Your Journey Blog with Gary Rohrmayer

21 Days of Prayer and Fasting

What breakthrough are you seeking?

God’s people all over the world have been seeking spiritual breakthroughs through prayer and fasting since the birth of the church. What is a great matter in front of you? A loved one far from Christ? A critical decision in the life of your family? A relationship that is falling apart?

What great matters are in front of your church or ministry? An evangelistic outreach? A financial crisis? A leadership transition? Missional expansion?

In the 21 Days of Prayer & Fasting guide, Gary Rohrmayer introduces you to the rich spiritual discipline of fasting through the Holy Scriptures and the great Christian thinkers throughout the ages.

Our prayer for you during these 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting is that you will experience a deeper craving for the beauty of the Lord, the wonder of his leading in your life, the fullness of the Holy Spirit and the favor of God as you have never known before.

We invite you, your church leaders, pastors, staff and congregation to join us for 21 Days of Prayer.

Practical Advice for Doing a 21 Day Prayer Campaign

1. Devote one month to this Prayer Initiative – Fall (August, September or October) Winter (January, February or March)
2. Preach a four-week sermon series on prayer:
   • Sermon #1 - Introduction to series and 21-day devotional book.
   • The next three sermons can be ideas from the book to reinforce it in the lives of your people.
3. Read Gary’s Blog – How to Create Momentum for Fall Outreach with your team and see how you can maximize your efforts.
4. Invite them to courageously pray for friends and family who are far from Jesus.
   • Have them generate a list of five friends or family members to pray for during the 21 days.
   • Invite them to courageously pray for a list of church-wide prayer goals.
   • Leadership -  develop five to six prayer goals for the church for your members to pray for during the 21 days.
5. Hold a series of corporate prayer meetings or a concert of prayer.
6. Purchase the 21 Days of Prayer & Fasting books at a discount from Converge MidAmerica to give out free to your people or just simply charge them $1.00.

21 Days of Prayer & Fasting Sermon Ideas

1. Fasting is not an Option, it's an Assumption

 

Text: Mathew 6:16-18

 

Summary: Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote, “Jesus takes it for granted that his disciples will observe the pious custom of fasting. Strict exercise of self-control is an essential feature of the Christian’s life. Such customs have only one purpose – to make the disciples more ready and cheerful to accomplish those things which God would have done.”  We see in our text that Jesus did not say,  "if you fast" but said, "when you fast".  Fasting is not an option but it is an assumption for the serious-minded follower of Jesus.   In our text today we can glean three takeaways concerning fasting from Jesus.

1. Fasting is a discipline that can be turned into a habit. Vs. 16
2. In fasting, it is virtuous to conceal our suffering and discomfort. Vs. 16
3. The rewards of fasting are mysterious. Vs 17-18

Application: For the serious-minded follower of Jesus, fasting is a consistent habit. In a world filled with indulgences we need, on a routine basis, to consciously lay aside our freedoms in Christ for the purpose of seeking the face of God, intimacy with the Son of God and fullness of the Holy Spirit.  How will start making fasting a habit in your life?

 

Invitation: Join us over the next 21 days as we seek the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit through fasting.  Pick up one of the 21 Days of Prayer & Fasting books as we together, as a family of faith, seek to God's face and look to be aligned with His purposes.

 

2. Fasting: Your Antioch Moment

 

Text: Acts 13:1-4

 

Summary: The Church in the City of Antioch is one of the healthiest churches we see in the New Testament.  It was experiencing God's favor and tremendous conversion growth (Acts 11:21). The power of God's grace clearly evident (Acts 11:23).  They were impacting the culture of their city (Acts 11:26) and they experienced deep compassion and generosity (Acts 11:27-30).  Yet the leaders of this church were not satisfied and in Acts 13 we see them worshiping, fasting and praying for God's guidance.  Deep in their spirits, they were longing to answer the question: What is next?  They were a healthy, vibrant local church impacting their community and yet there was a restlessness, an earnest desire to be more and more a part of God's redemptive plan in this world.  This was their Antioch Moment. Here are four things we can learn from their experience when it comes to fasting.

1. Fasting was done in Community.  Vs 1
2. Fasting was not an Option for Followers of Jesus.  Vs. 2-3
3. Fasting, along with worship and prayer was used to seek God's direction. Vs. 2
4. Fasting helped them align their lives and resources with God's purposes. Vs. 3-4 

Application: Have you as a follower of Jesus experienced an Antioch Moment?   Are you dissatisfied with your Christian experience?  Are you asking the question: What's next?  What about us as a church?  Are we ready and willing to ask God want is next for us as a local church?

 

Invitation: Join us over the next 21 days as we trust God for our Antioch Moment.  Pick up one of the 21 Days of Prayer & Fasting books as we together, as a family of faith, seek to God's direction in how we can be more and more active in God's redemptive work in our world.

