Why We Need To Pray

Intro

We are continuing our series, Prayer Changes Everything. We started by looking at prayer as praise and thanksgiving, a reminder that God is above and beyond us and praise reminds us of that. Though we call God our Father, He is still God in Heaven. So prayer keeps God where He is supposed to be in our lives

Last week we looked why prayer changes everything. We looked at how God has chosen to limit Himself and accomplishes His will through His people, and this is why we should pray. We looked at not only how we need to be persistent in our prayers, praying until something happens, but to also keep praying for everything that is going on.

This morning, we are going to move from why prayer is a good idea to why you need to pray, especially as Christians. As a believer, prayer is not just a nice discipline that you should give some thought to but not a big deal if you don’t. No you need to pray. In his book Does Prayer Change Things, R.C. Sproul has that prayer is to the Christian what breath is to life. He would go on to say that everything you want to accomplish in your Christian walk is achieved through prayer.

So this morning, I am going to give you 8 reasons why you need to pray, and what I want you to see is that there is a progression in these reasons. They build on each other, and what I’m going to ask at the end is that you honestly evaluate where you fall on the progression.

So I am going to put the different headers up as we go, all the notes are in the app if you want to follow along, but my prayer for you this morning is that the Holy Spirit will show you where you are on the progression, and then show you what the next steps are.

Reason 1: Prayer Brings You Back to God

Philippians 4:6 NLT

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.

James 4:2 NLT

You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it.

Blank

at the beginning stages, prayer is really just a cry for help. This shouldn’t surprise us, especially as we look at the development of kids. My youngest is 2, and believe it or not, our conversations are not overly deep. In fact, most of our interaction consists of him asking for something. “Dad, I need water.” “Dad, I’m hungry.” Dad, I’m poopy.” Go see your mother. But this is just early stage development

As believers, it is the beginning shift from our sinful nature. Your flesh wants you to believe you can make it on your own. What God has designed you for is community, both with Him and other believers. So part of your growth is learning that you can rely on God with your needs. In John 15, Jesus says that apart from Him, you can accomplish nothing. So prayer starts the process of bringing you back to God.

Reason 2: Prayer Grows Your Faith in God

Blank

As you learn to become more reliant on God, you discover that He is someone you can rely on. As God answers your prayers, you begin to trust Him more. Answered prayer is one of the ways that you experience God’s goodness, and until you experience His goodness, it is really hard to love Him with all your heart.

Hebrews 11:6 NLT

And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.

blank

As you learn to trust Him and experience His goodness, you also begin to realize He cares about you, He listens when you pray; when He answers prayers before you even pray them, you discover His wisdom and all-knowingness. The more you draw near to Him, the more you learn about HIm

Reason 3: Prayer Helps You Love and Fellowship with God

blank

The more you draw near to God, you begin to realize that God is more then just a cosmic vending machine that you make requests to, but someone you can have relationship with.

Hebrews 11:5 NLT

It was by faith that Enoch was taken up to heaven without dying—“he disappeared, because God took him.” For before he was taken up, he was known as a person who pleased God.

John 17:3 NLT

And this is the way to have eternal life—to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth.

blank

the more you draw near, that more you begin to hear God speak to you, the more your love grows. As God speaks to you, you learn more about who He is, but also more about who you are. God speaks life into you, and you begin to crave His fellowship and His presence

Reason 4: Prayer Begins to Change You

blank

as you draw near to God and into his presence, things begin to change in your life

Philippians 2:13 NLT

For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.

blank

your desires begin to change

in Psalm 73, David starts by complaining about the wicked, but by the end he is repenting for a wrong mindset because he gains a new perspective; he sees things the way God sees them. He perspective changed

In Acts 10, Peter has a vision about the Gentiles, and God changes his understanding about the Gentiles and how the doors had been opened for the Gentiles to be saved.

When you enter the presence of God, things begin to change. They can’t help but to change

Reason 5: Prayer Helps You Resist Tempation

Ephesians 6:10–11 NLT

A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.

Ephesians 6:18 NLT

Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.

blank

Paul reminds the disciples that they are in a spiritual battle against an enemy who will use every strategy at his disposal to derail you.

As you continue to pray and grow in your prayer life, you begin to recognize and resist the temptations that come your way. You begin to see things like a soldier does and you remember that your battle is not with people but the enemy that is trying to destroy not just yours but everyone’s life. The treasures like truth, righteousness, peace, and salvation, all things that God has given you, become the very armour you use to resist the devil.

Reason 6: Prayer Enables You to Take God’s Presence with You

Acts 10:38 NLT

And you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.

blank

if God only talked to you when you are were reading your bible, how in the world would you get through your day? The more you pray, the more you grow in your strength, the more you take God’s presence with you throughout your day. The more that begins to happen, then your prayers begin to change

Reason 7: You Begin to Pray that God’s Kingdom Would Advance

James 5:17–18 NLT

Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years! Then, when he prayed again, the sky sent down rain and the earth began to yield its crops.

blank

The more you take God’s presence with you, the more you begin to desire that His presence would fill the areas of life God has placed you. As you are strengthened and you see God answering your prayers, you begin to desire that others would have the same experience. You want God’s kingdom and presence to take root in the lives of others, and you begin to prayer accordiningly.

Reason 8: You Begin to Pray about Your Role in God’s Kingdom

blank

Mark Batterson says that you should pray like it depends on God, and work like it depends on you.

As you pray that God’s kingdom would be advanced, you begin to realize that you can get involved. In fact, it is God’s desire that you would use the gifts, talents, and influence that God has given you to advance the kingdom.

Acts 8:26 NLT

As for Philip, an angel of the Lord said to him, “Go south down the desert road that runs from Jerusalem to Gaza.”

blank

there was no way that Philip could’ve known that he was going to meet a eunuch, reading through the prophets, and he was going to open the scriptures to him. There was no way Philip could have known that the eunuch would take the gospel back to Ethiopia and change that country

it was when you start asking God what your part to play is, what your role it, that you begin to truly imitate Christ. Jesus prayed, preached, and lived His life solely for His Father’s kingdom.

I had someone make the comment that they feel like they need to serve when they come to church. You don’t have to serve, you get to serve. You have the privilege and honour of being a part of what God is doing in our community. It is not that you have to, you get to.

Where Are You?

blank

so I gave you 8 reasons why you need to pray, and everyone here falls somewhere on this progression. The question you need to answer is where are you? As you pray about that question, I want to say one thing. I want you to be honest with yourself, no matter how humbling or disappointing it may be. If you are not honest, it is hard to grow. It is hard to advance.

Sometimes, the greatest amount of growth comes when you are the most honest and self-aware you can be. The best part is, you need to notice something about this progression: it only requires that you pray, and God takes care of the rest. God’s presence begins to change your heart, your mind, and your desires. Your perspective changes, your trust and faith grows. all if you are willing to make a greater effort to pray. If you will pray, God will take care of the rest.

So OneChurch, where are you, and are you ready to grow? You need to pray!!

So let’s pray!

1. What stood out from this morning’s message?

2. Take a few moments to pray. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you where you fall on the scale. Remember, when God speaks, you will not experience guilt or shame, but be encouraged because He loves you. He wants what is best for you, and wants to complete the good work He has started in you.

3. If you are comfortable, share with the group where you think you are, and pray for each other, that each of you would grow in the ways God wants to grow you.