Online Revival with Pastor Kenneth Carpenter

we'd like to welcome everyone on this beautiful Monday evening thank you for allowing me to come into your home and give you a Bible study this evening to the first Apostolic Church family in Maryville and Sevierville I want to say how godly proud if I can use that word that I am of our church congregations and how that you are are you are responding and reacting to this Kogan 19 and God is being lifted up and God is being praised I want to welcome you this evening to a three part series on the subject of Prayer I have pondered several subjects in my mind that I would like to address to our church congregation one was one was prophecy and I thought about addressing online congregation on the subject of prophecy and then it came to my mind the importance of prayer the importance of prayer over prophecy prophecy is events that are taking place and that will take place prayer is an ever-present connection with Almighty God so the series on prayer was birthed in my heart it will be as I have said a three-part series on prayer tonight we are going to be covering the principle of prayer the principles of prayer tomorrow night we are going to study the practice of prayer and then on Wednesday evening we're going to study on the power of prayer the principle very simple the principle the practice and the power of prayer would start with a question what exactly is prayer is it something that we do we hear a lot about it and there's trouble that comes our way is it something that we mainly use in times of trouble well the answer to that about is it's something that we do in times of trouble would be yes yes we do pray in times of trouble but yet the purpose of Prayer if we were talking about the principle of Prayer the purpose of Prayer the reason that we have prayer the reason that prayer has been given to us as a gift from God is relationship building the relationship between the believer the child of God and our Heavenly Father Jesus Christ it is to build a relationship it is to build a relationship with him before we begin to read scriptures pertaining to the principle of Prayer some time ago I came across a scripture in the Old Testament that literally revolutionized my view my opinion of prayer as the leader of my home as the pastor of first Apostolic Maryville and Sevierville and also as the general superintendent of a God ordained fellowship called the Assemblies of the Lord Jesus Christ it was the Prophet Samuels farewell speech to Israel he was yet saying his goodbyes to Israel and as a matter of fact when we think about the prophet Samuel his very name means ask of God ask of God Samuel the Prophet was the product of a godly praying mother Hannah Hannah was a woman that would not be denied and she stayed persistent in prayer and God heard her prayer granted her her petition and a son was given to her and she called his name Samuel which means ask of God he became one of Israel's leading prophets when he was giving when Samuel was giving his farewell speech in First Samuel chapter 12 and verse number 28 he's giving his farewell speech now he's he's just about three verses from ending he says to Israel moreover as for me look at this personal responsibility moreover as for me god forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you but I will teach you the good and the right way look at how Santa Samuel viewed the responsibilities he had as a prophet to pray for God's people as a matter of fact he said if he would cease to pray if he stopped praying for God's people that he called it a sin but not only did he call it a sin he called it a sin against the Lord it's something that I am doing it's something that I am doing against the Lord so tonight as we begin this series on prayer I want there to be a weight of responsibility to come upon every leader of every home I want a weight of responsibility to come upon every pastor of every church I want to weight a responsibility to come upon every district official every national official in the ALJ see that we would have a personal responsibility that we would pray for the men and women that we are leading and to cease to do that to allow something to take priority over prayer that we would view it as a sin against the Lord it has when I read that passage of Scripture some time ago I told you it revolutionized my prayer life and it has been a motivating factor on keeping me directed daily faithfully to pray for myself to pray for my family to pray for my church family and to pray for the organization and the work of God as a whole this first series tonight the principal ingredient the foundational ingredients when you're when you're cooking something there will be there will be the ingredients there will be the principle ingredients that you that you have to have certain ingredients if you plan to bake a cake or you you plan to make a certain dish there is just simply certain ingredients that is an absolute must and this first ingredient this principle of Prayer is relational you must understand that we not only pray in times of trouble but the main ingredients to prayer the main ingredient to prayer is to have a relationship with our Heavenly Father Jesus Christ we see this as we weave our way through the Old Testament in 2nd Kings chapter 20 and verse number 1 it says in those days was Hezekiah sickened to death and the prophet Isaiah the son of hemos came to him and said unto Him thus saith the Lord set down house in order for thou shalt die and not live so it's a very bleak time for the for the King Hezekiah he has been sick and now he gets a visit from Isaiah the prophet and Isaiah the prophet has a word from the Lord and this word from the Lord is to set your house in order get everything situated get your wheel made out get everything situated because you are going to die and not live set the Lord well the scripture says in verse number two his response then he turned his face to the wall