The Power of Prayer | 1 Samuel 12:23

Summary

In this Daily Devotional, Pastor Derek Neider discusses the importance of prayer and truth in Christian leadership, drawing from 1st Samuel 12:23. He emphasizes that all Christians are leaders in some capacity and must pray for those they influence. Neider also stresses the necessity of sharing God's truth, not personal opinions, to bring about change. He encourages daily prayer and the communication of God's word to positively impact others' lives.

Takeaways

• 🙏 **Daily Devotional**: The speaker begins with a prayer, emphasizing the importance of prayer and settling hearts before diving into the scripture.
• 📖 **Scripture Reference**: The focus is on 1st Samuel chapter 12, verse 23, where Samuel's commitment to prayer is highlighted.
• 🧐 **Leadership in Christianity**: It's noted that all Christians are leaders in some capacity, whether in family, friends, workplace, or church.
• 🙌 **Two Key Leadership Roles**: Prayer and truth-telling are identified as the two fundamental roles for leaders in the church and in influencing others.
• 🗣️ **Prayer as a Priority**: The speaker stresses that prayer should be the first action of a leader, as it's essential for God's work to be done.
• 📝 **Instructing in Truth**: Leaders are tasked with teaching the good and the right way, which means sharing the truth of God's word.
• 🔄 **Consistency Across Testaments**: The importance of prayer and truth is consistent in both the Old and New Testaments, as seen in the examples given.
• 🌟 **Prayer's Impact**: Prayer is necessary for any action to have a spiritual impact, whether it's teaching, showing kindness, or parenting.
• 💬 **Communication of Truth**: Leaders are encouraged to communicate God's word, not their own opinions or social media posts.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 **Practical Application**: The speaker encourages the audience to pray for at least five minutes a day and to communicate truth to those they influence.
• 🙏 **Closing Prayer**: The session concludes with a prayer for faithfulness in prayer and truth-telling, and a request for God's work in others' lives.

Q & A

What is the main focus of today's Daily Devotional led by Derek Neider?

The main focus is on the importance of prayer and truth in Christian leadership, as illustrated by the example of Samuel in 1st Samuel chapter 12 verse 23.

What specific verse from the Bible is Derek Neider discussing in the devotional?

Derek Neider is discussing 1st Samuel chapter 12 verse 23.

What does Derek Neider suggest is the first key action for a Christian leader?

The first key action for a Christian leader, according to Derek Neider, is prayer.

What is the second key action Derek Neider emphasizes for Christian leaders?

The second key action emphasized is instructing people in the good and the right way, which involves communicating the truth of God's word.

How does Derek Neider describe the role of prayer in the life of a leader?

Derek Neider describes prayer as an irreducible and foundational aspect of leadership, necessary for influencing others and allowing God to do the work.

What does Derek Neider mean when he says 'communicating truth' in the context of leadership?

When Derek Neider refers to 'communicating truth,' he means sharing the word of God, which is living and powerful, rather than personal opinions or social media posts.

What is the significance of the phrase 'I should sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you' as used by Samuel?

The phrase signifies the conviction and commitment of Samuel to continually pray for the people, as ceasing to do so would be considered a sin against God.

What is the role of prayer in practical ministry according to the devotional?

Prayer is essential in practical ministry because it is through prayer that acts of service and kindness are empowered by God to impact the hearts of others.

How does Derek Neider relate the teachings of Samuel to modern-day Christian leadership?

Derek Neider relates the teachings of Samuel by highlighting the enduring principles of prayer and truth-telling as fundamental to Christian leadership in any era, including the modern day.

What New Testament example does Derek Neider provide to parallel the teachings of Samuel?

Derek Neider provides the example of the early church's disciples who chose to give themselves to prayer and the ministry of the word, similar to Samuel's commitment.

What is the practical application Derek Neider encourages for the listeners of the devotional?

Derek Neider encourages listeners to spend time in prayer for others and to communicate the truth of God's word in their daily interactions.

Outlines

00:00

🙏 The Importance of Prayer and Truth in Leadership

The paragraph focuses on the significance of prayer and truth in Christian leadership. Derek Ner begins by setting the context from 1st Samuel chapter 12, verse 23, emphasizing the need to pray for guidance and understanding. He highlights that prayer is essential for leaders, as it allows God to work through them. Samuel's commitment to prayer is underscored as a model for all believers, regardless of their specific leadership roles. The paragraph also stresses the importance of instructing others in righteousness, which is tied to sharing the truth of God's word. Ner draws a parallel between the Old and New Testament, using the example of the early church's need for leaders who would focus on prayer and teaching. The summary encourages believers to lead by praying for those they influence and by sharing the truth of God's word.

