The World Needs a Praying Church! Written By Pastor Jerry McCullah
May I begin with a rather bold, but true observation? If ever the world needed the church to understand her role in, and the purpose and the power of prayer, it’s now! The world cannot wait much longer, nor should she have to. Far too long the world has been pushing the church away, and for many years now, or so it seems, the church has been only too happy to go.
The church pretty well understands that prayer is a means to obtain the things we need. Our problem is, we don’t very well know how to do that properly. You see, God is only obligated, or obliged, to answer our prayers when we meet proper conditions, and He sets the conditions. “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts” (James 4:3). This is one small verse in numbers of words, but the implications are huge, and it answers a lot of “Whys?” for unanswered prayer.
Prayer is a lot of things, but the number one thing we often fail to understand is: prayer is working together with God. It is a partnership! Prayer is pulling with God in His plan for this fallen world. Jesus said, recorded in Matthew 11, “Take My yoke upon you” and went on to say, “For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.”
A double yoke implies two things: first, some kind of work is involved; and second, a working together, a partnership with Jesus in His work. He says to get in the yoke with Him; partner with Him; work with Him. Then He reminds us that His yoke is easy because He is the power, or force, behind it all.
What is His work; what is His purpose for the world? Redemption! He is ever going about in the process of redeeming a lost world. He needs believers to partner with Him in His purposes for redeeming His lost world. Prayer is the work that releases God’s power and purpose into the world.
Believers spend a lot of time talking about His yoke. We even walk all around it trying to analyze what we think we see, but our problem is, we seldom get in the yoke and pull with God in His plan for the world.
Jesus actually told us the formula for praying in this way, you remember: “Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” It is always to be His will be done, and not my will be done! My friend, get into the yoke, and Pray On!
About Pastor Jerry McCullah
Pastor of Green Valley Bible Chapel 2005- Present
Prayer Consultant for California Southern Baptist Convention 2001- Present
Founder and President of Impact Prayer International 1999 – Present
Teaching and encouraging intimate relationships with Jesus Christ in churches through seminars, prayer revivals, concerts of prayer, prayer retreats, and more.
Headquartered at 15724 Calle Hermosa Green Valley, Ca. 91390 Ph. 661-270-9671