The Church – February 2019

St John Chrysostom (c. 349 – 14 September 407) warns against giving honour to Christ by adorning the Church building to the neglect of the poor and suffering members of Christ’s body, the Church in the truest sense.

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’”
Matthew 25:34-40

What is the ‘Church’

It is the Body of Christ, Christ is the head.

Jesus Christ established and sustains a community of faith, hope and love for all believers. This community we call is His Church.

God did not let us wonder and wander in darkness about the most important truths we had to know in order to fulfil our most important task in life, union with him. No human lover would allow that if he could help it. Neither did God. to persevere in the unity of love and truth – which is what God wants above all because that is what he is: love (1 John 4:18) and truth (John 6:14). God sent Jesus to establish His church (the bride) on earth to give that union with Him through Jesus Christ.

“There is but one Body, one Spirit, just as one hope is the goal of your calling by God. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father of all, over all, through all and within all.” Ephesians 4:4-6

“From the beginning, Jesus associated his disciples with his own life, revealed the mystery of the Kingdom to them, and gave them a share in his mission, joy, and sufferings. Jesus spoke of a still more intimate communion between him and those who would follow him: “Abide in me, and I in you…. I am the vine, you are the branches.” and he proclaimed a mysterious and real communion between his own body and ours: “He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him.” [1]

Jesus’ promise

When his visible presence was taken from them, Jesus did not leave his disciples orphans. He promised to remain with them until the end of time; he sent them his Spirit. As a result communion with Jesus has become, in a way, more intense. . .

Jesus gave His disciples explicit instructions to stay in Jerusalem and wait for the promised Holy Spirit, the Helper, to come. … (John 14:26) Jesus made it clear the Holy Spirit would empower them to be a witness for Him. And so they waited. About 120 believers in all gathered together to wait and pray.

The Church is the Temple of the Holy Spirit

“What the soul is to the human body, the Holy Spirit is to the Body of Christ, which is the Church.”. The Holy Spirit is “the principle of every vital and truly saving action in each part of the Body.” He works in many ways to build up the whole Body in charity:

By God’s Word, by Baptism, by grace, by virtues by spiritual gifts, by the many special graces charisms, by which He makes the faithful “fit and ready to undertake various tasks and offices for the renewal and building up of the Church.”  Whether extraordinary or simple and humble, charisms are graces of the Holy Spirit which directly or indirectly benefit the Church, ordered as they are to her building up, to the good of men, and to the needs of the world. [2]

“There are many different gifts, but it is always the same Spirit. There are many different ways of serving, but it is always the same Lord.” 1 Corinthians 12:4,5

The Church is the communion of Saints

Let us recite the Apostles’ Creed which reminds us of the communion of the Saints and together declare our faith as one in Christ.

The Apostles’ Creed

I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.
Amen.

Connecting the Church and the Marketplace

The Church, your church, is the lighthouse of your city and region, therefore you need to equip your people to be witness wherever they are and also allow the Holy Spirit to move to bring transformation in your region. The thing is that Transformation is not only having pastors meeting once a month to pray or having prayer breakfasts once every three months… The church plays a vital and important role in your city; the church must engage with all spheres of influence in society, e.g.:

• Family
• Church (Ecclesia)
• Government and the Military
• Trade and Finance (Business)
• Law and Justice
• Religion and Philosophy
• The Arts
• Education
• Charity and Not for Profit Welfare
• Health and Science
• Media and Entertainment
• Sport and Recreation

The Church brings a great vision for your City and Region, but can only be truly effective if it united (many complementing parts, but one Body and one Head which is Christ). Agreement in prayer and love for the following will advance the Church and its members towards being a positive and Godly influence on the sphere of influence.

