Essentials of Prayer Part 4

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The Essentials of Prayer

Selected Scriptures

Wednesday Evening 12/13/06

Introductory Verses

Ephesians 6:18-19 18 With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, 19 and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel.

 

Colossians 4:2 states, Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving;

1 Thessalonians 5:17 pray without ceasing;

Introduction

As we have noted previously, these Scriptures and many others like them make it clear that God’s people are to be a praying people so again tonight I want to pick up where I left off last week and speak with you on the Essentials of Prayer.

As we continue to consider this matter let me remind you of the outline I am following for this study: The Reasons for Prayer; The Requirements of Prayer; The Rudiments of Prayer; A Restraint to Prayer.

 

The Reasons for Prayer

We have already discussed the Reasons for Prayer in detail. Remember we should pray because:

It is the Example of Christ

It is the Exhortation of Scripture

Prayer Exhibits God’s Glory

Prayer Enlists Us in God’s Plans & Purposes

Prayer is an Effective Activity

 

These are the reasons for prayer we discussed and then last week we began to look at:

The Requirements for Prayer

Under this heading we began to consider two main points: The Principles of Answered Prayer; and The Problems Resulting in Unanswered Prayer. Last week we looked at The Principles of Answered Prayer where we noted several Scriptural requirements for effective praying. They are:

Ask in God’s Will

Ask in Christ’s Name

 

Ask in Faith

Ask with Earnestness

Ask in Awareness

And then one more that we did not get to last week, we need to:

Ask with a Clean Heart

James 5:16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.

Proverbs 28:9 He who turns away his ear from listening to the law, Even his prayer is an abomination.

(Expound – we must come before God with an attitude of obedience and known sin dealt with if we expect God to hear us). This last principle of answered prayer points us logically and directly to our second point:

The Problems Resulting in Unanswered Prayer

Overall—The overall answer to this question is Sin. Psalm 66:18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me: KJV

 

Proverbs 15:8 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, But the prayer of the upright is His delight.

 

Proverbs 15:29 The Lord is far from the wicked, But He hears the prayer of the righteous.

(Expound – sin blocks the prayer channel). The overall hindrance to prayer is sin, but the Bible also identifies some specific sins that particularly hinder prayer. Note:

Specifically

·       Self-centeredness & Selfishness – James 4:3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures. (Expound).

·       Indifference – Proverbs 21:13 He who shuts his ear to the cry of the poor Will also cry himself and not be answered. (Expound).

·       An Unforgiving Spirit – Mark 11:25 “And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone; so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your transgressions. (Expound).

·       Marital Troubles – 1 Peter 3:7 You husbands likewise, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with a weaker vessel, since she is a woman; and grant her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered. (Expound).

·       Doubt – James 1:5-7 5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man expect that he will receive anything from the Lord. (Expound).

This brings us then to our third major point:

The Rudiments of Prayer

What I am referring to here are the elements or content of our prayers. Let me suggest 3 things that the Scriptures indicate ought to be included in our praying. First:

Confession

Daniel 9:3-6 3 So I gave my attention to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes. 4 And I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed and said, “Alas, O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and lovingkindness for those who love Him and keep His commandments, 5 we have sinned, committed iniquity, acted wickedly, and rebelled, even turning aside from Thy commandments and ordinances. 6 “Moreover, we have not listened to Thy servants the prophets, who spoke in Thy name to our kings, our princes, our fathers, and all the people of the land.

James 5:16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

(Expound – we need to confess our sins specifically—clear the pathway so to speak. Confession is like spiritual breathing). The single best example of confession in Scriptures is David’s confession in Psalm 51. Note:

Psalm 51:1-17 1 A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. Be gracious to me, O God, according to Thy lovingkindness; According to the greatness of Thy compassion blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin. 3 For I know my transgressions, And my sin is ever before me. 4 Against Thee, Thee only, I have sinned, And done what is evil in Thy sight, So that Thou art justified when Thou dost speak, And blameless when Thou dost judge. 5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me. 6 Behold, Thou dost desire truth in the innermost being, And in the hidden part Thou wilt make me know wisdom. 7 Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 8 Make me to hear joy and gladness, Let the bones which Thou hast broken rejoice. 9 Hide Thy face from my sins, And blot out all my iniquities. 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me away from Thy presence, And do not take Thy Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of Thy salvation, And sustain me with a willing spirit. 13 Then I will teach transgressors Thy ways, And sinners will be converted to Thee. 14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, Thou God of my salvation; Then my tongue will joyfully sing of Thy righteousness. 15 O Lord, open my lips, That my mouth may declare Thy praise. 16 For Thou dost not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it; Thou art not pleased with burnt offering. 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise.

The second element of prayer I would suggest is:

Praise

Psalm 22:23 You who fear the Lord, praise Him; All you descendants of Jacob, glorify Him, And stand in awe of Him, all you descendants of Israel.

 

Psalm 50:23 Whoever offers praise glorifies Me; And to him who orders his conduct aright I will show the salvation of God.”

 

Psalm 150:6 Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!

 

1 Thessalonians 5:18 in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

(Expound–reciting the attributes and works of God is a good way to praise Him and of course thanking Him is a form of praise). The final element I would suggest to you is:

Petition

Matthew 6:11 Give us this day our daily bread.

 

Ephesians 6:18 With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints.

Philippians 4:6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

(Expound – there is nothing wrong with asking God to meet our needs as long as it is done with a right heart and motive).

The final point I would like us to consider this evening is:

 

A Restraint to Prayer

In this matter I am not interested in discussing the hindrances to prayer that we all battle like sin, laziness, business, lack of commitment, etc.. What I want us to consider is a restraint to praying when our hearts are right and we want to pray earnestly and still we fail to pray as we should. So why do we fail to pray even when our hearts are right and we are properly motivated? I think the answer is boredom! (Expound – we pray the same things over and over until we get to the point that we feel like our praying is just vain repetition).

 

Let me suggest a cure for this problem—pray Scripture. (Expound and give an example using a few verses from Proverbs 21).

Proverbs 21:1-9 1 The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord; He turns it wherever He wishes. 2 Every man’s way is right in his own eyes, But the Lord weighs the hearts. 3 To do righteousness and justice Is desired by the Lord rather than sacrifice. 4 Haughty eyes and a proud heart, The lamp of the wicked, is sin. 5 The plans of the diligent lead surely to advantage, But everyone who is hasty comes surely to poverty. 6 The getting of treasures by a lying tongue Is a fleeting vapor, the pursuit of death. 7 The violence of the wicked will drag them away, Because they refuse to act with justice. 8 The way of a guilty man is crooked, But as for the pure, his conduct is upright. 9 It is better to live in a corner of a roof, Than in a house shared with a contentious woman.

Also, prayer books like the “Vision of Valley” will help vitalize your prayers. (Expound).

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