Prayer And Fasting Part 1 Lesson #11. In the Steps of Christ Personal Growth in Godliness

Transcription

1 Prayer And Fasting Part 1 Lesson #11 In the Steps of Christ Personal Growth in Godliness

2 Lesson Outline 2 What is Prayer? What to Pray? Motives for Prayer? Where to Pray? How to Pray? Answers to Prayer How effective are your prayers?

3 What is Prayer? - OT Words pālal [ ( ]פּ ל ל verb 80x) - Offering prayer to God as an act of intercession Genesis 20:7 "Now therefore, restore the man's wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you will live. But if you do not restore her, know that you shall surely die, you and all who are yours." tephillāh [ ( ]תּ פ לּ ה noun 80x), Noun of pālal Jonah 2:7 "While I was fainting away, I remembered the LORD, And my prayer came to You, Into Your holy temple. 3

4 What is Prayer? - OT Words Ātar [ ( ]ע ת ר verb 20x) prayers of intercession and petition offered to God Ezra 8:23 So we fasted and sought our God concerning this matter, and He listened to our entreaty. beʾāʾ [ ( ]בּ ע א Aramaic verb 12x) 12x ask, make a request of, petition Daniel 2:18 so that they might request compassion from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his friends would not be destroyed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. 4

5 What is Prayer? OT Words shāʾal [ ( ]שׁ אַל verb 70x/175) ask of God 1 Samuel 23:2 So David inquired of the LORD, saying, "Shall I go and attack these Philistines?" And the LORD said to David, "Go and attack the Philistines and deliver Keilah." sheʾēlāh [ ( ]שׁ א ל ה verb, 14x) request to God Psalm 106:15 So He gave them their request, But sent a wasting disease among them. 5

6 What is Prayer? NT Words proseuchomai [προσεύχομαι] (verb 90x) to pray, offer prayer 1 Thessalonians 5:17 pray without ceasing; proseuchē [προσευχή] (noun 37x) noun of proseuchomai Acts 3:1 Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the ninth hour, the hour of prayer. 6

7 What is Prayer? NT Words deomai [δέομαι] (verb 22x) beseech, beg, make a request Matthew 9:38 "Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest." deēsis [δέησις] (noun 19x) prayer, entreaty Romans 10:1 Brethren, my heart's desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation. 7

8 What is Prayer NT Words aiteō [αἰτέω] (verb, 20x/170) ask, desire Mark 11:24 "Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you. 8

9 What is Prayer? Memory Verse: 1 Thessalonians 5:17 pray without ceasing; Prayer is personal communication with God. The Bible calls Christians to pray as a way of life. Continually recurring, persistent, incessant prayer is an essential part of Christian living; it flows from a humble dependence on God. Therefore it brings glory to the Father. 9

10 What to Pray? ACTS Adoration/praise Confession of sin Thanksgiving Supplication/petition 10

11 What to Pray? ACTS Adoration/praise Confession of sin Thanksgiving Supplication/petition Ps 100:4 Ps 116:17 Ps 118:21, 136:2 Pr 28:13 1 Chronicles 29:10-13 Phil 4:6 11

12 Motives for Prayer? Is Prayer optional for a Christian? Isaiah 55:6 Seek the LORD while He may be found; Call upon Him while He is near. Matthew 7:7-8 7 "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be 8 opened to you. "For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 12

13 Motives for Prayer DESIRE: MATCH WITH: 1. FOR THE LORD S GLORY 2. FOR FELLOWSHIP WITH THE LORD 3. FOR THE NEEDS OF OURSELVES AND OTHERS TO BE MET 4. FOR WISDOM 5. FOR DELIVERANCE FROM TROUBLE 6. FOR RELIEF FROM FEAR AND WORRY 7. TO OFFER THANKSGIVING FOR PAST BLESSINGS 8. TO BE FREED FROM THE GUILT OF SIN 9. FOR THE SALVATION OF THE LOST 10. FOR THE SPIRITUAL GROWTH OF BELIEVERS a. Ps 20:1 b. Ps 32:2-5 c. Ps 42:1-2 d. Ps 51:10 e. Luke 11:2 f. Luke 11:4 g. Luke 15:3.7 h. Eph 1:11-18 i. Phil 4:6 j. James 1:5 13

14 When to Pray? When? a. Ps 5:3, 88:13, 143:8 b. Ps 88:1 c. Ps 55:17 d. Luke 6:12 How Often? 1. 1 Thes 5:17 2. Eph 6:18 14

15 Where to Pray? 1 Tim 2:8 Ps 95:6 Mat 6:5-6, 14:23 Luke 5:16 Acts 4:24-32, 12:12 15

16 How to Pray? 1. Who should prayer be offered to? Psalm 5:2, Matt 4:10, Acts 7:59 2. Persistence? Luke 11:5-13, 18: Humility? 2 Chronicles 7:14, Ps 51:16-17, James 4: Hebrews 4:14-16? 5. Faith? Heb 11:6, James 1:6-7 16

17 How to Pray? 6. Postures? a. b. c. d. e. Lam 3:41; 1 Tim 2:8 Mark 11:25 Ps 95:6; Eph 3:14 Num 16:22; Mat 26:39 John 17:1 17

18 How to Pray? 7. Aloud or Silent? Ps 55:17; 1 Sa 1:12-15; Acts 1:13-14; 16:25 8. Importance of Scripture? Psalm 119:9-18; 145:18 9. In the name of Jesus? John 14:13-14, 15:16, 16:23-27; James 4:13-15; 1 John 5: Others? Lk 22:32; Acts 12:5; 1 Tim 2:1 18

19 Answers to Prayer In My name is not a magical formula of invocation. But the prayers of believers, as Christ s representatives doing His business, will be answered. John expanded this teaching in his first epistle. He wrote, If we ask anything according to His will we have what we ask of Him (Bible Knowledge Commentary on 1 John 5:14-15) 19

20 Answers to Prayer 1. Relationship with God? Proverbs 15:8, 15:29, 28:9 2. God s Posture? 1 Peter 3:12 3. Always answered? 1 John 5: Answered as we expect/want? 2 Cor 12:7-9; Deut 3;23-27; Hab 1:2 5. Motives? James 4:2-3 20

21 Answers to Prayer 6. Health and Wealth? James 1:12; 1 Peter 1:6-7, 4:12-13; Phil 3:10; Mat 5:10-12, 6: Romans 8:26-28 conclusions? 8. Insincere prayers? Matthew 6:7, 18:10-14, 23:14 21

22 How effective are your prayers? Weak prayers come from weak people; strong prayers come from strong people. The energetic prayers of a righteous man are a potent force in calling down the power of God for restoring weak, struggling believers to spiritual health. (MacArthur NT Commentary James) What will you do to be more effective in prayer? 22