Sermon by Pastor Ng Swee Ming on 8th Jan 2012

2. Duncan
Campbell
Berneray
HEBRIDES
REVIVAL
1949-1952

3. "For I will pour water
hebrides revival upon him that is
1949-1952 thirsty, and floods
upon the dry ground:"
–Isaiah 44:3a.
Peggy & Christine Smith:
They Prayed A Promise

4. Psalms 23:3-6
23:3-
“Who shall ascend the
hill…..”
"Oh God, are my
hands clean?
Is my heart pure?"

5. hebrides revival
1949-1952

6. 2012 Theme :
TRANSFORMATION
THRU’PRAYER
Col. 4:2 Devote yourselves to prayer,
being watchful and thankful.
Our VISION

7. Transformation Thru’ Prayer
Part I : Praying Like Jesus
• What is Prayer ?
– Conversation with God
“Talking to the Father,
through the Son by the Holy
Spirit”
• Why Pray ?
–Jesus Himself prayed, also
taught and expected his
followers to PRAY …

8. Part I : Praying Like Jesus
Praying
At all times …
On all occasions
For all people
With the ‘Right Spirit & Attitude’
Prayer was CENTRAL to His entire
Ministry
… and still is…

9. What is Jesus doing now in heaven ?
God’s Word says …
Rom 8:34 “…Christ Jesus,…
is at the right hand of
God and is also
interceding for us.”
Heb 7:24-25 “… Jesus ...
always lives to
intercede for them.”

10. the purpose of prayer…
 IS to get God’s will done on
earth, NOT to get man’s will
done in heaven.
 IS asking God for that which He
wants to do and give - according
to His will, NOT telling God what
to do or give.

12. Transformation Thru’ Prayer II :
Col 4:2-6

13. “DEVOTE yourselves to prayer”
Meaning “devote” : to GRAB HOLD of
“devote”
something and NOT let go, to PERSEVERE
Pray diligently (Message)
Continue earnestly (NKJ) / steadfastly (ESV)
Be persistent (GN)
It is not only about length of time ….
Eg I Thes 5:17 “Pray without ceasing”
Matter of the heart, mind, whole attitude …

14. 5 times in the NT : "be devoted to" or
"persevere in" prayer ….
1. Acts 1:14, "These all with one mind
were continually devoting themselves
to prayer."
2. Acts 2:42, “ continually devoting
themselves to . . . prayer."
3. Acts 6:4, the apostles said they would
devote themselves "to prayer and ….."
4. Romans 12:12, "Rejoice in hope,
persevere in tribulation, be devoted to
prayer."
5. Ephesians 6:18, "Pray at all times in the
Spirit . . . with all perseverance."
"Devote yourselves to prayer."

15. Devoted To Pray …
• Pray often & regularly ;
Not haphazard and being forgetful
• Not just ‘something’ we just ‘do’
• It must come out from the heart …
It must become an important & vital
part of our life …

16. the purpose of prayer…
 IS to get God’s will done on
earth, NOT to get man’s will
done in heaven.
 IS asking God for that which He
wants to do and give - according
to His will, NOT telling God what
to do or give.

17. Being "WATCHFUL"...
“to keep awake” (literally & figuratively)
Mark 13:33 “Be on guard! Be alert !...”
Eph 6:18 And pray in the Spirit on all
occasions with all kinds of prayers and
requests. With this in mind, be alert and
always keep on praying for all the saints.
1 Peter 4:7 “… Stay wide-awake in
prayer. “

18. 1: TO STAY AWAKE when praying;
don’t fall asleep.
Eg Matt 26:41 -the Garden of Gethsemane
find the time of day when we are the
most awake and dedicate that time to
prayer.
position our bodies in a way that keeps
us alert.
Being "WATCHFUL"...

