… that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him… that you may know… what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places… Ephesians 1:17-20
God intends to exercise His mighty power toward those that believe. Think about that for a minute. We are talking about the same power that He exercised in raising Jesus Christ from the dead! Who in their right mind would ignore such an offer – the exceeding great power of God in their personal, family and work life?
This leads us to a couple of important questions: Why aren’t we seeing more of God’s power in the Workplace? What can we do as Leaders in the Workplace to experience that power in our spheres of influence?
In this lesson, we will explore two sources of God’s power for ministry in the Workplace: Unity and prayer. Both are particularly important in our efforts to make disciples God’s way. Both may be familiar topics. My prayer is that you will not allow your familiarity to get in the way of God’s encouragement to you for the power that can be found in them.
It is the desire of His heart for you to walk in His power for ministry in the Workplace. He has put that desire in your heart, as well. Let’s go find it!
Spiritual Exercise
Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 2Peter 1:2-4
Consider for a moment just what it means to you that “His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us…” Here we find that little word that means so much. Not “some”. Not “a lot”. No, God gives us ALL that we need to enjoy the abundant and godly life.
If that doesn’t blow your mind, then consider the promises that are not just “great”, but EXCEEDINGLY GREAT AND PRECIOUS. It is through these promises that we become partners with God and Jesus in the divine nature. As we are discovering, our Father in heaven intends for His children to co-reign with His Son!!
Prayer
Dear LORD, this revelation is exceedingly, abundantly above all that we can ask or imagine. Your mercy and grace is more than we have the ability to comprehend. Even so, we believe Your word; and we receive all that You have for us. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Searching Out the Matter
The Power of Unity
Synergy: The working together of two things to produce a result greater than the sum of their individual effects. The term synergy comes from the Greek word synergia meaning “working together”. Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia
During my career in Information Technology, the teams I worked with were constantly on the lookout for synergistic technology relationships – relationships where the resulting product was greater than the sum of the individual parts; where something extra was produced. The ultimate purpose of these relationships was to provide business value that would “take us to the next level”.
The same can be said for unity in the Body of Christ… with two significant exceptions. First, the “something extra” is the supernatural presence and empowerment of God. God is answering His Son’s prayer with the power necessary to overcome our predilection for independence, suspicion, competition, etc. Second, God’s purpose in unity is much greater than most have considered. Consequently, unity is woven into the whole fabric of our participation in God’s work.
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16
It is important to recognize that the pronoun “you” is plural over 85% of the times it is used in the New Testament; including the three uses here, in Jesus’ command for our work. It is the light of many, in the work of many, that our Father in heaven is glorified.
Similarly, the Great Commission was given to the followers of Jesus Christ that together they would make more disciples. Being a disciple that makes disciples means there are no “Lone Rangers” in the kingdom of God. We see this in Jesus’ prayer for His followers.
I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. John 17:20-21
The followers of Jesus were not to be a loosely knit disciple making group. Jesus prayed that His disciples, and those that followed them, would be as close as He and His Father. His vision for the church is a “body fitly joined together and compacted” (Ephesians 4:16; KJV). It sounds to me a bit like a can of sardines; or, if you prefer, a phone booth overflowing with people.
Clearly, God’s intention for the church is a unity beyond our imagination… and our capability. Only He can accomplish it (as Jesus prayed). There is a power released by God in Him making us one. It is the power of unity.
The Purpose of Unity
Unity is a fundamental component of God’s story. In fact, He has made our unity a prerequisite for the restoration of two things that were lost in the Garden: His intimacy with us, as we become His Son’s wife; and His habitation in us, as the New Jerusalem. It is not surprising then, to discover that God has great intentions for, and power towards, those that pursue unity. The following are a few of the more important purpose of God in our unity.
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Our Unity Manifests God’s Glory through the Church.
And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one… John 17:22
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16
Our unity is so important to Christ that, to accomplish it, He has given us the glory He received from the Father. We must ask ourselves, would He give His glory to those that will not use it to accomplish its intended result?
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Our Unity is God’s Prescription for Evangelism.
I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. John 17:23
Our unity will convince the world of the Father’s love in sending His Son. It is the only prescription for evangelism in the New Testament. Our Lord and Savior has been praying this prayer to His Father for over 2000 years. We must not give up hope that He will succeed. Instead, we must agree with Him in this prayer; and surrender to the Father’s response in us. I
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Our Unity Hastens the Day of Jesus’ Return.
