Sermons on Prayer Is The Key:

Prayer Keys - Introduction Series

Contributed by Mark Stepherson on Oct 4, 2011

Introducing a 30 part series on prayer keys. These are not incantations manipulating God to submit to our will, but guides leading us to submit to God’s will. "Lord teach us to pray."

A 30 part study of prayer keys during our Wednesday night prayer meetings? You may think it will become boringly repetitive. No, No, NOOOO! During this study, we will hear how Mary, Queen of Scots, feared the prayers of John Knox more than the combined armies of Europe. We will hear Jonathan ...read more

Scripture: Luke 11:1

Denomination: Baptist

Prayer Keys - Be Specific Series

Contributed by Mark Stepherson on Oct 13, 2011

BE SPECIFIC when praying. Specific prayers emphasize our need and God’s power. Specific prayers may even clarify our calling.

Prayer Keys - Be Specific “What do you want me to do for you?” “Lord, I want to see,” he replied. Lk 18:41 Praying specifically is a key to effective prayer. The blind man’s first request is for Jesus to have mercy on him. Jesus asks him specifically, “What do ...read more

Scripture: Luke 18:41

Denomination: Baptist

Prayer Keys - With Understanding Series

Contributed by Mark Stepherson on Feb 11, 2012

When we pray in public, we should not be concerned with tongues. We should be concerned with clearly making our requests to God. In public, we should pray in a language everyone understands.

PRAYER KEYS - WITH UNDERSTANDING “So what shall I do? I shall pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind...” 1 Corinthians 14:15. A breakdown in communications can be frustrating. A man trying to move a sofa by himself got it stuck in the door, so he called a friend for help. They ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 14:15

Denomination: Baptist

Prayer Keys - Humility Series

Contributed by Mark Stepherson on Feb 16, 2012

Humility is being totally consumed with glorifying God and not at all concerned with glorifying self. When I am totally consumed with glorifying God and not at all concerned with glorifying self, I pray as God wants me to pray.

PRAYER KEYS - HUMILITY One Christmas afternoon, a pastor's wife dropped into a chair and said, “Boy! Am I ever tired!” Her husband looked over at her and said, “I’ve been on my feet for most of two days. I led two special services last night, three today. I’ve ...read more

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 7:14

Denomination: Baptist

Prayer Keys - Thanksgiving Series

Contributed by Mark Stepherson on Feb 23, 2012

“Returning thanks for blessings already received increases our faith and enables us to approach God with new boldness and new assurance.... As one meditates on the answer to prayers already granted, faith waxes bolder and bolder, and we come to feel in th

Prayer Keys - Thanksgiving “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God,” Philippians 4:6. Rudyard Kipling was one of the few writers of his day who had opportunity to enjoy his success while he lived. ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:6

Denomination: Baptist

Prayer Keys - Praise Series

Contributed by Mark Stepherson on Mar 1, 2012

Jesus himself thought praise was so important that he began and ended the model prayer with it. “Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name... for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever.” Surely our prayers are incomplete wi

Prayer Keys - Praise “I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips.” Psalms 34:1 Vultures and hummingbirds are both birds, but the similarity doesn’t go much beyond that. If you watch an old western, when people on the trail see vultures circling in ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 34:1

Denomination: Baptist

Prayer Keys - Sincerity Series

Contributed by Mark Stepherson on Dec 15, 2011

Prayer keys are not ways of manipulating God. Rather, they are like a boat hook. If I am in a row boat and cast a hook to shore, does pulling move the shore to me or does it move me to the shore? Prayer keys do not pull God to our will. They pull us to Go

“These people come near to me with their mouth & honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men.” Isaiah 29:13 Before saying anything else to introduce sincerity as a prayer key, I want to repeat something about ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 29:9-13

Denomination: Baptist

Prayer Keys - Submission Series

Contributed by Mark Stepherson on Jan 9, 2012

Jesus often prayed privately. When he said, “Not my will, but thy will be done.” He did not get what he wanted, but he got what he needed. He had the strength to face what was to come. The time to choose submission is now. If we wait, we may not desire to

“Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” Matthew 26:39 Our list of prayer keys uses Matthew 26:39 as the text for submission. I generally use the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 26:39

Denomination: Baptist

Prayer Keys - Faith Series

Contributed by Mark Stepherson on Jan 9, 2012

If God reveals to you that he is going to do something, you should believe it and not doubt it. If God reveals to us that he will do a marvelous thing when we step out in faith, we should step out in faith. If we don’t step out in faith, we will miss the

Prayer Keys - Faith “‘Have faith in God,’ Jesus answered. ‘Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, “Go, throw yourself into the sea,” and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. Therefore I ...read more

Scripture: Mark 11:22-24

Denomination: Baptist

Prayer Keys - Fasting Series

Contributed by Mark Stepherson on Oct 22, 2011

Legalistic fasting is not a prayer key. It is just going hungry. Spiritual awareness that prompts us to pray may also prompt us to fast. May God make us more spiritually aware. May his spirit prompt us to pray, even to the point of forgetting to eat.

Prayer Keys - Fasting by Mark Stepherson “But when you fast, put oil on you head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” Matthew 6:17-18 Did you ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:17-18

Denomination: Baptist

Prayer Keys - Persistence Series

Contributed by Mark Stepherson on Oct 27, 2011

Please forgive me for stating the obvious, but persistent prayer is hard work. It drains us. It is hard, but it is eventually worth the effort.

Prayer Keys - Persistence “Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.” Luke 18:1 Have you seen that cartoon with the pelican having a frog for dinner? His dinner is not agreeing with him. In fact, his dinner is violently ...read more

Scripture: Luke 18:1-8

Denomination: Baptist

Prayer Keys - Privacy Series

Contributed by Mark Stepherson on Nov 3, 2011

This is the first time Jesus taught his first disciples about prayer. His first lesson was, “Spend time alone with the Father in prayer.” If we don’t follow his first lesson, we are not following the example or the command of Christ.

"But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you." Matthew 6:6 A little boy was saying his bedtime prayers when his mother passed by his room and stopped to listen. “Bless Mommy and ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:6

Denomination: Baptist

Prayer Keys - Unity Series

Contributed by Mark Stepherson on Nov 10, 2011

When we pray as the first church prayed, God will empower us as he empowered the first church and our altar calls will look like Peter’s altar call.

“They all joined together constantly in prayer...” Acts 1:14 “Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day,” Acts 2:41 When he went to the Brooklyn Tabernacle, it was a ramshackle building with only a handful attending. They were ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Prayer Is The Key To Heaven

Contributed by Dr. Odell Belger on Oct 24, 2021

The story is told of a man who was driving through Kentucky and he picked up a hitch hiker. The young man got in the car and they were talking about:

• The red-necks who lived in that region. • And some of the strong brew they made in that area. The man who was driving from that region said, “Yes, I have lived here all my life and we make some strong brew, If I must say so myself.” The man stated he had some of that strong brew and asked ...read more

Scripture: James 1:5-8

Denomination: Baptist

Keys To Effectual Prayer! Series

Contributed by Thomas Fortini on Sep 8, 2020

Faith and prayer are inseparably linked! Let us consider the keys to effectual prayer!

Intro: As we walking thru the concept of living by faith, I want to remind us this week that faith and prayer are inseparably linked! Jesus said for example… Matthew 21:21b . And Jesus answered and said to them, "Truly I say to you, if you have faith, and do not doubt, you shall not only do ...read more

Scripture: Luke 11:1-11