Men ought always to pray and not to faint.
Sermon • Submitted
0 ratings
· 1,935 viewsNotes
Transcript
Handout
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
Ice-breaker
Welcome - bulletin, connect card, baptism, membership.
RightNow Media
Receive board.
Text
Prayer
Doing a series on “Shifting Focus - From Membership to Discipleship.” Based on where Jesus said:
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations.”
What we are seeking to learn is “What should we do as individuals and as a church to become disciples and make more disciples?”
First step: Go to church.
Second step today is Lord teach us to pray.
Endeavor to become a man or woman of prayer.
And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;
King James Version Chapter 18
men ought always to pray, and not to faint;
not to lose heart.
Ask any mature Christian, any spiritual person, any successful Christian, any thriving Christian and they will all say - Spend time in prayer.
My own word from God in Ogle. “You must become a person of prayer.”
Definition of Prayer:
O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice;
in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch.
talking to God
communing/spending time with God
Goal of prayer:
Entry level- ask God for what we desire, to answer our prayers
Middle-level - ask God what He desires, and we obey.
Top-level - Bringing our entire lives into alignment with God
We see the importance of prayer in the life of Jesus:
And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.
O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice;
in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch.
I rise before dawn and cry for help;
I hope in your words.
In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God.
And he came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. And when he came to the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” And he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. And when he rose from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping for sorrow, and he said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation.”
;
It was his custom
in the most difficult hour of His life, He was in intense prayer.
knelt down
Prayer of all prayers - not my will. The purpose of prayer is not for God to do our will but for us to do God’s will. It is bringing our lives into submission, surrender to God so that God’s will become ours. We are tuning into God.
Angels attend to us in our prayer.
prayer can be strenuous, agonizing. His sweat became like drops of blood.
While He prayed, the disciples slept.
praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,
The elephant in the room is
“Why are my prayers unanswered?”
Reasons fro unanswered prayer.
Sin
Sin
If I regard iniquity in my heart,
The Lord will not hear me:
If I had cherished iniquity in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened.
Ps
When you spread out your hands,
I will hide my eyes from you;
even though you make many prayers,
I will not listen;
your hands are full of blood.
If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.
But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.
If you are living in sin, God will not answer. Simple.
If you son/dtr. disobeys you, how prone are you to respond to a request from them at that time?
But there is another even worse -
Rebellion
Rebellion
Living a continuous life of sin.
For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
and his ears are open to their prayer.
But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
If anyone turns a deaf ear to my instruction, even their prayers are detestable.
Living a continuous life of sin.
If anyone turns a deaf ear to my instruction, even their prayers are detestable.
If anyone turns a deaf ear to my instruction, even their prayers are detestable.
We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does his will.
We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does his will.
The LORD is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous.
The LORD is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous.
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.
King James Version Chapter 5
The effectual yfervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much
English Standard Version Chapter 5
The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.
The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right, and his ears are open to their prayers. But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil.
Unforgiveness
Unforgiveness
And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.
For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
Marital problems
Marital problems
Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.
Unbelief
Unbelief
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.
But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.
You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it.
You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it.
Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
Wrong Motives
Wrong Motives
You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask.
You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.
Why do you want that car? House? Job? Position?
to prove a point
to show off
When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
All a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the LORD.
All a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the LORD.
Examine your motives.
A person may think their own ways are right, but the LORD weighs the heart.
Not God’s will
Not God’s will
And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.
And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.
God hears us and wants to answer our prayers but He is not our genie, not our servant, not our errand-boy.
He is God of the universe and the entire world trembles before Him.
Was that unanswered prayer in the will of God?
We must always seek God’s will. It’s all about Him and the advancement of His kingdom not you.
This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
All a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the LORD.
A person may think their own ways are right, but the LORD weighs the heart.
Be very happy that God didn’t answer some of your prayers.
If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.
But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.
If anyone turns a deaf ear to my instruction, even their prayers are detestable.
We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does his will.
The LORD is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous.
The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right, and his ears are open to their prayers. But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil.
Lack of compassion -done
Lack of compassion -done
Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor will himself call out and not be answered.
We live in a prosperous country. We must respond to the needs of people around us.
Whoever shuts their ears to the cry of the poor will also cry out and not be answered.
If someone asks you for something and you can give, then give, bless them.
Give and shall be given.
Lack of fellowship with God.
Lack of fellowship with God.
If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
Your prayer life is non-existent and you never spend time in His Word.
Your prayer life is non-existent and you never spend time in His Word.
But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.
You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it.
Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
Lack of perseverance
Lack of perseverance
Giving up: Just when you give up that is when God answers. You must persevere.
Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.
For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
Treating your spouse badly.
Treating your spouse badly.
Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.