Prayer
Matthew 6:5/13/13
As you begin your consistent prayer life, setting goals that are realistic will help while seeking the will and favor of God. It would be good to imagine what life would be like minus some of the things we take for granted. Like electricity, can, nice clothes, food a home, forgiveness of sin and eternal life.
The word of God teaches us that men ought always to pray, to pray without ceasing. Pray in secret that God may reward us openly. Pray that His Kingdom will come, and that His will be done on earth as in Heaven.
Second Chronicles chapter seven and verse fourteen, “If my people which are called by name, shall 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.”
Jeremiah chapter thirty-three and verse three, “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou know not.” These are just a few scriptures related to prayer.
As we begin this journey of praying fifteen minutes a day it would be helpful to make two lists, one for the things we want to praise and thank God for. Then make a second list of people and things you want to pray about, and see if God will not open the windows of heaven and pour out blessings.
JESUS PRAYED Jesus was God manifested in the flesh and yet He knew the meaning of prayer. He understood what was going to happen but prayed frequently. “Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to the Father.”
JESUS IS PRAYING FOR YOU what a privilege to know someone is praying for you. What a thrill to have someone says, “I’m praying for you, you have been on my mind.” We should pray for our families and for those who attend Sunday Evening Service, the residents in the building and for our leaders in government.
In the book of John chapter seventeen, Jesus prayed, “O Father, glorify thou me with your own glory which I had with thee before the world was”…..and went on the say, “I pray for those who believe that you did send me. I pray not that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil. I pray for them which shall believe on me through your word.”
It is an awesome thing to have the Son of God praying for you. “For Christ did not enter a man-made sanctuary that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence” Hebrews 9:4
Jesus is ever interceding to the Father on our behalf, if Christ saw the value of prayer knowing that God was sovereign over all things and in all ages, we must open our eyes to the importance and power of prayer, and find out how we can we pray effectively.
POWER OF PRAYER – HOW POWERFULL IS PRAYER? We should not underestimate the power of prayer. James declares, “The effectual fervent pray of a righteous man avails much. Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain; and it rained not on the earth by the space of three ears and six months. He prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.”
Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain move and it shall be done.”
Nothing will be impossible to the child of God who has learned how approach the throne of God in prayer. We are to pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all prayers, supplication and requests.
HOW DO I TAP INTO THE POWER OF PRAYER? The power of prayer is not the result of the person praying. Rather, the power resides in the God that you are praying to. “This is the confidence we have in approaching God; that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us we know that we have what we asked of Him.”
There is no magic formula, pray is not based on the eloquence of the one praying, but on the intent of the heart and the will of God. “In my distress I cried unto the Lord, and he heard me.” “Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress.”
When the disciples were on the raging sea, their prayer was, “save us lest we perish.” Jesus spoke to winds of the storm with a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed and the disciples continued to the other side and were safe.
WHAT THINGS SHOULD I PRAY FOR? “Whatsoever things ye desire when you pray………..” God will help us and be available for all kinds of requests and issues. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”
The Word of God is full of accounts describing the power of prayer in various situations. The power of prayer has overcome the enemy, conquered death, brought healing, and defeated demons.
The power of prayer opens eyes, changes hearts, heals wounds, and grants wisdom. The power of prayer should never be underestimated because it draws on the glory and might of the infinite power of the Creator.
The book of Acts records the key note message that Peter preached concerning the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. When the crowd heard the message they were pricked in their heart and ask saying, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” Peter told them to repent and be baptized and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Then Peter testified and exhorted them saying, “Save you from this untoward generation. Meaning they were a crooked and perverse people. “And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayer.”
Later on in the book of Acts there was a man of Caesarea called Cornelius, a devout man, and one that feared God with his entire house. He gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God always. God answered Cornelius’s prayers. The word of God was then published throughout all Judaea.
In the book of Revelation chapter five and verse seven we read, “And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne. And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odors, which are the prayers of the Saints.”
But you say, “I don’t know how to pray.” It is evident that the disciples didn’t know who to pray. That why they ask Jesus saying,“Lord teach us how to pray.” Remember that prayer is a two way conversation. You speak and God will listen, then He will speak, and you listen, thus the cycle is completed.
