Participants: Terry Shelton
Series Code: FC
Program Code: FC000330
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00:30 Hello and welcome to another edition of Faith Chapel.
00:34 My name is Terry Shelton. 00:36 Our message today is entitled 00:38 the power of prayer. 00:41 Do you love prayer? Do you exercise prayer 00:45 in your Christian life everyday? 00:47 We are going to look at some scriptures today 00:49 some instances, some examples of Bible prayer 00:52 and how these prayers affected 00:55 those who pray them. 00:56 Before we begin I would just invite you 00:58 to by with me for a moment of prayer. 01:01 Heavenly father, we thank you Lord 01:04 that we have been given the gift of life today 01:07 and that we have your word. 01:09 We pray just now as we open your word 01:12 that you would open our eyes in our hearts 01:14 to receive your word with gladness 01:16 in Jesus name Amen. 01:20 Let's look at some Bible instances of prayer. 01:25 Some different prayers that were prayed 01:29 and how they affected those around. 01:31 Let's look at Luke chapter 22 01:34 and beginning the verse 31, 01:37 And the Lord said, "Simon, Simon! Indeed, 01:41 Satan has asked for you, 01:43 that he may sift you as wheat. 01:46 But I have prayed for you; 01:48 that your faith should not fail; 01:51 and when you have returned to Me, 01:52 strengthen your brethren. 01:56 " But he said to Him, " Lord, 01:58 I am ready to go with You, 01:59 both to prison and to death." 02:02 Let's think about the life of Simon for a moment. 02:07 At this point, the crucifixion 02:10 had not taken place, 02:11 at this point the denial of Peter 02:16 had not occurred yet. 02:18 Peter had not, had not denied Christ 02:20 though three times. 02:21 And Jesus knew what Peter was getting ready to face, 02:26 he knew the trail that was coming up on Simon 02:29 and Peter and he said to Peter 02:32 I have prayed for you that your faith should not fail. 02:38 As we know, as we continue on in scripture 02:41 we find that Peter became 02:42 a powerful apostle of Christ. 02:46 A powerful leader of the New Testament church, 02:49 what I want us to see is that prayer can bring 02:52 conversion into any life, no matter who it is. 02:57 When you love to have Jesus look you in the eye 03:00 and say I have prayed for you. 03:03 What a blessing that would have been, 03:05 what a blessing to hear those words 03:07 coming from Christ. 03:09 Another thing that prayer can do for you 03:12 or for us is found in the book of Acts chapter 4 03:16 beginning with verse 31. 03:21 And when they had prayed, 03:22 the place where they were 03:23 assembled together was shaken; 03:26 and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, 03:28 and they spoke the word of God with boldness. 03:31 Now the multitude of those who believed 03:33 were of one heart and one soul; 03:36 neither did anyone say that any of the things 03:39 he possessed was his own, 03:41 but they had all things in common. 03:43 And with great power the apostles gave witness 03:46 to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. 03:48 And great grace was upon them all. 03:51 Also over in Acts chapter 8 and beginning 03:54 of verse 14 it says, Now when the apostles 03:58 who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria 04:00 had received the word of God, 04:01 they sent Peter and John to them, 04:03 who, when they had come down, 04:05 prayed for them that they might 04:06 receive the Holy Spirit. 04:08 For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. 04:13 They had only been baptized 04:15 in the name of the Lord Jesus. 04:16 Then they laid hands on them, 04:18 and they received the Holy Spirit. 04:21 The second thing I want to emphasize today 04:24 is that prayer can bring unity to God's church. 04:29 Are you maybe in a small church 04:30 or in a big church and there is always seems 04:32 to be division maybe one person seems 04:35 to be at hours with another, 04:36 maybe people don't see eye on things. 04:39 I would encourage you 04:40 to get together and pray about it. 04:43 Pray that God will lead this church 04:46 into the unified body like he wants us to be. 04:51 God's New Testament church here 04:53 they were of one heart and one mind 04:56 and they were together in their purpose 04:59 to evangelize the world. 05:02 Another thing that prayer can do for us 05:04 is found in the Book of Acts also chapter 9. 05:08 Acts chapter 9 and verse 40; 05:11 But Peter put them all out, 05:13 and knelt down and prayed. 05:15 And turning to the body he said, 05:18 "Tabitha, arise." And she opened her eyes, 05:22 and when she saw Peter she sat up. 05:25 We also find in the book of John 05:28 chapter 11 in verse 41, where it says; 05:31 Then they took away the stone from the place 05:33 where the dead man was lying. 05:34 And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, 05:36 "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. 