Sunday, June 18, 2023 - Bible Class | The Importance of Prayer

Luke 11:1 KJV 1900

And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.

I. Introduction:

Just as it is necessary to maintain the physical man through the proper diet

and exercise, there are things that are necessary to maintain the spiritual

man. It is important for the Christian to recognize these basic elements of

spiritual maintenance. Without a consistent lifestyle that provides for the

the needs of the spiritual man our relationship with God will begin to

decline. If we neglect the spiritual man we will eventually digress to the

point of spiritual decay that leaves a mere shell of a Christian life. Our

spiritual well being is dependent upon a balance of Prayer, Fasting, and

Study of the Word of God. When these needs are consistently being met we

will realize a spiritual vitality and strength in our walk with God.

II. The Benefits of a Consistent Prayer Life:

A. Having a consistent prayer life contributes to my spiritual growth.

Colossians 1:9 KJV 1900

For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;

1. True prayer is communion and communication with God.

2. In communion with God there must be an exchange.

a. In prayer there must be mutual communication, I must hear from God

as well as speak to Him.

b. In prayer I must give of myself to God, and I must receive from God.

i. *Prayer is more than telling God what I want Him to hear.

ii. *True prayer is bringing ourselves into a spiritual condition in which God can speak to us and instruct us.

3. Through increased communion and communication through prayer we learn of God and grow in Him.

a. *The more we pray, the closer we will be to God and the stronger our walk and relationship with God will become.

4. Nothing can replace the need for prayer in your life, without prayer you will be spiritually weak and spiritually immature.

a. An inconsistent prayer life will cause you to be unstable and weak in

your walk with God.

i. *Prayer is your spiritual life line, it is the source of spiritual strength.

b. It is important for you spend time in prayer every day.

5. The spiritual things that we need most in order to live for God and overcome sin, can only be obtained from God through a consistent life of prayer.

B. A consistent life of prayer builds up and increases our faith.

Jude 20 KJV 1900

But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,

1. The closer we get to God, the more we will know Him, the more we know God, the greater our understanding of His power and ability to do all things will be.

2. When you understand who God is there is a certain “confident faith” that comes into your life. Paul exhibited this “confident faith”.

Philippians 4:19 KJV 1900

But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

3. Without faith is impossible to please God, and it is impossible to have true faith without a consistent prayer life.

Romans 10:17 KJV 1900

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

a. *Prayer nurtures and increases our faith.

b. *Prayer must be more than uttering words to God, we must enter into the spirit of prayer, we need to pray in the Holy Ghost.

c. *We need to be touched and changed by the Holy Ghost.

C. A consistent life of prayer contributes to our spiritual strength.

Luke 22:31–32 KJV 1900

And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

1. It is prayer that gives us the power to overcome the enemy of our soul.

2. Prayer is our greatest weapon against the devil and our greatest defense against his attacks on us.

3. Prayer helps us understand the power of God and gives us confidence that God will protect us and keep us.

4. Prayer keeps the power of God alive in us and it is God’s power within us that gives us power over the devil.

1 John 4:4 KJV 1900

Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

D. A consistent life of prayer contributes to our spiritual consistency.

Matthew 26:41 KJV 1900

Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

1. Consistent prayer helps us to walk faithfully with God .

a. *Consistent prayer to God creates a consistent walk with God.

2. Consistent prayer keeps us from allowing circumstances to dictate our spiritual happiness and outlook.

a. *Prayer keeps everything in its proper perspective, spending time in the presence of God transforms our thinking.

3. Consistent prayer keeps our flesh under subjection to the Spirit of God.

Galatians 5:16 KJV 1900

This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

Galatians 5:25 KJV 1900

If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

E. Prayer is a place of spiritual growth and development.

1. Prayer is a place of preparation for the future.

a. We should always spend time in prayer submitting ourselves to the will

of God for our lives.

b. We should seek the Lord for direction and understanding to fulfill His

will in our lives.

i. *We must get beyond what we want and seek God that we may know what His will is.

c. We should pray and ask God to strengthen us and to prepare us for trials and temptations that may be coming our way.

i. *God knows what you will face, therefore He knows what you need. We can only get what we need by seeking what we need not what we want.

2. Prayer is a place of restoration from the past.

a. Prayer is a time that you can take before God all of your failures and shortcomings and ask for His forgiveness and help.

b. Prayer is a time of honest confession during which you can find spiritual healing and renewal.

c. Prayer is a time when you can make things in your life right with God.

i. *Prayer can be a time of receiving correction from God.

d. You can leave your time of prayer with a fresh outlook and a fresh experience with God.

i. *Prayer is the birthplace of spiritual renewal.

