Prayer with Power

Sept. 6

Agree or Disagree?

I can't do with mountains at close quarters -- they are

always in the way, and they are so stupid, never moving

and never doing anything but obtrude themselves.

I can't do with mountains at close quarters -- they are

always in the way, and they are so stupid, never moving

and never doing anything but obtrude themselves.

D. H. Lawrence

Agree or Disagree?

Jane Austen

What are men to

rocks and mountains?

What are men to

rocks and mountains?

Agree or Disagree?

Tennessee Williams

The violets in the mountains have broken

the rocks.

The violets in the mountains have broken

the rocks.

Agree or Disagree?

Friedrich Nietzsche

Faith, indeed, has up to the present not been able

to move real mountains . . . But it can

put mountains where there are none

Faith, indeed, has up to the present not been able

to move real mountains . . . But it can

put mountains where there are none

Israelites Face a “Mountain”

• Recall the Israelite’s initial approach to Canaan– Spies returned with

divided opinion– Ten viewed the invasion

in human terms– Only two saw the task

as possible with God’s power

Israelites Face a “Mountain”

• Now a new generation faces the task of invading Canaan. The whole group is on the east side of the Jordan River.

• Listen for what they face.

Listen for the “mountain” Israel faces

Joshua 3:14 – 16 (NIV) So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant went ahead of them. [15] Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water's edge, [16] the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan, while the water flowing down to the Sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea) was completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho.

Israelites Face a “Mountain”

• If you were poised on the edge of the river, how would you have viewed the situation?

• In what season do the events of this story take place, and why is this significant?

• How do we tend to respond to typically impossible situations?

Israelites Face a “Mountain”

• Why do you think prayer is often the “last ditch effort” rather than at the forefront of all we do?

• How do you think this mighty miracle by God affected the attitudes of the Israelites who crossed the dry river bed?

God wants us to have the same attitude about the “mountains” we face

Pray Together

• Confess our attitudes of timidity• Declare our trust in a God who is powerful,

sovereign, and loving• Ask God for a spirit of boldness, not timidity• Pray that we not be a people that shrinks back• Pray that we be a church that boldly seeks God to

move mountains• Thank God that He moved mountains in our lives

in the past and He wants to do so again

Listen for what kind of mountain the early church faced

Acts 4:18-30 (NIV) Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. [19] But Peter and John replied, "Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to obey you rather than God. [20] For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard." [21] After further threats they let them go. They could not decide how to punish them, because all the people

Listen for what kind of mountain the early church faced

people were praising God for what had happened. [22] For the man who was miraculously healed was over forty years old. [23] On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. [24] When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. "Sovereign Lord," they said, "you made the

Listen for what kind of mountain the early church faced

heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. [25] You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David: " 'Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? [26] The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against his Anointed One.' [27] Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel

Listen for what kind of mountain the early church faced

in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. [28] They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. [29] Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. [30] Stretch

Listen for what kind of mountain the early church faced

out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus." [31] After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.

The Early Church Faces A Mountain

• Where did Peter and John go after they were released by the Sanhedrin?

• How did the believers respond to the apostles’ report?

• What was the effect of the believers’ prayer?• How could our church benefit from handling

crises the way the early church did?

The Early Church Faces A Mountain

• When we pray, why is it helpful to recall the way God has acted in the past?

• Note their quotation of Scripture in their prayer.

• Examples we might use:– Prayer for a loved one– Prayer for protection– Prayers for Government

The Early Church Faces A Mountain

• How does it build our faith to quote Scripture in our prayers?

• How can your faith in God be expressed through the prayers you pray?

Pause to voice prayers about government

using scripture references.

Pause to voice prayers about government

using scripture references.

Listen for Jabez’ prayer requests.

1 Chron. 4:9-10 (NIV) Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, saying, "I gave birth to him in pain." [10] Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, "Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain." And God granted his request.

Prayer of Jabez

• What was the content of Jabez’s prayer?• In what way should we model our prayers after

Jabez’s prayer? This week pray for one another …– that God would bless– that God would enlarge our territories of influence for

Him– that we sense God’s hand upon us, God’s presence

moment by moment– that we experience God’s protection

Paul’s Benediction

Ephes. 3:20-21 (NIV) Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, [21] to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen.

Application

• Allow Paul’s doxology to encourage you– Reminds us of God’s power and authority– Helps us remember to praise and worship the

Lord– Helps us realize that God is at work in ways we

cannot even realize

Application

• What changes can you make in your personal prayer life today?– Begin a prayer journal– Begin the habit of daily prayer– Find an accountability partner, someone to join

with in prayer

Application

• Pray the scriptures– Acquire a book of scripture prayers– Find resources on the internet– Claim God’s promises– Voice God’s words of blessing and exhortation

Paul’s Benediction

Ephes. 3:20-21 (NIV) Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, [21] to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen.

Prayer with Power

Sept. 6