doctrine of prayer

8/14/2019 Doctrine of Prayer

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A People Who Prays

1. The Christian is a person of many high privileges. Life is not all doom and gloom. He has manysweet privileges that the unbeliever never has.

2. He has the privilege of going to the Bible and reading God's love letter to his heart.

3. He has the privilege of going to church and hearing a gospel sermon that will help him to lead abetter life.

4. He has the privilege of fellowshipping with the finest people on earththe people of God.

5. He has the privilege of helping others as a Good Samaritan.

6. He has the privilege of serving in the only army that will be forever victorious.

7. He has the privilege of prayer and thus he has great spiritual power. The privilege of prayer

must not be neglected.

There are Great Powers in a Christian's Life

1. There is the power of what a person is. It was a dark and gloom day in Boston. The next daya reporter wrote these words in the paper "It was a dark and gloom day yesterday. Then Philip

Brooks walked through our office and the sun began to shine." Oh, the power of a Christianlife! Has anyone's day been made brighter by your life? Does anyone want to live for Christ

because they have seen Him living in you?

2. There is the power of what a person says. Just think of the power that men have spoken for

good or evil. During the days of the great depression Franklin Roosevelt gave American's hope

by reminding them that "the only thing we have to fear is, fear itself." Later, when the winds ofwar blew in Europe, Winston Churchill held the nation of England together during the dark

days of WWII. When Hitler threatened to invade the island, Churchill went on the radio androused the people by saying, We will never give up. We will never surrender. We will fight onthe beach. We will fight in the streets. We will fight from house to house but we will never giveup. The only Englishman the mad dictator of Germany ever feared was the resolve andrhetoric of this Prime Minister. Then there are the warm words of Jesus Christ Himself calling

sinners to salvation. Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give yourest. There is power in what a person says.

3. There is the power in what a person does. Jesus "went about doing good" and that gave Hima mighty power among the people. Billy Graham wanted to be a big league baseball player.

God wanted him to be an evangelist. Because he followed God, Billy Graham has been giventremendous power and influence.


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4. Surely man's greatest power is the power of prayer. It has been said that "Satan trembleswhen he sees the weakest saint upon his knees."

Kingdoms have been won,souls have been saved,

churches have been built,

lives have been blessed and changed because of prayer.

The sick have been healedand prodigals have been brought home because of prayer.

Prayer has worked many marvelous things. To encourage our hearts in this area, the Bible

contains many promises concerning prayer.

Five Promises are Associated with Prayer

1. Sins will be forgiven.

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse usfrom all unrighteousness.

David sinned greatly. How did he find peace? He prayed for forgiveness in Psalm 51:1-3 and he

received it.

Psalms 51:1-3 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came untohim, after he had gone in to Bath-she'-ba Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thylovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.2 Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. 3 For I acknowledgemy transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.

2. Wisdom will be supplied.

James 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, andupbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

3. Healing will be divine.

James 5:5 Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished yourhearts, as in a day of slaughter.

4. Our needs will be provided for.

Philippians 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication withthanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.


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5. Covenants will be honored (Matt. 18:19). Dr. George W. Truett was preaching on the promise

of Matthew 18 in a revival service. During the time of the invitation a woman stood up and

asked for all to hear. "Dr. Truett. Do you believe what you just preached?" "Yes I do," he

replied. "Then will you covenant together with me that my husband will be saved during these preaching services?" Dr. Truett confesses that he was stunned for the moment with theboldness of the request. Suddenly, a man stood up and said by faith, "I will covenant togetherwith you in prayer to believe that your husband will be saved." The strangers met together atthe altar to pray. The next night the woman brought her husband but he was not saved.

However, the day after, while the pastor was in his study, there came a knock on the day. It wasthe unsaved husband on his way to work. But first, he had to find out what he must do to be

saved. Covenants will be honored when people pray.

Why Do Christians Pray?

1. To get things from God. This may seem selfish but it is the Lord's own method. Study the

prayers of the Bible and you will see how much asking there is. Jesus gave us the "modelprayer." In five verses there are six requests.

Matt 6:9-13 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed bethy name. 10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. 11 Give us thisday our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 13 And lead us notinto temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and theglory, for ever. Amen.

Dr. John R. Rice wrote a wonderful book called Prayer: Asking And Receiving. The songwriter encourages us to sing

What a friend we have in Jesus,All our sins and griefs to bear!

What a privilege to carry,Everything to God in prayer!

O what peace we often forfeit,O what needless pain we bear,All because we do not carry

Everything to God in prayer!

