1
Thessalonians 5:17 WEL Don’t stop praying.
Consider
some book reviews on prayer:
B1
Do you want to pray
with power? Are you experiencing the abundant life? You can discover
how effective prayers will transform you into a dynamic Christian
with a deeper understanding of the Word. Personal and direct
communication with God will revitalize and invigorate you. If you
make prayer a key factor in your life, you will know the fullness of
divine power.
B2
The author of Book
Title draws upon her knowledge of Scripture, personal struggles, and
breakthroughs in prayer to provide reassuring guidance for women
wanting more of God in their lives, sharing sample prayers that cover
every area of a woman's life.
B3
No one can sit on
the sidelines today when it comes to spiritual matters. A war is
going on between good and evil, and every believer is involved. For
every Christian who wants a meaningful prayer life that is more than
just asking for blessings, bestselling Author’s Name shows how to
pray with strength and purpose—prayers resulting in great victory,
not only personally but also in advancing God's kingdom and glory.
B4
News Paper
Name-bestselling author Author’s Name writes about the three simple
prayers essential to coming through tough times, difficult days and
the hardships of daily life.
B5
All have a formula: Do this and prayers are answered. Follow me and
my teaching and you will have answers to your prayers. More power,
more peace, more answers, more…
What
is prayer?
B1
Talking with God. What is hard about this?
B2
When we talk with God, we are not in stillness, with unused, blank
minds, passive, “going inside,” bypassing our mind, etc.
B3
We are to be active, alert, and involved.
B4
We are not looking for a feeling, a presence, a figure of a person, a
light, a warmth, a tingling in the leg, a burning in the bosom, etc.
Elements
of conversation
-
Verbal Messages - the words we choose
-
Paraverbal Messages - how we say the words
-
Nonverbal Messages - our body language.
B2
Our words, attitude, and actions in prayer are noted by God.
God
is
B1
Isaiah 9:6 NLT For a
child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest
on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty
God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
C1
God is a Wonderful Counselor
D1
He can handle our verbal pains.
D2
He can handle our descriptions of our burden.
D3
He knows how to listen.
D4
He is not in a hurry.
C2
Mighty God
D1
He is able to answer.
D2
He will answer, “Yes,” “No,” or “Wait.”
D3
Sometimes His “Yes” is different than what we expected or
requested.
C3
Everlasting Father
D1
He has love (Love is a choice—motivation and source. Love’s
actions are written in 1 Corinthians).
D2
He has compassion.
D3
He makes the best decisions for us. Even His rebuke is in love and
given for a good reason.
C4
Prince of Peace
D1
He brings peace and rest to our souls.
D2
His motive is love and justice.
D3
He is King of the Universe, so be respectful.
B2
Matthew 9:35 WEL Jesus
went around to all the cities and villages, teaching in their
synagogues, preaching the Gospel of the kingdom, and healing every
sickness and every disease among the people.
C1
Physical sickness
C2
Emotional sickness
C3
Relationship sickness
B3
Acts 10:38 WEL How
God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power. He
traveled around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the
devil, for God was with him.
C1
Physical sickness
C2
Spiritual sickness
B4
Mark 2:17 WEL When
Jesus heard, he said to them, "Those who are well have no need
of a physician, but those who are sick do. I did not come to call the
righteous but sinners to repent."
C1
All sickness
C2
Sin sickness
C3
Example: Matthew 9:2-7
NKJV Then behold,
they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their
faith, He said to the paralytic, "Son, be of good cheer; your
sins are forgiven you." 3 And at once some of the scribes said
within themselves, "This Man blasphemes!" 4 But Jesus,
knowing their thoughts, said, "Why do you think evil in your
hearts? 5 For which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven
you,' or to say, 'Arise and walk'? 6 But that you may know that the
Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins"—then He said to
the paralytic, "Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house."
7 And he arose and departed to his house.
B5
Has compassion
C1
Psalms 103:13 NRSV As
a father has compassion for his children, so the LORD has compassion
for those who fear him.
C2
Mark 1:41 NKJV Then
Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him,
and said to him, "I am willing; be cleansed."
Talk
with God
B1
Talking to God is prayer.
B2
Reading Scripture is God talking to us.
B3
God is a good listener.
Examples:
B1
With Nicodemus in John chapter 3.
B2
With Peter: John 21:16-19 NKJV He
said to him again a second time, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you
love Me?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love
You." He said to him, "Tend My sheep." 17 He said to
him the third time, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?"
Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, "Do you
love Me?" And he said to Him, "Lord, You know all things;
You know that I love You." Jesus said to him, "Feed My
sheep. 18 Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you
girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old,
you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry
you where you do not wish." 19 This He spoke, signifying by
what death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said
to him, "Follow Me.
C1
A conversation
C2
No specialized speech or formulas.
B3
With Nehemiah: Nehemiah 2:2-5 NKJV Therefore
the king said to me, "Why is your face sad, since you are not
sick? This is nothing but sorrow of heart." So I became
dreadfully afraid, 3 and said to the king, "May the king live
forever! Why should my face not be sad, when the city, the place of
my fathers' tombs, lies waste, and its gates are burned with fire?"
4 Then the king said to me, "What do you request?" So I
prayed to the God of heaven. 5 And I said to the king, "If it
pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight,
I ask that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers' tombs,
that I may rebuild it.
C1
Short
C2
Plea for help
B4
With Moses: Exodus 3:10-14 NKJV Come
now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My
people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt." 11 But Moses
said to God, "Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I
should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?" 12 So He
said, "I will certainly be with you. And this shall be a sign to
you that I have sent you: When you have brought the people out of
Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain." 13 Then Moses
said to God, "Indeed, when I come to the children of Israel and
say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they
say to me, 'What is His name?' what shall I say to them?" 14
And God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM." And He said, "Thus
you shall say to the children of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.
C1
In this chapter as elsewhere, God and Moses have a conversation.
C2
Moses is just speaking. He has no specialized speech, no formulas, no
gimmicks, instead just conversation.
C3
Note there was no written Scriptures for the Holy Spirit to bring to
mind.
B5
With Rebekah: Genesis 25:21-23 NKJV Now
Isaac pleaded with the LORD for his wife, because she was barren; and
the LORD granted his plea, and Rebekah his wife conceived. 22 But
the children struggled together within her; and she said, "If
all is well, why am I like this?" So she went to inquire of the
LORD. 23 And the LORD said to her: "Two nations are in your
womb, Two peoples shall be separated from your body; One people shall
be stronger than the other, And the older shall serve the younger."
C1
Had a question for God.
C2
God answered. (In those days, there was no written Scripture for the
Holy Spirit to bring to our mind).
B6
With Mary: John 20:14-18 NKJV Now
when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing
there, and did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her,
"Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?" She,
supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, "Sir, if You have
carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take
Him away." 16 Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned
and said to Him, "Rabboni!" (which is to say, Teacher). 17
Jesus said to her, "Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet
ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, 'I am
ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.'
" 18 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had
seen the Lord, and that He had spoken these things to her.
C1
Brief
C2
Worshipful
B7
The Lord Jesus with His Father: Luke 6:12 NKJV Now
it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to
pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.
C1
Long prayer, for His prayer time was all night. Contrast, Nehemiah’s
prayer was very short. Conversions are like that.
C2
Sometimes the burden is great. Sometimes words do not come, just
groans and tears. Sometimes we must repeat ourselves over and over.
So it might take all night.
The
Church
B1
Acts 1:14 NLT They
all met together and were constantly united in prayer, along with
Mary the mother of Jesus, several other women, and the brothers of
Jesus.
B2
Ephesians 6:18 NLT Pray
in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be
persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.
Characteristics
B1
Colossians 4:2 GNB Be
persistent in prayer, and keep alert as you pray, giving thanks to
God.
C1
Persistent—This is not nagging or whining, but continuing.
C2
Alert—This is the opposite of being careless, listless,
inattentive, unaware. WordSymth
defines it as keenly
attentive or responsive; quick to perceive.
C3
Thankful—This has the idea of asking God why, what can I learn from
this, how can I help others, and most importantly, how can I glorify
God.
B2
James 1:5 GNB But if
any of you lack wisdom, you should pray to God, who will give it to
you; because God gives generously and graciously to all.
C1
Asking—He does not get angry.
C2
Receiving—He does give. He does not say when, but He will.
B3
There are many other wonderful things about prayer.
We
learn
B1
We must pray. God does not need our fellowship but enjoys it. If I
never talk to my wife or my family, what will they think? So too,
God.
B2
We must be alert. We must be alert to dangers, deceptions, sin,
forgetfulness, for the Christian life can be dangerous.
B3
We must be thankful.
B4
We must seek to glorify God for the good He gives and the help and
encouragement in trials.
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