Prayer. Answer. Steve Durkac. is the. iii

Transcription

1

2 ii

3 Prayer is the Answer By Steve Durkac iii

4 iv

5 v

6 vi

7 Prayer is the Answer By Steve Durkac Copyright 2016 by Steve Durkac All rights reserved under international copyright laws. No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, including digital storage, without the expressed permission of the author. Unless otherwise noted Scripture quotations are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, KING JAMES VERSION. Scripture quotations are from the ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version ), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. ISBN Printed in the U.S.A. Subject Category: Christianity/Prayer

8 viii

9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. Matthew 6:9-13 ix

10 x

11 Content Welcome! p. 1 1 Start With Praise p. 9 2 State Your Petition p Stand on His Promise p Share in His Power p. 71 Thanks! p. 101 Scripture Index p. 109

12 xii

13 xiii

14 xiv

15 xv

16 xvi

17 Welcome! You ve heard it said that if you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day, but if you teach a man to fish, you will feed him for a lifetime. Well I say, if you will pray for a man, you will help him grow in faith for a day, but if you will teach a man to pray, you will help him grow in his faith for a lifetime. I believe prayer is God s way to grow in faith and to have the daily assurance of our Lord s salvation, grace, and righteousness. In fact, Martin Luther, the great Protestant Reformer, said To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing. Let me share a story with you Back in 1994 I had assumed the pastorate of a church where I had the unusual opportunity to sit down with the outgoing pastor to discuss various issues of that congregation.

18 As I was sitting with him in his office talking, he handed me his keys and said, Oh, I almost forgot, each Wednesday at 11:00 AM you have a counseling session, here in this office, with Mrs. Redford. Not her real name, but I did ask, What kind of problem does Mrs. Redford have? He gave me a verbal laundry list of problems that ranged from family skeletons to relationship issues to financial troubles to spiritual guilt to worries about inherited illnesses to fear of her family s tomorrow, even mentioning her stress about a leaky kitchen faucet! After hearing this, I asked, How long have you been meeting with her? The pastor said, For the past seven years which was as long as he had been there. We then prayed together and I warmly wished my friend goodbye as he drove-off to his new pastorate in a neighboring state. As I waved goodbye, my mind was still trying to process this 2

19 weekly counseling appointment that I seemingly just inherited. Now, let me say something about pastors and counseling. We love doing counseling, because it makes us feel like we are doing something other than sitting in committees. It s true that counseling parishioners is helping and influencing lives, however, seminary gives us just enough training to be dangerous! We learn just enough to identify problems, but not enough to help others psychologically work through those problems. We are not trained in psychotherapies. We are trained in Bible therapy! We can easily get our schedules and energies drained by these good intentions, but how better it is to introduce others to the Great Counselor. I felt an obligation to at least meet with the lady so I decided to honor the counseling appointment. I intended to at least evaluate the need before I announce or attempt any change. At my first session with Mrs. Redford, I 3

20 listened. At my second session with Mrs. Redford, I asked questions and listened some more. At my third session with Mrs. Redford, I introduced her to what I told her was prayer therapy. What was this prayer therapy that I introduced her too? I opened the Bible to the Lord s Prayer in Matthew 6:9-13 and asked her to pray about her problems using the four principles of prayer taught by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. As we read through Matthew 6:9-13 I pointed out that Jesus teaches us four specific principles about prayer that if she began to use could change her problems. The four principles we looked at were start with praise, state your petition, stand on His promises, and share in His power. At our fourth session, Mrs. Redford said, Pastor, I hope you don t feel bad, but this prayer therapy approach is such a blessing to me, that I would almost rather spend this time in prayer than here talking with you. To which I thought, Praise God! 4

21 So what kind of problems do you have? Have you been carrying the same problems around for the last seven years, simply talking about them week after week with no real change? Perhaps you have made friends with your problem and have become comfortable with a problem to complain about. Maybe it is more than that, because the worry and concern about your problem is starting to zap life out of your day to day sense of well-being. Whatever your problem job, money, housing, health, family, marriage, relationship, work, illness, pain whatever your problem, prayer is the answer. Back in the early 1960 s, a magazine editor by the name of R.A. Renfro placed the following words into a Christian publication: Prayer is the answer to every problem in life. It puts us in tune with divine wisdom, which knows how to adjust everything 5

22 perfectly. So often, we do not pray in certain situations because from our standpoint the outlook is hopeless. But nothing is impossible with God. Nothing is so entangled that it cannot be remedied. No human relation is too strained for God to bring about reconciliation and understanding. No habit is so deeply rooted that it cannot be overcome. No one is so weak that he cannot be made strong. Whatever we need or desire, if we trust God, He will supply it. If anything is causing worry and anxiety, let us stop rehearsing the difficulty and trust God for healing, love, and power. So, what s your problem? As you read through the message of Prayer is the Answer you ll be introduced to four principles of prayer as taught by our Lord Jesus, and I know you will find answers to your problems. 6

23 7

24 8

25 1 Start with Praise "Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven." - Matthew 6:9,10 During the Sermon on the Mount Jesus included instruction on how to pray. When you examine His lesson on prayer, we see that He introduces the principle of praise as the starting place for prayer. Prayer that is meaningful, effective, and joyful is prayer that starts with praise of God. It begins with turning our eyes upon the God we are approaching in prayer and recognizing His character. When we talk to someone, it s considered good manners to look them in the eyes, so why should talking to God require any less? Now obviously we can t look into God s physical eyes, but we can focus on Him as we begin to pray. Looking someone in the eyes during a conversation is not only good manners it is showing respect and attentiveness to listening.

26 It is difficult to listen to someone if you re preoccupied with yourself, dwelling on your problems, or worried about how you appear. When you have problems, turn to the One who can solve them. The Lord s Example When Jesus prayed, His heart and mind was concentrated upon the One with whom He communicated. When the disciples approached the Savior as He was in prayer, they must have taken note of His undivided attention, and felt compelled to ask, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples (Luke 11:1). Jesus told His disciples, After this manner pray and following that introduction in Matthew 6, our Lord shared some insights for meaningful, effective, and life-changing prayer, that begin with turning our focus upon the One whom we are approaching. Prayer that begins with praise of God s character is meaningful, effective, and powerful. The dictionary uses the words value, approval, merit, adoration, commendation, admiration, and worship to define what praise means. 10

27 Starting with praise means that we begin by recognizing the God we are calling upon. We behold Him. We mentally approach Him and pause as we focus upon Him. We think before we speak, we fix our purpose upon Him before we open our mouth, and we praise before we petition. Prayer that starts with praise is fruitful prayer. When we as sinful fallen humanity turn our eyes upon the attributes of the One who created us, died for us, saved us, and unconditionally loved us, our prayers will radically change us. As we consider His goodness, mercy, kindness, love, and righteousness, our prayers will become channels of His transforming power. Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! (Psalm 107:8). Scripture beckons us to come to the Lord in praise and join with the Psalmist in exclaiming my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips (Psalm 63:5)! 11

28 Our Father The very first words Jesus taught us to use in approaching God is Our Father. He is actually asking us to call His Father, Our Father! What welcome we are given as members of the heavenly family! He assures us of our divine relationship with God. We do not pray to a dumb idol, a mysterious god, or even an unimpressionable Deity. We pray to a paternal Deity. We pray to a Divine Father God who is neither aloof nor distant, but One who is personal and close. He is our Father. Jesus taught us to come to God and see Him as our Father! When we accept Jesus as our personal Savior, we realize that God, our Father, then adopts us. We can call Him Father because He has adopted us. We have been born again into His heavenly family! "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." -John 1:

29 When we receive Jesus Christ as our Savior we are then given the right to be children of God! Adopted by God When Jesus taught us to pray Our Father He is also teaching us that prayer is for the children of God. Satan can not pray to God, because he is not a child of God. There can be no prayer for a person who rejects becoming a child of God. I am a father of four children, and I can tell you that it is only those four children that my heart and mind has a lasting concern about. There is 16 years between my eldest and my youngest, and I can honestly say that not a day passes that their well-being doesn t cross my thoughts. When we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we become children of God. Through faith, we become born again into the family of God. We become adopted by God. The Apostle Paul speaks of this spiritual adoption in this way: For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have 13

30 not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father." -Romans 8: I happen to be an adopted child, who grew-up with four other adopted children in a family whose adopted father was an adoptee, and one of my four children is my adopted child. When Scripture says, "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." (John 1:12-13) I understand that it means that our Father in heaven is assuming responsibility for us and bequeathing every right of His upon us! Believe in God If you haven t accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and Lord, then you haven t been adopted by God, and your prayers are no more than solicitation attempts, telemarketing calls, or random calls to someone you do not know. 14

