Spiritual Disciplines – 05

Prayer I

Text: Psalm 1:1-6

Place Preached - (Mississauga International Baptist Church)

Date Preached - (10/23/03)

Introduction:

REVIEW of PURPOSE – The purpose of the Spiritual Disciplines is that we might...

“Exercise thyself rather unto GODLINESS”. I Tim. 4:7

Romans 8:28-29

28And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

29For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

ILLUS: - The largest radio receiver on earth is in New Mexico. Pilots call it "the mushroom patch." It's real name is the Very Large Array. The "VLA" is a series of huge satellite disks on thirty-eight miles of railways. Together the dishes mimic a single telescope the size of Washington, D.C. Astronomers come from all over the world to analyze the optical images of the heavens composed by the VLA from the radio signals it receives from space. Why is such a giant apparatus needed? Because the radio waves, often emitted from sources millions of light years away, are very faint. The total energy of all radio waves ever recorded barely equals the force of a single snowflake hitting the ground.

All the while we have......

2 Peter 1:99But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

All the while – His ear is open unto us continuously. He is interested in the weakest of our prayers!

Prayer is the second most important of the Spiritual Disciplines. It is intimately related to the first one.

PRAYER & BIBLE INTAKE are the staples of Christianity.

One of the main reasons for a lack of godliness and holiness is prayerlessness.

NO Prayer = NO Power

LITTLE Prayer = LITTLE Power

MUCH Prayer = MUCH Power

Yet the Average Christian prays less than 5 minutes a day!

To be like Jesus we must pray!!

I. PRAYER is Expected

It is God’s will for us and God’s will is good – It is best!!

A. Jesus Expects us to Pray

LOOK UP & READ Matthew 6:5-9

Luke 11:99And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

Luke 18:11And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;

What would it take for you to be more faithful in prayer?

A personal “face-to-face” meeting with Jesus – He asks you personally to pray?

Yet, He has asked us in His Word!

B. God’s Word makes it Clear

Here are a couple of DIRECT COMMANDS

Colossians 4:22Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;

PRAYER IS AN ACTIVITY – we are to be devoted to it.

1 Thessalonians 5:1717Pray without ceasing.

PRAYER IS A RELATIONSHIP – “continually”

ILLUS: Prayer is where you live.

ILLUS: A second phone line (you are interrupted midstream in one conversation by a second incoming call).

You never really stop conversing with God, you simply have frequent interruptions.

“As it is the business of tailors to make clothes and of cobblers to mend shoes, so it is the business of Christians to pray.” – Martin Luther

It is not only a command, but a precious and intimate invitation.

Hebrews 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Prayer is one weapon we need in the ongoing spiritual warfare we face – Eph. 6:18

To abandon prayer is to fight the battle with our own resources, or means we have sadly lost interest in the battle – tantamount to surrender to the enemy!!

Jesus Himself Prayed - Luke 5:16 And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed.

If He prayed, how much more do we need to pray?

C. Problems in Our Prayer Life

1. Lack of Discipline – Failure to plan for prayer

2. Presence of Doubt - We don’t believe it will make a difference

James 5:16 .... The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

3. Lack of a Sense of God’s Nearness

When we have a wonderful sense of His presence we don’t wish to rise from our knees.

4. Distraction of the Urgent, but less important details of life.

5. Little Awareness of the Need to Pray – Pride, Self-Sufficiency

Some circumstances will drive us to our knees.

Although many seasons of life seem manageable “I can make it my on my own.” John 15:5 is still true.

John 15:55I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

6. Losing sight of the Greatness of God and Redemption through Christ.

Not only is prayer expected...

II. PRAYER is Learned

Luke 11:11And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.

This should give you hope.

Our enrolment in Christ’s School of Prayer is a lifelong endeavour.

No matter where you are in your prayer life you can learn to grow it stronger.

We learn to pray and mature in prayer in much the same way a child learns to talk – It is a process.

What are some of the best ways to learn prayer?

1. By Praying

Like learning another language – The best way is to actually do it.

You get nowhere without exercise!! I Tim. 4:7

2. By Meditating on Scripture

Psalm 19:14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.

Meditation is the link between Bible reading and prayer.

3. By Dependence upon the Holy Spirit

John 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

If meditation is the link between Scripture intake and prayer, the Holy Spirit is the one who makes the link operational – He supplies the power!!

Romans 8:26-2726 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.27And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

A man may read the Word of God, but he will never be moved to prayer apart from the Spirit of God.

4. By Praying w/ Others (corporate prayer).

EXAMPLE – The disciples spent time with Jesus – Luke 11:1

Others can model prayer for us – Not the picking up of new words and phraseology to implement in our prayers.

We will acquire some bad and unbiblical habits in this way.

What is it we should be learning from others in prayer?

a. Principles of Prayer

Reasons for answered prayer / How to pray according to God’s will / Use of Scripture in Prayer.

b. The Spirit or attitude of prayer.

1). Especially attitude toward God.

Harmony w God / Exaltation of God / Dependence upon God

2). Attitude towards the needs of others.

5. By Reading about Prayer

Not a substitute for actual prayer, but a good source of encouragement, example, and exhortation.

Proverbs 27:17 Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.

Proverbs 13:20 He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.

EXAMPLES: George Muller / David Brainerd / Andrew Murray / E.M. Bounds / Spurgeon & others.

III. PRAYER is Answered

Psalm 65:22O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come.

Matthew 7:7-87Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:8For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

James 5:16-1716Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.17Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.

A life of Answered Prayer is the normal prayer life of the believer.

What if prayer is not answered?

1. Perhaps something amiss...

a. Asking for wrong purpose, or with wrong motive.

James 4:33Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

b. Known unconfessed sin

Psalm 66:18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:

c. Improper relationships

1 Peter 3:7 Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.

Mark 11:25-26 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.

26 But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.

2. Perhaps nothing amiss...

a. God’s answer is NO – He knows what we need, what is good and what is best for us.

b. God wants us to persevere longer in prayer – to WAIT.

c. God has something better for us.

When God leads you to pray – He intends for you to receive! NO Exceptions!!

He does intend to frustrate us by slamming Heaven’s door shut in our face.

Conclusion: (Application.)

1. Since prayer is Expected – Will you Pray?

It’s high time to make some conscious decisions about the matter.

No more putting it off – Today – Tomorrow – Next Week – When will you begin?

2. Since prayer is Learned – Will you learn to pray?

...by praying

...by linking your Bible intake to prayer through meditation

...by depending upon God’s Spirit

...by praying with others

...by reading and studying about the topic of prayer

3. Since prayer is Answered – Will you persistently pray?