05:41 What was the result of this prayer that Jesus prayed? 05:44 A dead man came out of the grave, 05:46 Lazarus came forth. 05:48 You see prayer can bring healing to a broken body. 05:53 This can work for you and I today friends; 05:55 prayer can bring healing to a broken 05:58 and even destroyed body. 06:00 What about this one in Romans chapter 8. 06:03 Romans chapter 8 in verse 26 we read these, 06:06 this passage. Romans chapter 8 in verse 26; 06:11 Likewise the Spirit also helps us in our weaknesses. 06:16 For we do not know what we should pray 06:18 for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself 06:21 makes intercession for us with groanings 06:23 which cannot be uttered. 06:26 Prayer can reach the spirit of God 06:29 with our inexpressible thoughts. 06:31 So, have you ever gone to your knees 06:33 in a moment of prayer? Perhaps things 06:36 were so wrong in your life at that point, 06:39 things were just completely out of kilter 06:42 and you went to your knees and you say God 06:44 things are so bad. 06:45 I don't even know what to pray for. 06:49 The scripture says that the spirit of God 06:52 will intercede for us and take our inexpressible 06:55 thoughts to the thrown of grace. 06:59 You know Jesus had a wonderful prayer life. 07:02 Jesus had a prayer life, 07:03 I would venture to say like no other. 07:06 Jesus had a prayer life that he was consistent in. 07:11 He was always going to his father and scripture 07:14 says that he would rise up early in the morning 07:16 and go and pray with his father. 07:21 You know there is a certain passage of scripture, 07:25 there is a certain story that we can find, 07:28 where Jesus prayed for endurance and for strength. 07:32 Let's look at Mathew chapter 26 07:36 beginning with verse 36. 07:41 Then Jesus came to them, 07:43 came with them to a place called Gethsemane, 07:45 and said to the disciples, "Sit here while I go 07:49 and pray over there. 07:50 " And He took with Him Peter 07:52 and the two sons of Zebedee, 07:53 and He began to be sorrowful 07:55 and deeply distressed. 07:58 Then He said to them, 07:59 "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. 08:01 Stay here and watch with Me. 08:05 " He went a little farther and fell on His face, 08:07 and prayed, saying, "O My Father, 08:10 if it be possible, if it be possible, 08:13 let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, 08:16 not as I will, but as You will. 08:19 " You know this passage of scripture is kind 08:22 a repeated in Mark 14:32 to 41 and also in Luke 22. 08:29 Have you ever wondered 08:31 aside from what it says here? 08:34 Have you ever wondered what Jesus prayed for, 08:36 prayer Jesus spent much time night 08:40 in prayer in the garden. 08:43 He spent much time in agony 08:47 praying with his father, 08:49 where the good news is that it tells us, 08:51 the scriptures tells us 08:53 what he was praying for that night. 08:55 We are going to spend the rest of our time 08:57 looking at John chapter 17, 09:02 John chapter 17 because here we have recorded 09:04 the prayer that Jesus was praying that night. 09:08 There is so much encouragement; 09:10 there is so much strength in this prayer. 09:14 Let's look at John 17 beginning at verse number 1, 09:18 Jesus spoke these words, 09:20 lifted up His eyes to heaven, 09:22 and said: "Father, the hour has come. 09:26 Glorify Your Son, that Your Son 09:29 also may glorify You, 09:33 as You have given Him authority over all flesh, 09:36 that He should give eternal life to as many 09:38 as You have given Him. 09:41 And this is eternal life that they may know You, 09:45 the only true God, 09:46 and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. 09:50 I have glorified You on the earth. 09:52 I have finished the work 09:53 which You have given Me to do. 09:56 And now, O Father, 09:58 glorify Me together with Yourself, 10:01 with the glory which I had with You 10:03 before the world was. 10:05 Let's do a verse by verse examination 10:09 of these passages of scripture John 17:1 to 5. 10:13 First of all I want you to get that Jesus 10:15 was always consistent to give glory to his father. 10:21 Jesus never wanted any, any praise 10:24 necessarily here on earth. 10:26 He wanted, he always pointed things 10:28 back to his father. 10:31 Another thing that we can get out of these 10:32 passages is that Jesus is the grantor of eternal life. 10:38 He is just that he should give him eternal life 10:40 for as many as you have given him. 10:42 He is talking about himself there. 10:44 You know I find it so interesting about 10:46 this eternal life is mentioned in verse 3. 10:49 Watch this; this is eternal life that they may know 10:52 you the only true God and Jesus Christ 10:54 whom you have sent. 10:56 I remember hearing out a sermon one time on 3ABN 11:00 I believe it is by Ty Gibson 11:03 and he brought up this point to me 11:05 that just really spoke to me. 11:08 What is eternal life? 11:11 According to this passage of scripture eternal life 11:14 is not measured in time and space. 