31 If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and Lord, then you have been adopted by God, and your prayers are received by your Father in heaven. He desires a relationship with you as a Father with a child. Why not pause now and confess your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and know without a doubt that you are a son or daughter of God? John 1:12 says But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God and John 6:47 you have the assurance of Jesus Himself saying Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life (ESV). A Heavenly Father We must realize that we are not praying to a father like the one we have known on this earth. I learned later in life that my biological father abandoned my biological mother just after I was conceived. Providentially, I was given up for adoption 15

32 to a family who instilled in me a passion for prayer. Your earthly father may have been absent, or abusive, or short in his abilities to parent you, but don t let your earthly father define your Heavenly Father. Fathers on this earth are not always perfect. They are limited in their resources. Our children ask for things, and the truth is, if we could afford it, we'd buy it for them. God is not limited as we are. We pray to the God who is in heaven. He is not on this earth, but in heaven. All the resources of the universe are at His side, at His use, under His control. He is not in need, in want, unable, inept, or handicapped in any way, like an earthly father may be. It can be painful to watch your children in need. It is painful when a parent can not give their child what they need, because of funds or capability. The paralytic parent is heart sick by their inability to play with their child. The poor parent is heart sick by their inability to pay for their child s educational need. The ill parent is heart sick by their inability to earn a wage for his children s food. 16

33 However, our God is above our world and His throne is a Heavenly throne. He is taking care of these issues of humanity in His plan of redemption, but on this side of eternity, know that your God is not limited in His ability to respond to your prayers. A Name of Character When my first child was born, I remember proudly standing outside the nursery window staring at my beautiful infant daughter Stephanie. In my family, there was a tradition of naming children after parents or other family figures, so I was happy to bequeath my name upon my first born. As I stood there a young mother and her friend approached the nursery glass window and her friend asked, What did you name her? The young mother replied with a unique sounding name and her friend replied, Why on earth did you name her that? 17

34 To which the young mother said, I thought it sounded good, it doesn t mean anything, but I just like the way it sounds. Well, I quietly listened to their conversation knowing that my child s name means something! In fact, God s name means something. "And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee." -Psalms 9:10. An individual's name should mean something. It should have meaning to the one whose name it is. It should have meaning to those who know it. In Bible times, names expressed character. The Psalmist says that they who know the name of the Lord, those who know His true character will fully trust in Him. Below, you will find eight Hebrew compound names of the Lord that teach us the dimensions of his character. These eight compound names are very beneficial for use in prayer when it comes to fixing our spiritual eyes in prayer on our God. When you pray, it is not necessary to use the Hebrew pronunciation or even these exact biblical names. It is not the 18

35 words or letters that matter, but it is His character and glory that matter. Our Father s Character When you start to pray, pause to purpose your prayer upon the character of God. Be conscience of the God you are approaching and pause to consider His character, ability to answer, and authority over the very thing troubling you. As sinful humans we know the need to approach the one in charge, he who has the authority, or the person that can get it done. We are smart enough to determine that if we want to take a day off from work, we need to ask the boss, not a co-worker. If we have a medical issue we make a visit to the physician s office, not the home improvement store. If we want to go ride our bike across town, we seek the permission of a parent, not our infant sibling. When we pick up the phone to make a call, we consider the person we are calling, don t we? We consider their position in the organization and their 19

36 relationship to the reason for the call, their ability to respond on our behalf, and we probably pause to formulate how we will address the one who answers. So why not pause to consider how you will address the One who will answer your prayer? Compound Names of God In Scripture we find some names of God that are compound names, because they also reveal a character trait. Below are eight to consider that challenge us to praise the character of God in our practice of prayer. In Genesis 22:14 we read that our God is Jehovah-Jirah, meaning He is the Lord our Provider: "And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah-jireh: as it is said to this day," In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen." Are you praying for a physical, financial, or insufficiency need? Is a particular success needed? Is the prayer request regarding a concern for funds to cover the rent and the baby s diapers? Why not purpose your prayer toward your Lord your Provider, Jehovah-jireh? 20

37 In Exodus 15:26 we read that our God is Jehovah-Rophe, meaning He is the Lord our Healer: "And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that health thee." Are you praying for a medical, health, or healing need? Is a particular restoration needed? Is the prayer request regarding the chemotherapy of a loved one? Why not purpose your prayer toward your Lord your Healer, Jehovah-rophe? In Exodus 17:15 we read that our God is Jehovah-Nissi, meaning He is the Lord our Banner: "And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovah-nissi." Are you praying for an issue of direction, confidence, or assertive need? Is a particular assurance needed? Is the prayer request regarding the confidence to do what is right when circumstances make it hard? Why not purpose your prayer 21