 

3. True Fasting

 

Text: Zechariah 7:1-14

 

Summary: After 20 years of a frustrating building project, Zechariah encourages God’s people with 8 prophet visions. In hearing these prophetic words of encouragement a delegation is sent to meet with Zechariah with a question about continuing various fasts that were held during the exile. Today I believe there are 4 insights on true fasting we can glean from both their question and Zechariah’s response to this question.

1. True fasting involves: Humbly seeking God’s favor. Vs 2
2. True fasting involves: Moving beyond an empty ritual. Vs 3
3. True fasting involves: Seeks God’s desires above my own. Vs.4-6
4. True fasting involves: Obedience to God’s revealed word. Vs 7-14

Application: Fasting without a humble petition is nothing but an empty ritual. You never see fasting without prayer but you do see prayer without fasting. Fasting is deliberately abstaining from the normal routines of life for the purposes of spending focus time in prayer and the study of God's word as we seek to align our lives God’s purposes.  You can abstain from food, entertainment, social media for the purpose of spending in praying and seeking God.  In this fasting is more about replacing than it is about abstaining. Instead of eating a meal you take your meal time and give it to God through extended prayer and feeding on His Word.  Instead of watching your favorite television program you take that time and offer it to God reflecting on your relationship with Him and your spiritual progress as a disciple.  Fasting without extended times in prayer and God's word is simply a diet.

 

Invitation: Join us over the next 21 days as we trust God for a spiritual breakthrough that will lift us to a new level of faith.  Pick up one of the 21 Days of Prayer & Fasting books as we together, as a family of faith, seek to intensify our prayers with fasting.

 

4. Fastings Strengthens our Prayers

 

Text: Selected

 

Summary:  Strengthening our prayer life through fasting is one of the ways that helps us align our lives and our churches in what God is doing around us. There are several biblical reasons why one should engage in a personal fast. One of those is to strengthen our prayer life. Ezra says that the people of God, "...fasted and petitioned God…" (Ezra 8:23) to overcome the challenges that they were facing.

Nehemiah testifies to the fact that he "fasted and prayed before the God of heaven." (Nehemiah 1:4) as he responded to God’s call on his life.

Daniel also strengthened his prayer life as he devoted himself to God "...in prayer, petition, in fasting…" (Daniel 9:3).

Isaiah wrote that one of the results of true fasting would be God breaking through in our lives. “Then your light will break forth like the dawn…then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday” (Isaiah 58:8-10) By aligning our hearts with God through fasting we find ourselves consumed by His resplendent nature. This breakthrough comes when He strengthens our prayers and He burst through the darkness of our confusion with the light of His love, joy, and peace. 

How does fasting strengthen our prayers?

1. It brings us to a stronger sense of humility & dependence on God and God alone to provide.  (Psalm 69:10)
2. It heightens the seriousness of our prayers. (I Samuel 7:6)
3. It creates a new level of urgency for prayer and God’s answer. (Ezra 8:23)
4. It brings a greater sense of focus & clarity to our prayers. (Psalm 35:13)
5. It removes all the fluff in our prayers. (Psalm 35:13)
6. It can lead to a deeper level of community with those who join us in our fasting & praying.  (Nehemiah 9:1-3)

Application: Will you make fasting a regular habit in your prayer life?  It will definitely change the way you pray!  Donald Whitney writes, "Fasting does not change God’s hearing so much as it changes our praying." 

Invitation: Over the last 21 days we have trusted God for a spiritual breakthrough.   It has been our prayer that you would receive a fasting testimony.  Would you take time this week and share with us how God has revealed Himself to you over the last 21 days?

 

 

Strengthening Your Prayers through Fasting

Strengthening our prayer life through fasting is one of the ways that helps us align our lives and our churches in what God is doing around us. There are several biblical reasons why one should engage in a personal fast. One of those is to strengthen our prayer life. Ezra says that the people of God, "...fasted and petitioned God…" (Ezra 8:23) to overcome the challenges that they were facing.

Nehemiah testifies to the fact that he "fasted and prayed before the God of heaven." (Nehemiah 1:4) as he responded to God’s call on his life.

Daniel also strengthened his prayer life as he devoted himself to God "...in prayer, petition, in fasting…" (Daniel 9:3).

Isaiah wrote that one of the results of true fasting would be God breaking through in our lives. “Then your light will break forth like the dawn…then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday” (Isaiah 58:8-10) By aligning our hearts with God through fasting we find ourselves consumed by His resplendent nature. This breakthrough comes when He strengthens our prayers and He burst through the darkness of our confusion with the light of His love, joy, and peace. 

How does fasting strengthen our prayers?

Donald Whitney writes, "Fasting does not change God’s hearing so much as it changes our praying." I believe it changes our praying in several ways:

• It brings us to a stronger sense of humility & dependence on God and God alone to provide.  (Psalm 69:10)

• It heightens the seriousness of our prayers. (I Samuel 7:6)

• It creates a new level of urgency for prayer and God’s answer. (Ezra 8:23)

• It brings a greater sense of focus & clarity to our prayers. (Psalm 35:13)

• It removes all the fluff in our prayers. (Psalm 35:13)

• It can lead to a deeper level of community with those who join us in our fasting & praying.  (Nehemiah 9:1-3)

Arthur Walls writes, "Fasting is calculated to bring a note of urgency and importunity into our praying, and to give force to our pleading in the court of heaven. The man who prays with fasting is giving heaven notice that he is truly in earnest." 

