Prayer: Provision For Power And Progress

Prayer: Provision For Power And Progress

Text: Luke 18: 1

Intro: We have all heard or read about great prayer-warriors, like Praying Hyde, David Brainard, Hudson Taylor, and George Mueller. More than likely, hearing of the great things that God did in and through these men fills us with utter amazement. The sad thing however, is that most of us think that this type of power in prayer is no longer obtainable in our generation.

The fact of the matter is, great power in prayer, and the great spiritual progress obtained by it, does not have to remain only a sentimental wonder of the past. Power in prayer is the spiritual birthright of every child of God, since we all have been granted access to the Father, through our Lord Jesus Christ (Rom.5: 1, 2). But prayer is not only the right of every Christian; it is the responsibility of the Christian as well. Our Lord made this very clear in our text, when He said, “…Men ought always to pray.”

A man by the name of S.D. Gordon once said, “‘The greatest thing anyone can do for God and for man is to pray’” (Herald Of His Coming, Vol. 51, No.4 (604); April 1992, pg. 1). The modern-day Church desperately needs men and women who are dedicated to the ministry of prayer. I am convinced that there will not likely be another significant move of God in our generation, unless Christians get back to the business of prayer. Oh that God would once again raise up some mighty prayer-warriors among us.

John Wesley once declared, “God does nothing except through prayer” (Ibid, pg. 1). I believe Wesley was right. Perhaps that explains why relatively little is being accomplished for God in our day. We have simply ignored the necessity of prevailing in prayer.

May God awaken our hearts to the great need of the hour—the need for powerful, passionate, prevailing supplication before God.

Theme: God’s people need to seriously pray, because:

I. THERE ARE SAINTS TO BE STRENGTHENED

NOTE: Often we tend to think that nobody understands what we’re going through. But though one person’s problems may not seem to be so bad to someone else, it’s still difficult for the one going through it. That’s why we need to pray for one another.

When Robert Louis Stevenson was a boy he once remarked to his mother, “Momma, you can’t be good without praying.”

“How do you know, Robert?” she asked.

“Because I’ve tried!” he answered.

This brings to mind a story about another little fellow—one who had been sent to his room because he had been bad. A short time later he came out and said to his mother, “I’ve been thinking about what I did and I said a prayer.”

“That’s fine,” she said, “if you ask God to make you good, He will help you.”

“Oh, I didn’t ask Him to help me be good,” replied the boy. “I asked Him to help you put up with me.”

Our Daily Bread, June 15.

A. Prayer Is Needed For All Saints.

Eph.6: 18 “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;”

Col.4: 12 “Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.”

James 5: 16b & c “…pray one for another…The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”

NOTE: The Bible tells us in the book of Galatians to, “bear ye one another’s burdens…” (Gal.6: 2a). Praying for one another is an excellent way to fulfill that command. The weight that many of our brothers and sisters in Christ are presently bearing may break their spirit, unless you and I care enough to hold them up before the Lord in prayer. When it seems the boat of your life is about to sink, it’s comforting to know that people are praying for you. Our prayer support may be the only thing that keeps someone from going under. It’s too bad that so many saints have so little confidence in prayer.

I heard a story of a ship that was sinking in the middle of a storm, and the captain called out to the crew and said, “Does anyone here know how to pray?”

One man stepped forward and said, “Yes sir, I know how to pray.”

The captain said, “Wonderful, you pray while the rest of us put on life jackets—we’re one short.”

Author unknown. Taken from pastorlife.com.

B. Prayer Is Needed For The Afflicted And Sick.

James 5: 13a “Is any among you afflicted? let him pray…

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14 “Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: