Category: Series “For such a time as this”

“PRAYER” – The Principles Of Prayer Faith and Humility

PRAYER REQUIRES FAITH

Matthew 21:22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

Mark 9:24  And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.

Cause of unanswered prayer.

 James 1:5-8 – If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. 6  But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. 7  For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. 8  A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

FAITH IN GOD…

Hebrews 11:6 – But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

   This faith only comes from the Word of God

Romans 10:17 – So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

[With the aid of His Word, we can have the kind of faith that pleases God, and ensures an answer to our prayers.]

WE MUST PRAY WITH HUMILITY

James 4:10  Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

Luke 18:13-14 – And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. 14  I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

Humility in His people is highly valued by God

Isaiah 57:15 For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.; 

Isaiah 66:1-2   Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest? 2  For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.

The Lord is near, and saves those with contrite spirits

Psalm 34:18 - The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.

He gives grace to the humble

Proverbs 3:34 –Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace unto the lowly. Psalms 10:17  LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear:

Proverbs 29:23   A man’s pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.

Unity, the key to success: Prayer without unity is nothing but ceiling high words

Ephesians 4:11-16 –  And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;12  For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:13  Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness14  That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;15  But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:16  From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

I Corinthians 12:12-26 – For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.13  For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.14  For the body is not one member, but many.15  If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?16  And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?17  If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?18  But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.19  And if they were all one member, where were the body?

20  But now are they many members, yet but one body.21  And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.22  Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary:23  And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.24  For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked:25  That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.26  And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.

  • Structure matters. Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers
  • It is important that all members do their part. Only one body.
  • Everyone no matter how insignificant they may seem, are of utmost importance. God places each part of the body in place.
  • Unity is of primary importance. Body cannot function with division.
  • If just one member suffers, the whole body suffers. We need to learn to feel the pain and hurt of others.
  • For those who do not belong to the local church, they are cheating themselves and other believers of the gift God has given them. Accountability is part of being in the body.
  • There are many believers who have walked away because they felt they did not fit in. It is sad when believers do not feel they fit in. Let us work to be sure people feel they belong.
  • Let us be vigilant to bring those home who have wandered away. Let us reach out to those who have been hurt or rejected because of their inability to belong.
  • Together, lets move forward for the cause of Christ remembering that it takes everyone of us. – We are all of equal importance in the family of God.
And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. Acts 2:1

Praying in unity produced the miracle of the outpouring of God’s Holy Spirit  

Acts 1:8 - But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

The Armor of God -For Such A Time As This

Ephesians 6:13-18

Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14  Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15  And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16  Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

The full armor protects from;

  •  Sin
  • Others
  • Temptation
  • The evil one
  • Ourselves

The Armor

  •           Girdle of Truth
  •           Breatplate of righteousness
  •           The feet covered with Gospel of Peace.
  •           The shield of faith

The Feet – Gospel of Peace

Foundation –

I Corinthians 3:10-150 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;13 Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.14 If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.


The Gospel of Peace –
Romans 10:15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

Feet are necessary to STAND.

Stand on the rock –

I Corinthians 10:1-4 – Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat;4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.

Deuteronomy 32:1-6 – Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth. 2 My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass: 3 Because I will publish the name of the LORD: ascribe ye greatness unto our God.4 He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he. 5 They have corrupted themselves, their spot is not the spot of his children: they are a perverse and crooked generation. 6 Do ye thus requite the LORD, O foolish people and unwise? is not he thy father that hath bought thee? hath he not made thee, and established thee?

Psalm 18:1-3 – I will love thee, O LORD, my strength.2 The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.3 I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.


Our Rock is the gospel we need to proclaim.

I Corinthians 15:33-34 – Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.34 Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.

The shield of faith – Covers the whole body – fully protects

Faith enables us to stand –

I Corinthians 16:13-14 – Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong. 14 Let all your things be done with charity.


Faith enables us to the right thing –

Hebrews 11:1-3 – Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.2 For by it the elders obtained a good report.3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.


Faith is the result of the word –
Romans 10: 17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Faith is not leaping into darkness not knowing what is there.

  1. Faith is leaping into the word of God to see what is there.
  2. Faith is what enabled you to come to Christ.
  3. Faith is what is able to get you to go all out for Jesus.

For Such a time as This, the Armor of God -Ephesians 6:10-20

We are not told to run, we are told to stand

Four times in verses 11-14 we are told to stand or withstand
  • V. 11 – Stand against.
  • V. 13 – withstand – (means to stand against, to oppose, resist, withstand.) – in the day of evil – such a time as this!!!
  • 4. V. 13 – Stand having done all – the whole armor
  • V. 14 – Stand on truth. The foundation

    I Corinthians 3:11-16   For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12  Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 13  Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. 14 If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. 16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

    The Armor

    A. The girdle of truth.
    B. The breast plate of righteousness.
    C. Feet covered with the preparation of the Gospel.
    D. Sheild of Faith.
    E. Helmet of salvation.
    F. Sword of the Spirit.
    G. PRAYER – IT HOLDS IT ALL TOGETHER

    The girdle of truth

    Psalm 1:1-3 –   Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.2  But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.3  And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

    The Word

    John 17:11-19 – And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are. 12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled. 13 And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves. 14 I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. 18 As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. 19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.

    Protects Us From Sin

    For Such a Time as This

    Ephesians 6:10-20

    Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11  Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13  Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14  Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15  And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16  Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 18  Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; 19 And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, 20  For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

    The believer’s enemy is not other believers or even other people.

      Satan is a strong enemy. You cannot defeat Him.
      • He has demons in the building today.
      • They came in on someone’s back.
      • They may have come in on someone’s heart.
      He is stronger than you and He is stronger than me.

      The only way I can defeat Him is to “But God” Him –

      (Put on the whole armour of God)

      1 Corinthians 10:13  There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. (44 psssages in Bible with the phrase “But God)

      Satan will do all that He can to discourage you and convince you that God has forgotten you.

      Daniel 10:10-13 –  And, behold, an hand touched me, which set me upon my knees and upon the palms of my hands. 11  And he said unto me, O Daniel, a man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak unto thee, and stand upright: for unto thee am I now sent. And when he had spoken this word unto me, I stood trembling. 12  Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words.13  But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia.

      Luke 11:9-13 – And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. 10  For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. 11  If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? 12  Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?13  If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

      We are to pray and wait

      Isaiah 40:27-31   Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, My way is hid from the LORD, and my judgment is passed over from my God? 28  Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.29  He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.30  Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: 31  But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

      We are not told to run, we are told to stand –

      Ephesians 6:13  Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.