Keys To Earth Shaking Prayers - Part 2

The title this morning is Keys to Earth Shaking Prayers Part Two. Today is going to be more topical and I'm going to actually use some quotes from people like A.W. Tozer, E.M. Bounds. People always ask me, what book should I be reading? Grab any book on prayer by E.M. Bounds, Edward McKenzie Bounds, I believe his name is.

Just, man, talk about going deep. They didn't have social media, so they wrote. They didn't have their phones.

And they had just, the insight is incredible. So I'm going to have some quotes from him. It's going to be topical, but it's also going to be based on God's word where we're at in Acts.

But let me begin with this quote. E.M. Bounds said that what the church needs today is not more machinery or better methods, but we need men whom the Holy Ghost can use. Men of prayer, men mighty in prayer.

The Holy Ghost does not flow through methods, he flows through men. He does not come on machinery, but he comes upon men. He does not anoint plans, he anoints men, men of prayer.

Powerful. See, I read that and I just start crying. I highlight and I put my book on it and, Lord, Lord, Lord, give us that passion in our church and give and see, we can allow those in the past generations to speak boldly through us.

It's called wise counsel. And I went to Starbucks just to make sure I was, Starbucks? No, Barnes & Noble had a Starbucks in it. But I went to Barnes & Noble and I looked in the Christian section and I don't know if I couldn't find a book, really.

It's like, I don't know. Because it's all, you know, and there's some good ones, don't get me wrong. My books used to be in Barnes & Noble way back when.

But you've really got to go deep. You've got to find those old men and women of God. Grab Elizabeth Elliott's biography and some of her notes and commentaries on the Bible and prayer and it's just incredible.

So, rule number one for earth-shaking prayer, never make God number two. We could actually take out earth-shaking prayer and just say, rule number one for everything, never make God number two. And we just experienced an incredible weekend here at the marriage retreat.

As I look out, a lot of you should have been here that need to be here. And you've got to pursue God's God. Because if not, the enemy's after your marriage.

He's after your marriage. And Javier with 24-7 Marriage and Shannon did an incredible job. And they read something.

He read something. I want to share this with you. Of course, when you ask AI something, they go and they grab a lot of different things.

And many of you probably recognize some of this from what Paul Harvey said in the 1960s. And I won't go through the whole thing. We're going to actually be releasing.

It's probably four hours long. And I would encourage you to watch it together as a couple. Maybe take a few evenings and watch it because it was so it came from a spot of brokenness.

And that's how you can really help people when you're transparent. And God heals your brokenness. And then you're able to better pour into others.

I asked AI, if you were the devil, how would you ruin the husband to destroy the marriage? I wouldn't attack him head on. I would be subtle, working slowly to erode his character, distort his priorities, and weaken his spiritual leadership. And here's how I would do it.

I would isolate him from God. I'd make sure that he drifts away from his relationship with Christ. I convince him that he's too busy for prayer, too busy to study.

And without a strong spiritual foundation, he'd become weak, directionless and vulnerable to sin. Number two, I would feed his pride, I would whisper that he deserves more recognition, more respect that he's right. I would distract him with work and success, I would I would make him passive and weak, or very arrogant and domineering in his home.

I would tempt him with less than comparison. I'd flood his mind with images and entertainment and opportunities to compare, I would fill his mind with bitterness, I would encourage him to seek comfort elsewhere, such as in alcohol, entertainment, endless scrolling on social media, anything to keep him distracted. I will isolate him.

I will keep him from good godly men. I will make him think divorce is the only option and his family is actually the enemy, not me. I'll make him believe he married the wrong person.

And if I get him not to see that the enemy is me, but is his wife, then I win and the future generations are impacted. AI is not too far off, is it? And guys, that's what I prayed for boldness this morning, because I know a lot of you don't want to hear this, but you need to hear it. Men, we need to look in the mirror.

We complain about our country. Oh, I don't know how it's going this far. And wow, well, look at this and look at this.

Look in the mirror. We've got to get passionate again about pursuing God. If God is only 90 minutes of our week, He's a habit.

He's not your Lord. He's not something we add on. He is actually the very foundation of our lives.

So let's catch up here in Acts 4. I'm just going to read. It's from a kind of a commentary study Bible. Just listen.

It's not going to be up on the screen. You can actually take this one off for just a minute. Put the title up if you don't mind.

