Getting more . . . prayer
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Handout
Let the people say “AMEN”
Let the people say “AMEN”
What a fun series this is, today we continue with a look at getting more out of the assembly through our prayers.
Can I get a hearty amen? (Ps100:1-5)
1 Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth. 2 Serve the Lord with gladness; Come before Him with joyful singing.
3 Know that the Lord Himself is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. 4 Enter His gates with thanksgiving And His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name.
5 For the Lord is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting And His faithfulness to all generations.
(Amen slide inserted here)
And let all the people say “amen”. Amen, what a great word. Often it is used at the end of a prayer, and prayer is what we will be discussing today, but first let’s talk about the word Amen. What does it mean? Why do we say it? Can it be used, should it be used in other places outside of the end of prayer?
Question: What do you think the word “Amen” means?
It is a transliterated word from the Hebrew meaning “truly, verily, so be it, so it is, may it be fulfilled, I agree.
We pray in Jesus name, amen. It can be used in other places than at the end of a prayer. Maybe there is a statement that is made that you strongly agree with, it’s OK to say amen.
Look again at Ps100:1-5 listen to it again, it is in the form like a prayer and see if you think it deserves an Amen, maybe even a hearty amen.
1 Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands! 2 Serve the Lord with gladness; Come before His presence with singing.
3 Know that the Lord, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. 4 Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.
5 For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations.
Can I get a hearty amen, not to me but to God for His Word just proclaimed.
check this out, see if this would be acceptable to you. If our order of service was like this.
Two songs
Lord’s Supper
Song
Preaching and invitation
Song of invitation
Closing song
What is missing? Prayer, prayer is missing, if we removed prayer, there is something missing, it is a vital part of our assembly just as our singing, Lord’s supper and preaching are. Prayer is a vital part of our Christian life.
In our assembly we have a prayer in the beginning, at least one or two during and we close the assembly with prayer, so prayer makes up an important part of the assembly.
(Transition) Paul told Timothy, in fact urged Timothy regarding prayer
Prayer in the assembly
Prayer in the assembly
Prayer in the assembly, that is one of the places we can offer up our prayers with a hearty amen.
Prayer, petitions, good and acceptable in sight of God and our Savior (1Tim2:1-4)
1 First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.
3 This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
Get more by offering prayers in the assembly as exampled in the early church (1Cor14:14-17)
I should keep this in context
14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. 15 What is the outcome then? I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the mind also; I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also.
16 Otherwise if you bless in the spirit only, how will the one who fills the place of the ungifted say the “Amen” at your giving of thanks, since he does not know what you are saying? 17 For you are giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not edified.
Praying in the spirit does not equate to praying in tongues in the assembly for if not understood it is not fruitful.
You can look at (v.16) if praying in tongues in the assembly how can someone who is ungifted understand and offer or say “amen?”
We are called to pray with the spirit (v.15)
the spirit; to pray with your very essence, your heart, your soul.
We are called to pray with the mind (v.15)
To pray with the mind is to pray with your intelligence, your knowledge, your understanding
(Engage in prayer picture inserted here)
Prayer is to be engaged in (ears, mind, heart, voice)
Engage your ears, listen to what is being said
Engage your mind, take in to understand what is being said
Engage you heart to look for application of what is being said.
Engage your voice to agree with what is being said by saying “amen.”
Good time to pray, pray in times of trouble or tribulation (Act12:5, 12)
5 So Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer for him was being made fervently by the church to God.
Question: Who was praying for Peter when he was in prison?
Prayer for him was being made fervently by the church
Question: Where was the prayer being offered up (v.12)?
House of Mary, mother of John Mark where many were gathered together and praying
Good time to pray, in times of thanksgiving (Eph5:20, 1The5:18)
20 always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father;
and add to that
18 in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
To sum up Eph5:20 and 1The5:18 we are to always give thanks in everything in Jesus name for this is God’s will.
It is good to pray for our leaders, all those who are in authority as it says in 1Tim2:1-2 a
We already read those verses a few minutes ago, but it is a good reminder, remember Paul was urging Timothy and the church at Ephesus where Timothy was to do it!
(Transition) just as there is a place for prayer, there is power in prayer through the proclamation of prayer.
Power of prayer, prayers offered in faith (Jm5:15-16)
15 and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him. 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.
Power to restore, power to raise up, power for forgiveness, power for healing, powerful prayer that is effective and can accomplish much!
If the prayers of a righteous man can avail much, think about when we join together in prayer and are all in agreement “amen” what God can, will do.
Prayer brings the peace of God to the people of God who have petitioned God for the protection of God. Who have engaged in prayer by faith.
Power of prayer will guard you hearts and your minds (Php4:6-7)
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Power of prayers of the people help lead to tranquil and quiet life (1Tim2:2)
2 for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.
prayers for them so that we may have life that is in all godliness and dignity.
