Sermon Tone Analysis

Praying Effectively

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September 9, 2007

 

2 Corinthians 12:7-9

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In a crisis, people sometimes bargain with God as if He could be manipulated into acting on their behalf.

But Christians do not have to bargain or beg.

We simply need to pray effectively, which means calling on God with certainty that only He can fix our problem.

This is what God’s Word tells us in 2 Corinthians chapter 12 and verses 7 to 9: /“And because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet me—to keep me from exalting myself!

\\ Concerning this I entreated the Lord three times that it might depart from me.

And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness."

Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may dwell in me.”/

When we face adversity, prayer must have purpose to be effective.

Daily conversations with the Lord frequently cover lots of people and topics, and there's nothing wrong with that—regular communication is what builds a healthy relationship with God.

But when James speaks about the righteous person's effective prayer reaping results in chapter 5 and verse16 and says /“Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed.

The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much”/  he is referring to a petition focused on a single situation and its resolution.

The King James Version uses the word "fervent" to describe such requests, which are driven by urgency and a strong desire for resolution.

We're to go before the Lord continually, asking for help, strength, and /a way /through the difficulty.

God wants to wield His supernatural power in our life to help us.

However, believers can allow pride and self-reliance to get in the /way.

/As long as we think we can handle a tough situation on our own, we won't be praying the way James describes.

An effective prayer recognizes our weakness and His strength.

It is when we feel most desperate and helpless that God's Holy Spirit can release the greatest measure of power As 2 Corinthians 12:9 says, /“And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness."

Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may dwell in me.

“/

Effective prayer is hon­est and real.

There is no need for bargaining with the Lord—He is pleased to intervene on our behalf when we trust in Him alone to care for us.

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