The Church of Joy, Williamson Ga
Sunday Morning Sermon
Sunday Morning Sermon by Pastor Vaughn Drawdy
Locations & Times
The Church of Joy
3080 GA-362, Williamson, GA 30292, USA
Sunday 8:45 AM
Jesus prayed. In this prayer that was recorded by John, we hear this “from the heart” prayer. Jesus opens and speaks from the depths of His heart. It sounds so honest, so simple, so deep, so rich, so wide, no one can fathom it.
A few thoughts about prayer as we begin:
>If Jesus needed to pray, we all need to pray.
>If Jesus didn’t fell bad about asking for His needs to be met, you don’t need to feel bad asking for your needs. (What do you want from God this year?)
In addition:
>Prayer is supernatural, it is extraordinary, prayer is the connecting point between the world that you see and the world that you do not see.
>Praying is how we build our relationship with God and others. One of the greatest ways to grow closer to someone is to pray for them and with them. A great way to grow in your faith is praying God’s Word over others and in your life. As we pray, we grow closer to others and closer to God.
>If Jesus needed to pray, we all need to pray.
>If Jesus didn’t fell bad about asking for His needs to be met, you don’t need to feel bad asking for your needs. (What do you want from God this year?)
In addition:
>Prayer is supernatural, it is extraordinary, prayer is the connecting point between the world that you see and the world that you do not see.
>Praying is how we build our relationship with God and others. One of the greatest ways to grow closer to someone is to pray for them and with them. A great way to grow in your faith is praying God’s Word over others and in your life. As we pray, we grow closer to others and closer to God.
Here Jesus is talking with the Father, connecting the natural to the supernatural. He has given us His prayer to show us the road map to follow.
>If you want to have a great year, it starts in prayer.
>If you want to have a great relationship with God, it starts in prayer.
>If you want to have a great relationship with others, it starts in prayer.
>If you want to improve your marriage, pray for your spouse, pray with your spouse.
>If you want to improve your relationship with your children, pray for your children, pray with your children.
>If you want to improve your relationship with family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, pray for them, and take opportunities to pray with them.
In prayer we are inviting God in to the relationship. Jesus does this in His relationship with the Father. He does this openly, publicly, presently to give us an example of how prayer enables, encourages, and empowers all other relationships.
>If you want to have a great year, it starts in prayer.
>If you want to have a great relationship with God, it starts in prayer.
>If you want to have a great relationship with others, it starts in prayer.
>If you want to improve your marriage, pray for your spouse, pray with your spouse.
>If you want to improve your relationship with your children, pray for your children, pray with your children.
>If you want to improve your relationship with family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, pray for them, and take opportunities to pray with them.
In prayer we are inviting God in to the relationship. Jesus does this in His relationship with the Father. He does this openly, publicly, presently to give us an example of how prayer enables, encourages, and empowers all other relationships.
Friends I hope you hear me… I am excited about this journey with you and believe that God is doing great things in us and through us… we need to pray more so we grow more. God has laid out this year before us, as we pray and ask Him for wisdom, understanding, guidance, instruction, direction, power, boldness, patience and so many other things, He will pour out, speak, move, empower and do far and exceedingly more than we could ever imagine.
8 Prayer Principles
Prayer:
1. Can be old or new
2. Can be aloud or silent
3. Can be written down or verbal
4. Can be in words or song
5. Can be speaking or listening
6. Can be short or long
7. Can be private or public
8. Can be alone or in a group
Prayer:
1. Can be old or new
2. Can be aloud or silent
3. Can be written down or verbal
4. Can be in words or song
5. Can be speaking or listening
6. Can be short or long
7. Can be private or public
8. Can be alone or in a group
Jesus prayed and has shown us how to pray as well.
John 17:1 starts with:
"1 After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed:
Here Jesus is, in this moment, talking with God…His focus was upward looking for God’s Kingdom to come down.
There is only two ways to live you life:
Man’s way or God’s way
>This world is not our home
>This world is broken and flawed
>Something has gone tragically and terribly wrong
>Sin is infected and affected this world
>This world is broken and needs healingThis world is cursed and it needs forgiveness
>The world is passing away and needs to be replaced
When we look UP, what we are doing is reminding ourselves WHO our Ruler is and WHERE our citizenship is.
You need to know my friend that this world isn’t working and it won’t work unless the KINGDOM comes down. That is why we hear Jesus pray in Matt. 6 “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.”
Friends: When sin entered the garden of Eden, the dominion darkness, of Satan and cursed man established a system on earth. You were born into it… turn on the news and you will see it… look around, you surrounded by it. Are we inviting God into our lives or are perpetuating the cycle of sin and depravity that has ruled since Adam?