and prayed unto the Lord now obviously this is a great time of trouble he is he is very troubled at this this news from God that he's going to die and not live so he goes to prayer and listened to his prayer he says in verse three I beseech thee O Lord remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which is good in thy sight and Hezekiah wept sword and I noticed yes he is praying there is trouble he is at death's door but listen to his prayer his prayer speaks of a relationship that he had with God before the trouble came he already had a relationship remember now how I have walked before the in truth and with a perfect heart his prayer was not God if you will heal me I will walk before you in truth I will I will get a perfect heart his prayer was in in in the view of the past god I have had a relationship with you I've had a relationship with you through truth I've had a relationship with you through keeping my heart clean and then the Bible says that he began to weep and evidently this prayer calls God who had sent the Prophet to tell Hezekiah that he was going to die it caused God if I can use this phrase it cause God to change his mind and when Hezekiah began to tell God you begin to remind God of a relationship that they had it caused it caused God until the Prophet go back in and tell Hezekiah that I will add 15 years to his life but this prayer of Hezekiah this effective prayer of Hezekiah was based on a relationship based on a relationship that he had with the Lord as a matter of fact we also will go to 1st Samuel 1 and 11 it is Hannah and Hannah is praying to God that she may give birth to a child and the Bible said in 1st Samuel 1 and 11 and she vowed a vow and said O Lord of Hosts if that will indeed look on the infliction of the handmaid this verse she says God I am your handmaid now this this phrase that she uses this title that she uses he is in reference to a relationship that she has with her Lord her master and she says I am I am the handmaid and remember me and forget not and forget not thine handmaid several times she's reminding the Lord of her of her relationship that she has with him that she is the Lord's handmaid but that would give 9 handmade a man-child and I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life and there shall be no razor come upon his head so once again we see Hezekiah as he prayed and he based his prayers upon the principle of a relationship I have walked before you I have kept thy truth I have I have kept a perfect heart here Hannah is now she bases her prayer upon the principle of a relationship now Hezekiah had a need and Hannah had a need Hezekiah didn't want to die and Hannah wanted there to be a birth but both of these both of these needs was based upon the principle of their relationship with God we go to Daniel chapter number 6 in verse number 10 there had been a decree there had been a conspiracy against Daniel by the other leaders there in the kingdom to find something in Daniel to find something in Daniel that would cause the king to bring him out of his office and they they knew that Daniel was faithful three times a day to take a break and go to God in prayer and so they conspired against behind Daniel's back and unknowing to the king they got the King to sign a decree that could not be reversed once it was signed it could not be reversed and that was that no man would ask a petition of any other other God anyone else other than asking of the King for 30 days and so when Daniel chapter 6 and verse number 10 now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed he went into his house and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem he kneeled upon his knees three times a day and prayed notice the wording and gave thanks before his God look at that relationship didn't say he gave thanks to God but it says his God when it says his God that is speaking about a personal relationship that Daniel has he gave thanks before his God as he did a four time then these men assembled and found Daniel praying and making supplication before once again underline it his God not to God that he was making his supplication before his God it was personal we see it with Hezekiah we see it with Hanna we see it now with Daniel all other prayers are built there were effective prayers from Hezekiah getting 15 years to Daniel getting delivered from the Lions then to Hanna having a child all of these were built upon the ingredient foundation of a relationship with God the principle of a relationship with God Jesus when asked by the disciples the disciples came to Jesus and we've often heard this that it's the Lord's Prayer and in actuality it's not the Lord's Prayer it's the disciples prayer the Bible says in Luke chapter 11 number one and it came to pass that as he was praying in a certain place when he ceased one of his disciples said unto Him Lord teach us to pray as John also taught his disciples this is a wonderful request that that they had there must have been something they viewed about Jesus Christ that after he went to prayer there there must have been something that prayer did to him and that prayer did through him that caused the disciples to make the request Lord Lord we're here to hear instructions we want to be taught how to pray there's a lot of wonderful things in our walk with God that we can receive in an instant we can have hands laid upon us and we can be instantly healed but there are certain things that can only come through teaching certain precepts certain things in your mind that you can only get through teaching and they said Lord teach us not how to preach not how to not not how to perform miracles but Lord would you teach us teach us how to pray and Jesus in verse number 2 and he said unto them when you pray now notice the words there when you know when when you pray he didn't say if you pray he said when you pray say our Father which art in heaven hallowed be thy name thy kingdom and I will be done as in