The Foundation— Understanding The Significance Of The Altar Series

Rebuilding the Altar

Dustin Lee Boden / General

The Foundation— Understanding the Significance of the Altar

Welcome and Introduction:

Today, we are starting a brand-new series titled “Rebuilding the Altar.”

In recent weeks and months, God has been stirring my heart with a strong conviction that as believers, we need to return and rebuild the altar of prayer in our lives.

In these dark and challenging times, our greatest battles are fought and won at the altar.

With this series, we’re launching 21 days of prayer and fasting, a time for dedicating ourselves to seeking God’s presence and power.

The theme for this series is: “Whoever Controls the Altar, Controls the Outcome.”

A prayerless person is a powerless person… and a prayerless church is a powerless church.

If you were to ask me where the American church began to lose ground in this nation, I would quickly tell you—it was at the altar!

A praying Christian is a threat to the devil.

• He doesn’t fear those who lack the faith to pray.

• He fears those who know and understand their true identity in Christ and who operate in the authority given to them by Jesus.

He fears those who are praying!

We have long forsaken the altar of prayer in this nation, in our states, and in our local churches and it shows.

The Barna Group has reported that fewer than half of American adults pray, and this has been steadily declining over the last 15 years:

• 20% of Americans believe God carries out His will without prayer.

• 14% don’t know if or how God responds to prayer.

• Only 2% are "very satisfied" with their prayer lives.

• Among those who do pray, only 2% pray audibly with another person or group, and only 2% participate in prayer with their church.

These numbers reveal a stark reality—the altar of prayer has been neglected, and it shows in the spiritual state of our nation… in our families… in our churches.

Church, there is an urgent call on our hearts today—God is asking us to rebuild the altar of prayer in our lives.

Many have limited prayer to a personal and private time.

But when we only pray in private, we limit the reach of our prayers and we limit our ability to teach the next generation to pray, and they, in turn, may never continue the work of prayer after we are gone.

People are left to their own understanding to figure it out on their own.

As a result, they often never grow in this area, leave their prayer times frustrated, unsatisfied, and questioning whether they truly accomplished anything.

God’s people pray! … It is who we are; it is what we do. (DADS & MOMS)

• To our families, we should be known as prayer warriors.

• To our neighbors, a safe haven in a time of need.

• To our co-workers, a source of solid support.

• To our churches, the muscle behind every outreach and evangelism effort, the backbone of the church!

Every church needs a ministry of prayer—it cannot be just a few passionate people. It must be a church-wide effort.

• Here is an eye opening reality… You will be held accountable for your negligence!

• On the platform…singing… preaching… or even leading your homes… you will be held accountable for negligence!

•

WE MUST BE A PEOPLE THAT PRAYS!!

WE MUST BE A CHURCH THAT PRAYS!!

We must teach people how to pray, practice praying with them, and make space for it in our homes, workplaces, churches, and communities.

We must commit to praying daily, both privately and publicly.

Prayer is what disarms the devil, moves the heavens, energizes the church, ushers in revival, and pushes back darkness.

It is prayer that threatens the enemy and releases God's power!

In the weeks ahead, we will dive deeper into this theme with the following messages:

• “Rebuilding Broken Altars”

• “The Personal Altar”

• “The Home Altar”

• “The Core Altar”

• “The Miracle Altar”

• “The Salvation Altar”

• “The Fire on the Altar”

• “Returning to God”

Let us rebuild our altars of prayer with a renewed passion and commitment.

Through prayer, we align with God’s will and see His power manifest in our lives, our church, and our nation.

Remember, “Whoever Controls the Altar, Controls the Outcome.”

~Prayer~

Understanding the Significance of the Altar

Main teaching:

Our text today comes from Exodus 20:18-26. This passage follows the giving of the Ten Commandments to the Israelites.

To set the stage, it's been about 2-3 months since their dramatic escape from slavery in Egypt.

God had miraculously delivered them:

• Parting the Red Sea

• Defeating Pharaoh’s army

• Providing manna and quail from heaven

• Bringing water from a rock, and leading them to victory over the Amalekites.