Luke #28: The Prayer Course
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Powerful things happen b/c of prayer. Jesus Ask and Receive. James, Have not - ask not. Prayer is powerful b/c it is prophetic. It determines your course. Power, miracles, hand of God, favor of god, transformation, overcome of sin,
Luke 11:1-13
What is Prayer?
What is Prayer?
1 One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”
2 He said to them, “When you pray, say: “ ‘Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come.
Why did they wait so long to ask?
They’ve seen miracles…feeding the 5000 - they’ve seen healings … man born blind … woman bleeding for 13 years - they’ve seen resurrections - Lazarus… little girl - They’ve seen him teach with power - They’ve seen him cast out demons they were unable to …
and now they as - teach us to pray like John did.
Often Rabbis would teach their followers a prayer to pray and it became their calling card. Their brand identify. Their logo. A unique way of interacting with God that expressed their understanding of God.
Prayer is an action – not a feeling
Prayer is an action – not a feeling
Prayer is something you actually do. It’s plugging in to the most powerful resource in all of creation.
Tragedies - Thoughts and prayers - WHY AREN’T YOU DOING SOMETHING? They hear… you saying you care… but not doing anything.
A lot of times we say I need to pray about that - but never really do. I’ll pray for you-but never do.
Maybe instead of I’ll be praying for you… posting the little praying hands… write out the prayer that you are praying right in that moment… it doesn’t have to be a grand thing… you don’t have to be weird… drawing attention to yourself
When you talk to a friend in need instead of “I’ll be praying for you”. say a brief prayer right then and there. Lord my friend is nervous about a medical procedure, please Lord bless her with peace and confidence through her faith in you. Do a mighty work in her as you continue to reveal yourself as trustworthy in all things. In Jesus’ name, Amen
Scripture tells us that Jesus often got alone to pray. He didn’t feel like praying… he actually prayed. The result was power, connection, miracles, wisdom, boldness. Regardless of the situation.
Yea but- Jesus - God.
The Bible is full of stories of people who found courage, confidence, power, and blessing through prayer.
Daniel.
Daniel 6 tells the story that he was so different from others that the king gave him responsibilities he wouldn’t give to any one else. The other administrators were jealous… and knowing his faithfulness to God, they convinced the king do pass a law that forbade anyone from praying to anyone but the King…if they did they were to be killed. Guess what Daniel did? He went to the same place
Daniel 6:10 “10 Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.”
Paul who also went through some hard times taught his followers to:
17 pray continually,
Don’t stop… meaning it’s something you actually do, not just an attitude of your heart.
It’s something we do b/c it how we connect with to God.
One reason those folks who criticize us for our thoughts and prayers is they most likely don’t fully understand prayer because they aren’t part of the family.
That’s what Jesus communicates as he teaches them to pray… our father...
Prayer is part of our family inheritance
Prayer is part of our family inheritance
Prayer is a privilege for those in the family of God.- it makes sense that many wouldn’t understand.
Prayer to them is like a foreign language -
12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
So we pray for them… they see God work in our prayers… and through our prayers, God draws them to himself and they begin to pray on their own.
Now you may be saying but my prayers don’t work. I’ve tried prayer, it doesn’t work for me. God never answers my prayers....
I’ll just say yes he does… God answers every prayer of his children… as we will see in the text today… what kind of loving parent would ignore his children? Sometimes God says yes… sometimes the answer is no… sometimes the answer is not now… but you might be right, God hasn’t answered your prayers because the problem might be on your end not God’s. Not the prayer you pray, or your sincerity, or your honesty, maybe it’s your life outside the prayer.
9 If anyone turns a deaf ear to my instruction, even their prayers are detestable.
Prayer is part of our inheritance as part of the family of God… our relationship with God… being a follower of Jesus… Notice I didn’t say being a Christian because according to scripture being a follower of Jesus is about more than believing in God.
In answering the question how do we pray as your followers Jesus? Jesus tells them exactly what to pray for:
2 He said to them, “When you pray, say: “ ‘Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come.
3 Give us each day our daily bread.
4 Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.’ ”
What are we to pray for?
What are we to pray for?
Real quickly, Jesus points out 5 things to pray for… 5 things that Followers of Jesus need from God in prayer… 5 things that our prayer life should be marked by
Luke 11:2 (ESV)
...“Father, hallowed be your name. ...
God’s Presence in worship
God’s Presence in worship
Pray to the father… seek the father… Not Spirit? not Jesus? We get from the Father… Abba… children of God… receive from Him… come to him not looking to get from him but to GET HIM… in worship seeking relationship… not like an ATM
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Luke 11:2 (NIV)
... your kingdom come.
God’s Priorities over my own
God’s Priorities over my own
Matt says on earth as it is in heaven… your will God your way God
33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
It’s not about me God… build your kingdom…
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3 Give us each day our daily bread.
God’s Provision for daily needs
God’s Provision for daily needs
Daily bread… today…
Give us… needs of others
19 And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.
Let us trust God for today trusting him to do tomorrow what I need tomorrow. Today’s provision today.
Often we want tomorrow’s blessing today...I’m not ready yet for what’s to come tomorrow.
“The condition of the church may be very accurately gauged by its prayer meetings. So is the prayer meeting a grace-ometer, and from it we may judge of the about of divine working among a people. If God be near a church, it must pray. And if He be not there, one of the first tokens of His absence will be a slothfulness in prayer!”
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Luke 11:4 (ESV)
...and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us...
We might start right there… Lord forgive us for our lack of prayer… seeking God’s pardon
God’s Pardon for sin
God’s Pardon for sin
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
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Luke 11:4 (ESV)
...And lead us not into temptation.”
Matthew’s record of Jesus teaching on prayer includes but deliver us from the evil one
God’s Power to overcome temptation
God’s Power to overcome temptation
13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.
13 No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.
Presence, priorities, provision, pardon, power
That’s what you ask for in prayer
But the disciples as what we want to know… “how much longer?”---
How long do we pray?
How long do we pray?
That’s a great question. How long do we continue to lift up the same request again and again?Hear how Jesus answers the question...
5 Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread;
6 a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.’
7 And suppose the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’
8 I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.
9 “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
10 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
Jesus says… pray as long as it takes.
As someone else put it:
Pray Until Something Happens
Pray Until Something Happens
PUSH
What happens as a result of our prayer?
We can get what we are praying for … and then you don’t have to be told to stop, you just know.
Pray until God says “No”
Pray until God says “No”
Daniel praying deliver us… God says no… but I have a plan
Gabriel came to give understanding and insight… He said.. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them.
… the answer to your prayer is no… and here’s why… trust me… I know what I’m doing.
Pray until God says no then seek understanding.
Sometimes God doesn’t say no… sometimes he says not yet… so we continue to pray and pray
Pray until you no longer want it
Pray until you no longer want it
This even happened to Jesus. Matthew records the whole story. Jesus takes a few of his disciples to pray the night before he is crucified and do you remember what He asks God?
Jesus asks God… Please don’t make me do this… he said take this cup from me… looking at death, Jesus says please no… I don't think I can do this.... But knowing the will of God, he continued to pray… and he prayed until his heart changed. He prayed until he was fully convinced this moment was God’s will and he could do this.
I think a lot of times we give up on prayer too quickly… missing out on what God wants to do IN us through prayer because we don’t see him doing anything FOR us.
Pray until something happens because what he wants to do in you is greater than what we want him to do through us.