And just listen, because I didn't want to put all this up here, but it's going to catch us up. So while Peter and John were speaking to the people, they were confronted by the leaders. Remember, the leaders were very upset that Peter and John were teaching the people that through Jesus, there is resurrection of the dead.

They arrested them and they demanded, by what power or in whose name have you done this? Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, rulers and elders of our people, are we being questioned today because we've done a good deed for a crippled man? Do you want to know how he was healed? Let me tell you clearly up front that he was healed by the powerful name of Jesus Christ, whom you crucified. See, remember when somebody's being bold and they're kind of, they're stirring your pot, they're ruffling your feathers. You might want to ask, is this person filled with the Spirit? And is God trying to say something to me? Because often somebody who's filled with the Spirit, they're going to challenge some things in our lives from time to time.

And that's why often, sometimes we choose churches where we're not challenged. Oh, it's going to be a hard sermon if you guys aren't happy by now. The members of the council, they were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John.

These are ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures. They didn't go to our seminary. Now what should we do with these guys? We can't deny that a miraculous sign has been done.

So they called the apostles back in and they commanded them never again to speak or teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John replied, do you think God wants us to obey you rather than Him? We cannot stop telling people about everything we have seen and experienced. And that's where we're at today picking up.

But I will recap just so you can refresh your memory and others can, if you weren't here, let's put up there the Sunday recap. Sunday recap, keys to a powerful prayer life. Number one, how's your time with Jesus? If you want a powerful prayer life, powerful prayer life, and where you can pray.

I think all of us want to pray according to God's will. That time with Jesus, that's like the gas station for the heart. That fuels you up.

And then when you align your heart with His, how many of you have ever changed your prayers after spending time with God? It does something to you. It kind of refines you. And that's why many people don't want to really pray is because it will change them.

You go into prayer, you're praying, man, Lord, help change my spouse. And then with 20 minutes later, you're like, Lord, help change me. Don't back down from boldness.

Don't back down from boldness or conflict. Of course, we don't want to run at these things head on. But God sometimes wants us to be bold, especially in our culture.

Mom, some of you guys, kids with in public schools, school board meetings. I've talked about that often. What about other areas which in doing things that it's bold for the gospel, maybe in your workplace, maybe out in public.

Because when we're not bold, we become timid. And the more timid you become, you ever seen those dogs that were that were hurt a lot at a young age. And they back in the corner.

That's how you'll become as a Christian. And you'll just be timid. And you'll just be never, never confronting, never challenging.

And, and just, just, and it really affects your prayer life. It's hard to pray powerfully when I'm living cowardly, knowing and experiencing God. Like they said, when you truly know him and experience him, it changes your prayer life.

And if you don't truly know him or have never really experienced him, ask him, ask him, ask him. That's why it's ironic sometimes when like what john was saying up here. And what I say about the power of God and the gifts of the spirit and, and just moving powerfully the anointing and, and sometimes people you know, it rubs them wrong.

They don't really like that because they've got God in their box. And we don't want God to come out of our box. It's, it's real comfortable with him in this box.

But wouldn't you, wouldn't it be advantageous to pray to the God, you know, and say, I want all of you. I mean, I'm pretty sure that's not going to turn out bad. You're not going to be some weird person that you're, you know, nobody wants to be around you because now you're, you're weird because you saw something on YouTube.

Ask God, Lord, I want to experience you. Isn't that a wonderful prayer? I want to experience you. God, I do.

But here's where it blocked my mind for many years, Lord, and I will go to church. Sometimes I told you guys, Easter and Christmas. And then at some other times, if I had to watch a baptism or something, my mom would invite me.

And you know, and Lord, I want to experience you. But please don't let me be one of those. You know, emotional people, I'm not putting my hands up.

I'm not going to do this. I'm not going to get carried away. And when you put limits, God do this, but it really, it puts up guardrails.

Because what I was really saying is it, can we be honest this morning? What many of you are saying? I don't want my relationship with God. Go ahead and take that. I don't, I don't want my relationship with God to embarrass me.

Is that not the God honest truth? I was more concerned about my buddy's opinions. I'd rather be seen leaving a bar than leaving a church. And that's why many people do not have more of God.

I want to buy just $3 of God, please. Not enough to explode my soul. Just enough to keep me warm.

Give me just $3 of God, please. And then the next way to get your powerful prayer life is to meditate. I'm sorry, submitting to God's lead.

