1 ` ASK AND IT SHALL BE GIVEN KEYS TO PERSEVERING IN PRAYER Dr. Kenneth W. Jones, Pastor, Practical Living Ministry
Introduction: Review of Study 2 You have not because you ask not: Has prayer become obsolete in our culture because we can bring things to pass through our knowledge and processes? The women pursuing Elijah and Samuel: How far are we willing to pursue to get our need met? Prayers, Petition, or Confession: Getting our needs addressed Ask. Seek. Knock vs Name it and Claim It - Persistence vs. Vendor mindset When the answer is unsure or delayed - Trusting in God who says He is always with us; Goliath had 4 brothers: stilling the enemy and the avenger Praying with your head covered: Casting down imaginations & keeping the phone line clear praying with the helmet of salvation How Jesus prayed We learn effective prayer from the Master
Before We Go Any Further 3 What exactly is prayer? Prayer is the primary way for the believer in Jesus Christ to communicate one s emotions and desires with God and to fellowship with God. Through prayer we also petition God regarding our needs and the needs of others Since prayer is a communication; prayer also centers us in our relationship with God It brings us to a place of dependence upon Him for provision, help, support, and strength Prayers requires submission It means that I surrender myself and this need to God one of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, teach us to pray " Luke 11:1
Is This You? 4 Wow! I wished I hadn t sinned this week. I feel so unworthy. Don t know if God is able to do this What! It s been only 5 minutes! Lord, please do something about getting ME that promotion at work. Lord, what s taking so long with getting ME that new house? I m more than a conqueror! I claim that house in the Name of Jesus!
Or This 5 Father I am grateful to be acceptable as one of your beloved. I thank you for access to your throne. I plead to you on behalf of the blood that was shed for me, regarding the needs of my household, children and my church. I pray for to receive deliverance this day. My hope and trust is in you! Lord I cast down that unwholesome thought! You are more than able! Day 2 of Fast
Prayer 6 1 st John 5:14: And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him. We petition God in faith, trusting that He not only hears us, but that He will respond to our petitions. There also appears to be certain requirements (i.e. according to His Will, not ask amiss (lustfully) It is difficult to develop confidence and trust outside of relationship with someone Romans 4: 19-22: Abraham prayed in faith, having confidence and trust that God would do what He said He would do Prayer should build confidence and trust in us as we connect with the Father
Defining Prayer 7 Prayer is a privilege and an obligation of the Christian where we communicate due to our relationship with God. Through Prayer: We confess our sins: James 5:16 We experience salvation from God: Romans 10: 9,10 We petition God for our needs: Philippians 4:6 We worship and adore the Father: Matthew 6:9; Psalms 145:3 We build our relationship with the Father and gain wisdom & insight: Daniel 2:23 We build up our faith & confidence: Jude 1:20 We experience deliverance, boldness, and receive direction: Acts 13:2, Acts 4:31 We build up endurance in the midst of trials: Acts 12:5; 2 nd Chronicles 20:1-4 We assist those around us by standing in the gap for them through intercession: Ezekiel 22:30 We make a vow or commitment to God through prayer to overcome
Praying For One Another 8 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. So prayer should not just be Individually focused, but focused on God and exerted for others Prayers must be fervent and effectual and from a position of right standing with God to be avail and prevail Righteousness also means right thinking, so our thoughts and mindset has a lot to do with prayer Prayer Should be Corporate Acts 12:5 - So Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer for him was being made fervently by the church to God. Acts 6:6 - And these they brought before the apostles; and after praying, they laid their hands on them.
9 We Are Accepted and Given Access One of the reasons why many Christians do not spend much time in prayer is that they feel that they are inadequate in their praying, or that their prayers are not effective There is a sense of unworthiness due to sin, setbacks, mistakes, fleshly thinking, spiritual or biblical error We are granted ACCESS and ACCEPTED, through the redemptive work of Christ whereby we can approach the throne of God. Ephesians 1:6: To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. Ephesians 2:18: For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
10 What is Effectual and Fervent Prayer? Effectual Putting forth power; operative; putting forth work Fervent Boiling Hot Not Lukewarm According to God s Will (Romans 8:27) Supplemented with Praise (Philippians 4:3) Continual Prayer and Praise (1 st Thess 5:17) Grounded in Faith (Hebrews 11:6) Persistence (Fervent); Red hot Free of selfish desires and wrong motives (James 4:3) Our relationship with God is strengthened (Hebrews 4:16) Free of unconfessed sins in our hearts (Isaiah 59:2; Psalms 66:18) Receptive to the counsel of God (Proverbs 1:24-27)
Scripture 11 Matthew 7:7, 8: 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. This sounds so easy, so why it sometimes so difficult? Maybe we don t understand what this scripture mean Maybe the words are not as simple as they sound and easy to execute It is interesting that many people, to include Christians really do not ask God for anything
Ask Seek Knock 12 Ask - Crave, Desire, Require, beg, call for; to make a request (which requires some aspect of correctness and validity) Seek to seek in order to find out by thinking, reasoning, or inquiry; to crave, demand something from someone Knock to knock with a heavy blow; inopportune; repetition Amplified Version: Matthew 7:7 - Keep on asking and it will be given you; keep on seeking and you will find; keep on knocking [reverently] and [the door] will be opened to you.
Questions 13 Asking: What is it that you desire or need? What is your motive? Is your request valid? (In accordance with God s will and purpose for your life) Seeking: What are you truly seeking? What are you searching for and desiring for in your life? How far are you willing to commit to obtain that what you seek? Knocking: How often do you pray for this need or request? Are you willing to fast for it? Knocking requires repetition: are you determined to pray and persist until your need is met?
Story of the Shunammite Woman 14 2 nd Kings 4:18-36 : A lesson in prayer & persistence She recognized that Elisha was a holy man and she served him and his servant Elisha identified her need and told her that she would give birth When the child was grown, he became ill and then died She went directly to the man of God; she drove her donkey in haste she was persistent in seeing the prophet The child recovery was progressive
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