Prayer Mode. Opportunities.
Jeremiah 46:17.
Living in a prayer mode means your spiritual antenna is up and your radar is on. In fact the Aramaic word for prayer is slotha, means to set a trap. Prayer helps us catch the opportunities God throws our way. My trap is loaded, is yours?
Living in prayer mode is the difference between seeing coincidences and providences. Prayer has a way of helping us recognize that what we might dismiss as human accidents are really divine appointments. All I know from personal experience is this: When I pray, Providence happen. When I don't pray, they don't happen.
Here’s how King David started out every morning. Psalm 5:3NKJV My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord; In the morning I will direct it to You, And I will look up.
Psalm 5:3TPT At each and every sunrise you will hear my voice as I prepare my sacrifice of prayer to you. Every morning I lay out the pieces of my life on the altar and wait for your fire to fall upon my heart.
I love this, “Waiting for fire to fall upon my heart.”
One of our greatest spiritual shortcomings is low expectation. We don't expect much from God because we aren’t asking for much.
You know those times when your prayer life is hitting on all eight cylinders. However there are also prayer slumps.
I believe low expectations are the by-product of prayerlessness.
David proclaimed, Psalm 55:17NKJV Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud, And He shall hear my voice.
Again, Psalm 55:17TPT Every evening I will explain my need to him. Every morning I will move my soul toward him. Every waking hour I will worship only him, and he will hear and respond to my cry.
When King David was at his best, he was living in a mode of prayer. P.H
Psalm 102:17NKJV He shall regard the prayer of the destitute, And shall not despise their prayer.
Psalm 102:17TPT He responds to the prayer of the poor and broken and will not despise the cry of the homeless.
Jesus said in, Matthew 7:7ESV “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
Every day is filled with countless God ordained opportunities. Not a day goes by we don't have an opportunity to love, opportunity to serve, opportunity to give, or an opportunity to learn.
In my estimation, Jeremiah 46,17 is one of the saddest verses in the scripture.
Jeremiah 46:17NIV There they will exclaim, ‘Pharaoh king of Egypt is only a loud noise; he has missed his opportunity.’
Pharaoh is accused of being a loud-mouthed boaster who does nothing when the hour for action comes. He has allowed the years of prosperity, which he enjoyed at the beginning of his reign, to pass by; having misused them, nothing now remains but his ruin.
Jeremiah 46:17NKJV They cried there, ‘Pharaoh, king of Egypt, is but a noise. He has passed by the appointed time!’
Again, The people cry, “Pharaoh, king of Egypt, is but a noise. He has passed by the appointed time!’ He’s nothing but a loud noise, He has missed his opportunity.
The Pharaoh ruled over one of the most advanced ancient civilizations on earth. Think of his influence. Think of his wealth. The resources of an entire kingdom were at his disposal. Scripture say, But he has missed his moment. The opportunity came and went without Pharaoh seeing it or seizing it. What a waste.
Talking about seizing the moment—Years ago our nation sent astronomers to Africa to witness the transit of Venus. Preparation for this great sight had been going on for months. There was a critical moment when the Sun, Venus and the Earth were all in line. Every astronomer knew that at that moment his eye must be at the smaller end of the glass if he would see the planet go flying past the larger end. If he should miss that moment no power on earth could bring the planet back again.
The world is full of these moments. Can I tell you the world is filled with lost opportunities. P.H
Paul wrote in, 2 Corinthians 6:1-2NKJV We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For He says: “In an acceptable time I have heard you, And in the day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.
Say, “No more missed opportunities!”
Paul was saying, don't refuse this gospel account, I plead with you, don't receive the grace of God in vain. Paul’s saying, “Don’t miss your season; Don’t lose out on this opportunity.”
The English word opportunity comes from the Latin phrase ob-portu. In the days before modern harbors, ships had to wait till flood tide to make it into port. The Latin phrase ob– portu referred to that moment in time when the tide would turn. The captain and crew would wait for that window of opportunity to open, and they knew that if they missed it, they would have to wait for another tide to come in.
“When opportunity comes throw caution to the wind—Go with God.” P.H
Opportunity cost—opportunity requires faith!
Ecclesiastes 11:1NKJV Cast your bread upon the waters, For you will find it after many days.
Ecclesiastes 11:1NIV Ship your grain across the sea; after many days you may receive a return.
“You casting your bread; shipping your grain. This one act of faith will begin to change your world.’ The world.” P.H
There is a time to be cautious, and a time to throw caution to the wind. There is a time to test the waters, and a time to cast your bread upon the water. There is a time to be prudent, and a time to show courage and determination.
But I know this for sure, if you wait for perfect conditions before your season of opportunity, you'll be waiting till the day you die.
Opportunity opens the door for more opportunity; God’s got enough opportunity to keep you going until you draw your last breath.
Opportunity doesn’t come without trails—Ecclesiastes 11:4NKJV He who observes the wind will not sow, And he who regards the clouds will not reap.
By faith, you have to let it go, believe God.
1. Tithing is about trust.
2. Church attendance is about the heart of man.
3. Caring about others, requires genuine love.
4. Praying for your children requires—Father knows best. (I give them to you Lord).
Here's a pretty good paraphrase of Ecclesiastes 11:4 So don't watch the wind. Don't look at the clouds. You've got to cast your bread on the waters. After all, the willingness to fail is a prerequisite of success.
“When it comes to opportunity, Work like it depends on you, and pray like it depends on God.” P.H
1 Peter 5:8ESV Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
The word ‘watchful’ is a throwback to the old testament watchmen, whose job it was to sit on the city wall, scan the whole horizon, and keep watch.
1 Corinthians 16:13ESV Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.
Remember Gideon, He had a huge army, God told him to take his thirsty men to fresh water. Those that put their mouth down into the water send them away, but those who drink while watching, that’s your army—300.
Colossians 4:2ESV Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.
Jesus asks His disciples a critical question, Matthew 26:40ESV And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour?
You are called to be a watchman on the wall!
In Biblical times, Watchmen were the first ones to see an attacking army are traveling traders. People who live in prayer mode are watchful. They see further than others see.
Again, People who live in prayer mode are watchful.
In fact, there are only two ways to live your life, Survival mode or Prayer mode. Survival mode is simply reacting to the circumstances around you.
Ecclesiastes 11:6NKJV Keep on sowing your seed, for you never know which will grow—perhaps it all will.
We are called to sow seed everywhere we go.
Trust God with every seed you sow, it won’t be in vain. P.H
Benediction.
Repeat this after me, Decide today that I am going to live in a prayer mode. Say this, Thank you Lord for speaking to me. Thank you Father for every opportunity, I won’t miss my season You created for me. Thank you Lord, for every seed I sow, I will be watchful. I will live in a mode of prayer.
