our brothers & sisters.
o Hearts are stirred for one another as we hear prayer needs in times of sickness, suffering, financial/job needs, addiction issues, marriage problems, grief & loss, kids who are in rebellion, friends who’ve wandered away from the Lord, people who are lost without Christ.
? Sandye – Email Prayer Warriors – “Where is the name of the lost person in red this week?”
o Matt. 9:36 – “When He saw the crowds, He was moved w/ compassion for them, b/c they were harassed & helpless, like sheep w/out a shepherd.” Jesus was moved w/ compassion when He saw the needs of the people. And we must be moved that way, too. We WILL when we pray TOGETHER.
- Strengthens COURAGE as we hear others praying for us.
o How awesome it is when you hear someone praying for you!
? Praying for you to be bold as a witness for Christ
? Praying for you in a specific situation you’re dealing with
? Praying for you in a new direction you’re doing in your life
- Strengthens OUR RESOLVE AGAINST SIN as we hold each other accountable through praying together.
- Strengthens WORSHIP as we praise God together, exalting Him, acknowledging who He is & our utter dependence upon Him, thanking Him for what He has done, & asking Him to move in our lives & on our behalf.