So that would be the next. Actually, I just tied those two together. Lord, here I am, use me.

What is it? Lord, I want to be used by you. What does that look like? I don't want to be embarrassed about being a Christian anymore. I was in the workplace.

I saw this all the time. I would talk to Christians. I knew they're Christians.

But when they would work together, they didn't know each other were Christians. Like months later. And obviously, you don't go around the cross and Scripture.

I mean, but it's who you are. It's gonna, it's gonna come out from time to time, I think, I don't know. So those politicians, why don't let my faith affect my public life? Well, that tells me you have no real genuine faith, because who you are in him, I move and breathe and have my being that's who I am.

It's going to affect every single area of my life. And then number five here, meditate on how awesome God is. We talked about that last week.

And I showed the picture of how many of you were here saw the earth. And God, if I had time to share stories, me and my wife, we should do that sometime. But I was in the prayer room, I just found out there was somebody here who told his friend, I hope he doesn't play something with the universe, because I just had an experience.

What's they call that projection or astro? Where they're projecting from their body. It's like that just happened to him. Wasn't it but wasn't it was he was opened himself up to the demonic realm.

And here it is. I mean, it's like, that's exactly what happened to me. It's God, God will get our attention.

Meditate how awesome he is. And won't that change your prayer life? Because what we do, we meditate on how big our problem is. Oh, this I don't know.

I know God can but this seems like yeah, I don't know if he can pull this one off. This is a this is a tough one. Meditate on how awesome he is.

And when we do that, we have to remember it doesn't mean that we we get everything we want or every prayer request prayer request is answered. It doesn't it doesn't mean that we met. I meditate on how awesome he is what he can do.

And yeah, he might do it. But also as we talked about before, you've got to get that that fire of the three Hebrew boys in you. He will deliver me but even if he doesn't, can you imagine how much joy we would have back to our lives, including me? If I prayed line up, but even if you don't some I wake up tomorrow, boy, that prayer request was not answered.

It was denied. Oh goodness, now I'm gonna be bitter Barry all week and I'm mad at God. What about we just you know, what does it be the name of the Lord? He giveth and he taketh away.

And seeing you have that joy and you live in that joy. But we often don't it's part of our sinful fallen condition where we live in the moment. Because we all know where the word happiness comes from, correct? happenstance, what's happening to me.

So if your life is based on what's happening to you, you're not going to be happy very often. Because our idea of happy, I've realized God doesn't answer prayers according to my happiness, but that's how I pray them. I like this, this, this, this, this.

Okay, here we go, Lord. Meditate on how awesome he is. And then it tied in with what I just said, pray according to God's word.

If we had time, I'd love to do a message on that. Because Peter, I believe, James talks about one of them about how we actually we miss with our prayers. Is that an interesting language like you pray a miss? I'm praying for this.

But God says, No, it's over here. You pray a miss according to what? Your own desires and wants. But when we pray according to God's word, we line up.

I mean, I would even pray scripture. Lord, your word says this. Your word says if I seek you, I will find you.

And this week, I'm setting aside time. Your prayer life will be dynamic and bold. And then what we didn't get to is Acts, we can put that up now, Acts 427.

Peter is pretty much reminding the disciples what's going on for truly against your holy servant, Jesus, whom you anointed. So he's praying to God, Lord, against God, against your servant, Jesus, you anointed him. Herod and Pontius Pilate, the Gentiles, all the people of Israel are gathered together to do whatever your hand and your purpose determined before to be done.

The world opposes God and his decrees and especially the reign of the Messiah, but their plans will ultimately come to nothing. So this ties in a little bit, of course, with what I said about how God, awesome God is, but focus on his sovereignty. Think about this for a minute.

When we focus on God's sovereignty, in other words, he's sovereign. He governs the affairs of men. Nothing goes on without his notice.

What he allows is still under his jurisdiction. And boy, you can pray differently with a little bit more boldness, can't you? Lord, you're sovereign. So line my heart up with yours.

Line my will up with yours. Things I don't even want to go into, but things actually are not possible. Have you ever been there? You go into court, and this is not possible.

And the judge says, hey, by the way, case dropped. Or we've had people testify who are actually going to be like Russell when he was here, how he's going to be locked up forever. Three strikes, you're out.

But God had other plans. Sovereignty, healing. Can he just tell your cells? Could God just say cancer, dissolve? Absolutely.

