Theme of the Week: Transforming Prayer
Bible Verse: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:1-2
Scripture Reading: Hebrews 11:1-40
Christians can spend many years praying dutifully but never really please the Lord to whom they are praying. How? They are not praying in faith.
Hebrews 11:6 says, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Prayers that are not offered in genuine faith completely miss the mark of pleasing God’s heart.
Worship-based prayer is a powerful spark that produces a response of faith. When we begin our prayer with a passionate pursuit of the character of God, we are gripped with the reality that “He is” and are soon reminded that “He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Again, notice the focus on “seeking Him,” not just trying to solicit His help or provision. This is an emphasis on His face and a key to faith.
We are familiar with Romans 10:17, where it says, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Scripture-fed, Spirit-led, worship-based prayer is the foundation that fills our minds with the truth of God’s Word and great thoughts about God. We are then compelled to pray with a faith that becomes “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). And He is pleased.
Another very natural response in the presence of a holy God is genuine confession of the attitudes, actions, words, and intentions that are inconsistent with His character.
The Lord wants us to pray with authentic confidence. When our requests are clearly aligned and aimed at God’s will, we have an assurance that is the goal for every believer. Put simply, His will is His Word, and when we learn to pray from the Scriptures in the Spirit-empowered personal abandon of worship, we are in a position to think clearly about His truth so it can shape all that we think, desire, and request.
Worship-based prayer infuses us with empowerment for the warfare zone we exist in every day of our lives. Word-infused prayer makes us ready to face spiritual enemies with “It is written” on our lips. Spirit-led prayer allows us to make application of truth to the challenges of the day and weakness of our flesh. We are on the winning team. All the provisions for conquering in life are abundant in Christ. Prayer is vital to our daily triumph and awakens us to the necessity of entering battle with a clear mission plan.
Taken from Transforming Prayer: How Everything Changes When You Seek God’s Face by Daniel Henderson. ©2011 by Daniel Henderson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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