The Furnace
April 27, 2009 by jason hirsch
Filed under The_Latest
Last night we gathered at www.epicchurchlv.org for what I’ve decided to call “The Furnace!” Why? I think passionate, on-fire, followers of Christ, seeking God, and pouring their hearts out in prayer together, heats up the spiritual climate of any local church. Hence the name: “The Furnace!” We’ll be gathering the last Sunday of every month, 7:00 P.M. for “The Furnace!”
Last night this was what I taught on, and this was our prayer focus:
Learning The Purpose of Prayer – “To Walk with God!”
The Bible often describes a relationship with God as a walk. Enoch and Noah
walked with God; David and Hezekiah walked before Him. The word walk
implies the manner, habits and lifestyle of how they related to God. The great
purpose of prayer is to walk with God in an intimate relationship.
In a walk with God two characteristics of prayer surface in particular.
1. The first may be seen during Abraham’s encounter with God regarding Sodom and Gomorrah. In Gen 18:19 God states that He has known Abraham, therefore He comes to him so that Abraham may know Him even more deeply. The first characteristic of prayer is to know God.
2. Next, God revealed His work and involved Abraham in it. He could not hide from him what He was doing. This principle of prayer being connected to the work of God is seen more clearly in John 14:12-14. Notice the promise to fulfill the prayer request of asking anything in Jesus’ name (vs. 13-14) assumes that individual is doing the works that Jesus did (vs. 12). Therefore, the second characteristic of prayer is to work with God so that His will may be done on earth through us as it is in heaven.
All the great saints of the Bible walked with God in this manner. Their prayers led them to increasingly know Him, understand the purposes of His heart, recognize His activity, and respond by working with Him.
Another great post bro.
Prayer! Prayer! Prayer!
To become the followers of Christ we need to be committed to walking in prayer. We need to cry out to God, pour our hearts out to Him, obediently follow His will, and prayerfully listen to the Holy Spirit. The will set the church on fire and set the furnace temperature on “super hot”!
The church needs to pray to engage God’s heart and shake off the chains of fear, depression, anger, depravity, and sin that the enemy has bound us, the community, and even the church with.
Great decision on starting “The Furnace”. A FANTASTIC DECISION!!!
A few quotes on prayer and the church:
Leonard Ravenhill said, “Let the fires go out in the boiler room of the church and the place will still look smart and clean, but it will be cold. The Prayer Room is the boiler room for its spiritual life.”
Ravenhill also said, “The true church lives and moves and has its being in prayer.”
E.M Bounds (19th Century South African preacher who authored several books on prayer) stated, “What the church needs today is not more machinery or better, not new organizations or more novel methods, but men whom the Holy Ghost can use— men of prayer, men mighty in prayer”
Hudson Taylor (19th Century missionary to China) said “Since the days of Pentecost, has the whole church ever put aside every other work and waited upon Him for ten days, that the Spirit’s power might be manifested? We give too much attention to method and machinery and resources, and too little to the source of power.”
The Furnace!
What a awesome concept/topic, turn up the heat!
I have heard all my life:
“Bow your heads, “Let us pray.” WHATEVER!!!
I know it is all well intended, but I have a thought! How about we take on enemy head on.
Sometimes it makes me want to vomit, when I hear passiveness!
Definition:
PASSIVENESS – receiving or enduring without resistance, submissive, existing or occurring without being active or direct
How about we stop asking ourselves:
“Prayer,” Has it come really come to that?”
Although, it has come to that, why don’t we do something with passion and purpose!!! It is time the church turn up the heat! Turn the tables on the enemy. Bring the punishment, before you are bleeding.
The only fight I ever won as a kid was when I threw the first punch! I knew I was getting hit anyway so why wait for the blood?
The Church needs to stop the passive (Come-What-May) thinking! Why do we wait for the fight, before we start just swinging? Let’s win the war before it starts! Have the answer before the question! Live in freedom before bondage grips us by the throat! Let’s break the yokes that hold down!
Pastor Jason you are so right! “Through prayer we work with God so that His will may be done on earth through us as it is in heaven.”
Through prayer:
The fiery darts of the enemy are quenched!
The Good News is heard!
Burdens are broken!
Healing comes!
Through prayer, families are restored, lost are saved, lame walk, the blind see, the weak become strong. The Battle is won!
Throw the first punch — Prayer, Prayer, Prayer!
Keith,
Thanks for the insight, and bringing to the surface men’s statements that continue to bring sonic booms to my soul, every time I read them. Absolutely inspiring!!! I’m going to pray!!!
Mike,
Sweet comments & so eloquently written. Nice! I love the idea of the first punch & great analogy.
I think the first punch is…….followers of Christ – me first – moving to our caves of solitude & having daily divine encounters with our heavenly Father. To know Him & love Him is the first and foremost offensive thing we could ever do to the enemy. It’s the first punch toward victory, and it definitely won’t be the last, but it sure feels good to throw the first punch spiritually. And never forget, victory is ours, but the boxing match is the Lord’s!!! Bring the Ring!!!