11:17 Eternal life is simply knowing God the father. 11:22 Eternal life is not measured in 11:24 some amount of time that goes on and on forever, 11:28 but eternal life is being in 11:31 the presence of the father and Jesus first 11:36 and highest priority was to do 11:39 the will of his father. 11:42 Is that your priority today? 11:44 Is that it should my and your priority today 11:47 to do the will of our heavenly father. 11:51 And I like what he says; 11:52 he says glorify me together with yourself 11:54 with the glory, which I had with 11:56 you before the world was. 11:59 There should be no question in your mind 12:01 or my mind today about who or what Christ 12:05 was before he came to this earth. 12:07 He was with the father and he had glory, 12:11 heavenly glory before the world began. 12:16 This is the prayer that Jesus prayed 12:19 he was asking for strength and endurance. 12:23 And now he changes his prayer just a little bit. 12:25 Let's look at verse number 6, 12:28 we gonna read 6 through 8; 12:30 I have manifested Your name to the men 12:32 whom You have given Me out of the world. 12:36 They were Yours, You gave them to Me, 12:39 and they have kept Your word. 12:41 Now they have known that all things which You have 12:44 given Me are from You. 12:46 For I have given to them the words 12:48 which You have given Me; 12:49 and they have received them, 12:51 and have known surely that I came forth from You; 12:54 and they have believed that You sent Me. 12:59 I believe that Jesus is saying 13:01 that he is the channel, 13:04 he is the path, he is the delivery method 13:07 for the father's words. 13:09 A little sentence here from the book 13:11 Testimonies volume 8, page 286 says, 13:13 All that man needs to know or can know of God 13:17 has been revealed in the life 13:19 and character of His son. 13:22 Do you want to get to know God today? 13:24 Then get to know his son Jesus Christ 13:27 whom he has sinned. 13:29 Do you want to get close to God today? 13:31 Then get close to his son Jesus Christ. 13:36 And I like that, where he says I have known surely 13:40 that I came forth from You and they have 13:44 believed that You sent Me. 13:46 This is the evidence that Jesus 13:49 and the father were one his life 13:52 testified that they were one. 13:55 So, now reading on in verse number 9 of John 17. 13:59 I pray for them. I do not pray for the world 14:03 but for those whom you have given me, 14:06 for they are yours. And all mine are yours, 14:10 and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. 14:15 Jesus spent some of his last moments 14:18 on planet earth praying for his disciples, 14:23 praying for this rag-tag group of believers 14:26 who had come to him, who had developed 14:29 a relationship with him. 14:31 Jesus' prayer was not primarily for himself, 14:34 but for those who had believed on his name. 14:39 Let's go on in verse number 11 Jesus says; 14:42 Now I am no longer in the world, 14:45 but these are in the world, 14:47 and I come to you. Holy Father, 14:50 keep through Your name those whom 14:53 You have given Me, 14:54 that they may be one as We are. 14:58 While I was with them in the world, 15:01 I kept them in Your name. 15:03 Those whom You gave Me I have kept; 15:06 and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, 15:08 that the Scripture might be fulfilled. 15:11 You see Jesus by faith believed 15:14 that he would see his father that's why he said, 15:18 he said I come to you father 15:21 and now he says please keep them, 15:24 please keep them in your name he wanted 15:27 his followers to be unified 15:30 and kept in the fold of God 15:34 reading on in verse 13 it says. 15:38 But now I come to you, and these things 15:42 I speak in the world, that they may have 15:45 My joy fulfilled in themselves. 15:47 I have given them Your word; 15:50 and the world has hated them just because, 15:53 because they are not of the world, 15:54 just as I am not of the world. 15:57 I do not pray that you should take them 15:59 out of the world, but that You should keep them 16:02 from the evil one. 16:04 They are not of the world, 16:05 just as I am not of the world. 16:07 Sanctify them by your truth, 16:10 Your word is truth. 16:13 As you sent Me into the world, 16:14 I also have sent them into the world. 16:16 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, 16:19 that they also may be sanctified by the truth. 