Agree

last Wednesday Pastor John spoke on the first imagined prayer service on the topic of renew and he shared the importance of the Lord to bring spiritual renewal to our church family and if you will remember you took notes there were four areas of focuses for prayer in that service and Pastor talked about the renewal of our minds the renewal of spirit the renewal of strength and the renewal of vision tonight as he mentioned the focus of this service is agree and everyone say agree to agree is to act together to a common end or this single effect of something to consent to a course of action or to achieve or be in harmony of purpose and that's why we felt that it was so important that our entire church family would come together tonight children youth adults and that we would agree in prayer for our church and this imagined Vision campaign amen and one of the greatest stories in your Bible about a building project would be found in the book of Nehemiah and the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem there's great significance with the city of Jerusalem Jerusalem was located on the Southeastern Ridge of what would later become the Temple Mount of Jerusalem it is surrounded on three sides by deep valleys it was a strongly fortified position and it provided Israel with a nearly impregnable national capital but Jerusalem was not only a religious and a political Center of Israel but would also come to occupy a very important place in the history of both Judaism and Christianity and world history in your Bible as you read after David brought the Ark of God to Zion that Jerusalem Islam was recognized as the place where the Lord had chosen to cause his name to dwell there there are numerous scriptures that speak of Jerusalem as the place from which the Lord Reigns over the entire Earth and according to your Bible the Jerusalem will continue to be a focal point of human history until the Lord comes back for his church so yes the the building project of Jerusalem with Nehemiah it was significant for the people of God and I wholeheartedly believe and I pray you do as well that imagine is of great significance to the kingdom of God and the City of Atlanta amen this church is like a city set on a hill the church is a Shining Light of Jesus Christ into the darkness of this world this church is a place for the people of God to assemble together to be encouraged and to be sent out to reach the world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ this church is a place where the truth of God's word is being proclaimed and if you believe that say Amen for Jerusalem sadly it was captured and it was destroyed by Babylonians and 586 BC the Jews were carried off into Exile and then 70 years later the Exile ended when King Cyrus began to allow the Jews to return home but while the returning Exile began to rebuild the Temple and restore their homes the cities broken down wall left Jerusalem very vulnerable and very undefended and this is when we're introduced to a man named Nehemiah he was a contemporary of Ezra he was a cup Bearer to the king and the Persian Palace Nehemiah had great concern for the welfare of Jerusalem and its inhabitants and this was because Nehemiah he also knew of the significance of Jerusalem he knew of the significance of God's chosen people and the purpose and the favor that was upon them therefore Nehemiah he wanted God's will for his people and for Jerusalem to be accomplished and more than anything else we as a church would want God's will to be accomplished for our church amen what is God's will for our church simply put it as God's will that we would reach a loss and a Dying World second Peter 3 9 says it like this the Lord is not slack concerning his promise as some count slackness but his long-suffering towards us not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance that's why we as a church are commanded in Mark 16 15 and he said to them go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature the purpose behind imagine is simply people that need Jesus Christ imagine is not about a building it's about people amen so the first thing that we must agree upon tonight is that it is the will of God for our church and for imagine we must agree upon this just as Nehemiah understood God's Will and purpose for his people and Jerusalem we must understand and agree with God's will for our church and for Imagine amen God's will is the mission of our church to lead people into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ and develop them into fully devoted followers of him we must agree with God's will that's our first prayer point for the night next in Nehemiah chapter 1 and verse 2 we we read about a conversation between Nehemiah and Hannah and I Nehemiah asks how things were going in Jerusalem and he found out that things were not going well for those had had returned to Jerusalem they were in great trouble and disgrace the wall of Jerusalem had been torn down the gates have been destroyed by fire and upon hearing this news we read in Nehemiah 1 4 and so it was when I heard these words that I I sat down and I wept and I mourned for many days I was fasting and I was praying before the god of Heaven Nehemiah he understood that the need was great he understood that the task that was before him was significant and Nehemiah recognized that the only way for this project to be accomplished would be through prayer and fasting before the god of heaven