21 Days of Prayer

21 Days of Prayer Campaigns

This summer I have been reading a short biography on Charles H. Spurgeon. When he was given a three-month trial preaching opportunity as a 19-year-old preacher at New Park Street Church in London, his first task was that his church of 80 people would learn how to truly pray. Spurgeon said, “I can readily tell when a brother is praying, or when he is performing, or playing at prayer… Oh for a living groan!  One sigh of the soul has more power in it than half an hour’s recitation of pretty pious words!”

Pastor, are you leading your church to really pray?

21 Days of Prayer is an opportunity for you, as the Pastor to lead your church to a deeper level of prayer.

Why 21 Days?

The Prophet Daniel, who was deeply concerned over the spiritual condition of his people, prayed and fasted for 21 days (Daniel 10:1-3). There are certain seasons in our lives that we need to give focused attention to the spiritual needs of our family, church, and community. During the 21 Days of Prayer, you will teach your people how to truly pray to God privately and also how to petition Him publicly.

Privately and Publicly

You can teach your people how to start their day off with prayer through a 21 Days of Prayer Devotional Guide. In addition, this year we will be providing print copies or downloadable copies of 0ur devotional guides entitled: 21 Dangerous Prayers, 21 Courageous Prayers and 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting.  Each of these has a resource page to help you plan a comprehensive campaign.

You can teach your people how to pray publicly in holding a series of prayer meetings. Some churches hold prayer meetings Monday through Friday at 6am-7am with a Saturday prayer meeting from 9am-10am. Other churches pick one morning a week and one evening a week for special corporate prayer meetings. Others will turn their regular meeting into focused times of guided prayer.

Here is a simple outline for a guided prayer session:

• Worship: Two songs to get us God-focused
• Devotional: Five Minutes to get people’s hearts spurred on to pray
• Prayer: Forty-five minutes for individuals to pray alone or to pray in groups. Provide specific corporate prayer requests.
• Commissioning Prayer: 3-5 minute pastoral prayer sending them out for the day

This fall, we are challenging each Converge MidAmerica Pastor or church planter to lead their church through some form of a 21 Days of Prayer.  If you are planning a 21 Days of Prayer, please inform our office so that we can be praying for you and your church during the season.

May we teach our church how to pray like King David:

“With my voice, I cry out to the Lord; with my voice, I plead for mercy to the Lord.
I pour out my complaint before him; I tell my trouble before him” (Psalm 142:1-2).

May we learn how to groan, cry and assault heaven with petitions and pleas! 

Twenty Years and Counting!

Twenty years ago I left the pastoral ministry of the local church. There is not a day that goes by that I think about going back into the pastorate.  If I could be a regional leader and a pastor of a local church I would do it in a heartbeat.

This year we are celebrating the twenty-year mark of serving with Converge MidAmerica. When I entered this ministry a well-known church planting leader told me, “Gary, remember movements are messy!  They are filled with all sorts of victories, setbacks, and defeats.  Don’t let the messiness of church planting and regional ministry distract you from moving forward in God’s mission.”

Taking three steps forward and two steps backward are all because we are in a battle, a spiritual battle of epic proportions!  The Apostle Paul wrote, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”  (Ephesians 6:12)  The Apostle Peter wrote these words to young leaders, “Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”  (I Peter 5:8)   The enemy wants to not only attack churches but he wants to destroy the future of the church and its young leaders. 

I have seen those spiritual attacks come in a variety of stages: 1) The enemy tries to discourage the leader, 2) if he cannot discourage them then he tries to distract them from God’s mission with all sorts of good, well-meaning activities, 3) if he cannot distract them then he tries to derail them. The enemy tries to derail through a variety of temptations that attack the spiritual, moral, ethical, and relational fiber of a leader.  4) If the enemy cannot derail them, then he seeks to disqualify them from ministry by destroying their soul, their ministry and all those touched by their ministry. 5) Being disqualified is the way the enemy ultimately devours us in ministry.

Not only do the setbacks and defeats come because we are in a spiritual war they also come to keep the leaders humble, broken and surrendered.   David Yonggi Cho wrote, “The lesson of brokenness is not a popular one today. People only want to know how to be successful, Yet, I have learned that success does not come by learning easy formulas or principles: We must learn the secret of brokenness, which gives us more grace. It is that grace that grants us ultimate success.” 

The Apostle James addressed the issue of brokenness, “But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’ Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up" (James 4:7-10).

Brokenness keeps us from trusting in our success.  Brokenness keeps us clinging to our Savior.  Brokenness keeps us completely surrendered.

Over the last twenty years, I can say that I have experienced more of the grace of God.  It is only by the grace of God I have been able to keep my head in the game of this type of ministry and it will only be by the grace of God that we will see His Kingdom expanded and reach the 400 Strong Churches Vision.

