“Commanded to Pray”

1 Timothy 2:1-8 “Commanded to Pray”

Has anyone found prayer to be difficult?

Statistics show that 22 percent of 18-29-year-olds pray seldom to never, and 36 percent of 30-49-year-olds pray at least once a month (1). The statistics continue to show that as the new generations come along, fewer and fewer people are teaching children and their families the value of prayer

Personally speaking, I’ve found prayer to be one of the most difficult disciplines in our Christian walk

Maybe you start praying and the next thing you know, you’re thinking about something that has not to do with the prayer you started with?

Prayer is one of the most important ways we can fight the good fight

It would make sense that Satan would want to halt our prayer life

Jesus’s prayer life: (Jesus is God, yet He needed to pray)

-Jesus leaves to find a deserted place to pray to regain His strength after serving the people

-Jesus woke up early in the morning to pray before he went about His day or before he made an important decision, Jesus went off to pray on His own

-When He was in the garden of Gethsemane before His death He stayed up all night praying for strength to be obedient to the Fathers will.

The Bible teaches we should pray all the time, but especially in times of weakness

Philippians 4:6 “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”

***Last week: We ended with fight the good fight or wage the good warfare

1. (V1) Called to pray for all people

James 5:16 “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.”

Four elements of Prayer

Supplication is simply asking for your needs eg..”Lord I pray that you would provide that thing I need”

Prayers is a broad word, referring to all communication with the Lord.

Intercessions refer to the requests we make on behalf of others. As we pray, there should be time when the needs of others find a place in our prayer before God’s throne.

Pray for their faith to grow

Pray against temptation

Pray for salvation

4. Giving of thanks is an essential part of our walk with God. Those who lack a basic sense of gratitude in their lives lack a basic Christian virtue.

If you find that you are a chronic complainer, then you lack gratitude

We’re grumbling against God because He allowed whatever difficult situation you are going through

1 Timothy 6:6 “But godliness with contentment is great gain,”

1.1 (V2) Pray for everyone

a) The church (The body of Christ)

b) Family members

c) Teachers and students

d) Our country & President

We should be praying our country would be led in a godly way

2. (V3) Why pray? This is good and well pleasing in the sight of God

a) He desires all people to be saved

Our words cannot convince people of Christ, its the Holy Spirit that does the convicting and changes the heart of man

3. (V5) One mediator between us and God

Jesus is the bridge between us and God

John 14:6 “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

4. (V8) Paul is establishing the order for the church

a) Men are called to lead the public prayer

God calls men to be the spiritual leader in the home and in corporate prayer

Without anger or quarreling

Reasons:

“The use of this official title is an indication that the Pastoral Epistles were not merely private letters, but were intended to be read to the Churches committed to the charge of Timothy.” (White)

Genesis 3:16 “To the woman he said, “I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be contrary to your husband, but he shall rule over you.””