When We Pray Things Change

Come on, let's stand and worship this morning. We're just singing, "God, I'm just grateful." So, come on, let's give it everything we've got this morning. There was no way until you made one. Grace upon grace. Hallelu. Even though I don't deserve it, you did it. >> Even though I couldn't earn it, you did it. Who am I that you keep me on your mind? God, I'm just grateful for you. I'm just grateful for you. All my life you've been right here by my side. God, I'm just grateful for you, God. I'm just grateful for you. Oh, there's only one. I give you glory for all that you done. Even though I don't deserve it, he's taking us out and even though I couldn't give it to a church who you keep me on your mind, God, I'm just grateful for you. I'm just grateful for you all my life. Keep me right by myself. I'm just grateful for you. I'm just grateful for you. Am I that you keep me on your mind? I'm just grateful for you. I'm just grateful for you. All my life right here by my side. God, I'm just grateful for you. God, I'm just grateful for you. God, I'm just grateful for you this morning. I'm lifting both of my hands. You give me chance after chance after chance. I'm giving all that I am. You gave me chance after chance after chance. You give me chance after I give you all that I am. You give me chance after chance after chance. Who am I that you keep me on your mind? God, I'm just grateful for you. God, I'm just grateful for you. All my life you been right here by my side. God, I'm just grateful for you. I'm just grateful for you. Who am I? Who am I? That you keep me on your mind. God, I'm just grateful for you. God, I'm just grateful for you. All my life you've been right here by my side. God, I'm just grateful for you. God, I'm just grateful for you. And now I'm surive and I'm here to test it. God, I'm just grateful for you. God, I'm just grateful for you. I'm all right if they say I'm out of my mind. God, I'm just grateful for you. God, I'm just grateful for you. >> Standing here, not knowing how we'll get through this test. But holding on to faith, you know best. You've got this figured out watching us now. When it looks as if we can win us in your arms and sleep and everything we need, you supply. You've got this in control. And now we know that you made a way. When our backs were against the wall and it looks as if it was over, you made a way. I was standing here only because you made away. Now we're here looking back from where we come from. Because of you and nothing we've done to deserve the love and mercy you shown. Your grace was strong enough to pick us up and you made a way. When our backs are against the wall and it looks as if it was over, you made the way. And we're standing here only because you made a way. When my pastor against the wall and it looks as if you made a way and we're standing here only because you made a way. You move mountains. You want to walk through your power. There is nothing that impossible because your power is I'm standing here because you mountains you cause worlds to fall. With your powerful miracles standing Yeah. Heat. standing only because you me you made away but our backs were against the wall and it looks as if it was over you made a way >> and we're standing here only because you made a way. >> You made a way. You made a way. You made a way. You made a way. Don't know how, but you did. Don't know how, but you don't know how, but you did. Don't know how, but you did it. I don't know why, but I'm grateful. Don't know why I'm grateful for Don't know why I'm grateful. Don't know why I'm grateful. Don't know why. Don't know why. Don't know why. Don't know why. Mountains. You cause walls to fall. With your power performing Let go. There is nothing. Holy Cross you made the way. >> So we sing church, you made the way. When our backs were against the wall >> and it looks as if it was over you. >> You made a way. >> And we're standing here only because you made the way. Who thought I'd find you at the lowest place? >> Who thought you'd feel me in the crowd? >> Who knew you'd make it all my mistakes? You're nothing like I thought you were your best. What a god. What a god. What a god. What a god. What a god. What a god. Who you are. What a god. What a god. I for sure forfection. What kind of God looks for the lost? They say it's over for the s. But you say, "No, it's not. No, it's not." You say, "No, it's not." No, it's not. What a god. What a god. What a job. What a god. What a god. What a god. What a god. You are so well. You have been so me. If the highest place I reaches at your feet, then I've done it all. If the best thing that I see is your glory and I've seen it all. Your love has saved my life. Forever satisfied. You are my everything. If the highest place I reach is your first thing that I see is your glory and I see it all. Your love will save my life forever satisfied. You are my word is the only it never see I have it all your treasure this night could sisfy you are Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Go. God. The highest place I reach is at your feet. And I've done it all. The best thing I see is your glory. Blessing it all. Your love has saved my life forever. Satisfied. You are my You always feel your heartfy. You are my You are You are my God. The highest place I reach your turn it all. I see is your glory. it all. Your love has saved my life forever. Satisfied. >> You are my everything. Give one word. One word is the only I still have it all. >> No treasure is ever satisfy. >> You are my everything. You are my everything. >> You are my everything. Oh, you are my everything. >> You are my everything. You are my everything. >> So I give you the worship you deserve. >> Right now my eyes are focused on you. >> Right now my eyes are focused on you. No distractions. Nothing else matters. >> The highest place I reaches at your feet. >> Then I've done it all. If the best thing that I see is your glory, >> then I have it all. If one word is the only