Shoots We Grow pt. 6 - Teach us to Pray
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Handout
Handout
There sure are a lot of things said about prayer, not all of them true:
Prayer is a weapon
Prayer is a relationship
Prayer is medicine
Prayer is the most valuable gift you can give someone
Prayer is talking to God
Prayer works
God answers prayers
Prayer is a waste of time, God doesn’t answer anyway.
1 Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.”
We often misread the disciples statement as , “Teach us HOW TO pray.” and interpret their request as receiving a lesson on the mechanics of prayer
Something about Jesus’ prayer-life drew and inspired His followers to want to follow His example.
What on earth could cause someone to ask another person to teach them TO pray?
Seeing their lifestyle, habits and success
Seeing prayers answered
Miraculous & supernatural living
•(correlation is not always causation)
Show me someone who is given to prayer & I will show you someone consistently changing to be more like Jesus.
& therefore living a more victorious life!
Some facts about Jesus’ lifestyle of prayer:
Some facts about Jesus’ lifestyle of prayer:
Jesus prayed often & habitually
Jesus prayed before and after big events in His life and ministry
Jesus prioritized prayer over work (careful)
God heard and answered every prayer Jesus prayed
41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. 42 And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.” 43 Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!”
What should I do if God doesn’t answer?
What should I do if God doesn’t answer?
Check your standing with God
- Remember: I didn’t write the Bible, God did…I just preach it.
31 Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him.
There is 1 “prayer” that God ALWAYS hears from someone who is not currently part of His wonderful family: Salvation!
13 For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
God’s Nature is to See & Provide
It actually is His name -
Jehovah Jireh = The God Who Sees & Provides!
4 I cried to the Lord with my voice, And He heard me from His holy hill. Selah
4 I sought the Lord, and He heard me, And delivered me from all my fears.
I prayed and never got an answer. - Usually followed by something like, “So I just followed my heart.”
9 “The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?
Instead:
Be unwaveringly stubborn to listen and obey!
14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.
If it’s sound doctrine from the Bible - DO IT! You don’t even have to pray about it.
Troubleshooting “Unanswered/Ineffective Prayer”
Troubleshooting “Unanswered/Ineffective Prayer”
Ineffective (definition) - not producing any significant or desired effect.
How many of you would pray more…maybe even ceaselessly…if your prayers were answered & did something significant?
16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
Ineffective Prayer
Ineffective Prayer
Motive & target matters in prayer
3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.
We miss the target when we are looking at the wrong target or when we have our sights incorrectly-aligned.
The word of God establishes the target & our alignment (motives, thoughts & intentions of our heart- Hebrews 4:12).
38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.
7 Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come— In the volume of the book it is written of Me— To do Your will, O God.’ ”
Wrong Answer, God!
Wrong Answer, God!
Did God NOT Answer, or did you just not like the answer He gave you?
Sometimes God is giving us an answer and we don’t hear, or refuse to receive, the answer we don’t want to hear.
The Apostle Peter struggled with this very thing:
9 The next day, as they went on their journey and drew near the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour. 10 Then he became very hungry and wanted to eat; but while they made ready, he fell into a trance 11 and saw heaven opened and an object like a great sheet bound at the four corners, descending to him and let down to the earth. 12 In it were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. 13 And a voice came to him, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” 14 But Peter said, “Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean.” 15 And a voice spoke to him again the second time, “What God has cleansed you must not call common.” 16 This was done three times. And the object was taken up into heaven again.
Can You receive and obey ANYTHING that God might tell you?
We certainly can receive God’s answers more easily if we know and trust the nature and character of the God we serve.
11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.
22 Because of the Lord’s faithful love we do not perish, for His mercies never end.
Just One Thing:
Just One Thing:
Pray the word and the will of God daily and watch your prayers become effective.
Get ready to get addicted to prayer!
Discussion Questions:
Discussion Questions:
What’s the most historic thing that has happened in your lifetime?
What has been your concept and feeling about prayer before this sermon? Share a little about why/how it was this way.
Please read James 5:16 & James 4:3 and share what these verses mean to you in light of your efforts to pray.
What is at least 1 thing that impacted you from this sermon & how will you be making (even small) adjustments to your prayer life as a result?