38 toward your Lord your Banner, Jehovahnissi? The banner spoken of here can be understood in terms of our Stars & Strips. When our American troops go into battle they go against the enemy under the authority of the United States of America. The flag is the banner under which a single soldier goes forth with the full backing of all the resources, protection, and support of the USA. In Leviticus 20:8 we read that our God is Jehovah-M kaddesh, meaning He is the Lord our Sancifier: "And ye shall keep my statues, and do them: I am the Lord which sanctify you." Are you praying for a spiritual, holiness, or obedience need? Is a particular commitment needed? Is the prayer request regarding fear of following Christ, because of expectancy to fail in the Christian life? Why not purpose your prayer toward your Lord your Sanctifier, Jehovahm kaddesh? In Judges 6:24 we read that our God is Jehovah-Shalom, meaning He is the Lord our Peace: "Then Gideon built an altar there unto the Lord, and called 22

39 it Jehovah-shalom: unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites." Are you praying for peace of mind, contentment, or harmony? Is a particular emotional release needed? Is the prayer request regarding a struggle dealing with bereavement from death or divorce? Why not purpose your prayer toward your Lord your Peace, Jehovah-shalom? In Psalms 23:1 we read that our God is Jehovah-Rohi, meaning He is the Lord our Shepherd: "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want." Are you praying for an issue of guidance, submission, or leadership need? Is a particular nurturing needed? Is the prayer request regarding the want of wisdom? Why not purpose your prayer toward your Lord your Shepherd, Jehovah-rohi? In Jeremiah 23:6 we read that our God is Jehovah-Tisdkenu, meaning He is the Lord our Righteousness: "In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, The Lord Our Righteousness." Are you praying for salvation, forgiveness, or spiritual security need? Is a 23

40 particular deliverance needed? Is the prayer request regarding the acceptance of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior? Why not purpose your prayer toward your Lord your Righteousness, Jehovah-tisdkenu? In Ezekiel 48:35 we read that our God is Jehovah-Shammah, meaning He is the Lord our Present God: "and the name of the city from that day shall be, The LORD is there." Are you praying for an issue of aloneness, answer to prayer, or a divine presence need? Is a particular assurance or hope needed? Is the prayer request regarding an assurance of God s involvement? Why not purpose your prayer toward your Lord the Ever-Present One, Jehovah-shammah? Seeking His Face When a Christian prays, they are turning their heart, their life, their very face toward God. When we turn toward God and behold him, we can not turn toward wickedness, sinfulness, or godlessness at the same time. 24

41 "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." -2 Chronicles 7:14. When we come to God in prayer, we come to seek Him. Prayer is not to seek what we want, but to seek who He is. Prayer is to seek God's face. In seeking God's face we are seeking His very character. Prayer that is powerful, meaningful, and effective is prayer that seeks God's face, not God's mind, not God's hand, but who He is! That's the principle of praise. "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." -Hebrews 12:2. In fixing our mind, our thoughts, on Jesus and Him crucified, that becomes mentally paramount in our life. Every thought, consideration, and understanding 25

42 is judged in our mind in light of Calvary's cross. Transformation begins with renewing our thinking. To rise above this world we must set our mind on things above. Prayer sets our mind upon Christ. What we set our mind upon is what we set our life upon. "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." -Romans 12:1, 2. Prayer is God s ordained means of spiritual transformation. When we get face to face with God, we are not only getting eye to eye with Him, but we are aligning our thinking and our senses to be inline with His. Seeking His Kingdom 26

43 Our kingdom, our way of doing things, our being the ruler of our own domain, is not God's Kingdom. God's kingdom is a domain in which He is ruler, He is Lord, He is the Awesome all wise God. Jesus taught us to focus in prayer on God's kingdom and to seek His kingdom. To seek His kingdom is not to wait for something far off in the distance or future, but to seek for something now in our lives. "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." -Matthew 6:33. "For the kingdom of God is not a matter of meat and drink; but of righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." -Romans 14:17. We seek the Kingdom of God for our lives today. In light of our day in prophecy, we must also remember that God's Kingdom is future. The prophecy of Daniel 2 assures us that "in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other 27