treasure of this I could ever satisfy. >> You are my everything. We give you worship right now. coming out of your way. As we wait, seek your face. Come and make your phone upon our bra. Live in this place. Have your way. The moment that we see you, we are changed. Show us your glory. Show us your glory. You want to hand it till we fall down. Show us your glory. Show us your glory. Let everybody behold. Behold, not by night, not by night, but only by the cross we come alive. Here we're done. overcome by heaven's love revealed before our eyes. Show us your glory. Show us your glory. You are the strength when we fall down. Show us your glory. Show us your glory. Let everybody show us your glory. Show us your glory. Your wonder we show us your glory. Show us your glory. Be holy ground in heaven. >> Come have your way amongst us. We invite you now. Holy Spirit. Come make a way where it seems all is impossible. chains fall here now. Jesus, you change everything. Life's healed, hope, found here now. Jesus, you change everything. Chase for the bow here now. Jesus, you change everything. Lies, he found Jesus, you change everything. You change everything. You change everything. Who you are. Who you are. Changeful. Change for everything. B now Jesus you change everything found him now he's chang you Change everything. Yes, you do. >> You change everything. >> Oh, Holy Spirit. >> You're welcome in this place. Come change lives today. >> Change for >> Jesus. You change everything. >> Jesus, you change everything. Come on, let's go. >> Show us your glory. Show us your glory. Your ones who we fall down. >> Show us your glory. Show us your glory. Let every burning and heart be holy ground. >> Show us your glory. Show us your glory. You on we fall down. >> Show us your glory. Show us your glory. you hold. >> Come on, take a minute just to >> tell God how good he is. >> God, you're so worthy of our praises. >> We love you. We love you. We love you. We love you. We love you. We love you. >> We love you. We love you. We love you. >> Come right now. We need you, God. We need you, God. >> We need you, Lord. >> The God who changes everything. >> The God who makes a way where there is no way. >> Making way He's making a way. He's making a way. Lord, we give you praise, Father. We worship you. Oh Lord, we are grateful. We thank you, Lord Jesus, for your sweet spirit. We thank you. Oh Lord, we are grateful our father. We thank you for who you are. We thank you for your son you sent to die for us. Oh Lord, we give you praise. >> Father, we thank you. Lord, we give you thanks. Father, we are grateful. Lord, we lift our hands and our voice to worship you. Father, we are thankful. Thank you, Lord Jesus. Oh, for your sweet presence, for your glory. Lord, we thank you. Lord, we decree and we declare that upon our lives you would show us your glory. Oh, we open up our hearts to receive from you, Lord Jesus. Father, we are grateful, Lord. We open up our hearts, Lord, that you will show us your glory upon our lives, upon our families, upon the church, that your glory would shine in the name of Jesus. Lord, we give you praise. Father, we thank you >> for a beautiful time of worship. We give you thanks >> in Jesus precious name we have prayed. >> Amen. >> Amen. >> Amen. >> Today, this morning, we'll be praying for the youths. And um we'll be speaking the protection of God upon their lives. We'll be speaking the protection of God upon their destiny, upon their future. We'll be speaking words of God into their future. So, we're practically speaking strength into their future. We need to understand that praying for the younger ones, it's a way we speak into the future of the church because we believe that they are our tomorrow. So this morning we're going to be we're going to be reading a scripture and praying with that scripture for the youth. It's um it's a prayer of protection. It's in Psalm 91. >> It says, "He who dwells in the secret place of the most high shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. We will say of the Lord, he is our refuge and our fortress, our God in whom we trust. So the the youth, they dwell in the secret place of the most high AND THEY ABIDE UNDER THE SHADOW of the almighty. So we will say of the Lord, he is their refuge and their fortress and he is their God in whom they will trust. So I want us to speak this word over the life of the young people we have in church, the youth, the teenagers, the children. we speak upon them that indeed they indeed their future is blessed AND THAT INDEED GOD IS their refuge and God is their fortress. Please let's open up our mouth and speak into their lives wherever they are. You could touch them if they want but we're speaking upon the youth. We're speaking strength upon their tomorrow in the name of Jesus concerning every youth in the church concerning every youth in this community. We speak the f the that God is their refuge and God is their fortress. We speak upon their future. We speak the strength of God upon them in the name of Jesus upon every young boy upon every young girl that they would not be confused in the mighty name of Jesus as they make life decision and life choices. I decree upon their life that they are blessed of the Lord in the name of Jesus. Do you know that's amazing, isn't it? Today that we can make a difference in the lives of of our young people and our children >> that their destinies could be changed by our praying. >> How many of us are witness to the fact that people have prayed for us for years and years and years before we found Christ? >> Yes. >> We're so grateful for that, aren't we, today? So, I wonder, come on, church, let's stand. And all the young people and children, you come down the front. We're going to lay hands on you. We're going to bless you today. We're going to see God do amazing things in your future. We want to pray today for those of you that are going to be taking exams. >> Who's taking exams this year? Come on. We're going to pray for