heaven so in earth when Jesus said when you begin to pray I want you to begin your prayer because after all this is not the Lord's Prayer this is the disciples prayer he said I want you to begin your prayer with saying our Father now we take those two words our Father number one our means that we're not alone our speaks about others around us whether it's our family our church our organization or our world let us always be reminded that as we go to prayer that we are a part of other brothers and sisters that love God and that are calling upon the same God who is without respect of persons and he's rich over all that call upon him so he said our Father now when he when he says our Father that speaks of a relationship our Father our speaks of a relationship that we have with one another and father speaks of a relationship that we have with God God is our Father so when I when I when I go to prayer when I go to prayer I'm understanding that I'm I'm not going before a power that I'm going to have to convince to help me I'm not going against a force or some people will will say the man upstairs or and on and on when we go to God in prayer we are going before our Father and he's not only our father he's our Heavenly Father because he says our Father who art which art in heaven look at look at the distance the distance between Earth and heaven but that one relationship the distance between earth and heaven is bridged with a relationship that we have with our Father we have a relationship with our father once Jesus wanting to emphasize what a good father he is he was saying if any of you if your son would ask for a piece of bread would you give him a rock to chew on he said if he would ask for an egg would you would you would you give him a serpent would you give him some kind of scorpion would you give him something that would body and of course I said absolutely not he said if you then being evil and what he was referring to is how much higher God's love and gods chair is from our natural care for our family he said if you being evil know how to give good gifts unto your children bread eggs he said how much more how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Ghost to them that hassle so this that when as we go to prayer we must realize that we are working to build a relationship with God he is our Father and that word father bridges the distance between the earth that is limited and the heavens that is without without limit as a matter of fact we know that Jesus even modeled the man Christ Jesus even modeled he even he taught and he modeled this prayer in Matthew chapter 6 verse number 6 he said but thou when thou prayest enter into thy closet and when thou hast shut thy door pray to thy father which is in secret and thy father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly so again his he is emphasizing that when we go to prayer it's not the man upstairs it's not I'm going to try to talk God into this it's you know it's not something that I don't know who I'm talking to I am talking to my Heavenly Father he was there in the garden that night and they came to arrest him Peter drew the sword cut the servant of the high priest ear off and Jesus gave the rebuke in Matthew 26 53 he says thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my father and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels look at this here Jesus is surrounded with a crucifying mob he is surrounded by all these men and leaders that are going to seize him and they're going to take him and they're going to crucify him but what's his answer when man tried to exert his strength when Peter tried to fight his way out of this situation he said Peter don't you know that I have a father don't you know that presently I know that I'm looking out and seeing a crucifying crowd but I also know that I have a father I have a father that I could pray to and that he would send legions of angels and let me just pause here for a moment and address the situation that were and this evening in the not only our United States but the world is in this grip of coded nineteen nine listen watch last night as our missionary brother Mark Stumbo from st. Petersburg Russia addressed and began to tell about the same thing is happening in Russia but in the midst of being surrounded by death church we have a father praise God in the midst of being surrounded by death all around us we have a Heavenly Father that we are praying to and will pray to and our Heavenly Father is able to deliver us our Heavenly Father is able to protect us from our Heavenly Father is able to deliver us in the midst of it our Heavenly Father is our healer he also taught us in John chapter 14 verses 15 and 16 he said if you love me keep my Commandments and I will pray the father and he shall give you another comforter that he may abide with you forever he said I will pray the father and he shall give you another comforter as a matter of fact he's speaking about the Holy Ghost here and the Bible calls the Holy Ghost the promise and act in the book of Acts it calls the Holy Ghost the promise of the father the promise of the Father now in Romans chapter 8 verse number 15 it tells us what happens when we receive the Holy Ghost and we begin to speak in a language a heavenly language that we don't know what we're saying but Romans 8 and 15 tells us what we're saying Romans 8 and 15 says for ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear but ye have received the spirit of adoption look at these two he said you've not received the spirit of fear but you have received the spirit of adoption look at these two look at these two spirits here the spirit of fear and the spirit of adoption now what's what's interesting about both of these spirits will cause the one that has it to speak both of these spirits if a person has the spirit of fear they will speak fear if a person is baptized with the spirit and has the spirit of adoption they will speak of that adoption