From Pressing to Prayer
090617 From Pressing to Prayer
Tim Franklin
Introduction:
· Revival before July. Shekababa-Swahili for ‘Hold on to the Father”
· Charles Finney “A revival is nothing else than a new beginning of obedience to God.”
· Heidi Baker “The Be Attitudes are God’s recipe for revival.”
· Shawn Bolz “Revival culture is not signs and wonders but changed lives and changed lives deepened.”
1. He Wept
A. Nehemiah. Neh 1:4 So it was, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned for many days; I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven. NKJV
B. Ezek 9:4 the Lord said to him, "Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and cry over all the abominations that are done within it." NKJV
C. Ezra 10:1
D. He spoke to a city.
i. The dwelling place of God
ii. Luke 13:34-35"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing! See! Your house is left to you desolate; and assuredly,I say to you, you shall not see Me until the time comes when you say, 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord !'"NKJV
iii. Isa 52:1-2Awake, awake! Put on your strength, O Zion; Put on your beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city! For the uncircumcised and the unclean Shall no longer come to you. Shake yourself from the dust, arise; Sit down, O Jerusalem! Loose yourself from the bonds of your neck, O captive daughter of Zion! NKJV
2. They Slept
A. “You did not know the time of your visitation.” Lk 19:44
B. Hard Heart—Heb 3:7-11
i. They complained—and they went astray in their heart.
a. They complained because of the all the manna.
b. They complained because they were thirsty.
c. They complained because Moses (It really was God) led them into the wilderness.
ii. Heb 3:12 they had an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God.”
C. Rebellion
i. Balaam led the people of God to commit adultery with for tribes. They surrendered their obedience in that moment.
ii. Heb 3:15 In hardening the heart we shut down the voice of God. And the tool we use is unbelief.
3. He Prayed
A. He drove out the buyers and sellers in temple.
i. There are things in the temple that must be driven out. That is why two weeks ago I challenged you to do the list and search your hearts. Finney-How to promote revival.
ii. Zech 1:14-21
a. Wrong authority began to scatter the people of Israel.
b. God sent the ‘master craftman’ to scatter the horns that scattered.
iii. One enemy we must confront—witchcraft. In reviewing my dreams today, I saw that my dream life is salted with dreams of black widow spiders. Spiders speak of witchcraft and the occult.
B. He declared it to be a house of prayer.
4. They Stayed
A. When the house of prayer gets cleansed and people pray, power falls on the preacher and the anointing increases.
i. Note that the religious devils tried to make the people leave the anointing. The teacher of truth. They actually sought to destroy him
ii. Vs. 48 “they were unable to do anything; for all the people were attentive to His word.”
Conclusion:
· Jesus wept because he loved!
· Jesus called the people back to their core purpose—prayer.
· Jesus gave them Word that caused them to live. Jn. 4 If you would have asked I would have given you living water.
o It takes faith to get what we are asking for.
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