Over three sessions Sept. 6 at the SCBC’s 2012 “A Day of Prayer,” former International Mission Board president Jerry Rankin spoke about praying to change the world, overcoming obstacles to victorious prayer, and intimacy with God. Here are key points of his presentations:
– Too much of our prayer is self-centered. It should begin with our confession and getting right with God. Then, our prayers should move to praying for the world.
– Too many times we wonder why God doesn’t answer our prayers. God is answering our prayers, but maybe not how we want them answered. Perhaps we aren’t listening; we aren’t responding as God is calling us.
– Prayer is not a legalistic discipline, but a relationship with God. With God, you plan together, share together, and walk through life together.
– A personal relationship with God is reflected in communication, authentic worship, and knowing and doing God’s will. Prayer is a hollow sham when it’s an exercise out of the context of a relationship with God.
– Too much of our praying is with blinders on and a self-centered focus on what God ought to do toward aligning himself with our solution. God calls us to himself, not to a place. When you and I respond to the lordship of Christ, we don’t hold onto our plans.
– Prayer aligns us with God. We should pray, “God, just give me You; don’t give me the strength or provide my needs. Just give me You.”
– God cannot entrust leadership, responsibility, and power in someone who is casual about their relationship with God, someone who doesn’t live with a constant yearning for God.
– A crisis is an opportunity for God to work in our world and in our lives. God is moving in unprecedented ways throughout the world today.
– God is using crisis to turn the hearts of people to hope and security that only he can provide. – SCBC