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93 Prayer
93 Prayer
E. M. Bounds said:
Until the Church becomes the house of prayer, it can
not become a growing and glorious church.
The church that does not pray can not be a prevailing
(victorious) Church
The great success of the devil is to keep away the
Church from praying and prayer.
prayer.
Satan laughs at our toil, mocks at our wisdom, not
threatened on our spiritual studies, work and other
Christian activities. He fears nothing, but prayer, and
TREMBLES when we pray.
The Ministry of Prayer in Church
History
Martin Luther (Father of Reformation)
said:
If I fail to spend two hours in prayer each
morning, the devil gets the victory throughout
the day.
I have so much business that I can not get on
without spending three hours a day in prayer.”
He had a motto: “He that has prayed well has
studied well.”
The Ministry of Prayer in Church
History
John Knox
The pioneer Scottish prayer warrior
and reformer often cried: “God! give
me Scotland or Kill Me (I die).”
**God gave him Scotland because of
his sacrificial prayer
The Ministry of Prayer in
mission and Church History
Dr. J. Edwin Orr,
The 20th century historian of Revivals noted
that:
“When ever God intended to revive His Church
He always began by putting His people on their
knees.. Revivals both begun and sustained in
knees
the movements of prayer”
prayer”
The Ministry of Prayer in Modern
Church Growth History
Dr. Donald A. McGovern,
McGovern, one of the
great missiologists and Church Growth
strategists of the 20th century, stated that:
“In hundreds of instances,
instances, long continued
prayer has brought revivals as a result of
God’s response which caused gigantic
growth of the Churches.” Prayer is what God
wants His people to offer if they are serious
for the growth of Churches”
Churches”
The Danger of Prayerlessness
1. Prayerlessness is SIN (1
(1 Samuel 12:23)
2. Prayerlessness is IGNRING GOD
Almighty,, which means NEGLECTING in
Almighty
our personal situation and MIISTRY
(Jeremiah 2:13). Therefore, Whenever we
neglect prayer, immediately we switch to
depend (give much attention) on our
Methods and Strategies
Power, Abilities, Successes and
experiences
Possessions and Money we have
3. Prayerlessness blocks our spiritual or
physical prosperity and ministry success
(Jeremiah 10:21)
4. Prayerlessness takes away our right or
privilege of getting what we ought and
intended to get (James 4:2)
5. Prayerlessness allows all the evil to get
into our lives and Churches. And also
eventually those evils will control us/the
Church (Matthew 21:13)
6. Prayerlessness expose us for disastrous
failure (Joshua 7:2-
7:2-5)
7. Prayerlessness create powerless church
pulpits (Luke 4:31-
4:31-37; 5:16; Mark 9:28-
9:28-29)
The currently Shift of center of gravity of
Christianity from North & West to South & East
The South
Evangelicals by
Continent Pie
Chart
Ethiopian Religions in Percentage
Orthodox = 44%
Muslims = 34%
Evangelicals = 19%
Catholics = 1%
Others = 2%
Currently, the Global Christianity is in a
Reverse Situation:-
Situation:- The Good News
1. The resistant regions of the world (The
Arab World ) are now more and more
open up for the Gospel Message than
any region of the world,
world, because of
much prayer offered to God for them.
2. The so called Christian and missionary
sending nations/continents
(Scandinavians, N. America, Europe,
Australia and New Zealand ) are
becoming atheistic and very hard to
reach them with the Gospel
3. The rest of the world is expecting Africa to be the
future hope for global economy and Christian mission
4. The Missionary Receiving Nations (Once the so
Called the Mission Fields) are now becoming
Missionary Sending (Centers for Missionary Force)
5. Therefore, Mission is no more from the West
to the Rest,
Rest, but from everywhere to
everywhere
6.Nowadays mission fields are no more packed with
Mono--colored (white) missionaries and mission
Mono
leaders as it was decades and centuries ago,
ago, but it is
becoming mixture of multicolor missionaries and
mission leaders from all over the world: For example
At one of the mission fields I saw missionaries from
USA, Europe, Japan, Korea, India, China, Ethiopia
A month ago a Nigerian:-
Nigerian:- Dr. Joshua Bugunjoko
became the first Black SIM International Director
7. There is unexpected outpour of Holy Spirit that is
causing extraordinary and unexpected spiritual
movements in Majority (2/3rd)World countries
(Africa, Asia and Latin America).
America).
8. Before communism, China had less than one
million Christians (about 700,000 = 0.7 million)
after 150 years of massive missionary endeavor .
Also there was freedom of worship of Chinese
Church during those days.
9. But After Communism in the midst of severe
persecution of the last 65 years (Since 1947),
1947), there
was an odd episode is taking place in China:-
China:-
Currently the total number Christians has grown to more
than 130,000,000
The Church leaders are planning to send about 500,000
missionaries,, which is 400,000 within China and 100,000
missionaries
outside China.
