"The Power Of People Who Pray"

"The Power of Prayer for the People Who Pray"

Text: Luke 18:1-8 1 Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, 2 saying: "There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man. 3 Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ’Get justice for me from my adversary.’ 4 And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, ’Though I do not fear God nor regard man, 5 yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.’ " 6 Then the Lord said, "Hear what the unjust judge said. 7 And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? 8 I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?"

Introduction:

God hears no more than the heart speaks; and if the heart be dumb, God will certainly be deaf. --Thomas Brooks

Prayer is unique in its embodiment!

Whether with grand words from the orator’s lips or the hesitant stammers from the inexperienced, prayer is a conversation that mortal man is having with Almighty God. That’s pretty unique.

Prayer is unique in its relevancy!

It almost always deals with nobler causes, higher issues and better things.

It is one of the most positive things that a man can do.

While we might discuss burdens or plead for needs, the very fact that one is praying is a positive position whereby one believes that Almighty God will lift those burdens and meet those needs. Those praying are always the better for it.

Prayer is unique in its successes!

Who has been able to measure the multitude of times that Almighty God has intervened in some mysterious way, changed directions down which some lonely soul was headed, delivered some hopeless wanderer from their alley of despair, humbled the arrogant, struck down the haughty and the insolent so that they cried like a baby with shame and remorse and in repentance?

Who can measure the lame that are walking, the sick that did not die, the diseased who overcame or the weary and depressed who were lifted up in testimony to prayer’s success.

Prayer is unique in its simplicity!

Fathom the Mighty God, Creator of this Universe, Controller of the events both here on earth and beyond in the remotest galaxies, who, But our GOD can hear a little child’s simple prayer.

Great and godly have been the prayers lifted up to God in the simplicity of believing hearts,

Having no greater power than knowing that the Mighty God was and is the Great Re-warder of all them that pray believing, and so they have come.

Prayer is unique in its healing!

Can any gauge the healing that has transcended from glory to touch a yielded heart, minister to a single longing life, to lift a struggling soul, to encourage a broken-hearted mother, to humble an arrogant rebellious child, to lift selfishness from one’s eyes, allowing them to see the real beauty of righteousness.

Many other wonderful and noble things could be said about prayer, but with these introductory thoughts to build upon, let us turn our hearts to the Lord’s message for this morning.

I. PRAYER IS A SIN-KILLER.

A. When one prays, sin begins to lose it’s power of effectiveness in that life.

1. Our difficulty is found in our praying too often comes after the fact, after sin has scarred and marred our life.

a. Prayer was never intended to be an antidote to take after sin’s sickness and ravages had set in.

b. It was never intended to be there just for taking after one had gotten sick in sin.

c. To be effective against sin, prayer must be first, be one’s way of life, be our priority.

2. The whole thought with which I am dealing is that of an attitude of prayer, a lifestyle whereby one prays, this is where the practice of sin is killed.

B. The prayer that kills sin comes from a burdened heart, fearful of sin’s guilt and which is determined to seek and find God’s liberty, freedom and deliverance from that which seeks their ruin.

1. Sin always destroys something.

2. You cannot look at any act of sin and fail to see the death of something far better and precious.

C Sin kills peace, purity, happiness, healthiness, marital harmony etc., etc..

3. Those that think they can handle sinning are not moved to do much praying beforehand.

4. It is not until sin begins to rule, dominate, control and bring personal ruin that the burden to gain God’s deliverance becomes important.