44 people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdom, and it shall stand forever." We must receive the Kingdom of God through simple child-like belief. Remember these words from Jesus, "Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbade them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein," - Mark 10: His Kingdom, His Will The Kingdom of God and the will of God are synonymous. God s domain is a Kingdom not a government. He does not rule by the will of the people, but rather, the people live by the will of the King! When we speak of the Kingdom of God, we are speaking of the will of God for our lives. "For this is the will of God, even your sanctification," -1 Thessalonians 4:3. "And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask 28

45 any thing according to his will, he hearth us: And if we know that he hears us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him." -1 John 5: Praying in God's will is to be congruent with God's Kingdom. Petitions that are contrary to the principles of God's Kingdom cannot be answered. God's will is that we be in His Kingdom! "For the kingdom of God is righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost" (Romans 14:17). Is it God s will? Is it righteousness? Does it give you peace? Is your joy regarding it from the Holy Spirit? If God deems our request beneficially necessary to His Kingdom, He will deem it as His will. Seeking God's will for our lives is not waiting for a sign as to whether we should wear blue or red. Seeking God's will for our lives is asking, seeking, and searching for his leading. "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him 29

46 that knocketh it shall be opened." - Matthew 7:7-8. When considering God's will for any particular decision, ask yourself these three simply questions: Is it contrary to God's Word? Are the doors opening in that direction? Are key people affirming this decision? On Earth as in Heaven Prayer is much more than communication. Prayer, as Jesus taught, is communion. It is the deep sense of peace with God. It is a desire of harmony between heaven and earth, between the Lord and us, between our earthly life and our eternal life. Prayer in its deepest experience is our want for His kingdom and His will to be our kingdom and our will. Prayer is personalizing the beatitude, Blessed are they who do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. - Matthew 5:6. 30

47 Prayer is about righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost" (Romans 14:17). Summary of Principle Praise Jesus taught that prayer begins with the focus of our heart and mind. It begins by changing gears and recognizing that we are approaching our Heavenly Father. It is contemplating the attributes of God, it is acknowledging His holy character, and it is praising Him for His mighty works. Praise is the pause that empowers prayer. Prayer that begins with praise brings divine power to human efforts. Prayer that fixes its sights in praise of God s character is prayer that moves the arm of the Omnipotent. 31

48 32

49 2 State Your Petition "Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors." -Matthew 6:11-12 Prayer starts with praise of God s character and then it clearly states the petition. Jesus taught us to be specific about our need in prayer, so state your problem. When we are specific about our petition, God can be specific about His answer. When we are clear about our need, it is easier to recognize God s specific leading in meeting that need. Prayer is intentional about its petition. Petition means to make a request, a desire, or a want known. The word petition may bring to mind an image of collecting signatures as a petition to be submitted to the authorities in order that a circumstance

50 or situation can be changed or reversed. It is a very purposeful activity. Prayer asks God for very specific requests. It is to simply state, in prayer, what the burden and need of your heart is. James 4:2 says, "Ye have not, because ye ask not." The tragedy of today s prayer movement is not unanswered prayers, but un-offered prayers! It is so simple that it is overlooked - our Heavenly Father wants us to bring our petitions to Him! James 4:3 goes on to say that when we do ask, we "ask, and receive not because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lust." In other words, the answer may be only as right as the asking! Asking is the Key Jesus teaches us to use the word give. He is saying that we should not hold back from asking God. If you are a parent, you may be able to relate with me regarding two types of situations 34

51 that personally annoy me: 1) when my children ask me for something in an improper, whining, or demanding manner; and 2) when they will not tell me what they really want! It pains me when in those instances they either feel they cannot trust me or think that I cannot do anything about it. I imagine that our Heavenly Father must feel something similar hurt that we will not trust him or allow him to do something about our need. Jesus is saying, tell God what you want! God is the source of all things. He is the Creator God. He is the Giving God. He is the Living God. He is the only God! "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." -James 1:17. We can approach the God of Heaven with our petition because He desires us to approach Him. Remember that He is our Heavenly Father. If we as 35

52 human fathers desire our children to approach us, how much more does God desire His children to approach Him! "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." -Hebrews 4:16. God will not manipulate. God will not force you to change, or to receive, or to be someone you will not. Scriptures teach us in 1 John 4:16 that God is "agape" love. His love is an unconditional love. He does not love us because of anything we can offer Him. He loves us despite of us! He will not manipulate us into asking of Him, but His love assures us of His desire that we make our petitions known to Him. Jeremiah wrote, "The Lord hath appeared of old unto me saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee." -Jeremiah 31:3. 36

