Because of Prayer
I feel I need to spend some time reviewing prayer. I want to look at its place in the life of a Christian. Its power, its purpose, its effect, its availability and its simple beauty as a means of communicating with Almighty God.
Im sure there are many instances in your life when you have called out to God in prayer. They may have been prayers of thanksgiving, prayers that were requests or petitions and prayers of brokenness and discouragement.
Prayer for the Christian is the spiritual language which we use to address our God. It is a kind of communion or coming together with God that no other medium provides. It is not a letter or a phone call, it is not an invitation or announcement, and its not a statement or a poem.
But sometimes it is poetic in what is communicated. It is a unique and personal language that your God shares with you. Prayer very much represents the words of your heart as you pour your thoughts, your hopes, your fears, your dreams, your goals and your willingness to be a servant before God Almighty.
It almost seems a strange thing that we should pray when God in fact knows what we are about to pray for before we even open our mouths. Yet it is our Heavenly Father who desires that we exercise this kind of communication with him.
2 Chronicles 7:14 NIV
if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
In praying we realize that we are not as independent as we might think. We come to realize that there are so many things beyond our control and personal will that we have no other alternative but to cry out to God to hear our prayer. By praying we honor God and recognize His Sovereignty over us.
We can do nothing without Him. This is precisely the point. Our Heavenly Father rules over ALL things. He rules over Heaven, Earth, the seen and unseen world and the world to come. By praying we humble ourselves before the Creator of all things yet He wants to hear us because he cares for us.
When I think of prayer I think of Daniel in the lions den
Daniel 6:10 NIV
Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.
Daniel 6 NIV
16 So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions den. The king said to Daniel, "May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!"
19 At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lions den. 20 When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, "Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?"
21 Daniel answered, "O king, live forever! 22 My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, O king."
Daniel was under attack by men who wanted to expose him as a law breaker and as a person who prayed to a false god. They were proven wrong and ended up in the pit in his place.
Pray when you are under attack or when people are attacking you for your beliefs.
Samsons last act of redemption.
Judges 16:28 TNIV
Then Samson prayed to the LORD, "Sovereign LORD, remember me. Please, God, strengthen me just once more, and let me with one blow get revenge on the Philistines for my two eyes."
For Samson Love was blind it quit literally cost him his eyesight and his God given strength. He was humiliated because of his pride and his folly as he did not value what God had entrusted him with and so for earthly pleasures he broke a vow to God. He made one last redeeming prayer and in his death took over 3,000 Philistines with him.
Honor God all the days of your life so that you do not need to make a dying request to be redeemed.
Hannah praying for a son Samuel.
1 Samuel 1:13 TNIV
Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk. 15 "Not so, my lord," Hannah replied, "I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the LORD.
The bible tells us that the spirit gives utterance to our words when we can not. To her husband Hannah looked like she was drunk.
Pray in order to be intoxicated by the request you bring to God. In Hannahs case she poured herself out.
When we can not find the words God listens to our heart.
David broken and confessing before God in Psalm 51
10Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
11Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
12Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.
Even after we have sinned and fallen God will forgive and take us back if we like David pray.
Job interceding for his friends.
Job 42:8 NIV
So now take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and sacrifice a burnt offering for yourselves. My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer and not deal with you according to your folly. You have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has."
Job 42:10 NIV
After Job had prayed for his friends, the LORD made him prosperous again and gave him twice as much as he had before.
Our prayers can turn Gods wrath from those around us who have offended him.
The Messianic Psalm 22
16 Dogs have surrounded me;
a band of evil men has encircled me,
they have pierced [c] my hands and my feet.
17 I can count all my bones;
people stare and gloat over me.
18 They divide my garments among them
and cast lots for my clothing.
19 But you, O LORD, be not far off;
O my Strength, come quickly to help me.
Prayer can be prophetic. These words were written 1000 years before Jesus suffered on the cross by a shepherd boy named David.
Matthew 26 NIV Jesus in Gethsemane
39Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will."
42He went away a second time and prayed, "My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done."
Though God has written the text that is our life we can still pray and ask him to change the ending.
Mark 11:17 NIV
And as he taught them, he said, "Is it not written: " My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations [ Isaiah 56:7] But you have made it a den of robbers. [ Jer. 7:11] "
We honor God by praying in His house.
Mark 11:25 NIV
And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins."
Remove all hindrance from your prayers.
John 17:20 NIV
[ Jesus Prays for All Believers ] "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message,
Jesus intercedes for us.
The Stoning of Stephen
Acts 7 NIV
57At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, 58dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul.
Acts 7:59 NIV
While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."
Prayer gives you power to forgive your worst enemies.
Cornelius Calls for Peter
Acts 10:5 NIV
He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, "Cornelius!"
4Cornelius stared at him in fear. "What is it, Lord?" he asked.
The angel answered, "Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God. 5Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter. 6He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea."
God keeps a record of your prayer life.
The church prays for Peters release.
Acts 12:5 NIV
So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him. 6The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. 7Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. "Quick, get up!" he said, and the chains fell off Peters wrists.
A church in prayer can free those in bondage.
For the Christian prayer is more than a communications tool. It is the language we use to talk to God. Prayer can protect you and yours, defend you and yours and be a pleasing fragrant offering to our God. In prayer we honor God in our lives and at church and we reaffirm our position as a sinner in need of heavenly direction for our lives. Close the door to your room this week and pour out your heart to God. He is ready to hear you. There is nothing you can not tell Him for there is nothing about you He does not know. So demonstrate your love and dependence on His instruction for your life and talk to Him in private.
Let us pray.
