Prayer Impacts Our Attitude Series

“Prayer Impacts our Attitude”

Introduction:

Good morning people of God! How is your prayer life last week? How is your faith? Are they growing? How about God’s answer to your prayers?

The focus of our study today is prayer and attitude. What was your first reaction when someone asks you to pray? Do you smile and welcome it or you’re a bit hesitant at first… Let’s be honest, prayer is always not a favorite habit of many believers. But we the ironic thing is that expect answers from God even without enjoying our prayer life.

What is the proper attitude in praying? Please, join me as I read our main text for today. According to the apostle Paul in Phil. 1:4 “In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy” NIV.

First of all, prayer impacts the…

I. Attitude of Humility (Matt. 6:5-9)

Matt 6:5 "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. NIV

A. Warning Against Hypocrisy

- God desires for us to do the habit of praying but not in a way the hypocrites do.

- Prayer should not be done to show people how religious you are.

B. Way Toward Humility

- The bible advises us to pray to our heavenly father in the secret place. (i.e. In our own room).

- Jesus modeled this principle when he would go to a solitary place early in the morning to pray.

Jesus teaches us how to pray and how to pray with humility. In Matthew 6:9-13 the main focus is to hollow the name of God and to acknowledge His will in our daily lives.

Secondly, prayer impacts the…

II. Attitude of Love (Matt. 5:44)

A. Prayer Develops Love in us

Matt 5:44

“But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” NIV

- The bible is asking us not just to love our neighbor but also to love our enemies.

- One good measurement for you to know if you are following this command is prayer. Have ever pray for those who hate you? Have you aver pray to bless all your enemies?

- If you cant’ pray for your enemies to be blessed, then you don’t really love and you don’t obey His word.

- By praying for our enemies you also grow in love.

B. Prayer Drives away Anger

Luke 6:28 “bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you” NIV

- The normal thing to do is to curse those who mistreat you; on the contrary the bible encourages us to pray for them.

- If you are able to pray for those who mistreat you then the anger is not present in your heart.

- Remember Jesus, while he was hanging on the cross he prayed this prayer “Father forgive them for they do not know what they are doing…”

- Instead of cursing them… he prayed for them.

An effective way of praying is always motivated by love… A person who loves always pray from the bottom of his/her heart.

Lastly, prayer impacts the…

III. Attitude of Trust (I Tim. 5:5)

1 Tim 5:5 “The widow who is really in need and left all alone puts her hope in God and continues night and day to pray and to ask God for help”. NIV

A. By Praying we learn how to trust God more

- Our natural tendency is to trust first in our own strength.

- People naturally come to God as a last and final resort.

- God want us to put Him first in every aspect of our lives.

- Matthew 6:33 promised us that if we seek Him first we are guaranteed to have all things in life.

B. By Praying we learn how to Hope in God more

- When everything in life fails God is there to give us hope.

- God is our ultimate hope in life.

- He will never fail us… he is our only hope.

If you really trust God then you keep on calling Him in prayer. If you really trust Him then you will never stop knocking on His door for help.

Conclusion:

Every believers of Jesus Christ who develops a habit of praying will possess an attitude of humility, love, and trust.