The Greatest Help You Can Give Series

“THE GREATEST HELP YOU CAN GIVE”

NEHEMIAH 1:4-11

INTRO: CAME ACROSS A FUNNY STORY ABOUT PRAYER. 1974 MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL GAME, MIAMI DOLPHINS PLAYING THE CINCINNATI BENGAL’S. HOWARD COSELL, ON TV. PRE-GAME PRAYER BY METHODIST PASTOR. “OUR FATHER, WE GIVE YOU THANKS FOR THE JOY AND EXCITEMENT OCCASIONED BY THIS GAME. WE PRAY FOR THE PHYSICAL WELL BEING OF THE GLADIATORS WHO WILL PARTICIPATE IN THIS GRIDIRON BATTLE TONIGHT. HOWEVER LORD WE KNOW THAT BENGAL’S ARE FEROCIOUS BEAST OF THE PREY, SO WE ASK YOU TO BE ESPECIALLY WATCHFUL OVER OUR GENTLE DOLPHINS. LIMIT, LORD, IF YOU WILL, THE AGGRAVATING AND USELESS WORDS OF MR. COSELL. GIVE HIM CLARITY AND TRUTH TONIGHT SO THAT HE MIGHT DESCRIBE THIS GAME AS IT TRULY HAPPENS. YOUR GRATEFUL CHILDREN ON WHOM WE ASK YOUR PEACE. AMEN.” P.R.A.Y TODAY- A. ASK FOR OTHERS. BIBLE TERM IS INTERCESSION. MEANS TO INTERVENE OR MEDIATE FOR ANOTHER. PASTOR WAS DOING SO AT GAME. FOR PLAYERS, FANS AND COSELL. CHRISTIANS ARE TOLD TO PRAY FOR EACH OTHER. THE HOLY SPIRIT INTERCEDES FOR US, ENABLING US TO PRAY FOR ONE ANOTHER EVEN WHEN WE DON’T KNOW HOW AND CHRIST INTERCEDES ON OUR BEHALF AT THE THRONE OF GOD ALWAYS BRINGING TO THE FATHERS ATTENTION THAT OUR PRAYERS ARE PRAYERS FROM HIS CHILDREN. PRAYING FOR OTHERS IS ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL AND WONDERFUL GIFTS GOD BLESSES US WITH. I CANNOT TEACH ALL ABOUT INTERCESSION IN ONE SERMON, BUT THIS MORNING I HOPE WE CAN DISCOVER SOME BASICS ABOUT PRAYING FOR OTHER PEOPLE. THIS KIND OF PRAYER IS THE GREATEST HELP YOU CAN GIVE TO SOMEONE ELSE. DWIGHT MOODY SAID “THERE IS NO LIMIT TO WHAT GOD CAN DO TO THRU AN INDIVIDUAL OR THRU A CHURCH WHO WILL PRAY PERSISTENTLY AND CONSISTENTLY FOR OTHER PEOPLE.” TO PRAY POWERFULLY AND EFFECTIVELY FOR OTHER PEOPLE WE MUST LEARN FIRST TO…

I. WORK HARD V4 - 2 FACTS…

A. WHAT PRAYER IS NOT – EASY!

1. POLITE FORMALITY – STYLE NO! BIG WORDS

2. GRIPE AND GOSSIP – NO!

ILL: PRAY AGAINST SOMEONE INSTEAD OF FOR

THEM. CAN HARDLY WAIT TO PASS ON “PRAYER

REQUEST”

B. WHAT PRAYER IS – WORK! PRAYER IS A BURDEN

1. A SPIRITUAL BATTLE V4 “WEPT & MOURNED”

“FASTING & PRAYER” “MANY DAYS”

EPH. 6:12 & 18 PRAY FOR OTHERS = WAR

2. A CALL TO ACTION 2:1-4

TO PRAY FOR SOMEONE PUTS YOU IN A

POSITION TO BE USED OF GOD TO BE THE

ANSWER TO THE PRAYER.

