Power of Prayer
Written By: Pastor Shawn Shockley
Associate Pastor, Key West Church Of God
{All Scripture References from the Authorized King James Version}
Luke
18:1 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to
pray, and not to faint;
INTRO:
There is a lot of Power in this
world we live in today. There is Military Power. There is Political
Power. There is financial Power. There is Atomic Power. There is
Electrical Power. There is the Power of Love, or the Power that a Women has over
a man, but the Power I want to talk to you about supersedes all of these other
Powers put together.
I want to talk to you about the POWER OF PRAYER.
There is power in prayer. Prayer is not just a privilege, but it is
the Churches access to Power.
Now this Power does not reside in Prayer alone. There are a lot of
People that say prayers. There are a lot of religious folks that offer up
prayers to so called "deities", but these are powerless prayers. But When Prayer
is offered up on the wings faith, unto the one only Sovereign God of Heaven and
Earth then Prayer becomes an inexhaustible Power source. When Prayer is
carried by the confidence of God’s Child into God’s presence, then Prayer
becomes a limitless Avenue of Power. Prayer Has endless Power not because
it’s prayer, but because of the God that hears and answers our prayers.
There is POWER IN PRAYER.
The reason why the Church has lost it’s influence in this world
The reason why the Church is in such disarray
The reason why the Church is so confused
The reason why the Church has lost so much ground
is Because the Church quit Praying.
It’s time that The Church return to the Altar of God.
It’s time the Church fall one more time at the feet of God.
It’s time the Church humble themselves to seek the Face of God.
If the Church will return to Prayer, The problems of the Church would begin to
diminish.
If the Church will return to prayer, the Power of God will return to the Church.
2 Chron 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall
humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways;
then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their
land.
Things begin to happen when the Church Prays, Because there is Power in
Prayer.
James 5:16 …The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man
availeth much.
If the Church is going to have Power, the Church must Pray.
Paul understood that
that’s why He said.
1 Tim 2:8 I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up
holy hands, without wrath and doubting.
You see When The Church Prays:
Lives are Changed, and Souls Are Saved
Bodies are healed, and Gossip Stops
Conflict Concludes, and The Community is affected
Families are Put Back Together, and Backsliders Return
Revival Breaks Out, Hell Gets Nervous, and The Devil is Put to Flight.
Prayer Has The Power:
I. TO GET GOD’S ATTENTION:
Making demands do not get God’s attention. A Bunch of Fancy Words, Do not
get God’s Attention. Trickery, or manipulation do not get God’s Attention, but
an Honest, sincere, truthful, heartfelt prayer offered up in Faith gets God’s
Attention.
Psalm 6:9 The LORD hath heard my supplication; the LORD will
receive my prayer.
Psalm 66:20 Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy
from me
Prov 15:8 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD: but the
prayer of the upright is his delight.
Prov 15:29 The LORD is far from the wicked: but he heareth the
prayer of the righteous.
II. TO COVER SIN:
The only way to receive a Covering for our sin, The only way to access
forgiveness for our transgressions is by crying out to God in prayer. The
only to be washed and cleansed is by praying a praying of repentance.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to
forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
You see if we will just fall on our faces and begin to pray and in our
prayer confess to God the Bible say's He will forgive our sin.
Prov 28:13 He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso
confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.
Psalm 32:5 I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity
have I not hid. I said, I will
confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my
sin.
III. TO BRING BLESSING INTO YOUR LIFE:
You want a blessed life, get on your face and spend some time in
prayer. Prayer brings blessing.
Matt 21:22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer,
believing, ye shall receive.
Jesus told us to pray for blessing in the Lords prayer:
Mat 6:11 Give us this day our daily bread.
It is a blessing , not just a need, to have food on our table
Elijah prayed for blessing:
James 5:17 Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are,
and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth
by the space of three years and six months.18 And he prayed again, and the
heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.
If your life is dry and desolate and you need some of God's spiritual rain,
you need to get on your face before God in prayer and ask Him to rain on you ,
and ask Him to bless you.
IV. HEAL YOUR BODY:
James 5:15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the
Lord shall raise him up;
Do you understand that God can heal? Prayer is a body healer.
We have been Told to pray for the sick.
James 5:14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders
of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of
the Lord:
Elijah was helped and fed by a widow woman. All she had was a very little
meal, but she fed him any way and God blessed her meal barrel so that it did not
run out. Her son fell sick and she came to Elijah that's where we pick up the
story.
1 Ki 17:21 And he stretched himself upon the child three times,
and cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, I pray thee, let
this child's soul come into him again.22 And the LORD heard the voice of Elijah;
and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived.
V. REMOVE OBSTACLES:
Are attempting to do God's , but can't complete your task because of a
devilish obstacle in your way. Prayer removes those obstacles.
Acts 12:5-9 (KJV) "Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer
was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him. {6} And when Herod
would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two
soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the
prison. {7} And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined
in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise
up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands. {8} And the angel said unto
him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto
him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me. {9} And he went out, and
followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but
thought he saw a vision."
VI. TO GIVE THE CHURCH POWER:
How many knows that Prayer is a power bringer. When you get in touch with
God and you are seeking Him with all your heart you can pray down the power.
Acts 1:14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and
supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his
brethren.
skipping to chapter 2 verse 1
Acts 2:1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were
all with one accord in one place.2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven
as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were
sitting.
Another Example:
2 Chr 7:1 Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire
came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and
the glory of the LORD filled the house.
VII. TO GIVE US VICTORY:
After the sin is prayed away, after your body has been physically restored,
after your life has been blessed, after all the obstacles have been removed, and
after you prayed down the power then prayer ushers in VICTORY.
2 Chr 20:1-24 (KJV) "It came to pass after this also, that the
children of Moab, and the children of Ammon, and with them other beside the
Ammonites, came against Jehoshaphat to battle. {2} Then there came some that
told Jehoshaphat, saying, There cometh a great multitude against thee from
beyond the sea on this side Syria; and, behold, they be in Hazazontamar, which
is Engedi. {3} And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and
proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. {4} And Judah gathered themselves
together, to ask help of the LORD: even out of all the cities of Judah they came
to seek the LORD.
(skipping to verse 14)
{14} Then upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah,
the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, came the
Spirit of the LORD in the midst of the congregation; {15} And he said, Hearken
ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus
saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great
multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's.
Then God tells them where to go and God tells them not to do anything , but
watch.
The next day Jehoshaphat appointed singers and people to praise God and they
watched
( picking up at verse 22)
{22} And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set
ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come
against Judah; and they were smitten. {23} For the children of Ammon and Moab
stood up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, utterly to slay and destroy
them: and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, every one helped
to destroy another. {24} And when Judah came toward the watch tower in the
wilderness, they looked unto the multitude, and, behold, they were dead bodies
fallen to the earth, and none escaped."
CLOSING:
Understanding the Power in Prayer should cause us to take Paul’s advice:
Eph 6:18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the
Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all
saints;
Col 4:2 Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with
thanksgiving;
1 Thess 5:17 Pray without ceasing.
