Why Prayer?
Men’s Net Meeting
Ephesians 6:10-20 NLT
The reason why many fail in battle is because they wait until the
hour of battle. The reason why others succeed is because they have
gained their victory on their knees long before the battle came . . .
Anticipate your battles; fight them on your knees before
temptation comes, and you will always have victory.
R. A. TORREY
1. We are not fighting (praying) against flesh & blood enemies...
If you notice in R.A. Torrey’ statement that our defeat or victory in any situation is determined by whether we fought it in the natural & then prayed or if we fought it in the spiritual & then dealt with it.
Until we can get it through our head that prayer is not optional we are going to continue to see a Yo Yo effect happening in our life.
This is why it is essential to keep the communication line open, free from interference and from Satanic static. Sin interferes with earth-to-heaven communication.
For the soldier of Christ, true prayer should be a way of life, not just a call for help in the heat of battle.
This is made very clear in Scripture:
Romans 12:12: Continuing instant [steadfast] in prayer.
Ephesians 6:18: Praying always . . .
Colossians 4:2: Continue in prayer. . .
1 Thessalonians 5:17: Pray without ceasing.
The Scriptures tell us, The prayer of the upright is his delight
(Proverbs 15:8). Since prayer is our lifeline to God, to not pray is an insult to Him.
Ben Jennings wrote, Every prayerless day is a statement by a helpless individual, I do not need God today. Failing to pray reflects idolatry a trust in substitutes for God. We rely on our money instead of God’s provision. We rest on our own flawed thinking rather than on God’s perfect wisdom. We take charge of our lives rather than trusting God.
Prayerlessness short-circuits the working of God. Neglecting prayer, therefore, is not a weakness; it is a sinful choice.
John Bunyan stated, Prayer is a shield to the soul, a delight to God, and a scourge to Satan.
Someone once said that Satan trembles when he sees the feeblest Christian on his knees.
2. So how can I be effective? Verse 18
God always answers prayer. Sometimes He says yes; sometimes He says no; and sometimes He says, Wait for a minute. And since to the Lord a thousand years is the same as a day (2 Peter 3:8), that could mean a ten year wait for us. (Abraham & others)
So ask in faith, but rest in peace-filled patience.
Surveys show that more than 90 percent of Americans pray daily. No doubt they pray for health, wealth, happiness, etc. They also pray when grandma gets sick, and when grandma doesn’t get better (or dies), many end up disillusioned or bitter. This is because they don¡¯t understand what the Bible says about prayer. It teaches, among other things, that our sin will keep God from even hearing our prayer (Psalm 66:18), and that if we pray with doubt, we will not get an answer (James 1:6,7).
Heres how to be heard:
Pray with faith (Hebrews 11:6).
Pray with clean hands and a pure heart (Psalm 24:3,4).
Pray genuine heartfelt prayers, rather than vain repetitions (Matthew 6:7).
Make sure that you are praying to the God revealed in the Scriptures
(Exodus 20:3¨C6)
A. How do you pray with faith?
The Bible says that Abraham ¡°staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; and being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform (Romans 4:20,21).
Abraham was a man of great faith in God. Remember, that is not a compliment to Abraham. He merely caught a glimpse of God’s incredible ability, His impeccable integrity, and His wonderful faithfulness to keep every promise He makes. Abraham’s faith gave glory to a faithful God.
So when you pray, don’t say, Oh God, I hope you will supply my needs. Instead, say something like, Father, thank You that You keep every promise You make. Your Word says that You will supply all my needs according to Your riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Therefore, I thank You that You will do this thing for my family. I ask this in the wonderful name of Jesus. Amen.
B. How do you get clean hands and a pure heart?
Simply by confessing your sins to God through Jesus Christ, whose blood cleanses from all sin (1 John 1:7).
God will not only forgive your every sin, He promises to forget them (Hebrews 8:12).
Based on the sacrifice of the Savior, He will justify you just as if you had never sinned. He will make you pure in His sight, sinless.
He will even purge your conscience, so that you will no longer have a sense of guilt that you sinned.
That is what it means to be justified by faith. That is why you need to soak yourself in the Word of God; read the letters to the churches and see the wonderful things God has done for us through the cross of Calvary.
If you don’t bother to read the will, you won’t have any idea what has been given to you.
C. How do you pray genuine heartfelt prayers?
Simply by keeping yourself in the love of God. If the love of God is in you, you will never pray hypocritical or selfish prayers.
Just talk to your heavenly Father as candidly and intimately as a young child, nestled on Daddy’s lap, would talk to his earthly father.
How would you feel if every day your child pulled out a pre-written statement to dryly recite to you, rather than pouring out the events and emotions of that day? God wants to hear from your heart. When your prayer-life is pleasing to God, He will reward you openly (Matthew 6:6). There is nothing wrong with praying scripture prayers that have been written out! But even those should eventually be coming out of your spirit.
D. How do you know you’re praying to the God revealed in Scripture?
Study the Word. Don’t accept the image of God portrayed by the world, even though it appeals to the natural mind. A kind, gentle Santa Claus figure, dispensing good things with no sense of justice or truth, appeals to guilty sinners.
Look to the thunderings and lightnings of Mount Sinai.
Gaze at Jesus on the cross of Calvary hanging in unspeakable agony because of the justice of a holy God. Such thoughts tend to banish idolatry.
To inspire you to daily go before the throne of grace, let this description of transforming prayer, by Alvin J.Vander Griend, encourage you:
Prayer can move mountains. It can change human hearts, families,
neighborhoods, cities, and nations. It¡¯s the ultimate source of
power because it is, in reality, the power of Almighty God.
Prayer can do what political action cannot, what education cannot,
what military might cannot, and what planning committees cannot.
All these are powerless by comparison.
By prayer the kingdom of God is built, and by prayer the kingdom of Satan is destroyed.
Where there is no prayer, there are no great works, and there is no building of the kingdom.
Where there is much prayer and fervent prayer, there are great gains for the kingdom: God’s rule is established, His power is directed, His will is done, society is transformed, lost persons are saved, and saints are enabled to stand against the devils schemes (Eph. 6:11).
If that isn’t enough to compel us to devote [ourselves] to prayer and always [wrestle] in prayer (Col. 4:2,12), I don’t know what is!
Tonight between you & God face to face I want each man to come & REPENT of whatever sin or obstacles that have stopped your relationship with God in Prayer!
This is between you & Him; but the change must happen NOW if we are to see God do great things in & through our lives!
