Pastor Joel Wydysh
July 10, 2016
Prayers of Blessing
– Moving Up Mountains Series
Purpose:
sound good or at least sound where we are
at and we make them a slogan that
becomes part of our way of living out our
faith. The problem sometimes is that those
slogans are off base on who God really is
Consecration Prayer.
sometimes.
I’ve called this 4 week in the series
One of those sayings is “prayer moves the
“Prayers of Blessings”, but it really is
about a much deeper word than blessing –
hand of God.” Or a newer one “I’m
pounding on the door of heaven.” Those
Consecration.
are nice saying of taking prayer seriously,
Consecration is to devote or set apart
way we see and understand praying to our
anything to the worship or service of God.
It’s like a first step in getting things
connected and lined up with the life and
power of Jesus in and through us.
Sometime we hear things in the church at
but they say totally wrong things about the
heavenly Father.
Gen 1:1 God makes the first move – “In the
beginning God…” This theme continues
throughout the Bible.
Romans 5:6-8
6 When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just
the right time and died for us sinners. 7 Now, most
people would not be willing to die for an upright
person, though someone might perhaps be willing to
die for a person who is especially good. 8 But God
showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die
for us while we were still sinners.
that cannot be expressed in words.
The parable of the lost son gives us the
picture of a father first looking for a son “a
long way off”
“Prayer moves the hand of God” is
John 15:16
16 You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed
you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the
Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my
name.
John 6:44
44 For no one can come to me unless the Father who
sent me draws them to me, and at the last day I will
raise them up.
dangerous and gives a distorted view of our
heavenly Father and prayer. It’s like a halfrate earthly father seated at a banquet in
one room while his little girl of five or six is
dying of hunger in the next. But, he will not
move to help the child until she ask? What
kind of father is that? What if she is too
weak to ask – will he not mot move because
she does not cry out for his love and help?
Romans 8:26
26 And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For
example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray
for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings
If the little girl approaches the door humbly
and reverent as she can, but hear nothing –
even getting down on her knees with tears,
but still the father doesn’t move or seem
us to turn to him, seek Him – he’s right
to hear. What is she to think? Sadly the
there waiting – looking long for us. Of
same thing some Christian have come to
course, he uses trial and hardships to cause
conclude about prayer: “I must not be
us to seek him with all our hearts.
asking the right way,” or “He doesn’t
care to move regardless of how I ask.” Or
Sometimes it even feels like and He does
“I guess it isn’t His will.”
seem to ‘wait’ to move until we ask. Any
good parent knows this. We have all the
What an awful and wrong picture of the
resources to help our kids, but for many
Father God and prayer. In an earthly home
good reasons we often wait. It is part of the
we’d call this child abuse – yet some look
growing process – sometimes is how we
at God this way. Jesus states “My Father is
learn to see what we’re made of –
always at His work to this very day, and I,
stretches our limits and we learn important
too, am working” John 5:17
lessons – but we gracious are there when
they ask.
Yes – God wants us to ask. He loves it when
we ask. He even warns that in some
There are many beautiful prayers of asking
situations, “You do not have, because you
God to move on our behalf – that’s what I
do not ask” James 4:2 BUT God longs for
spoke on 2 weeks ago – praying for others –
but this is not the same as thinking God
to beg. Jesus was contrasting His Father
doesn’t move until we ask.
against that judge. It’s about persistence,
intervention – knowing He hears us and is
Luke 18:1-8
One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that
they should always pray and never give up. 2 “There
was a judge in a certain city,” he said, “who neither
feared God nor cared about people. 3 A widow of
that city came to him repeatedly, saying, ‘Give me
justice in this dispute with my enemy.’ 4 The judge
ignored her for a while, but finally he said to himself,
‘I don’t fear God or care about people, 5 but this
woman is driving me crazy. I’m going to see that she
gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her
constant requests!’”
6 Then the Lord said, “Learn a lesson from this
unjust judge. 7 Even he rendered a just decision in
the end. So don’t you think God will surely give
justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day
and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you,
he will grant justice to them quickly! But when the
Son of Man[a] returns, how many will he find on the
earth who have faith?”
God’s not like that judge – we don’t have
already moving.
God’s ready and waiting – what is our
move.
Probably one of the best prayers to start
with is consecration – John Eldredge
defines this as “Bringing things Under the
Rule of Jesus”
We were soldiers story.
The enemy is not there. Often this is how we
pray – frantic, impulsive and chaotic –
shooting prayers out wildly.