2. To prevent worry.

Philippians 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication withthanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

"I would no more worry than I would curse or swear," said John Wesley. Psa. 34:6 recordsthat, "This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles."


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3. To keep in close touch with God. When we are near someone, we can fellowship with them.

But time and distance makes us forgetful. The same is true with God. But remember this, if

God seems far away, you moved.

Why Are Prayers Not Answered?

1. Prayers are not answered because they are not offered.

James 4:2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight andwar, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.

Henry Ford had a friend in the insurance business, but one day Mr. Ford bought a million-dollar policy from another insurance agent. His friend called and asked why. Mr. Ford replied,

"You didn't ask me!"

2. Prayers are not answered because there is a wrong motive.

James 4:3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon yourlusts.

The Lord is interested in what we ask for and why we ask for things. Our hearts are to beguided by holy motives with God's glory in view.

3. Prayers are not answered because there is a wrong spirit in our hearts.

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

Bitterness, jealousy, and hatred will poison the fragrance of prayer.

4. Prayers are not answered because the Christian is not abiding in Christ and keeping His

commandments.

John 15:7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shallbe done unto you.

5. Prayers are not answered because the Lord sees the prayer is not sincere and is not

earnest enough.

Moses cried out, "Answer my plea for Israel or blot me out of Thy book!"

Jacob said, "I will not let thee go unless you bless me."

John Knox said, "Give me Scotland or I die!"


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The Bible says, "The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much" (James 5:16).

6. Prayers are not answered because it is not believed that the prayers will be answered.

Sometimes, because God has a sense of humor He might just go ahead and answer our prayerdespite unbelief as He did in the case of the saints who were praying for the release of Peter

from prison. But they did not really believe it was going to happen despite the fact that the

apostle was banging on the front door of the house!

7. Prayers are not answered because there is a lack of submission to the known will of God.

Conclusion. We must always pray in the right spirit with the confidence that God wants to answer

our prayers for the sake of His own dear Son.

In the Civil War a well-to-do couple lost their only son. Their sorrow was overwhelming.

They shut themselves up with their grief and refused to see anyone. One day a young man rangtheir doorbell and asked to see them. The butler told him that they would see no one, that they had

suffered a great loss. The young man pulled a letter out of his pocket and said, " Take this to them."The butler carried the letter in to the couple. The man trembled as he saw the handwriting on the

letter. "Look mother," he said, "this is our son's handwriting." He read the letter with tremblinghands and quivering lips and this is what it said:

"Dear father and mother. The man who brings you this letter was my best friend in thearmy. He helped me on many occasions. Now in what I believe will be my last hours he is with me.If he ever comes your way, give him the best you have, for your son's sake."

You know what that couple did, don't you? They took that young man in and gave him thebest they had, for their son's sake.

Our Father in heaven is rich, He holds the wealth of the world in His hands. He has all weneed and is ready and willing to supply those needs. So come now and call upon Him and He'll give

you the best He has for His Son's sake.


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When People Pray

And when they had prayed,the place was shaken where they were assembled together;

and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost,and they spake the word of God with boldness.

~*~

Acts 4:31

Before prayer we can do very little spiritual good. After prayer we can do much more. A

great amount of activity without prayer will often result in failure. The same effort with prayer will

often result in great success. In fact, prayer attended every major spiritual event in the Bible.

Before the nation of Israel was created,Abraham prayed to God and Isaac was born.

Before the children of Israel were brought out of the

Land of Bondage there was a Passover and prayer.

Before a new civilization was created after the flood,

Noah worshipped God. He prayed.

When Solomon dedicated the temple, He prayed.

When the walls of Jerusalem were rebuilt and dedicatedfollowing the Babylonian Exile, Nehemiah and Ezra prayed.

Before Jesus began His great earthly ministry, He fasted and prayed.Before the Lord called His disciples, He spent the night in prayer.

Before Calvary, there was Gethsemane. In the garden Jesus prayed.

Before the power of Pentecost came, there was prayer.

In all these events and more we discover that when God's people pray, powerful andglorious things happen. God's people not only must pray but they will pray even when forbidden to

call upon the name of the Lord

Acts 4:18 And they [the Jewish officials] called them [the apostles], and commanded themnot to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered and said untothem, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. 20For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.

While it was wrong for the officials of Jerusalem to prohibit prayer, it was right for the

Christians to pray for many great things happened. Observe the following.


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1. The Christians were filled with the Holy Spirit.

Acts 4:31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled

together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God withboldness.

To be filled with the Holy Spirit means

to possess a power greater than one's own.

to have a priority that transcends worldly things.

to know less of self and more of the Saviour.

2. The Christians found new courage

Acts 4:18 And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the nameof Jesus31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembledtogether; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God withboldness.

There are many things that make us timid.

Fear of failure.

Fear of rejection.

Fear of ridicule.

Fear of physical abuse.

There is Someone who can make us bold enough to say no to those who sin while inviting

them to come to the Saviour for salvation and cleansing. When Martin Luther was told that he

would be killed if he went to the Diet of Worms, he answered, "If every tile on every house inthe city turned into a devil, I will still go up and take my stand." His courage was born ofcommunion with Christ.

A certain martyr on the way to execution said to his executioner, "Feel of my pulse, it is calmerthan yours." His courage was born of prayer.

It was said that the personal presence of Caesar made every common soldier a hero. And whenwe pray, the personal presence of Jesus makes us bold to stand up for Him.

When we pray we find courage not only to do right but to be right.

3. The Christian community become united in the presence of prayer . We read of the New

Testament church that the saints were of one heart and one soul.

Acts 4:32 And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neithersaid any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had allthings common.


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In mythology we read about Cadmus, who slew a dragon. Then he took the dragon's teeth and

sowed them broadcast in a fertile field. When he returned later he found that each seed had

sprung up into a giant. He was afraid of what they might do to him so he decided to employ a

clever ruse to cause the giants to fight each other. He threw a stone and struck one of the giantson the ear. This giant thought that another giant had struck him, so a fight ensued. Soon all the

giants were fighting each other and before long all of them were killed, while Cadmus looked

on and laughed.

Our churches are full of potential spiritual giants, but Satan often sows discord among themembers and they end up as spiritual pygmies, fighting one another. This gives Satan his

highest joy. But when Christians really pray together, they are more likely to become of one

mind in the Lord.

4. When Christians pray they have a better sense of stewardship.

Acts 4:32 And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neithersaid any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had allthings common.

Realizing that they had been bought with a price, the early Christians put everything they

owned at the Lord's disposal and by so doing were able to help each other.

5. The love of Christ is free to flow when Christians pray so that others are attracted to the

gospel.

Acts 4:33 "Great grace was upon them."

The countenance of a spirit filled child of God is radically different.

One day President Lincoln was dealing with would be office holders. He turned one man in

particular away. When his secretary asked why, Lincoln replied, "I did not like his face." "Isthat really fair, Mr. President," asked the secretary. Replied Lincoln. "I don't know. But afterthirty every man is responsible for his own face."

When Moses came down from the mountain where he had been communing with God, his face

was shining. Prayer will calm our spirits and change our countenance.

6. When Christian pray, places are shaken. Things begin to happen.

One night Paul and Silas were arrested for preaching the gospel. While in prison they prayed

and sang songs. God listened to the voice of his saints and moved to help them. The earth

shook and the prison doors were cast open.


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The captain of a small ship was taken ill while at sea. There was medicine in the medicine

chest, but those on board the ship did not know which medicine to give the captain for his

particular illness. There was one hopemaybe they could send a message out and a ship,

which had a doctor on board, would pick it up. So the radio operator flung out a message forhelp, north, south, east, and west. Soon an answer came across the waves, the correct medicine

was given to the captain and his life was saved.

Somebody called this "a parable of prayer." But we see one difference here. The radiooperator sent out a message over the air waves, hoping that someone somewhere would be hearit. He did not known whether or not the message would be received. But when we pray it is

not a message flung aimlessly in the air. We send it directly to God. We know there is One

who will hear, and we know our cry will reach the Father's ear.

When Christian pray, wonderful results begin to happen.


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Doctrine of Prayer

1. Prayer may be simply defined as a communication with God.

2. Because God is personal, all people can offer prayers.

3. However, sinners who have not trusted Jesus Christ for their salvation remain alienated from

God. So while unbelievers may pray, they do not have the basis for a rewarding fellowship with

God. They have not met the conditions laid down in the Bible for effectiveness in prayer.

4. Christians recognize their dependence upon their Creator. They have every reason to express

gratitude for God's blessings. But they have far more reason to respond to God than this.

5. They respond to the love of God for them. God's love is revealed through the marvelous

incarnation and life of Christ, His atoning provision at the Cross, His resurrection, as well asHis continuing presence through the Holy Spirit.

6. Devout good works in a needy world cannot replace prayer. Important as service to others is, at

times we must turn away from it to God, who is distinct from all things and over all things.

