Battle Plan for Prayer - Week 2

Teaching using  The Battle Plan for Prayer by Stephen Kendrick & Alex Kendrick. Chapters 3 & 4.

The Priority of Prayer

Prayer is God’s divine plan. It puts the wind in our sails. It is the key to success in every ministry.

We can approach God as dearly loved children who will be given good gifts.

Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!
Matthew 7:9-11

Prayer aligns the body of Christ with her head. Prayer is important to God and should be important to us. But prayer is not always easy. It can seem illogical to give up control and humble ourselves before a God we cannot see or hear with our own senses. It is easier to just do it ourselves.

Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself,
and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. Luke 9:23

But Jesus told us we need God’s help. God is dependent on nothing while we are completely dependent on him.

“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him,
bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. John 15:5

God knows everything past, present, and future. While we struggle to remember what we ate for lunch yesterday. This is why we should make prayer first in everything we do. Jesus continually prayed in secret and walked in power in public. Jesus’ disciples ask him to teach them to pray and Jesus taught them the Lord’s prayer. Jesus continued to prioritize prayer when he chased the money changers out of the temple. Telling them God’s house is a house of prayer.

Then He taught, saying to them, “Is it not written,
‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations’?
 But you have made it a ‘den of thieves.” Mark 11:17

With this statement Jesus made it crystal clear that the purpose of God’s house is to be a house of prayer. Not a house of sermons, or a house of singing, or a house of fellowship or even a house of evangelism. But a house of prayer. Anything happening in the church will lack power if it is not undergirded with prayer. Unfortunately, we often make prayer an after-thought. We make our plans and then pray over them to get God’s blessing. But God never intended for us to do his work in our strength.  Rather he wants us to work in his strength. If we put prayer first in our lives we would worship better, sing better, fellowship better, give better, and behave better.

Success in the first century church was always connected to prayer. Before Pentecost the church was continually in prayer.

These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication,
with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers. Acts 1:14

At Pentecost the Holy Spirit came down leading to thousands being saved. Afterwards the church continued to pray.

And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship,
in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. Acts 2:42

Even when the widows complained they were being neglected, the apostles assigned other men to oversee food distribution. The apostles keep praying. This dedication to pray continued through the New Testament.

Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions,
and giving of thanks be made for all men, 1 Timothy 2:1

Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving; Colossians 4:2

Consider the things that will happen when prayer is a priority.

Evangelism would increase.

meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word,
to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains, Colossians 4:3

Discipleship would be more common.

Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place,
when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him,
“Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.” Luke 11:1

Fellowship would be more enjoyable.

And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship,
in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. Acts 2:42

Making wise decisions would be easier.

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and
without reproach, and it will be given to him. James 1:5

More obstacles would be overcome.

So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. 

Mark 11:22-24

Needs would be met.

Give us this day our daily bread. Matthew 6:11

True worship would ignite revival.

So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.
Acts 2:46-47

Why: The Ultimate Purpose of Prayer

The ultimate purpose of prayer is to glorify God.

Everyone who is called by My name,
Whom I have created for My glory;
I have formed him, yes, I have made him.”
Isaiah 43:7

The Hebrew word for glory means majesty and honor. The glory of the Lord is when God reveals a glimpse of himself. Giving visible evidence of the magnificence of his being. When God reveals his glory he is showing some of his nature, holiness, power, and lovingkindness.

God is complete with himself. Complete in fullness and joy. God does not need us. The fact that God chose to create us shows his awesome glory as creator.

But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, “Why have you made me like this?” Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor? What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory, even us whom He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
Romans 9:20-24

The stars and the galaxies show him as awesome, powerful, and majestic creator.

The heavens declare the glory of God;
And the firmament shows His handiwork
Psalms 19:1

Throughout the Bible God shows additional features of his glory. When Abraham was told to sacrifice Isaac, God provided a ram in Isaac’s place. God revealed himself as Jehovah Jirah, “The Lord our Provider.” God chose this time and situation to reveal another aspect of his himself. God chooses to make his glory known progressively through experiences in our life. Every prayer request or situation which leads us to prayer is an opportunity to see God reveal his glory to us. God wants us to know him as our sustainer, the one who is wiser than our wisdom, creator, savior, counselor, and many other things.

I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart,
And I will glorify Your name forevermore.
Psalms 86:12