Vision – a picture of our future as one Body (Proverb 29:18)

Mission – shared understanding of our calling and therefore our purpose, intentions, aims and unity across the denominations (James 4:15)

Values – our shared commitment to what is desirable and worthy under God

Strategy – the process of how to get there and be a true witness of the resurrected Christ

Clarity – agreed core values in each church in the city, and a Statement of Faith

Engaged – Prayer and Mission together under the guidance of the Holy Spirit

Balanced – respectful relationship between Prophetic, Priestly and Civic Leadership, and between young, middle and older generations

Non-competitive – all churches must complement each other and not compete

Refer to Ex 25:31-40, Zech 4, Matt 5:14-16, John 8:12, 2 Peter 1:19, Rev 1:12-20, Rev 21:23

Your Church is Salt and Light

Lord, I pray for the church which is your body in this place. Make it a “city set on a hill that cannot be hidden,” salt and light in our community that preserves and safeguards us from evil and heralds the gospel of your kingdom to all who have ears to hear, thereby ushering in your end time purposes. (cf. Matthew 5:13-16)

The Church is Salt and Light for Transformation. In the following scriptures Christians are commissioned to represent the Kingdom of God on a daily basis: Matt 5:13-14, 6:10, 13:31-33, 22:37-40, 28:18-20, John 17:18-23, and Acts 1:8. This is confirmed by Paul at 1 Cor 4:16, 2 Cor 3:3, 2 Cor 5:18-20, Eph 5:1, Heb 13:7 and Philemon 1:6. Similarly Peter states our position in Christ at 1 Peter 2:9-10 and 3:15-16.

Your Church has a Great Commission

By growing in our Christian discipleship in our everyday lives:

• knowing God
• enjoying a personal relationship with Jesus
• being filled with the Holy Spirit
• having a practical love of God’s Word
• learning to live in the victory of the Cross.

The Great Commission of Matthew 28:18-20 was given to the original disciples but the on-going work was to all nations and to the end of the age. In other words the Body of Christ inherits the commission. We grow in maturity as we obey the commission and disciple others.

In 2 Corinthians Paul describes our commission in the following ways:

• fragrance of the knowledge of Jesus (2 Cor 2:15)
• living letters written by the Holy Spirit on the human heart (2 Cor 3:3)
• transformed people reflecting the glory of God (2 Cor 3:18)
• jars of (soft) clay revealing the glory to God (2 Cor 4:7)
• Christ’s ambassadors (2 Cor 5:20).

Your Church is an Ambassador of Christ

• foundations of love (Matt 22:37-40)
• foundations of character (humility, faith and maturity in Christ)
• selflessness not self-centredness (Rom 12:1-2, Gal 2:20)
• unity in the body of Christ in the marketplace (John 17:21, 1 Cor 12:12-26)
• walking in the promise of Jesus (Acts 1:8)
• example of the priority of David (Psalm 27:8).
• example of the transformed life of Peter (pre/post Acts 1:8, 1 Peter ch.4).

Guiding Scriptures

“God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it (Gen 1:28).

Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession” (Psalm 2:8, see also Rom 16:26 and Rev 2:26).

“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth (Matt 5:5).

You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven” (Matt 5:13-16).

“For the son of man came to seek and to save what was lost.” (Luke 19:10).

“You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody. You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.” (2 Cor 3:2-3).

“God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.” We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors (2 Cor 5:18-20).

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross” (Col 1:15-20).

“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (Eph 2:10).

There is one body and one Spirit – just as you were called to one hope when you were called – one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.“  (Eph 4:4-6).

Intercession and Prayers for Protection from Evil in Scripture

Old Testament:

• Abraham’s Intercession for Sodom & Gomorrah Genesis 18:23-33
• Daniel’s Prayer Daniel 9:4-19
• David’s Prayer for Protection Psalm 3
• David’s Prayer for Favor Psalm 4
• David’s Prayer for Guidance Psalm 5
• David’s Prayer for Mercy Psalm 6
• David’s Prayer from Persecution Psalm 7
• David’s Prayer for God’s Help Psalm 13
• David’s Prayer Psalm 23
• David’s Prayer For Trust Psalm 25
• David’s Prayer & Fasting Psalm 35
• David’s Prayer For Forgiveness Psalm 51
• Elijah’s Prayer for the Widow’s Son 1 Kings 17:20-22
• Elijah’s Prayer at Mt. Carmel 1 Kings 18:36-39
• Elisha’s Prayer 2 Kings 6:15-18
• Esther and the Nation of Israel Prayer & Fasting Esther 4 & 5
• Ezra Prayer & Fasting 8:21-23
• Hannah’s Prayer for a Child 1 Samuel 1:10-12
• Hannah’s Prayer of Thanksgiving 1 Samuel 2:1-10
• Hezekiah 2 Kings 20
• Jacob’s Deliverance From Essau Genesis 32:9-12
• Jacob At Peniel Genesis 32:24-30
• Jehoshaphat For Deliverance 2 Chronicles 20
• Jonah Jonah 2:2-9
• Moses Intercession For His People Exodus 32:11-13 32:31-32
• Moses Intercession For Miriam Numbers 12:13
• Moses and the Lord Exodus 33:12-13 Exodus 33:18
• Moses Exodus 33:15,16
• Moses & Promise Land Deuteronomy 3:24-29
• Moses & Israel Deuteronomy 9:26-29
• Moses’ 40 Day Prayer Deuteronomy 9:18-20; 9:25-29
• Nehemiah’s Prayer & Fasting Nehemiah 1:3-11
• Nehemiah and Israel Prayer & Fasting Nehemiah 9:1
• Samson Judges 16:28
• Solomon’s Prayer for Wisdom 1 Kings 3:6-9
• Solomon’s Prayer to Dedicate the Temple 1 Kings 8:23-61