7. Neither should prayer be thought of as a mystical experience in which people lose their identity

in the infinite reality. Effective prayer must be a scripturally informed response of persons

saved by grace to the living God who can hear and answer on the basis of Christ's payment of

the penalty which sinners deserved.

8. As such, prayer involves several important aspects.

Faith. The most meaningful prayer comes from a heart that places its trust in the God whohas acted and spoken in the Jesus of history and the teachings of the Bible. God speaks to us

through the Bible, and we in turn speak to Him in trustful, believing prayer. Assured by the

Scripture that God is personal, living, active, all-knowing, all- wise, and all-powerful, we

know that God can hear and help us. A confident prayer life is built on the cornerstone of

Christ's work and words as shown by the prophets and apostles in the Spirit-inspiredwritings of the Bible.

Worship. In worship we recognize what is of highest worth-- not ourselves, others, or ourwork, but God. Only the highest divine being deserves our highest respect. Guided byScripture, we set our values in accord with God's will and perfect standards. Before God,

angels hide their faces and cry, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts"(Isa 6:3).

Confession. Awareness of God's holiness leads to consciousness of our own sinfulness.Like the prophet Isaiah, we exclaim, "Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of

unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the

King, the Lord of hosts" (Is. 6:5). By sinning we hurt ourselves and those closest to us; but

first of all, and worst of all, sin is against God (Ps. 51:4). We must confess our sins to God


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to get right with Him. We need not confess them to another being. But we should confess

them directly to God, who promises to forgive us of all our unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).

Adoration. God is love, and He has demonstrated His love in the gift of His Son. Thegreatest desire of God is that we love Him with our whole being (Matt. 22:37). Our love

should be expressed, as His has been expressed, in both deeds and words. People sometimes

find it difficult to say to others and to God, "I love you." But when love for God fills our

lives, we will express our love in prayer to the one who is ultimately responsible for all thatwe are.

Praise. The natural outgrowth of faith, worship, confession, and adoration is praise. We

speak well of one whom we highly esteem and love. The one whom we respect and loveabove all others naturally receives our highest commendation. We praise Him for His

"mighty acts... according to His excellent greatness!" (Ps. 150:2), and for His "righteous

judgments" (Ps. 119:164). For God Himself, for His works, and for His words, His peoplegive sincere praise.

Thanksgiving. Are we unthankful because we have not received what we deserve? But if

we got what we "deserved," we would be condemned because of our guilt. As sinners, we

are not people of God by nature. We have no claim upon His mercy or grace. Nevertheless,

He has forgiven our sins, granted us acceptance as His people, and given us His righteousstanding and a new heart and life. Ingratitude marks the ungodly (Rom. 1:21). Believers, in

contrast, live thankfully. God has been at work on our behalf in countless ways. So in

everything, even for the discipline that is unpleasant, we give thanks (Col. 3:17; 1 Thes.

5:18).

Dedicated Action. Christ's example does not require us to withdraw from society, but to

render service to the needy in a spirit of prayer. He wept over Jerusalem in compassionate

prayer, and then He went into the city to give His life a ransom for many. Authentic prayer

will be the source of courage and productivity, as it was for the prophets and apostles.

Request. Prayer is not only response to God's grace as brought to us in the life and work of

Jesus and the teaching of Scripture; it is also request for our needs and the needs of others.

For good reasons God's holy and wise purpose does not permit Him to grant every petition

just as it is asked.

9. Several hindrances to answered prayer are mentioned in the Bible:

Iniquity in the heart. Psalms 66:18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hearme.

Refusal to hear God's law. Proverbs 28:9 He that turneth away his ear from hearing thelaw, even his prayer shall be abomination.


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An estranged heart. Isaiah 29:13 Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people drawnear me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heartfar from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:

Deliberate sinful separation of self from God. Isaiah 59:2 But your iniquities haveseparated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he willnot hear.

A conscious prone to waywardness. Jeremiah 14:10-12 Thus saith the LORD unto this people, Thus have they loved to wander, they have not refrained their feet, therefore theLORD doth not accept them; he will now remember their iniquity, and visit their sins. 11Then said the LORD unto me, Pray not for this people for their good. 12 When they fast, Iwill not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt offering and an oblation, I will not acceptthem: but I will consume them by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence.

Offering unworthy sacrifices. Malachi 1:7-9 Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of the LORD iscontemptible. 8 And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lameand sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, oraccept thy person? saith the LORD of hosts. 9 And now, I pray you, beseech God that hewill be gracious unto us: this hath been by your means: will he regard your persons? saiththe LORD of hosts.

