Kingston Church of the Nazarene
July 31, 2016
Sermon: Shameless Audacious Prayer
Scripture: Luke 11:1-15, 1 Thessalonians, Psalm 84
INTRODUCTION – Shameless Audacious Prayer
Shameless Audacious Prayer is essentially persistent prayer. We are told in 1 Thessalonians to pray without ceasing. Shameless Audacious Prayer is the type of prayer we pray with all of our heart, mind, body and soul expecting to be heard and for the prayer to be granted.
[slides] Prayer is mentioned many times in the bible. As a matter of fact -
1. There are 650 prayers listed in the Bible.
2. There are approximately 450 recorded answers to prayer in the Bible.
3. The first time prayer is mentioned in the Bible is Genesis 4:26 (earlier dialogues where initiated directly by God, e.g., Genesis 3:8-13, Genesis 4:9).
4. The Bible records Jesus praying 25 different times during his earthly ministry.
5. In the Bible, Paul mentions prayer (prayers, prayer reports, prayer requests, exhortations to pray), 41 times.
6. Although prayer can (and should) be done from any bodily position, the Bible lists five specific postures: Sitting (2 Sam 7:18), standing (Mark 11:25), kneeling (Chronicles 6:13; Daniel 6:10; Luke 22:41; Acts 7:60, 9:40, 20:36, 21:5; Ephesians 3:14), with one's face to the ground (Matthew 26:39; Mark 14:35), and with hands lifted up (1 Timothy 2:8).
7. In Jesus model for how his disciples should pray (Luke 11:1-4), he provides five areas of focus: That God's name be honored - the focus on his everlasting glory (“Father, hallowed be your name”); that God's kingdom come - the focus on his eternal will (“your kingdom come”); that God's provision is given - the focus on our present (“Give us each day our daily bread.”); that God's forgiveness is granted - the focus on our past (Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.); that God's deliverance will be provided - the focus on our future.
8. The Bible lists at least nine main types of prayer: prayer of faith (James 5:15), prayer of agreement (also known as corporate prayer) (Acts 2:42), prayer of request (also known as petition or supplication) (Philippians 4:6), prayer of thanksgiving (Psalm 95:2-3), prayer of worship (Acts 13:2-3), prayer of consecration (also known as dedication) (Matthew 26:39), prayer of intercession (1 Timothy 2:1), prayer of imprecation (Psalms 69), and praying in the Spirit (1 Corinthians 14:14-15).
9. The word “Amen” (which means “let it be, “so be it,” “verily,” “truly”) makes its first appearance in the Bible in Numbers 5:22. In that passage God commands it to be said by a person who is yielding to his examination.
As you can tell, prayer is an essential part of the Christian life, so much so, God initiated the first prayer in Genesis 3:8-13 (Adam/God).
TRANSITION
We could spend months on the topic of prayer. Today, I want to talk about Shameless Audacious Prayer. This is the kind of prayer we pray that is so centered on God and his will that we would pray it in front of the US President, or in an Isis Militant regime who were about to beheaded for being a Christian because we believe God will answer our prayer in any circumstances.
Shameless Audacious Prayer is defined by different translations as:
• "persistence" (NASB)
• "shameless persistence and insistence" (Amp)
• "keep knocking long enough" (NLT)
• "importunity" (KJV)
• "not ashamed to keep asking" (CEV)
• "boldness" (NCV)
• "brashness" (CEB)
Do any of these words describe your prayer life? God honors a bold faith that believes that what is being asked for is as good as done! And when the answer from God is slow, that person is bold and persistent.
Shameless Audacious prayer believes that God has heard our prayer and will answer it. It’s prayer with passion and conviction, and with sincerity of heart and mind, and with a humble spirit.
TRANSITION
Luke 11:1-13 helps us to know how to pray.
[slide] V. 2 WHEN WE PRAY: The presupposition is we will pray because we have a desire to spend time with God. So, when we do pray, we are to pray understanding that prayer is to be entered into reverently understanding the juxtaposition between God and man.
