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Sunday, July 15
Pastor Oliver R. Blosser, M.Div., Ph.D.
Faith Community Church
Pipestone, MN
Luke 11:1 And it
came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one
of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his
disciples.
Jesus exemplified the need of prayer. Prayer was an important part of the everyday life of the Jewish people. Prayer is conversation with the Lord. It is the intimate pouring out of the individual's heart in the secret of his/her hiding place. Prayer is communication with God. Jesus taught His disciples how to pray when He gave them ‘The Disciple’s Prayer,’ better known as ‘The Lord’s Prayer.’ This prayer serves as a pattern for our prayers.
Prayer was essential in our Lord’s life for the great tasks which He had to perform. Can we carry on as responsible Christians without prayer? Jesus reminds us that prayer will be answered since God’s will is always for the believer’s good and God’s glory!
Prayer opens our lives to receive the Lord’s goodness, grace and greatness, for help in meeting the needs of our everyday lives. No person can imagine the help available through prayer unless he/she has experienced it.
Real prayer takes time. Jesus found the time by going out to the mountains early in the morning or late at night, Matthew 14:23’ Mark 6:46’ Luke 9:28’ Luke 6:12. We, too, need a time and a quiet place for this most important communication of all; communication with God. Jesus spoke often about prayer, and gave us many teachings on the importance of prayer and how to pray.
I. Don’t pray to
show off your religiousness.
Matthew 6:5-6; 5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret’ and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
The Pharisees had religion, but the true believer has a relationship with the Lord. It is important to have a private prayer life to enhance one’s relationship with Jesus.
II. Don’t heap up
empty phrases as the pagans do.
Matthew 6:7-8; 7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. 8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
Remember that your Heavenly Father knows your needs before you pray. In His character, He sends the answer while you are praying, Isaiah 65:24. Although we may continually pray for a particular need or a particular person many times over a long period of time, remember that God is not impressed with the length of your prayers, as much as with the depth of your prayers!
III. Recognize
the goodness of God in answered prayer.
Matthew 7:7-11; 7 Ask, and it shall be given you’ seek, and ye shall find’ knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 8 For every one that asketh receiveth’ and he that seeketh findeth’ and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. 9 Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? 10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? 11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
Prayer opens our lives to receive God’s goodness, especially the good gift of the Holy Spirit, and His activity and ministry in our lives, cf., Luke 11:5-13. It is perfectly acceptable to acknowledge the goodness of God, to ask God for His goodness in our lives, and to thank Him for His goodness in response to our prayers.
IV. Pray that
Satan be bound and that sinners be set free to receive the Gospel.
Matthew 18:18-20; 18 Verily I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 19 Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
Learn to bind Satan’s influence upon a loved one and pray in agreement with another person in behalf of others. It is hard for us to understand how our prayers can change and affect the influence of Satan in the world, but we know from Scripture that our prayers have a powerful impact in the spiritual realm to set a sinner free.
V. Make your
meeting-place with God a House of Prayer for all nations.
Mark 11:17; And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves.
Meeting regularly with others to pray for Kingdom work around the nations, cf., Matthew 21:13’ Luke 19:46, is an important part of the Christian life. When we come together in Jesus’ Name, it is necessary to include prayer in our plans.
VI. Always pray that God’s will be done in all situations of life.
Matthew 26:39, 42; 39 And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. ... 42 He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.
Remember that God’s good will is always the best for you and for others, cf., Mark 14:34-38’ Luke 22:40-46’ John 12:27-28. We often think that we know what God should do’ but actually, He knows what WE should do! Don’t ask God to do your will, ask Him to do His will through you! He knows what is best. Be willing to accept His answer to your prayer. It may be yes, it may be no, and it may be wait a while. Remember that God knows what He’s doing all the time, and we hardly ever know what we’re doing at any time!
VII. Recognize that answered prayer glorifies God’s Name.
John 14:13-14; 13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it. John 16:23-24.
It is through the Name of Jesus that the believer can come with his/her petitions into the presence of the Heavenly Father. A police officer may approach you ‘in the name of the law,’ meaning, ‘with the full authority of the law behind him.’ We come to God in the name of the Lord Jesus, that is, with the full authority of Jesus Christ and His completed work on the cross behind us. It is only because of what Jesus did for us at Calvary that we have the opportunity to bring our prayers to God and expect to receive an answer.
Of course, if you have never trusted Jesus Christ as your Savior, that is the first prayer you should utter! God will hear your prayer of repentance and your plea for mercy, and He will save you from your sins, because you come before Him on the authority of what Jesus Christ has done for you! If you have trusted Christ for salvation, then come to God boldly, knowing that Jesus Christ has made the way for you to approach God in prayer and receive the answer!