New Testament:

• Jesus Temptation & Fasting Matthew 4:1
• Jesus Praying in the Wilderness Matthew 6:6
• The Lord’s Prayer Matthew 6:9-13 & Luke 11:2-4
• Jesus to the Father John 12:27-28
• Jesus Prayer of Thanksgiving Matthew 11:25-26
• Jesus Prayer for Lazarus John 11:41-42
• Jesus High Priestly Prayer John 17
• Jesus in Gethsemane Matthew 26:39 & 42
• Jesus at the Cross Luke 23:34, 46 Matthew 27:46
• Apostles For Divine Direction Acts 1:24,25
• Apostles & Believer’s Prayer Acts 4:24-31
• Stephen for His Murderers Acts 7:60
• Paul His First Plea Acts 9:6
• Cornelius Prayer & Fasting Acts 10:30-31
• Early Church Praying & Fasting for Paul & Barnabas Acts 13:1-3
• Paul For the Corinthians 2 Corinthians 13:7
• Paul For the Ephesians Ephesians 3:14-21
• Paul For the Philippians Philippians 1:9-11
• Paul For the Colossians Colossians 1:9-17

Prayer Strategy

During the month of February 2019 we are praying for the Church, let us join together in prayer for unity. 

Jesus walked on the earth in perfect unity with his Father’s will. He did whatever he saw the Father doing and he destroyed the works of the enemy everywhere he ministered. He was God made flesh. Can it get any better than that? Yet, Jesus prayed a prayer at the end of his earthly life that has yet to be answered. At his last supper with his disciples he prayed a prayer for all who would believe in him: “that they may all be one; even as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be in Us; that the world may believe that Thou didst send Me.” (John 17:21)

Each day of February for the Church’s unity [3]

1. 1Pet 5:6………..Heavenly Father, we humble ourselves before your throne of mercy.
2. 1Jn 1:9………….Forgive us for our sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
3. Heb 10:22………Let us draw near to You with a pure heart.
4. Heb 10:22………having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience,
5. Heb 10:22………and our bodies washed with pure water.
6. Col 3:16…………Let Your Word dwell in us richly.
7. Col 1:9…………..Fill us with the knowledge of Your will,
8. Col 1:9…………..in all wisdom and spiritual understanding,
9. Col 1:10…………that we may live and conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of You,
10. Col 1:10…………fully pleasing You, and being fruitful in every good work.
11. Eph 4:23………..And, by being renewed in the spirit of our minds,
12. Col 3:12…………that we put on tender mercies, kindness, humility,
13. Col 3:12…………meekness, longsuffering: bearing with and forgiving one another.
14. Eph 4:13………..That we dwell together in the unity of the faith,
15. 1Thes 5:12……..recognizing those who labor among us,
16. 1Thes 5:13……..esteeming them highly in love for their work’s sake.
17. 1Cor 1:10……….I pray we all speak the same thing, with no divisions among us,
18. Phil 1:27………..standing fast in one spirit, striving together for the faith.
19. Heb 13:9………..That we’re not carried about with various and strange doctrines,
20. 2Tim 2:15……….But we study, rightly dividing the word of truth.
21. Jude 1:16……….That we’re not complainers, walking after our own lusts,
22. 1Tim 6:18……….but are rich in good works, ready to give and willing to share.
23. Eph 4:16………..I pray that the whole body be knit and joined together,
24. Eph 4:16………..and that every part does its share causing growth to the body.
25. 1Pet 4:10……….As each one has received a gift, let him minister it,
26. Phil 2:4………….looking out for the interests of others.
27. 1Pet 1:22……….Let us all fervently love one another with a pure heart,
28. 2Jn 1:8………….so that we do not lose the things we have worked for.