I can understand it – sometime we are
doesn’t work, we look to the wiring of the
desperate – but as I said at the beginning of
iron, the cord, or the house. We do not
this series – there is a way things work.
stand in dismay before the iron and cry,
“Oh, electricity, please come into my iron
We want to see this happen in prayer. We
and make it work!” We realize that while
want to get things going for God and
the whole world is full of that mysterious
ourselves, but we need to learn to pause
power we call electricity, only the amount
and align ourselves with Jesus. Like a
that flows through the wiring of the iron will
trombone player who simply starts without
make the iron work for us.
waiting for the conductor; or an athlete who
skips all the normal stretches and jump right
The act of consecration is repairing the
into the games from a cold start. There is a
wiring and is the first step before God’s
way things work. We are in a collision of
protection and provision can flow. It’s
kingdoms, and it takes intentionality to
dedicating ourselves, home, family,
bring things under and into the kingdom of
relationships, job, whatever needs God’s
God.
grace and bring them directly into
Angnes Sanford use this analogy of prayer:
alignment and agreement with Jesus. This is
often why are prayers aren’t effective –
If we try turning on an electric iron and it
we’re just doing our own thing with
connecting to the source of LIFE.
Daily prayer – it makes a difference. All
through the scriptures it shows the power of
consecration
Ex 19:9-11
9 Then the Lord said to Moses, “I will come to you in
a thick cloud, Moses, so the people themselves can
hear me when I speak with you. Then they will
always trust you.”
Moses told the Lord what the people had said.
10 Then the Lord told Moses, “Go down and prepare
the people for my arrival. Consecrate them today
and tomorrow, and have them wash their clothing.
11 Be sure they are ready on the third day, for on that
day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai as all
the people watch.
Same thing before Joshua crossed the
Jordan and even in the NT with Paul and
Barnabas
Acts 13:1-3
Among the prophets and teachers of the church at
Antioch of Syria were Barnabas, Simeon (called “the
black man”[a]), Lucius (from Cyrene), Manaen (the
childhood companion of King Herod Antipas[b]), and
Saul. 2 One day as these men were worshiping the
Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Appoint
Barnabas and Saul for the special work to which I
have called them.” 3 So after more fasting and
prayer, the men laid their hands on them and sent
them on their way.
So they sent them on their way –
understatement.
This is a collision of kingdoms, consecration
is the first act in effective prayer.
Romans 6:13
13 Do not let any part of your body become an
instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give
yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but
now you have new life. So use your whole body as an
instrument to do what is right for the glory of God.
Romans 12:1
And so, dear brothers and sisters,[a] I plead with you
to give your bodies to God because of all he has
done for you. Let them be a living and holy
sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is
truly the way to worship him.
But some think – I’m a Christian – aren’t I
always under the rule of Jesus? Yes… and
no. It’s not that simple. Just because you
gave your life to Christ in a prayer, doesn’t
mean that you will always live in unbroken
intimacy with him. That’s like a man
It’s about connecting to the Father and
saying to his wife, “I told you I loved you
getting the power of the Holy Spirit to flow
when we married, what more do you
through us. And separating the enemy from
need.”
any claim on us or what we are praying
about. The enemy is a legalist, but we need
to be Methodist.
It’s in our heritage – Wesley was a
Methodist. He was very methodical in how
he lived out this HS led life. It’s not
legalism – is alignment. It getting under the
influence of Christ’s kingdom.
Col. 2:18-19
18 Don’t let anyone condemn you by insisting on
pious self-denial or the worship of angels,[a] saying
they have had visions about these things. Their sinful
minds have made them proud, 19 and they are not
connected to Christ, the head of the body. For he
holds the whole body together with its joints and
ligaments, and it grows as God nourishes it.
This is about connection – for some reason
maybe sin – maybe neglect we’ve
He wouldn’t had to remind us if we
wandered away. Even Jesus reminds to
weren’t prone to wander. This isn’t
remain in Him.
talking about our salvation, but our
connection to the source of power and life.
John 15:4-11
4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a
branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the
vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in
me.
5 “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those
who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much
fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.
6 Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away
like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are
gathered into a pile to be burned. 7 But if you remain
in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for
anything you want, and it will be granted! 8 When
you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples.
This brings great glory to my Father.
9 “I have loved you even as the Father has loved me.
Remain in my love. 10 When you obey my
commandments, you remain in my love, just as I
obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his
love. 11 I have told you these things so that you will
be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!
To be effective.
Aligning and Enforcing
Aligning with the laws of Jesus kingdom,
and then enforcing the rules and laws of
those matters in question. So far we’ve
been talking about aligning – now we need
to enforce.
Proclaim – speak it out. Prayer it out.
Acts 9:17
17 So Ananias went and found Saul. He laid his
hands on him and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord
Jesus, who appeared to you on the road, has sent me
so that you might regain your sight and be filled with
the Holy Spirit.”
Acts 13:6-12
6 Afterward they traveled from town to town across
the entire island until finally they reached Paphos,
where they met a Jewish sorcerer, a false prophet
named Bar-Jesus. 7 He had attached himself to the
governor, Sergius Paulus, who was an intelligent
man. The governor invited Barnabas and Saul to
visit him, for he wanted to hear the word of God.
8 But Elymas, the sorcerer (as his name means in
Greek), interfered and urged the governor to pay no
attention to what Barnabas and Saul said. He was
trying to keep the governor from believing.
