What Happens When The Church Prays Series

What Happens When The Church Prays

Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’

“For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care about men, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually wear me out with her coming!’” And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?

I tell you; he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” - Luke 18:1-8

Prayer

OKAY – let’s do this…

Today’s conversation is,

‘What Happens When The Church Prays,’

(Get Ready To Buckle Up and Hold On)…

NOW – the way I want to attack our time together this morning is by looking at 3 statements.

• What Prayer Is

• What Prayer Can Do

• When the Church Prays

I. What Prayer Is

Prayer is going beyond the veil.

AND – what I mean by that, is that prayer is entering the presence of God.

YOU SEE – in the Old Testament, under the Old Covenant – God’s people worshipped him first at the Tabernacle and then later at the Temple in Jerusalem.

AND LISTEN – when you look at the temple and how it was set up…. It’s design seems to have as it’s purpose keeping people from God’s presence… Court of Gentiles – Court of women – Court of Israelites (men) – Court of priests – Holy place (only 1 priest could go in here at the times of prayer (9 –12 –3)

AND - there was a huge thick curtain that separated this room from – the Most Holy Place and only the high priest could enter – once a year, on the Day of Atonement.

NOW - Matthew in writing about the crucifixion of Christ says the following;

And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain in the Temple was torn in two from top to bottom. - Matthew 27:50,51

QUESTION...

Why do you think that happened?

What do you think it meant?

Who do you think tore it?

HEY – checkout what Hebrews 10:19,20 says about this curtain...

So brothers and sisters, we are completely free to enter the Most Holy Place without fear because of the blood of Jesus death. We can enter through a new and living way that Jesus opened for us. It leads through the curtain – Christ’s body. - Hebrews 10:19,20

UNDERSTAND – the torn curtain, represents the body of Christ. AND BECAUSE – that body was ripped in two…

WE – are completely free to enter the most... Holy Place, without... fear.

AMEN?!

What is prayer? Prayer is...

• coming into the presence of God

• taking our concerns to the one who cares for us

• communicating with the Maker of heaven and earth

• bringing our hurts to the father of compassion and the God of all comfort

• reaching out to our redeemer

• crying out to the rock that is higher than we are

• touching the one who loves us with an unfailing and unquenchable love

• bringing our questions to the one who has the answers

• reaching out to the never: tired, confused, afraid or taken by surprise God…

• the trigger that launches the power of God

• coming near to God…

What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way our Lord is near us whenever we pray to him. – Deuteronomy 4:7

II. What Prayer Can Do…

Prayer can do a lot. AND MGCC - the reason that it can, the reason that prayer is powerful and effective...

IS BECAUSE - our GOD is powerful and effective…

CHECK OUT - what these scriptures say about God…

• When 90 year old Sarah doubted that she would finally have a son, God said to her; “Is anything to hard for the Lord…” Gen 18:14

• WHEN – Moses doubted that God could provide 1 million plus people with all the meat they wanted for a month God said to him; ‘Is there any limit to my power? Now you will see whether or not my word comes true!” Nu 11:23