What to Pray Concerning Your Church

Let’s join together as a the Body and pick up the Shield of Faith and the Sword of the Spirit as we take our place on the front lines as the ‘Family of Faith’ in praying:

Principles

• Understand that the reason the Church exists is not to moralise: all people must without fail choose good and avoid evil. Christians are supposed to transcend mere morality in loving their neighbors as themselves
• Remember to try to govern yourselves so as to be guided by the Holy Spirit. This requires that all members take responsibility for their common life, and that they practice shared leadership between clergy and laypeople.
• No one is to boast of the superiority of our way of being Christian.
• Remember in all times, joyous, sad, prosperous and impoverished, you will find hope on God and God alone, knowing that Christ has once and for ever delivered you from evil, sin and death; and awaiting the gifts of the Spirit pour out upon each person to accomplish joyfully together the mission of Jesus’ Church.

Prayers

• Pray that God will build His House and have His way in our church
• Pray that God will keep, guard, and protect this church from the evil one.
• Pray for the believers (all who are part of the Family of Faith).
• Pray for the lost to find the right church to join in and be welcomed.
• Pray and desire that we might be filled with the knowledge of Your will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
• Pray that we might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
• Pray that God strengthened us with all might, according to His glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;
• Pray that pastors recognise the gifts of their congregations and engage them in the church events
• Pray for the Elders in the churches
• Pray for all church prayer groups to grow in unity and love
• Pray that church leaders at all levels are patients with each other.
• Pray to the Lord of the harvest, that He will send forth laborers into His harvest.
• Pray for missionaries in the church
• Pray for those who are connected to the Family of Faith (giving, serving).
• For the finances of the churches
• Pray for leaders in the churches to be refreshed, renewed, restored.
• Pray that churches understand the true meaning of evangelisation and send many to the marketplace this is where Jesus’ ministry started.
• Pray that all ministry leaders will be blessed and accepted and that people will receive and hear our pastors’ hearts the way they mean to convey it.
• Pray for pastors to have and will hold onto their joy in spite of everything they have to deal with in ministry.
• Pray for the welfare of the churches and that pastors will have the wisdom to know what they are supposed to do in various situations they face.
• Pray that churches will be refreshed, restored, recharged, rested, renewed, and rejuvenated.
• Pray for bishops, archbishops, pastors, nuns, priests, deacons, deaconess, cleaners, builders, motivators, speakers in the churches, pastoral carers, kids ministry leaders, youth leaders, prayer leaders, people in charge of office administration, Human Resources, Accounts, Finance, Sunday Schools, Catechists, SRE teachers, board members, elders, all church agencies
• Pray that people respect the elders of their churches and their pastors by upholding them in prayer continuously

Deeper Prayers

• Pray for a Hunger for the Bible.
• Pray for Thankfulness.
• Pray for Gospel Growth.
• Pray for Holiness.
• Pray for Unity.
• Pray for repentance
• Pray for obedience
• Pray for righteousness
• Pray for love
• Pray for patience
• Pray for humility
• Pray for resistance from the evil one
• Pray for courage in the church
• Pray for renewal
• Pray for revival
• Pray for transformation
• Pray for utterance from the Holy Spirit
• Pray that the church understand the real need of the community
• Pray for wisdom
• Pray for the suffering church
• Pray for the persecuted church
• Pray for willingness to accommodate the broken in the community
• Pray for true service

Final Prayer

We pray You,O almighty and eternal God!
Who through Jesus Christ hast revealed Your glory to all nations,
to preserve the works of Your mercy,
that Your Church,being spread through the whole world,
may continue with unchanging faith in the confession of your name.
Amen.

Bibliography

[1] CCC 787

[2] CCC 797-799

[3] prayingscriptures.com/church.shtml

Church Fathers

New Advent – The Fathers of the Church: newadvent.org/fathers

Christianity Today: St. John Chrysostom: christianitytoday.com/history/people/pastorsandpreachers/john-chrysostom.html