So we praise God not only for the victories but also the rejoice in setbacks and even defeats!

I am humbled and honored to serve our pastors and churches in this role. I look forward to experiencing more and more of God's grace in the messiness of ministry.

21 Dangerous Prayers Campaign Resources

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“This my God is my prayer. Draw me from Your fire, form me on Your anvil, shape me with Your hands and let me be Your tool.” – Max Lucado

Dangerous Prayers! Can prayer be dangerous? Is prayer supposed to be dangerous? Any encounter with a Holy God can be dangerous—not in a life-threatening way, but in a way that can be life-altering and soul-shaping.

All too often we pray safe prayers: God bless me. God help me. God protect me. God heal me. God, provide for me.

Dangerous prayers are risky and life-stretching. Dangerous prayers come out of a spirit of brokenness. Dangerous prayers are filled with boldness and daring faith.

My most dangerous prayers have come in moments of deep frustration and seasons of brokenness. I pray more dangerously when I need to experience God’s light in my soul, His power in my ministry, and His leading for the future.

Over the next 21 days, we are going to explore the dangerous prayers that have been prayed by God’s people for thousands of years. We trust God will meet you in a dangerous and life-transforming manner. We pray that you will not be the same and that your family, neighborhood, workplace, and church will be impacted because you personally have met with God.

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Practical Advice for Doing a 21 Day Prayer Campaign

1. Devote one month to this Prayer Initiative – Fall (August, September or October) Winter (January, February or March)

2. Preach a four-week sermon series on prayer:

• Sermon #1 - Introduction to series and hand out the 21-day devotional book.
• The next three sermons can be ideas from the book to reinforce it in the lives of your people. See samples below.

3. Read Article – How to Create Momentum for Outreach with your team and see how you can maximize your efforts.

4. Invite them to courageously pray for friends and family who are far from Jesus.

• Have them generate a list of 5 friends or family to pray for during the 21 days.

5. Invite them to dangerously pray for a list of church-wide prayer goals.

• Leadership Team develops 5-6 prayer goals for the church members to pray for during the 21 days.
• Sample:

i. Pray for a revival to breakthrough our church.

ii. Pray for a spiritual awakening to happen throughout our community.

iii. Pray for the youth outreaches or retreats or special activities.

iv. Pray for our pastoral staff that God would empower then (Ephesians 3:15)

v. Pray for the following cities as week seek to see a new church started there too see God’s kingdom expanded.

vi. Pray for our missionaries that God will give them favor and effectiveness in their work. (list them)

6. Hold a series of corporate prayer meetings or a concert of prayer.

7. Purchase the 21 Dangerous Prayers Books at cost and give out free to your people or merely charge them $1.00.

• Quantity Discounts

i. 0-49 - $1.45 per book (Plus Shipping)

ii. 50+ - $1.00 per book (Plus Shipping)

• Purchase 21 Dangerous Prayers
• Purchase Kindle Version 21 Dangerous Prayers Kindle

8. Share your Dangerous Prayer Stories with us.  [email protected]

21 Dangerous Prayers Sermon Ideas

Sermon # 1 – What is Dangerous Prayer?

Text: Genesis 32:22-32

Summary: Take Jacob, for instance, who wrestled with God out of great frustration and the paralyzing fear of meeting his brother Esau. He clung to God in prayer as a wrestler grappling with his opponent—and in the process, he was changed profoundly (Genesis 32:22-32).

Dangerous Prayers:

• Mark our lives. As Jacob was humbled physically, he was reminded that he was also changed spiritually (vs.25, 31).

• Change our identities. Jacob received a new name, which reminded him that his identity was in God and not in his birthright (vs. 28).

• Draw us closer to God. Jacob came face to face with God. As God’s great mercy was revealed, Jacob experienced a deeper sense of intimacy (vs. 30).

• Impact the community of faith. This event in Jacob’s life was memorialized to remind us that when the leader is changed, it affects the people they are leading (vs. 32).

Application: When was the last time you prayed dangerously?

Invitation: Over the next 21 days we are going to explore the dangerous prayers that have been prayed by God’s people for thousands of years. We trust God will meet you in a life-transforming manner. We pray that you will not be the same and that your family, neighborhood, workplace, and church will be impacted because you personally have met with God.

Sermon #2 - “Lord, Search Me.”

Text: Psalm 139:23-24; Jeremiah 17:9-10

Summary: Confessional prayers allow God to breathe into your life. When you invite His holiness, righteousness, and glory to invade your being, He reveals your needs and any obstacles that are hindering your growth and usefulness in His mission.

There is no room for morbid introspection in the life of a follower of Jesus. Why? Because when we search our own hearts, we can quickly fall into self-deception. Jeremiah wrote, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” He continues, “I the LORD search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit

of his deeds” (Jeremiah 17:9-10). Only God is qualified to search our hearts correctly.

