Readings:
- Colossians 2.6-15 [16-19]
- Luke 11.1-13
Sermon:
One of my favourite quotes about the significance of prayer is from the 19th century Baptism minister Charles Spurgeon who said “prayer is the slender nerve that moves the muscles of omnipotence.”
God is at work in the world in ways we cannot begin to comprehend. But I love that God is still moved to action through our prayer. I don’t know about you, but I more often than not feel like my prayers are feeble and insignificant and have no effect on the world. But that’s a lie. If the enemy can trick us to believing that prayer is ineffective, then he’s won a significant battle.
I was in York for the General Synod at the beginning of July and there was a presentation about the Thy Kingdom Come prayer initiative, which began about 10 years ago, with a vision to see the re-evangelisation of our nation through the power of prayer. The Thy Kingdom Come team said how ridiculous it felt at the beginning to have such a radical vision, but they ran with it, and it’s grown to become an annual prayer initiative that unites Christians across the world to pray for the lost.
Is it a coincidence when we see things happening that have been committed to God in prayer? Or are healings, visions, miracles, and quiet revivals a result of those activated slender nerves which compel the Almighty to action?
Luke 11 is about prayer. Namely the desire of the disciples to be able to pray in the same way Jesus prayed. One thing Jesus teaches them is about faithful persistence in prayer. Sometimes the nerves need regular activation before we see movement. Verses 5-8 Jesus tells a parable about a man going to knock on a friend's house in the middle of the night to ask for a loaf of bread! In the house, everyone’s tucked up in bed, the door’s locked, and so the man inside shouts down and tells him to go away! But Jesus says that surely, it will be the man’s persistence that makes his friend get out of bed, go downstairs and give him whatever he needs!
The word ‘persistence’ in verse 8 is better understood from the Greek to be about ‘shamelessness’. The NIV renders it as ‘shameless audacity’! I love that! Jesus tells us to pester God in prayer - be persistent, be determined, and be faithful. Keep knocking, keep seeking, keep asking. Don’t be flaky or embarrassed.
You may be suffering today. Have you brought it to God in prayer?
You may be grieving at the state of our world. Have you brought it to God in prayer?
You may be waiting for a breakthrough in your finances or relationships. Have you brought it to God in prayer?
You may feel like your faith in Jesus has become dry and cold. Have you brought it to God in prayer?
When we exalt the name of God and when we seek his Kingdom our world comes into focus. Our priorities are rearranged.
If you as a Christian - a disciple of Jesus Christ - are content with sailing through life calmly not wanting to disturb or make any impact, I’d say you’ve got the wrong end of the stick! Through faith in Jesus we have been given the right to be called children of God. Through prayer we are invited to hammer on the door of heaven and ask the Father for his power and provision.
I want to have a prayer life that is shamelessly audacious! I want to contend for the Kingdom of God to break into my life and into this world. I want to persist in praying that I might see revival in our generation, the transformation of our societies, the sick healed, and prodigal sons return home.
Why not spend a moment now offering to God a shamelessly audacious prayer. Bang your fist on that door! Bring your heart's cry before him today.