Illustrate: 50 Christian truckers got together to pray that somehow the sniper terrorizing the Washington, DC area would be caught. Ron Lantz would be retiring as a driver in a few days and didn’t even live in the area, but he felt sure that God would answer their prayers. In fact, he told the others there that God was going to use him to catch the sniper. A few days later he was listening to the radio as he was driving again through the region and felt compelled to pull off the highway to a rest stop. It was just a couple of miles from where the prayer meeting had taken place. As he pulled in, he was shocked to see a car similar to what was being described on the radio right there before his eyes.
Carefully trying to read the license plate, a chill went up his back as the numbers matched. He quickly called 911 and remained there for what he said were the longest 15 minutes of his life until the police arrived. He even pulled his truck across the exit, there would now be no escape for these elusive murderers. The rest is now history-the snipers were taken into custody without incident.
Ron’s testimony is being beamed around the world today. It shows the power of prayer. And in a class act, showing his true character, when asked what he would do with the award money, he said the half million dollars would simply be given to the victims’ families. The snipers killed 10 and wounded 3 around our nation’s capital over the past three weeks, leaving the entire region in a state of terror. Yet out of the great darkness has also come a great beam of light as the world has heard a clear testimony of the power of prayer.
Sermon Study 298 – INTIMATE PRAYER
The model prayer is a prayer of intimacy with the attributes of God. From Father, King, Master, Provider, Savior, Protector to Eternal God. Jesus taught us to pray in these areas of declaring who God is to us. The lesson is to know God in these relationships. The lesson is also to pray inclusive of others (intercession) and not only for ourselves.
1. Mat 6:9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
2. Mat 6:10 Thy kingdom come.
3. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
4. Mat 6:11 Give us this day our daily bread.
5. Mat 6:12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
6. Mat 6:13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:
7. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and
the glory, for ever. Amen.
1. Our Heavenly Father – “Our Father which art in heaven…”
~ Mat 5:48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
ILLUST. A father watched out the kitchen window as his 7 year old son played in the backyard sand box. He watched him moving several large rocks out of the sandbox.
There was one very big rock that was giving his little boy a great deal of trouble. He watched his son move the rock to the edge of the sandbox, but each time it looked like he would be over to move the rock over the side of the sandbox, the rock would fall back into the sandbox. The last time it fell, it pinched one of his little fingers.
The father walked out to his tearful son and asked him what was the matter. His son told him all about the heavy rock in the sandbox. The father asked, "Why didn’t you use all the strength you had?" The little boy replied, "I did dad, I did." The father responded, "No son, you didn’t ask your dad." And with that the father reached down and together he and his son removed the rock from the sandbox.
2. Our King – “Thy kingdom come…”
~ 1 Tim. 1:17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
3. Our Master – “Thy will be done…”
~ Eph 6:9 And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.
4. Our Provider – “Give us…”
~ 1 Tim 6:17 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.
ILLUST. Shortly after Dallas Theological Seminary was founded in 1924, it almost came to the point of bankruptcy. All the creditors were going to foreclose at noon on a particular day. That morning they met in the president’s office for prayer that God would provide. In that prayer meeting was a man by the name of Harry Ironside. When it was his turn to pray, he said, “Lord, we know that the cattle on a thousand hills are Thine. Please sell some of them and send us the money.” While they were praying a tall Texan stepped up to the business office and said, “I just sold two carloads of cattle in Ft. Worth. I’ve been trying to make a business deal but it fell through and I feel compelled to give the money to the seminary. I don’t know if you need it or not, but here’s the check!” The secretary took the check and knowing how critical things were financially, went to the door of the prayer meeting and timidly tapped. When she finally got a response, the president took the check out of her hand. It was exactly the amount of the debt! When he looked at the name, he recognized the cattleman and turning to Dr. Ironside said, “Harry, God sold the cattle!”
5. Our Savior – “forgive us…”
~ John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
6. Our Protector – “deliver us…”
~ 2 Th 3:3 But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.
7. Our Eternal God – “the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever…”
~ Gen 21:33 Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and there he called upon the name of the LORD, the Eternal God.