53 Our Daily Needs Jesus teaches us the difference between needs and wants. Bread is a basic staple food. It represents a basic essential need. Jesus didn't pray our daily steak, but our daily bread. God desires that we come to Him with our petitions. He desires that we also think through our petition. Again, think about this through the parental perspective that Jesus gave us. If your 7-year-old wakes up hungry and she approaches you asking for chocolate covered mocha ice cream for breakfast, how are you going to respond? On the other hand if your 7- year-old wakes up hungry, and she comes to you asking for a warm bowl of oatmeal and fruit for breakfast, now how are you going to respond? God is teaching us to petition Him for the essentials in our lives. Now I believe that God does care and works in behalf of the small things in our life, too. However, in the model prayer of 37

54 Jesus it is the essentials of the physical and spiritual that Jesus addresses. God cares about meeting our physical needs. The Bible says this, "Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth." -3 John 2. God cares about meeting our spiritual needs. Just as we said bread is the basic essential of food, so we can say that forgiveness is the basic essential of faith. 1 John 1:9 says, "If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteous." Jesus assures us that God does forgive us, "For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." - Matthew 6:

55 Specific Answers If you want a specific answer, you must follow the example of Jesus and make a specific petition. There are times in our lives when we may not be able to be specific about our true need. However, we should be as specific as possible, even if it is just asking for guidance or for open doors to your next step. David Jeremiah, a church pastor and a popular Bible teacher explains it this way How often have we prayed something like, O Lord, be with cousin Billy now in a special way? Have we stopped to consider what it is we re requesting? Imagine that you are a parent who is preparing to leave your children with a babysitter. Would you dream of saying, O Betsy, I ask you now that you would be with my children in a special way? No way. You would say, Betsy, the kids need to be in bed by 9 pm. They can have one snack before their baths, and please make sure they finish their homework. You can reach us at this number if there s any problem. Any 39

56 questions before we go? We are very specific with our requests and instructions for our babysitters. We want them to know specifics. It should be no different with prayer. How Prayer Works When Jesus taught "give us this day our daily bread" he illustrated a forgotten truth about prayer. Jesus did not teach that we are to bow our heads with open hands, palms up, awaiting the arrival from heaven of a fresh loaf of bread. No, Jesus showed by His prayer that we are to view prayer as an activity. Prayer is not passive it is active. This is made clear when we consider the gift of manna to the Israelites in the desert wondering. "Then said the Lord unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove 40

57 them, whether they will walk in my law, or no." -Exodus 16:4. The lesson is daily prayer with daily requests for a daily need. The need was supplied from above, gathered by the people, and the opportunity was therein to give God the glory. Today, we pray for the ability to earn the wages that will pay for the bread, which we purchase from the grocery store to take home to feed our family. And we give God the glory for answering prayer! We pray, we expect, we move forward, and we receive the answer. We ask, claim, and receive. We pray and do what we are able and through faith we rely on Him for what we cannot do ourselves. Jesus had his own three step way of explaining it: Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that 41

58 knocketh it shall be opened. - Matthew 7:7-8 Prayer is the combination of divine power with human effort. Prayer is not necessarily easy. It is not biblically sanctioned magic. God is not an ecclesiastical Santa Clause whose job it is to respond to every church member s whim and whine. Prayer is God s gift of spiritual discipline that allows us to partake in His divine work. Praying in Plurals Prayer is not an inward activity as much as it is an outward action. The principle of petition, as Jesus taught, is to think and consider the needs of others. It is to pray in plurals. The Old Testament prophet Samuel considered it a sin to not pray for other people! Samuel said, "Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you: but I 42

59 will teach you the good and the right way..." -1 Samuel 12:23. Biblical prayer is prayer that has a heart for other people. Christians who discover the joy of prayer are Christians who freely share the blessings of prayer with others. They join with others in prayer, they offer to pray for others, and they pray in plurals when they do pray! Intercessory prayer builds bridges for God s divine power. It calls on God s intervention into the lives of the recipients and moves the intercessor into action on behalf of others. It is difficult to pray Lord, please provide food my neighbor and not respond to the unction of the Spirit to carry a bag of groceries over to their door. If you are a pastor wishing your flock would be more active in outreach, do not try to scold them into getting off the pews, inspire them into getting on their knees! Ask them to make a stewardship pledge not of financial fulfillment, but 43