16:24 Again Jesus expresses his belief 16:27 that he would soon see his father 16:29 and he had joined his belief 16:31 and he wanted youand I to have that same joy, 16:34 you know, it is said the Christians should be 16:37 the happiest people on the face of the earth 16:39 why because we are going to see our savior some day, 16:43 we are going to see him coming and that should, 16:46 that should give us joy, 16:47 we shouldn't go around with moppy smile like this 16:49 or with the moppy face like this all the time, 16:51 we should be happy, enjoy us because we know 16:54 that he is coming for us soon. 16:57 You know what I like about one of these passages 16:59 is that he lifts us up to his position by stating 17:03 that the world hates him just, 17:05 hates us as just as they hate him. 17:07 He kind of brings us up to his level, 17:09 he says the world is goanna hate you, 17:11 but they hated me first 17:13 and don't worry about that, 17:15 don't worry about that, 17:16 he says he asks the father 17:18 to keep us from the evil one. 17:21 Think about that he knew what was going to 17:24 happen to his disciples later on in their life, 17:27 he knew what was going to happen to Peter, 17:30 he knew what was going to happen to Steven, 17:32 he knew what was going to happen to James, 17:34 he knew what was going to happen to John, 17:37 and he says, he said he didn't ask the father 17:40 to deliver them from that he said please keep them 17:43 from the evil one and see them through it. 17:46 He prayed that you and I would go through it 17:49 with him and again he counts us with himself 17:53 not as once of the world we should not 17:55 count ourselves as part of the world. 17:57 Are you part of the world, I hope not, 17:59 I don't want to be a part of the world, 18:01 I want to be a part of the family of God. 18:05 I like that passages scripture that says 18:07 sanctify them through thy truth thy word is truth. 18:11 It says in the book of Christ's Object 18:13 Lessons page 101 "Sanctify them throught thy truth: 18:16 thy word is truth. " Received into the heart, 18:20 the leaven of truth will regulate the desires, 18:24 purify the thoughts, and sweeten the disposition. 18:29 It quickens the faculties of the mind 18:31 and the energies of the soul. 18:33 It enlarges the capacity for feeling, 18:36 for loving. 18:38 Friend I have a question for you today. 18:40 Do you want to have new desires, 18:43 do you want to have new thoughts 18:45 then study the word, 18:47 do you want your thoughts to be pure 18:49 and holy then study the word, 18:52 do you want to have a disposition a mind 18:54 like Jesus study the word, 18:58 do you want to love more, 18:59 do you want to love your brothers and sisters 19:01 more then study the word, 19:04 do you want to get smart, 19:05 do you want to have increased mentality 19:07 and spirituality then study the word, 19:11 that is my challenge for you today. 19:14 Then Jesus went on and he said as God sent Jesus, 19:18 Jesus sends us to reach the world 19:21 with the everlasting gospel 19:23 and each one of us have a part 19:25 to play in that everlasting gospel. 19:28 There is none, who is insignificant, 19:30 there is none who doesn't matter, 19:32 if you are a part of the family of God 19:34 there is something that you can contribute 19:36 to the work of God and finally that we found 19:40 that Jesus wanted his disciples to be sanctified 19:46 and he made himself as their example 19:48 that they might follow him. 19:51 He wanted Peter and James and John 19:54 and the rest of his disciples, 19:55 he wanted them to grow in him, 19:59 he wanted them to become like himself. 20:03 What Jesus now, now Jesus kind of 20:06 he kind of broadens his prayer just a bit, 20:11 just a little bit. Now we read on in verse 20 20:14 and it says "I do not pray for these alone, 20:17 but also for those who will believe in Me 20:21 through their word; that they all may be one, 20:25 as you, Father, are in Me, 20:27 and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, 20:31 that the world may believe that You sent Me. 20:34 And the glory which You gave me I have given them, 20:37 that they may be one just as We are One: 20:41 I in them, and You in Me; 20:43 that they may be made perfect in one, 20:45 and that the world may know that You have sent Me, 20:48 and have loved them as You have loved Me. 20:52 "Father, I desire that they also whom you gave Me 20:55 may be with Me where I am, 20:58 that they may behold My glory 21:00 which You have given Me; 21:02 for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. 21:06 O righteous Father! The world has not known You, 21:10 but I have known You; and these have known 21:13 that You sent Me. 21:15 And I have declared to them your name, 21:17 and will declare it, that the love with which 21:20 You loved Me may be in them, 21:22 and I in them " Friend think about 21:27 these last moments of Jesus life 21:30 shortly before the cross 21:33 and he spent these moments praying 21:36 for you and for me, 21:39 for each one of us we were on his mind 21:42 and it said oh son it says when he was on 21:44 the cross I was on his mind. 21:48 What was Jesus saying in these last few passages, 21:51 he broaden his prayer to pray for all 21:54 who would believe in his name that's you and me 21:58 and he wanted his children 21:59 to be of one heart and one mind 22:03 united under the wings