Powerful Prayer

WE ALL KNOW

· That children are very honest

· And they tend to

· Say it the way it should be said

A LITTLE BOY WAS SAYING HIS PRAYERS

· And this is what he said;

Dear God, bless my mommy & daddy, and take care of yourself, too, because without You, we’re sunk! Amen

BUT MANY ADULTS

· Have trouble

· Understanding how to pray.

LET ME SHOW YOU WHY

· Have you ever tried to use a tool you weren’t familiar with?

· You don’t have good results at first

· Because you don’t fully understand the proper usage of the tool

MANY PEOPLE PRAY LIKE THAT

· They aren’t that familiar with it,

· Then, they don’t see much result

· Because they don’t fully understand what prayer is

WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN TAUGHT

· That prayer is just talking to God

· It is a conversation with God

· But it is so much more

THERE ARE DIFFERENT WAYS TO PRAY

· We sometimes pray in public

· But we also need

· A daily quiet time of prayer

A TIME OF NO INTERRUPTIONS

· so we can fully focus on Him

· to meditate on His holiness

· to listen as He talks to us

PRAYER IS IMPORTANT

· to our relationship with God.

· It’s the most powerful thing on earth

· and least used of God’s tools

GOD IS CALLING EVERY CHRISTIAN

· To get spiritually prepared

· and He wants us to understand

· the URGENCY of His calling

MANY CHURCHES

· Talk a lot about prayer

· But don’t model it

· And don’t teach it

AND NOW, MANY CHRISTIANS

· Don’t really understand it.

· And we end up trying to avoid it

· Rather than embrace it

THE IRONIC THING IS,WE SERVE A GOD OF ABUNDANCE

· We serve a God of abundance

· And when we ask for something to glorify Him,

· We will get it in the right way and time,

· But we rarely ask for those blessings

BILLY GRAHAM ONCE SAID,

· That heaven was full of blessings

· Nobody ever asked God for …

· So they just sit there unused

(Illustration)

TWO PASTORS WERE

· Sitting in a coffee shop

· Discussing the best position

· In which to pray

ONE SAID KNEELING WAS THE BEST

· The other said head bowed was best

THE MAN AT THE NEXT TABLE

· Finally spoke up and said

· The best position to pray

· Is when you simply realize

· You need more of Jesus

JESUS AND HIS DISCIPLES

· were resting on a mountain

· The disciples asked Him to teach them to pray

Starting in MATTHEW 6:5-13,

· we see what Jesus said:

‘And when you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites, who love to pray public so they can impress people with how religious they are. I tell you the truth; they have received their reward in full. When you pray, go into your room, close the door, and pray to God, who is unseen. ‘Then He, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

‘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 even before you ask Him. This, then, is how you should pray:

‘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 sins as we have also forgiven those who sin against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’

THE FIRST THING JESUS SAYS IS

· Don’t be like the hypocrites

· who prayed in public

· so people would admire them

GOD WANTS US TO PRAY

· directly to Him

· from the center of our hearts

· a private and focused prayer

IT IS FINE TO PRAY IN A PUBLIC

· as we do in church

· but there is another form of prayer -

· a prayer that is holy - and solemn

WHEN WE PRAY IN PRIVATE

· We concentrate more intently,

· And we end up feeling closer to God

JESUS SAID TO START PRAYING

· By praising Him

· Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name.

· When we pray, do we exalt God ?

WE SHOULD DEPEND ON GOD

· For everything we need in life

· Give us this day, our daily bread

BEFORE WE CAN EXPECT HIM

· to answer our prayers,

· We must believe He CAN

· And expect that He WILL

THIS NEXT PART IS VERY IMPORTANT