Living For Such a Time as This

Henry Blackaby FCCI 2007 International Conference.

 

A Time of Prayer

 

Suggested Reading:

Experiencing Prayer with Jesus

The Man God Would Use

 


Philippians 2:5 - 8 (NASB) 5Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,  6who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped,  7but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.  8Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 

 

Life of Jesus was primarily a life of Prayer.  We should take note of this and watch Jesus and how He prayed and do as He did.

 


Matthew 3:13 - 17 (NASB) 13Then Jesus arrived* from Galilee at the Jordan coming to John, to be baptized by him.  14But John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?”  15But Jesus answering said to him, “Permit it at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he permitted* Him.  16After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him,  17and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is £My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.”

 

This event brought the enabling power and presence of the Holy Spirit upon Jesus and brought Him into His ministry.

 


Acts 1:8 (NASB) 8but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”

 


Acts 2:1 - 4 (NASB) 1When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all praying together in one place.  2And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.  3And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them.  4And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.

 

This is the Church’s enabling and empowering encounter with the Holy Spirit.  Notice they were praying together.  Persistent prayer the Father will answer speedily.

 

God doesn’t want your abilities, He wants your availability.  Henry told of a U.N. meeting where he met the ambassador from the Sudan.  He knew of the seriousness of the Darfur situation and saw the sadness in the ambassador’s eyes.  He met with the ambassador after the meeting and spoke with him.  The ambassador told Henry of his intent to quit.  Henry told him that God had called him to that post to share his sorrow to the rest of the world.

 


John 17:20 - 23 (NASB) 20“I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word;  21that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me. 22“The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one;  23I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me. 

 

Jesus wants us to share His joy, love, peace to a dying world and we can only do that as we become one with Him.  Prayer is a prime way to do that.