9 Saul, also known as Paul, was filled with the Holy
Spirit, and he looked the sorcerer in the eye. 10 Then
he said, “You son of the devil, full of every sort of
deceit and fraud, and enemy of all that is good! Will
you never stop perverting the true ways of the Lord?
11 Watch now, for the Lord has laid his hand of
punishment upon you, and you will be struck blind.
You will not see the sunlight for some time.”
Instantly mist and darkness came over the man’s
eyes, and he began groping around begging for
someone to take his hand and lead him.
12 When the governor saw what had happened, he
became a believer, for he was astonished at the
teaching about the Lord.
Psalm 68:32-34
32
Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth.
Sing praises to the Lord. Interlude
33
Sing to the one who rides across the ancient heavens,
his mighty voice thundering from the sky.
34
Tell everyone about God’s power.
His majesty shines down on Israel;
his strength is mighty in the heavens.
Psalm 145:5-6
5
I will meditate on your majestic, glorious splendor
and your wonderful miracles.
6
Your awe-inspiring deeds will be on every tongue;
I will proclaim your greatness.
Proclaiming and enforcing are the heart of
what we call the daily prayer. It’s a choice
each morning to realign ourselves with God
the Father, Son and Spirit – and to draw all
the resources He has for us – we’ll talk
more about this is 2 weeks.
Take My Life and Let it Be
My life
Take my life, and let it be
consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
1 Have I made a volitional, unconditional,
lifetime surrender of my life to Christ?
2 Am I seeking to live out that surrender on a
daily basis?
3 Are there any “compartments” of my life
over which I am reserving the right to
exercise control?
My time
Take my moments and my days;
let them flow in ceaseless praise.
2 Do I live with the conscious realization
that all my time belongs to God, or
have I merely reserved a portion of my
time for the spiritual “category” of my
life?
3 Do I set apart time each day for worship,
prayer, and personal devotion?
4 Am I squandering time with meaningless,
useless conversation or entertainment?
5 Do I become resentful or impatient when
others interrupt my schedule or when I
am faced with unplanned demands on
my time?
My body
Take my hands, and let them move at the
impulse of Thy love.
Take my feet, and let them be swift and
beautiful for Thee.
3 Am I yielding the parts of my body to God
as instruments of righteousness (Rom.
6:13)?
4 Do I use the parts of my body to express
the kindness and love of Christ to
others (e.g., using my hands for serving,
for gentle touch)?
5 Are any of the members of my body—eyes,
ears, hands, feet, mouth—being used to
sin against God (e.g., stealing, lying,
listening to or repeating gossip,
inflicting physical harm on mate or
children, listening to profanity, viewing
pornography, sexual sin)?
My tongue Take my lips, and let them be
filled with messages from Thee.
4 Do the words that come out of my mouth
reveal that my lips and tongue are fully
surrendered to God?
5 Do I habitually verbalize the goodness and
greatness of God?
6 Before I speak, do I ask the Lord what He
wants me to say?
My possessions Take my silver and my
gold; not a mite would I withhold.
5 Do I treat any of my possessions as if they
were mine rather than God’s?
6 Do I give generously, sacrificially, and
gladly to the Lord’s work and to others
in need?
7 Do I own anything that I would not be
willing to part with if God were to take
it from me or ask me to give it to
another?
My mind Take my intellect, and use every
power as Thou shalt choose.
6 Am I bringing every thought into captivity
to the obedience of Christ (2 Cor.
10:5)?
7 Am I disciplining my mind to get to know
God and His Word better?
8 Do I habitually think about things that are
just, pure, lovely, of good report,
virtuous, and praiseworthy (see Phil.
4:8), rather than things that are
unwholesome, negative, impure, or
vain?
My will Take my will and make it Thine; it
shall be no longer mine.
7 Do I consistently seek to know and to do
the will of God in practical, daily
matters?
8 When I read the Word of God, am I quick
to say “Yes, Lord” and to do what it
says?
9 Am I submissive to the human authorities
God has placed over me (civil, church,
home, work)?
My affections Take my heart; it is Thine
own; it shall be Thy royal throne.
8 Am I allowing Christ to reign and rule over
my affections, my emotions, and my
responses?
9 Am I easily angered or provoked?
10 Are my desires, appetites, and longings
under Christ’s control?
My relationships Take my love; my Lord,
I pour at Thy feet its treasure store.
9 Is it my desire and intent to love God with
all my heart, above all earthly
relationships? Do I enjoy and seek out
the friendship of God as much as I do
human friendships?
10 Do I love God more than I love myself?
Do I seek His interests, His reputation,
and His pleasure above my own?
11 Have I surrendered to God all my
desires, rights, and expectations
regarding my family?
12 Am I willing to sacrifice friendships, if
necessary, in order to obey God and His
call in my life?
Myself Take myself, and I will be ever,
only, all for Thee.
• Have I surrendered all that I am and all that
I have to God?
• Is there any part of myself—my plans,
relationships, possessions, emotions,
career, future—that I am knowingly
holding back from God?
Have I settled the issue that the ultimate
purpose of my life is to please God and
bring Him glory?