05:01

🌟 Empowering Ministry Through Prayer and Truth

This paragraph delves into the practical implications of prayer and truth in ministry. It asserts that without prayer, the work of God cannot be accomplished, as only God can empower the efforts of leaders. The paragraph suggests that prayer is necessary for any act of service, teaching, or kindness to be effective. It also emphasizes the importance of communicating the truth of God's word, as opposed to personal opinions or social media posts. The summary calls for believers to be diligent in prayer and in sharing the truth, as these actions have the power to transform lives. The paragraph concludes with a prayer for faithfulness in these areas and an invitation to engage with Pastor Derek Ner's teachings for further spiritual growth.

Keywords

💡Daily Devotional

A daily devotional is a practice of setting aside time to engage with religious or spiritual texts for reflection, meditation, and prayer. In the context of the video, it refers to the routine of joining Derek Ner for a daily word of insight and encouragement, typically involving the reading and interpretation of scripture.

💡1st Samuel chap 12:23

This is a reference to a specific verse in the Bible, indicating the starting point of the discussion in the video. It is significant as it sets the foundation for the message that follows, which is about the importance of prayer and instruction in the right way.

💡Prayer

Prayer is a form of communication with a deity, often involving requests for help or thanksgiving. In the video, prayer is highlighted as the first key action for leaders and influencers, emphasizing its necessity for connecting with God and seeking divine guidance.

💡Leadership

Leadership refers to the ability to guide, direct, or influence others. The video discusses the concept of leadership in a Christian context, extending it beyond the church to include family, friends, and workplace, emphasizing the responsibility to influence positively through prayer and truth.

💡Influence

Influence is the capacity to have an effect on someone or something. The script uses this term to describe the impact leaders have on others, suggesting that even in non-traditional leadership roles, such as being a parent or friend, one has the potential to influence others positively.

💡Truth

Truth, in this context, refers to the teachings or principles that are considered factual or consistent with reality, particularly the teachings of the Bible. The video emphasizes the importance of communicating truth as a foundational aspect of Christian leadership.

💡Disciples

Disciples are followers or students of a religious leader, often used in the context of Christianity to refer to the original followers of Jesus. The video mentions the disciples to draw a parallel between the early Christian church's need for leaders and the ongoing need for leaders who pray and instruct in truth.

💡Scripture

Scripture refers to the written texts considered sacred in a religion, such as the Bible in Christianity. The video uses 'scripture' to refer to the source of divine guidance and truth that leaders should turn to for instruction.

💡Good and Right Way

This phrase from the script suggests a moral or ethical path that is considered virtuous or correct. It is used to describe the direction that leaders should guide others towards, emphasizing the importance of moral integrity in leadership.

💡Sin

Sin, in a religious context, refers to an act that is considered to be a transgression of divine law. In the video, the concept of sin is used to express the seriousness of failing to pray for others, indicating the spiritual responsibility leaders have towards those they influence.

💡Encouragement

Encouragement is the act of giving support, confidence, or hope to someone. The video aims to provide encouragement by reminding viewers of their role as leaders and the importance of prayer and truth in influencing others positively.

Highlights

Introduction to the Daily Devotional with Derek Neider.

Starting at 1st Samuel chapter 12 verse 23 for the devotional reading.

Prayer for ears to hear and hearts to be settled amidst life's busyness.

Emphasis on the importance of prayer and instruction in leadership roles.

Samuel's love for the people of God despite his imperfections.

Leadership roles extend beyond the church to family, friends, and workplace.

The two key ways of leadership: prayer and truth.

Prayer is the first and foremost action for a leader.

Instructing in the good and the right way is crucial for leaders.

The New Testament counterpart to prayer and truth in leadership.

The necessity of prayer for practical ministry and influencing others.

The impact of prayer on teaching Bible studies and practical acts of kindness.

The role of prayer in raising children to love God.

Encouragement to pray for others daily.

The power of truth from God's word to change lives.

The importance of communicating truth rather than personal opinions.

Closing prayer for faithfulness in prayer and truth communication.

Invitation to rate or review the podcast and connect with Pastor Derek Neider.

