Prayer of Brokenness
“Turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning” (Joel 2:12).
1. On the Day of Pentecost the crowd was “cut to the heart” (Acts 2:37).
2. A woman with much sin came to Jesus, and “stood at His feet behind Him weeping” (Luke 7:38).
3. Not all people weep when they get saved.
God is more likely to answer us when we cry
1. Some weep because of sin.
2. Tears represent disappointment or anguish.
3. Some weep because of great disappointment. May went “to the tomb to weep there” (John 11:31).
4. Some weep because of memory. “By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept when we remembered Zion” (Ps. 137:1).
5. Job in his anguish cried out, “My eyes pour out tears to God” (Job 16:20).
6. The “weeping prophet.” Jeremiah cried out, “Oh, that my head were waters, and my eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people” (Jer. 9:1).
7. Paul had the prayer of brokenness for his unsaved Jewish brethren. “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved” (Rom. 10:1). “I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh” (Rom. 9:2-3).
8. There are many times when it is appropriate to weep. “A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance” (Eccl. 3:4).
Why Are Tears Important?
1. Tears show the sincerity of our heart.
2. Tears show the depth of our emotions.
3. Tears are a sign that God has touched the very center of our being.
4. Tears show God’s message is penetrating our hearts.
5. Your “ego” does not want second place in a life, just as God does not want second place. God uses anguish . . . disappointments . . . ruin . . . and physical hurt to unseat the “ego.”
6. David sinned against God. He couldn’t get the sight of his transgression out of his eyes. He confessed, “For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is always before me” (Ps. 51:3).
7. Sometimes we just cannot make ourselves repent. Then God breaks our heart so that we weep over our sins.
8. Peter Cartwright continually wept before God for two weeks seeking salvation.
9. To be a better intercessor, we must have a “weeping heart” before God.
10. Anytime you see someone with tears, know that they are in transition.
11. Anyone who has prevailed with God probably has cried themselves to a new day and a better tomorrow.
Prayer of Crucifixion
“But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world” (Galatians 6:14).
1. Self-crucifixion has been one of the most abused phenomena of Christianity. Maybe it’s because of the misinterpretation of Paul’s statement, “And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” (Gal. 5:24). Some have used whips on themselves, as Jesus was scourged. Some have isolated themselves in monastic towers.
2. To enter the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, you must follow the principles used by Paul, “I have been crucified with Christ” (Gal. 2:20). Paul is not initiating the crucifixion, he received it.
3. Christ was crucified in the past and Paul identifies with what had already happened. “I . . . died to the law that I might live to God” (Gal. 2:19). This is a past-tense action.
4. Again, look at the past-tense action, “In the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ . . . the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world” (Gal. 6:14). When we crucify ourselves, we identify with Christ as if our worldly lust has died.
5. The prayer of crucifixion is more yielding yourself to God, than it is aggressively asking for answers or aggressively dealing with sin.
6. The prayer of crucifixion is more receiving Christ’s power than trying to crush your sinful desires.
7. Jesus said, “Take up your cross daily and follow Me” (Luke 9:23). In the prayer of crucifixion, you identify with all the pain and trials of Christ as you follow Him.
8. The prayer of crucifixion is losing your life or giving up your desires to do what Jesus desires. “For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it” (Luke 9:24).
9. When you enter the prayer of crucifixion, you can’t “act it out” nor can you play a role, you let Jesus “act” in you.
10. The prayer of crucifixion releases freedom in your life. You no longer care what other people think about you. You listen to the voice of God and you look to find Jesus Christ in every part of your life.
11. The prayer of crucifixion releases your inner compulsions to get things, to get power, to get glory or win. You learn that losing to God is much more satisfying than winning in the world.
12. Realize that “things” keep you from the real meaning in life.
13. Ask yourself the question, “What would happen if I died today?” That’s a sobering thought. We feel very necessary to our existence. Life went on as usual before we were born, and it will do the same after we are gone. So, you are not necessary to life. However, when you learn to die; you become much more necessary to God.
14. When you pray the prayer of crucifixion, you become completely yielded . . . completely abandoned . . . completely transparent.
15. The prayer of crucifixion is for humility. Humility comes from the word humus, i.e., from the earth. Humus is the result of partial decomposition of plant or animal matter, forming a rich organic soil. Rich soil for growth and life comes from death. When we humble ourselves in the sight of God (James 4:10), by the prayer of crucifixion, our death becomes a rich soil for spiritual growth.
16. When you humble yourself – become crucified – your heart becomes the soil of life-giving energy. Who gets this energy? First, God through your worship; second, you with your renewed life; and third, others through your service.
