Revelation 5

So let’s keep focused on that goal, those of us who want everything God has for us. If any of you have something else in mind, something less than total commitment, God will clear your blurred vision—you’ll see it yet! Now that we’re on the right track, let’s stay on it.

Corporate Scripture for 2018 - Keep focused- Keep commited- Keep going

We have been in a series about prayer and understanding it thru God’s purpose and plan for it.

Not man’s plan not man’s purpose

NIV 21 Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.

21 Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.

Prayer is about God’s plan not yours

but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.

So let’s review a little this week

The most misunderstood activity in the church today, if prayer works then why don’t we see the effects and results?

Plan- Purpose- Position - Pattern- Power

Plan- God’s plan - “Let Them” who is them? Man{Who is man?} Male/Female

Mankind- man is a spirit - So them are humans {What is a human?} Humus means dirt, so humus man is a man in a dirt body or a spirit in a dirt body.

So God gave human, legal authority on earth “Let Them” let them what?

have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth

What is dominion- dominance and authority to rule with sovereignty

So we learned thru God’s plan these laws:

God is as sovereign as His word ( When God speaks it becomes law)

God is limited by His word (God must do what He says)

God will never violate His word (God is faithful to His word even if it means the fall of all of mankind)

That’s why during the fall of mankind God wouldn’t interfere not that He couldn’t.

So God gave man legal authority to dominate and rule hear on earth.

God wants us to manifest on earth, what has already happened in heaven

Let your kingdom come, let it be done on earth as it is in heaven.

18 “Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.

God has the power but we have the authority

Purpose - Luke 11:1

11 Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.”2 So He said to them, “When you pray, say: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.

11 Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.”

2 So He said to them, “When you pray, say:

Our Father in heaven,

God wants the structure of heaven here on earth

Hallowed be Your name.

Your kingdom come.

We are ambassadors, we represent the kingdom of heaven

Your will be done

God always needed and continues to need man’s co operation to move here on the earth

On earth as it is in heaven.

Abraham and Sodom and Gomorrah

Noah and the destruction and deliverance of mankind

Moses and the exit of God’s people from Egypt

Esther and the deliverance of the Jews

Bring heaven to earth- The beginning starts on earth and ends on earth

To understand prayer and it’s purpose you MUST understand God’s plan for it, not man’s.

To understand God’s plan you need to understand what was His original intent for man and for earth.

God will never violate His word, God gave man legal authority on earth to dominate it.

Man’s purpose is to move God’s kingdom on earth as it is in heaven, so we will need to understand heavens mandates and principles.

We are ambassadors of Christ, sent from heaven to colonize and represent heaven on earth.

We need to learn the art of prayer, it is a learned activity

Prayer is always always about the will of the Father, if you don’t know it then stop praying...

Prayer is earthly license for heavenly interference.

Let’s quickly look at Jesus as our role model for prayer:

He would spend 5 hours praying with God and head out and deal with issues and do miracles in a matter of minutes

The disciples started to see that Jesus spent hours in prayer and dealt in minutes with man

We have it backwards, we spend a few minutes with God and deal with man all day over issues

We learned from - the healing for the man at the pool-

16 For this reason the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to kill Him, because He had done these things on the Sabbath. 17 But Jesus answered them, “My Father has been working until now, and I have been working.”

In effect Christ was saying to those who questioned his healing,” I spent time with my Father this morning I already had my whole day worked out for me because I had fellowship with God.”

My father has already healed the people I’m touching…

Their healing is the result of knowing what my father is doing… I am just manifesting it!

19 Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. 20 For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel.

When we learn to pray God’s way we seek what the father is doing first!

Jesus prayed that as He and the father are one, His desire is for us to have the same relationship and the same revelation.

We are never quite enough to see what the father is doing.

Position

10 steps to preparedness in prayer

Appropriate God’s Grace

Similarity, God says to us” If you desire to enter into my presence, your sin has to be dealt with.”

Thus Aaron shall come into the Holy Place: with the blood of a young bull as a sin offering, and of a ram as a burnt offering

The next verses talk about atonement for sins and the sacrifices that need to be offered

Similarity, God says to us” If you desire to enter into my presence, your sin has to be dealt with.”

Rather than starting with petitions, we need to ask , “Am I in a position to approach God in His holiness?”

2. Put on Righteousness

God can’t answer prayer when there is disobedience present, knowing and unknowing.

9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness

. ( )

2. Put on Righteousness

The priest needed to wear the right clothes- the clothes God said to wear-

The priest had his own clothing- but God said in effect “If you want to come in here, you need to put on what I say” Put on righteousness, is being right with God not by your acts but by what Jesus has already done for you.

