Sermon Tone Analysis

God created people for relationship—for fellowship.

There exists a rhythm of relationship with God—being in His presence.

Sin disrupts that rhythm and drives us away from His presence.

We need the rhythm back!

Spiritual growth is impossible apart from the practice of prayer.

Just as the key to quality relationships with other people is time spent in communication, so the key to a growing relationship with the personal God of heaven and earth is time invested in speaking to Him in prayer and listening to His voice.

Kenneth Boa, Handbook to Prayer: Praying Scripture back to God (Atlanta: Trinity House, 1993).

Today’s message: Living Life through Prayer

Living Life through Prayer

Many examples exist in Scripture that help us understand not only the importance of prayer, but how to pray.

Examples of prayer

Jacob wrestling with God.

Moses interceding for the people of Israel.

David praying for personal revival.

Nehemiah praying for the restoration of Jerusalem.

The church praying in the face of persecution.

Jesus demonstrates a life of prayer—of communion with the Father.

One of those instances of prayer with the Father occurs on the night Christ was betrayed and arrested.

Matthew 26:37

First Point: We need others to support us in prayer.

We need others to support us in prayer.

God designed us for community.

Jesus demonstrates that we need others in our lives.

Invite others to pray for your needs.

We should look for opportunities to pray for others.

Transition: Matthew 26:38

Next Point: We need to bring our anxious thoughts to God.

We need to bring our anxious thoughts to God.

As Jesus faced the cross (and the cost of salvation for all who would believe), He went to the Father.

When you have something that’s bothering you, you have two choices: you can worry about it or you can pray about it.

Worrying is talking to yourself about things beyond your control; praying is talking to God about things beyond your control.

1 Peter 5:7

Matthew 26:39

Second Point: We need to submit our will to God’s will.

We need to submit our will to God’s will.

Personal safety and security are powerful emotions and motivators that enter our prayer life.

If not careful, we can attempt to seek that our own will be done rather than the will of God.

Text: Matthew 6:9-10 (The Lord’s Prayer on God’s Will)

We pray, not to tell God what to do, but to avail ourselves to him to shape our will to his.

We bring our prayers honestly to God, thinking we know best, but wisely leaving the outcome to him.

Conclusion

Review

We need others to support us in prayer.

We need to bring our anxious thoughts to God.

We need to submit our will to God’s will.

Prayer demonstrates the quality of our relationship with God.

The most important prayer: Our need of God to save us.

Living Life: A Series on Relationships