Synergizing Prayer For God Size Results
The priority of the minister’s life will determine the power of his or her evangelism. When the biographies of ministers God used in the past are studied, the common denominator of prominence was their priority on prayer. Mighty men and women of God will have a consistent quiet time with God.
I am thrilled to announce that Mrs. Kathy Branzell, President of the National Day of Prayer Task Force, in Washington, D.C, is now serving as the CoChair/Global Prayer in the Global Church Network. In the days ahead, she will be providing strategic leadership in the mobilizing of pastors and their respective congregations to pray toward the fulfillment of the Great Commission. Currently, Mrs. Branzell mobilizes more than 18,000 prayer chapters across the United States. You will be able to find her future articles and resources on GCN App.
The GCN goal throughout the Body of Christ is to pray 8.7 billion prayer hours in the next ten years for the soon-to-be 8.7 billion people on the earth. Out of the 8.7 billion prayer hours, we will be motivating Christians throughout the United States to pray a minimum of 400 million prayer hours. I encourage you to consider becoming a prayer partner.
Also, be sure to download the Global Church Network app and get prayerfully plugged in like never before. Be sure to take a few moments to watch the interview of Kathy and me, as we discuss the future powerful prayer throughout the Global Church Network.
There are at least three reasons for developing a disciplined prayer life.
First, the prayer life is for spiritual conditioning. The spiritual muscles of the evangelist and pastor grow as he or she “stretches” and “works” them out through supplication before God. The quality of the minister’s quiet time will result either in spiritual strength or spiritual weakness. It is hypocritical to preach to people before first praying for them.
Second, the prayer life is for spiritual cleansing. Evangelistic travels are made up of dirty, muddy roads. Each day the soul of the evangelist is soiled by the world. Non-Christian attitudes can creep into the heart. Sin can be committed even in the ministry. Thus, the prayer life becomes a time of spiritually washing the heart, mind, emotions, and will before God.
Third, the prayer life is for spiritual conflict. Ministers are in a spiritual war for the souls of men and women. The itinerant minister faces demonic forces every day. When evangelists neglect the quiet time, they are weakening their guard before Satan and his kingdom. Evangelists and pastors must resolve to protect their quiet time with God regardless of the daily pressures of life and ministry.
There is no way to overestimate the importance of prayer. It has been said:
When we depend upon organization, we get what organization can do and that is something.
When we depend upon education, we get what education can do, and that is something.
When we depend upon money, we get what money can do, and that is something.
When we depend upon what singing and preaching can do, we get what singing and preaching can do, and that is something.
When we depend upon prayer, we get what God can do, and that is everything.
Leonard Ravenhill summed up the issue well:
No man is greater than his prayer life. The pastor who is not praying is playing; the people who are not praying are straying. … We have many organizers, but few agonizers; many players and payers, few pray-ers; many singers, few clingers; lots of pastors; few wrestlers; many fears, few tears; much fashion, little passion; many interferers, few intercessors; many writers, but few fighters. Failing here, we fail everywhere. (23)
The devil is not disturbed by special singing, dynamic sermons, and crusade rallies that have not been bathed in prayer for the salvation of lost people. The devil laughs over much of the evangelism efforts in the Church. The flesh does not want to pray. Prayer is spiritual warfare. Prayer is the “fight of faith.” Intercession is more than merely mentioning memorized phrases. We must pray when they feel like it, when they do not feel like it, and until they do feel like it.
It is not about the arithmetic of prayer or the number of times of prayer. It is not about the geometry of prayer or how long the prayer is before God. It is not about the rhetoric of prayer or the words used to impress God or others. It is not about the music of prayer or how sweet the sound of one’s voice is to the ears of God. It is not about the logic of prayer or the kind of argumentation used in order to try to persuade God. It is about the passion of prayer. Instead of being “through praying,” evangelists need to “pray through” and touch the heart of a loving God.
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