Committed To Prayer

Committed to Prayer

Colossians 4:2-4:6

Introduction-

This morning I would like to talk to you about prayer.

It was the topic of Tuesday night small group and I have not been able to shake it since.

The Bible is full of verses telling God’s people to pray.

Jesus by example in numerous passages is found praying to The Father.

No one needs to tell a believer that they should be praying, but I am here to tell you that each one of us needs to be not only knowing we should, but be committed to praying.

Turn to Colossians 4:2-4:6

“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly as I should. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let you conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”

Prayer-

We can see from this passage that prayer has at least two parts-

Prayer- speaking to God about people- praying for others.

Prayer- speaking to God about our needs- praying for ourselves.

Evangelism- speaking to people about God and praying that God would give us wisdom and guidance to do that.

Now, before you think this is a message about taking tracts and going door to door telling people about Jesus (which is not a bad thing) I want to look at prayer from the standpoint of not being a person of prayer.

What is prayer?

What benefit is it to me?

If you were reading a story, you look at what is called the 5 “w’s” (Who, what, where, why, when,) if you were creating a poster for an event, you would do the same thing.

Those questions, whose answers are considered basic information gathering.

Let’s look at this at its basics- There is Almighty God, creator of the universe, the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. A fallen angel named Lucifer decided he wanted to be God and waged war against God and of course lost and was thrown down to earth. Ever since that day, he has waged war against God and God’s creation.

So how prayer works is like this- Prayer is the communication between you and God. It is asking Almighty God to have fellowship with you and give you guidance and protection from the enemy.

The fall of Lucifer in rebellion to God happened before time as we know it, and happened in the spirit realm.

The spirit realm that we cannot physically see, but need God to help us.

There is the physical realm- which we see, what we go through, what we live in.

in the spiritual realm, is where the battle of our soul is going on, and evil is fought and held back every day.

Have you ever wondered what exactly happens when we are in conversation with God?

Do angelic messengers transport the actual words to God?

Ever wonder how God could possibly hear all prayers and answer in justice and mercy?

Because He is God! There is no greater deity in creation.

We try to look at God from our small minds and we put God in this man-made box.

That is why He says seek me while I can be found; call on Him while He is near. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways. As the heavens are higher than the earth so are my ways higher than your ways.

It is why Apostle Paul in our text tells us –

“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.”

You have to understand after, seeing who God is and the battle that is raging for our souls that we cannot do this in our strength.

Understand that one day God will put an end to this waged war. He already has victory, and so do we if we accept what Jesus has done.

He desires a relationship with each one of us but gives us the freedom of choice to wither we want it. He communicates with us through His Word, his servants, and through prayer.

Anyone of those elements is missing and you do not have the relationship that God wants you to have.

You are not reading His Word- you miss out

You are not in church- you miss the Word that He had for you.

You don’t pray- you miss His words to you.

Quote-

“It has been said “The shortest distance between the problem and a solution is the distance between your knees and the floor.”

It is not my intention to put anyone on a guilt trip.