Religious pragmatics have taken the place of personal engagement with God. It’s less about relationship with God and more about the conveniences of religious duty. Especially the Western church has become a smorgasbord of whatever religious conviction or convenience, form or style that fits your fancy. And amidst it all worship becomes about you rather than God.

We worship at the feet of our conveniences and preferences. Whenever we resort to this kind of religiosity, we inevitably forfeit love. Religiosity cannot and does not produce love. It’s by principle self-seeking, not self-giving. It’s not fueled by a self-giving God who accepts us despite ourselves and by his grace, gives us the grace to spend ourselves for others. Religiosity is fueled by doing religious things to earn God’s love.

Part 1: Contending for Communion

Genesis 32:12-22

Much of our life can involve contending or wrestling for meaning and significance - for someone to say, “Well done, you are so valuable to me. You truly matter to me.” This tendency is amplified for Americans. We are statistically a burned-out people. But the biblical worldview tells us that part of the problem for our burnout and endless strivings is that we are a people hardwired for meaning and significance in this life. We will strive to find some sense of approval even at the cost of our own well-being, and at times at the cost of others. Yet God says “I’m the one your were created for.” You won’t find true meaning, significance and blessing in this life until you contend for communion with God.

Part 2: Contending for Blessing

1 Samuel 1

What do we do when God seemingly withholds blessing? When that happens we often doubt God’s character. He’s either not all-powerful or not all-good. We get hung up on God’s goodness. At times this leaves the church skeptical and bound to a form of corrupt religiosity that demands to keep things ordinary. It curbs any kind of high expectation or faith that lends itself to the miraculous — to God actually moving the mountain. It’s not time to lower our expectations or toss the goodness of God’s character to the wind. It’s time that God’s people learn how to pray. These are the times when we need to know how to pray, how to contend with God for his blessing.

Part 3: Contending for One Another

Exodus 32-33

Sometimes we don’t attain the blessing of knowing God or going deeper with God because we fail to contend for communion with him. Other times we forfeit blessing from God because we don’t contend with God for that blessing. We’re not willing to pour out our hearts before him. We’re not willing to become desperate enough. Still other times, we don’t gain God’s blessing because we fail to contend with God for one another. We call this intercessory prayer. Intercessory prayer is standing between God and others. Intercession is not primarily the work of requesting something. It is the work of ministering to God and staying close to his heart so that you might rightly make requests for others.

Part 4: Contending for One Another II

Exodus 33:12-23

Intercessory prayer is the act of ministering to both God and others in order to see God’s promises and power realized in their lives. Intercessory prayer isn’t first about praying for others. It’s about blessing God’s heart. It’s about ministering to him. Intercessors are primarily worshipers. Praying for others becomes the outworking of their worship. They live near the heart of God so they are positioned to rightly ask of him. True intercessors prize God’s presence.