Praying to be seen of men. Matthew 6:5-6 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as thehypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of thestreets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 6 Butthou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thyFather which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

Spiritual pride in fasting and tithing. Luke 18:11-14 The Pharisee stood and prayed thuswith himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust,adulterers, or even as this publican. 12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that Ipossess. 13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes untoheaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. 14 I tell you, this

man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exaltethhimself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

Lack of faith. Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he thatcometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seekhim.

Doubting or double-mindedness. James 4:3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss,that ye may consume it upon your lusts.


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10. More positively, God has promised to answer our requests

God is pleased when the hungry are fed and the afflicted are comforted. Isaiah 58:9-10

Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here Iam. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, andspeaking vanity; 10 And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflictedsoul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday:

God is pleased to answer prayer when it is believe that what is asked for shall be received.

Mark 11:22-24 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. 23 For verily I sayunto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou castinto the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which hesaith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. 24 Therefore I say unto you,What things soever ye desire, when ye pr ay, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have

them.

God promises to hear the prayers of those who are forgiving of others. Mark 11:25-26 Andwhen ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which isin heaven may forgive you your trespasses. 26 But if ye do not forgive, neither will yourFather which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.

God is pleased to answer prayer which is offered in the name of Christ. John 14:13-14 13And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified inthe Son. 14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.

God will answer prayer when Christ is honored and His Words are obeyed. John 15:7 7 Ifye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be doneunto you.

God hears those prayers offered in the Spirit. Ephesians 6:8 Knowing that whatsoever goodthing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.

Prayers are answered following gospel obedience. 1 John 3:22 And whatsoever we ask, wereceive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasingin his sight.

Prayers asked in accordance to the will of the Lord are honored. 1 John 5:14-15 And this isthe confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, heheareth us: 15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we havethe petitions that we desired of him. Until we have properly responded to God and HisWord, He cannot entrust us with His powerful resources.


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11. Prayer is request to a personal Lord who answers as He knows best. We should not think

that we will always have success in obtaining the things for which we ask. In His wisdom,

God hears and answers in the way that is best.

12. Effectiveness. Prayer has power over everything. God can intelligently act in any part of the

universe or human history. Although some people think prayer is a waste of time, the Bible

declares that "the effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much" (James 5:16).

13. Prayer meets inner needs. One who prays will receive

freedom from fear (Ps. 118:5-6),

strength of soul (Ps. 138:3)

guidance and satisfaction (Is. 58:9-11),

wisdom and understanding (Dan. 9:20-27),

deliverance from harm (Joel 2:32),

reward (Matt. 6:6),

good gifts (Luke 11:13),

fullness of joy (John 16:23-24),

peace (Phil. 4:6-8),

freedom from anxiety (1 Pet. 5:7).

14. Is prayer effective only in the inner lives of those who pray? No, prayer can make a differencein the lives of others.

15. Biblical writers believed prayer for others could result

in greater wisdom and power (Eph. 1:18-19);

inward strength, knowledge of Christ's love, filling with God's fullness (Eph. 3:16-19);

discernment, approval of what is excellent, filling with the fruits of righteousness (Phil. 1:9-11);

knowledge of God's will, spiritual understanding, a life pleasing to God, fruitfulness,

endurance, patience, joy (Col. 1:9-12);

a quiet, peaceable life (1 Tim. 2:1-2);


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love for one another and all people, holiness before God (1 Thes. 3:10-13);

comfort and establishment in every good word and work (2 Thes. 2:16-17);

love for God, steadfastness in Christ (2 Thes. 3:5);

the sharing of one's faith, promotion of the knowledge of all that is good (Philem. 6);

and equipment for every good work that is pleasing to God (Heb. 13:20-21).

16. Some people who think prayer can affect others question the ability of God to change His usual

patterns in the physical world. But some prayers in the Bible changed nature and physical

bodies. Jabez prayed for enlarged borders and protection from harm (1 Chr. 4:10). Other

people in the Bible prayed for various things.

deliverance from trouble (Ps. 34:15-22),

deliverance from both poverty and riches (Prov. 30:7-9),

deliverance from the belly of a great fish (Jon. 2:7-10),

daily bread (Matt. 6:11),

preservation and sanctification of spirit, soul, and body (1 Thes. 5:23), the healing of the

sick (James 5:14-15), and the ending of the rain and its beginning again (James 5:17-18).

17. When the disciples prayed, the building around them shook (Acts 4:31) and an earthquakeopened the doors of their prison (Acts 16:25-26). Our prayers do make a difference in how God

acts in the world!