18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—19 and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

This is in essence in preparation to prayer

Put on righteousness, is being right with God not by your acts but by what Jesus has already done for you.

Why? linen? Linen is a fabric that breathes , and there is no perspiration sweating in God’s presence

Sweat represents rebellion against God it is part of the curse God gave to Adam by the sweat of your brow...

Sweat represents your trying to reach God by your merits and by your way and methods

We can’t work ourselves into God’s presence by our own efforts

21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

3. Put on Truth and Honesty

Linen sash- the sash covers the most delicate areas of your life, the parts you don’t like to talk about, the secret or private areas you try and hide. Ephesians 14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth,

What are you not talking to or ignoring in your life that will stop your prayers?

4. Cleanse with the Word

Wash your body… Before we enter into God’s presence we must be cleaned

Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, 26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word

5. Worship and PraiseIn the Bible incense is the symbol of worship.

God’s word aligns you with His motives and attitudes.

Put’s the right frame of mind in you, let this mind be in you which was in Christ, Jesus

5. Worship and Praise

In the Bible incense is the symbol of worship.

12 Then he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from the altar before the Lord, with his hands full of sweet incense beaten fine, and bring it inside the veil

In the Bible incense is the symbol of worship.

This is the pattern god desired for us to enter in… God is saying that when your sins are covered and your heart is pure, when you are being honest and pure in heart and your being cleansed by His word, you are now ready to worship

You must worship God in spirit and honest motives, which is truth

6. Separate Yourself

17 There shall be no man in the tabernacle of meeting when he goes in to make atonement in the Holy Place, until he comes out, that he may make atonement for himself, for his household, and for all the assembly of Israel

We need to get out of our normal environments our normal activities and give Him our full attention

12 Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.

Are you in the right place? This is where fasting can also come in here but we will talk about that later.

Getting yourself ready in many ways, physically and spiritually

7. Believe

There was a time when they had to believe that the process manifested and that their sins were forgiven.

Do we believe the finger of God by sending His son, Jesus to wash our sins away has been enough?

8. Give God the Glory

Wow, what an amazing statement!

8. Give God the Glory

25 The fat of the sin offering he shall burn on the altar

God told them to collect the fat but not to eat it to place it on the altar and burn it to Him

Fat is a symbol of glory because fat is excess.

The glory belongs to God alone. The extra, what are you doing with the extra God has given you?

9. Wash in the Word

Glory belongs to God alone

9. Wash in the Word

Why wash again?

First time was for cleansing and the second time is for appropriating God’s promises.

So now you have done everything correct so tell me my promises, His word that you want.

10. Remain in the Anointing

In a right relationship with God

Stay in the right frame of mind and heart and purpose

Pattern of Prayer

We need to remember, that first we need to hear what the father’s doing, remember we see that in the position of presence we see washing of the water, first to cleanse but after to cover ourselves with God’s promises

Then we can petition

Let’s look deeper

We often think prayer is just talking to God, tell him what’s on your heart, but that’s not what Jesus taught His disciples when they asked Him in

And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. 8 “Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. 9 In this manner, therefore, pray:

8 “Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. 9 In this manner, therefore, pray:

There is a way we are to pray and it has to be learned

We read on and the “Lord’s Prayer” as we know it was spoken , but not as something to be recited but as a model to learn to pray.

Prayer is approaching God in order to ask Him to accomplish His will in the earth.

Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. 10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. 13 And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one.

Our Father in heaven,

Hallowed be Your name.

10 Your kingdom come.

Your will be done

On earth as it is in heaven.

11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. 13 And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one.

12 And forgive us our debts,

As we forgive our debtors.

Our Father - the first thing we learn is that we never bring ourselves to prayer.

13 And do not lead us into temptation,

Therefore, we are to begin prayer by thinking of others as well as ourselves. Our, we need to think of others because when we are kingdom minded we are here to serve not be served.

But deliver us from the evil one.

“Our Father.” Second, we address God as “Father.”

We identify who He is. One definition of the word father is “source.” We are to go to God with the awareness and confession that He is the Source who can provide for the needs of everyone.

Whatever your problem, the Father has the answer. He is “Abba” (), the Source.

In Heaven - Our Father in heaven.” Next, Jesus is saying,

“When you pray, remember that you’re not praying to someone on earth.”

Why? Because that’s where the problem is. You need external help.

When you say, “Our Father in heaven,” you’re saying to God, “I recognize that I need help from outside my realm.”

help from outside my realm.” It is actually a confession of submission. “You’re greater than all of us, O Lord. We need external help. We need Your help.” In addition, if the Father is not on earth, we need an intermediary. We have to depend on Jesus and the Holy Spirit to be our intermediaries with God. He is in heaven. We are on earth in order to fulfill His plans for the earth.

