Jesus often withdrew to the lonely places to pray. This is totally understandable as he was talking to God His Father. Jesus came as a man to demonstrate a life we should aim for and prayer is certainly an integral part of that life as we are CREATED FOR CONVERSATION. But then we find Jesus risen from the grave and seated at the right hand of the Father continuing to pray as the Bible says He is seating in heaven praying for us (Romans 8:34).
Jesus is God! God prays??? Why does God pray?
Prayer is not powerless us asking powerful God to do things. Prayer is powerful God empowering us to release God’s Kingdom power in the earth which replenishes in such a way that it reverses the curse into a blessing. Notice the power we possess that is revealed from the direction we are giving in Scripture. Joel 3 says the weak are inspired by God to say the opposite, “Let the weak say I am strong!” Isaiah 61 says we are a people who God empowers to reverse ashes into beauty, mourning into joy and despair into praise.
God empowers us to not only address the curse but to reverse the curse into a blessing!
John 8:12 Jesus said, "I am the light of the world…" NIV
Matthew 5:14 Jesus said, "You are the light of the world….” NIV
Genesis 1:1-4 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. 3 And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. 4 God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. NIV
John 1:1-5 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness.. NIV
Creative power started it and in a fallen world we are called by God and empowered by His Spirit to inject that same creative power into the fallen state of creation. We live in a fallen, broken world with a call to help fallen, broken people! God has empowered to turn weakness into strength, ashes into beauty, mourning into joy, despair into praise.
When we are willing to grow and mature in the things of God, His blessing is released in our lives and to our world! We are the seed of Abraham, the expression of God’s blessing in the earth!
The second Law of Thermodynamics is the Law of Entropy which basically states that all energy is winding down and coming to ruins. A car that runs well will one day fall apart. A new home will depreciate and ultimately be reduced to dust over time. The natural order for things in the fallen world is for them to simply fall apart. The fallen world is inclined toward destruction.
There must be an interjection of energy to maintain and keep these entities from falling apart. This energy is discovered in what started it all. In beginning was “THE WORD!”
God spoke and released eternal energy required to sustain our world indefinitely. Returning to what God is speaking is to discover the energy God is releasing to this fallen world in which we live. As we learn to hear God’s voice we are awakened to discover our gifted purpose. This is how we are empowered to take part in the conversation God is having with our fallen world to reverse the curse!
Interestingly God’s Word is sharper than a double-edged sword and our mouths are like a sharpened sword:
Heb 4:12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. NIV
Isa 49:2 He made my mouth like a sharpened sword, in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me into a polished arrow and concealed me in his quiver. NIV
Our words are vitally important in God’s Kingdom!
Complaining is cooperation w natural order. If we complain about something more than we pray about it we are misappropriating God-given resource of our voice.
Circumstances are often beyond our control but we have the privilege of being 100% in control of our attitude!
After enough begging from my girls, I finally gave in. We set a fish tank up in their bedroom and they were so excited with their new pets. Days passed and the excitement wore off. Weeks passed and there had to be reminders to feed the fish. Months passed and I was fed up with the fish smell emanating from the bedroom every time I walked down the hallway.
Cautiously, I began to formulate a plan that would be quite an accomplishment on my ‘dad’ resume. I began dropping hints. My four- and five-year-old daughters were sly to my tactics by this age. Finally, after enough discussions about how much work the fish had become. After what seemed like the 500th tank cleaning. After several reminders to the girls about how much more simple life was BF (Before Fish). It was time.
I gathered the family together for a special movie night. I prepared the popcorn and then unveiled the featured presentation, “Finding Nemo!” It couldn’t have been a more perfect setting. I concluded the movie with a discussion about these poor tropical fish we were holding captive and how they needed to go find their family in the lake near our house.
At last, the girls agreed that the fish should be set free. We made our way the very next day to the boat dock. The girls were very excited! We got out of the car and I carefully carried these orphaned fish that were about to find their long lost families. “Nemo is coming home!” I shouted as the girls and I walked toward the water. They were very pleased at this wonderful deed that their noble father was performing right before their eyes!
