How is Your Prayer Life?

How is Your Prayer Life?

February 15, 2009

Introduction

This morning, we ask a question? How is your prayer life? There might be a second, and more important question, “Why does it matter?” It is the second of these two questions that it is much easier to discuss, but the two questions are related.

Body

I. Prayer is important because it helps us come to know God.

A. Knowing God is essential if we hope to spend eternity with Him.

1. Jesus spoke of knowing God as He concluded His sermon on the mount.

(Mat 7:22-23 NKJV) "Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' {23} "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'

2. Paul spoke of knowing God as it relates to Christ’s second coming.

(2 Th 1:7-9 NKJV) and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, {8} in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. {9} These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,

B. Knowing God involves our obedience to Him

(1 John 2:3-6 NKJV) Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. {4} He who says, "I know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. {5} But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. {6} He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.

C. Prayer is an essential part of helping us to walk as He walked.

II. How is your prayer life? What is the check list?

A. The disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray

Luke 11:1 Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.”

1. Jesus then gave what we often call the Lord’s Prayer, or the model prayer.

B. Next to turned to the matter of persistence in prayer.

1. He immediately gives the example of the persistent neighbor.

Luke 11:5 And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves; 6 For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him? 7 And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee. 8 I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.

2. Later, He gave the parable of the unjust judge

(Luke 18:1-7 NKJV) Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, {2} saying: "There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man. {3} "Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, 'Get justice for me from my adversary.' {4} "And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, 'Though I do not fear God nor regard man, {5} 'yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.'" {6} Then the Lord said, "Hear what the unjust judge said. {7} "And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them?.

C. As I think of persistent prayer, I think of fervent prayer.

James 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

D. Our prayers need to encourage us to live lives that are consistent with our prayers.

There is a story told about a faithful old deacon whose oft repeated prayer expression was, "O Lord, touch the unsaved with Thy finger." One prayer meeting night he was leading in prayer when as he intoned this petition, as he so often did, he abruptly stopped praying. Supposing he had been taken suddenly ill, someone went to him and asked if there was anything wrong, if he were ill. "No," he replied, "I'm not ill. But something seemed to say to me, 'Thou art the finger'." -- from Bible Illustrator.

1. We need to pray as if everything depends upon God.

2. We need to work as if everything depends upon us.

III. Prayer Requires Faith

A. Jesus states that faith is a requirement of our having our prayers answered

Matthew 21:21 So Jesus answered and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done.22 “And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”

B. James is also clear on the subject that effective prayer requires the kind of faith that expects an answer

James 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

C. Effective prayer requires the kind of faith that can accept God’s answer

1. The Bible makes it clear that God answers prayer

a. Abraham prayed and God spared lot and his daughters.

b. Hannah prayed and she received a child.

c. Elijah prayed and it did not rain.

d. Hezekiah prayed and his life was extended fifteen years

e. The disciples prayed and Peter was released from prison.

2. We need to understand that sometimes God’s answer is “no.”

a. God said “no” to the prayer of Paul that his “thorn in the flesh” might be removed.

(2 Cor 12:7-9 NKJV) And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. {8} Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. {9} And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

b. He also said “no” to the prayer of his Son that He be allowed to escape the cross.

3. Sometimes the answer is later.

a. It was 25 years later for Abraham to receive his promised son.

b. For Zacharias, it was so long, he seems to have forgotten the prayer.

D. What is the real challenge of prayer?

1. To not be demanding of God, but to submit ourselves to Him.

2. To believe that He can do all things.

3. To be preserving in our prayer life.

Conclusion

I. It is no secret what God can do.

II. The question is, do you know God?

III. Are you ready for His return?

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