18 November 2013 by Donna Uning CM –
The spirit-filled church continued with praises and worship oblivious to the heavy downpour outside. Later, Ps Dian Ticoalu from Tiberias Church Singapore introduced worship leader Sandy, a former Indonesian Idol contestant and guest speaker Ps Raphael Shanker from Kuala Lumpur to the church.
In line with the theme, ‘Looking Forward’, Ps Shanker shared a message about prayer during my visit to the church in the country.“Prayer must be learned,” he said.
“Prayer is a dimension we can move into because it involves our relationship with God. We need to be taught how to pray,” he said. When we grow in prayer, we grow in our spiritual lives. “We can be taught how to pray,” he said. Many Christians think they know how to pray and they do not go to prayer teachings at church.
“Today we have the Holy Spirit; the Holy Spirit in us is a praying spirit,” he said.
Romans 8:26,
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.
“Many people say this is praying in tongues but the Holy Spirit can also show you things in prayer,” he explained. The pastor told about the time he was called to pray for some unbelievers in a hospital. “Those people may not know about praying in tongues but the atmosphere was spirit-filled because you have done your homework,” he said, where the people will be touched by what they hear in your prayer.
“Many times prayer is like hitting a target but accurate prayer will get results,” he said. Sometimes people asked to be blessed but how do we bless a person? Bartimaeus, the blind man, went to Jesus for prayer and He asked him, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’
Mark 10:51,
What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him. The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.”
“We must be taught how to pray. Many are not taught; but if we pray with accuracy we see results,” he continued.
Luke 11:1,
One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.
Before they were disciples of Jesus, they were disciples of John. He was one of the mighty warriors. “Prayer is not only taught but also must be caught,” he said. “Pray with people who encourage you to pray and impart on your life.”
“The Holy Spirit prays but the mind is unfruitful. When you pray, the Holy Spirit gets the exercise causing a spiritual expansion,” he explained. In an atmosphere of prayer, there can be impartation. “You must fellowship and get involved with people who like to pray. Connect with them, there’s some impartation happening,” he added. Prayer can be caught. Get people to lay hands on you.
“Fellowship with people who pray,” he said about being in the spiritual atmosphere. “When you get into prayer, you catch the spirit. “You flow like the river that flows, let the currents take you,” he closed, and prayed for the church.
Ps Raphael Shanker is a visiting evangelist from Kuala Lumpur. He was sharing at the bilingual service at Tiberias Church Singapore in English and Bahasa Indonesia. Worship leader Sandy or Rosandy Nugroho, who is currently touring with his band Starlight, also shared his testimony with the church. He finished in the Top 8 on the famed singing competition Indonesian Idol in 2012.
References for pictures
http://www.projectinspired.com/wp-content/uploads/prayer-group-590×295.jpg
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