you. Come right down to the front here. >> Come on, young people. Come right down to the front here. And >> those at the back as well, you young guys at the back, come down to the front. We're going to pray for you today >> in the name of Jesus. >> We declare over you today >> that you are so much part of our church now >> and we love you deeply. We love the fact you come here. >> And you little tiny ones, we don't mind if you make a bit of noise. We love you. >> We love having you here. >> And you know, even from the youngest age here this morning, >> God has his hand on your life. >> His hand on your life of blessing, his hand on your life for you to achieve the things that are on his heart concerning you. God knows the way in which you should go. And listen, all you've got to do is listen to that still small voice of the Holy Spirit saying, "This is the way. Walk in it." And God will lead you and guide you every day of your lives. So, we're going to pray. >> Ruth, do you want to pray? >> Pray blessing over these young people in the name of Jesus. >> In the name of Jesus, I speak blessing of God upon your lives. >> I decree upon you that you have wisdom of God, that the wisdom of God dwells upon you. I use you as a contact to them. I speak the blessing of God upon you. I speak that the blessing of God will rule in your heart. That nothing missing, nothing broken. I decree upon you that as you make life choices, you would not make wrong choices in the name of Jesus. I decree that the wisdom of God rest upon your heart. I speak upon your brain and intelligence. You would prosper when it comes to your academics. For those that have exams, I speak success. The Bible says you will have more understanding than your teachers. The Bible says that Daniel had wisdom, he had understanding. I speak the spirit of DANIEL UPON YOU. THE BIBLE SAYS THAT AS JESUS grew in age, he grew in wisdom. SO I DECREE UPON you the wisdom of GOD IN THE MIGHTY name of Jesus, I decree that you're not confused. I DECREE THAT YOU WILL HAVE THE SAME GRACE UPON THE SONS of Isaka. YOU WILL HAVE UNDERSTANDING OF TIMES AND SEASON IN THE NAME of Jesus. YOU SHALL NOT BE CONFUSED. THE BIBLE SAYS THAT OF THE MEN OF ISSACHA. They knew what Israel ought to DO PART TIME. I DECREE UPON YOU THAT YOU WOULD KNOW WHAT TO DO PART TIME. YOU WOULD NOT BE CONFUSED. YOU WILL HAVE UNDERSTANDING MORE THAN YOUR AGE. YOU WILL HAVE WISDOM MORE THAN YOUR AGE. IN THE NAME OF JESUS, I DECREE THAT UPON YOU, YOU ARE CONSECRATED for God. YOU WILL SHINE AS A LIGHT WHEREVER YOU FIND YOURSELF. YOU ARE A LIGHT that is set on A HILL. YOU WOULD NOT BE HIDDEN. IN THE MIGHTY NAME OF JESUS, I DECREE UPON YOU THAT YOU WILL SHINE BRIGHTER AND BRIGHTER AND BRIGHTER AND BRIGHTER AND BRIGHTER AND BRIGHTER in the name of Jesus. I curse every form of darkness upon you. I cast every form of confusion UPON YOU. I DECREE THAT YOU would know what to do in the name of Jesus. Light comes upon you. THE LIGHT OF GOD ILLUMINATES in your heart. You will be hungry for the things of God. You will serve God. You will serve God. YOU WILL LOVE GOD IN THE NAME OF JESUS. YOU SHALL NOT BE CONFUSED. We stand together this morning and we speak into YOUR FUTURE THAT YOUR FUTURE IS BRIGHT. GLORY TO GOD. YOUR FUTURE IS BRIGHT. GLORY to God. Your future is bright. Lord, we give you thanks concerning these young ones. Lord, we are grateful father. We give you praise concerning them BECAUSE INDEED WE KNOW THAT TESTIMONIES ABOUND in the mighty name of Jesus. Lord we give you praise that upon these children we will testify. Alive church family I decree that we will testify upon them in the mighty name of Jesus. In Jesus precious name we have prayed. >> Amen. Amen. >> Glory to God. I'll be taking notices. >> We will Are we ready for the camping video? >> Oh, yes. So, we're going to be watching a little video for the Pam, please. Wow. That was just What happened? Apple. I'll show you. Hallelujah. Heat. Heat. was excited. >> I'm excited for camp. Really? >> So, one of the things we need to do is to book in on time for camp meeting, please. Um, we need to book in before the 3rd of May. So it's very important we book in so we could you know know how many people who are coming and then we could plan appropriately. Uh please endeavor to book in u you could just use the QR code up here and then we have flyers on the chairs as well. So that would work and then you could also reach out to Jono and um Sarah if you have any questions if you need stuff for camp meeting or anything please let's um try to book in as well. It makes it really easy and it makes everything work smoother. Also, um we have games evening at John and Sarah's. It's um Thursday, 30th of April, 7:30. Come ready to chat. Come for games and snacks. Please, can we take our offerings? >> And children, you ready to go? >> Yeah. >> Come on. Come on. >> For a time of word this morning, join me as I welcome Sarah. >> Excited to hear from Sarah. >> Children. Children's Church. Children's Church. Yes. morning church. >> Yeah, that was enough. >> Morning church. >> Morning. Y. Are we good? >> Yeah. Bonjour. Hola. >> Yeah. Yeah. Brilliant. Teach me some more. Great. Okay. >> Did we take up the offering? >> Yes. >> Oh, we did. Yeah. Thank you. >> Super. I missed that one. Right. Off you go. You can go. >> Great. Good. Good. Good. So, we sung Well, we sung several great songs this morning. We sung a a song that had a great line in of Jesus, you are everything. >> Jesus, you are everything. And these last few weeks, I think God's been trying to get our attention and trying to talk to us a little bit about things because there's been a bit of a theme running through some church stuff. So Joan's been sending out some messages over the last oh, I'm going back a few weeks ago now. So those of you on the chat, the WhatsApp, she sends out a daily kind of devotion and a Bible scripture and an encouragement and a prayer for us. and she was talking about some things about um Paul and Silas when they were