Week 1

Prayer That Shakes the Earth (Part 1)

By Sandra Clifton, D.Min.

 

Begin your study by reading “Prayer That Shakes the Earth” by Rebecca Greenwood (SpiritLed Woman magazine, June/July, 2007).

 

Introduction

How active are you with God? Beyond your “right standing” with Him, are you doing anything to advance His kingdom? Did you know that He desires to use you as His agent of change in the lives of others? Turn to His Word—and learn of the many ways in which He can use you!

 

What God Says

Read Matt. 5:16.

 

Write it out. Contemplate on what it means, related to how God can reveal Himself through you, to others.

 

Deeper Insight

Read the following three scriptures (in New King James Version, as the exercises to follow will be based on that). Make brief notes of how each passage conveys the message that you can be an active reflection of God!

 

Matt. 5: 16: ______________________________________________________

 

1 Pet. 2:9: _______________________________________________________

 

James 2:17: _____________________________________________________

 

Application

Below are three scriptures. Fill in the blanks (using NKJV, taken from the previous Deeper Insight section). Check afterward to see how you did by looking up each one. Put them on 3x5 note cards, memorizing them, as powerful reminders to get active in God—as His representative!

 

Matt. 5: 16: “Let your _____ so _______ before men, that they may ____ your good ____ and glorify your ______ in _______.”

 

1 Pet. 2:9: “But you are a chosen _________, a royal _________, a holy _______, His own special ______, that you may proclaim the  ________ of ____ who called you out of _________ into His marvelous _____.”

 

James 2:17: “Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have ____, is dead.”

 

For Group Study

Begin your group time by reading aloud Matt. 5:16, and then read aloud James 2:17. Involve the group in a discussion about each scripture separately and what each might mean. Then discuss how they might relate to each other. Also, have the group come up with ways in which they can let their “light shine” in daily situations. Tell them to get creative!

End the meeting by taking prayer requests, praying that the group members become more active in God, vowing to do more, to reflect His love for them.

 

Prayer

Memorize Matt. 5:16. Read it aloud as the beginning of your prayer. Thank the Lord that you are a walking witness for Christ and that, as result of your active demonstration of Him and His love, lives around you are transformed daily!