David’s prayer acknowledges God’s searching power, admits that we are so easily deceived, and humbly submits to God’s truth rather than our feelings or perceptions.

Application: When David prays, “see if there is any grievous or painful way in me,” he is asking God to reveal to him those “blind spots” or unknown areas of his life that are hindering him from experiencing the fullness of God in his soul and God’s pleasing path of blessing. Find time today to ask God to search you and show you His way:

Sermon #3 “Lord, Break Me.”

Text: Psalm 27

Summary: Transformational prayers allow God to shape and mold us. They seek God’s sanctifying power, strength, and grace as we work out the gospel in our lives through confession and repentance. They find God’s leading by submitting to His Word and surrendering to His ways.

Choosing the higher road in relationships can be dangerous. But it is the only way God wants us to live. You cannot control the way people treat you, but you can control how you respond to their treatment.

King David was a man who suffered the ill-treatment of King Saul. At the time of this prayer, he was running for his life by hiding in caves and retreating into the wilderness. David prayed for God to show him the level path and teach him how to walk on it. He prayed that God would reveal the right thing to do in the midst of these unfortunate circumstances. God answered him by saying, “Wait! Wait on me!” (Psalm 27:14).

Waiting on the Lord is courageously trusting God to deal with your enemies. When we learn to wait on the Lord, we find the strength to take the high road in our relationships.

Application: Let’s be dangerous today by asking God to show us how to take the high road in our difficult relationships.

Sermon #4 “Lord, Send Me.”

Text: Isaiah 6:1-8

Summary: Missional prayers align us with God’s purposes. They teach us to rest in God’s power and presence as we advance His mission and promote His Glory. They position us to be usable by God in any way possible.

What happened in Isaiah’s life to make him willingly volunteer to be God’s man in any tough situation?

•    First, his heart was changed by the presence of God. God engulfed him with His holiness as he worshipped the Lord in the temple (vs. 1-4).

•    Second, his heart became aware of his sinfulness and his personal need for God’s cleansing forgiveness (vs. 5).

•    Third, his heart was broken by the condition of God’s people and their need for God’s word (vs. 5).

•    Finally, his heart was touched by God’s cleansing fire (vs. 6-7).

Accepting God’s assignment needs to be rooted in a profound experience with God. God’s assignments are miraculous in nature, and only God can change a human heart. Only God can cleanse a sinner and bring revival to a human heart and nation of people.

Application: Isaiah prayed this dangerous prayer because he experienced a dangerous and yet merciful God. Take time today to seek the Lord and listen for His specific assignment for you.

Other Materials:

Free Sermon Series Package: “Dangerous Prayers”

LifeChurch.TV “Believe your big risks will be rewarded. Believe what you ask for is possible. If you’re ready to see a spark in your life, pray boldly. Pray daringly. Pray with fire. And remember God’s listening to your Dangerous Prayers. This three-week series teaches us to pray bold prayers “.

This sermon package includes:

• Series artwork
• Countdown video
• Loop video
• Bulletin outlines
• Message videos
• Preaching outlines
• Transcripts
• Talk it over PDFs

Get Download Now

10 Commandments for Dealing with the Opposite Sex Properly

In light of recent events with prominent pastors, I thought it would be good to repost an article I wrote ten years ago.

Over 20 years ago I read Rick Warren’s 10 commandments for dealing with opposite sex for ministry staff.  It has served me and others well over the years.

I thought I would give it a shot at updating this information in light of the changes in our culture and technology that are facing ministers of all ages.

1. You will not go to lunch or meet for coffee alone with the opposite sex.*
2. You will not have the opposite sex pick you up or drive you places when it is just the two of you.*
3. You will not kiss any attendee of the opposite sex or show affection that could be questioned.*
4. You will not visit the opposite sex alone at home.*
5. You will not counsel or mentor the opposite sex alone at the office, and I will not counsel or mentor the opposite sex more than once without that person’s mate.  Refer them.
6. You will not discuss detailed sexual problems with the opposite sex in counseling.  Refer them.
7. You will not discuss your marriage problems with an attendee of the opposite sex.
8. You will be careful in answering emails, instant messages, texts, Facebook chats, online chat rooms, cards or letters from the opposite sex and you will notify your spouse and your supervisor if you receive anything of a questionable nature.
9. You will make your co-workers and team members a protective ally.
10. You will pray for the integrity of other staff members and leaders in the church.

[*The first four do not apply to unmarried staff.  Source:  Pastors.com]

Sexual temptations are lurking around every corner of our lives today!  Resisting the temptation to gratify the flesh is a full-time job. 

We need to learn how to rehearse the melody of the gospel in our lives like a classical musician rehearses a beautiful sonata. 

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.  It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope – the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.  Titus 2:11-14 

Visit Spiritual Warfare on the Church.

21 Courageous Prayers - New Book Release

“When entering the prayer chamber, we must come filled with faith and armed with courage.” - A. W. Tozer 

 

We live in times where God’s people must find a greater level of courage in order to see God’s blessings in their lives and the gospel advance in our world.