It is actually a confession of submission.

We are on earth in order to fulfill His plans for the earth.

Hallowed Be Your Name - The word hallowed means reverenced, set apart, or sanctified

This means we are to worship the Father as the Holy One. Later on, we can make our requests, but we begin with worship.

When you pray, you are to make God’s name holy by honoring all the attributes of His holiness, such as His love, faithfulness, integrity, and grace. You worship. You

When you pray, you are to make God’s name holy by honoring all the attributes of His holiness, such as His love, faithfulness, integrity, and grace. You worship.

Christ says, “Begin by acknowledging that the Father is your All in All, and worship Him.”

We will never run out of things for which to worship and praise God.

Your Kingdom Come, Your Will Be Done-This statement simply means that a true person of prayer is not interested in his own kingdom.

His interest is in God’s kingdom and what He wants accomplished. We should always ask for the fulfillment of God’s prayer list before our own. We are to ask, “Father, what do You want done? What do You want to happen on earth?”

We are to ask, “Father, what do You want done? What do You want to happen on earth?” God is delighted when you are excited about the things He’s excited about. He will bless you in the course of accomplishing His work on earth. You don’t have to worry about having your needs met if you start praying for God’s will to be done on earth in other people’s lives. God likes it when you bring other people’s requests to Him and ask Him to meet their needs. Again, that’s why you are to pray, “Our Father.” When you pray for other people, God will bless you because He will see that you have aligned your will

Remember seek ye first the Kingdom of God...

emphasizes this truth: “Pray for each other so that you may be healed.” This statement means that when you minister to someone else, God turns around and ministers to what you need. Isn’t that just like God? “Give, and it will be given to you” (). Therefore, if you are having problems, find someone else who has problems and start helping him solve his. If you need someone to pray for you, start praying for someone else. If you need financial help, give to someone who has less than you do. Jesus says to us, “Think about God’s kingdom first.”

Therefore, if you are having problems, find someone else who has problems and start helping him solve his. If you need someone to pray for you, start praying for someone else. If you need financial help, give to someone who has less than you do. Jesus says to us, “Think about God’s kingdom first.”

How can people want to be in God’s kingdom when only you are blessed? In the kingdom of God there is a common wealth that all share.

Give Us Our Daily Bread- With this statement, Jesus is saying, “While you are in God’s presence and you are asking Him to be faithful to fulfill His will on earth, include this request.” We are to pray, “Give us day by day our daily bread.”

The plural tense used in this statement is tied to the “Our” in “Our Father.” If you tell God that you are coming to Him with the concerns of other people, then when you ask for bread, you have to ask for bread for everybody.

We normally say, “Lord, provide for me.” We’re not thinking of anyone else. Yet God tells us once more, “Ask for others as well as yourself. Pray for others.”

In Jesus’ day, the term “daily bread” was a cultural idiom that referred to everything necessary for the making of bread. Therefore, when you say, “Give us day by day our daily bread,” you’re not only praying for food, but also for the whole process that is necessary to make the food possible. For example, to make bread, you need

In Jesus’ day, the term “daily bread” was a cultural idiom that referred to everything necessary for the making of bread. Jesus is talking about all that. In other words, you are praying for healthy bodies and a healthy environment in which food can grow.

“Give us day by day our daily bread” is a loaded statement. It teaches us to pray, “Thank you, Lord, for giving US all we need to continue to live...

“Give us day by day our daily bread” is a loaded statement. It teaches us to pray, “Thank you, Lord, for keeping the air in our country pollution-free. Thank you for making us wise people who keep our beaches clean. Thank you for preserving the soil from oil contamination. Thank you for keeping all the nutrients in our soil rich, with no chemicals to harm them.” We need to be praying this way. We’re not specific enough. We take too

We need to ask God to protect and bless what we need for daily living—not only for our own sake, but also for the sake of others.

Forgive Us Our Sins, For We Also Forgive- Jesus is now dealing with relationships.

He says, “Your prayer has to take into consideration those with whom you are in relationship.” When you come before God, check to see if anyone has anything against you or if you are holding anything against anyone. Don’t come into God’s presence and expect to have your prayers answered if you are asking God to forgive you, but you are refusing to forgive others.

The gospel of Matthew includes this sobering statement after Jesus’ teaching on prayer: “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins” (). And if God doesn’t forgive you, He’s not going to answer your prayer.

We often overlook the importance of our relationships— and how those relationships affect our prayers.