But that's why we also don't want to think that's always what he's going to do. Maybe he has a plan in that, a purpose in that. I've seen many people who've had cancer, and they even, we prayed and they didn't make it.

It led their kids to the Lord. So trusting his sovereignty, guys, I haven't mastered this, but it's where true rest is found. It's true where true rest is found.

I mean, I've known people, they've lost, they lost so much in 2008, 2009. New people were retired, and then they had to go back to work. Like in your 65, 70.

And I remember his name was Dale, and I was out at a construction site, and I've talked to others, and he wasn't a believer, but others I've talked to, they're like, well, I don't know, God must have other plans for me. And how do you find joy in that disaster? Because God's sovereignty. What is God going to do? Maybe he saved them.

Maybe he added 10 more years into their life. Because sometimes once you retire, if you don't stay busy, you go under pretty quick. Why? Because you actually, do you know you won't find that word in the Bible? Ooh, it's quiet.

This week, find the word retire. You never do. You never retire in God's kingdom.

Now I've no problem with people, you know, hey, I've done this 35 years. Thank you. But then you're supposed to be doing other things.

You don't pick up golf, sports, fishing, and just do nothing for God for the rest of your life. That's why I believe a lot of those people don't live very long. Because we are designed and wired to keep doing things for God.

God might say, you're not doing anything for me. I don't need you anymore. You might go home early.

Focus on his sovereignty. Why? Because my heart goes where my mind takes me. Is that not true? So when you pray, you pray from your heart.

It's a heart prayer. And where my mind, where my mind, I'm sorry, where my heart goes, my mind takes me. So if I'm focused on the things that are negative and not of God, you will eventually end up there.

And, you know, I'm trying to be sensitive, but at the same time bold. And it's a hard balance to find because, but let me just say it. I don't know no other way to say it.

The reason most people don't pray well is because they don't live well. They're not pursuing God and pursuing holy. It's hard enough to pray as it is when you are pursuing God.

But you add into there the busyness of life, you add into there just the monotonous and you've been going to church 25 years. You've been a Christian and you just have no real prayer life. It's because there's no passionate pursuit of God.

How you, isn't that true? I mean, trust me, let's just say it's as crazy as it sounds. People put their alarm on next Sunday and they got here at 6am and they're just worshiping and worshiping, went into a prayer meeting at 7.30 and they're praying. You think you might be a little bit different at the service? Why? Because you've been fueling the fires of revival in your heart.

Same with prayer. Now of course you don't have to, you can do that at home. You should do that at home.

And I know it's hard. I know it's challenging. But that's how you want to, we've become so comfortable with the mundane.

We've been, haven't we? We've been so comfortable with just getting by. And it really affects our prayer life. Acts 4.27.31 continued.

Now Lord, now Lord, look on their threats. So they're threatening the apostles. They're threatening them.

Most of us would pray, get me out of here. How can I get a sneak trip out of Jerusalem? I want to get on the evening, the midnight train and leave. The midnight, what did they call it? Chariot.

Stagecoaches weren't there. But you know, get me out of here. But what did they pray? Give us, grant us boldness.

That with all boldness we may speak your word by stretching out your hand to heal. And that signs and wonders may be done through the name of your holy servant Jesus. And some argue that that doesn't happen anymore.

Again, we don't see that in scripture. The reason it doesn't happen, I'm not going to go into all the details, but I believe in America, we're, we're, we're self-assured. We've got, we've got medical coverage.

We've got retirement. We've got all these, you know, we really were kind of comfortable and there's not a desperation. Also, we are not God and we can't do things at our command.

Anytime God gives a gift through you or to heal somebody or do that's his gift. I want to use that person. Let me, let me grant them this gift to pray for that.

They prayed for boldness, but we often pray for no conflict. Amen. It's a good prayer.

I like that prayer though. Lord, I don't want any conflict this week. I don't want any conflict, but they pray for boldness, boldness.

Wouldn't that be so important if, if we, if we would pray for that and the church would actually be bold instead of passive, bold instead of pleasing. And then the next point here, being popular with God, not man, being popular with God, not man is a sure way to get your prayers heard in heaven and earth shaking prayers. And Lord, I want to be popular with you, not men.

And again, that's what I alluded to earlier about how sometimes we can be too worried about people's opinions. Aren't we? Acts 4, 27, 31 continued again. And when they had prayed, when they had prayed the place where they were assembled together was the place where they were assembled together was shaken, shaken.

