SF742 - Victorious Prayer (Matthew 6 9-13)
Matthew 6:9-13
Introduction
We can do nothing better than to learn how to pray.
Sometimes when we pray we do not expect God to answer our prayer.
Children prayed for a missionary and wrote to tell him of their prayers. Teacher told them that he was very busy and would not be able to answer each of their letters. So one little girl wrote, “Dear Brother Brown, we are praying for you but we do not expect an answer.”
Sometimes we doubt our prayers
A 4-year-old boy who was asked to say grace before Christmas dinner. The family members bowed their heads in expectation. He began his prayer, thanking God for all his friends, naming them one by one. Then he thanked God for Mommy, Daddy, brother, sister, Grandma, Grandpa, and all his aunts and uncles. Then he began to thank God for the food. He gave thanks for the turkey, the dressing, the fruit salad, the cranberry sauce, the pies, the cakes, even the Cool Whip.
Then he paused, and everyone waited—and waited. After a long silence, the young fellow looked up at his mother and asked, “If I thank God for the broccoli, won’t he know that I’m lying?”
These are dangerous days
The drug pushers
The violent criminals
The ungodly philosophies
Our real enemy - is the evil one
The organized, energized, mobilized demonized forces of hell!
We have a deadly enemy - this is a call to arms!
1A. The Sinister Person of Evil
“deliver us from the evil one”
Satan wants to hide under a veil of lies
1B. Satan is a person
Deceiver, liar, murder, accuser, tempter, prince, destroyer, the evil one
He is personal, aggressive, intelligent, cunning, and destructive, his most cleaver method is to make people believe that he does not exist.
The devil is not in Hell
2B. Satan is a prince
(Ephesians 6:12 NIV) "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."
(Ephesians 2:2 NIV) "in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient."
(Matthew 25:41 NIV) ""Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels."
Satan is gathering the nations of this world to rebel against God.
(Revelation 16:14 NIV) "They are spirits of demons performing miraculous signs, and they go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them for the battle on the great day of God Almighty."
(2 Corinthians 4:4 NIV) "The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God."
Satan’s great desire is to be worshipped
3B. Satan is powerful
(1 Peter 5:8 NIV) "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour."
It is folly to scoff at his power
(Acts 26:18 NIV) "to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.'"
Satan is a supernatural person with supernatural power!
4B. Satan has a purpose
He is in open revolt against God
Lucifer - light bearer
(Isaiah 14:12-14 KJV) "How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! {13} For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: {14} I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High."
Lucifer the son of the morning became Satan the father of the night
5B. Satan has a plan
His chief method is deception
(John 8:44 NIV) "You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies."
His motive is murder and his method is the lie.
Notice the way he is described
(Ephesians 6:11 NIV) "Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes."
(2 Corinthians 2:11 KJV) "Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices."
(2 Timothy 2:26 NIV) "and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will."
Ø In the last days there will be a resurgence of demonic activity
He seeks to deceive through spiritism
Ø New Age
Ø Astrology
Ø Tarot cards
Ø Psychics
(1 John 4:1 NIV) "Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world."
(Leviticus 19:31 NIV) ""'Do not turn to mediums or seek out spiritists, for you will be defiled by them. I am the LORD your God."
(Deuteronomy 18:9-14 NIV) "When you enter the land the LORD your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations there. {10} Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, {11} or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. {12} Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD, and because of these detestable practices the LORD your God will drive out those nations before you. {13} You must be blameless before the LORD your God. {14} The nations you will dispossess listen to those who practice sorcery or divination. But as for you, the LORD your God has not permitted you to do so."
He seeks to deceive through drug abuse
Ø Drug abuse is a direct result of demonic activity.
(Revelation 9:21 NIV) "Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts."
“magic arts” - pharmakeia, medication ("pharmacy"), i.e. (by extens.) magic (lit. or fig.):--sorcery, witchcraft.
Ø Sorcery has always been connected to potions
Ø Drug abuse is instant heaven that leads to eternal Hell.
He seeks to deceive through false doctrine - apostasy
(1 Timothy 4:1 NIV) "The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons."
Ø Religion is a chief tool
He seeks to deceive through ungodly entertainment
Ø He is an angel of light
2A. We must Realize the Seductive Power of Evil
“Deliver us from the evil one.”
If you have never met the devil it is because you and the devil are going in the same direction
This prayer is to be prayed in the morning
Ø If you want to break the cycle of sin in your life you must pray this preventive prayer!
Ø Just as we pray for daily bread, we must pray for daily deliverance.
In America Satan most often is an Angel of light and his major weapon is compromise and complacency.
Jesus taught us to pray to defeat Satan
(Matthew 26:40-41 NIV) "Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. "Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?" he asked Peter. {41} "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.""
3A. We must Rely on Sovereign Protection from Evil (13)
Three cords in the Bible
The dark and somber cord of Satan’s revolt
The crimson cord of the blood redemption
The golden cord of the kingdom of our Lord.
There is victory of Jesus
The ground of our victory is God, himself
(Genesis 18:14 NIV) "Is anything too hard for the LORD? I will return to you at the appointed time next year and Sarah will have a son.""
(Jeremiah 32:17 NIV) ""Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you."
(Jeremiah 33:3 NIV) "'Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.'"
God is the power! All we do is release it!
When your reason for asking and his reason for answering is the same you will have your prayer answered!
(John 14:13 NIV) "And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father."
Application
These are evil days!
We must learn to Pray!!!!!!
Starts with a Father who can hear me!
Ends with a King who can answer me!
Admission of your sin nature
Admission of areas of temptation
Admission of need for leadership
Admission of a desire for fellowship with God