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January
15
2017

Practical Prayer

Practical Prayer

Matthew 6: 4-5

 

  1. The purpose of prayer
  2. So that we get to know God Himself
  3. So that we will be changed

To say that prayer changes things is not nearly as close to the truth as Prayer changes me and I change things.

  1. It’s the method by which God uses to meet our needs James 4:2 “you have because you do not ask”
  2. It is through prayer that we get our source of guidance as we seek God’s direction Ps 32:8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
    I will counsel you with my eye upon you

 

  1. The Problems in our Prayers
  1. The problem of indifference we don’t want to pray.
  2. The problem of ignorance we don’t know how to pray or what to pray for.
  1. The problem of interference when we go to pray, the enemy will try everything to keep us from praying.

III. The priority of prayer

“Though there be not an express rule particularly set down how often we should be with God,” yet God’s commands and calls to prayer “are very large.” He pointed out that the Word commands us to

  1. “pray without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:17) and to be “praying always” (Eph. 6:18). This implies a continual habit of prayer, and also set times especially devoted to prayer.
  2. He offered us the examples of David (Ps. 55:17) and Daniel (Dan. 6:10), both of whom prayed three times a day.
  3. It is true that we can shoot up sudden prayers (Neh. 2:4) in the middle of our ordinary work. D. But we must also “strive” in prayer (Rom. 15:30), which implies a longer time given exclusively to prayer. Some of those longer prayer times are with the family or with the church, but
  4. Christ taught us especially to pray alone in a secret place (Matt. 6:6), and in that same context to pray “daily” (Matt. 6:11)

 

  1. The power of prayer

 

God uses our time in prayer to strengthen us in times of temptation and weakness as we believe His promises and seek His help. I Corn 10:13

 

  1. The presence of Christ in prayer
  2. Abiding in Christ If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. John 15:7 Abide in the Greek means to wait, dwell, endure to the end.
  3. through His word
  4. through His will (obedience to His word)
  5. Confessing sin (If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. Psalm 66:18)

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