in prison and they were worshiping and uh God set them free. Peter was also in prison and there was a group of people praying and an angel just turned up and led him out which was just amazing. Peter also prayed for somebody called Tabatha who had died and he prayed for her and she rose from the dead and she came back to life. Jesus, you are my everything. Jesus can do all things. So, we've had Joan be putting out some stuff. Joe spoke to us um might have been a few weeks ago now about something's going to change. Are we still believing in that? Something's going to change. Something is going to change just just after midnight. Something's going to change. >> Ruth spoke a couple of weeks ago about the importance of prayer and what God was saying to us about the need for us to pray. And so I'm kind of running on that theme because I think God's trying to get our attention and trying to speak to us. And so I've titled this this morning that when we pray things change. >> When we pray >> things change. Going to say again. When we pray >> things change. >> Things change. >> Okay. So I want to have a look at a story today that's found in the Old Testament. I am going to need some volunteers in a little while as well. So yeah, I'm going to nab you guys. looking very comfortable there. Okay. But this is a story from the Old Testament and um I'll just give a bit of context about it before um we look and deep dive into the actual story. It's found in the book of Exodus. So this is early on and this is the Israelites and so this is back in the day of Moses and they're on their way to Mount Si. This is an important objective an important mission and important purpose for them to get to Mount Si because God gear gave Moses the Ten Commandments at Mount Si. But on their way there on this important mission, they got ambushed by an enemy, by somebody attacking them. They'd never been attacked before. There's loads and loads of battles that took place after this occasion, but actually up until that point, they'd never had a battle. They never had that kind of physical fight and kind of like what's going on? And they so it completely surprised them and came out of nowhere. And of course, like making a good attack, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GO FOR the strong looking people, are you? You're going to kind of go for the ones that might look a bit weak, that maybe are struggling at the back. There's not so many people huddled together, cuz that's an easier target, isn't it? >> Rather than a strong crowd looking fierce and menacing and purposeful on their way to Mount Si. Yeah, I'm going to need some of that in a minute. Yeah. Scary. Good. Okay, so that's what's happened. They're on their way >> and they get ambushed and I can't even say the guy's name because I keep getting this wrong. Amalecch. >> Is that how you say it, Phil? I'm going to look to you. Is that how you say it? Am Phil's nodding. Phil might just be nodding to be polite, but yeah, him, he and the Amalachites. >> Hey, I got that bit right. Yeah. Okay. They're the guys attacking. They're the enemy. We don't like them. >> Yeah. >> So, they go for them. So, Moses has to leap into action and do something about this attack. So, can I have somebody to be a Moses for me? Who'd like to be Moses? >> What do you do? You just got to stand and lift your arms up for me. It's not difficult. Do you want to come up here and be Moses? And then you have two two friends. Come up here. Come and take a stand somewhere here. Thank you. And then you have two friends, Aaron and her. So, can I have two more people to be Aaron and her? People have been nominated here. Hey, come on. Yeah. Up you come. Fantastic. Right. Come and stand beside Moses. You're looking very young, Moses. You don't need to do it just yet. Yeah. One on each side. Okay. Aaron and her. Brilliant. Okay. Then I need a Joshua. Can I have a Joshua? Anyone? It could be an Who's who who's right. Joshua, you can say there. YOU CAN STAND UP, BUT NO, NO, NO. You have to stand up. You You can't fight laying down. Okay. So, you're looking you're you're going on the battlefield, Joshua. Okay. SO, I NEED A COUPLE OF PEOPLE, you know, just pretend there was more than this obviously, BUT I'D LIKE A COUPLE OF PEOPLE TO COME and stand with um Joshua. Oh, I'm just wrecking the joint. >> Okay, thank you. >> COUPLE OF PEOPLE TO COME AND STAND HERE. YOU guys are going to stay down here, okay? And you're going to be menacing in a minute. And then I need some people to be the Amalachites over here. >> The Amalachites. >> Come on. Over here. >> Right. So, you're Oh, scary. I can I just say I've not done a risk assessment for this. Maybe I should have. Okay. So, wise Moses, you're very wise. Wise Moses says to Joshua, "You pick your strongest men, okay, and go and fight." So, can I see that you guys are looking ready to fight the Amalachites? Cuz look, these guys are looking pretty scary. Come on. Come on. LITTLE BIT OF ACTING, a little bit of fighting. Okay, come on, you guys. Come on. Right off the stage. Off the stage. Right. And you got to face these guys face on. Okay? Cuz you're going to take them down. >> OKAY? SO, YOU GUYS ARE GETTING READY FOR BATTLE to take these bad guys. We can have a bit of audience participation. >> Okay. So, Moses, Aaron, and her, right? You're going to pray. Okay. You don't have you don't it's all right. You don't have to speak out for this. But when you prayed, you also had a staff, which we haven't got, but just pretend you're holding like a big >> staff. Yeah, that's true. AND THEN YOU PUT YOUR ARMS UP. OKAY. PUT YOUR ARMS UP. YEAH. Both arms up. >> Yeah. Cuz what HE WAS DOING, WHAT MOSES WAS DOING, HE WAS PRAYING. AND WHEN HIS ARMS WERE UP AND HE WAS PRAYING, you guys Oh. Hey, look at this. Pretend that's Yeah. Look at that. Hey, thank you. >> It was old. >> Moses was getting on a bit at this point as well. Yeah. But when your arms were up. Yeah. Thank you, Moses. Yeah. All right. Watch it. YOU GUYS