1 / 16

PRAYING FOR COMMUNITY

TRANSFORMATION. PRAYING FOR COMMUNITY. INTRODUCTION. Believers have authority to break down principalities and powers of darkness Can bring revival over communities, towns/cities and nations;

rallen
Download Presentation

PRAYING FOR COMMUNITY

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. TRANSFORMATION PRAYING FOR COMMUNITY

  2. INTRODUCTION • Believers have authority to break down principalities and powers of darkness • Can bring revival over communities, towns/cities and nations; • “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds” 2 Cor. 10:4

  3. Basic Understanding • Battle more intense in the heavenlies – Dan 10:12,13 • There are spiritual powers over our towns, cities and communities trying to control – Eph. 6:11 • There is need to be involved in spiritual battle against these powers • Need to break their resistance and bring revival

  4. Biblical Example • God brought back the captivity of Zion (church) – Psalm 126:1-2 • Jews were in physical captivity and had no freedom to serve the lord – Psa. 137:1-4 • Rivers of Babylon refer to this world system that can sweep people out of their places of service to the Lord

  5. Picture of Zion • Zion is different to Israel (Israel are the natural Jewish people) • Zion was a hill within the boundaries of Jerusalem where David put the Ark of the Covenant and pitched a tent over it • Zion speaks of the glory of God, the presence of God and the spiritual heritage of Israel • So we see the spiritual heritage of Israel going into captivity and the glory of the Lord removed

  6. Zion is the Church • Zion is a prophetic name for the Church • It is the vehicle that carries the presence of the Lord today • Its no longer a nation but a spiritual body of God’s people • As local churches we are representatives of Zion in our communities to fully exhibit His Glory in those places

  7. Implications • It is possible for the church to go into captivity in a nation, community. • If the church fails to maintain its position of strength evil forces can cause a spiritual darkness to engulf the city • Believers can almost go underground and shy away from boldly proclaiming the gospel for fear of persecution or victimization

  8. Responsibility of the Church (Zion) • God works through Zion (church) and not for Zion • Sovereign God has invested authority within the church • If church fails to rise up to fulfill its role and mission, she will lose the battle and evil wil prevail over the community • Need to move out of our passive mood and get a battle mentality for Revival times to come upon us

  9. Salt of the Earth • Mat 5:13 You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt loses its savor, with what shall it be saltedecon? It is no longer good for anything, but to be thrown out and to be trodden underfoot by men. • We are the preserving factor in society • All spiritual, moral, social and economic decay over communities are a result of the devil gaining more control over believers and stamping out their influence over the system

  10. Agents of Spiritual darkness - demons • Demons are not all knowing, omnipresent, omnipotent neither can they feel nor act as God does • A ruling spirit can only be at one place at a given time (not omnipresent) • Therefore we can bind, restrict or cast him out at will

  11. Rights of Demons • Cannot move in and take control unless they have a right to do so • We can therefore limit their movements and influences over people’s lives • As creatures of darkness only sin can give them rights over towns, cities or nations • Confession of sin as a community will remove demons’ legal rights over community – Dan 9:3ff

  12. Breaking the Word (Rhema) • Demons can seat outside waiting for an opportunity to get in (1 Pet 5:8) • Devil gains foothold by causing God’s Word to be broken in the area (Heb 1:3) • His Word (Rhema) is a continual life-giving force; creation is held in place by it • When we violate the word of God we violate the source of life and God turns His face away

  13. Taking Action • What would happen if we had a church always praying for salvation in our communities? • What would happen if we had a church that is always moving, preaching the gospel in our communities? • Problem is we have Christians who are doing church instead of doing the work of God: Praying and Preaching (PP)

  14. Daniel’s Prayer – Dan 9:5ff • People had departed from the Word of the Lord • People refused to listen to God’s prophets • As a result the whole nation went into captivity • When the devil succeeds in getting people rebel against God’s Word he can introduce a curse in the area • Curse is when God turns away, and source of life is closed until defilement is removed

  15. Violation of God’s Word • Shedding innocent Blood – Num 35:33-34 • Blood defiles the land and opens door for demonic activities – presence of God leaves 2. Sexual immorality – Lev. 18:1-30 • If land is defiled it will vomit its inhabitants 3. Idolatry – 1 kings 11:4ff • Establishing high places for demonic worship • Such places establish demonic canopy over area • Crime increases, immorality rate increases …

  16. Impact on the Church • Believers gossip and attack one another • Faulty – finding with pastors, elders and leaders in general • Vision introverted – lose vision for the lost • Satan oppresses the church and people don’t know what is happening • Worldly spirit prevails over the church and all forms of sin invade the church

More Related