17. How do we start a prayer of crucifixion? Look at the word humble. Webster also says that humility is “to reduce oneself to the lowest position in one’s own eyes, and, or the eyes of another.” When we keep our face close to the earth, we stop “thinking more highly of ourselves than we ought to think” (Rom. 12:3).
18. The difference in fruit (in our lives) is realized by the richness of the soil, and the abundance of rain, and the energy of the sun.
19. The prayer of crucifixion is like going to sleep; you cannot get it by focusing on it. The more you try to crucify yourself, the less it happens.
20. You can confess your sins to another person. That will humble you (Matt. 6:12). You can do acts of service to another person—especially someone you don’t particularly like—that brings about humility.
21. Steve Sjogren, pastor of the Vineyard Community Church in Cincinnati, Ohio, practices servant evangelism. He believes that “small things done with great love” can change the world.
22. The prayer of crucifixion doesn’t happen in a big way.
23. The prayer of crucifixion happens in many small daily intentional ways as we give up small things to God.
The Prayer of The Forsaken
“Why have You forgotten me?” (Psalm 42:9).
1. Sometimes you feel your prayers are not getting through to God.
2. The prayer of the forsaken is like talking to a friend and not getting through.
3. No one felt more forsaken than Jesus who cried out, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matt. 27:46).
4. Sometimes the prayer of the forsaken means you have been actually deserted. Job cried out, “Wearisome nights have been appointed to me” (Job 7:3). Job lost the music, he cried out, “Where is God my Maker, who gives songs in the night?” (Job 35:10).
5. The problem is not being forsaken by friends, or family; the problem is being forsaken by God.
6. When you feel forsaken, you want an answer. Any answer!
7. When you feel forsaken you doubt and question God.
8. On resurrection day, Jesus appeared to the disciples, but Thomas was not there. “He showed them His hands and His side” (John 20:20). The word “show” is eidon which is not the mere act of looking, but understanding what they saw. The disciples told Thomas, “We have seen the Lord” (John 20:25). “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe” (John 20:25). Are you like Thomas? Do you wrestle . . . do you doubt . . . do you feel forsaken when you pray?
9. You can find the presence of God in His Word. “All Scripture [is] given by inspiration of God” (2 Tim. 3:16). The word “inspiration” means “God-breathed.” God breathes His presence into the Bible, so when you read it, you introduce His presence into your mind.
10. When you feel abandoned, don’t question whether God is there; ask a deeper question, “Why has God not cared?” We pray with the Psalmist, “Why have You forgotten me?” (Ps. 42:9).
11. Maybe God hasn’t forsaken you, but you have left His presence.
12. God stops talking to get you to stop talking. When everything is silent, you start looking within your heart for answers, and you might find some sin there that is blocking your communication with God.
13. When you are forsaken, you examine motives to find that you may be praying for the wrong reason.
14. Maybe your feelings come from a wrong idea about God. So you must learn that you cannot control God. God knows that spending a “lonely night” will draw you closer to Him in the long run.
15. God is not like your dog that comes running when you whistle. There is no way you can conquer God or train Him to do what you want to do. God must conquer you, and you must be trained to do what He wants done. Feeling forsaken can be good if it motivates you to find God.
16. Be careful of blaming God. “I am here, I have cried out, O Lord, and in the morning my prayer comes before You. Why do You cast off my soul? Why do You hide Your face from me?” (Ps. 88:13-14).
17. Ask for God to speak to you, “Do not keep silent, O God of my praise!” (Ps. 109:1).
18. When you find yourself forsaken in the dark, do the right thing you learned in the light. What you have learned in the light, continue doing in the dark.
19. God never intended the night to be permanent. Therefore, expect some dark experiences in your spiritual journey.
20. Many things happen in the darkness of night. The root systems on our plants grow. The dew falls to refresh the leaves. All nature sleeps to refresh itself. God has a purpose for your night seclusion.
21. “Deep calls unto deep” (Ps. 42:7). The deep mysteries of God speak to the deep ponderings of your heart. When you feel forsaken, realize that God has a plan for all things.
If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:
Dear Lord, I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and rose again the third day. I repent of my sins. By faith I receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior. You promised to save me, and I believe You, because You are God and cannot lie. I believe right now that the Lord Jesus is my personal Savior, and that all my sins are forgiven through His precious blood. I thank You, dear Lord, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If you prayed that prayer, God heard you and saved you. I personally want to welcome you to the family of God and rejoice with you.
Dr. Towns’ email is eltowns@liberty.edu.
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