WHEN ALL IS SAID…
Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (YouTube: Wade Hughes)
When all is said and done about prayer, MORE IS SAID THAN DONE. Our eternal enemy has several goals. 1. To be ignorant of God’s word. 2. He desires God’s people to dread prayer time.
Text: 1 Timothy 2:1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
1 Timothy 2:1 (MSG) The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.
*PRAYER: to communicate with God. Petition for needs, to praise, to worship, to give thanks.
*SUPPLICATION: to ask, to beg earnestly, humble request, mercy, dependence with passion and zeal, to trust.
*INTERCESSION: a fervent prayer and petition made on behalf of another. To bridge the gap between a person and God, to intervene on behalf of another.
I read where a family bought a PRAYER BOOK for their son. Each night the boy would read a prayer before going to sleep. He was faithful to read a prayer. One night the boy was tired. He turned the light off and crawled into bed. He remember the prayer book. That night he called out to God: Dear God, the prayer book is on the night stand over there, you can read the prayer yourself. Amen!
We have many songs about prayer. There are hundreds of books about prayer. Thousands of sermons about prayer. There are endless discussions about prayer. Perhaps one of the greatest assets of prayer is it is so simple anyone can pray--- Prayer is just talking to God. Communion with God --- to talk intimately of warm friendship, deep feeling. Prayer can be personal and private. As we communicate we can make known our needs.
We can buy written, poetic prayers and what to pray. We can buy testimonials of prayers. We can even learn secret formulas of how to pray. E=MC SQUARED.
Years ago, I was at a convention where a famous national preacher was speaking. He had many tables set up with books, recordings and material. Long lines formed as people were buying the material at premium prices. There was one table no one visited. The books and recordings were about prayer. The TV minister told me, no one will buy these. He went on to say he guess he would have to give them away?
THE EFFECTUAL (SUCCESSFUL, PRODUCING THE DESIRED EFFECT) --- FERVENT (INTENSE, ZEAL, PASSION)
James 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
James 5:16 (MSG) Make this your common practice: Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed. The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with.
We can learn with a book, or head knowledge. Remember Drivers’ Ed? Studied books and watched videos. Then there was OJT: ON THE JOB TRAINING. Some of the best learning is BY DOING, EXPERIENCE.
GOD DESIRES HIS HOUSE TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH THE POWER OF PRAYER.
Isaiah 56:7 Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people.
Matthew 21:13 And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.
IN PRAYER GOD OPENS DOORS FOR US TO JOIN HIM IN A PARTNERSHIP TO MAKE OUR FAMILY, OUR CHURCH AND OUR WORLD A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE.
WE MUST KNOW THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL THINGS THAT WILL HINDER THE GOD EFFECTS OF PRAYER.
1 PRAYERS TO BE SEEN AND HEARD BY MEN’S EARS. HALF-HEART LIP SERVICE PRAYERS.
Matthew 6:5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
Matthew 15:8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
2. WILLFUL SIN WILL HINDER PRAYER.
Psalm 66:18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:
3. REFUSE TO LISTEN: STUBBORNNESS CAN REALLY HINDER PRAYER.
Zechariah 7:13 Therefore it is come to pass, that as he cried, and they would not hear; so they cried, and I would not hear, saith the LORD of hosts:
4. UNFAITHFUL, UP AND DOWN---WAVERING FAITH. BELIEVE? UNBELIEF?
James 1:6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. 7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
Proverbs 1:28 Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:
5. DISCORD AND CONFLICT WITHIN THE FAMILY CAN HINDER PRAYER.
1 Peter 3:7 Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.
6. UN-FORGIVENESS WILL ALWAYS HINDER PRAYER. UN-FORGIVENESS IS A CANCER TO PRAYER.
Matthew 5:23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; 24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
7. SELF-CENTERED? SPOILED ROTTEN CHILDREN? CARNAL SELFISH MOTIVES WILL HINDER THE POWER OF PRAYER.
James 4:3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
James 4:3 (MSG) And why not? Because you know you'd be asking for what you have no right to. You're spoiled children, each wanting your own way.
8. SEEMS WE CAN GET SO PLEASED WITH OURSELVES THAT WE FORGET GOD. THERE IS WHAT I CALL THROW UP PRAYER.
Luke 18:9 And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. 12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
CONCLUSION: Revival comes when God’s people pray!
Romans 8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
Luke 18:1 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;
Luke 18:1 (MSG) Jesus told them a story showing that it was necessary for them to pray consistently and never quit.
Matthew 26:41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (YouTube: Wade Hughes)
