Prayer matters
EVERY GREAT MOVE OF GOD STARTED IN PRAYER
It’s true. It’s the simple things done in secret that cause the great things that show up in public. God is always looking for a relationship built out of authentic love and a relationship with Him.
What is our motivation? What drives us to pray? Are we forced with feeling guilty if we don’t pray or are we praying because we desire to communicate with our Creator? Do we long for the constant direction and wisdom in His voice? Do we pray from a state of need? Do we listen to hear His reply?
When we talk to God we need to remember these things:
BE HONEST AND REAL
God knows our hearts and our requests before we ask, so why try to fake it. David was a great man that prayed from a state of honesty to His God. Jesus even gave us tips on how not to pray:
Matthew 6:5-7 And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
NOTHING IS TOO BIG OR TOO SMALL TO PRAY ABOUT
We are talking about the Creator of the Universe here. Do you think He can’t fix your biggest problems. But how about the little things that we struggle with…guess what? He actually cares about that as well. It’s amazing how our God loves to know all that we feel is important, no matter how big or small.
Philippians 4:6 – Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
1 Peter 5:7 – Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
KEEP AT IT
There is no magic time limit to our prayers. It’s not the “one and done” procedure to our prayer life. Sometimes we think we will “bother” God by continually praying for the same things over and over. It’s actually the persistent prayers of His people that change circumstances. We never know all the things behind the scenes that have to happen first. If we give up after the first prayer, we rob ourselves of the response.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 – Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
GIVE TIME TO LISTEN TO HIS RESPONSE
God likes to speak to His children. Many of us share our thoughts, requests and issues with Him and then move on. Do we really take the time to listen to what His replies are? There is amazing power in hearing the King of Kings share His thoughts, ideas, solutions and plans with us. Just like a child, we need to learn to hear our Father’s voice.
John 10:27 – My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.
PRAY WITH EXPECTATION
What good is praying if we don’t think it will even matter? Many Christians don’t even bother to pray because they don’t expect it to happen anyway. When we pray from a state of sonship (knowing we are a child of His), we expect it to happen because we know our Father is good. We know He desires to hear and bless His children.
Mark 11:22-24 – Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
This Sunday I will share the ingredients to seeing our prayers answered. My desire is to see us all grow in our prayer life. Can you imagine what this world would look like if all of God’s people truly prayed? Great moves and revivals are started with people that hunger to know their God. People who seek His will.
Let’s be those people!
MR
Posted: February 7th, 2012 under Sermon notes.
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