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The Promises, Purposes and People of Prayer

Matthew 6:5-8

1. The Promises of Prayer

God promises to hear the prayer of the Christless unbeliever asking for salvation.

Romans 10:13 says that, "Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall besaved." This includes the thief on the Cross and the vilest sinner who ever lived, Saul ofTarsus. He said he was the chief of all sinners.

God promises to hear the prayer of the Christian:

who confesses sin honestly and openly (1 John 1:9; Psa. 51:1-3).

who can pray for his enemies. Jesus said in Luke 6:28 that prayer was to be made forsuch people. "Bless them that curse you and pray for them which despitefully use you."

who is concerned enough for the pastor to pray for him as the saints in Thessalonica

prayed for Paul (2 Thessalonians 3:1,2).

who desires the wisdom of heaven (James 1:5).

who draws upon Him for divine healing (James 5:15).

who delights in seeking the Lord for his needs (Phil. 4:6; Phil 4:19).

All prayer should be offered in the name of Jesus (John 14:13,14). God will answer

every true prayer that is offered in His name, in the right spirit, and according to His

will.

2. The Purpose of Prayer

We must pray in order to get things from God. Prayer is not window shopping but it is

asking and receiving. Therefore, prayers are to be definite and specific.

We must pray in order to get into the right attitude with God and man. When we are

angry with someone, when we are upset, we do not want to pray for others. Usually, we

do not want to pray at all. But when we are obedient to the will of the Lord and pray inspite of our feelings, a change comes into the heart. Prayer cleanses the heart.

We must pray in order to keep from worrying. "Be anxious for nothing, but ineverything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be madeknown unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keepyour hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:6,7). Dr. W. Hershel Ford


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writes in one of his many books, "Every preacher who has ever tried to do anything forthe Lord has had those in his church who tried to hurt him and tear down his work. Ihave had my share, but God has always brought me out. I have learned to take my

burden to the Lord, to thank Him for what His has done in the past and to ask for Hishelp in the present. And I can testify that he does give a peace that no one canunderstand."

I guess every pastor has those who oppose his ministry. The tension comes when

individuals rise up against the pastor according to an established pattern.

The pattern begins by simply meeting together on a regular basis to share "concerns."

Then recruiting takes place one by one of those who come into the select group. Time

and secrecy and the spreading of fear become allies.

Finally, when the numbers have grown and the group feels bold enough, they move

against the pastor who has been set up with labels.

There are doctrinal labels.There are personal labels.

There are professional labels.

More often than not, the labels are unjustified as presented. Mostly the labels are not

fully understood but they sound sinister. Labels sound full of substance though they aresimply nothing but an empty note of sounding brass. The Psalmist wrote, "This poor

man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles." (Psalm34:6).

We must pray in order to keep in close communion with God. The song writer wrote,

"What a fellowship, what a joy divine, Leaning on the everlasting arms; What a

blessedness, what a peace is mine, Leaning on the everlasting arms."

3. The People of Prayer

Hezekiah prayed. One day the great army of the Assyrians came down and encampedagainst Jerusalem. Sennacherib sent an insulting letter to King Hezekiah. "Your Godcannot save you," he wrote. "We have destroyed other cities and we will destroy your

unless you surrender immediately." When Hezekiah received the letter, he did not

confer with court officials or advisers; he went into the house of the Lord. There, he

spread the letter before God and he began to pray. In answer, that night, God sent His

angel into the camp of the Assyrians and slew 185,000 Assyrian soldiers. The victorywas won because of prayer.

During his days as President of the United States, Jimmy Carter tells that he had a small

room next to the Oval Office where he would go often to pray. One of the many things


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he prayed for were the safe return of the hostages held in Iran. The Lord was faithful.

Though Ronald Reagan got the credit, all the hostages were returned home safe. From a

human point of the view, the hostages were returned in an act of political good will.

From a divine point of view, the hostages came home because of prayer.

Peter prayed. While he was in prison waiting to be executed the next day, Peter prayed.

Sixteen soldiers guarded him and still Peter prayed. Then he went to sleep. Meanwhile,

in the home of John Mark's mother, a group of Christians continued their prayer vigiland the Lord was gracious. An angel was sent to lead Peter out of prison and to the

place where loving saints were crying out to God. God answered prayer in such a

marvelous way it was too good to be true.

