Why Pray?
We have been in a study of Prayer. We were interrupted by Christmas and the New Year. I believe that we need to learn how to pray so that we can see results.
Many Christians have prayed for years and cannot tell you for sure that “GOD ANSWERED MY PRAYERS”.
Everyone prays, Christians pray, sinners pray, heathen pray but not many results are seen.
We want to learn to Pray and get Results.
The last time we talked about Prayer we discovered the PURPOSE OF PRAYER.
#1 The Purpose of Prayer is Fellowship and Relationship.
Many pray because they have a shopping list that need to be addressed.
The primary reason for prayer is fellowship and relationship.
Jesus prayed all night several times and it was not because He was in want or need. Jesus wanted fellowship and relationship with His Father.
#2 The Way to Receive from God.
James 4: 2 Ye lust and have not: ye kill and desire to have and cannot obtain ye fight and war yet ye have not, because ye ask not.
3 Ye ask and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
James says we fight and scratch and struggle to get things but that is not the way to get it.
PRAYER is the way our needs are met.
James said that if you don’t ask you will not get it.
Then he identifies 2 Reasons that prayers are not answered.
1. Ask amiss = asking for the wrong things. God will not let you have a great successful Robbery. GOD WILL NOT ANSWER A PRAYER THAT GOES AGAINST HIS NATURE.
2. Consume it upon your lusts = God does not answer selfish prayers. God will not make you rich so you can show your kinfolk you are special. God will make you rich if your desire is to help God’s Kingdom.
God knows what you have need of and he wants you to have it.
John 16:24: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.
#3 The way God’s Kingdom is established in the earth is prayer.
Matt. 6:10 Thy kingdom come Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
We are to pray for God’s Kingdom and righteous rule be established in the earth.
I believe if the Church and Christians would pray for this kind of thing rather than the silly selfish things that we pray that God would hear us and heal our land and we would bring this nation back to God.
This is WHY we pray.
This is HOW we pray:
1Th 5:17 Pray without ceasing.
The last time we talked about Prayer it was called PRESISTENT PRAYER
Don’t give up in prayer, don’t give out in prayer, and don’t give in, in prayer.
Delay is not Denial.
1. Some delay is because of DEMONS
Daniel prayed for 21 days and found out it was demons that delayed the answer.
2. Some delays are DIVINE.
1. Time to focus on God and not man to supply the need.
2. Time to refine our request and see if it is a desire or a wish.
3. Test of Faith. Abraham waited 25 years
Ga 3:6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
How to Pray
John 16: 20 Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament but the world shall rejoice and ye shall be sorrowful but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.
21 A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world.
22 And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice and your joy no man taketh from you.
23 And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.
24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask and ye shall receive that your joy may be full
Jesus was explaining to the disciples that He was going to die on the cross and that they would be full of sorrow, but He would be back and they would have joy that nobody could take away.
V.23 Jesus said in the day I come back we are having a new relationship.
I am going to give you the AUTHORITY to go to God and ask for what you have need of.
He said I have taken care of your needs and showed you the POWER that is available to you.
You have not used the POWER OF ATTORNEY but IT IS YOUR RIGHT so your joy may be FULL
25 These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father.
26 At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you:
27 For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.
Jesus said he was not going to pray for their needs anymore.
JESUS said for us to PRAY TO THE FATHER, USING THE NAME OF JESUS and THE AUTHORITY OF JESUS.
V.27 For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.
Many pray to Jesus, Mary, Jude, but Jesus said God wants you to pray to Him because He desires to meet your needs.
We WORSHIP JESUS and FELLOWSHIP with Jesus but if you have a need GO TO THE FATHER, IN THE NAME OF JESUS.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO PRAY IN THE NAME OF JESUS?
Acts 3: 1 Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.
2 And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple;
3 Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms.
4 And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said Look on us.
5 And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them.
6 Then Peter said Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk
Here is an example of Praying in the Name of Jesus
The Name of Jesus is not a magic formula.
This man was healed using the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth.
When they used the name they were using the Man behind the name.
11 And as the lame man which was healed held Peter and John, all the people ran together unto them in the porch that is called Solomon’s, greatly wondering.
12 And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk
13 The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go
14 But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you;
15 And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.
16 And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong whom ye see and know yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.
See what Peter said IT IS FAITH IN HIS AUTHORITY, HIS WORK, HIS WORD, OVER SICKNESS THAT THE MAN WAS HEALED
It is not a MAGIC PHRASE.
Col 3:17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus
When you ladies cook a meal you do not say “This meal is cooked in the NAME OF JESUS”.
It is done through HIS STRENGTH, HIS WILL and HIS WORK. That is in the name if Jesus.
Acts 4: 5 And it came to pass on the morrow, that their rulers, and elders, and scribes,
6 And Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem.
7 And when they had set them in the midst, they asked By what power, or by what name, have ye done this?
The High Priest wanted to know by whose authority this was done.
8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel,
9 If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole
10 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.
11 This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders which is become the head of the corner.
12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved
18 And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.
Peter went on to say it is the AUTHORITY, POWER, WILL, WORK, of Jesus that we are saved , healed and set free to do good works..
It is not a MAGIC PHRASE
Acts 19: 13 Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth
14 And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so.
15 And the evil spirit answered and said Jesus I know and Paul I know but who are ye?
16 And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded
They did not know Jesus and did not have the AUTHORITY of Jesus
Let’s Go to The Lords Prayer, where Jesus said “Pray like this”.
This is not a MAGIC PRAYER but is an EXAMPLE of HOW TO PRAY.
This is to keep us FOCUSED ON PRAYER
Matt. 6: 9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven,
Jesus said address God as Father (A name of Relationship)
Hallowed be thy name.
You can use all the names of God. Jehovah Jireh OUR PROVIDER
Jehovah Ropheka OUR HEALER, Jehovah Shalom OUR PEACE
But when you say OUR FATHER it covers all the things that God represents.
10 Thy kingdom come Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
We are looking out for Gods Kingdom, Righteousness and Rule.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
Ask for a daily supply, God wants to supply on a daily schedule.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
Unforgiveness stops our prayers from being answered.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:
Declare your victory from the oppression of the World
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever.
Finish up with a focus on God and His Kingdom.
Amen. That prayer did not contain “In the name of Jesus” but it was in his authority.
DON’T GIVE UP or OUT or IN
