Whatever 2024 brings, That first and foremost we would be PEOPLE FORMED BY PRAYER, who respond in prayer, and respond from prayer.
Mark 9:14-29
When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them.
15 As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him.
16 “What are you arguing with them about?” he asked.
17 A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. 18 Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.”
19 “You unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.” 20 So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.
21 Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?” – “From childhood,” he answered. 22 “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”
23 “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”
24 Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”
25 When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the impure spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” he said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” (honor, dignity…love. Deliverance “ministry” wasn’t a spectacle).
26 The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.
28 After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”
29 He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer [and fasting]”
“Prayer”, or “Prayer & Fasting” – He didn’t mean “go and pray more” or “go and fast” and then try again – He meant THAT PRAYING AND FASTING regularly was the key, partnered with the faith present in the people/father (even when it lacked)….(I believe this is why later transcripts added “and fasting” to emphasize the continuing/disciplined prayer of Jesus)
Col. 4:2 – “Devote yourselves to prayer (“be persistent in prayer”) , being watchful and thankful.”
- NOT WAITING FOR LIFE TO DERAIL OR A CONFRONTATION WITH THE ENEMY BEFORE WE PRAY. Not waiting for the moment of need…but needing every moment with Him.
As we said last week: Jesus prayed. Persistent prayer in private led to powerful prayer in public.
Persistent prayer in private led to the ability to hear, see and join what the Father was doing. (Jhn 5:19)
Persistent Prayer takes planning (steward or budget your time), (boring fidelity), and vigilance (keep watch). It needs to be a lifestyle, not an event.
Too often we have treated prayer as decorations on a house, rather than the foundation of the house. And I don’t say that to criticize or to shame – but to challenge us to CHANGE, even slightly. To hear the call to a LIFESTYLE OF PERSISTENT prayer and answer it.
Do we pray to become more powerful? No.
To be FORMED.
PRAYER isn’t really (or only) about getting requests answered or even power – I do not pray to change God’s heart or mind, I pray to change mine…it’s about FORMATION to HIM, and HIS WILL.
Romans 12:2 – “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 & approve what God’s will is-his good, pleasing & perfect will.”
The sequence of prayer:
- Not Conformed (conformed is intentional – living by the “world’s schematic”)
You are being formed one way or another. Trans-Formed, ConFormed (intentional), or (Deformed) (worries of this life, heaviness – Like a plant growing along the ground, it’s alive, but it’s not doing what it is designed to do. It won’t bear much fruit until it is up on the trellis…(John 15:2 – picked up, cleaned off)
- Transformed…
- So that we can know his will.
- So that we can pray in AGREEMENT (to the best of my ability) with His will.
1 John 5:14-15 – “And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will He hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.”
Then, we will not be “Deformed by the worries of this life” – by carrying too much. Even light burdens grow heavy if I do not put them down.
- Put them on Christ:
Matt 11:28-30 – “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Phil 4:6-7 – “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
- Share them with others: (in prayer) (Too often in our immaturity we take people’s burdens on ourselves instead of carrying them on to Jesus…)
Gal. 6:2 – “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” (Dig through the roof – Mark 2:2-11)
Responses