For church leaders, courageous faith is imperative if the church is going to make inroads into our culture today. There is no room for cowardice, timidity, or faintheartedness when we face resistance to the gospel.

Our prayer for you during these 21 days is that you would get a bigger picture of who God is and what He wants to accomplish in your life. Our hope is that God will infuse your heart with a courageous faith and fill your mouth with courageous prayers as you trust His promises, rely on His power, and experience His presence.

In 21 Courageous Prayers, Gary Rohrmayer introduces you to the spiritual discipline of reading, meditating on, and praying through the book of Psalms. Our hope is that this 21-day journey will turn into a 365-day spiritual habit.

Practical Advice for Doing a 21 Day Prayer Campaign

1. Devote one month to this Prayer Initiative – Fall (August, September or October) Winter (January, February or March)
2. Preach a four-week sermon series on prayer:
   • Sermon #1 - Introduction to series and 21-day devotional book.
   • The next three sermons can be ideas from the book to reinforce it in the lives of your people.
3. Read Gary’s Blog – How to Create Momentum for Fall Outreach with your team and see how you can maximize your efforts.
4. Invite them to courageously pray for friends and family who are far from Jesus.
   • Have them generate a list of five friends or family members to pray for during the 21 days.
   • Invite them to courageously pray for a list of church-wide prayer goals.
   • Leadership -  develop five to six prayer goals for the church for your members to pray for during the 21 days.
5. Hold a series of corporate prayer meetings or a concert of prayer.
6. Purchase the 21 Courageous Prayers books at a discount from Converge MidAmerica to give out free to your people or just simply charge them $1.00.

Purchase Here

21 Courageous Prayers Sermon Ideas

Sermon #1 - Courage: Where do I find it?

Text: Joshua 1:1-9

 

Summary: Fear can have a positive effect on our lives and our churches if leveraged appropriately. Fear can propel us into the arms of God. It can drive us toward deeper community and dependence on the body of Christ. Fear can raise our level of faith and reveal the depth of our courage.

 

Courage is not the absence of fear; courage is the conquest of fear.

 

Where does courage come from? I believe courage comes from God. It is interesting that the subject of fear is addressed over 500 times in the Bible.  So, when God commands us, “Do not be afraid,” He is promising to give us the courage to overcome the fears we face. Joshua is a great example of a young leader called to get God’s people moving again. They were a people who were stuck, who were paralyzed by their fears and living with the cowardly choices of their past. God promised Joshua a victory: “I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses” (Joshua 1:3). God told him no one could stop him. “No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Joshua 1:5). God promised to be with him every step of the way. “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9).

 

Application: Where does courage come from? It comes from trusting God’s promises, relying on God’s power, and experiencing God’s presence.

 

Invitation:  Join us over the next 21 days as we trust God to transform our fears into a more bolder faith.  Pick up one of the 21 Courageous Prayers books as we together, as a family of faith, seek to embolden our prayers with courageous fire from heaven.

 

Sermon #2 – The Lord Is My Rock 

Text: Psalm 18:31-33

 

Summary:  In times of danger, when under attack from enemies or even large predators, people in the ancient world sought out large rocks for safety and security. Because of their massive size and elevation, these rocks provided perspective. They offered a clear view of the enemy’s approach. They also provided protection, a firm place to stand while the enemy struggled to access the rock face. King David, remembering God’s deliverance from his enemies, declares out of a heart of worship that God is his living rock! God is the rock who gives us a clear vantage point when life does not go our way, and God is the rock who provides a place of sure footing so we can stand with confidence when our world gets shaky. “And who is the Rock except our God? It is God who arms me with strength and keeps my way secure. He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he causes me to stand on the heights” (Psalm 18:31–33). There is nothing more powerful than when the Lord our Rock provides a rock-solid viewpoint from a safe place.

 

Application: King David prays a courageous prayer: “Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer. From the ends of the earth, I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I” (Psalm 62:1–2). When life gets shaky, where do you seek perspective? When your world is crashing in on you, where do you run for protection?

 

Sermon #3 - The Lord Is My Portion and Cup – Psalm 16

Text: Psalm 16:1-11

 

Summary:  There is nothing more invigorating than a cool drink of mountain spring water after a long day of hiking in arid and mountainous conditions. It refreshes and rejuvenates our bodies.

 

In this psalm, King David reflects on life, death, security, and fulfillment. When he writes about God being his portion and cup, he sees God as the only one who can satisfy his soul and completely refresh his spirit.

 

This world trains us to be or find our own source of satisfaction. In essence, we try filling up our cups with entertainment and activities that leave us empty and thirsting for more. Yet we are made by God to find our satisfaction and fulfillment in Him alone.

 

When the Lord is portion and cup, my thoughts are filled with God (v. 7), my eyes are focused on the Lord, my life is secure (v. 8), my words are filled with worship (v. 9), my future is filled with hope (v. 10), my path is sure, my joy is complete, and my heart is eternally satisfied (v. 11).