George Muller prayed. In Bristol, England, this man of God prayed. During hislifetime, he took care of more than 2,000 children and raised more than seven million

dollars. He never asked anyone for money or anything that he needed. He just told God.In addition to the children, George Muller supported hundreds of missionaries, gave

away thousands of Bibles, and established many schools for poor children. Wonderfulthings happen when people pray.

We believe that and yet we do not pray. We are much like the slave who lived in the

South after the Civil War. At the end of the Civil War a southern man's slaves had all

been set free. But he had one servant whom he loved and who was devoted to him. Hecalled him in and made a promise. "Samuel, if you will stay with me, and if you willcare for me, I'll see that you are cared for even after I am gone." The faithful servantstayed. The years passed and the old man died. Then Samuel mowed lawns, chopped

woods and ran errands until he was too old to work very much. He lived in a poor shack

and could hardly find enough to eat.

One day a man said to him, "Samuel, your old master told me that he put $5,000.00 inthe bank for you. God down and get what you need." So the next morning Samuel wentdown to the bank. He shuffled up to the teller's window and asked if it were true that

Marse Tom had left him money. "How can I git it?" he asked. The teller knew thatSamuel could not write, so he said, "I'll make out a check for the amount you want, thenyou make your mark on the check and I'll give you the money." "Can I have as much asfifty cents?" the old man asked. "Yes," answered the teller, "you can get any amount up

to $5,000. "Then just make out the check for fifty cents," Samuel said. The check wasmade out. Samuel put his mark on the paper and got .50 cents leaving 4,999.50 in thebank. And that is the way it is with most of us. Either through ignorance or indifference

we leave heaven's spiritual bank with very little. "We have not because we ask not."That can change as we learn the promises of prayer, understand the purposes of prayer

and then become in the end, true people of prayer.


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How Prayer Helps in the Christian Life

James 5:16-20

A group of preachers were on a train on the way to a convention. They talked about many

things, and finally the discussion came around to the needs in the preacher of the life. Many needs

were spoken of and finally one old preacher who had lived a long and useful life for the Lord said,

"Our greatest failure is that we do not spend more time upon our knees."

1. Four Points About Prayer

Prayer is an instrument in the process of salvation. "For whosoever shall call upon thename of the Lord shall be saved" (Romans 10:13). One day, two men went into the

Temple of Jerusalem to pray. One was a Pharisee, the other was a publican. Later, thePharisee went home dignified but the publican went home justified for he cried out to

God for mercy.

Prayer is natural and necessary for Christian growth. When Paul was first converted, he

was blinded for three days. Ananias was told to go and find Paul who was praying.

Later, Paul would tell others to pray without ceasing. This is not difficult when our

whole life is God conscious and we live moment by moment in a spirit of thanksgivingaccording to 1 Thessalonians 5:18: In everything give thanks for this is the will of Godin Christ Jesus concerning you. There is so much to be thankful for. God is the sourceof all blessings.

As we give thanks so we should pray in the spirit of penitence. "There is not a just manupon the earth, who doeth good and sinneth not." By being conscious of our weakness,

we will honestly confess our sins.

We need to pray more often for others. 1 Samuel 12:23 says, "God forbid that I shouldsin against the Lord by not praying for you."

God answers prayers. Jeremiah 33:3 says, "Call unto me, and I will answer thee, andshow thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not." Sometimes God says Yes,

No, or, Wait. To our petition and to our motive God will say either

Petition Motive

Yes YesNo No

Yes No

No Yes


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2. Prayer helps.

Prayer helps in time of trouble. We all have trouble be it physical, financial, emotional,

marital, job related, family related etc.

Prayer helps in time of sorrow. We sorrow but not as others who have no hope, no future,

and no God.

Prayer helps us find God's will for our lives. Perhaps you have heard of the preacher who

was called to a new church and how he said to his wife, "Honey, you pack up while I pray

about this call." Peter Marshall felt that he was under sealed orders (Romans 12:1-2).

Prayer helps us to overcome temptation. We do not have to sin but we choose to sin. 1

Corinthians 10:13 teaches that, "There hath not temptation taken you but such is common

to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able;but will with the temptation also make a way to escape that ye may be able to bear it."

Prayer helps us to love Jesus more. The best friendships are based upon conversations.

Intimate communion with Christ comes through prayer.

Prayer helps us in our Christian service. The great men and women of the Bible were great

because of prayer and close communion with God. Martin Luther said, "I have so much to

do that I could never accomplish it if I did not spend at least two hours a day in prayer."

Time spent in prayer is never wasted. From nature come an illustration of the value of

spending time with God.

