Wednesday, October 26, 2011

The Priority & Power of Prayer: Part 2

Four Prerequisites For Powerful Prayer
(Taken from a message given by Jackson Senyonga and found in “The Power Of A City At Prayer” by Mac Pier & Katie Sweeting)


1.Prayer must be desperate.

We must see our own need for God – out utter dependence on Him – and cry out to Him from our own impotence. Only when we realize that we can do nothing of value without Him will we come to Him in desperation.

Psalm 142:5-6 = I cry out to you, O LORD; I say, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living. Attend to my cry, for I am brought very low! Deliver me from my persecutors, for they are too strong for me!

1 Samuel 30:6 = And David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because all the people were bitter in soul, each for his own sons and daughters. But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God.

Mark 9:24 = Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe, help my unbelief!”

John 15:5 = I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in Him, He it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

“Christ’s power is best displayed against the backdrop of human weakness.” - unknown pastor

2.Prayer must be united.

We need to pray in our own prayer closets in solitude at home, but we also need to pray together. There is great power in corporate prayer!

Acts 1:14 = All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer

Acts 2:42 = And they devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

3. Prayer must be sustained.

Prayer is not a practice that we pick up today and drop tomorrow in favor of some new spiritual fad. Prayer is essential to our lives! Prayer must be a day by day practice sustained on a personal level and on a corporate level

Psalm 105:4 = Seek the LORD and His strength; seek His presence continually!

Ephesians 6:18 = praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 = Pray without ceasing.


4. Prayer must be inspired.

The Holy Spirit inspires our praying, and we need to listen to the leading of the Spirit as we pray.

Romans 8:26-27 = Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray as we ought, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And He who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

Ephesians 6:18 = praying at all times in the Spirit


Notable Quotes On Prayer

“Prayer breaks all bars, dissolves all chains, opens all prisons, and widens all straits by which God’s saints have been held.” -E.M. Bounds

“Behind every work of God you will always find some kneeling form.” - D.L. Moody

“It is possible to move men, through God, by prayer alone.” - Hudson Taylor

“Prayer is primarily a wartime walkie-talkie for the mission of the church as it advances against the powers of darkness and unbelief.” - John Piper

“The spiritual leader should outpace the rest of the church, above all, in prayer.” J. Oswald Sanders

“One should never initiate anything that he cannot saturate in prayer.” - unknown

“sometimes we have to push through until duty becomes delight” – unknown

“Four things let us ever keep in mind: God hears prayer, God heeds prayer, God answers prayer, and God delivers by prayer.” E.M. Bounds
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