Sermon Tone Analysis

| *The Power of Prayer – **Prayer as our Greatest Strength*!

Romans 8:22-32

March 18, 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?PRAYScripture Memory: We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

– Rom 8:28 Intro: If someone were to come to you with an investment opportunity that you had every reason to believe was virtually a sure thing…If you had access to a weapon that would turn the tide of a war in your favor…IF you really believed… 2nd of four weeks on prayer – 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.’

1. Prayers of the Heart – An Introduction to the Mystery of Prayer2.

The Power of Prayer – Prayer as our greatest strength3.

Prayers of the Mind – Praying with confidence4.

Prayers of the Soul – Spirit led prayersThis morning: The Power of Prayer – Prayer as our greatest strength *Four Questions:*1.

Does prayer *really* change things?2.

What is /Spiritual warfare/?3.

What do we *really* believe about the efficacy (power) and necessity of prayer?4.

The bottom line: Why don’t we pray more?

Why is it that Prayer is more often a /last resort/, rather than a /first response/?1.

Does prayer really change things?Ezek.

36: 37 (NIV) “This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Once again I will yield to the plea of the house of Israel and do this for them: I will make their people as numerous as sheep,”*Two extremes:*1.

*The /Name it, Claim it, & Frame it/ camp:* If only we have enough *faith*, we can pray for anything and it will happen.

If we pray and we do not get what we ask, we must not *really* believe enough.

— Supernatural, but dependent upon the *faith* of the one praying.2.     *The /Pious/ camp:* Prayer changes the one praying.

— A *natural* reaction to a proper focus…, or perhaps a supernatural one, but limited to the 1 praying, nonetheless.*Two

other extremes:*1.

*God is sovereign and His eternal decrees are unchangeable.*

So obviously, no mere man can affect the way He will do things by their prayers!

In other words, why pray since God is going to do His way anyway?2.     *God’s hands are tied.*

If *we* don’t pray, then *He* can’t move forward.*Q:

*Does prayer *really* change things?

Does God actually move in response to the prayers of mere men?☞Parallel with evangelism & the sovereignty of God….Prayer doesn’t change anything.

God does.

Preaching doesn’t save anyone.

God does.

However just as God has chosen the foolishness of preaching as his primary chosen vehicle to save people, so also He has chosen the weakness of prayer to change things.

(Global Church Advancement Seminar)Exodus 32 – Moses interceding for the nation of Israel     vs.

14: “God relented” (KJV – “repented”)James 5:17-18 – 17Elijah was a man just like us.

He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years.

18Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.>    1 Kings 17 – Elijah raising the widow’s son – through prayer.>

Hezekiah (2 Kings 20) prayer for healing>    Hannah’s prayer for a son>    Etc.☞/The

contingency of 2nd causes/>    We are God’s hands.

We are God’s voice.>

The example of the man in the flood.>    2 Cor.

5:20 – “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though…”>    Job’s prayers for his friends>     Abraham’s prayer for Abimelech in Gen. 20:7 – He will pray for you and you will live.”

2.

What is /Spiritual warfare/?Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world‑ forces of this darkness against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places."/

/(Ephesians 6:12)"Be self‑controlled and alert.

Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour."

/(1 Peter 5:8)/The more godly a man is, and the more graces and blessings of God are upon him, the more need he has to pray, because Satan is busiest against him, and because he is readiest to be puffed up with a conceited holiness.

– Richard GreenhamSpiritual warfare is very real, even if we cannot see it much of the time.Many times we concede this battle by virtue of our practical denial of its existence.*What

does spiritual warfare look like?*NOTE:

Major on God and minor on Satan…☞   *Spiritual warfare is a battle for preeminence in people’s hearts and minds.*

Satan is the prince of this world.

All those who reject God are under his authority and power.☞

*Satan’s enemies are God and His people.*

Therefore Spiritual warfare is played out in our hearts and minds as we wrestle with the temptations and trials of life.☞

*There are three enemies of our souls: the world, the flesh and the devil.*

The devil uses the world and our flesh against us, but the problems they bring are not always due to his direct intervention.

However, they are all aspects of spiritual warfare because of the fact that we need to fight them on a spiritual plane.☞

*Satan’s primary strategies are seen in his names:*·     *Accuser* – Satan delights to divide, to sow suspicion, doubt and fear.·

*Deceiver* – Satan’s power is in a lie.

But a lie has no power unless it is believed.

|   | ·     *Tempter* – Satan cannot make us sin, but he can and does make sin appear more appealing at times.·

*Destroyer* – Satan’s goal is to destroy.

He hates God and he hates God’s people.*What

spiritual warfare is NOT:*☞   *Satan and God are not equal and opposite*, although they are opposed to each other….☞

*Satan and his minions are not all-present or all-knowing,* even if they are invisible.

Therefore not every temptation or trial we face has its origin in him.

There is a danger in seeing a demon in every nook and cranny.

But there also a danger in denying their existence or their malevolence towards God’s people, in particular.We could say MUCH more about this… *3:* What do we *really* believe about the efficacy (/power/) & necessity of prayer?*Misconceptions:*☞   *The Desires of our Hearts*Psalm 37:4 – Delight yourself in the LORD          and he will give you the desires of your heart.☞

*The Issue of Faith*Matthew 17:20-21 “if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move.

Nothing will be impossible for you.”

>    2 Cor.

12: 8 – Paul’s “thorn”>    David and his child who died.☞   *The Issue of God’s Will*1 John 5:14-15 “if we ask anything according to His will…”>     Phil.

4:6>     James 4:2,3>     Our Lord in the garden ☞   *The Issue of the sovereignty of God:*James 5:16 – The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.”

(NIV)The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and wonderful results.

(NLT)“The effective, *fervent* prayer of a righteous man avails much.”

(NKJV)Prayer is a *mystery*.>

stories of God protecting missionaries in direct response to His people praying at a time of great need.“God is looking for people through whom He can do the impossible—what a pity that we plan only for the things we can do by ourselves.”

A.W. Tozer 4.

The bottom line: Why don’t we pray more?Why is it that Prayer is more often a *last resort* rather than a *first response*?

Why is that we get 100 out for a special concert, but never more than 25 for a prayer mtg?"For large numbers, prayer is merely a spare tire, something to be used when the other tires fail."

(C.

Allen)>    When we are *desperate*, we all pray.

It is when we are confident in ourselves that we neglect prayer.When did the disciples ask the Lord to teach them to pray?

When they were humbled by their inadequacy in ministry (Steve Childers)What will it take to make us desperate enough to pray?>

The question of unanswered prayer:Oswald Chambers – “Jesus never mentioned unanswered prayer.

He had the unlimited certainty of knowing that prayer is always answered.

Do we have, through the Spirit of God, that inexpressible certainty that Jesus had about prayer, or do we think of the times when it seemed that God did not answer our prayer?

Jesus said, “… everyone who asks receives …” (Matthew 7:8).

Yet we say, “But …, but … .”

God answers prayer in the best way—not just sometimes, but every time.