2:4 - FINALLY GOD ACTS, WHAT NOW?

ILL: A BURDEN TO PRAY FOR SOMEONE ELSE

EQUALS A CALLING TO BE PART OF THE

ANSWER TO THAT PRAYER.

II. ASK CORRECTLY V5 & 7-9 PRAYER GOD WILL ANSWER

THE REAL WAY TO GET YOUR PRAYERS ANSWERED IS TO

LEARN NOT TO DEMAND OR MANIPULATE GOD FOR WHAT

YOU WANT OR THINK, BUT TO SUBMIT YOURSELF TO HIM,

DON’T TRY TO USE HIM BUT BY ALL MEANS BE USED OF

HIM.

A. ASK BY FAITH V5 2 PARTS

1. DO YOU REALLY BELIEVE GOD IS LISTENING?

V5A “I PRAY, LORD GOD OF HEAVEN…”

2. ARE YOU WILLING TO ACCEPT GODS ANSWER?

“…YOU WHO KEEP YOUR COVENANT…”

“…LOVE YOU AND OBSERVE…”

GOD WILL BE GOD! HE HAS THE PREROGATIVE

B. ASK IN HUMILITY V6 “HEAR THE PRAYER OF YOUR

SERVANT…”

1. KNOW YOUR PLACE – MASTER / SERVANT

SINNER / SAVIOR - V6B-7 REFERENCE V5

2. REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE TALKING TO

JOHN 15:14-15

ILL: HOW TO TALK TO GOD, LIKE A LOVING FATHER

OR LIKE YOUR BEST FRIEND.

C. ASK FOR PROMISE’S V8-9 “REMEMBER I PRAY THE WORD

YOU COMMANDED…”

1. WHAT HAS GOD PROMISED TO DO? PRAY THAT!

V8 - PRAYER OF PROMISE, REMEMBER LORD

V9 - THE PROMISE GOD ANSWERED

ILL: WHAT DOES PERSON NEED? FIND A PROMISE IN

GODS WORD TO MEET THAT NEED AND PRAY THAT

PROMISE TO GOD!

III. DON’T GIVE UP V6 “…DAY AND NIGHT…” GOD LISTEN TO ME

A. PRAY TILL THE ANSWER COMES 1:1 & 2:1 3 MONTHS

B. EXPECT THE ANSWER TO COME 2:4 “SO I PRAYED…”

NEHEMIAH KNEW, THIS IS IT!

C. BE READY WHEN THE ANSWER COMES 2:5-8

BE BOLD, WATCH GOD WORK V8B “ACCORDING TO

THE GOOD HAND OF MY GOD UPON ME”

INVITATION - I HAVE ON OCCASION IN MY MINISTRY BEEN IN SITUATIONS WHERE PRAYER WAS NEEDED BUT VERY DIFFICULT TO DO. VISITED A WIDOW LADY AND HER CHILDREN. FAMILY HAD FOUND OUT THAT DAY ABOUT A LOVED FAMILY MEMBER WHO HAD CANCER. AS SHE BEGAN TO WEEP ALMOST UNCONTROLLABLY THIS FINE LADY ASKED ME TO PRAY FOR HER. THREE KIDS PLAYING AND FUSSING, TV BLARING, WOMAN CRYING AND THERE I STOOD IN THE MIDDLE OF IT ALL. PRAYER WAS NEEDED FOR THIS LADY AND HER FAMILY. IT WAS HARD WORK; IMPORTANT TO ASK CORRECTLY BECAUSE SHE NEEDED GODS PROMISES TO BE REAL TO HER AT THAT MOMENT. I DID NOT GIVE UP, EVEN THOUGH THE DISTRACTIONS WERE ABUNDANT. THE LORD HEARD MY PRAYER AND ANSWERED IT. HE GAVE THE PEACE AND COMFORT THIS FAMILY NEEDED.