We also must understand that God isn’t some vending machine in the sky waiting for you to drop your quarters into in order to receive your blessing.
“We pray as if God’s chief objective is our personal comfort. It’s not. God’s chief objective is His glory.”
Therefore, we reverently come to God with an understanding that he is the maker and creator of the universe, and he has authority to produce life and to take it away.
WHEN WE PRAY also says God has a desire to have a relationship with us. Therefore, he has invites us to pray and enter into his presence. We don’t need a set day and time, but we are to spend time with God all of the time, without ceasing.
TRANSITION
After Jesus teaches his disciples how they ought to pray, he tells them a story to relate how we should pray. Jesus uses the imagery of going to a friend’s house, asking for something to eat, and, persistently asking until he provides.
Shameless Audacious Prayer
1. We go to God because we know he has what we need.
2. We go to God because he will provide, but on his time.
3. We go to God because he wants to know if you know the truest desires of your heart.
Jesus reminds his disciples, albeit us too, that we must be like the persistent friend, knocking and knocking until the door is opened and the request is granted.
First, we must have the specific request in mind. In the case of the man, it was food to eat; carb-filled, weight-gaining, delicious bread. I imagine his friend gave him a bagel and smear (cream cheese), maybe even a baker’s dozen!
Shameless Audacious Prayer fully understands persistence is the key to getting an answer to prayer. [STORY OF FATHER] For instance, for many years I prayed for my father to come to faith in Christ. It took physical disruptions in his life to finally start to believe in God. The first time I was able to share Christ with him was soon after his lungs collapsed while in the hospital parking lot. The other time was when his kidneys shut down and I prayed for healing, and he gave his heart to Jesus.
Jesus is very specific about how we should pray, but he is also very specific about when we pray, we should: [slide] “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
• Ask
• Seek
• Knock
“For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.”
PROMISE OF SCRIPTURE: EVERYONE WHO ASKS, SEEK AND KNOCKS WILL RECEIVE a reply from God.
God is a loving, kind and giving to his children. He expects us to pray as we ask, and seek, and knock, so that he will show you how great he can and will provide.
Sub Point: When God provides, he gives to bring himself glory. However, we are the beneficiaries of his giving. He gives us exactly what we need, not want. Sometimes they are in alignment, sometimes they are not. Yet, as we review what God gives us, we realize that he gave us exactly what we needed at that time and moment in life.
We need to be people of Shameless Audacious Prayer. If your child is living outside God’s will, pray until he/she comes back. If you’re out of a job, pray audaciously until God provides the right job for you. If your marriage is messed up, and you want God to fix it, shamelessly pray for healing.
Of the many names in the bible for God, in Hebrew he is called Jehovah-Jireh – the God who provides.
What’s your story of how he’s provided for you?
[slide] STORY: The Last Few Cents
One Christmas we were on an especially tight budget, so the children and I went to the Dollar Store to buy some gifts for family members.
When we were finished, my youngest daughter (seven at the time) wanted a coloring book. I only had change left and we needed thirteen more cents to buy the book. I prayed with her that if God wanted her to have it, He would provide the money. She looked on the floor a little bit apart from where we were standing and there were a dime and three pennies on the floor.
Whether you believe this story or not, it demonstrates the power of prayer. Their prayer and God’s provisions helped grow their faith, as well as bring glory to him. It was a win, win situation for everyone involved.
I encourage us to be people of Shameless Audacious Prayer. God gave us a way to pray, and promised God would give us an answer to our prayers.
Do you believe in God enough to Shamelessly Audaciously Pray until he answers?
Song: The Lord’s Prayer
Pray and Dismiss
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/9-things-you-should-know-about-prayer-in-the-bible
Mark Batterson, The Circle Maker (Enhanced Edition): Praying Circles Around Your Biggest Dreams and Greatest Fears
