Prayer Can Change Your Life!

Introduction

Begin new series on prayer.

We’ve recently finished the series on Holy Spirit who enables us to pray to the Father in the name of Jesus.

As we read and focus on Scripture, we hear from God and discover more about Him as well meditate on it.

The Spirit illuminates us into what we are reading about God and we see who He really is, His characteristics, His glory and we can’t help but respond praise

That is prayer - talking to, responding to God

On definition of prayer is communion with God, usually comprising petition, adoration, praise, confession, and thanksgiving. The ultimate object of prayer in both OT and NT is not merely the good of the petitioner but the honor of God’s name.

Prayer is intimacy with God that leads to the fulfillment of His purposes. Alvin Reid

Prayer is difficult for most of us because we don’t fully understand what prayer is all about.

D.A. Carson says, “Christian learn to pray by listening to those around them,”

Who, then, have you listened to pray?

What did you learn - prayer is a “grocery list” of desires.

It is very easy for us to operate on Christian autopilot, relying on the reserves of previous learning and last week’s worship, and not abiding in Christ in a constant, moment-by-moment reliance.

Beyond this, it is easy to ignore the opportunities for community prayer, thinking I do not need it, or viewing it as a gathering of folks who have nothing else more productive to do with their time.

Then we can easily get into a rut where we just allow requests to serve as our foundation for prayer rather than engaging God in a conversation.

So for the next few weeks we are going to look at prayer and hopefully become better pray-ers.

Four Purposes of Prayer

Prayer is an act of Dedication

Express

Our devotion to God

Our dependence upon God

Biggest problem with prayer is that we don't feel dependence upon God.

Prayerlessness is our declaration of independence from God.

I can do it all

What does it cost to show our dependence?

Honesty

We must admit "I need help"

"God, I admit I have a need and need your help

John 15:5-7, “I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without me. If anyone does not remain in me, he is thrown aside like a branch and he withers. They gather them, throw them into the fire, and they are burned.  If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you.”

Remain = depend on/in God

Branch/Vine= Christian/God

Prayer is the support system

Prayer is an act of Communication

Most problems in life are communication problems

Wife

Kids

Job

Can't understand God unless you communicate with Him

Cuban Missile Crisis = established Hotline between Prez and Premier of USSR

Can't communicate unless you know a person - relationship with them

John 15:15, “do not call you servants anymore, because a servant doesn’t know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything I have heard from my Father.”

Called friends

Reason we can ask is because we're friends

We fail to recognize we can talk to God

What would you do if you had an interview with the President?

Dress up

Make a list of questions

Call your friends

We have a greater invitation than that - We are invited to talk with God

We have a hard time believing God is interested in us

In our car payments

In our house payments

In our kid's clothes

In our job

In our back problems

When you discover how much God loves you, prayer won't be a problem

Prayer is an act of Supplication

Supplication= requests -

Phil. 4:6-7, “Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”

John 16:24, “Until now you have asked for nothing in my name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.”

Some things he will only do if you ask

NT Christians had power

Why don't we?

We don't ask - they did!

Over 20 times in NT it says ask, seek, knock, keep on asking

Man died went to heaven, saw great warehouses, asked what was in them, looked and saw a tag on each, read it and it said "Never asked for."

C.H. Spurgeon, "God never shuts His storehouse until you shut your mouth."

What are you lacking, but never asked for?

What should you ask for? What you want.

Psalm 145:15-16, “All eyes look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time. You open your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing.”

Psalm 37:4, “Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you your heart’s desires.”

As we begin to focus on God our desires will begin to line up with God’s desires and we just need to ask to receive.

High School kid becomes a Christian. Learning new words about God, Omniscient. Has an algebra test, prays for an 87, took test, got it back and made and 86, prayed and shared disappointment, next day teacher said she made a mistake, took his and 4 others back, returned and had an 87

God cares about you.

Why ask? Joy made complete - happy

When ask God gets blessed - show His love and resources, you get blessed by receiving the answer, world gets blessed by seeing God working

Prayer is an act of Cooperation

God has chosen to use us to cooperate with and complete His plan that Jesus began

Through prayer to get it done

God chose to limit Himself to He will accomplish on earth to the faith of His children through prayer

Have faith that He will do

John 14:11-14, “Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Otherwise, believe because of the works themselves. Truly I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do. And he will do even greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.”

V. 12 Have you been doing things Jesus has?

Hard to believe that we will do greater things than Jesus

How is this possible?

Through prayer and as we learned last week through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit

Prayer is not limited to time or space

When Jesus was here, He voluntarily limited Himself as a human where he was.

Prayer is not limited by time, be answered later, Jesus prayers answered today

Prayer not limited by space - can pray for others in other places and be answered

Only thing to do is pray - great! - See the impossible become possible

6 times Jesus said "if you ask, I will do"

Your part is ask

My part is to do

Now What?

Who are the heroes in heaven?

Grahams, Spurgeons,

It’s the little unknowns who prayed for the superstars

No little people in God's Eyes - Prayer is most important

D. L. Moody, "Every great movement of God can be traced to a single kneeling praying figure."

I want our church to be a praying church. Why?

A praying church is a holy church, committed church - sensitive to God and others

A praying church is an enthusiastic excited church - see miracles and we need miracles in our church

A praying church is a happy church - answers to prayer - joy made full - you will tell others

Pray

What are you lacking? Ask

Experiment - Think of one specific thing to ask God for

Need, write it down and we are going to believe God will do it.

We'll pray and when it's answered let me know. Don't miss out on this exciting opportunity

Lord, teach me to pray. Thank you for calling me your friend. I want a friendship with you, lead me. I want to see miracles. (Ask for your request) Help me to believe you'll answer it. Pray for our church to grow, to grow spiritually, for others and their requests. Father I'm excited about what's going to happen. Amen.