I have a confession I saw in the news earlier this week that a lot of people are worried because there's been like four or five major earthquakes and people are worried about the San Andreas fault. I'm like, Lord, that would be pretty cool. Not too bad, not too bad.

But during the sermon, when, you know, the place where they were praying was shaken and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and they spoke the word of God with boldness. Guys, that always goes hand in hand when you're shaken by the power of God and you're filled with the Holy Spirit. You're going to speak God's word with boldness.

Even with this, it's okay to be bold, have a smile on your face. I would encourage that. Keep the smile when possible.

And you say hard things, don't you? When sometimes you have to hit, maybe, maybe sometimes I have to remember that not everyone does what I do. So sometimes I encounter things more often. So I assume, you know, all of you can relate to what I'm talking about.

But that boldness and you know, you know, it's just stirring in you. And with the smile, you can be kind and gracious. I think that's actually one of the most important points about boldness is your attitude must mesh with the message you're giving.

You know, so you can be there. Trust me, there's exceptions, where, you know, your old school can come out, I guess, I don't know. But there's a there's a there's a there's a there's a smile when you're bold.

And again, just just being honest, we've had a lot of times over the years, people, they just they don't like a lot of, you know, just pressing in with worship, it's too emotional, it's, it's too long, it's too, like, the way you preach is just pressing I'm like, well, this a smile, this might not be the church for you. I'm bold enough to tell you the truth. I'm not gonna say well, what can what should we change? What should what should we change? We don't want to pursue God that much to offend you.

My goodness. Well, you're just cocky and arrogant. No, I'm bold and fill up the spirit.

And that's a that's a that's a gotta be careful. That's a cowardly statement from someone who has not experienced God and doesn't want to pursue him. This is the truth.

So a lot of times when you're bold, you're doesn't mean because I think people think sometimes it's like, oh, you know, the Elijah and Mount Carmel and, and you're calling down fire. And most of the time, our situations with boldness are confronting individuals, correct or, or at work or and sometimes boldness means keeping quiet and boldly standing for your faith instead of running and being a coward as well. And again, guys, I struggle with all this.

And so the place was shaken, they're filled to spirit. What a great reminder, fresh fillings lead to fresh prayers. Man, I could camp out on that point for the rest of the morning.

What's a fresh filling? Well, we just read it next last few weeks. Peter was filled the Holy Spirit, all the disciples are filled the Holy Spirit and then days later, and Peter being filled with the Spirit will keep reading in Acts and Peter being filled with the Spirit. The disciples were in upper prank filled with the Spirit.

They went where they went to this house and they prayed and they were filled there because their subsequent feelings of the Holy Spirit. And we can clog those off. And that's why what john said was so important unforgiveness.

Anybody not forgiving your spouse? You think you're going to pray? Well, what about not forgiving God? I've been there. Haven't you? You're pretty upset. I can throw a pretty pretty party.

And some things are justified. They took God took that family member from me. And you can hold that bitterness in the rest of your life.

So I would encourage you this morning pray for a fresh filling of the Holy Spirit. It's biblical. It's biblical.

Lord, I've been quenching and grieving your spirit for years, weeks, months. I've been critical, maybe critical of the church, maybe critical of others. condescending, arrogant, I've been Lord, but I want to I want the fresh filling of the Spirit.

Isn't that missing in the lives of so many people? I'm not going to get into a lot of detail. And I only say these things, honestly, because I hope it helps. But I'm just talking to Pastor Abram recently.

And we've had, you know, we've had some, some hard hearts come in and out of this place. You know, they're just they're hard. And it's just, they have the word.

You know, those people? Yeah, you can quote the Bible, but man, what happened? And we remind ourself, you know what, I can be that person. Did you know that? I can turn into a modern day Pharisee, just like the best of them. I can be rude and condescending and judgmental, and arrogant and controlling.

And that's where control and manipulation comes from. In men, did you know that? arrogant, controlling, because they're, they're giving into the desires of the flesh, they're being led by the flesh. And that's why we pray, Lord, give me a fresh filling, get rid of that, that septic tank out of me.

Is that not true, though? Fresh fillings lead to fresh prayers. Sometimes, this is my encouragement is you don't have to do anything. And you'll drift from God.

