Pray Continually
Notes
Transcript
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
To rejoice always is to see the hand of God in whatever is happening and to remain certain of God’s future salvation.
Without such conviction joy would not be possible in the face of affliction, suffering, and death.
Sometimes Scripture doesn’t give us the answers we want
Often, we need to abandon our own agenda and refocus on what a passage is addressing.
Before we move forward, let’s deal with some skeptics when it comes to prayer.
Skeptics routinely quote Jesus’ words,
If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.
Ex. Parents praying for sick child.
The skeptic then argues that the children’s death is proof positive that Jesus was a liar and His statements about prayer cannot be true
Another verse they point out
And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.”
Kyle Butt and Daniel Barker, 2009 debate about asking for a Million dollars in jesus name.
According to the skeptic, if a person asks for a million dollars every day, truly believes in his heart that he will get it, and tacks the name of Jesus on the end of the prayer, then if God does not answer that prayer, Jesus lied and the Bible is false.
Is it true that the Bible’s teaching on prayer cannot be reconciled with what we see happening in daily life?
“if-then” clauses = Qualification
Example: Suppose I make a statement “If John works for eight hours, then I will give John $50.” If John demands payment from me without doing the work, he has misunderstood the qualifier.
Without the first condition being met, the person making the statement is not responsible for fulfilling the second condition.
The New Testament shows that many of Jesus’ statements concerning prayer are qualified by certain criteria that must be met in order for that prayer to be effective.
“IN THE NAME OF JESUS”
Let’s go back to our verse:
If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.
What is the qualifier in this verse?
It is extremely important that we understand how the Bible uses the phrase “in Jesus’ name.”
The way the skeptic understands this verse, the phrase means that as long as a person puts the words “in Jesus’ name” at the end of a prayer, then God is obligated to answer that prayer.
The phrase “in Jesus’ name” means that whatever is being said or done must be done by the authority of Jesus.
And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
It means that whatever actions are taken or words are spoken should be in accord with Jesus’ teachings and by His authority.
Example: suppose a man bangs on your door and yells: “Open this door in the name of the Law.”
The phrase “in the name of the Law” only has force if the person using it is actually authorized.
In the same way
“in Jesus’ name” (or “in the name of Jesus”) only has power if what is being prayed for truly is authorized by Jesus.
For instance, if a person prayed, “Lord, please forgive me of my sins even though I will not forgive others of their sins, in Jesus’ name, Amen,”
For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Including the phrase “in Jesus’ name” does not give a prayer some magical power that allows our request to bypass the authority and teachings of Christ.
Let’s look at an actual event that took place
Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists undertook to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims.”
Now lets look at verse 11
These itinerant Jewish exorcists had fallen into the same misunderstanding.
If A skeptic is going to attack the Bible’s position on prayer, he or she must allow the Bible to explain itself.
3 Divine Wills For The Church
Rejoice Always.
Pray Without Ceasing.
Pray Without Ceasing
Pray Without Ceasing
What it means to pray “without ceasing?”
We must understand what prayer is.
Prayer is our fellowship with God through Jesus Christ, which believers draw near to God and learn more of his will for our lives.
Prayer is a spiritual process and goes beyond just words. Prayer is an act of worship from the heart according to the will of God, and it depends upon the Holy Spirit directing our thoughts and guiding our words.
Romans 8:26–27 (ESV)
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
This happens when having a relationship with Christ, Who serves as our High Priest to intercede on our behalf, which is why we pray in the name of Jesus Christ.
Prayer, is our relationship with God.
Prayer, is our relationship with God.
Prayer, is our response to God.
Prayer, is our response to God.
Psalm 27:8 (ESV)
You have said, “Seek my face.”
My heart says to you,
“Your face, Lord, do I seek.”
David knew the Lord wanted him to seek His face. In fact, this is God's desire for all people.
Prayer, is our confession
Prayer, is our confession
In response to God’s holiness.
In response to sin being exposed.
This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Our response to God’s holiness should cause us to respond with repentance of our sins.
Psalm 51:1–2 (ESV)
Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!
Prayer, and God’s will
Prayer, and God’s will
And he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.”
Now many of us are familiar with this next passage but I think we overlook one key thing in it.
After this manner therefore pray ye:
Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
In Jesus’ instructions to His disciples regarding prayer, He explained that they should include in their prayers the idea that God’s will should be done
The apostle John was well aware of Jesus instructions when he wrote:
1 John 5:14–15 (ESV)
And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.
What is the qualifying statement?
Our prayer request should be in accordance with God’s will, and should be offered from a heart that is humble enough to accept God’s will even if that means that the request is denied.
How Do I Pray Without Ceasing?
How Do I Pray Without Ceasing?
1. Spirit of Dependence.
This is the very essence of prayer: dependence.
Spirit of Dependence.
Must pray often.
For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you
He doesn’t mean that he was verbally and mentally always, every second, mentioning them.
Spirit of Dependence.
Must pray often.
Staying steadfast.
Do not giving up on prayer!
We should never come to a point in your life when you say, “Prayer doesn’t work. I am done. I am giving up on prayer.”
The key to rejoicing always is to pray continually — that is, to lean on God all the time and to call to him repeatedly and often.