CHRISTIAN LIVING - DO YOU HAVE AN EFFECTIVE PRAYER LIFE? PT 2

CHRISTIAN LIVING - EFFECTIVE PRAYER LIFE Pt2

As we recall last week – the definition of active rapport, worship and deliberate communication.

Remember what AW Tozer said, “What the praying man does is to bring his will into line with the will of God so God can do what He has all along been willing to do.”

P-R-A-Y-E-R-S – to be effective and have an effective prayer life –

use P-R-A-Y-E-R-S acronym to help you

Last week we talked about the first 4 –

PRAISE -Him thru adoring and worshipping Him

REMEMBER AND REPENT – remember what God has done, remember what you have done and repent and reconcile yourself to God

ASK – ask not only for physical but for spiritual needs as well

Do you want to Super size your prayer life? – become more effective in your prayer life? Let’s look at the last 4 aspects of P-R-A-Y-E-R-S

Christian Living – Prayer – Do You Have an Effective Prayer Life?

Philippians 4:6-7 – do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

1. YIELD – TRUST

a. Surrender

Francis Chan said, ““True faith means holding nothing back. It means putting every hope in God’s fidelity to His Promises.” Are you completely surrendered? Do your prayers show evidence of full surrender – holding nothing back?

James 4:7 – Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

v10 – Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

Romans 12:1-2 – I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

1Peter 5:6-7 – Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

b. Security

Psalm 16:8 – I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.

Job 11:18 – And you will feel secure, because there is hope; you will look around and take your rest in security.

Psalm 46:1 – God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

Isaiah 41:10 – fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

2. ENDURANCE –

Romans 5:3-4 – Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,

Both physically and spiritually do we need to endurance

a. Physical Needs

2 Timothy 4:6-7 – For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

Hebrews 10:36 – For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.

James 1:2-4 – Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Colossians 1:11 – May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy,

b. Spiritual Needs

Romans 12:12 – Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.

Romans 15:5 – May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus,

v13 – May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

Philippians 4:13 – I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

1 Peter 4:12 – Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.

1 Peter 5:8 – Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

Revelation 3:10 – Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth.

3. RECITE SCRIPTURE

Matthew 22:29 – But Jesus answered them, “You are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 – All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.

Romans 15:4 – For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

Hebrews 4:12 – For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Psalm 1:2-3 – but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.

Psalm 119:11 – I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.

Colossians 3:16 – Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

4. SILENCE

Ecclesiastes 3:7 – a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

Psalm 141:3 – Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips!

Psalm 27:14 – Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!

Psalm 62:5-6 – For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken.

Zephaniah 1:7 – Be silent before the Lord God! For the day of the Lord is near; the Lord has prepared a sacrifice and consecrated his guests.

Psalm 46:10 – “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”

Lamentations 3:26 – It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.

Habakkuk 2:20 – But the Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him.”

Exodus 14:14 – The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.”

Psalm 37:7 – Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!

Isaiah 30:15 – For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, “In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.” But you were unwilling,

P-R-A-Y-E-R-S – to be effective and have an effective prayer life – use P-R-A-Y-E-R-S acronym to help you

PRAISE -Him thru adoring and worshipping Him

REMEMBER AND REPENT – remember what God has done, remember what you have done and repent and reconcile yourself to God

ASK – ask not only for physical but for spiritual needs as well

YIELD & TRUST – completely surrender and rest in the security of God’s presence.

Endurance – Stick with it – endurance with physical needs and endurance with spiritual needs –

Recite Scripture – praying Scripture back is one of the most powerful prayers you can do. Pray God’s Word back to Him – pray His Promises, Pray His Love, Pray His Mercy back to Him

Silence – Stop talking – be silent – allow God time to speak back to you.

Supersize your prayer life – become more effective in your prayer life – try to P-R-A-Y-E-R-S into your daily prayers