Because sometimes people say, I don't know, I don't know how this happened. I drifted from God. I drifted from God.

How did this happen? Well, you if you don't pursue him, you're drifting. It's no different than jumping into a river that's kind of flowing. And you're, you're, you're swimming against it.

And that's what the analogy we see in Scripture swimming against the current of the culture. And so we're always swimming against the current, aren't we? Another Sunday service, another Wednesday service. Yep.

Prayer meetings. Yep. Worship nights.

Yep. Get my word. He's gonna tell me get my word again in the morning.

Yep. And for those times, you drift. It seems to be pulling you under.

Get back and swim again. That's how it works. I just remembered this many of you know, when the Owens River, my mom said, I almost lost you when you were a young baby.

We're you remember how you used to float tube down it, they might still do that. But what we didn't know is they opened the gates above. And so my mom was all she could do is holding on to my brother who's three years younger.

And she goes, son, I gotta let you go. Maybe that's why I've been traumatized. I don't know.

And so I know she's crying. I remember, I can remember the bushes underneath the bush there. I remember that like I've, I don't know how old I was, maybe six.

And, and she just let that tube go. And I'm on the Owens River. It's coming pretty good because they opened the the gates.

And I guess I made it to where I was supposed to make it. And she had to fight against that current to save her one child. Trust in God's sovereignty for the other.

Sometimes I just I feel like crying for people. Many of you need a fresh feeling. You need a fresh feeling.

I see you Sunday weekend a week out and it's you just need a fresh feeling. I love preaching to people on fire for God, but it's difficult when people aren't and they don't want to be because you know, you just going through the motions and when you want to you want to break people out of that mold. So I want to encourage you this morning, even if you don't like me, I'm well aware that people here don't like me.

Okay. Maybe your spouse does you don't I got it. You're here because your kids I know, but look past that.

Look past that. And is that TMI? Okay. But it's okay.

That's life. I'm a big boy. But look past you some do.

I know. I know. But some do.

Listen, I'm not I'm not just saying that I'm not getting caught up in the flesh. I'm being honest with you guys. Sant the wood doesn't like sandpaper.

So I know these words are tough to hear by a heart who doesn't want to hear them. That's the difference. That's why you stop often say if you don't like what I'm saying, it's because you need to hear what I'm saying.

So to say I said all that to say get get get your your your your thoughts on me your thoughts on the church your thoughts on what you saw on YouTube or, or I've seen people act weird with the Holy Spirit. So have I. But about I've seen people act weird following the Bible. Again, we don't throw the Bible out.

I've seen people act weird during worship, we've actually had to tell people not to come back. But I'm not going to stop worshiping. Could it be that pressing in to more of God offends you? Because you don't want more of God.

Pray, pray again, no matter what you feel about what I'm saying, pray God, I do want a fresh filling of your spirit. What's prohibiting me what's hindering me. And I'm going to close off here soon to engage, engage God, because you expect him to move.

That's why I engage in prayer. Can I tell you a secret of a prayer like my prayer life? That's actually not. I mean, I wish I think we were all want a better prayer life will be the person says you know what I've arrived.

Could you imagine if I came up here and said guys, let me tell you, since January one, I man my prayer life is incredible. It's perfect. I finally arrived what I've been preaching to you guys.

I finally made it. Now you can just come and hear me tell you how to get there too. And I actually have come to the realization it's a good thing because it's a hunger.

You don't eat if you're not hungry. God, I've got to press in more. I've got to get on my face more.

I've got to open that word more. My prayer life is not when then because of that. That's what actually makes a good marriage to when the husband wants to get better and the wife wants to improve.

Right? You're not where you want. And that's so there's it's good to have that hunger. Your prayer life is not where you want it to be.

Me too. Me too. Something comes to ruin it from time to time, doesn't it? Or too much on my mind.

I mean, I got to get to play. I don't have my worship on a different phone because I don't want to look at my phone. Oh, yeah, what's the weather? What's this? What's going on? What's going on? Trump gave Israel or Hamas to 12 o'clock.

The world consumes if you let them in. Swim against the current. But you have to engage in earth shaking prayer because you expect God to move.

Look at all those examples. If I just touched him of his garment, you think it motivated her to get to the front of that prayer meeting? Oh, absolutely. If I can just touch him of his garment, I see hundreds and hundreds of people.

But I don't care if I can just touch the him of his garment. If I can just get to him. I don't care who sees me.

I don't care how this looks. I don't care how embarrassing if I can just get to the him of his garment. Christ saved me set me free.

I'm wondering how many people couldn't get to him who needed healing. It's too far. It's too hard.

Expect if I can just get my heart in a position to pray. What about the Oh, I love the blind beggars crying out. I just sometimes I just wish I could.

Can you imagine that the crowd told them to be quiet? You know, most people do. Shane, you're too intense. Your worship is too emotional.

Okay. Come next Sunday and then see man's opinion. And when you worry about opinions of man, you push out the presence of God.

Now you get opinions from godly people, right? The elders and core team. If they're saying something then yeah, you got to change some things. But not from negative Nancy and Bill who always belittles but they didn't do that.

Okay, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. What did they the Bible actually says they cried out even more son of David have mercy on us.

Son of David have mercy on Shane shut your mouth. God have mercy on us. Bring back the boldness in our culture today.

Bring back the boldness in the churches today. Oh God, we need you. We're crying out.

Shut up church. Shut your voice. No, no, no cry out even more and more and more.

They engage because they expected God to do something. I mean, one of the stories that blows my mind because I we don't know if he had a clear command from scripture is just audacity. Little David.

Who's this uncircumcised Philistine that's going to defy the armies of the living God? I'll do something about it. Give me five little rocks. Let me take let me grab one rock for each of the of the kings of the Philistines, Ekron and Dagon and all these things.

Let me and I just need one. Just you plus God is the majority. Guys, I'm going to get fired up on prayer.

Prayer shakes heaven. Prayer shakes the earth. You've got to get back to the prayer closet, broken and humble petitioning God and be filled with the fire of God.

God's not boring. Well, I don't know if you'll say this now, but I have another page. I thought I was done, but I can't stop now.

Guys, this is how you this is how you break prideful hearts. But see, because here's what's happening now. God's spirit comes upon boldness and opens the heart of those who want to receive.

If I if I just said everything I just said at a memorial service. Oh, it's like you can hear the pin drop. Who's this clown? Right.

But you guys are receptive. So you have the word of God going forth boldly into hearts that are receptive. That's the spirit moving.

But I made this. I want to make this point clear. Don't just step out sometimes.

Sometimes you got to you got to pray and ask for direction first. Ask before acting. Just ask Joshua.

Remember that story? He made the treaty with these kings. We've come from a far country, far, far, far away. We heard of your God.

Would you make a treaty with us? Sure. Of course. Welcome to find out they're right next door.

And God actually said, I want you to go conquer them. Now you made a treaty that you have to honor. Presumption.

Who's ever gotten in trouble presuming a couple more faith and trust, faith and trust, shake the tectonic plates, plates of prayer, faith and trust. They shake those tectonic plates of prayer. We say what are faith and trust? It says you got to get to a spot where you say no matter the outcome, I will follow my savior.

No matter the outcome, I will follow my savior. And we get responses. What about if Elon Musk is this or the mark of the beast? I don't know.

I'm following my savior, not a bunch of politicians. Come on, guys. Wake up.

Follow the savior. Look to him and him alone. What you can't shake you or me when you're you're you're anchored in Jesus Christ, because who's going to lay you down? Everybody's going to lay you down.

But Christ has never let you down. Oh, it could it could lead to your death. That's right.

Then I'll be with him versus here on this on this incredible, dangerous place. Hold back some words. Come on, you know, finally, two more pursue holiness, pursue holiness.

Oh, my goodness, a holy a holy Christian is an awesome weapon in the hands of God. Actually, it was Robert Murray McShaney died at age twenty nine, one of Scotland's most anointed preachers. He would walk to the pulpit and people would begin weeping before he even opened his mouth.

It's called anointing. You spend that time and much time with God. You can feel the God when we talk about God's presence, God honors his presence where it is welcomed and the atmosphere you've created or the atmosphere you've pushed out.

He actually said a holy minister is an awesome weapon in the hands of God. Isn't that true? Husbands, you want to change your marriage, get holy. Wives pursue holiness.

We're pursuing I couldn't believe how many people we first started the church or we're watching or reading dark shades of gray like I'm like, hello. Well, I wish my marriage was like this. Well, that's not how you go about it.

No wonder you have no holiness, no prayer life, no devotional. You become that holy person that God can use your lifestyle, your lifestyle. Guys, if you take anything away, I hope there's maybe two or three things.