the spirit of fear will cause people to say that the end is here it will cause people to lose hope it could even cause people even to take their own lives to give up but if you have the spirit of adoption it'll cause you to speak of your father look at Romans 8:15 for ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear but ye have received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father that's what happens when we are baptized with the Holy Ghost when when we are filled with the Holy Ghost and we begin to speak in a language that we don't know what we're really it's like a baby crying when it's when it's born when it comes out of its mother's womb what we're all in that room waiting on is to hear the cry of that baby and we hear the cry of that baby we know everything's all right well when we're born again of the Spirit of God we make a cry out of our we don't know it at that time but we are crying out to our father Abba Father later Paul makes even more reference of this in Galatians chapter 4 and verse number 6 he says and because he our sons God has sent forth the spirit of his son into your hearts crying Abba Father do you know the resurrection of Jesus Christ is proof positive that he was not a lunatic but that he was the Lord some time ago saw a book and either it was the title of the book or a chapter in the book speaking of Jesus Christ said was he a lunatic or was he the Lord of course he was teaching in the book that he was a law he was the Lord but if you if he had not risen from the dead on the third day he could have been taken for a lunatic that claimed to be God but the resurrection of Jesus Christ is proof positive of his identity how does this weave its way into prayer in Romans chapter 1 verse number 4 it says and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by the resurrection from the dead in other words the resurrection was proof positive that Jesus was who he claimed to be he claimed to be God we know that in John chapter 20 and verse number 27 Thomas had told the other disciples unless I can thrust my hand into his side unless I can see the nail prints and put my hand in his side I will not believe that he is resurrected but in John 20 and 27 28 then say of hey Jesus to Thomas reach hither thy finger and behold my hands and reach into thy hand and thrust it into vice my side and be not faithless but believing and Thomas answered and said unto Him my lord my Lord and my God my Lord and my god now what's I'm bringing this out because the resurrection of Jesus Christ proved to the disciples that he was Lord and God the resurrection of Jesus Christ proved to the disciple Thomas he's the Lord and he's God but it would be the infilling of the Holy Ghost it would be Pentecost it would be the coming of the Holy Ghost that would cause Thomas to be filled with the Spirit of God and Thomas would begin to cry out not knowing the words but in essence crying out father crying out Abba Father well I want to leave us with one last scripture again in light of all that is going on Jesus went to Gethsemane there he fell under such pressure becoming the lamb that would take away the sins of the world the weight of sin coming up on him many must we must understand that what could this tremendous pressure on Jesus was not that he was going to experience the pain of crucifixion but what could this tremendous load upon him is that all the sins of Adam was going to be laid upon him he was going to become he was going to become sin for us we know that several writers in the Gospels tell about that he pray and his sweat became as great drops of blood we we know that we know that that that that some of the Gospels talk about him falling on his face but look with me in mark 14 35 and 36 it said and he went a little farther and fell on the ground and prayed if it were possible the hour might pass from him and he said Abba Father all things are possible unto thee take away this cup from me nevertheless not what I will but what that will you see in this hour of tremendous stress in this hour as the man crossed Jesus knowing that he would become sin for all humanity fell under such pressure that his blood be changes I told you great drops of blood and even from a human side pray that if it's your will don't let let let this cup pass from me but also knowing that the father would never have us go through anything that would not be for our benefit and for the benefit of humanity as a whole and he addressed him as Abba Father I pray tonight that this first lesson in a three-part series of Prayer the principle of Prayer being a relationship I pray tonight that this will be a blessing to you as you go to prayer and the next few days if you've not established a prayer life that you would establish we could use this time of being shut in we could use this time to begin to establish a prayer life and establish that prayer life not on fear but faith not on the man upstairs but our Heavenly Father god bless you and thank you for this evening your time and tomorrow evening at 7:30 we are going to begin to discuss the practice of prayer we certainly hope that the Word of God that you have heard tonight challenges you it is my desire that if you are a believer that this word has drawn you closer to the Lord Jesus Christ if by chance tonight you have been watching and your heart has been touched by God's Word but you have not yet committed your life to God you've not yet been baptized in the wonderful name of Jesus Christ not yet received the gift of the Holy Ghost we want you to know that although there is a band about the attendance at the house of God that our church is open for you to come and pray for you to come and be baptized to receive the Spirit of God please contact the church office and make arrangements to come and meet one of the pastoral team and their pray and be baptized god bless you until tomorrow night may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be upon you