WERE WINNING, RIGHT? SO, LOOK LIKE YOU'RE WINNING. YOU'RE BEING STRONGER. YEAH. YEAH. YEAH. YEAH. BUT THEN POOR OLD MOSES, HE GOT A BIT TIRED. WHERE'S HE GONE? SO HE PUT HE PUT HIS ARMS DOWN TO HAVE A rest and AND WHEN HE DID THE AMALACHITES THEY LOOK LIKE THEY WERE WINNING. So the Amalachites are now winning. Brilli brilliant acting. Um then you raised YOUR HANDS. THEN YOU RAISED YOUR HANDS AGAIN. AND SO YOU GUYS JOSHUA AND THAT COME ON YOU'RE NOW WINNING. YEAH. BUT CAN YOU PUT YOUR arms down again cuz you were getting tired? Yeah. You didn't want to play golf. >> And so the Amalachites, you were now starting to win. >> So they're taking it over. >> So poor old Moses was getting a bit worn out all the, you know, raising his arms. THIS BATTLE WAS GOING ON ALL DAY UNTIL SUNSET. This is exhausting. SO WHAT HAPPENED IS YOU guys just pretend that you sat down. Can somebody grab me a chair, please? Thank you. >> Sit down, Moses. It's been a long day. >> Right, you sit down. >> Aaron and her, you're now going to hold Moses arms up for him. Okay. >> Yeah, YOU STILL PRAY. MOSES, YOU CAN'T HAVE A SLEEP. OKAY. SO, YEAH. OH, ARE YOU HAD ENOUGH? YOU'RE having a sleep. Okay. >> Casualty in the battle. >> AND SO, MOSES'S ARMS ARE NOW UP ALL THE TIME. SO, Joshua and Co, you're winning. You're defeating the Amalachites. TAKE THEM DOWN. >> THEY'RE RUNNING. They're scared. They're going down. >> And Joshua won >> the battle. >> Brilliant. >> Can we just give a round of applause to our wonderful actors? You may get sit down now. Thank you guys. Are you all right, Moses? To get off. Are you going to be okay? >> Wow. Thank you so much. I loved that. >> Brilliant. >> SO BASICALLY WHEN MOSES WAS PRAYING and his arms were up and that allimportant staff/walking stick, Joshua and Co were winning the battle. But when Moses's arms were down, actually the Amalachites were gaining the advantage and they were winning the battle. And so I want to go through three things quickly about what we can take from this story. We might not be in a physical battle just like that wonderful demonstration showed us, but we are in a battle every day in our lives. We we're in a spiritual battle. There is an enemy out there who wants to kill, steal, and destroy. We might not see him physically with our own eyes, and we might not be in that situation like Joshua, but we're in a spiritual battle. And if we were in a physical battle, if that was, you know, if we were in the army or the military in some kind of way, we wouldn't just go out >> without any without any weapons, without any protective clothing, without a game plan. We wouldn't just rock on out and deal with it, would we? We'd have a plan. We'd have equipment. And it's the same in our Christian faith that when we face that spiritual battle and God gives us tools to deal with that and one of them is prayer because when we pray things change. Okay. So I'm going to whiz through three things that we can take from this story. So firstly we need to remember to pray. It would have been really easy for Moses to say, "Joshua, out you go. Go and fight this battle. I'm getting on a bit. I'm going to have a cup of tea." Could have been easy for him. That could have been the easy game plan. There's a physical threat, a physical attack. We see it in the natural. We've got to deal with it, haven't we? If we see a situation happening in our lives, we see it and think, "I've got to respond. I've got to do something or I've got to go through a process of whatever that might be." Okay. But I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT SOMETIMES I can be going through a process and think, I've actually forgotten to pray. Anyone? Or is that just me? Yeah. I think, oh, hang on a minute. Why haven't I prayed? Why haven't I given God this situation from the from the onset? It's so easy though TO DO. BUT RIGHT FROM the onset of that story, the game plan was Joshua, you take your guys out and fight, but we're going to pray. Because prayer was just as important as the physical response in that story. Remember to pray. Twice last year, John got pneumonia uh out of the blue. And the second time bizarrely was more worrying than the first time because it presented itself differently and we didn't know what was wrong. And he had a lot of chest pain and it was a Saturday night. So who do you call on a Saturday night? You can't just turn up to your GP. You can't go to the walk-in clinic. So we're on Yeah. We didn't look at AI. So we're like, "Okay, we better ring 101." And and they said we'll need to send an ambulance round. But actually we remembered or I remembered to pray and one of the first things we were doing even while we were on the phone to 101 we were or I was John was just nodding in agreement. I was praying and I was worshiping God and the difference that made in that situation and the peace in our hearts. And before I'd even because this is like 11:00 at night before it even told his family that John was needing to go into hospital. We don't know what's wrong. I messaged Phil, Joe, and some of the leaders and said, "Please, can you pray? John is unwell." And that might seem a bit odd, but why didn't you message your mom or his dad or And I got to that when we knew a little bit more, but I was like, I need people praying because when we pray, things change. When we pray, things change. AND I HAVEN'T GOT TIME TO GO INTO all that changes. Because you know sometimes it's not about the actual circumstance that changes but we change. Because when I was praying in that moment and I will be honest I for several minutes I was really worried about what was going on with John with so much chest pain and I was thinking what's happening but I was just singing a chorus over and over again and praying and I still didn't know what was going on but I had the peace of God in my heart. So when we pray, things change. Remember to pray. Like I said, it could have been easy for Joshua to go out fight Moses and Aaron and her and maybe others to do