We often overlook the importance of our relationships— and how those relationships affect our prayers. The devil uses this tendency against us. We go to church and start singing a few worship songs. Soon we forget that we’re angry at others, so we don’t determine to make things right. We let the songs cover up our anger. Yet it remains within us. When we go home, we remember what made us angry, and we hold onto that anger until it develops into bitterness. However, as far as Christ is concerned, having good relationships is one of the keys to answered prayer:

However, as far as Christ is concerned, having good relationships is one of the keys to answered prayer: Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.()

Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something

We can’t do business at a holy altar when we have a bitter heart. We are to forgive freely. “Peter came to Jesus and asked, ‘Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?’ Jesus answered, ‘I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times’” ().

If we regard iniquity in our hearts, the Lord will not hear us ( kjv).

When you pray and fast, God will reveal to you all the hurt, bitterness, and anger you are holding against people. There is going to be conviction in your life because God will remind you of broken relationships you had forgotten about. Why? Because He can talk to you about them now. He can finally get through to you because

Therefore, find out if your relationships are right. Have you committed a wrong against anybody? Are you holding on to a grudge? Is there anyone in your family or local church, anyone at your job, with whom you aren’t in good relationship? God is looking for clean hands and a pure heart (). A broken and a contrite heart the Lord will not ignore or despise (). If we regard

Do Not Lead Us into Temptation- Last, Jesus says, “And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”

This does not mean that God might steer us toward temptation against our wills. It means that we are to ask God for wisdom so we won’t put ourselves into situations that will cause us to compromise our relationship with Him.

egard iniquity in our hearts, the Lord will not hear us ( kjv). However, when we forgive others, God will also forgive us—and the way will be opened for Him to hear and answer our prayers.

In other words, we are to ask God for strength and wisdom to stop making bad decisions and to stop going into bad situations that will tempt us to sin. Some of us set ourselves up for trouble; then we ask God to deliver us.

God is saying, “When you come before Me, pray for wisdom so you can make good decisions without compromising your life in any way

When Jesus asked Peter, James, and John to stay with Him while He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane before His arrest and crucifixion, the disciples fell asleep. “Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?” [Jesus] asked Peter. “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak” ().

The spirit is willing, but the body is weak” (). Jesus knew that Peter was about to be tempted to deny Him—after claiming that he would be willing to die with Him. He told Peter to remain alert and pray. Jesus was referring to watchfulness and prayer when He taught us to pray, “Do not lead us into temptation.” We need to be alert to the temptations and weaknesses that could harm our relationship with God and our testimony for Him, things that Satan will exploit to cause us to stumble. Then we need to pray that God will protect us from succumbing to them. The Bible says, “Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes” ().

Jesus knew that Peter was about to be tempted to deny Him—after claiming that he would be willing to die with Him. He told Peter to remain alert and pray. Jesus was referring to watchfulness and prayer when He taught us to pray, “Do not lead us into temptation.”

We need to be alert to the temptations and weaknesses that could harm our relationship with God and our testimony for Him, things that Satan will exploit to cause us to stumble.

Then we need to pray that God will protect us from succumbing to them. The Bible says, “Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes” ().

Principles

Prayer is more important than all the other activities of the day. Through prayer, God gives guidance, wisdom, and discernment for fulfilling His will and purposes.

Through His intimacy with the Father, Jesus knew the thoughts and heart of God and manifested in His ministry what God was doing in the world.

Through His intimacy with the Father, Jesus knew the thoughts and heart of God and manifested in His ministry what God was doing in the world

God wants the same communion with us that He had with Jesus, so that we will naturally manifest His works.

Prayer does not come automatically. It must be learned.

Prayer is asking God to accomplish His will in the earth. Christ taught His disciples how to fulfill this purpose by giving them a prayer to use as a pattern or model.

The elements of Jesus’ model prayer are the following:

“Our Father”: We bring to God the concerns of others as well as ourselves, acknowledging God as our Source

“In heaven”: We admit we need help from outside our earthly realm—that we need God’s help.

“Hallowed be Your Name”: We worship the Father as the Holy One, glorifying all His attributes. We honor Him in our lives and dealings with others.

“Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven”: We express interest in God’s kingdom and what He wants accomplished before our own interests.

“Give us day by day our daily bread”: We ask God to supply the daily needs of others as well as our own and to provide for the process that makes that sustenance

“And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us”: We forgive others so that God will also forgive us and will hear and answer our prayers.

“And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one”: We are alert to temptations and weaknesses that Satan will exploit to harm our relationship with God. We pray that God will protect us from succumbing to them.

“For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen”: We worship the Father again, giving Him all the glory in advance for answered prayer

Related Media

Related Sermons

Earn an accredited degree from Redemption Seminary with Logos.