The camel, at the close of day,Kneels down upon the sandy plain

To have his burden lifted offAnd rest to gain.

My soul, thou, too, shouldst to thy kneesWhen daylight draweth to a close,

And let the Master lift the loadAnd grant repose.

Else how canst thou tomorrow meetWith all tomorrow's work to do,If thou thy burden all the night

Dost carry through?

The camel kneels at break of dayTo have his guide replace his load,

Then rises up anew to takethe desert road.


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So thou shouldst kneel at morning's dawnThat God may give thee daily care,Assured that He no load too great

Will make thee bear.

Power in Prayer

1. We are living in an age of power. There is electric power. There is atomic power. There isnuclear power. There is rocket power. There is missile power. But the greatest power of all is the

power of prayer for behind prayer is God who can harness or unleash all the other powers of the

Universe. Jesus put the power of prayer at our disposal when He said in John 15:7 "If ye abide in

me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you." John

14:4 says, "If ye shall ask anything in my name, I will do it."

2. Of course, other passages teach us that if we are to avail ourselves of prayer there must be a

clean heart, a pure life, a surrendered will, a desire to know God's will, and the glory of God in

view.

Why Should Christians Pray?

1. Because Jesus set the example. Many times we find Jesus praying. Sometimes He prayed the

whole night through. In His prayers Jesus

prayed for others including His enemies (Luke 23:34 cp. Matt. 5:44).

prayed that His words and His works might glorify the Father.

prayed for the will of God to be done.

2. Because there is a devil. The Bible speaks of him as a roaring lion seeking whom he maydevour (1 Pet. 5:8). There is only one way to overcome the devil. He is to be resisted in prayer

(James 4:7) in the name of Jesus. The song writer encourages us to,

Take the name of Jesus ever

As a shield from every snare;If temptations round you gather,Breathe that holy name in prayer.

3. Because prayer is God's way for us to obtain His blessing according to Matthew 7:7.

4. Because our souls grow when we pray. When children are small we love the cute little things

they do. But when the years pass and the body grows we expect signs of maturity. What a

tragedy it is when the body grows but there are no signs of maturity of the mind. Spiritually we

should grow in the spiritual grace of life.


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How Should Christians Pray?

1.We should pray submissively. We do not tolerate the talk or whining of a disobedient child.

Neither does God. We can start obeying the Lord in the more simple things such as:

reading the Bible

not forsaking the assembly

sharing our faith

supporting the work of the ministry financially and verbally

praying for others on a regular basis

meditating on the Bible

looking for ways to serve others

acting in a loving manner

seeking to conquer known sin.

2. We are to pray with thanksgiving. Dr. M.E. Dodd, pastor of First Baptist Church of Shreveport

gave his personal formula for prayer. First, he would shut his eyes, then he would try to thinkabout the kind of Father, God is. Soon, he would be counting the blessings of God for the

graciousness of the Lord would always be remembered. Soon he was in the right attitude to

pour his heart out.

3. We are to pray with expectations. Jesus said we could move mountains if we had enough faith.We are to believe and we are to ask in faith. What was the last thing you asked God for

believing He would answer?

4. We are to pray in a spirit of perseverance. Paul said we are to pray without ceasing. Jacob did

not receive an answer in the first hour of his midnight struggle so he wrestled with God until thebreaking of the day (Gen. 32:26). Even Jesus did not receive an answer the first time He prayed

in Gethsemane. Three times He prayed in agony and heaviness and blood. The Bible tells us

that the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

Three Conditions Concerning Prayer

1. The one who prays must have a vital connection with God. God has not promised His power

and blessings to the sinner or to the man who has no connection with Him. The power of Elijahon Mt. Carmel came because he was connected with God. Fire fell and people cried out, "TheLord, He is God!" "The Lord, He is God!"

2. The channel of life must be pure. David said, "If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord willnot hear me." David knew from personal experience this spiritual truth for David knew a seasonof spiritual bareness. After his great sin with Bathsheba, David knew the fruitfulness of religionwithout vital godliness. Then God granted repentance. We must go deep into our lives and

clean out all the sin, the malice, the hatred, the impurities. Only then can we have a clean heart.


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3. Our prayers must be for God's glory. Sometimes we pray and we have our glory in view. We

are ashamed of looking badly in front of others. Preachers are ashamed of small crowds and so

they give out an "evangelist estimate." Spouses are ashamed of having an unsaved husband or

wife and so salvation is prayed for in order not to look bad. We do have to be careful of ourmotives and yet after taking care of the conditions, we must be people of prayer.

doctrine of prayer

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