19. 2: INTENTIONAL and FOCUSED in prayer.
Jesus told the disciples to watch and pray
that you may not enter into temptation.
1 Peter 5:8 Be alert, be on watch! Your
enemy, the Devil, roams around like a
roaring lion, looking for someone to
devour. (GNT)
Just because we pray ….
Being "WATCHFUL"...

20. 3: Through "watchful" praying,
we will not be caught unprepared ….
… When GOD ANSWERS …
 Col 4:2 TLB
“Don't be weary in prayer; keep at it;
watch for God's answers, ….
when they come.”
Being "WATCHFUL"...

21. 4: PREPARED for CHRIST’S RETURN.
Eg Matt 24:40-42
“….Therefore, stay awake, for you do not
know on what day your Lord is coming.”
When we pray we should be looking for
and longing for the return of Christ.
Paul concluded in 1 Cor 16:22 :
“maranatha” - ‘Our Lord, come!’
Being "WATCHFUL"...

22. “It is strange that, while praying,
we seldom ask for change of character,
but always a change in circumstance”
“In these many days of prayer at Joy’s bedside,
I have learned that my prayers do not change
God; God changes me.” C. S. Lewis
me.”

23. the purpose of prayer…
 IS to get God’s will done on
earth, NOT to get man’s will
done in heaven.
 IS asking God for that which He
wants to do and give - according
to His will, NOT telling God what
to do or give.

24. Gk : eucharistia -
thankfulness; gratitude;
a thankful heart ;
remember to be thankful when
they come;
with an attitude of thanksgiving;
Being "THANKFUL"...

25. Full Of Praying & Thanksgiving….
Col 1:3 We always thank God, the Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray
for you,
Col 1:10-12 And we pray … giving thanks
to the Father,…
Col 2:7 “rooted and built up in him,
strengthened in the faith …overflowing
with thankfulness.”
Being "THANKFUL"...

26. Full Of Praying & Thanksgiving….
Col 3:15-17 Let the peace of Christ
rule in your hearts,…. And be
thankful. … And whatever you do,
whether in word or deed, do it all in
the name of the Lord Jesus, giving
thanks to God the Father through
him.”
Being "THANKFUL"...

27. LOOKING BACK - Our SALVATION
• Being THANKFUL for our own salvation
• We were once lost in our sins …..
• Somehow–people, situation,
happenings we….
heard about Jesus …
believed & had faith in Him …
invited Him into our heart as Saviour
no turning back ….
Being "THANKFUL"?

28. “When we pray for the salvation of others,
isn't the fervency of our prayer a mirror of
how thankful we are for our own
salvation?”
“If we don't feel thankful for our own
salvation—for the time when God opened
the door of our heart—then how can we
pray with steadfastness and vigilance for
the salvation of others?”
“O be thankful for your own salvation, &
you will pray with new zeal for others”

29. LOOKING AHEAD - In FAITH
Being THANKFUL for what God is going
to do
In FAITH thank Him
"We should thank God just as diligently
in our prayers as we make requests of
Him.”
Eg Phil 4:6
Being "THANKFUL"?

30. Someone has said that there are only
two basic prayers, &
each is only one word:
“Help!” & “Thanks!”
If we said “Thank you” to the Lord
more often, we might just get the
“Help” we need more often.
only two basic prayers

31. LOOKING WITHIN – with GRATITUDE
to "abound with thanksgiving"!
Why ? : Ingratitude was one reason
why God's wrath comes …
Eg Rom 1:21-28
Being "THANKFUL"?

33. the purpose of prayer…
 IS to get God’s will done on
earth, NOT to get man’s will
done in heaven.
 IS asking God for that which He
wants to do and give - according
to His will, NOT telling God what
to do or give.

34. Our VISION
TRANSFORMING LIVES
 
EXPANDING HIS KINGDOM
 
Transformation Thru’
Prayer

35. “a prayerless Christian is a
defeated Christian”
but in Col 4:3 Paul writes
“If prayer could have been
dispensed with in any life,
“And pray for us, too…”
surely it would have been in that
of the sinless Son of Man…
and Apostle Paul …”
Oswald
Sanders
What then was Paul’s
Prayer Request ?