whatever. But they recognized the importance and the need for prayer. And whatever we face in our life, whenever we're worried or stressed, you know, some of you young people have got exams coming up, that can be a worrying time. Okay? There's things going on in our lives all the time. Whether that directly impacts us or maybe stuff wider a field that we read about on the news or hear about from friends and from family that worries us. But you know what? We can give those worries to a God who answers and who's into changing things. But we need to remember to pray. Secondly, don't give up with your prayers. Moses, Aaron, and her, and hopefully others, they were praying until the battle was won till sunset. >> That's quite a long time to be praying. Now, we live in a bit of an instant society where we can get a lot of things now. And sometimes we can think, you know what, I'll just say a quick prayer and I'm going to see an answer now. God doesn't work like that. God is outside of time as we know it. And this isn't to discourage you, but sometimes God takes years to answer a prayer. Now, I don't know why I don't know why God does that. And sometimes God will answer a prayer differently to how we'd like it. >> You what? >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. But sometimes God will answer the prayer differently to how we thought he might. I'm really good at thinking, "Oh, yeah. Well, maybe God's doing this because then that's going to happen." And God's like, "No, I'm not. He's got it sorted." But what we need to keep doing is to keep praying because we then keep our focus on God, not the situation. Okay? And that's hard. Sometimes we can't see in that scenario. Moses, Aaron, and her were praying, and they could see then that Joshua and all the guys on the battlefield were gaining the advantage. They were winning. They could physically see it in their with their own eyes. But sometimes we can't always see what's actually happening. We can't physically see maybe some of the changes that are going on or what God is up to that he is orchestrating and working out in a way that we can't understand or see. But yet we trust in him that he is the lyrics in way maker. Even when I can't see it, I know that you're working. Even when I don't feel it, I know that you're working. We have to trust in him. And when we keep praying, our focus stays on him. It stays on the objective of praying rather than what's happening. And so Moses and Aaron and her and others were praying until the battle was won. So let's be encouraged and not give up on our prayers. And thirdly, surround yourself with praying people. Surround yourself with people who will pray with you. If Moses had just been praying on his own, as we saw, Moses was getting pretty worn out after just a minute or two up here. If he'd just been praying on his own, he probably would have given up. I mean, have you tried to see how long you can keep your arms raised up? It's really hard, isn't it? Don't worry. I'm not going to I mean, you can do if you want, but yeah, it's really hard to keep your arms raised up for a long time. Yeah. And so, he needed people with him. Hey, come on. Let's anyone time in this. But we need he needed people to be praying with him. Sometimes we haven't got the strength or the energy to pray ourselves because actually we're feeling really overwhelmed by the situation or like Moses, he would have got worn out really quickly on his own holding his arms up and praying. He would have really struggled to continue that and he needed others to help him. You know, that's why God puts us in family. You know, he created Adam and he he said it is not good for man to be alone. And I know that's often associated with about being single, but actually I think it's more than that. I think or maybe different to that even. It's about not doing life on our own, but doing life with one another and doing life with God. If you think about a lion looking for prey and it can see a load of zebras, it's not going to go for the real fierce, strong, tough looking zebras that are neatly in a pack. It's going to pick off the one that's maybe struggling and a bit on its own at the back. Maybe a younger one, maybe one who's poorly. maybe one who just wasn't quick enough to get with the pack or you know doing his own thing whatever but the lion's going to go for that one because it's a lot harder to go for the pack. So when we're in church family and we think about that spiritual battle that we're facing. Well done. >> You're having a battle. You guys carry on. Oh, I've lost my thread now. >> Sorry. >> No, no, no. You're all right. It was me who said me who interrupted myself. >> But when we're in that spiritual battle, thank you, D. And we're we're praying with people around us, it's harder for the enemy to get at us and throw us off course because the enemy's endgame is that he doesn't want us knowing God. He doesn't want us knowing the glory and the greatness and the awesomeness of our God who reigns forever, who is everything. And so, the enemy will do anything to get us off course and send us another way. And when we're on our own, it's really easy for the enemy to do that because then we're just listening to our own thoughts. And of course, our thoughts are always really positive about ourselves, aren't they? And about the situation. No. Oh, well maybe they did have a point or maybe I'm not very good at this or maybe I'll just give church a miss this week and yeah, I'll go next week if I feel like it. And then suddenly that week turns into five weeks which turns into five months which turns into something. Do you see what I mean? But when we're connected in the church family, when we're surrounding ourselves with people, we can have people go, I'm going to pray for you. I'm going to pray with you. I'm going to pray that you can keep your arms up for a long time. >> Yeah, you're all right. YEAH, YOU'VE GOT YOU'VE GOT HELP. EXACTLY. >> For those of you who can't see, Gary's down here