Can you do it without prayer?
Entering into the 2nd quarter of this school year
My class was given our first report assignment for Practical and Pastoral Theology. We have to go through and find every scripture in the OT that relates to this question, every scripture in the NT, take into account theological doctrines, historical and sociological issues and find two opinions one from a dead person and one from someone alive.
My class was given our first report assignment for Practical and Pastoral Theology. We have to go through and find every scripture in the OT that relates to this question, every scripture in the NT, take into account theological doctrines, historical and sociological issues and find two opinions one from a dead person and one from someone alive.
Here is just some of the what my group found - it is in it's roughest form but still SO SO good!
Most of the scriptures in the OT that my group found were related to individuals praying for God's mercy - that He would not destroy a city or people in His judgement! (So there you go - intercession!)
NT scriptures: Jesus taught on prayer; He lived a life of prayer; the acts church was always having prayer meetings; when crisis hit, they ran to prayer; the apostles prayed for the church; they commanded them to pray without ceasing.
Every theological doctrine relates to this issue of prayer. Every single one. I'll just mention one here: Ecclesiology: the study of the Church. Through prayer the Church is strengthened, unified and has communion with God. Prayer allows the Church to partner with God, interceding for the sick, the lost, world events etc.
Historically and Sociologically, there has been great reform and even nationwide healing through corporate times of prayer and fasting, for example:
John Wesley:
John Wesley was deeply affected by the Moravians and their spiritual strength and joy in the Lord and the Moravian prayer vigil, he gathered friends to pray through the night. That night of intercession on January 1, 1739 changed the course of British and American history. He continued to impact Europe and North America along with his brother Charles and George Whitfield. He encouraged Christians to become active in social reform. He supervised the education of lay preachers to educate the people in small cell groups where discipline and faithfulness were learned. These preachers sold and distributed Christian books providing people with spiritual food. He spoke out against slave trade and encouraged William Wilberforce in his antislavery crusade.
Most of the scriptures in the OT that my group found were related to individuals praying for God's mercy - that He would not destroy a city or people in His judgement! (So there you go - intercession!)
NT scriptures: Jesus taught on prayer; He lived a life of prayer; the acts church was always having prayer meetings; when crisis hit, they ran to prayer; the apostles prayed for the church; they commanded them to pray without ceasing.
Every theological doctrine relates to this issue of prayer. Every single one. I'll just mention one here: Ecclesiology: the study of the Church. Through prayer the Church is strengthened, unified and has communion with God. Prayer allows the Church to partner with God, interceding for the sick, the lost, world events etc.
Historically and Sociologically, there has been great reform and even nationwide healing through corporate times of prayer and fasting, for example:
John Wesley:
John Wesley was deeply affected by the Moravians and their spiritual strength and joy in the Lord and the Moravian prayer vigil, he gathered friends to pray through the night. That night of intercession on January 1, 1739 changed the course of British and American history. He continued to impact Europe and North America along with his brother Charles and George Whitfield. He encouraged Christians to become active in social reform. He supervised the education of lay preachers to educate the people in small cell groups where discipline and faithfulness were learned. These preachers sold and distributed Christian books providing people with spiritual food. He spoke out against slave trade and encouraged William Wilberforce in his antislavery crusade.
Uganda: In 2002, war-torn Uganda was under severe spiritual oppression with a demonic three family members claiming to be the trinity, with the most notable person being Joseph Kony claiming the role of Jesus. He evaded authorities by seeking demonic council who would warn him of attacks. After he had kidnapped thousands of children from a christian school, the church earnestly sought the Lord in prayer, fasting and evangelistic gatherings. The nation’s president provided church leaders armed escorts to dismantle Kony’s demonic alters, and Kony reported he was unable to hear from his spirit guides and fled the country. Miraculously, thousands of abducted children were returned to their families.
Opinion from someone no longer living:
EM Bounds:
"A prayerful ministry is the only ministry qualified for the high offices and responsibilities of the preacher. Colleges, learning, books, theology, preaching cannot make a preacher, but praying does. The apostles' commission to preach was a blank till filled up by the Pentecost which praying brought. A prayerful minister has passed beyond the regions of the popular, beyond the man of mere affairs, of secularities, of pulpit attractiveness; passed beyond the ecclesiastical organizer or general into a sublimer and mightier region, the region of the spiritual. Holiness is the product of his work; transfigured hearts and lives emblazon the reality of his work, its trueness and substantial nature. God is with him. His ministry is not projected on worldly or surface principles. He is deeply stored with and deeply schooled in the things of God. His long, deep communings with God about his people and the agony of his wrestling spirit have crowned him as a prince in the things of God. The iciness of the mere professional has long since melted under the intensity of his praying.
The superficial results of many a ministry, the deadness of others, are to be found in the lack of praying. No ministry can succeed without much praying, and this praying must be fundamental, ever-abiding, ever-increasing. The text, the sermon, should be the result of prayer. The study should be bathed in prayer, all its duties so impregnated with prayer, its whole spirit the spirit of prayer. "
Living person opinion:
Dr Heidi Baker, PhD
“The first part of your calling is intimacy with Him. If you are not in love with Jesus, I loudly cry, “Quit!” until you find His love so that you can carry it to others.” Compelled By Love p144
Opinion from someone no longer living:
EM Bounds:
"A prayerful ministry is the only ministry qualified for the high offices and responsibilities of the preacher. Colleges, learning, books, theology, preaching cannot make a preacher, but praying does. The apostles' commission to preach was a blank till filled up by the Pentecost which praying brought. A prayerful minister has passed beyond the regions of the popular, beyond the man of mere affairs, of secularities, of pulpit attractiveness; passed beyond the ecclesiastical organizer or general into a sublimer and mightier region, the region of the spiritual. Holiness is the product of his work; transfigured hearts and lives emblazon the reality of his work, its trueness and substantial nature. God is with him. His ministry is not projected on worldly or surface principles. He is deeply stored with and deeply schooled in the things of God. His long, deep communings with God about his people and the agony of his wrestling spirit have crowned him as a prince in the things of God. The iciness of the mere professional has long since melted under the intensity of his praying.
The superficial results of many a ministry, the deadness of others, are to be found in the lack of praying. No ministry can succeed without much praying, and this praying must be fundamental, ever-abiding, ever-increasing. The text, the sermon, should be the result of prayer. The study should be bathed in prayer, all its duties so impregnated with prayer, its whole spirit the spirit of prayer. "
Living person opinion:
Dr Heidi Baker, PhD
“The first part of your calling is intimacy with Him. If you are not in love with Jesus, I loudly cry, “Quit!” until you find His love so that you can carry it to others.” Compelled By Love p144
“Missions and ministry are simply about laid-down passion at the foot of the cross, praying, “Possess me, Holy Spirit, that I might be conformed into the image of Jesus. Let me reflect the majesty of who He is.” Let Jesus love you first so that you can love others as He did. When you lose yourself inside His huge heart, you find only pure joy in Him”. Compelled By Love p144
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