Why Pray?

Intro

What to Pray?

One of Jesus disciples asks Jesus to teach them to pray. (NOT HOW TO PRAY)

Prayer is not made up of creeds, pre arranged words, or heartless babblings. Prayer is simply communicating with God.

Matthew 6:7-9 “But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him. After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.”

Matthew 15:8 “This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.”

Many prayers in the Old and New Testament weren’t long prayers at all, but they meant a lot to God!

Moses sister, Miriam became leprous and Moses cried, Heal her now, O God, I beseech thee.” Miriam was brought in the camp again after 7 days.

When David and his men were at Ziklag and the Amalekites had burned Ziklag and took the women, sons and daughters captive. David was greatly distressed and inquired of the Lord in 1 Samuel 30.

1 Samuel 30:8 “And David inquired at the Lord, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop? shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all.”

Luke 18:11-14 “The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.”

Luke 23:42-43 “And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.”

Peter was sinking in the water and he cried, Lord save me! And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand and caught him.

2. When to Pray?

Luke 18:1 “And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;”

1 Thessalonians 5:17 “Pray without ceasing.”

(Auto pilot while driving a car)

Talking of the armour of God, Paul says

Ephesians 6:18 “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;”

Psalms 86:3 “Be merciful unto me, O Lord: For I cry unto thee daily.”

Psalms 116:1-2 “I love the Lord, because he hath heard My voice and my supplications. Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, Therefore will I call upon him as long as I live.”

3. Why Pray?

Sovereignty (hallowed)

We’re not praying to a dead god, a doll, and breakable image, an idol. We are praying to ALMIGHTY GOD.

Psalms 65:2 “O thou that hearest prayer, Unto thee shall all flesh come.”

Psalms 35:28 “And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness And of thy praise all the day long.”

Acts 16:25 “And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.”

Prayer starts off by bragging on God. What better way to get our minds off of us and this world than reflecting and focusing on God Almighty.

Praying to God gets you in the presence of God! If you don’t like praying, you don’t like the presence of God! If you want food, you go to the kitchen. If you want sleep, you go to bed. If you want the presence of God, you get on your face and talk to God!

If you really love someone, you’d spend more time with them! Prayerlessness proves that we love other things more than we do God.

You put reading first, prayer ain’t first.

You put witnessing first, prayer ain’t first.

You put study first, prayer ain’t first.

You put family first, prayer ain’t first.

To give prayer the secondary place is to make God secondary in life’s affairs.

Edward McKendree Bounds

Prayer is the most useful tool that the born-again Christian has. It is also the most neglected tool that the born-again Christian uses.

Submission (thy kingdom come, thy will be done)

Luke 22:40-42 “And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation. And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.”

Philippians 2:5-8 “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”

Prayer gets us focused on God, then what God wants for our lives. “We must decrease, He must increase.” Paul said, “I die daily.” We’ve been bought with a price, so when we pray, we should think of that price that was paid, so we can have a relationship and fellowship with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.

Sustenance (daily bread)

Matthew 6:25-27 “Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?”

Philippians 4:19 “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

1 Peter 5:7 “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”

James 4:2-3 “Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.”

- Could be the reason you don’t have what you need is because you haven’t prayed about it!

Prayer shows us that we have a Heavenly Father that cares for us, loves us, and provides for us. He is glad to provide for his children! He loves to see their joy!

Sanitizing (forgive us our sins, for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us)

Forgive us our sins (1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” )

Psalms 66:18 “If I regard iniquity in my heart, The Lord will not hear me:”

Isaiah 59:1-2 “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; Neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, And your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.”

Prayer is the way to get our sins forgiven. Simply asking God to forgive us daily of our sins keeps fellowship with Him!

Forgive everyone indebted to us (Matthew 5:23-24 “Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.” )

1 John 1:5-7 “This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.”

If our fellowship with man isn’t right, than our fellowship with God won’t be right. Don’t hold a grudge. God forgave you of all your sins. We should willfully and lovingly forgive those that have wronged us.

Safety (lead us not into temptation, deliver us from evil)

Preventing sin - (Luke 22:40 “And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation.” )

2 Chronicles 12:14 “And he (Rehoboam) did evil, because he prepared not his heart to seek the Lord.”

Paul said to “pray without ceasing.” Always praying and talking with God will definitely help in the aspect of sanctification and trying to live a holy life. (Auto pilot driving a car.)

Preventing Satan - (John 8:43-47 “Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not. Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me? He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.” )

Prayer is a two way street. You talk to God, God talks to you. When we hear God’s words (whether through the word of God or the Spirit of God), we need to respond to that in a good way.