2026 THEME — “SEEING LIFE FROM GOD’S PERSPECTIVE”
January – PRAYER from God’s Perspective
If the weather prevents us from meeting at the church this Sunday, we will gather together by livestream at 10:30 with the same purpose and expectancy. What God has been showing us about prayer is not confined to a building—it is meant to shape how we live, guiding our choices, steadying our hearts, and keeping us continually aware of His presence as we walk in daily alignment with Him.
SUNDAY’S SERMON SUMMARY
Prayer does not gain authority from what we say, but from who we stand before. When the heart is anchored in the unchanging nature of God, pressure loses its grip and the need to control dissolves. In that place of nearness, fear is disarmed, the soul is reordered, and obedience flows naturally—not as effort to impress God, but as the response of a life resting securely in Him.
GO TO www.belmontbaptistchurch.com/sermons and listen to Sunday’s message.
Beats From Your Pastor’s Heart
Agreement Turns Prayer into Power
“Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.” — Matthew 18:19
Prayer does not become powerful because it is emotional, urgent, or loud. It becomes powerful when it is aligned. Heaven is never reluctant to move—but it is always orderly. God responds not to pressure, but to agreement. When the human heart stops striving to persuade God and instead yields to His will, prayer shifts from effort to authority. Agreement is not passive resignation; it is active surrender. It is the moment the soul says, “God, You are right—even here.” That is when prayer stops circling and starts landing. God is not asking you to perform for Him. He is inviting you to come into harmony with Him.
Divided Prayers Lack Authority
Many prayers remain weak not because God is unwilling, but because the heart praying is divided. We ask God to lead, yet cling tightly to our own timing. We ask for peace, yet refuse to release control. We ask for breakthrough, yet resist the very obedience that would make room for it. A divided heart produces a divided prayer—half faith and half fear, half surrender and half self-protection. Scripture teaches that agreement is essential because agreement brings order. When the soul is fragmented, prayer lacks clarity. When the heart is unified, prayer gains weight. God is not moved by anxiety disguised as prayer. He is honored by trust expressed through agreement.
Agreement Tunes the Heart to Heaven
Agreement is not about understanding everything God is doing; it is about trusting who He is. When you lay down preference, outcome, timing, and pride, something sacred happens within you: your heart becomes tuned to Heaven’s frequency. This is why worship often becomes effortless after surrender. Resistance creates strain; agreement creates rest. When the heart finally says, “Your will is good—even if it costs me,” fear loses its voice. The will of God no longer feels threatening—it feels safe. Agreement does not silence desire; it purifies it. The heart that agrees with God begins to desire what God desires, and prayer shifts from demanding outcomes to echoing Heaven.
Authority Flows from Alignment, Not Effort
Spiritual authority does not come from praying harder—it comes from standing aligned. Jesus Himself modeled this in Gethsemane when He prayed, “Not my will, but thine, be done.” That prayer did not weaken Him; it strengthened Him for the cross. When agreement is present, prayer carries authority because it is no longer rooted in self-interest. The enemy resists prayers filled with faith—but he flees prayers rooted in agreement. Why? Because agreement removes legal ground. There is no foothold where surrender reigns. When your will bows, Heaven stands behind your prayers.
Challenge – Identify one area where you have been resisting God:
- timing
- outcome
- obedience
- forgiveness
- fear
- control
Write these words slowly and honestly: “Lord, I agree with You here.” Then take one small obedient step that proves agreement:
- make the call
- offer the apology
- set the boundary
- release the outcome
- obey the instruction
Agreement is not proven by words—it is confirmed by obedience. Pray slowly and sincerely: “Not my will, but thine, be done.” Then worship with repeated surrender: “I surrender all… I surrender all.” Let the words become alignment, not performance.
Warfare Prayer — Prayer of Agreement
Father God, In the name of Jesus Christ, I come into agreement with You. I renounce fear, control, pride, and resistance. I lay down every place where I have argued with Your will instead of trusting it. I declare that Your will is good, Your timing is perfect, and Your purposes are safe. I cancel every foothold the enemy has gained through my resistance, delay, or self-will. I silence confusion, anxiety, and double-mindedness by choosing agreement today. I align my heart, my thoughts, my emotions, and my decisions with Heaven. Let my prayers carry authority because they echo Your will. I receive peace, clarity, and strength through surrender. In Jesus’ mighty name, amen.
Prayer becomes powerful when the heart becomes aligned. Agreement does not weaken faith—it strengthens it. When you stop wrestling God and start trusting Him, prayer becomes less about asking and more about standing. Heaven responds quickly to hearts that are fully surrendered. Where agreement reigns, power follows.
FRIDAY’S PRAYER REQUESTS
Amy Garner’s Dad
Aston Savage
Bentley Smith – Broken Leg
Brian Gray’s Uncle – Surgery Went Well
Carol Lawhead – Riverside in Conyers
Joni Oberhage
Linda Mays
Mandy Martin
Myles Elliott
Rose Fuller – Pruitt-Monroe Nursing Home, Forsyth GA
Brando Echarte
Debbie Foskey
Don Franklin’s Daughter, Darlene, Son, David
Ed Adkins – Friend of Brian Edwards
Gloria Young
Jake Jenkins
Jenkins son-in-law
June Cronan
Jean Partee’s Sister
Kim McClain’s Daughter, Amanda
Deon Lotter
Doris Loyd
Nancy Brown
Annette Ford
Andrea Nix– Friend of the Shelnutt’s
Angela Bryan’s Sisters
Ann Stanley
Danny Jarrard
Darlene Wiggins
Doris Loyd
Dr. and Mrs. Davis
Eric Magnusson’s Mother
Eric Ward
Friend of Linda Hodge
Gayle Sparks
Linda Alexander
James Burnette
Jessica Headrick
John McClain’s Mother
June Cronan’s Sister
June Davis
Kailey Bateman
Kim McClain’s Mother
Kim’s Sisters – Ann & Brenda
Lee Cronan
Lillianna Magnusson’s Mom
Lonzo Christian
Lori Blount’s Mother
Mary Williams
Mary Williamson – Dana Jackson’s Mom
Mrs. Franklin
Nora Allison
Ron And Johnnie Barry – Friends Of Ashton & Glenda Bateman
Scott Lanier
Scotty Nix
Stephanie Seivers – Friend of the Shelnutt’s
Steve Michaels
Tom Witcher