1. One of the important acts of worship is
prayer. In prayer we make certain assumptions:
1) That there is a God.
2) That we need God.
3) That God hears prayer.
4) That God answers prayer.
5) That God loves man.
2. Prayer is powerful.
1) There is power in prayer
because of the power of God.
2) James 1:17
- Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down
from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to
change.
3) Ephesians 3:20
- Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we
ask or think, according to the power at work within us,
3. Prayer must be accompanied with human
endeavor.
1) A farmer might pray for a good crop, but he must do…
2) Luke 6:46
- "Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?
4. In our lesson today we are going to see that
if our prayers are going to be pleasing unto God they must be offered
acceptably.
1) Knowing this very thing is
what led the Lord’s disciples to say,"Lord
teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1)
2) Let us set forth the same
spirit of these disciples as we enter into our study.
5. In this regard we need to be aware that God is
not just attentive to the words of our prayers, but He is also cognizant of our
attitude that prompts those words.
DISCUSSION:
1. Most certainly, sincerity is a basic, prime
prerequisite of successful prayer.
2. Matthew 6:5
- "And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they
love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they
may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.
1) Praying without sincerity makes one a
hypocrite.
2) These were seeking to attract the attention of
men rather than God, thus their prayers were in reality addressed to a human
audience.
3. Prayers are also insincere when they are
prayers merely to ease one’s conscience.
4.
Insincerity in prayer is soundly denounced in Matthew 15:7-9 = 7 You hypocrites! Well
did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said: 8 "‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart
is far from me; 9 in vain do they worship
me,
teaching as doctrines the
commandments of men.’”
1. To impress the hearts and minds of His
disciples with the need for humility in their prayers, Jesus related the
parable concerning a Pharisee and a Publican.
2. Luke 18:10-14 => notice the phrase "set
all others at nought” = "Two men went up into the temple to
pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you
that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like
this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ 13 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even
lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat 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 everyone who
exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be
exalted.”
1) The Pharisee was filled with pride,
self-exaltation, and self-righteousness … he acted as though the Lord owed him.
2) The publican, on the other hand, knew his
spiritual poverty and need for divine help.
3. James 4:6, 10
- But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, "God opposes the
proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
4. Proverbs 29:23
- One's pride will bring him low,
but he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor.
1. Must be intense in our prayer lives – not
half-hearted and lethargic!
2. James 5:17
- Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently
that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on
the earth.
3. Colossians 4:12
- Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets
you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature
and fully assured in all the will of God.
1) "Fervently” comes from AGONIZOMAI, and this is
where we get our English word "agonize.”
2) This we are to have a zeal and intensity in
prayer.
1. Luke 11:5-8
- And he said to them, "Which of you who has a
friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three
loaves, 6 for a friend of mine
has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; 7 and he will answer from within, ‘Do not bother me; the
door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give
you anything’? 8 I tell you, though he will not get up and give him
anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence
he
will rise and give him whatever he needs.
1) This parable is not intended to imply that God
is reluctant in heeding our prayer.
2) The reluctance of the neighbor was real: the
reluctance of God is only seeming.
3) The fact that God is willing to answer our
prayers should be motivation to be persistent in our prayer life.
2. Persistency in prayer is also taught in Luke 18:1-8
- And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to
pray and not lose heart. 2 He said, "In a certain city
there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. 3 And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him
and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’4 For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself,
‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her
justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’” 6 And the Lord said, "Hear what the
unrighteous judge says. 7 And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him
day and night? Will he delay long over them? 8 I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily.
Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”
1. Watchfulness and prayer go together and must
not be separated.
1) Mark 13:33; Mark 14:38
2) Luke 21:36;
Colossians 4:2
- Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with
thanksgiving.
2. To be watchful means to be constantly alert to
need of prayer in our lives.
1) 1 Peter 5:8-9
- Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls
around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing
that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood
throughout the world.
2) Surely, one who is watchful concerning the
devil is alert to his need of God’s strength through prayer in successfully
withstanding him.
1. "I will pray with the understanding…” (1 Corinthians
14:15)
1) This passage has reference to a prayer in a
public service that cannot be understood by the hearers.
2) It is absurd to pray publicly if one cannot
understand.
3) Whether public or private we are not to set
forth meaningless words.
2. Matthew 6:7-8
- "And
when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think
that they will be heard for their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need
before you ask him.
1) The Lord is not condemning repetition – but
vain repetition.
2) We must give deep thought to the words that we
express in prayer.
1. Prayer is not a substitute for the Christian’s
responsibility to serve God, but is a reinforcement of his worthy endeavors.
2. 1 John 3:21-22
-Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence
before God; 22 and whatever we ask we receive from
him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.
3. Proverbs 15:29
- The Lord is far
from the wicked,
but he hears the prayer of the righteous.
4. We must understand that when we are obedient
that God doesn’t owe us an answer to our prayers – we receive God’s answer by
grace.
1) But by the same token – we must be obedient if
we want our prayer answered.
2) John 15:7
1. Matthew 16:24
- Then Jesus told his disciples, "If anyone would come
after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
1) These words of Jesus affirm that in living for
and with Him, His disciples must deny everything in their lives that is
contrary to the teachings of God.
2) Also, at times, we need to deny things that
are right for the cause of Christ, for example:
a. We may deny ourselves of sleep because we
stayed up all night in prayer.
b. We may need to forsake going to a ball game,
because an important spiritual matter has come up.
2. You will notice also that fasting is
associated with prayer throughout the New Testament (e.g. Acts 13:3; Acts 14:23;Luke 2:37)
2. Prayer cannot be forceful unless it brings the
human will into union with the divine will.
3. We do not pray in order to change God’s will –
but to bring our will to God’s.
4. We need to realize that it is just as possible
to pray a false doctrine, as it is to teach one or sing one.
5. We cannot pray for things that are contrary to
the will and teachings of God.
CONCLUSION:
1. If we are going to have a successful prayer
life we must pray with sincerity, humility, fervency, persistency,
watchfulness, thoughtfulness, godly living, a life of self-denial, in
accordance to God’s will.
2. Are you having a successful prayer life?