John K. Jenkins Sr - A Pattern For Prayer That Produces Power

Turn your Bibles to 2 Chronicles, Chapter 20. I'd like to start reading at verse one. I'm going to take a different approach than in other services—I've got time, and this service tells me to take my time. Amen?

2 Chronicles 20:1-12 reads:
'After this, the Moabites, Ammonites, and others came to wage war against Jehoshaphat. Messengers came and reported to Jehoshaphat, "A vast army is coming against you from Edom, from beyond the Dead Sea. They are already in Hazazon Tamar" (that is, En Gedi).

Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah. The people gathered to seek help from the Lord; indeed, they came from every town in Judah to seek Him.

Then Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem at the Lord's temple before the new courtyard and said: "Lord, the God of our ancestors, are you not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, and no one can withstand you. Our God, did you not drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend? Your people have lived in it and built in it a sanctuary for your Name, saying, 'If calamity comes upon us, whether the sword of judgment, or plague or famine, we will stand in your presence before this temple that bears your Name and will cry out to you in our distress, and you will hear us and save us.'

But now here are men from Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, whose territory you would not allow Israel to invade when they came from Egypt; so they turned away from them and did not destroy them. See how they are repaying us by coming to drive us out of the possession you gave us as an inheritance. Our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you."'

Today, I want to talk about a pattern for prayer that produces power. Let me say that again: a pattern for prayer that produces power. Turn to your neighbor and say, 'Pastor Jenkins is going to present a powerful presentation about a pattern for prayer that produces power.'

Prayer is an essential component of life. If you want to become everything God intends for you to be, if you want to see God's hand move in your life, you must be a person of prayer. Unfortunately, too many of us only pray when we find ourselves in trouble. Amen?

I've noticed that people often pray however they want, ignoring the fact that God gives us patterns throughout Scripture. The Bible is filled with models of prayer from Genesis to Revelation. Remember when the disciples, seeing Jesus perform miracles, asked Him, 'Teach us to pray'? We would do well to follow these biblical patterns rather than approaching God however we choose.

In 2 Chronicles 20, we find a prayer that produced powerful results. Let me set the stage: Jehoshaphat became king of Judah at age 35 and reigned for 25 years. The name 'Judah' means 'praise,' and when you begin to praise God, expect opposition. Don't be surprised when people come against you because you're praising God. The enemy doesn't like it when you give God glory.