Prayer Works - Matt. 6:9-13

Prayer - 6 Elements

Adoration - praising God for who He is and what He is like.

Confession - acknowledging sin and turning from your sinfulness.

Thanksgiving - being grateful to God for His works and His gifts, especially grace.

Supplication - asking God to help you and meet your spiritual and physical needs.

Consecration - committing yourself to obeying God’s will.

Intercession - asking God to meet the needs of others.

Conditions of Prayer - James 4:3

James 4:3 ESV

You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.

Matthew 6:7 ESV

“And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words.

I. Praying with the Right Motive - When Things seem Hopeless.

Illus. Joseph :Myamar Dallas Airport-Prayed to God to help him get to Tulsa.

see Neh. 1:1-11

Nehemiah 1:1–11 ESV

The words of Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah. Now it happened in the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Susa the citadel, that Hanani, one of my brothers, came with certain men from Judah. And I asked them concerning the Jews who escaped, who had survived the exile, and concerning Jerusalem. And they said to me, “The remnant there in the province who had survived the exile is in great trouble and shame. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are destroyed by fire.” As soon as I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven. And I said, “O Lord God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open, to hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day and night for the people of Israel your servants, confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against you. Even I and my father’s house have sinned. We have acted very corruptly against you and have not kept the commandments, the statutes, and the rules that you commanded your servant Moses. Remember the word that you commanded your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples, but if you return to me and keep my commandments and do them, though your outcasts are in the uttermost parts of heaven, from there I will gather them and bring them to the place that I have chosen, to make my name dwell there.’ They are your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed by your great power and by your strong hand. O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight to fear your name, and give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.” Now I was cupbearer to the king.

Acknowledge God’s Greatness (Dan. 9:4; Neh. 1:5

God’s Promises

Confession of his & Israel’s Sins (Dan. 9:5; Neh. 1:6)

Share our burdens with God (see Php 4:6

Philippians 4:6 ESV

do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 ESV

pray without ceasing,

A Widow’s persistence - Lk. 18:4-7

Luke 18:4–7 ESV

For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’ ” And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them?

God responds to those who cry out to Him day & night.