Prayer, the Great Essential
The Art of Prayer • Sermon • Submitted
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What if we became spiritual men and women?
Men and women of God?
What would happen if we changed our lifestyles and treaded lightly in this world? What if we exchanged earthly treasures for heavenly ones?
19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Matthew 6:
What if we lived life like:
What if we lived life like:
1 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
What would happen if we conscientiously put family relationships, wealth-building, fitness, the praise of men behind our walk with the Lord?
Certainly, our spiritual impact in this world would increase to the glory of God.
Probably, our tangible impact in this world would increase more than the present because we lived according to Gods grace and strength.
People would probably see us as godly people and as representatives of the Divine.
We would be exchanging earthly time and resources for heavenly ones.
What would it look like if we acted by God’s strength and power instead of our own?
What if this didn’t happen once or twice, but was characteristic of our lives?
What if we lived by the anointing of the Spirit of God.
While there may be earthly consequences for such a life, there are no heavenly consequences for such.
How do we live lives like this?
It starts with prayer
What if we
You know the value of prayer: it is precious beyond all price. Never, never neglect it. - Sir Thomas Buxton
Prayer is the first thing, the second thing, the third think, necessary to a minister. Pray, then, my dear brother; pray, pray, pray. - Edward Payson
17 pray without ceasing,
18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,
Prayer in the Christian’s life, in the Christian’s home, in the Christian’s ministry, must be a conspicuous and ubiquitous and an all-coloring ingredient.
It must play no secondary part, be no mere coating.
Has a Christian ever considered being with the Lord, “all night in prayer”? At least as Christ did, “rising up a great while before day, went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.”
Do we have a prayer closet, that every part of our Christian service might be scented by the air of heaven and made serious.
An engine never moves until the fire is kindled, so ministry, with its machinery, perfection, and polish, is at a dead standstill, as far as spiritual results are concerned, till prayer has kindled and created the steam.
The church is different from every other organization on earth because of its spiritual nature and mission. But if it does not live as a spiritual body through prayer, then it is just another earthly institution. Its impact is neutralized for its mission can only be done spiritually. -Doug
We need true praying, which engages and sets on fire every high element of the Christians being- prayer which is born of vital oneness with Christ and the fullness of the Holy Spirit, which springs from the deep, overflowing fountains of tender compassion, deathless pursuit of man’s eternal good; a consuming zeal for the glory of God; a thorough conviction of the ministers difficult and delicate work and of the imperative need of God’s mightiest help.
15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Ministry which secures God’s end must be born of prayer from call to action, delivered with the energy and spirit of prayer. Followed and made to germinate, and kept in vital force in the hearts of the hearers by the ministers prayers, long after the ministry has past.
What is our resistance?
Praying is spiritual work; and human nature does not like taxing, spiritual work. Human nature wants to sail to heaven under a favoring breeze, a full, smooth sea. Prayer is humbling work. It abases intellect and pride, crucifies vainglory, and sign s our spiritual bankruptcy, and all these are hard for flesh and blood to bear. It is easier not to pray than to bear them.
Therefore, we are likely going to make excuses for not praying.
The little estimate we put on prayer is evident from the little time we give to it.
A short prayer before meals; A short prayer before we go to bed. 5-10 minutes in the morning before work?
How feeble, vain, and little is such praying compared with the time and energy devoted to praying by holy men in and out of the Bible! How poor and mean our petty, childish praying is beside the habits of the true men of God in all ages!
We make time for what we believe is important.
How feeble, vain, and little is such praying compared with the time and energy devoted to praying by holy men in and out of the Bible! How poor and mean our petty, childish praying is beside the habits of the true men of God in all ages!
How feeble, vain, and little is such praying compared with the time and energy devoted to praying by holy men in and out of the Bible! How poor and mean our petty, childish praying is beside the habits of the true men of God in all ages!
How feeble
We make time for what we believe is important.
To men who think praying their main business and devote time to it according to this high estimate of its importance does God commit the keys of his kingdom, and by them does he work his spiritual wonders in this world. Great praying is the sign and seal of God’s great leaders and the earnest of the conquering forces with which God will crown their labors.
What kind of life do you want to live? a spiritual life or an earthly one? What are you going to do this week to change this?