Essentials: Prayer + Worship

Essentials: Finding the Keys to Christian Living  •  Sermon  •  Submitted
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Why are prayer and worship essential to our Christian life?

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Introduction
We have been in a series…
These aren’t the only essential elements in Christian living…
Tonight we are going to wrap up with prayer and worship.
Body
What is prayer?
Prayer is the way that we talk with God.
Philippians 4:5–6 (NIV)
Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
Everything…
[EXAMPLE]
1 Thessalonians 5:16–18 (NIV)
Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
Prayer is not something that we only do during our daily Bible study. We should always be in a state of prayer.
Have you ever asked or wondered, “Does God hear my prayers?”
God always hears your prayers.
How can you know that? Your spirit, your soul will have a feeling of peace and calmness.
[LEAVING CHURCH]
Prayer keeps you from temptation.
Matthew 26:41 (NIV)
“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Our flesh will always be attracted to Earthly things. You can’t do anything about it.
Temptation is not a sin.
You can do something about falling to your temptation and that’s to pray.
Can I give you a math formula for life?
Less prayer = more worry. More prayer = less worry.
When you find yourself stressed, worrying about school, life, sports, relationships, whatever; ask yourself if you’ve prayed about it.
Prayer is essential in keeping us connected with God.
What is worship?
Being in total abandonment before God. [LOVE]
Worship is giving over your entire self: thoughts + emotions.
The dictionary defines worship as: to honor or show reverence [deep respect] for as a divine being or supernatural power.
2 ways we worship God: by action + by lifestyle.
Angel tells wise men travel to Bethlehem for the birth of Jesus…
Luke 2:20 (NIV)
The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
When we encounter God and His presence only have one option; to worship. The wise men praised Jesus, Son of God, in this moment because everything they had seen and heard was true.
How many of you guys can testify to that?
You can look back over your life and say everything that God said is true! There was no way that I could overcome x,y,z BUT only by the grace of God I did.
It’s really hard to praise or worship God without making it externally known.
[EXAMPLE]
Worship is an action we do.
Romans 12:1–2 (NIV)
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
If I were to watch you live your life [REALITY TV], I bet I could tell you what you worship.
Worship is how you live.
I used to think that worship was just something that we did at church, but that’s not the case. Romans 12 says, “offer your bodies as a living sacrifice”.
You were created, made to worship God.
Created to worship Him corporately with others and with your life; living sacrificially, holy and pleasing to God.
Closing
As we close, Joben is going to play, but I want you to think about prayer and worship.
You may be like me and prayer is your last resort. Prayer shouldn’t be something we use for defense, but it should be something that we use as offense.
In Exodus 17:11, the sole deciding factor between Israel’s victory and defeat was raising their hands praising the Lord.
Instead of running toward the things of the Earth, let’s make prayer and worship our first choice because just like the Israelites our victory could lie within our worship.
Prayer
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