The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much, James 5:16

Introduction

I am going to be looking at essential areas of a Christians life. However, when looking at it, I was only going to have for one and the Lord impressed upon the need to teach on prayer.

Go ahead and turn to Matt 5 verse 6, and we are going to look at what Christ says about prayer. I want to make some general introductory remarks about prayer.

Turn to Matt 6:5-8 “5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. 7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. 8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.”

The Essential Works of John Wesley The Lord’s Prayer

Use not vain repetitions—to repeat any words without meaning them is certainly a vain repetition. Therefore we should be extremely careful in all our prayers to mean what we say; and to say only what we mean from the bottom of our hearts. The vain and heathenish repetitions which we are here warned against are most dangerous and yet very common, which is a principal cause why so many who still profess religion are a disgrace to it. Indeed all the words in the world are not equivalent to one holy desire. And the very best prayers are but vain repetitions if they are not the language of the heart.

What are some things that Christ says about prayer

First is to be humble. To have the right heart.

Second, it needs to be intentional. You have a place and time for prayer. The Bible in multiple places about prayer in the morning, at noon and the evening.

In Psalm 5:3 “3 My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; In the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.”

in Psalm 55:17 “17 Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: And he shall hear my voice.”

In Psalm 88:1 “1 O Lord God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee:”

This requires discipline.

Being obedient in prayer

1. We are commanded to pray. It is not optional.

Look at:

Ephesians 6:17-19 “17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; 19 And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,”

Notice that it says to pray “in the Spirit,” which is the new man. Everyone is aware that there are two natures, one flesh and spirit. Now the flesh is dead.

Look at Romans 8:6 “6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.”

In the flesh is no good thing. We cannot pray in the flesh. We must pray in the Spirit. At the basic level it means that you need to be born again with a quickened spirit.

Now God will hear a lost mans prayer of help. If a lost person prays to God and is seeking salvation, God will hear that pray, and Cornelius is an example of that. But as a general rule you must be born again in order to pray in the Spirit.

Turn to Philippians 4:6 “6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”

Look at 1 Thess 5:17 “17 Pray without ceasing.”

We should try to pray like Jesus Christ

Pastor had mentioned in one of his sermons that the real disciples prayer is in John 17. I want to go there and look at this prayer.

First, this is a very complicated prayer. Christ modeled that prayer. First is an understanding of the timing of God’s will. This is not easy. Reading through the prayer you get the overwhelming sense that Christ was the Son of God. However, the first verse is about timing. Now is the time.

You should pray at critical times:

Look at John 17:1 “1 These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:” Emphasizing the importance of prayer at critical times.

Father, this is the time that I am going to try and witness in your name, hear my prayer.

Father, this is the time that I am going to school, hear my prayer.

Father, this is the time that we now have a child, hear my prayer.

You should pray to bring Glory to God.

Look at John 17:2-4 “2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. 3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. 4 I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.”

Father, I want to bring glory to you by witnessing of the salvation promised in your scripture.

Father, may you be glorified as I go to school, as I go to work.

Father, may I bring you glory in all that I do.

Father, help my life bring you glory as you were glorified before the world began.

Pray to God to talk about the work

Look at John 17:6 “6 I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.”

Lord, these are the men I have been given the privilege to do ministry with, help me fulfil my ministry.

Lord, I have testified of you to the world. I am seeking to be sanctified, to be in the world but not of it, help me to continue to testify of you name.

Lord, I have done to the best of my ability the things which you have given me. I have read the scriptures, I have prayed, I have preached, I have witnessed, and I pray for them that have heard of your glory and your salvation. Help me to do more and to do better.

Lord, I have done all I can with the family you have given me, loving them as Christ loved the church. I have been a man. I have lead them the best I know how, going to church, reading the scripture, teaching, instructing. Father, help me do better and to do more.

Pray for those who are doing the work with you.

John 17:24 “24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.”

Father, in my ministry I can see how you have blessed our work. Lord I pray that those who are with me in my ministry have been blessed and to the degree that any rewards may be mine, may they share in them equally.

Father, my family has been with me in my ministry and my life. Lord, I pray that my family may be with me in this time of my life. That they may be healthy and able to stand with me in this hour of my need. As Christ prayed for the disciples, so I also pray for my family.

The Elements of Prayer

Traditionally, there are four elements of prayer. These are all present in Christ prayer in John 17, though subtly.

First, is adoration, as found in Psalm 95:6 “6 O come, let us worship and bow down: Let us kneel before the Lord our maker.”

Confession: repentance from sin, Psalm 32:5 “5 I acknowledged my sin unto thee, And mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; And thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.”

Thanksgiving as seen in Phil 4:6 “6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”

Finally supplication, as seen in 1 Tim 2:1 “1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;”

Confession in Prayer

Let’s talk about State and Standing

Standing: Is your eternal position in Jesus Christ

Turn to Romans 8:1 “1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

State is your daily walk with Christ, and in your daily state, confession is a very necessary thing. As Pastor often says, keep short accounts with God.

Rom 7:14-25 “14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. 15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. 16 If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. 17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. 19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. 20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. 22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this…”

In confessing sin, we need to be as direct and as possible.

First, your sin is between you and the Lord.

When you come to the Lord to confess sin, you need to be as direct about that sin as possible. I’m talking about actually saying, Lord, I thought this at that time, and my flesh wanted to do that, and Lord, I know it was wrong and I’m sorry and I put it under the blood. And then let it go.

Confession is second in this list because sin is a barrier to to your walk with the Lord Jesus Christ.

Thanks Giving in Prayer

After you have prepared yourself, with song, quiet time, and prepared to worship the Lord, then you confess your sin. Clear the slate.

Then give thanks giving to God.

Phil 4:6 “6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”

This is where keeping a journal is important.

You should write down the supplications made in other prayer, and the supplications made by the church, and then give thanks to God.

You should start with:

Lord thank you for my health

Lord thank you for my family

Lord thank you for my job

Lord thank you for my church

Lord thank you for my friends

Lord thank you for my car and home, I do really appreciate it.

Lord thank you for allowing me the opportunity to pray, and to come to your throne.

Lord thank you for my salvation.

Lord I appreciate all these things, and I am content.

Finally supplication

come to the Lord with your requests. 1 Tim 2:1 “1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;”

In closing, some practical tips:

Write these requests down. They are so important. Discuss a journal.

Lord May Jesus Christ come soon. Pray for the rapture.

You should be praying for Jesus to come quickly.

Pray for opportunities to witness

Let’s close in prayer.