Praying for Longton

Ephesians 6:10-20

As an authentic church we want to do everything through prayer

· Express themselves to God

· Hear God and expect Him to answer them

· In travail, bring to birth what God wants

· Breaking through

· Coming to a place of faith

· To give thanks to God

· Warring against the enemy

v18 Having done everything Pray in the Spirit

Once Paul has requested that we pray for all the saints he then asks twice that we pray for him. Paul has got everything bathed in prayer and I believe prayer is also a vital key for us.

Dave from Blackpool spoke to us about

1. being under the blood of Christ

2. putting on the full armour of God

If we don't apply what Dave spoke to us about then we are opening ourselves up for trouble. It is no good warring against the enemy with out being full protected.

Jim from the USA spoke to us about

Its time for each one of us to increase.

John 3:30

John the Baptist said He must become greater and I must become less.

We all want to take the position of John and say less of me and more of Jesus.

But what did Jesus say of us?

John 14: 13

I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.

The Jesus in each one of us must increase and as Jesus in each of us increases it will have an impact on our community. Jim said as we increase then individuals will be blessed and companies will prosper here in Longton and Longton will become the place to live.

How can we bless Longton?

Its time for us to start blessing Longton as we pray for Longton we will see the people flourish. It would be great if Longton was no longer call the 'Neck End" because it started to thrive and prosper?

Where we focus our prayer

Read Daniel 10:1-15

Although God sent a messenger to Daniel, a powerful spiritual being ("the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia") detained the messenger for three weeks. Daniel faithfully continued praying and fasting, and God's messenger eventually arrived, assisted by Michael, the archangel.

Answers to our prayers may be hindered by unseen forces. This however, is not proof that prayer is not heard, and that it will not be answered, just because the answer is not granted at once. Weeks, or months, or years may elapse before God's purpose maybe made known, but it does not mean the messenger is not on his way to us. Something maybe trying to stop the answer to our prayer may be it is being challenged by evil forces, so we must continue to pray fervently and pray earnestly. Then expect God to answer at the right time.

God's plans are not our plans

Read Isaiah 55:8-9

Joshua

The great leader Moses has died. You're in charge and you have to take the first city. It needs to be a success. Maybe the best way is a full on attack or what about a siege and starve then to death. God's plan was to get the army put the priests in front and march around the city. They were to do this for six days. On the seven day the march a round the city again and the priests blasts their trumpets and everyone shouts and the walls fall down. It's strange but this method of taking a city is not in the manuals of 'How to take a city" at Sandhurst

Gideon

You are petrified because of the great army that keeps attacking your land. Your tribe is the smallest and you are the least in your tribe. God chooses you to defeat this mighty army. After much discussion with God you finally accept what he says and gather an army. Your army is 32,000 strong but this is nothing compared to what you are facing. There are so many of them that even their camels can't be counted.

God tells you to get rid of anyone who is fearful and 22,000 of your army go home! You have still got too many according to God and your army is reduced to 300 and you're facing an army as thick as locusts on the ground. Then you split your army into three groups of 100 give them trumpets and jars with lights in them, on the signal everyone is to blow their trumpet smash their jar and shout. I noticed that the Americans did not use this tactic when they were taking Bagdad

Practical steps for blessing Longton

Proverbs 11:10 (Message)

When right-living people bless the city, it flourishes; evil talk turns it into a ghost town in no time.

So how do we do it?

Read 1 Timothy 2:1-4

Firstly we are to pray for those in authority

By all means let's pray for the guy who collects the rubbish. But if he makes a mistake it will not ultimately affect many people.

Were as what our Councillors do have an impact on all of us in Longton. Please pray for your Councillors. One person who has an influence over the South of Stoke on Trent is the MP Rob Flello pray for him, that he would have wisdom and give good leadership to the area.

What about the police. Inspector Elliott Sharrard-Williams from Longton Policing Unit, pray particularly for the United by Faith Forum that he is setting up and for crime to continue to decrease in Longton. Pray for the local PCSO's and for the Anti Social Behaviour team to be effective.

The fire service up on Uttoxeter Road

For the Heads, teachers and staff in the schools in our area. Longton Community Church has close contact with: Gladstone Primary School, Mrs Elaine Preston

These people all have an influence on the quality of life here in Longton

It is time to start planting some prayers to stop the growth of the weeds in Longton. (Eph 6:12)

God's desire

Why does God want us to pray like this? So that the desire of his heart maybe fulfilled.

1 Timothy 2:4-6 (message)

He wants not only us but everyone saved, you know, everyone to get to know the truth we've learned: that there's one God and only one, and one Priest-Mediator between God and us—Jesus, who offered himself in exchange for everyone held captive by sin, to set them all free. Eventually the news is going to get out.

Our church building is not large enough for God's desire, his heart is for everyone in Longton to come to him, not just the officials but everyone

How can we fulfil God's desire?

· Pray for officials

· Pray for people (prayer walking)

· Pray for friends, families and neighbours

· Pray for businesses