Rom 8-Prayers of the Mind-2

| Prayers of the Mind – Praying with Confidence – Part 2! Romans 8:22-32

April 22, 2007 22We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? 25But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. 26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will. 28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. 31 What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? PRAY Scripture Memory: Mark 12:30 – Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. Intro: 5th of six weeks on prayer – Prayers of the heart, soul, mind and strength This morning: Part 2 of Prayers of the Mind – Praying with confidenceThe primary question we are continuing to address: “Why don’t we pray more? The last time we looked at this we began to address the question, “How can I pray with real confidence?” “How can I pray more confidently?”We have looked at how powerful prayer is, both in terms of the supernatural impact on things, as well the reality of the spiritual warfare which surrounds us.We have addressed the issue of our feelings of inadequacy in prayer.Next week we will look at how we can and need to pray for our nation."In Jesus Christ and through faith in Him we may approach God with freedom & confidence." (Eph. 3:12)3 Keys to confident praying:Right Relationship; Right Knowledge &Right MotivationLast time: The keys of Right Relationship and Right Knowledge.This morning the key of Right MotivationQuick review:1st Key: Right relationship:F    Knowing God & Abiding in ChristKnowing God requires two keys, in particular:The Key of Grace and The Key of Faith (confidence)Ø   The Key of GraceIt is a throne of GRACE that we approach…Grace: All the riches of heaven freely given to those who not only do NOT deserve them, but rather DESERVE the opposite. This is key because…Ø   The Key of Faith (confidence)This is what faith is all about—trust.God wants His children to trust Him, and the result of that is expectant, fervent prayers because we are confident that they REALLY DO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. Having a right relationship with God also means:F    Abiding in ChristKnowing God also requires two keys, in particular:The key of Spiritual Disciplines and The Key of RepentanceØ   The key of Spiritual DisciplinesThe question: Do we show bear the kind of fruit which comes only through a lifestyle of prayer and which shows us to be His disciples?Ø   The Key of RepentanceTurning from sin – keeping short accounts with God and othersThe problem with sin and especially with unconfessed sin…2nd Key to confidence in prayer: Right KnowledgeF    Praying ScriptureThis is something which does not come naturally to most of us. It takes effort and training. It takes reflection and submission.There is MUCH more we could say about how to do this, but that is topic for another time…The Q: Do we WANT to learn how to pray confidently enough to learn how to pray Scripture?Another Q: Are we willing to WORK at prayer, or will we only pray in ways that are easy and without cost? Another aspect of right knowledge is:F    Knowing God’s WordThe bottom line is the more thorough our knowledge God’s Word, the more confidently we will find our selves praying. Right knowledge also entails:F    Knowing God’s promisesThere is no prayer that we can pray with more confidence than the one which asks God for what He has already promised to give…. Finally, right knowledge means:F    Knowing God’s willThis, of course, is just another way of saying that we need to have an ever growing and thorough knowledge of God’s Word, especially those parts of His Word where He clearly tells us what His will is.  3rd Key to confidence in prayer: Right MotivationJames 4:2,3"You do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive because you ask with wrong motives so you may spend it on your pleasures."Right Motivation means:F    Praying for God’s willWill you have a church you dreamed of or will you be the church God dreamed?Are we a Mission (Great Commission) driven church or a Maintenance Driven Church?Kingdom praying – The Lord’s Prayer – Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name! Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven…Kingdom desires, vs. temporal desiresQ: How much of our prayer life is focused advancing GOD’s kingdom and how much is focuses on making THIS life more bearable or comfortable?What are the Marks of Kingdom Prayer? (BRIEFLY)“Kingdom-focused prayer is not mere instinct but it is Spirit enabled; not man centered but God-centered; not self-serving but Kingdom-serving; not sentimental but Scriptural; not solo but concerted; not timid but bold; not passive resignation but proactive cooperation. Kingdom-focused prayer is the Spirit-enabled reverent cry of God’s adopted sons and daughters, seeking their Father’s glory by persistently asking Him for the nations, their promised inheritance.” Archie Parrish |   | Ø   Kingdom prayer is God-Centered PrayerPrayer which is concerned about God’s glory, about men and women being right with Him and giving Him the glory that is rightly His – as opposed to man-centered prayer which is concerned about people being more comfortable, more healthy, more secure, feeling better, etc.