Praying Like a Disciple Maker
Changing Soils • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Overview
Overview
Prayer does not need to be long or complicated. Think about Jesus’ words in Matthew 6:7 ““And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words.”
Focus on God's Glory: Pray for His name to be glorified and His will to be done, above all else.
Seek His Kingdom: Pray for the advancement of God's Kingdom and His rule in the world, including your own life and community.
Pray for Discipleship: Pray for spiritual growth, understanding of scripture, and the ability to live out the gospel
Pray for yourself
Pray for yourself
Prayer time is not just for you to ask God to bless you or to help you with what you are going through or seeing; prayer time is also a time to approach God to equip you and move you in the direction of his will.
Paul asked people to pray for him all through the NT; but more than any other request he asked people to pray for his ability to share the Gospel and make Disciples. Let me give you a couple examples:
Ephesians 6:18–20 “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, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.”
Colossians 4:3–4 “At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.”
2 Thessalonians 3:1–2 “Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you, and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. For not all have faith.”
What if we each took specific time and direction to pray to be a disciple maker each day; even just once a week? And these prayers do not have to be hours long or ultra elaborate. In fact, here is a list of one sentence prayers you can pray to become a Disciple Maker:
Open my eyes to see the needs of others.
Open my eyes to see where you’re already working.
Open my eyes to see the harvest—those whose hearts are open to God.
Cross my path with someone who needs you and is ready to listen to you.
Give me boldness to initiate spiritual conversations.
Guide me in the words to say .
Remind me that I have Your authority to heal diseases and cast out evil spirits
Pray for Others
Pray for Others
I am betting that you already pray for other people. I believe that we have a praying church- I know how many people in this church tell me they are praying for others. But if you are like me, a lot of times those prayers are instated by other people ASKING for prayer. Which is not necessarily a bad thing; but it assumes a few things-
First, it assumes that the person tells you their need
Second, it assumes that the other person is aware of their need
In order to become a powerful prayer, not just for disciples, but for all people- intentional prayer is a helpful tool. Not just praying by happenstance or by hoping things come to our minds, but by intentionally laying out prayers.
However, most of the prayers recorded in the Bible are of another type. When Jesus was praying for others, He prayed for their faith (Luke 22:32), He prayed against temptation in their lives (Luke 22:40), He prayed for their unity (John 17:11), and He prayed for their sanctification (John 17:17). Paul prayed for the salvation of the lost (Romans 10:1); he prayed that the brothers would stay on the right path (2 Corinthians 13:7); he prayed that believers would be strengthened by the Spirit, rooted and grounded in love, able to comprehend God’s love, and filled with the fullness of God (Ephesians 3:14–19). These are all prayers for spiritual blessings; they are all “in Jesus’ name” and according to the Father’s will—prayers that are guaranteed to find a “yes” in Christ (2 Corinthians 1:20).
Praying for others is important because it fulfills a New Testament command. We are to pray for all people (1 Timothy 2:1). We are to pray for government leaders (1 Timothy 2:2). We are to pray for the unsaved (1 Timothy 2:4). We are to pray for fellow Christians (Ephesians 6:18). We are to pray for ministers of the gospel (Ephesians 6:19–20). We are to pray for the persecuted church (Hebrews 13:3). Praying for others gets our focus off of ourselves and onto the needs around us. As we “carry each other’s burdens,” we “will fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2). Begin praying for others today and help to build up the body of Christ.
I want to share a cool little prayer tool with you that I found in prepping for this sermon. It uses the acronym FRANCE.
Friends Relatives Acquaintances Neighbors Coworkers/Classmates Earlier in life.
The idea is that each month you take the calendar and add people too it in that order. Monday is friends; Tuesday is Relatives; etc.
Pray with Others
Pray with Others
What if we didn;t just pray for others- but with others. There is nothing better than someone letting you know they are praying for you? Also, there is nothing more powerful than believers praying together.
James 5:16 “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.”
Matthew 18:19 “Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.”
Imagine having the most powerful thing in heaven and Earth and not using it to it’s full potential.
And I am going to show you how easy this can be—- watch
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