5 Keys to becoming a

Mark 11:11-17 11 And Jesus went into Jerusalem and into the temple. So when He had looked around at all things, as the hour was already late, He went out to Bethany with the twelve. ...Then Jesus went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. 16 And He would not allow anyone to carry wares through the temple. 17 Then He taught, saying to them, "Is it not written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations'? But you have made it a 'den of thieves.' "

Becoming a House of Prayer

A House of Prayer is First a House of His

rensence

Mark 11:11 11 And Jesus went into Jerusalem and into the temple. So when He had looked around at all things, as the hour was already late, He went out to Bethany with the twelve.

Paul say’s in 1 Cor 3:16; 6:19 that our bodies are a temple of the Holy Spirit. If Jesus came to your temple what would He find?

If Jesus came here today, to the Asheville Family Church what would He find?

America needs revival—Asheville needs revival, but any revival must first start with us. Our desire should be for the Lord ‘s presence to be so strong that we are not able to move.

Joel 2:28 28 " And it

shall come to pass

afterward That I will

pour out My Spirit on

all flesh; Your sons

and your daughters

shall prophesy, Your

old men shall dream

dreams, Your young

men shall see visions.

2 Chronicles 5:12-14 12 All the Levites who were musicians-- Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun and their sons and relatives-- stood on the east side of the altar, dressed in fine linen and playing cymbals, harps and lyres. They were accompanied by 120 priests sounding trumpets. 13 The trumpeters and singers joined in unison, as with one voice, to give praise and thanks to the LORD. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals and other instruments, they raised their voices in praise to the LORD and sang: "He is good; his love endures forever." Then the temple of the LORD was filled with a cloud, 14 and the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the temple of God. .

A House of Prayer is Secondly a House of

urity

Mark 11:15-17 Then Jesus went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. 16 And He would not allow anyone to carry wares through the temple. 17 Then He taught, saying to them, "Is it not written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations'? But you have made it a 'den of thieves.' "

•He Drove out•He overturned•Threw out•Would not let them come back in.•He purified the temple.

•God’s presence was not going to contend with the works of darkness.

•Luke 11:24-26 24 " When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.' 25 "And when he comes, he finds it swept and put in order. 26 "Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first."

Let G

od fill the te

mple

Mark 11:17 'My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations'? But you have made it a 'den of thieves.' "

The Outer Court was also known as the Court of the Gentiles. It was the place for the nations to come and pray. Unfortunately, the space was taken up with vendors.

Mark 11:17 'My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations'? But you have made it a 'den of thieves.' "

•Oppressed the poor.•The thieves robbed the nations of the opportunity to pray.•Robbed God of their prayers•The Devil steals, kills and destroys the desire for prayer.

Thirdly it is a House of

rayer

We need prayer in America

Christianity began as a movement in Jerusalem; it became a philosophy in Greece. An institution in Rome, a culture in Europe and a business in America.

SEVEN MARKS OF A PRAYING CHURCH1.Most members have a strong devotional prayer life and are committed to praying for others.

2. Church members have a biblical understanding of who God is and how they can relate personally to Him through prayer.

3. Leaders are praying people and set an example of prayer for the congregation.

4. Prayer is a way of life throughout the church. Rather than being seen as an isolated program, prayer permeates every ministry within the church and every outreach of the church.

SEVEN MARKS OF A PRAYING CHURCH

5. Corporate prayer meetings are given high priority in the lives of the church leadership and congregation.

6. Spending time in the presence of the Lord produces humility, purity, unity, and compassion, and Christlikeness in the lives of leaders and the congregation.

SEVEN MARKS OF A PRAYING CHURCH

7. God’s presence fills His house. Perhaps the single most distinguishing characteristic of a “house of prayer” is that it is filled with the tangible presence of God. A lack of spiritualappetite in the congregation is replaced by spiritual hunger. Unbelievers’ hearts are converted by the life-giving messages preached from the pulpit. The spiritual objectives of the church begin to move forward, not so much by human ingenuity and hard work as by the supernatural assistance of God’s Holy Spirit. Striving ceases; it often seems more is accomplished with less effort..

A House of Prayer is Fourthly a House of

ower

Matthew 21:14 14 Then the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them.

A House of Prayer is Finally a House of

raise

Matthew 21:15-16 15 But when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that He did, and the children crying out in the temple and saying, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" they were indignant 16 and said to Him, "Do You hear what these are saying?"And Jesus said to them, "Yes. Have you never read, 'Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have perfected praise'?"