Introduction
·Last week we discussed that God has given you dominion & authority on this Earth. Nothing happens on this Earth until someone prays.
·God is not obligated to do a thing until you pray. When you pray, you are taking your dominion on this Earth.
·Every success you will have in 2007 is because of prayer.
·Never lose heart when you pray. Pray the give Him thanks like you just received what you prayed for.
·Always prayer to the Father in the name of Jesus in order to get answered prayer.
·Pray that the Kingdom of God be revealed on this Earth.
·This week will continue on prayer and its effect it will have in your life in 2007.
·Let us look to the Word of God this morning.
A. While standing on God’s promises, be specific with your prayers & petitions.
1. Find scriptures that pertain to the promise of God for your specific prayer. (Example- healing, finances, peace, direction, etc.).
2. Pray according to God’s Word or pray the Word.
3. Daily meditation on the Word establishes the promise in your heart.
(NKJV) Joshua 1 8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
a. Success in life comes from meditating on God’s Word.
b. We are fed by the Spirit of the Word of God.
(NKJV) Matthew 4 4 But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’”
4. Know that the enemy will try to oppose your prayers.
a. Fight the good fight of faith by opening your mouth and speaking the Word.
(NKJV) 1 Timothy 6 12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
5. The Word is your weapon of spiritual warfare where prayer is concerned.
B. Believe you receive those things that you pray for.
1. The Bible teaches us to ask God for what you want.
(NKJV) John 16 23 “And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. 24 Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.
a. You must ask if you are expecting to receive. You have not because you ask not.
(NKJV) Matthew 7 7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.
2. Don’t base your ability to receive on whether you can perceive your request with your natural senses.
a. Something may be a fact, but that doesn’t make it the truth.
b. Facts can change, but the truth is eternal and never changes.
c. Circumstances may be factual, but God’s Word is the truth that will set you free from the facts of negative circumstances.
3. You must know, that you know that God’s promises are for you.
4. Believe that you receive and speak what you believe and you will have it.
(NKJV) Mark 11 23 For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. 24 Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.
C. God will answer your prayers when your thoughts are focused on the Kingdom of God.
1. Let every thought and every desire support your prayers.
2. Feed your faith and starve your doubts by meditating on the Word of God concerning your specific prayer request.
3. Be submitted to God in all things and stand firm against the devil.
(NKJV) James 4 7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
4. Renew your mind on a continual basis.
(NKJV) Romans 12 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. 3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.
5. Set your mind on the things of God and the Word.
(NKJV) Colossians 3 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.
D. To receive answers to your prayers, guard your mind.
1. Guard your mind against every evil thought.
a. Thoughts can be generated by things you watch on TV or hear on the radio, bad associations with unbelievers or wrong teachings of scripture.
b. Stay away from all places and things that don’t support the affirmation of what you believe you receive in prayer.
Conclusion
· If we want to see more of God in 2007, we must penetrate the Open Heaven with our prayers.
· Prayers that are specific and basted in the Word of God will be answered by God.
· Meditation on the Word and putting it into action builds your faith level so that you can be assured that your prayers are answered.
· Believe that you received your payers as answered. (We walk by faith, not by sight.)
· Pray to the Father, but ask in the name of Jesus!
· Let every thought be focused on the Kingdom of God. Don’t doubt that God can answer your prayers.
· Renew your mind daily in Christ Jesus. Keep the Word before you.
· Set your mind on the things of God. This keeps you from doubting your prayers and petitions to God.
· Lastly, guard your mind from evil thoughts. Watch who you hang with. No negative people, they will drag you down.
· Let us pray!
Salvation/Altar Call