…till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ… Ephesians 4:13
Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready. Revelation 19:7
The wife made ready is the Church unified in the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God. Having “made herself ready” is the next great milestone of the church; ushering in Christ’s Second Coming and the beginning of His Millennial Reign.
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Our Unity is the Proof of Our Love for One Another.
But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Colossians 3:14-15
The holy, beloved elect of God have been given the bond of perfection: Sacrificial love for one another. And we have been called in one body – a joined and knit together many-membered body, not a dismembered one.
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Our Unity Establishes the Environment for Pentecost – the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
… they were all with one accord in one place… and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit… Acts 2:1,4
The desire for First Century power in the church is growing. It will not come through great speakers or energetic worship services. Pentecostal power is a product of unity.
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Our Unity is a Prerequisite for Everlasting Life.
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
For brethren to dwell together in unity!
It is like the precious oil upon the head,
Running down on the beard,
The beard of Aaron,
Running down on the edge of his garments.
It is like the dew of Hermon,
Descending upon the mountains of Zion;
For there the LORD commanded the blessing—
Life forevermore. Psalm 133
Dwelling together in unity is like the priestly anointing (think Holy Spirit) and the LORD’s blessing for eternal fruit-bearing life. Can we have either without unity?
The purpose of unity to the God-head cannot be over-stated. It should be no surprise that God exercises His power to accomplish so great a purpose. The supernatural presence of God is promised for those that will earnestly pursue unity with all followers of Jesus Christ. As we examine our hearts for the things that separate us from each other, we should ask ourselves, “Are those things worth it?”
Your Role as Leader
Building the kingdom is about cooperation, not competition. This is an accepted business principle. In the Workplace, a follower of Jesus Christ can pursue fellowship with the brethren without the constraints of doctrine and denomination – and work in unity for the glory of the Father without engaging in divisive sectarianism. In the process, God will honor our agreement with His Son’s prayer by showing up in the work. And others will be drawn to Him there.
Leaders in the Workplace have been strategically positioned to be agents of God’s answer to Jesus’ prayer for unity. Please, please, please, don’t miss the opportunity. The Body of Christ is depending on you.
The Power of Prayer
God lost, in mankind’s rebellion, the intimate relationship He intended to have with His people. The intimacy He desires cannot be found in the asking and demanding prayers that so many in the church practice. There is a better way to know God and His Son; a better way to pray. As we have learned, His ways must become our ways if we are to find joyful, Spirit-filled ministry in the Workplace.
John Wesley has been quoted as saying “God does nothing but in answer to prayer.” While this is a bit overstated (no one was here to pray creation into existence), when you consider the importance and magnitude of prayer, it is easy to understand the heart behind such a bold statement. Indeed, we must not underestimate the power of prayer.
And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit. James 5:15-17
The promises of prayer laid out in this passage are enough to motivate any warm-blooded Christian: Healing, forgiveness and power over nature; all from “a man with a nature like ours”. Is anything impossible with prayer?
Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:12-13
God promises to listen to us and reveal Himself when we call on Him in prayer. Think about that for a moment. The One who measures the Universe in the span of His hand, and upholds it by the word of His mouth, has condescended to give us His attention.
Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know. Jeremiah 33:3
Not only will He answer our call, but He will take the opportunity to show us the great and mighty mysteries of His kingdom.
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7
The cure for anxiety, and the path to supernatural peace, is prayer. Prayer is God’s prescription for anxiety attacks. This promise is one of my favorites; primarily because it has been real for me during the most stressful times in my life.
Praying with Power
The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. James 5:16
Effective (energeō): To be operative, be at work, put forth power; to effect; to display one’s activity, show one’s self operative. Outline of Biblical Usage, BlueLetterBible.org
The Greek word energeō is used twenty-two times in nineteen New Testament verses. In all but a couple, it describes supernatural operative power in the working of miracles, or the transformation of individuals and groups. Energeō is much more than the “energy” we generate from electric or nuclear power plants.
Every follower of Jesus wants to see their prayers accomplish the things for which they are praying. Yet, there is very little evidence of the outcomes alluded to in the James 5 passage (e.g., healing, weather miracles). Could it be that we are missing the requirements for powerful prayer?
James encourages us that the prayer that avails much is the prayer of a righteous man, woman or child. Righteousness is the beginning point of effective prayer; the first requirement.
So, where do we get this righteousness; and how do we know we have it? We begin with faith in the work of God through the obedience of His Son.
For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous. Romans 5:19
For with the heart one believes unto righteousness… Romans 10:10
Righteousness is a gift of God, given to those that believe on His Son.
But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.” 1Corinthians 1:30-31
So Jesus answered and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done. And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.” Matthew 21:21-22
The second requirement of effective prayer is “believing”. But, how do we believe? Do we work up faith? Do we presume to have it? No, for faith is a gift (Ephesians 2:8); and faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17). To believe, we must hear a word from the Lord about the object and objective of our prayer.
And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment. 1John 3:22-23
Many like to stop with the first phrase of this passage, treating God like a vending machine. But, as we can see, we must keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. This is the third prerequisite: Our obedience.
Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. 1John 5:14-15
If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority. John 7:17
Fourth, effective prayer requires our asking “according to His will”. How do I know His will if it is not in hearing Him express it? Effective prayer requires “ears to hear”. This must be developed; and it will include moments of failure. We must remember that He is more interested in our attempts than in our success. He has grace to cover a multitude of mistakes.
In our willingness to do His will (and to pray it), we learn to distinguish God’s voice from others (i.e., our flesh, the world, or Satan). Knowing it is His voice and His will, we can begin to pray with the confidence and fervency that avails much.
Last, but not least, the effective prayer of a righteous man is described as fervent. God does not waste words. The Holy Spirit has been careful to include this word as a part of the prayer that avails much. We should be sure to understand its meaning.
Fervent is from the Greek word zeō, meaning “to boil with heat”. Metaphorically, it means to have “boiling anger, love, or zeal for what is good or bad”. This is not the dignified prayer most of us are use to. This is passionate prayer born out of desperation to know and pray the will of our Father.
As I write this, I am convicted that my prayer life lacks the level of fervency described by James. For the most part, I am lacking revelation and understanding about the importance of His will during my time with Him. There also seems to be an issue of pride and self-sufficiency that inhibits the passion of my prayers. God help us all to fight our way out of the apathy, indifference, pride and arrogance that inhibits the power of prayer in our lives.
Your Role as Leader
Leaders in the Workplace are particularly challenged to pray. We feel that prayer takes time out of our busy schedules. Perhaps we should consider that it’s the busy schedules that take time out of our communicating with God Almighty. Prayer should be a strategic imperative for every Leader in the Workplace. For those that believe, it is time to check priorities and calendars. It should not be hard to weed out those things that are less profitable than the effective fervent prayer of a righteous man.
Closing Thoughts
And who is sufficient for these things? 2Corinthians 2:16
Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God… 2Corinthians 3:5
And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 2Corinthians 12:9
The call to unity and prayer are not higher bars that we must strive to reach. Quite the contrary, they are a gift that the Lord and the Father have given us to enjoy. The power that God has made available for those that will agree with, and pursue, Christ’s prayer for unity is beyond estimation. To lay hold of it, we must let go of the attitudes and agendas that divide us. Power in prayer requires righteousness, humility, and a heart willing to respond with fervency. These are developed in the Holy Spirit’s transformational work, coupled with our faithful practice.
The promises God has attached to prayer are beyond all that we can think or imagine. God does very little in the life of a man who does not pray well. All the “greater than” things are done in and through the righteous one that will fervently pray the Father’s will.
Assignment
- Review your notes and the Scripture passages from this week’s module. Share the ones that are most meaningful to someone you are discipling.
- Invite the Lord to examine your heart. What are the attitudes and agendas that are separating you from the Body of Christ? Confess your sin and commit to walk in unity with the whole Body.
- Meditate on Christ’s prayer for unity in John 17:20-23. Ask Him how He wants you to agree with Him in word and deed.
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Evaluate your prayer life – how strong is your prayer life relative to each of the following categories (1=don’t have a clue, 10=perfect)? Explain the extreme ratings (3 and below; 8 and above).
- Disciplined
- Relational
- Fervent
- Effective
- Persistent
- Transformational
- Expectant
Develop a prayer plan: Some immediate steps you can take to improve your prayer life. Transform your plan to a written covenant with God.
Please let me know how I can help you implement a Workplace Ministry in your fellowship or organization. The future of the church depends on it.
Humbly yours and forever His,
