Week 15: May 15 -
Prayer Emphasis Week
Ephesians 6:18
Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.
This is our “Prayer Emphasis Week” at Harvest Bible Church. Our church will make many efforts throughout the year to emphasize areas of the “Spiritual Disciplines.” These times keep before us vital aspects of our spiritual life. This entire year we have focused on prayer, and we have studied it in our weekly devotional. This week we will have a special service to pray together as a church (Tuesday evening at 7pm). We are also asking everyone, at some point this week, to spend 1 hour in prayer for our church.
Hmmmmm, an entire hour of prayer! Maybe you have developed a deep prayer life and frequently pray for long periods of time. But perhaps you find it difficult to pray for 10 minutes. You may be asking, “why pray for 1 hour?” Is the length of time we pray a measuring stick of how spiritual we are? Well, yes and no.
God does not give us grace or favor based on our actions. But we have to ask ourselves “what is prayer really about?” Prayer is communion with God, praising, asking, and talking with Him. Think about a close relationship you have – a best friend, a parent, or a child. How much time can you spend with them without much effort? 10 minutes? An hour? Several days? Our relationship with God should be like that. We come into a close personal relationship with God as our Father at salvation. As we grow in our relationship our intimacy and dependence on Him grows.
Our prayer life with God is more than just asking for the things of life, but working through the things of life with Him. Prayer turns more from needing things to needing Him. As our dependence and intimacy grows our time in communion with Him grows as well. A person who prays little, needs little. As American Christians we need very little. Most of us have such abundance it is hard for us to act out of dependence. But I can guarantee the man who says he can’t pray for an hour will learn how to do so quickly if he were at the bedside of a dying child or in an ambulance being rushed to the hospital.
It’s a need thing! Not needing things, needing Him. Below, we have outlined how to pray for an hour. But as a family, ask the question, “do we need?” Not just money or health; what about spiritual health or ministry efforts? Do we pray very little because we need very little? What about our church? Is it about having rock-star talented people in our church, so whatever we attempt will prosper? Not so! God has given us wonderful people, but God builds the house, not man. (Psalm 127)
How to Pray for One Hour
5 Minutes of Personal Reflections
Humble yourself and ask God to examine your heart that it would be contrite and broken.
Isaiah 12:1 You will say in that day: “I will give thanks to you, O LORD, for though you were angry with me, your anger turned away, that you might comfort me.
5 Minutes of Praise and Adoration
Give God praise for salvation and strength. Give His name the glory it deserves – joyfully.
Isaiah 12:2-3 Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the LORD GOD is my strength and my song and he has become my salvation. With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation…
40 Minutes of Church-wide Ministry Prayer
Pray for Harvest ministries and community outreach events. There is a handout available at the info desk if you want a more extensive list.
Isaiah 12:4 And you will say in that day: “Give thanks to the LORD, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the peoples, proclaim that his name is exalted.”
10 Minutes of Worship
Glorify and exalt the name of God! His name be praised! Joyfully lift it to the highest place.
Isaiah 12:5-6 Sing praises to the LORD, for he has done gloriously; let this be made known in all the earth. Shout, and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.
Pray Together
- Pray that God helps you develop a life of faith and dependence on Him.
- Pray that God will create an opportunity for a Gospel conversation this week.
- Pray that God will develop in you a heart of prayer and dependence on Him.