A Praying Church
Becoming a person of prayer.
Prayer is a continual journey, because it is a relationship to constantly nurture.
Review: We began this series with God’s invitation to us to come to him and then last week to identify hesitancies that keep us from praying with freedom.
Today: Inspiration to become a person of prayer.
Relational challenges provide the most opportunity for prayer. Daniel 6:1-5
- Daniel’s high level of performance as an administrator threatened the career plans of his peers. (3-4a)
- Daniel’s principles by which he lived and led were above approach. (4b)
- No corruption- no illegal, “under the table”, or hidden practices.
- Trustworthy- high integrity, truthful, submissive.
- Not negligent- worked hard, attentive to details, responsible.
- Victim of malicious intent.
- Known for utmost loyalty to God. (5)
- Vulnerability was not Daniel but the King.
Moments of crisis are best met with a foundation of Godly dependence.
Daniel 6:6-10
- Daniel maintained his pattern of prayerful dependence. (10)
- 3x a day
- Daniel’s continued his posture of praying on his knees facing towards Jerusalem with the windows opened.
- He continued to thank God even when faced with a dilemma.
- He was loyal to the king but chose his greater allegiance to God.
- His heart was immersed in gratefulness.
Prayerful dependence highlights the power of God. Daniel 6:11-16
- God’s reputation will be established in a pagan kingdom. (16) 1 Peter 2:12
- God as true God will be revealed.
- If Daniel was not so prayerfully dependent, it would have been just another story buried in the archives.
God’s purpose was to bring about a change of heart in the King.
Daniel 6:17-28
- This gave favorable care over Daniel and ultimately Israel.
- Most importantly, the King declared God as the Living God sovereign over all kingdoms who has the power to save.
Daniel’s prayer life reveals five things about prayer:
- Patterns matter. Keeps your heart in the right place and stable when storms come.
Jesus’ pattern was of retreat before/after big moments.
Jesus also got up early to pray. Mark 1:35
David’s greatest inspirations came at night. Psalm 8:3
- Posture in prayer conveys intent and strengthens our focus.
Lifting hands in prayer. 1 Timothy 2:8
Being loud in prayer by clapping and shouting. Psalm 47:1
Stand in prayer. Mark 11:25
Singing new songs in prayer. Psalm 96:1
Making music in prayer. Psalm 98:5
- Petitions become secondary to the relationship and are greatly informed once prayed.
Ask and keep on asking. God knows just the right way to respond. Matthew 7:7-12
- Power is made perfect in our precarious moments, because it highlights God’s work.
Prayer of a righteous person is powerful. James 5:16
Small faith can accomplish great things. Matthew 17:20
Prayer will take authority over the strongest of demons. Mark 9:29
5. Purposes of God are layered as He responds to our prayers.
- Paul’s challenges served the purpose of showing God’s power.
2 Corinthians 12:7-9
- Moses talking with God revealed that God’s purpose was to leverage the weakness of Moses to display God’s power. Exodus 9:16
- Our plans must yield to His purposes. Proverbs 19:21
- God’s work among us today is to work out His purposes for our greater good.
Romans 8:28 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
Becoming a person of prayer is a journey
- It reflects the building of a relationship between us and God.
- Our confidence to pray big and find peace with God’s response will become stronger than our hesitancy.
- If becoming a person of prayer becomes a movement among us, then we will become a praying church. Example: Daniel to Shadrach, Meshack, and Abednego. To Israel to remain hopeful and dependent upon God.
Prayer Time:
Lord, how can I improve in my relationship with you?
Are there patterns I should consider for raising my baseline in prayer?
I yield to your purposes but help me to see your power working in and through my life.
Series Information
It is one thing to be a church that prays. It is another to be a church known for being a praying church—a collection of prayerful people. We begin the journey of prayerful dependence individually, but it becomes a movement when prayerful people permeate the church. Acts 4:31 “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."