Praying Always in The Spirit Pt. 3

Scripture Reading

Ephesians 6:17–18 “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;”

Introduction

1. Fundamentals of Prayer

Worship

Image of God

Access

2. Features of Prayer

Adoration

Confession

Supplication

Thanksgiving

3. Frequency of Prayer

4. Fulness of Prayer

5. Faithfulness in Prayer

6. Forms of Prayer

Prayer isn’t lip-labor, not babbling expressions, nor eloquent orations - isn’t mere form or set prayers.

Prayer isn’t pretence, some show, or mouth worship to be seen of men.

Prayer ought not be done without Christ or outside the Word of God - nor with sinful intent.

Prayer isn’t mere physical posture alone - it is honest, sincere before our heavenly Father.

Sermon

3. Frequency of Prayer

1. seeking God’s face - His countenance conveys grace and peace (Ps. 4:6, 89:15) (right arm 0 Ps. 44:3)

Countenance

Numbers 6:24–26 “The Lord bless thee, and keep thee: The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.”

Psalm 67:1 “God be merciful unto us, and bless us; And cause his face to shine upon us; Selah.”

His Face

2 Chronicles 7:14 “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

Psalm 27:8 “When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek.”

Psalm 105:4 “Seek the Lord, and his strength: Seek his face evermore.”

1 Chronicles 16:11 “Seek the Lord and his strength, Seek his face continually.”

Hosea 5:15 “I will go and return to my place, Till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: In their affliction they will seek me early.”

In Christ

2 Corinthians 3:18 “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”

2 Corinthians 4:4 “In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”

The Glory of God - seeking Him, seeking His character, seeking His things, will, wisdom

Do all to the glory of God - 1 Corinthians 10:31 “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”

Renewal, transformed (Rom. 12)

2. continual - Romans 12:12 “Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;”

1. Moment by moment

1 Thessalonians 5:17 “Pray without ceasing.”

Part of godliness - Romans 1:28 “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;”

ready - spontaneous

quality with constancy, be aware of continual distraction

continuing open dialogue

2. Throughout the Day

Psalm 55:17 “Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: And he shall hear my voice.”

1 Chronicles 16:11 “Seek the Lord and his strength, Seek his face continually.”

3. Constantly

Luke 18:1–14 “And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.”

4. Unto the End

1 Peter 4:7 “But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.”

5. What continual isn’t

Not a perpetual repeating of any prayer or any form of prayer - Matt. 5:5-7 (pagan & hypocritical)

6. What you need

“perseverance” - endurance, waiting, patience

4. Faithfulness in Prayer - watching

Ephesians 6:18

“watching thereunto”

Prayer considers “watching” thus looks over all prayer

Watching - 1st, 2nd, 3rd watch of the night - you were “awake”

Vigilance - of course suitable to the battle context

1 Peter 5:8 “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:”

1 Timothy 3:2–3 “A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;”

Alert and awake

Romans 13:11 “And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.”

1 Corinthians 15:34 “Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.”

Ephesians 5:14 “Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.”

What are we watching thereunto?

That which we know, believe, and pray

Waiting upon God - Ephesians 3:20–21 “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.”

Keep diligently our heart - Proverbs 4:23 “Keep thy heart with all diligence; For out of it are the issues of life.”

Continue in faith - believing what you believe

Romans 8

Opposite of watching

Doing Eph. 2

Not being awake, but asleep

Being conformed to the world

Not fighting

Not walking in good works

Not doing the one anothers

with all perseverance

5. Fulness of Prayer

6. Forms of Prayer

Conclusion