The Battle For Prayer

The battle for prayer

Introduction-

I want to talk about prayer this morning and then I want us to pray together- that might bring fear to some hearts, guilt to others, and for some, a look like a deer in the head lights because they do not know what to do with that.

Most people don’t want to talk about prayer because they think it is a personal thing! The word prayer, pray, praying is mentioned in the bible around 375 times so it is important.

As a child, we are taught this prayer-

“Now I lay me down to sleep. I pray the Lord my soul to keep. If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take.” (How many have prayed that prayer?)

Do you realize how scary of a prayer that is for a kid to pray?

If I die in my sleep, I pray that my soul will go be with the Lord.

Your child asking you…Mommy, is God nice?

Mommy…What is my soul that He will be taking from me while I sleep.

If giving them no answers… Now go to sleep Johnny! Then we wonder why Johnny can’t sleep.

If we are to pray that prayer to our kids, they also have to be taught;

That they can trust the Lord-

That He will be with them.

That being with the Lord is important and much needed. MODELED BY OUR ACTIONS THEY CAN SEE IN US.

Do you realize the weakness of that prayer for an adult to be praying for themselves? (Adult’s reciting a kid’s prayer)

Maybe the only time you pray is for the food that is before you and that prayer also a rehearse prayer)

You have got to understand that you are talking and having conversation with the God of the universe.

Grasping that it is a personal relationship that you are trying to establish and you are citing a children’s prayer and you have not gotten any closer to him as an adult.

As a believer, we are told to pray, but until the Lord shows you His presence while you are praying, and you begin to understand what prayer is, and what prayer is done for, I think they are just words.

Jesus Himself told us to pray

“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.'"

I believe most people do not know what to pray, how to pray, or the benefit of prayer.

Prayer-

This morning as we talk about prayer, may we be a praying body of believers, ones who believe in prayer and believer that in prayer, we will see you do some amazing things that we cannot do in ourselves. May we see that in prayer, we are inviting you Lord to do more than we can imagine or do in ourselves, but prayer is an invitation for you to be a part of our lives and have conversation with us and fellowship with us. In Jesus name amen.

In Jim Maxim book on prayer, he talks about a praying people having a breakthrough moment as they see the benefit and power of agreeing with the Lord on doing His will.

How many would love to see a breakthrough in their lives?

How many believe that the Lord still wants to answer prayers?

I think many things can happen as we are praying and seeking the Lord.

We can freely come to the Lord with our needs.

We can come desiring to do the will of God in our lives and allow the Lord to use us for His honor and glory.

We can be interceding in the lives of others and be a person in the gap of seeing answered prayer.

We can come thankfully to God for what He has already done and be offering up praise to Him

How many have seen the movie war room? Great movie on prayer-

I don’t want to give movie away cause if you haven’t seen it – rent it- great Christian film. But you have a now I lay me down to sleep person to pray and you have a lady of prayer that has designated a spot of her home for prayer and closes the door and gets serious with God on issues going on around her- which one do you think will see more answer to prayer?

Matthew chapter 5 is the called the Beatitudes- it is Jesus talking to his disciples (those who followed Him)

Matthew 5:1-12- Read from NIV Bible