Prayer Changes Everyone
Matthew 5:14-16 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on a stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify you Father in heaven.”
TOO MANY CHRISTIANS ARE SATISFIED WITH THE STATUS QUO
1 Kings 16:30-33 “Ahab son of Omri did more evil in the eyes of the Lord than any of those before him. He not only considered it trivial to commit the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, but he also married Jezebel daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and began to serve Baal and worship him. He set up an altar for Baal in the temple that he built in Samaria. Ahab also made an Asherah pole and did more to arouse the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel, than did all the kings of Israel before him.”
1 Kings 17:7 “Some time later the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land. Then the word of the Lord came to him: “Go at once to Zarephath in the region of Sidon and stay there. I have directed a widow there to supply you with food.”
1 Kings 7:18 “What do you have against me, man of God?”
Prayers don’t fix everything but they change everything:
- Prayer changes us.
- Prayer changes Others
- Prayer changes circumstances
- Prayer can also change God.
Exodus 32:9-10 “I have seen these people,” the Lord said to Moses, “and they are a stiff-necked people. Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation.”
Exodus 32:14 “Then the Lord relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened.”
Prayer is people saying – I WILL NOT ACCEPT THIS AS NORMAL.
Jeremiah 42:10 “If you stay in this land, I will build you up and not tear you down; I will plant you and not uproot you, for I have relented concerning the disaster I have inflicted on you.”
Now there are things that can hinder the power and effectiveness of prayer:
- Unbelief
- Disunity
- Sin
- Selfish motives
There are also things that we can do that make prayer have a more powerful umph:
- Abide in Jesus – John 15:7
- Believe – Mark 11:24
- Agree with others – Matthew 18:19
- Align with God’s will – 1 John 5:14
- Right motives – James 4:3
- Forgiveness – Mark 11:25
James 5:13-16 “Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Le them sing songs of praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”
First thought – Pray until God heals or says no.
Luke 18:1 “Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up”
Second thought – Sometimes it really is not part of God’s plan
2 Corinthians 12:7 “Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
