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Last week, I finished a “7” week series on prayer. We called it “7” because of the numerous references in the Bible connecting prayer and the number “7.”
Admittedly, preaching seven messages on prayer with a goal to have seven points each week was…strange. So I won’t do that again. HOWEVER, what a wealth of principles surfaced during these seven weeks. I’ve listed a few points (seven!). 1. When you see great things happening, they are the tip of the iceberg. PRAYER is the iceberg. Want to see great things? Get under them in prayer. 2. God is looking for people who will pray big prayers. He tells us His eyes are roaming to and fro. Watchman Nee says, “Why do we pray such small prayers?” 3. If you don’t forgive others, God won’t forgive you. And you’ll have a terrible prayer life if you don’t walk in relational forgiveness with God and others. 4. Prayer is a battle. It’s hard. It’s hardest on our flesh. When we pray, we overcome the flesh – and that’s a big part of the whole war! God overcomes the rest. 5. Pray and keep praying until God comes through. He’s not a reluctant God – not at all. 6. Pray for the people around you – ask God to move the hearts of people who influence nations, and people who you have influence with. 7. Pray for the lost. How can we change the world if we don’t pray for those IN the world that need change? I’m convinced that prayer is life and life is prayer. “It is the life that prays,” said Ron Dunn. How’s life?
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 The “7” Series on prayer began with “Seven Truths About Prayer”.
My message (June 22) covered Truths #1-4. Watch the message at firsteuless.com Truth #5: Prayer creates an ELEVATED VISION. “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Jesus said, “Pray this way!” Why is this powerful? Because your world is small. His world is huge. Your kingdom (and mine) is limited. His kingdom is unlimited. Every time I deny my own will and my own kingdom to submit to His, I enter an elevated state of living – one initiated by GOD Himself. When I ask Him to bring His kingdom and His will into my life, I become acquainted with His plans for living. So, instead of the disciples arguing over who was greatest among them, He wanted them to become servants of the kingdom. They needed to pray that. In the same way, instead of, “Help me have a good day.” I can pray, “Make this day count for You and for eternity.” Instead of just, “Fix my marriage problems” (which He assuredly can do). I can choose to pray, “Let everything that’s happened create in me the character that counts and a testimony for You.” Instead of praying about someone’s ingrown toenail (I know that can be painful, but…) maybe I pray for my lost Muslim neighbors to be awakened to Christ. Instead of praying about parking spaces for my convenience, I might pray for people groups to be converted. Instead of asking Him to help my sports team win, I might begin to ask Him to win the spiritual battle my friends are facing with their children. See? It’s a bigger kingdom. It’s acknowledging that I can see His greater agenda and I’m asking to be included in it. In my life. Today. Now. Exercise elevated vision this week in your prayers and watch Him use your prayers in things of eternal importance. Keep praying, and keep following along with us online to #GetToThe7. Jacob wrestled with God.
That is not an easy subject to get your arms around, but the Bible actually forms that exact word picture, “…for you have striven with God and with men and have prevailed.” He endured 20-some years of struggle over 4 chapters. Not only did Jacob have an exhausting physical push-and-shove with the angel, he had a whole family thing he struggled that unfolds, particularly with his father-in-law, Laban. Yet, he prevailed. Here is a picture of all the irregular people we have have to deal with. A picture of all the frustration and calamity and even unfairness we may have experienced . . .and a picture of dealing with (what we perceive to be) the reluctance or slowness of God to bless. Have you ever been there? Genesis 28-32 outlines the story and the game plan and you need to read.
Jacob believed God. Therefore, he wrestled with the angel until daybreak. He even walked with a limp from that day forward, but he also walked with a blessing. |
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