60 of the practice of prayer on behalf of others! Who will commit to pray for the salvation of a lost friend or family member? When they begin to engage God in prayer on their neighbors behalf, God will inspire them to action on His behalf! Prayer is a Ministry Prayer demands our action. Not that the text says, do it or else, but that it is very hard for a believer to be selfish and it is even harder to be selfish in prayer! There is a great insight in Acts 6:2-4, when the apostles ask for the selection of deacons to assume the task of the hands-on operation of the church, when they declared But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word. (ESV). Now there are several applications in this passage that I could draw inspiration on, but my point here 44

61 is that these men, the twelve apostles, had the attitude that prayer was indeed a ministry that required priority. Summary of the Principle Petition Having paused in praise, your heart is now prepared to present your petition to your Father God. Like a child who approaches his Dad s pant legs with a rightful awe and respecting spirit. Prayer is not the art of demanding. It is not to be patterned after a Christmas wish list. Prayer is approaching the throne of God and seeking His glory in your life and the world around you. Prayer is asking with the right spirit, for the right things, and in behalf of the right people. 45

62 46

63 3 Stand on His Promise "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil" -Matthew 6:13a Prayer starts with praise of God s character, next it clearly states the petition of the prayer, and then stands firmly in faith on the promises of God s word for the answer. A promise is an assurance that something can be counted on and expected to come to fulfillment. We are familiar with the statement, "I promise." If you have children, you certainly have heard them refute you with a painful, "But you promised!" To promise is to give your word that something is true and/or something will be done, just as it was stated it would. As sinful humans, our

64 words are not always worth what they should be. We fail. We fall short of our intentions. However, unlike us Every word of God is pure (Proverbs 30:5) and the word of the Lord endureth for ever (1 Peter 1:25) and by the word of the Lord were the heavens made (Psalm 33:6). In prayer, standing on His promises is to rely on the words of God as assurance that your petition will be met. We can rely on God's promise when we present our needs to Him. Standing on His promises is to claim the assurances of God's word in prayer. Lead us from Evil In my childhood home, my parents had a decorative plaque on our hallway wall, depicting the Lord s Prayer of Matthew 6. I remember reading it over-andover, as a child, and always feeling a bit perplexed about the part that says, 48

65 And lead us not into temptation. I use to wonder if Jesus was suggesting that we need to plead with God in desperate pleas to spare us from evil? Was this a threat? As I became older and wiser about theology and biblical interpretation, I realized that Jesus is not calling us to beg for his mercy so He might deliver us, but to claim his grace and believe that He already has delivered us! God is not hiding behind every cloud awaiting a chance to trip us up and catch us in wrong. Jesus is actually teaching us to rely on the promise of God, in prayer, that He will not lead us into temptation and that He will deliver us from evil! This verse of the Lord s Prayer, is itself a promise! It is a promise from God that he will lead us to blessings, not to temptations! He will lead us to goodness, not to evil! We know this because God does not tempt us. James says, "Let no 49

66 man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed." -James 1: We know that God is not against us. Peter says, "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." -2 Peter 3:9. God has promised solutions for the times we find ourselves falling into temptations. Paul says, There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. 1 Corinthians 10:13. 50

67 Submitting to God Knowing that God is pulling for us, that He is on our side, that God desires to empower us and not condemn us, ought to motivate us to flee to Him. When things are bad, even if it is because of our own doing, we can confidently run to Him. "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." -James 4:7. When you fall into temptation, there is no need to stay down. You do not have to feel stuck in the devils quick sand. Take heed to the lesson we find in the story of Joseph in Exodus 39. In the chapter we find Joseph facing temptation with his master's carnally aggressive wife. Genesis 39:7 gives us this glimpse of the situation: "And it came to pass after these things, that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, 'Lie with me.'" 51

68 Joseph's response was to flee temptation. "And it came to pass, as she spake to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her. And it came to pass about this time, that Joseph went into the house to do his business; and there was none of the men of the house there within. And she caught him by his garment, saying, and Lie with me': and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out." -Genesis 39: Joseph s life was guided by his Master s purpose. When our prayer lives are guided by purpose, submitting to God will be a reflex. The decisions we face will be guided not by the moment, but by our submission to God. When God s promises become the spirit of our prayer, God s promises will fill our heart and guide our decisions. 52

