[JJ] [PREACHING LESSON 4:] THE PRAYER OF THE CHRISTIAN THAT BRINGS TOTAL REVIVAL TO THE LOCAL CHURCH

 

THE PRAYER OF THE CHRISTIAN THAT BRINGS TOTAL REVIVAL TO THE LOCAL CHURCH

(JAMES 4:6-7) “But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

Introduction:

God has given instructions to His people on how to experience total revival within the local church.

I. PRAYER WITH HUMILITY BRINGS TOTAL REVIVAL

(2 CHRONICLES 7:14) “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

a. God seeks the attribute of humility from His people as they turn from their wicked ways. God explicitly states that He will answer the prayers of those who humble themselves.

II. PRAYER THAT SEEKS GOD FIRST BRINGS TOTAL REVIVAL

(MATTHEW 6:33) “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

a. God is always inviting mankind to seek Him while He may still be found.

b. God gives lost sinners time to seek Him; He is never truly far if the lost world is willing to look for Him and be saved.

(ACTS 17:27) Acts 17:27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:

c. God encourages His people to put Him first in their daily meditation on His Word. This comes with a promise of blessings that cannot be measured: "And all these things shall be added unto you."

(MATTHEW 7:7) Mt 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

III. PRAYER ASKING FOR FORGIVENESS OF SINS BRINGS TOTAL REVIVAL

(PSALMS 66:18) “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:”

a. God will always answer the prayers of a Christian with a right heart.

b. Sin is a hindrance to the prayers of a Christian.

(JAMES 5:15) Jas 5:15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.

c. The eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, but His face is against those who do evil. Unconfessed sin can make the "hand of God shortened" so that He will not hear.

(1 PETER 3:12) 1Pet 3:12 For the eyes of the Lord [are] over the righteous, and his ears [are open] unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord [is] against them that do evil.

d. It is our iniquities that separate us from God and hide His face from us.

(ISAIAH 59:1-2) Isa 59:1 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:

Isa 59:2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid [his] face from you, that he will not hear.

IV. PRAYER WITH TOTAL LOVE FOR GOD BRINGS TOTAL REVIVAL

(1 PETER 1:8) “Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:”

a. The love of Christ constrains us to constantly come to God in prayerful fellowship.

b. When we walk in the light and maintain fellowship with the Father and the Son, the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin.

(1 JOHN 1:3, 7) 1Jn 1:3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship [is] with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.

1Jn 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

c. Knowing that Christ died for all motivates us to live and pray for Him.

(2 CORINTHIANS 5:14) 2Cor 5:14 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:

V. PRAYER FOR THE SALVATION OF LOST SINNERS BRINGS TOTAL REVIVAL

(ROMANS 10:1) “Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.”

a. Paul was so concerned for the salvation of his people that he prayed for them constantly. Christ’s desire is for all people to come to the knowledge of the truth.

b. God does not want any lost sinner to perish in hell—the eternal separation from God—but desires that all be saved.

(1 TIMOTHY 2:4) 1Tim 2:4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

[Let Us Pray For One Another]

 

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