and he's got two people holding his arms up for him. But when we've got people around us praying for us, helping us, they can carry us along. They can be our strength. When we're feeling so overwhelmed by what's happening in our life and we can't pray because we don't know how to, because we don't want to, because we haven't got the energy to, we can have somebody else come alongside us and GO, "THAT'S OKAY. I CAN PRAY for you. I can stand in the gap for you. I can believe that for you or for your friend, for your neighbor, for your family member, or whatever the circumstance is." But we got to have people around us. You're struggling, aren't you? She's determined. So, just like Moses had Aaron and her. Anyone want to tickle these guys under the arms? Just as Moses had Aaron and her beside him, we need people around us to help us keep going, to keep running because when we pray, things change. It might be the circumstance that we're praying for, like the battle, but it also might be about ourselves because God doesn't take us out of a situation when we pray. God doesn't take us out of it. He takes us through it. >> YIPPEE. >> I'M BEING HONEST. SOMETIMES I DON'T WANT TO GO THROUGH THE SITUATION. >> I WANT TO JUST COME OUT AND ROUND IT AND NOT THINK or see it ever again AND BE A STOPY SO AND SO AND THROW MY TOYS OUT THE PRAM BEING TOTALLY HONEST WITH YOU. But God says, "No, I'm gonna >> I'm going to answer it, BUT I'M GOING TO TAKE YOU THROUGH the situation." Because when we go through it, actually, God changes us and grows us and develops us and we know more about him. Joe was talking about God's voice last week. The more we pray to God and the more we seek him and listen, the more we recognize his voice, the more we understand and know who he is. And that comes from communication and spending time with him. Just like a a friend or a work colleague or whoever, the only way we get to know them is by spending time with them. And it's the same with God. So we need to remember to pray. We need to give God the glory because whatever the circumstance, whatever the situation, we need to give him the glory. At the end of the battle when Joshua had won the battle, Moses said, "We need to remember this. We need to write it down so that generations after generation after generation will remember this and give God the glory." That's what he said they needed to do. That's why we know about the story now. So we can be encouraged by that story for our own lives. So we need to remember to pray. Keep going with your prayers. Even if you've waited decades, keep going with your prayers. And thirdly, surround yourself with praying people. Band, do you want to come back up? Ah, you've got a problem now. I mean, yeah, like Joe said, it's a good thing to do. >> Worship with one arm. >> Praise God. Yeah. You know, I know we've had a bit of fun this morning. But, you know, God does want us to keep on praying because when we pray, things change. Things change in us. Things change in the circumstances that we're praying for. And it is so important that we are a praying people. There is stuff going on in our world right now where we got to be praying. >> Determined. >> Amazing. >> We've got to be a praying people. Because when we pray, >> things change. >> I'm going to say it again. When we pray, >> things change. >> And when we speak it out, I know you think, "Oh, why is Sarah making us speak it out? Oh, wrap up, Sarah, and get off." >> It actually helps us because we think, "Yeah, there's a point to that." >> The Bible says our faith comes from hearing. Again, when we're together with people and even if we can't pray or don't want to pray, we're hearing somebody else pray with us. And we might not in that moment go yes. >> We might not do that highpitched yes >> or that. But we might get home later that day or later that week and think, >> "Yeah, And that's the beauty of being together. >> We can have a laugh together. >> But we can pray together as well because God's interested in answering prayer and bringing change. And now is a time more than ever where we need to be praying with him and we need to be connecting with him. And that can start off as a simple prayer. I'm not saying you've got to do what Moses did and pray all that time. Although sometimes our prayers have got to be continued and we've got to keep going with it and not just pray a oneliner and hope for a situation to change because he takes us through it, not out of it. But we can if we're not used to praying or we're finding it difficult, we can just start with a with a line. We can start with praying for a minute, any moment in our day, just taking some time out, maybe just closing our eyes or just really thinking about God and making a prayer. And bit by bit, it becomes longer or we just feel God put people on our hearts and think, "Yeah, I need to pray for Michelle today. I need to pray for Mike today." People just pop in our minds. Build it into your routine. When I drive to work, my routine is to pray. And I will deliberately pray for people that just come into my mind. And so I know I've got that time. It might be my work colleagues. It might be you guys here. It could be my family. It could be whoever. Yeah. You because God uses us to pray for people one another. And God wants us or wants to encourage us to increase our prayer and connect with him. So why don't we stand? I'm going to pray for us. And if you need prayer this morning for something, if you need prayer for something, grab someone this morning. Maybe in a non-physical way, >> but just say, "Can you pray for me? or come down the front and and find me or >> or someone else and say, "Look, can you pray for me?" Or come and find somebody after the service and connect with someone and go, "You know what? Can you pray?" Because we can do that. And if you're like me, you think, "Yeah, yeah, I will grab someone. Yeah, good idea." And then before I know it, I've left the building and I haven't asked anyone to pray. Anyone else