Ø   Kingdom prayer is Kingdom-Seeking PrayerAs opposed to self-seeking prayer – This is prayer that cries out for God to build his Kingdom here and now, for souls to embrace Christ and for those who have embraced Him to live for His glory as opposed to prayer that is concerned MERELY with the here and now, with the often minor annoyances and struggles of life here and now…This is the dominant concern of Jesus during His earthly ministry.“We need to recover the grand, cosmic significance of Jesus’ saving activity that moves the gospel out of the narrow realm of our self-preoccupation.” (Bob Heppe)Ø   Kingdom prayer is Church-Building Prayer“Making God’s invisible kingdom visible through the Church, so that all the nations will worship Him!” Mike MaloneThis is prayer for the Church, for the health of the Church, for the growth of the Church, for the ministries and leadership of the church. It flows from an understanding of Christ’s intense LOVE for His church and a corresponding desire to see it grow and prosper – as opposed to prayer for individuals, for the private worlds of those we love…Ephesians 3:10 (NIV) – Christ’s intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms.The church is the bride of Christ, His beloved…Ø   Kingdom prayer is Heart-Humbled Prayer“The church has always accomplished the most when she has most realized her own helplessness. Dependence upon God is our greatest need; it focuses our attention on what He can do; and it make His glory a supreme reason for all our concerns.” Ian Murray“Kingdom-centered prayer is characterized by sincere and humble repentance over your lack of love, joy, zeal for the lost, hunger for God, etc.” Global Church Advancement Group – as opposed to our more natural sense of entitlement which views our spiritual short-comings and sins from the perspective of what they might COST me, rather than what they DID cost our Lord. This is prayer which addresses these SPIRITUAL shortcomings with the same fervor with which we naturally desire that God might fill our physical, financial or relational problems.Ø   Kingdom prayer is Faith-Emboldened Prayer “God delights to hear us pestering Him, as it were, with His own promise. Quote the Scripture to Him. And, you know, God delights to hear us doing it, as a father likes to see this element in his own child who has obviously been listening to what his father has been saying.” Martin Lloyd-Jones  Faith-emboldened prayer is prayer that is bold because it flows from a desire to obey God’s commands and from a conviction that prayer is a crucial means to the end that God might be glorified. It is not timid because it finds it strength in God’s command and the confidence that God delights in those who delight in Him.Faith emboldened prayer flows from a growing understanding of God’s Word & His promises, and from a corresponding growth in knowing Him personally.“For undoubtedly, that which God abundantly makes the subject of His promises, God’s people should abundantly make the subject of their prayers. It also affords them the strongest assurances that their prayers shall be successful” Johathan Edwards Ø   Kingdom prayer is Spirit-Prevailing PrayerThis kind of prayer is not mere instinct but it is Spirit enabled. (Parrish) It flows from, and is byproduct of a growing relationship with God.This means that it is persevering, it is fervent and persistent.  It is the Spirit-enabled reverent cry of God’s adopted sons and daughters, seeking their Father’s glory by persistently asking Him for the nations, their promised inheritance.” Archie Parrish “I never pray more than five minutes at a time, but I never go five minutes without praying.” C.H. Spurgeon Ø   Kingdom prayer is not solo, but rather concerted. (Parrish)This means that it is involves regular gathering with like-minded men and women to pray for these things. It is a concert offered up as worship to our Lord and Savior. Finally, Right Motivation means:F    Praying for God’s gloryJohn 15:7-87If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 8This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.The chief end of man is…To glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.It’s what we were made for. It is what brings the greatest satisfaction in life. It is what we will rejoice in for all eternity.Notice the progression in John 15:7-81.     Remain (abide) in Christ.2.     Write His words on our hearts.3.     Pray4.     Your prayers will be answered.5.     You will be fruitful6.     God will be glorified by the evidence that you are clearly His.   Summary / Review:This Summer I hope to do a Sunday School class on how to pray Kingdom prayers and how to pray Scripture. It will be based, primarily, upon the prayer we know as “The Lord’s prayer” A Truth to Remember: The Kingdom of God is the eternal Kingdom in which Christ rules without dispute and which His people live with Him free from sin and full of everlasting joy. A Challenge to Consider:Do your prayers reflect the petition of the Lord’s prayer: “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven?” One thing I heard this morning was…     |