THE PRIVILEGE OF PRAYER
1) WHAT IS CHRISTIAN PRAYER?
” Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. “ABBA“, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”” (Mark 14:35-36)
“”This, then, is how you should pray: ” ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,” (Matthew 6:9)
“…We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.” (Romans 8:26).
Christian prayer is to the F__________ through the S____ by the H___ S___________.
2)WHY PRAY?
Reasons we don’t pray:
Reasons we do pray:
(i) Jesus did, and taught his followers to.
“But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father..” (Matthew 6:6)
(ii) Prayer is about relationship.
(iii) Prayer is about depending on God.
“If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)
“We want to be a church that prayerfully depends upon God our Father trusting him to provide all we need.” (The Church New Barnet Needs, www.stjamesnewbarnet.com/vision).
(iv) Prayer changes situations.
“How much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” (Matthew 7:11)
3) WHEN DO WE PRAY?
“pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.” (Ephesians 6:18)
“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” (Mark 1:35)
4) HOW DO WE PRAY?
(i) pray like you talk.
“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full” (Matthew 6:5)
“And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” (Matthew 6:7)
(ii) What about Content?
” ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. ‘ For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” (Matthew 6:9-15)
SORRY — THANK-YOU — PLEASE
(iii) How ambitious should our prayers be?
” ‘…your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. ….” (Matthew 6:10)
Our prayers are too small.
| My prayer that is so big and bold that only the God of the Bible could answer it! |
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I want to know more:
- To Read: Listening to God, Joyce Hugget
- To Read: Prayer and the Voice of God, Philip Jensen and Tony Payne
- To Read: When God Doesn’t Answer Your Prayer: insights to keep you praying with greater faith and deeper hope, by Jerry Sittser
- To Read: Celebration of Discipline, Richard Foster
- To Read: The Power of a Whisper, Bill Hybells
- To Read: Tortured for Christ, Richard Wurmbrand
- “Where is your wilderness” online at: http://vimeo.com/38775602