Transcripts

welcome to the Daily Devotional with

Derek ner thanks for joining us as he

walks us through the pages of scripture

with a daily word of insight and

encouragement hey it's so good to be

with you today we're in verse 23 of 1st

Samuel chap 12 if you have your Bibles

we are in 1st Samuel chap 12: 23 I'm

going to pray for us today as we jump

into the word father I pray that you

would just um give us ears to

hear God give us ears to hear settle our

hearts father some of us have um just

really been wound up with the busyness

of life and and so we incline our our

heart to you and speak to us as we do in

Jesus name

amen the Bible says moreover as for me

far be it from me watch this uh that I

should sin against the Lord by ceasing

to pray for you and I will instruct you

in the good and the Right

Way moreover as for me far be it from me

that I should sin against the Lord by

ceasing to pray for you and I will

instruct you in the good and the right

way you know I know I read that a couple

of times to you and I am certain you

know that there's a lot that stands out

to you but for sure that phrase that I

should sin against the Lord by ceasing

to pray for you um there's a lot I love

about Samuel you know and Samuel wasn't

a perfect guy we know that that's the

case we've talked about some of the

shortcomings in his own life uh but he

loved the people like he really really

loved the people of

God and um there's two ways right I mean

I'm not saying that like the the role of

the Prophet is boiled down just to this

but um there are two key ways right

these are these are unchanging things

about about leadership in uh the Church

of the Living God and it's not just

leadership in the church it's whatever

position of leadership you have and

whatever um influence you have in the

lives of others and you know so you

might be thinking today well uh I'm just

going to skip to the next devotion

because I'm not a leader hey if you're a

Christian you're a leader if you're a

Christian you're a leader um you're a

leader in your family you're a leader

among your friends you're a leader in

the workplace you're you may have a you

know some role in the Church where

you're

leading in any capacity that you're

influencing other people uh you're

you're leading and so like it's

important for you knowing that right

maybe you know that and so it's like

yeah I know that maybe you don't know

that you're thinking I didn't know that

what what am I supposed to do as a

leader and there are two things

absolutely right two things for sure um

this is irreducible so there's other

things than this is but these two things

are absolute for anyone uh who is a

Christian who's influencing other people

U number one is is prayer number one is

prayer from the lips of Samuel and

number two is is truth instructing

people in the good and in the right way

and this was not only true for Samuel

like you see this um throughout the Old

Testament and the New Testament I'll

give you a new testament

counterpart when the disciples you know

Jesus has been resurrected he's been

ascended the church has um been birthed

and thousands of people are giving their

life to Christ and there's a lot that's

happening there's there's practical

ministry that's happening to widows and

the disciples like they just couldn't

sustain themselves the scale of what was

happening they knew that they needed to

to bring some more leaders in and so

they did bring more leaders in and and

the reasoning they gave to the people

was Hey listen we to give ourselves to

prayer and to the ministry of the word

and I'm saying to you like this is a new

testament counterpart to these two

irreducible things concerning Christian

leadership what ought we be

doing uh to those who we have influence

with well number one we should be

praying we better be praying we better

be praying in fact he frames it in like

really strong terms and we better be

ministering the good in the right way we

better be communicating the truth of

God's word like these are this this is a

starting point right this is a starting

point you never get Beyond this um these

are absolutes for you and for me the way

that Samuel puts it is this far be it

from me um that I should sin by ceasing

to pray for you like Samuel was so

convicted about bringing the people to

God right because like first and

foremost you can't do anything

as far as an influencer in the lives of

others unless you're praying for people

because God is the only one who can do

the work like you need the work to be

empowered by God himself you know you

teach a Bible study well listen that's

not going to impact a heart unless God's

in it like you can't even teach unless

you're under the influence of the spirit

of God you want to minister practically

somebody in a way that's going to touch

their heart just by showing them in real

concrete terms the love of Jesus Christ

by making them cookies or like whatever

the case may be well you got to pray for

that person because that act of kindness

isn't going to impact them unless it's

been saturated in prayer uh you want

your children to love God well listen

you you there's all these things that

you're going to do as a a parent to

raise and train them up but if it's if

it's not if it's not dripping with your

prayers like that's never it's going to

sail right over their heads I want to

encourage you today and this is like a

good solid encouragement for me with my

wife with with um our children with the

people of God that and with my neighbors

pray pray just pray for spend five

minutes today praying and then you know

what pick that up again tomorrow and

pray again for people and the second

thing is this um communicate truth

communicate truth because um it's the

word of God that's living Liv and

Powerful sharper than any two-edged

sword it's not your opinions um it's not

it's not your posts on social media it

is the truth of God's word and man when

you pray and you speak truth God changes

people's lives father thank you so much

for this and help us God help me to be

faithful in these things and that you

would really do a work in the lives of

others in Jesus name amen have a great

day we hope this podcast has ministered

to you if it has we welcome you to rate

it or leave a review if you would like

to stay connected with Pastor Derek

neider or find many more teachings

please visit awaken lv. RG click visit

and then choose Pastor Derek ner these

links are also in this episode's

description until next time God bless

you