good like that? I'm I'm good at that. I think, yeah, I will talk to someone. Yeah, I must catch so and so and ask them to pray. Yes, I'm going to do it. And I get to the end of the meeting and I'm walking out the door and think, yeah, I never did ask anyone. Do it. >> Do it. So, Father, I thank you that we have the tool of prayer. God, I know there is so much we could say about prayer. And God, I'm not even scratching the surface on that this morning. But God, I know you want to instill that passion about prayer in us. And Father, I pray that you would do that. That where we're standing here right now thinking, "Yeah, God, I want to be praying more. I want to be leaning into you more, God. That you would stir that up in us. That you would stir that passion up within us, Father God. God, that we would realize that we need you in our lives every day. That as we're going about our daily lives, even the mundane things of life, God, God, we need you in our lives. we can be tuning into you because you can use us as a a vessel, God, to connect to people and to bless people as we're listening to your voice. That we can be praying for our family, our church family, but our friends, our neighbors, the things that are going on in this world. So, Father, I pray that you would stir that up in us, Lord God. That you would stir that up within us, God. that we would increase in that prayer, in that in that connection and that relationship with you, Father God, because God, we have got such a magnificent tool in our hands that we can just use, Father God. And so, Father, I pray that we would use it more. God, I need to use that tool to pray more. God, may we be a people. May we be a church that uses that prayer tool more, Father God, for changes, for things to shift in the kingdom, Father God, for things to shift in this community, for things to shift in our own personal lives, God. That we would see those changes. We would see those things shifting. That we would see answers to prayer. That we would see things happening that we can't even dream or think about. Father God, that you would stir that up within all of us, God. It's not just um it's not just a tool that we can use, God, if we've known you for a certain amount of time or anything like that, God. It doesn't matter our age or whatever we're doing in life, God. It's something that we can all just lean into and use. The youngest to the oldest, we can connect with you in fruit prayer because when we pray, things change, God. Because when we pray, things change. And we want to see things changed. We want to see things changed. And Father, I pray for anyone here today who needs to see a situation changed, who needs a circumstance changed. Father God, that you would come, that you would come and do what you can do, that you would come and bring about change and transformation. That you would bring about healing and wholeness. that you would bring about restoration, Father God, that where restoration is needed, that Father God, that you would bring that situation and bring restoration, Father God, cling on to that. If you need restoration in a situation for yourself or for someone else, cling on to that as in grab a hold of it and declare it over your circumstance for restoration because God's into restoration. He's into restoring. He's into that. He's into all things. So, Father, thank you for your word. Thank you for prayer. >> Thank you that when we pray, >> things change. Amen. We're going to worship. And remember, if you want prayer, come and see one of us down at the front. Come and see somebody afterwards, reach to somebody next to you and say, "Can you just pray with me or join in with me or whatever it might be?" But let's do it. Let's pray and let's worship. Amen. Standing here, not knowing how we'll get through this test, but holding on to faith. You know best. Nothing can catch you by surprise. You've got this figured out watching us now. >> When it looks as if we can't win, >> wrap us in your arms and step in. everything we need to supply. You've got this figured out. Now we know that you made a way. When our backs were against the wall and it looks as if it was over, you made a way. And we're standing here only because you made the way. Now we're not known for where we come from because of you and nothing we've done to preserve the love and mercy you shown. Your grace was strong enough to pick us up and you you made a way. When our backs were against the wall and it looks as if it was over you, you made a way. And we're standing here only because you made you. You made a way. When our backs were against the wall and it looks as if it was over you, you made a way. I'm standing here only because you made the way. You move mountains. You cause for your power. There is nothing that's impossible only because you cause your power. There is nothing that's impossible and standing here only because you sense you cause walls to fall with your mirales. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. only because you made you made the way. When our backs were against the wall and it looks as if it was over, you made a way. And we're standing here only because you made a way. >> You made a way. >> You need a church. >> Made a way. >> But now in your situation, make a way. >> He's making a way. Make a way. Don't know how, but you did it. >> I don't know how, but you did it. And I know that you're going to do it. Oh, I know that you'll do it. And I don't know why. Don't know why, but I'm grateful. Don't know why, but I'm grateful. Don't know why, but I'm grateful. Don't know why, but I'm grateful. Don't know why, but I'm grateful. Don't know why I'm grateful. Don't know why I'm grateful. mountains. >> You cause to fall. With your power, >> you perform miracles. Miracosible. I'm standing here. Hey Chad, thanks for joining us today. >> Thanks for message. Hey, if you're new here, we'd love to meet you next door. Call you part of our family. Church will see you next week. >> Illustrative.