Power of prayer helps to protect us against temptation (Mt26:41)
41 “Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Power of pray can bring forgiveness (Act8:22)
22 “Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray the Lord that, if possible, the intention of your heart may be forgiven you.
This is forgiveness for a fallen, mistaken, misled brother
Power of prayer can petition for help (Mt9:38)
38 “Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.”
I am proof of answered prayer, you prayed, God sent Nick, Connie and family, you continued to pray and God sent Tabby, Mom and I, you prayed God sent Chuck and family and many new Christians.
May we continue to pray, pray for open doors and boldness
Power of prayer for open doors, open doors for the word (COl4:2-3)
2 Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving; 3 praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned;
Prayer that is devoted, prayer with attitude of thanksgiving, prayer that is for others (workers for the kingdom); prayer for God word to be spoken
Power of prayer: Join in prayers for boldness (Eph6:18-20)
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,
20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
Prayer with all perseverance and petition for all the saints!
With purpose the the word maybe proclaim boldly.
Now I am aware that Paul is speaking of the apostles boldly proclaiming the mystery, Christ and the Church, don’t we need boldness today too?
(Transition) - Many of these prayers can be personal and can be offered up, should be offered up in the assembly too. For our prayers reflect our heart, our heart reflects our faith, our faith reflects our God in whom we have our salvation. That leaves some application on getting more.
Getting more out of our prayers
Getting more out of our prayers
Somethings to consider, some things to question, some things to do if you want to get more out of our prayers.
WE have already looked at the power of prayer, the place of prayer, the provision sought through prayer, now may we continue to see how we can get more by the application of prayer in our lives and in our lives as the church.
Be persistent in prayer (Lk18:1-6)
Like the persistent widow before the unrighteous judge.
Be seeking in prayer (Mt7:7-11)
7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 “For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.
9 “Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone? 10 “Or if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he?
11 “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!
Question: In looking at Mt7:7-11 what are we to be doing?
Ask, seek, knock and you will receive, find and the door will be opened to you
Prayers of persistence, seeking in prayer and prayers of faith rattled the gates and opened prison doors for Peter, john, Paul and Titus and can do the same for us.
Be faithful in prayer ( Mt21:21-22)
21 And Jesus answered and said to them, “Truly I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ it will happen. 22 “And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”
Now, have to qualify this, just because you ask does not mean you will get it, there are some conditions
Be willful in prayer (1Jn3:22)
22 and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight.
Condition: Am I keeping His commandments?
Be living righteously so prayers attended (1Pt3:12)
12 “For the eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous, And His ears attend to their prayer, But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
Condition: Am I living righteously? Not a righteousness of my own, but God’s in me and living through me?
God sees us keeping His commands and how we are living and His ears are attentive.
So, pray with your heart, pray with your mind, pray with your faith, participate in the prayers of others by
Engage your mind, take in to understand what is being said
Engage you heart to look for application of what is being said.
Engage your voice to agree with what is being said by saying “amen.
(Transition) Prayer in the assembly is important and is a vital part of the assembly, but personal prayer is where it starts. The spiritual discipline of prayer is practiced whereas it will become first nature. So . . .
Be unceasing in prayer (1The5:17)
17 pray without ceasing;
Be steadfast in prayer (Rom12:12)
12 rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer;
Be watchful in prayer (Col4:2)
2 Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving;
Think of this, when we put those things into practice we may discover.
“Those who pray often, love to pray”
May we come in humility before the throne of grace
Maybe like Jesus commanded (MK11:25) or Hannah displayed (1Sam1:26) - Standing
25 “Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions.
and then
26 She said, “Oh, my lord! As your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you, praying to the Lord.
Maybe with lifted hands (1Tim2:8)
8 Therefore I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and dissension.
Maybe with bowed heads, and hands (Neh8:6)
6 Then Ezra blessed the Lord the great God. And all the people answered, “Amen, Amen!” while lifting up their hands; then they bowed low and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.
Maybe lifting up your eyes (Jn17:1)
1 Jesus spoke these things; and lifting up His eyes to heaven, He said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son, that the Son may glorify You,
Maybe kneeling, or on your face (Act20:36; Mt26:39)
36 When he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all.
and the other scripture mentioned
39 And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.”
It is not about our posture in prayer, it is about our heart in prayer, prayer personally, prayer corporately, in humility knowing who we are praying to.
You do not need to be passive when it comes to others praying, you can participate, in your heart tell the Lord of your agreement (offer a silent amen) you can offer a hearty amen in agreement at the end of the prayer. By doing such you are participating, you are proclaiming right along with the person offering the prayer.
(Insert the Amen slide here again)
Before we pray and offer up a hearty amen this morning, I/we, would be remiss if I did not spake for a minute or two about how to become a Christian so God will be attentive to your prayers.
Invitation - Song - Prayer