Before you get overwhelmed, wore down, in process, taking a step, making the decision, messing up…LOOK UP and talk with GOD. When you look up to HIM, you are inviting the Kingdom of God into your life.
This is what Jesus is doing here… In this passage of Scripture, we are in the last week of Jesus life before His crucification. Jesus is asking God to fulfill His purpose in Him. Jesus is moving from the natural into the supernatural. If Jesus seeks the Father to bring His presence and power to earth, then we need to as well. The powers of darkness must flee when the light of HIs presence shines forth and His Kingdom comes in us and through us.
John 17:1 starts with:
"1 After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed:
Here Jesus is, in this moment, talking with God…His focus was upward looking for God’s Kingdom to come down.
There is only two ways to live you life:
Man’s way or God’s way
>This world is not our home
>This world is broken and flawed
>Something has gone tragically and terribly wrong
>Sin is infected and affected this world
>This world is broken and needs healingThis world is cursed and it needs forgiveness
>The world is passing away and needs to be replaced
When we look UP, what we are doing is reminding ourselves WHO our Ruler is and WHERE our citizenship is.
You need to know my friend that this world isn’t working and it won’t work unless the KINGDOM comes down. That is why we hear Jesus pray in Matt. 6 “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.”
Friends: When sin entered the garden of Eden, the dominion darkness, of Satan and cursed man established a system on earth. You were born into it… turn on the news and you will see it… look around, you surrounded by it. Are we inviting God into our lives or are perpetuating the cycle of sin and depravity that has ruled since Adam?
Before you get overwhelmed, wore down, in process, taking a step, making the decision, messing up…LOOK UP and talk with GOD. When you look up to HIM, you are inviting the Kingdom of God into your life.
This is what Jesus is doing here… In this passage of Scripture, we are in the last week of Jesus life before His crucification. Jesus is asking God to fulfill His purpose in Him. Jesus is moving from the natural into the supernatural. If Jesus seeks the Father to bring His presence and power to earth, then we need to as well. The powers of darkness must flee when the light of HIs presence shines forth and His Kingdom comes in us and through us.
Verse 1 continues: “Father,"
>One word… one word that can change everything.
This world is full of words, but this WORD is the word that is filled with the power of God.
How does Jesus start His prayer? FATHER
Even in Matt.6 Jesus starts His prayer with Father…
>It is a relational word, an intimate word, a personal word, a warm word
>Up until this point, pray wasn’t this personal. But here Jesus is teaching us, showing us, giving us access to FATHER… how incredible...how intimate.
Jesus uses this word 165 times…
How do you understand the relationship of a father?
Some of you may have a hard time understanding the goodness of a father because it is either a projection or a rejection of our earthly father that helps us understand what FATHER means.
>I have good news, if you have a good earthly Father, you are doubly blessed.
>If you have a bad earthly father, you have a better one now… And He wants you to know it and know Him. Prayer starts it and grows the relationship.
>One word… one word that can change everything.
This world is full of words, but this WORD is the word that is filled with the power of God.
How does Jesus start His prayer? FATHER
Even in Matt.6 Jesus starts His prayer with Father…
>It is a relational word, an intimate word, a personal word, a warm word
>Up until this point, pray wasn’t this personal. But here Jesus is teaching us, showing us, giving us access to FATHER… how incredible...how intimate.
Jesus uses this word 165 times…
How do you understand the relationship of a father?
Some of you may have a hard time understanding the goodness of a father because it is either a projection or a rejection of our earthly father that helps us understand what FATHER means.
>I have good news, if you have a good earthly Father, you are doubly blessed.
>If you have a bad earthly father, you have a better one now… And He wants you to know it and know Him. Prayer starts it and grows the relationship.
Close:
As our Father, God’s heart is for us, we are not on our own, HE TAKES CARE of His children. The best way to learn of His love is to spend time before Him.
Some of you would say "I struggle in being disciplined to pray. I struggle praying and am not consistent." Listen, don’t focus on trying to pray more and better, focus on getting to know God as Father. He wants you to really know Him, really trust Him, really know that He loves you… when you focus on Him, you will pray more and pray more… when you feel Him moving in your life, see Him working through you, pray isn’t a chore, it is a way of life that connects you to His heart.
As our Father, God’s heart is for us, we are not on our own, HE TAKES CARE of His children. The best way to learn of His love is to spend time before Him.
Some of you would say "I struggle in being disciplined to pray. I struggle praying and am not consistent." Listen, don’t focus on trying to pray more and better, focus on getting to know God as Father. He wants you to really know Him, really trust Him, really know that He loves you… when you focus on Him, you will pray more and pray more… when you feel Him moving in your life, see Him working through you, pray isn’t a chore, it is a way of life that connects you to His heart.