The Power Of Prayer Series

The power of prayer

Ephesians chapter 6:18-6:20

Introduction-

We are ending our series putting on the full armor of God. No really!

We have looked at all the pieces of armor.

We have given examples of how God wants us to wear and use all of these pieces.

We have seen that believers need to be engaged in spiritual warfare and be successful and not beaten up by the enemy that wants to destroy us.

I said last week that all of these pieces of armor are for defensive purposes except one.

Only one is an offensive weapon. That is the Word of God!

Nothing that we can do in ourselves is able to defeat the enemy of God.

Nothing in ourselves can defeat the problems that go on inside our lives - except prayer!

Prayers offered up to Almighty God. Having a conversation with God the Father!

He is not the man upstairs; He is our Father in heaven.

Prayer is a communication with God that makes life bearable

That makes things possible

That puts truth to things that we do not understand.

Last time for a while, turn to Ephesians 6, and we will read just verses 18-20.

Ephesians chapter 6:18-6:20

I have said if you are not reading the word of God and praying, you literally have no weapon against the enemy.

For some of you for the last several weeks, we have been in basic training and today you are graduating out of boot camp and ready to take what you have learned and what you have been given and ready to do something for the Lord.

Most people associate prayer with troubles and hardships we go through.

No problems, no prayer life!

We have problems and we cannot go to God fast enough to tell him what we need Him to do for us.

Intimacy with God starts with a pure heart.

Pure hearts does not mean a perfect heart or a heart that is free of guilt.

• It means that we need to come to God honestly.

Come to Him where we are at, so He can take us where we need to go. (repeat)

James 4:8-

“Draw near to God and God will draw near to you.”

Prayer is so important in your relationship with God that you cannot go higher than your prayer life.

Your walk with God can never go deeper than the time you spend with God.

Prayer connects us with the heart of God while society and the world try to tear down our relationship with God.

When most people think of spiritual warfare, they think of devil stomping, rebuking evil spirits, binding and loosing something….and it can be!

But most of the spiritual warfare goes on right inside of you.

I want you to see something right up front- 3 points.

1. Priority of prayer

2. Persistence of prayer

3. Power of prayer

(v18-19)

“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep praying for all the saints. Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I may fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel.”

Capital S here, Spirit- meaning not out spirit, but the Holy Spirit.

On all occasions, on all kinds of prayers and request.

Make sure your prayers and request line up with God’s will and ask the Father.

Be alert.

Be smart.

Know the danger.

Know the Word.

Know what to do when you need to do it.

Pray with the help of the Holy spirit-

As hope sustains believers when they suffer, the Holy Spirit helps us when we pray.

We are saved by faith, not hope. I don’t hope to get to heaven. By faith, I know I will make heaven.

Hope sustains believers in hard times and the Holy Spirit helps us when we do not even know what and how we should be praying.

Everything in our society fights against prayer.

Our lives being so busy interferes with times of prayer.

(Anybody know what I am saying?)

There is no special formula for prayer- if you are not praying, start praying!

If you spend little time in prayer or God’s Word- discipline yourself and spend more time with Him.

Let’s be honest with God this morning, Everyone of us needs to spend more time in prayer with God- Amen.

Sin usually keeps us from coming to God- things that we know we are doing that is wrong-

Sin blocks the channel of communication with God. We cannot hide our sins from God and we cannot expect God to pretend he does not see it.

King David after his unfaithfulness with Bethsheba, asked God for forgiveness, and God gave it to him. In fact, God called him a man after God’s own heart.