of God. 22:07 We cannot be one unless we have hidden 22:10 our life with Christ in God and Jesus 22:13 he wants to glorify his church, 22:16 he wants to give us glory, 22:17 he wants to lift us up to help us 22:20 when we need help, 22:22 you know he is stressed over and over again 22:25 that his desire was to see his church 22:29 become one perfect and whole 22:34 and when we become one, 22:37 when we Gods people today become one 22:39 that we will testify of the fathers love 22:43 to the whole world and he even prayed 22:46 that the father would love us get this friend 22:51 to the same degree that he loves his son. 22:56 Did you hear that Jesus said I want you to love 23:00 my children as much as you love me, 23:03 how much does God love Jesus, wow! 23:05 there is no way to count it, 23:07 there is no way to tell the infinite love 23:10 that God has for his son and his son prayed 23:13 that he would love us to the same amount. 23:16 It's an incredible thought friend incredible, 23:21 he expressed his desire to have his church, 23:25 his bride with him physically united with him, 23:31 do you long for that day, 23:33 do you long to throw your arms around Jesus 23:36 and just tell him how much you love him, 23:38 and how much you appreciate 23:40 what he did for you 23:42 I do I long for that day dear friend, 23:46 I long to be in his presence, 23:48 to listen to his voice and to be right there 23:53 with him no matter if we don't say a word, 23:55 just want to be with Jesus 23:57 and that's what Jesus want, 23:58 he wanted to have his followers, 24:02 his children with him 24:04 to be physically united with him. 24:07 I think that he wanted us to see him 24:09 in all of his splendor and all of his glory, 24:12 think about it 2000 years ago 24:15 when he walked on planet earth 24:17 there was no former comeliness 24:18 that we should desire him. 24:20 There was nothing special about his looks 24:23 and even possibly as Christians today 24:28 in our mind we can see pictures 24:30 and paintings of Jesus hanging on the cross, 24:34 bruised and beaten and bleeding 24:37 for you and for me. 24:40 These are some of the last, 24:41 some of the things that stay in our minds, 24:44 but Jesus doesn't want us to think 24:46 about that necessarily, 24:47 he wants us to see him in his glory, 24:51 the glorified body that he came from the grave with, 24:54 he wants us to see the splendor that his father 24:58 has given him since that day. 25:03 He doesn't want to just see us as to see him 25:06 as just walking talking man on earth, 25:08 he wants us to see him as the risen savior 25:12 and he wants to reveal himself to us 25:16 so that we might have a better understanding 25:19 of who God is, of who he is, 25:23 and the fact that he was here 25:25 before the world began. 25:28 And finally Jesus' final words in this prayer 25:34 was he expressed his desire to have the fathers 25:38 love present in his church in you and in me. 25:45 Is that your desire today, 25:47 is that your desire to have the love of Jesus 25:52 in your heart. 25:54 We have seen examples of prayer. 25:58 My question to you today is 26:01 how is your prayer life friend? 26:03 How is your prayer life? Yeah, we are told 26:05 that Jesus got up early in the morning 26:08 to spend time in prayer with his father. 26:10 I find it for myself, I need that time, 26:14 I need that time a prayer with my heavenly father 26:19 and you know sometimes we get into this habit 26:22 of getting up and we get up in the morning 26:25 and of course we get up late, 26:27 so we look at the clock and say oh, 26:29 I got to get to work. 26:30 First of all before I get to work, 26:31 I've got to get, get to get bathed 26:33 and I've got to eat and 26:35 I've got to do all these things 26:36 and I've got to get to work on time 26:38 and sometimes we neglect 26:40 that time in prayer with God. 26:43 Friend don't let the devil get the 26:45 best of you that way. 26:47 That's what he wants to do, 26:49 the devil wants to throw so many things 26:50 at you that you don't have time to spend time 26:53 in prayer with your heavenly father. 26:56 Jesus gained strength and endurance through prayer. 27:01 Prayer can bring healing to a broken body, 27:04 prayer can bring, can bring life, 27:06 where there is death, 27:08 prayer can bring conversion 27:10 into stone heart, cold heart. 27:15 Prayer can bring unity to Gods church. 27:20 I would encourage you today 27:22 to please do not neglect your prayer life, 27:26 spend sometime in the morning 27:28 and in the evening in prayer. 27:30 We think that our prayers have to be these fancy 27:32 King James prayers, but that's not the case 27:35 just talk to God and he will talk to you, 27:40 spend time in prayer in the morning 27:42 when things are cool and calm and quite 27:45 and I guarantee you, 27:46 your day will go much better. 27:49 Spend time in prayer today 27:51 and let God speak to you. |
Revised 2014-12-17