and church we must recognize what Nehemiah recognized from the very outset of this campaign and this journey we must agree with God's way for Imagine to be accomplished is through prayer and through fasting Amen in Matthew 17 we read about having faith as of a grain of a mustard seed we read about speaking to a mountain to be removed we read how nothing shall be impossible but following those verses Matthew 17 21 tells us however this kind it does not go out by prayer and fasting in church when Nehemiah prayed and fasted something began to happen on his own Nehemiah would have been limited and restricted to his own abilities and his own resources just us as we are but God he heard his prayer God saw his sacrifice of fasting and with God on his side doors began to supernaturally be open resources and finances would miraculously be provided Nehemiah was given instruction for safe travel along the journey he was given Timber and resources from the king's forest for the project and Nehemiah 2 8 it informs us that it was because the gracious hand of God was upon him this wasn't an accident that the hand of God was upon him it was upon him because Nehemiah had taken time to go before the Throne of heaven and he prayed and he fasted to God Amen to let it be said about Atlanta West during this campaign that we approached this season of growth and Revival as we imagine and that we agreed do it God's way through prayer and through fasting amen as a result I believe the favor and the blessing and the gracious hand of God will be upon us as a church so Nehemiah he went to Jerusalem to rebuild the wall with the king's full permission and support upon arrival Nehemiah quickly got to work and surveying the damage when the time was right Nehemiah he began to Rally all the people and organizing the work by saying this in Nehemiah 2 17. he said come and let us build the wall of Jerusalem that we may no longer be a reproach he didn't say come let me build the wall he didn't say come let you begin to build the wall he said no come let us all begin to build a wall Nehemiah knew that the work cannot be done by himself alone that would take all the people working together Nehemiah 2 18 the people agreed and so they they said let us rise up and build and they set their hands to this good work as you'll continue to read in new Nehemiah 3. it's pretty amazing story and we don't have full time in this prayer service but you will see how this was carried out in this chapter you'll read of how a high priests and Priests would begin to work together you'll read of citizens from different cities coming together you'll read of people of different and various backgrounds you read of how goldsmiths and then merchants and even a manufacturer of perfume began to work together they weren't wall Builders they had different occupations but they all came together being said hey Count Me In I want to get on board with this we're all gonna build this together amen and Nehemiah 3 4 you read of how sons and grandsons began to work together on the wall what's fascinating and sometimes overlooked in Nehemiah 3 12 there's a man named Shalom and the Bible says that he and even his daughters repaired the next section of the wall Nehemiah understood that in order for it to be rebuilt it was going to take a unified Nation amen we read in Nehemiah 4 20 and that even if someone was in trouble in the project if someone was in need they would blow a trumpet and they would all rush to help one another in Atlanta West in order for Imagine to be realized in our church I believe that we must also agree with God's wishes for his church this is our third prayer point I believe that it is his wish his want his desire for us all to come together with great unity and great agreement like never before Philippians 2 1-5 says is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ here in the New Living Translation he says is there any comfort from his love any Fellowship together in the spirit said all your hearts tender and compassionate verse two he says then you make me truly happy by a green wholeheartedly with each other loving one another and working together with one mind and one purpose so don't be selfish during this season don't try to impress others during this season but be humble think of others think of the lost people that need to be saved as better than yourselves amen verse 4 don't look out only for your own interest but take an interest in others too verse 5 because you must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had we're a book of Acts church amen and I believe that God is calling us once again like on the day of Pentecost to be with one Accord and in one place God is wanting to unify those in our church from every Walk of Life from every nationality from every generation fathers mothers grandparents Sons daughters grandchildren amen church we must all agree with God's wishes for our church amen he's calling everybody to come together to imagine with one mind and with one purpose finally one of the greatest aspects of the story of Nehemiah is the sacrifice and the commitment to the work that was set before them what an amazing story and you read about it was it hard work this journey that they were on yes it was hard work where sacrifices required during the season of work absolutely famously the laborers They carried on their work with one hand supporting their load and one hand holding a weapon all the builders had a