 

Application: A soul filled with God is the fuel for praying courageously.  What really brings satisfaction to your life? Are you satisfied enough with God to pray courageously?

 

Sermon #4 - The Lord Is My Shepherd – Psalm 23

Text: Psalm 23:1-7

 

Summary: The 20 metaphors concerning God’s character and care for His people can all be summed up in these eight powerful words: “The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing.”

 

Before King David became a ruler, he was first a shepherd. He knew how to tend a flock of sheep; he led them, guided them, protected them, fed them, and disciplined them. The connection between the shepherd and his sheep was deep and intimate because the financial future of his family depended on their care. David’s declaration of God as his shepherd is filled with a lot of emotional intensity and spiritual humility. The king had to admit he was a sheep in need of a shepherd. Any ranch hand will tell you that sheep are the dumbest animals God created. They mindlessly wander from safety, are always getting hurt or lost, and get into life-threatening situations. It’s as if David is saying, “The older I get, the more I need a shepherd to guide me, protect me, and care for me because I am just as impulsive, senseless, and foolish as the sheep I once cared for.”

 

For God’s sheep to experience the Shepherd’s care, they must submit, yield, and follow. Ray Steadman wrote, “If the Lord is my shepherd, then I shall not want; but if I am in want, then it is obvious that the Lord is not my shepherd. It is that simple. If emptiness, loneliness, despair, and frustration exist in our lives, then the Lord is not our shepherd. Or if anyone or anything else is shepherding us, we are never satisfied.”

 

Application: When you pray, do you appeal to the nature of God’s character?  Is your prayer needs causing you to grow in intimate dependence on God’s character, God’s word, and God’s presence?

 

Creating Spiritual Momentum in Your Church

“Momentum...it's God's work. Spiritual leaders can neither create a movement of God's Spirit nor control it. But a leader should build an atmosphere charged with a desire for spiritual momentum”.  Wayne Schmidt

As we embark on a new ministry year, all of us will be seeking a unique breakthrough whether personally, or corporately as a church to move us to a new level of impact and fruitfulness. 

God's people have been seeking spiritual breakthrough for generations through the practice of prayer and fasting. Some examples are Moses, David, Isaiah, John the Baptist, Paul, and Barnabas just to name of few. Yet our supreme example is our Savior. He set the example by fasting for 40 days in the wilderness and also through his clear instruction on the subject.

Here are five reasons why pastors should call their church to a corporate season of fasting that will create an atmosphere of spiritual momentum.

1) It’s a biblical practice.

Jesus did not say to his disciples "if" you fast but he said "when" you fast. (Matthew 6:16) 'If' is optional but “when” assumptive. Jesus assumed the continued practice of fasting with their prayers. It is a spiritual discipline to be employed by the church as a regular practice. When fasting is a regular habit it keeps our hearts tender towards God.

2) It creates community.

As a community of believers, we need to fight spiritual battles with spiritual weapons. When we do, there is spiritual bonding that takes places which strengthens our sense of community. Public fasts were declared under great times of stress and need by Samuel (1 Samuel 7:6), Ezra (Ezra 8:1), Nehemiah (Nehemiah 9:1) and Joel (Joel 1:14). The leaders in the Antioch Church worshipped, prayed and fasted together in seeking God's leading (Act 13:1-3). Paul and Barnabas continued this practice as the appointed elders in the new churches (Acts 14:23). When it is a regular part of the church’s calendar, it births deep connections in God's family.

3) It reinforces spiritual disciplines.

When in your preaching calendar do you take people deeper in their relationship with God? One of the marks of a missional Christian is that there is evidence of craving and experiencing spiritual intimacy with God through the practice of spiritual disciplines. When fasting is addressed from the pulpit it reminds disciples of their need to be disciplined in their daily walk.

4) It generates spiritual dependence.

It is too easy to do ministry in our own strength but in doing so we will only achieve results that will impress the man and not God. Crying out for God to do the spiritually impossible is the key to experiencing spiritual breakthroughs. Fasting is a physical activity that keeps us focused on the spiritual. When fasting is regularly practiced, it reminds us that spiritual victories are fought and attained in the heavens first. (Psalm 20:7).

5) It produces humility.

Pride is an infectious problem that spreads through the hearts of all men. Pride produces a strong reaction from God. He will directly and firmly battle against the proud (Proverbs 3:34; James 4:4). King David used fasts to humble himself before God the true King (Psalm 35:14). When fasting is a practice, it can lead to a humble soul who experiences the favor of God (I Peter 5:5).

Will you join us? Pastor, will you lead your church to join us as we kick off the year with a prayer and fasting emphasis?

Check out our resource pages to help lead your church through a 21 Day Prayer Emphasis.  21 Dangerous Prayers, 21 Courageous Prayers and 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting.  Each of these has a resource page to help you plan a comprehensive campaign

21 Dangerous Prayers - New Book Release

Dangerous Prayers! Can prayer be dangerous? Is prayer supposed to be dangerous? Any encounter with a Holy God can be dangerous—not in a life-threatening way, but in a way that can be life altering and soul shaping.