But this this is key. Your lifestyle dramatically affects your prayer life. Does it not? He who lives well, prays well.

A holy life does not live only in the prayer closet, but it cannot live without the closet. We pray feebly because we live feebly. When prayer fails, the world prevails.

All from Ian Bounds. Guys, isn't that so true? I hope you're building that desire for more prayer. I am.

I haven't arrived. But that that pursuit, that desire. God, I want more of you and more of you as you as you're pursuing the holiness and as you Lord, I'm removing these things.

Why am I watching all these things that are taking me away from you or these relationships that are distracting me or or the social media idolatry? That's like a phone with a claw around it, holding it to your head. And we worship all these things other than God. Then finally, prayer.

Prayer that perseveres shakes heaven. Prayer that perseveres shakes heaven. Guys, this will be a great encouragement to you this morning, even though you don't, you often don't feel the shaking.

That doesn't mean that God is not moving. Let me tell you, my oh, my pastor Shane's prayers are just glorious and they're shaking. It's labor.

Never get in your mind that it's going to be man, I can't wait to spend a couple hours in prayer. This is going to be great. My man, I'm going to feel I'm going to I just like just anointed from heaven and I'm going to have emotions and be weeping all the time.

It's it's it's laborious. It's it's prayer. What exhausts me more than preaching is the prayer room.

When I pray, because you're praying, you're what are you doing? You're fighting the flesh. You're fighting the demonic. You're you're you're you're doing it just it doesn't feel like something I want to do.

So you have to labor through it. You have to push through it. Think about just about every every victory in the Bible.

There was sometimes there was tragedy before triumph. There was confusion before conquest. There was the sinking before success.

And there was fear before favor. Pressing in is so important. And I'll leave you with this final thought.

If you really want your prayer life to change from this day forward, from this day forward, I'll tell you, I remember my prayer life changing completely. 1999 January in Courtsill, California and exactly where I was. It went from I don't want to pray much.

The Bible's boring to Lord, you've ignited a passion in me. But of course, he had to break me and humble me and all these things I've talked about over the years. But at the at the at the core, at the core, this was it.

You must yearn and desire for a fresh move of God's Spirit. Correct? Am I not in my you know, I know I'm preaching to the choir. But just think if there's no yearning and desire, you'll you'll leave here no different than when you arrived.

Correct? Well, that was pretty good. Yeah, well, what's? Well, those are some points I got to get to someday. Yeah, someday I'm going to apply what he just said.

Yeah, that's good stuff. Maybe tomorrow morning. I'll think about it.

How you doing, Peter? Good to see you. Something's got to change. Correct? There's got to be a yearning, a desire, a passion.

God, there's again, I don't feel like it, but I don't care about my feelings. I'm tired. I don't know about you, but I'm tired of my flesh.

Tell me what I could do. I'm tired of my flesh leading me to Krispy Kreme donut whenever I wants to. I'm tired of the flesh.

Tell me no, you're going to sleep in. You're not coming to prayer. I'm tired of the flesh causing all kinds of drama in my life.

At what point do you say I'm going to yearn for you and you alone? I'm going to reach out and touch the hem of your garment. Christ, I want you and you alone. I need that.

God, I need you more than anything else. I'm yearning for you. And I claim the promise for they shall not be ashamed who waits for God.

You will not be ashamed if you wait for God. Couldn't you imagine if you found yourself on the face again before Almighty God and you put on worship and you begin to press in? You not only affect you, you affect the next generation as well. Leonard Ravenhill wrote to the older generation of his day.

Will we look back with shame as we remember nights of prayer and genuine gifts of the Holy Ghost when we are not clock watchers and our meetings lasted for hours, saturated it with holy power. Have we no tears for these memories? Have we no shame that our children know nothing of such power? Guys, I don't know about you, but I don't want my kids going through life, having religion, going through the motions. Get them here on Wednesday.

Get them here on Sunday. At least something was deposited. No, I want something deposited in their heart.

I want them to see God Almighty move. God Almighty break their mom. God Almighty break their dad.

I want them to see you at this altar crying out to God and saying, created me a clean heart. Oh God, I've been wrong. I've treated my wife wrong.

I've done this. Oh God, would you break me? Would you humble me? And then the mighty presence of God comes in and reshapes your family and your kids now have an anchor they can go back to. Is that not true?