10. Some of the African Churches are getting out
from their receiving mentality (box) and have
started sending out missionaries out of their
borders. Some of the Models are:-
are:-
South African Churches
Nigerian Churches
Ethiopian Churches (EKHC and MKY),
MKY), and
some of the new upcoming nations
11. The Morning and Mountain Prayer became
peculiar feature of South Korean Churches,
Churches,
which birthed:
Extraordinary Church growth that many local
Churches (not denominations)
denominations) with over 50,000
members; even some with 700,000 members
Sending out of over 25,000 cross-
cross-cultural
missionaries throughout the world,
world, and the number
12. Globally about 180,000 New Christians are Joining
God’s Kingdom Everyday. Some examples are
30,000 New Christians are Joining the Kingdom of God
Everyday
26,000 New Christians in Africa are Joining God’s
Kingdom Everyday
During the last three years (since 2008) over/about 27,000
or more Muslims came to Christ in North Africa
13. There are unnumbered Orthodox and Catholics
priests who are preaching the Gospel and creating
movements throughout the whole globe (Russia,
Ethiopia, Brazil, India and…)
14. It is estimated that there are hundreds of thousands
of Isa Muslims.
15. Also many Sheik, Imams and Hajjes are coming to
the knowledge of Christ. They were once
missionaries of Mohammed, but now becoming
missionaries of Jesus Christ and His Gospel
Good news Regarding the Global
Religions Growth Rate
1. Annually, Evangelical Christianity is growing
by 4.7%
2. Annually, Islam is growing by 2.2%
3. Annually, All Christians are growing by 1.4%
4. Annually, Hinduism is growing by 1.4%
5. Annually, Buddhism is growing by 1.2 %
***Therefore, Evangelical Christianity is
growing annually by > 2 times than Islam,
Islam,
and > 3 times than other major religions of
The Power of
Prayer and The
Prayer of Power
WHY DO WE NEED TO PRAY?
1. The main purpose of prayer is not for achievement of
our needs and accomplishment of our goals,
goals, rather
it is seeking the face of heavenly and lovely Father.
Father.
Therefore, prayer is about bonding and healthy
relationship with our loving Father
2. Healthy Relationship with God needs Bible Based
Communication/prayer for its Effectiveness
Adoration Prayer – Addressing who God is
Repentance Prayer – Addressing who we are
Thanks Giving Prayer-
Prayer- Addressing what God did
Intercession Prayer – Addressing for others
Petition Prayer – Our Dependency on God for our
Warfare Prayer Addressing the enemy
Holy Spirit led/groaning Prayer
3. The Challenge of Global Population explosion for Missions
Compels us to pray earnestly
1. Global population 7.034 Billion = 7,034,000,000
2. 90% unreached/un Evangelized = 6,330,600,000
3. Total Christians (orthodox, Catholic and Evangelicals) = 32%
1. Orthodox and Catholic (Nominal) Christians 22%
1. Orthodox (4%) = 0.28 Billion = 281 million = 281,000,000
2. Catholic (18%) = 1.266Billion = 1,266,000,000
2. Evangelicals/Protestants 10% = 0. 703 Billion = 703,400,000
4. 10/40window – the region of Major Religions – The largest
unreached live here.
1. Muslims 21% = 1.48 billion = 1.477,000,000
2. Hindus = 1 Billion = 1,000,000,000
3. Buddhists = 0.4 Billion = 400,000,000
5. Secularists/Materialists (Faithless) = 1 Billion
6. Others (many minority religions)= 0.9 billion = 900,000,000
Great Challenge and God’s agony
Regarding population explosion
1. 323,000 are born daily
2. 163,000 die everyday
3. 146,000 unbelievers die each day
and go to hell
4. Annually about 53,500,000 people
go to hell without Christ
4. COUNTERACTIG CHALLENGES OF TODAY’S CHURCH
COMPELL US TO PRAY CEASESLY
1. Financial Challenges of growing Churches
2. Carnal competition of believers
3. Busyness (lacking time to pray)
4. Stealing God’s money – Tithe
5. Prayer less Church members - Lacking interest for prayer
6. Gross Immorality
7. Increasing Divorce Rate
8. Homosexuality
9. Alcoholism
10. Drug addiction of Youths
11. Corruption;
12. Modernism and Materialism focused life style
13. Less committed leaders and ministers in the Church
14. Tribal sensitivity than spirituality in the Church
15. Lack of fear of God
16. Ungodly relationships – Ungodly marriage
17. Shallow Christianity (detached from Word and Prayer)
18. Disunity of Church leaders
19. Criticism of members against MINISTERS AND LEADERS
20. Witch crafting of Christians-
Christians- to gain power, success, money
The People groups or Ethne
The Least/Unreached P. Groups
6,700
_____
Total peoples (Tribes) of the World 16,300