All too often we pray safe prayers: God bless me. God help me. God protect me. God heal me. God provide for me.

Dangerous prayers are risky and life stretching. Dangerous prayers come out of a spirit of brokenness. Dangerous prayers are filled with boldness and daring faith.

In this 21-Day Devotional Guide we are going to explore the dangerous prayers that have been prayed by God’s people for thousands of years. We trust God will meet you in a dangerous and life-transforming manner. We pray that you will not be the same and that your family, neighborhood, work place, and church will be impacted because you personally have met with God.

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The Ministry of Prayer

When I entered ministry I was given a book on prayer by E.M Bounds.  His writing on prayer laid a foundation for me which impacts all everything that I do.

Here is a excerpt his book The Possibilities of Prayer

THE ministry of prayer has been the peculiar distinction of all of God's saints. This has been the secret of their power. The energy and the soul of their work has been the closet. The need of help outside of man being so great, man's natural inability to always judge kindly, justly, and truly, and to act the Golden Rule, so prayer is enjoined by Christ to enable man to act in all these things according to the divine will. By prayer, the ability is secured to feel the law of love, to speak according to the law of love, and to do everything in harmony with the law of love.

God can help us. God is a father. We need God's good things to help us to "do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly before God." We need divine aid to act brotherly, wisely, and nobly, and to judge truly, and charitably. God's help to do all these things in God's way is secured by prayer. "Ask, and ye shall receive; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you."

In the marvelous output of Christian graces and duties, the result of giving ourselves wholly to God, recorded in the twelfth chapter of Romans, we have the words, "Continuing instant in prayer," preceded by "rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation," followed by, "Distributing to the necessity of the saints, given to hospitality." Paul thus writes as if these rich and rare graces and unselfish duties, so sweet, bright, generous, and unselfish, had for their center and source the ability to pray.

This is the same word which is used of the prayer of the disciples which ushered in Pentecost with all of its rich and glorious blessings of the Holy Spirit. In Colossians, Paul presses the word into the service of prayer again, "Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving." The word in its background and root means strong, the ability to stay, and persevere steadfast, to hold fast and firm, to give constant attention to.

In Acts, chapter six, it is translated, "Give ourselves continually to prayer." There is in it constancy, courage, unfainting perseverance. It means giving such marked attention to, and such deep concern to a thing, as will make it conspicuous and controlling.

This is an advance in demand on "continue." Prayer is to be incessant, without intermission, earnestly, no check in desire, in spirit or in act, the spirit and the life always in the attitude of prayer. The knees may not always be bent, the lips may not always be vocal with words of prayer, but the spirit is always in the act of prayer.

There ought to be no adjustment of life or spirit for closet hours. The closet spirit should sweetly rule and adjust all times and occasions. Our activities and work should be performed in the same spirit which makes our devotion and closet time sacred. "Without intermission, incessantly, earnestly," describes an opulence, and energy, and unabated and ceaseless strength and fullness of effort; like the full and exhaustless and spontaneous flow of an artesian stream. Touch the man of God who thus understands prayer, at any point, at any time, and a full current of prayer is seen flowing from him.

But all these untold benefits, of which the Holy Spirit is made to us the conveyor, go back in their disposition and results to prayer. Not on a little process and a mere performance of prayer is the coming of the Holy Spirit and of his great grace conditioned, but on prayer set on fire, by an unquenchable desire, with such a sense of need as cannot be denied, with a fixed determination which will not let go, and which will never faint till it wins the greatest good and gets the best and last blessing God has in store for us.

The first Christ, Jesus, our great high priest, forever blessed and adored be his name, was a gracious comforter, a faithful guide, a gifted teacher, a fearless advocate, a devoted friend, and an all-powerful intercessor. The other, "another comforter," the Holy Spirit, comes into all these blessed relations of fellowship, authority and aid, with all the tenderness, sweetness, fulness and efficiency of the first Christ.

Was the first Christ, the Christ of prayer? Did he offer prayers and supplications, with strong crying and tears unto God? Did he seek the silence, the solitude and the darkness that he might pray unheard and unwitnessed save by heaven, in his wrestling agony, for man with God? Does he ever live, enthroned above at the Father's right hand, there to pray for us?

Then how truly does the other Christ, the other comforter, the Holy Spirit, represent Jesus Christ as the Christ of prayer! This other Christ, the comforter, plants himself not in the waste of the mountain nor far into the night, but in the chill and the night of the human heart, to rouse it to the struggle, and to teach it the need and form of prayer. How the divine comforter, the spirit of truth, puts into the human heart the burden of earth's almighty need, and makes the human lips give voice to its mute and unutterable groanings!

What a mighty Christ of prayer is the Holy Spirit! How he quenches every flame in the heart but the flame of heavenly desire! How he quiets, like a weaned child, all the self-will, until in will, in brain, and in heart, and by mouth, we pray only as he prays. "Making intercession for the saints, according to the will of God."  (HT)