Psalm 51:10 KJV 1900

Create in me a clean heart, O God; And renew a right spirit within me.

3. Prayer is a place of evaluation for my daily living.

a. In prayer you can get your spiritual life and your natural life in order.

b. In prayer you can get your priorities straight and find direction for your life, both short term and long term.

i. *Prayer allows us to confront ourselves spiritually.

ii. *Prayer allows us to examine ourselves in the presence of God.

c. It is in our personal prayer lives that God makes us into the vessels that He needs for us to be. Without a personal prayer life you will never find spiritual fulfillment.

i. *Prayer is a time when you must let God speak to you and let God evaluate your walk and work for Him.

ii. *We must, at least on a weekly basis, evaluate our walk with God during a time of prayer. Not weekly prayer, but weekly evaluation.

III. When I Pray, What Should I Pray About or Pray For?

A. I should pray that God would keep me from falling into temptation.

Matthew 26:41 KJV 1900

Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

1. Only the power of God working in us, can keep us from falling.

2. God can only keep us from falling when our flesh is under subjection to His Spirit.

3. It is important that we remember that temptation does not come from God, and that He will keep us from falling.

James 1:13 KJV 1900

Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:

1 Corinthians 10:13 KJV 1900

There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

a. *If you fall in temptation it is because you yielded to temptation rather than yielding to God.

Romans 6:13 KJV 1900

Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.

B. When I pray I should ask God for strength.

1 Chronicles 16:11 KJV 1900

Seek the Lord and his strength, Seek his face continually.

1. I do not always know what I will face in life, but God knows, and I should ask God to give me strength to live for Him.

2. I should ask the Lord to help me to be a strong Christian and to help me to grow spiritually.

C. I should come to God in faith and pray for healing.

James 5:13–16 KJV 1900

Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms. Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

1. It is the plan of God for us to be healed from our sickness according to His will.

2. Our first recourse in sickness should be to go to God in prayer.

D. We should pray for our Enemies.

Matthew 5:44 KJV 1900

But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

1. Prayer should never be in an attitude of vindictiveness.

2. We should pray that our enemies would become our friends.

3. We should pray for the salvation of our enemies.

E. We should pray for one another, for those who are our brothers and sisters in the Lord.

James 5:16 KJV 1900

Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

1. When we know that someone has fallen or failed God we should not speak harshly of them, but rather we should pray for them.

2. The mark of spiritual maturity is the ability to know your brothers faults and not to hold them against him, but to pray for him and to try to help him be restored.

Galatians 6:1 KJV 1900

Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.

3. I should pray that others are blessed by God more than I pray for my own blessings.

F. You should make it a habit to pray for the ministry.

2 Thessalonians 3:1 KJV 1900

Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you:

1. *Your pastors spiritual position and influence make him a primary target for the devil. The devil wants our leaders to fall because it affects so many people.

a. You should pray that God would give your pastor wisdom to lead the church into the will of God.

b. You should pray that God would anoint your pastor to preach the gospel with conviction.

c. You should pray that God would give your pastor boldness to preach the word of God without fear or favor.

i. *You should ask God to give your pastor the anointing and boldness to preach the word straight, and to preach it straight to you.

d. You should pray that God would bless the pastor just like you want the pastor to pray that you would be blessed.

2. You should pray for the other ministers laboring in the church.

a. Pray that they would be a help and a blessing in the church and to the Pastor.

b. You should pray that their ministries would prosper in the will of God.

3. You should pray for all Apostolic ministers of the gospel.

G. The Bible teaches that we should pray for all men.

1. We should pray especially for the salvation of lost souls.

1 Timothy 2:1–2 KJV 1900

I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.

a. *The love and compassion of God demands that we pray for everyone.

b. *We should never allow anything to affect us in such a way that we could not pray for someone else.

H. We should always pray for laborers to be called into the work of God.

Matthew 9:38 KJV 1900

Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.

1. Without laborers the lost have no hope and the will of God is hindered.

2. When we pray for God to send laborers we will be more inclined to develop a burden for the lost and to reach our to the lost ourselves.

3. Without laborers who have a burden for reaching the lost, the church cannot do the will of God concerning evangelism.

IV. Conclusion:

A. You must always remember that prayer is your spiritual life line.

B. You cannot live for God without a consistent prayer life.

C. Prayer is the deepest form of communication with God, and nothing can take the place of prayer.

D. Prayer will transform your life in a manner that nothing else can.

1. *If you expect to live an overcoming life, you will have to develop a consistent prayer life.

2. *If you are going to walk with God you must have a prayer life, prayer is the foundation for your relationship with God.

3. *If you are going to make it to heaven, it will be because you learned to pray.