36. Transforming Lives >>>>>>>> Thru’
Expanding God’s Kingdom>> Prayer
How ?
Paul’s Request …..
1.Open Doors (v3)
2.Proclaim the Gospel (v3)

37. D L Moody
England in 1872

38. Donald: The Boy Who Prayed

39. The Praying Butcher

40. Transforming Lives >>>>>>>> Thru’
Expanding God’s Kingdom>> Prayer
1. Open Doors
2. Proclaiming the Gospel
 Clearly v4
 Kairos Timing v5
 Through Our Action v5
 By Our Words v6

42. If God answered all your prayers…
• If God answered all your prayers with ‘yes’
how would the kingdom be furthered?
• How much time do I spend praying about
Spiritual things?
• What true good would come from God giving
me all the things I am praying for?
• We need to learn how to pray kingdom
minded prayers.

43. Persevering in Prayer
Consider 1 Sam 3:19

44. God's delays
are not God's
denials
God’s Delays
are for His
Glory
Consider
John 12:9-11

45. After hearing a message on prayer, we can
be so …
 Overwhelmed that we give up before
even beginning
 Moved to pray, but do not know how…
 Convinced, see the need to pray, start
strong but cannot sustain - dies
Convicted, Committed & in
Partnership – grow in prayer
possible responses…

46. the purpose of prayer…
 IS to get God’s will done on
earth, NOT to get man’s will
done in heaven.
 IS asking God for that which He
wants to do and give - according
to His will, NOT telling God what
to do or give.

47. “Yesterdays praying will
not suffice for today.”
E. M. Bounds

48. “You can delegate many
things,
but prayer is not one of
them.”
A.W. Tozer

49. Enough “Theory”

50. ..for my house will be called
a house of prayer for all nations.”
Isaiah 56:7b

51. Nation
Community
Church
Family
You

52. Focus on You and Your Family

53. Focus on OUR Church
I have posted watchmen on your
walls, Jerusalem; they will never be
silent day or night. You who call on the
LORD, give yourselves no rest,
Isaiah 62:6

54. Focus on OUR
Community

55. for my house will be called
a house of prayer for all nations.”
Focus on Our Nation

56. It will be good for those
servants whose master finds
them watching when he
comes.
comes.
Luke 12:37

57. the purpose of prayer…
 IS to get God’s will done on
earth, NOT to get man’s will
done in heaven.
 IS asking God for that which He
wants to do and give - according
to His will, NOT telling God what
to do or give.

58. 2012 Theme :
TRANSFORMATION
THRU’PRAYER
Col 4:2 Devote yourselves to prayer, being
watchful and thankful.
Our VISION

60. Develop an attitude of prayerfulness
Worried ! pray it
Troubled !, pray it
Insulted !, pray it
Slandered !, pray it
Family problems, pray it
Confused !, pray it
Sickness !, pray it
You succeed, pray it
YOU WANT REVIVAL IN YOUR LIFE,
YOUR FAMILY, OUR CHURCH,
OUR NATION … JUST PRAY IT.

61. “Prayer is the fountain from
which revival springs.
The key to revival in every
age is prayer.”
Frank Beardsley

62. “Revival won't come by
preaching or teaching,
great worship music or
beautiful sanctuaries.
It is scripturally &
experientially linked …
TO PRAYER.”

63. INVITATION:
Those who truly and earnestly want to see
REVIVAL IN SSMC, I invite you to contact
any of the Leadership Team - phone call, email
or sms just a to indicate your desire….
Just to remind all who so desire that there is a
COST & COMMITMENT to pay…. Please
count the cost before deciding.

64. Convicted,
Committed &
In Christian Partnership
Grow Together in Prayer
YOUR respond today…

65. God’s Stewards :
New People & New Positions
Ass Pastor, Chinese Ministry :
Julia Chong