Carefully I dumped these precious little foster fish back into the water, setting them free. Suddenly, it happened. Five ducks appeared from behind the dock, thinking we were there to feed them. They quickly swam right up to us and ate Blackie. Then they shamelessly and without conscience continued by eating Goldie.
With very few options, I shouted very loudly, “Wow! How awesome is that?!?! We got to let the fish go and feed the ducks all at the same time! Let’s go tell mom!” My young daughters responded in stunned silence, searching for the appropriate attitude. Finally, they yelled, “Yeah! Hurry! Let’s go tell mom!”
We’ve all heard that when life gives you lemons you should make lemonade. The truth is, however, the lemons life gives us tend to already be in our mouths before we have a chance to respond. The natural thing to do is pucker and make a horrible face. Translating unexpected and difficult situations into hopeful circumstances takes constant practice of an established attitude.
We are blessed & may we never forget that we are blessed so that we can be a blessing! Genesis 12:2 When we cooperate w our assignment from God our world begins to flourish! Why? Because we’re the seed of Abraham, the expression of God’s blessing in the earth!
We are here to release the Kingdom & reverse the order of the curse.
Remember God Himself is praying. Prayer is not powerless us asking powerful God to do things. Prayer is powerful God empowering us to release God’s Kingdom power in the earth which replenishes in such a way that it reverses the curse into a blessing = Let the weak say, I am strong! Joel 3
· Beauty instead of ashes
· Joy instead of mourning
· Praise instead of despair
(Isaiah 61)
We Bring GP2RL Action Point:
Purpose a specific place and a specific time this week to confidently use your voice for the purpose of prayer.
DISCUSSION GUIDE FOR COMMUNITY GROUP LEADERS
Click here for a downloadable PDF file of this guide.
Please begin your group rehearsing that which is coming by reading the dates and events from the back of the Sunday Note Card.
UNDERSTANDING THE SEASON: Over these next several weeks we are pressing into the idea that God is the ultimate conversationalist. Words are meant for more than mere communication. God uses words to create. He created the fabric and existence of the entire universe with his words. Jesus came to open the dialogue between each of us and our God. It was as if the Father said, “I’d like a word with you” so He sent His Word, Jesus to come and initiate a conversation at his table. When we are engaged in conversation with God our lives and the world around us is transformed.
This year in our Community Groups we want to start each group with the first and primary question:
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1. Where are you reading in your Bible and what are you sensing from God?
2. Share a time when you were very intentional and deliberate about praying over a situation. What was the situation and what things did you do to prioritize prayer in that circumstance?
Prayer is more than some therapeutic meditation technique. Our words have power to release God’s Kingdom in the earth more than we realize.
Heb 4:12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. NIV
DISCUSSION QUESTION:
3. What does this verse say is sharper than any double-edged sword and what does this mean to you?
Isa 49:2 He made my mouth like a sharpened sword, in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me into a polished arrow and concealed me in his quiver. NIV
DISCUSSION QUESTION:
4. What does this say is like a sharpened sword and why is this significant to our study on prayer?
Clearly our words are very important in God’s Kingdom! This is why we must constantly purpose to rise above an attitude of complaint. Complaining is cooperating with the natural order of our fallen world. When we complain about something, we are misappropriating the God-given resource of our voice. Our voice is designed by God to reverse the curse of the fallen order.
This is why the Bible says to let the weak say I am strong (Joel 3:10). Complaining about weakness simply perpetuates weakness. God tells us in his word that he has made our mouths like a sword designed to express his powerful words releasing light in the place of darkness. We must practice the ability to declare light in darkness instead of talking about how dark it can be at times.
It is easier to make a point than it is to make a difference. You were called to make a difference so don’t settle for making a point.
DISCUSSION QUESTION:
5. If you could ask Jesus to change one problem in the world today, which problem would you pick and why?
We Bring GP2RL Action Point:
Purpose a specific place and a specific time this week to confidently use your voice for the purpose of prayer.