69 Feeding or Fleeing? In facing temptation, we ultimately must make the choice to either feed on the temptation or to flee from the temptation. We are created to use our minds and the power of our capacity to think. The truth is, we act upon what we think upon. "For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he" -Proverbs 23:7. "They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine. Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright." -Proverbs 23: Be careful what you think upon. The eyes are the windows to your mind. Stare at something long enough and you will see it whatever it is your thinking you ll see. Fill your mind with God s word and that goodness will guard your life in temptation. We should expect to be 53

70 tempted, but we should never expect to yield to temptations. The individual who goes through life rehearsing the bad luck that follows him, will unknowingly reaffirm the bad luck that they assume is following them. Conversely, the individual who dwells on the promises of Scripture will find an ever growing faith in God. We have a responsibility in facing temptation. Before we leap off the diving board, we must consider the depth of the water beneath. No sane person would knowingly jump headfirst into a shallow pool. Likewise, every sin has its consequences. "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall also reap." - Galatians 6:7. "His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins." -Proverbs 5:22. 54

71 "Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned? Can one go on hot coals, and his feet not be burned?" - Proverbs 6: The Truth About Temptation 1 Corinthians 10:31 is a key verse in understanding temptation. It shares insights about facing trials and tempting circumstances. In fact, there are three important facts to know from this verse. "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." -1 Corinthians 10:31. First, know that your trial or temptation is "common to all men." In other words, Satan has not conjured up any kind of secret weapon that 55

72 Heaven cannot save you from. Other people have successfully walked in your shoes, including Jesus of Nazareth. Second, know that your trial or temptation is not "above that ye are able." In other words, God has not allowed you to be burdened beyond your ability deal with it. Consider trials that others have gone through, that you know you could not have survived. Third, know that your trial or temptation comes with "a way to escape." In other words, with every trial or temptation you face, Jesus, the Way, is there! Jesus says to you, "I am the way, the truth, and the life" - John 14:6. "But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." - 1 Corinthians 15:57. It is Written The first words recorded in the Bible from Jesus, after His baptism and 56

73 commencement of His ministry, were "It is written. Here is the account: And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." -Matthew 4:3-4. The first words recorded in the Bible from Satan, after his fall to earth and commencement of deception against God was Did God actually say (Genesis 3:1, ESV). The conflict we face is believing in the confident words of Christ or the doubting words of Satan! God s promises are the very focal point of our eternal destiny. Jesus gave us the example to verbally claim the very promises of God s word. Quote His promises in prayer and stand on His word in faith! 57

74 It is the promises of God, from God's word, which we are called to rely upon. His promises, from His word, are to be our sure foundation! Just as Jesus claimed a promise of God in the face of temptation, so should we. When He said, "It is written," he said, "I stand on the promise of God!" With your Bible in your hand or laid open before you, pray I stand on Your Word. I claim in faith, Your promise. When my children come to me with a need and they remind me of something I once told them, it moves my heart! When my children, who I love more than anything within my power, claim my words of fatherly advice regarding their lives, it makes me want to move heaven and earth for their future. I believe God Himself is even more ready to respond to us when we pray and claim His promises. Consider what Jesus said: "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much 58

75 more shall your Father in heaven give good things to them that ask?" -Matthew 7:11. Ask, Believe, and Claim God's promises strengthen our faith. We can confidently believe that He will answer our prayer when we stand on His promises. Jesus said, "Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them." -Mark 11:24. We stand on His promises when we claim His promises. Claiming His promises is having faith in Him and His word, not in our asking or ourselves! We can pray in faith and believe, because we are trusting in God s word! We can return thanks for answering our petitions when we lay them before our Heavenly Father with His promises! Do not depend on feelings, but say in faith "I believe it, not because I 59

76 feel it, but because you my Heavenly Father God has promised it." Stand, Stand, and Stand! Some one once told me that the Christian life is a march and a battle. However, we are not fighting against soldiers and arms, but against Satan's trials and temptations. Scripture calls us to not be faint, but to be strong and stand. In fact, notice how many times we are assured to stand in this spiritual warfare. "Put on the whole armour of God that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of devil Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking 60

77 the shield of faith, wherewith ye shalt be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints" - Ephesians 6: Standing on the promises of God keeps us firm against the attacks of Satan. Consider the fact that prayer is the one weapon that Satan cannot counterfeit. Prayer is heaven's ordained means of success in the conflict with sin and Satan has rejected its power! We are to press our petitions to the throne of God and hold on by faith in His word. 61