THE PRAYER CHALLENGE
IT’S TIME TO GET SERIOUS ABOUT PRAYER. MORE THAN JUST A LITTLE BLESSING ON YOUR FOOD OR EVEN A GOOD-NIGHT TO GOD AT THE END OF THE DAY, PRAYER IS A PASSIONATE PURSUIT OF THE PROMISES OF GOD. IF YOU TRULY BELIEVED YOU HAD THE HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO TALK TO THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE, WHY WOULDN’T YOU TAKE EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO DO IT? BECAUSE IT’S THE MOST IMPORTANT WEAPON IN YOUR ARSENAL AGAINST EVIL AND YOUR ENEMY KNOWS IT. SO, HE PUTS EVERY DISTRACTION IN THE WAY OF YOUR COMMUNION WITH GOD. OVER THE NEXT MONTH WE WILL COMMIT TO PRAY, LEARN TO PRAY AND BE EMPOWERED BY PRAYER SO GOD DOES AMAZING THINGS IN OUR LIVES. TAKE THE PRAYER CHALLENGE AND WATCH GOD CHANGE YOUR LIFE!
SERMON NOTES
OCTOBER 7 - DRAW A CIRCLE
CORNELIUS WAS A ROMAN SOLDIER WHO WAS DEVOTED TO GOD. HE FAITHFULLY PRAYED TO GOD FOR TRUTH AND GOD GAVE HIM A VISION FOR LIFE. ACTS 10 TELLS THE STORY THAT CORNELIUS “PRAYED REGULARLY.” THAT’S WHERE PASSIONATE PRAYER BEGINS…REGULARLY. A SPECIFIC TIME AND A SPECIFIC PLACE THAT ARE NON-NEGOTIABLES IN YOUR DAILY ROUTINE. IT’S TIME TO TAKE THE CHALLENGE TO DRAW A CIRCLE IN A PLACE AND A CIRCLE ON YOUR DAILY CALENDAR WHERE YOU WILL FAITHFULLY MEET GOD. TO PREPARE, READ ACTS 10.
OCTOBER 14 - DREAM BIG
PRAYER IS ALL ABOUT BELIEVING THE PROMISES OF GOD. THE BIBLE IS ALL ABOUT GOD DOING AMAZING THINGS IN AND THROUGH PEOPLE WHO TOOK HIM AT HIS WORD. WHEN WE PRAY, GOD INCREASES OUR FAITH SO WE DREAM BIG DREAMS. WHEN WE HAVE FAITH TO DREAM BIG DREAMS, GOD GETS THE GLORY THROUGH ANSWERING OUR PRAYERS. HAVE YOU BEEN GIVEN ANY BIG DREAMS LATELY? IT’S TIME TO GO TO YOUR PLACE OF PRAYER AND TAKE THE CHALLENGE TO ASK GOD TO GIVE YOU A DREAM SO BIG ONLY HE COULD ACCOMPLISH IT. TO PREPARE, READ JOSHUA 6.
OCTOBER 21 - PRAY HARD
WHEN I WAS IN COLLEGE ONE OF MY PROFESSORS WOULD OFTEN SAY, “PRAY AS IF IT DEPENDS ON GOD AND WORK AS IF IT DEPENDS ON YOU.” THROUGHOUT THE NEW TESTAMENT WE READ STORY AFTER STORY OF JESUS’ FOLLOWERS CRYING OUT TO GOD IN PRAYER. THEY NEEDED MIRACLES TO HAPPEN AND REMEMBERED JESUS PROMISED GOD WOULD PRODUCE THOSE MIRACLES IF THEY DEMONSTRATED EVEN A LITTLE FAITH. IT’S TIME FOR YOU TO TAKE THE CHALLENGE TO PRAY AS IF YOU BELIEVE GOD’S PROMISES ARE TRUE AND ASK FOR HIM TO MOVE MOUNTAINS. TO PREPARE, READ MATTHEW 7:7-12, ACTS 4 AND ACTS 12.
OCTOBER 28 - THINK LONG
MANY PEOPLE PRAY WANTING GOD TO ANSWER ASAP. SOMETIMES GOD DOES ANSWER QUICKLY. IF YOU LOOK CAREFULLY AT THE STORY OF GOD’S PEOPLE, YOU’LL FIND GOD ACTUALLY ANSWERS PRAYERS ALAT…AS LONG AS IT TAKES. IF YOU’RE GOING TO TAKE THE CHALLENGE TO PASSIONATELY PURSUE THE PROMISES OF GOD, YOU MUST PERSEVERE IN PRAYER. THAT MEANS TRUSTING GOD ENOUGH TO BELIEVE HE HAS THE PERFECT TIMING FOR HIS ANSWER TO YOUR PRAYERS. TO PREPARE, READ JUDGES 6:33-40, ACTS 1:4-5 AND 2 TIMOTHY 3:10-15.