sword built into their side and the Bible says they worked early and they worked late and some of our team leaders and teams that have been helping for with imagine can say Amen finally we read that during the entire project they didn't even change or take off their clothes a smelly hard-working bunch of people was there opposition to the work you better believe it from without and from within Nehemiah he had to have guards with swords and Spears and Bows stationed around the walls day and night two men named sand Palin and kisham conspired against Nehemiah they tried to pull him from his work they tried to do him harm during the season of growth but nehemiah's response in Nehemiah 6 3 says I am doing a great work so that I cannot come down why should the work cease amen so despite the challenges despite the opposition we read that the work was completed in an astonishing 52 days why Nehemiah 4 6 says so we built the wall and the entire wall was joined together up to half its high for the people they had a mind to work amen that fourth and final point for tonight is that we must agree with God's work as a church we must agree that the work of God in Atlanta West is worthy of our time it's worthy of our talent it's worthy of our treasure amen First Corinthians 15 58 says therefore my beloved Brethren be steadfast immovable always abounding in the work of the Lord knowing that your labor is not in vain we must agree that the work of God church is worthy of our sacrifice yes the enemy is going to try to oppose imagine yes the inner he's gonna try to attack you and your family as you work and you build up the kingdom of God yes the enemy is going to try to discourage us in our work but let our prayer be like nehemiah's in the face of opposition and Nehemiah 6 9 for they were all trying to make us afraid saying their hands will be weakened in the word and it will not be done but nehemiah's response is now therefore o God strengthen my hands now I believe with all of my heart that as we agree with God's work for imagine he's going to strengthen our hands he's going to see us through amen he's going to help us accomplish this great work amen as we in this service tonight we're about to agree in prayer and we're going to agree with powerful prayer calling on the name of Jesus in Matthew 18 19-20 says it like this again I say to you that if two of you agree on Earth concerning anything they ask it will be done for them by my Father in heaven for where two or three are gathered together my name I am there in the midst of them this scripture is encouraging it's powerful but the Greek word for agree is is simply this sum phonio it means to agree together to make a bargainer to come to an agreement this word is the Greek word for which the word symphony is derived a symphony orchestra combines many diverse instruments together anywhere from 50 to 80 instruments and under the direction of a skilled conductor to produce a beautiful musical Masterpiece and church together understand that its impacts extends far beyond what any one instrument could achieve on its own That's The Power of agree this imagery paints a perfect analogy for the Church of God as it is intended to be we preach it we teach it that we are a multicultural a multi-generational church together reaching for the Next Generation amen we are better when we are together and anything that we ask in his name it will be done amen if you believe that why don't you stand to your feet and thank the Lord right now and agree thank the Lord God we believe that you are with us we believe God that you are on our side and we come to you with great faith tonight in the name of Jesus Christ amen I believe the Lord is with us as we enter into a season of prayer here tonight you're going to see these prayer points supporting scripture is going to be on the screens and we want you as you pray to encourage you to move out of your seats to turn this Sanctuary into an altar the sanctuary into a powerful room of prayer amen if you're new to Atlanta West with these Thai top tables we have prayer cards we'd love to you to fill out prayer requests and as you walk through the sanctuary grab a request begin to call out that request by name maybe you want to place it back down you want to pick up another one we're going to pray for these needs today maybe you want to take one home when we're done but tonight as we agree in prayer remember to pray and to agree with God's will amen our mission to reach the laws agree with God's way that we're going to go about this in prayer and fasting agree with God's wishes that we're going to be unified as a church and agree with God's work amen to build the kingdom of God at all costs amen one more time we're going to lift our voices in prayer and then we're going to disperse as a church Lord we love you we thank you for this season that we are in we thank you o God for this exciting step that we are taking as a church but I pray that we will take it with you god Steps of Faith calling on the name of Jesus Christ I pray tonight Lord that there would be a great spirit of unity God that would continue to sweep across our church maybe there's a one or two on the outside God that they would be brought in O god with vision and with purpose to see o God that you are trying to accomplish through imagine and through our church be with us today I pray thank God that you would hear our prayers as we call unto you in the name of Jesus Christ