YOU
ASKED FOR IT SERIES
QUESTION: What is the right way to pray?
– part #2
REVIEW:
THE PRAYER OUTLINE JESUS GAVE HIS DISCIPLES – LUKE
11:1-13:
1One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he
finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, just
as John taught his disciples."
2He said to
them, "When you pray, say:
" 'Father,[a]
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come.[b]
3Give us each day our daily bread.
4Forgive us our sins,
for we also forgive everyone who sins
against us.[c]
And lead us not into temptation.[d]' "
5Then he
said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him at
7"Then
the one inside answers, 'Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my
children are with me in bed. I can't get up and give you anything.' 8I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread
because he is his friend, yet because of the man's boldness[e] he will get up and give him as much as he
needs.
9"So I
say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and
the door will be opened to you. 10For everyone who asks
receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
11"Which of you fathers, if your son asks for[f] a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good
gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy
Spirit to those who ask him!"
1. Honor and Worship God.
STEP # 1 - V.
2a – "Father, hallowed be your name", represents the Worship
and Praise segment.
2. Surrender your will to God.
STEP # 2 - V.
2b - "Your kingdom come, your will be done", represents the surrender
segment.
3. Ask God for your needs and desires.
STEP # 3 - V. 3
– "Give us each day our daily bread", represents the petition
segment.
4. Ask for forgiveness for your sins and
give forgiveness to those who have sinned against you.
STEP # 4 - V.
4a – "Forgive our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against
us", represents the forgiveness segment.
5. Ask for protection from sin.
STEP #5 - V. 4b
-"And lead us not into temptation", represents the "focused
mind & heart" segment.
6. Be persistently tenacious and do not
give up.
Luke 11:5 - 8 - The persistence
segment.
NOTE: As a "Christ
follower", it is my responsibility is to keep praying until the prayer has
been answered, redirected by the Spirit, or the burden lifted.
7. Be specific in detailing what you
want.
STEP # 7 – Luke 11: 9-13 – The "specific
request" segment.
TRUTH: Many professing Christians ask God for their
needs but never practice the other elements of a vital prayer life such as
Worship, Thanksgiving, Surrender, Forgiveness, “Seeking Protection/Wisdom” and
Perseverance and therefore never really experience the fullness of God’s power
in prayer.
END OF REVIEW:
QUESTION: What is the right way to pray?
– part #2
Answer:
LUKE 11:1-13 - AFTER A CHRISTIAN HAS
DAILY:
1. _______________(WORSHIPPED) GOD. Vs.
2a
2. _______________(SURRENDERED) TO HIS
WILL. Vs. 2b
3.________________(PETITIONED) FOR NEEDS
AND DESIRES. V. 3
4. ASKED FOR AND GIVEN
________________(FORGIVENESS). V. 4a
5. AKED FOR _________________(PROTECTION)
FROM SIN. V. 4b
6. BEEN TENACIOUSLY
_________________(PERSISTENT). Vs. 5-8
7. BEEN _________________(SPECIFIC) IN
DETAILTING THEIR DEISRES. Vs. 9-13
8. _______________(AFFIRMED) GOD’S
GOODNESS.
“For yours is the Kingdom, the power and
the glory forever and ever amen”.
AFTER A CHRISTIAN HAS PRACTICED THESE
EIGHT DAILY DISCIPLINES IN PRAYER, THEY ARE TO DO ONE MORE UPON LEAVING THEIR
“QUIET TIME”.
9. THE “CHRIST FOLLOWER” IS TO BELIEVE
THE PRAYER HAS ALREADY BEEN ANSWERED BY _______________(FAITH) AND _________ ______ _________(ACT AS IF) THE
MIRACLE WERE ALREADY _____________________(ACCOMPLISHED) THROUGHOUT THE DAY,
EVERDAY UNTIL IT MANIFEST IN THE PHYSICAL REALM!
Mark 11:22-25 says:
22"Have[a] faith in God," Jesus answered. 23"I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. 24Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. 25And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins."[b]
·
THE LAST
INGREIDENT TO EFFECTIVE PRAYER IS TO BEIELVE IT IS DONE AND FISNISHED!
NOTE: ____________________(AFFIRMATIONS)
HELP US TO “PRAY ALWAYS” AND TO ______________(BELIEVE) THAT IT IS ________________(DONE)
ACCORDING TO OUR FAITH!
THIS PRACTICE HAS BEEN CALLED
“AFFIRMATION PRAYERS” THROUGHOUT CHURCH HISTORY.
Examples:
“God, I thank you for answering my prayer
in your way and in your time for the good of all concerned”.
“Every good and perfect gift comes from the
Father of Heavenly lights who does not change like shifting shadows”.
“God, I thank you that my sins are
forgiven, I am redeemed and I have new life in Christ.
“God is love and perfect love cast out
all fear”
“There is nothing but God and God is
love. Devine love prospers me in all my affairs”.
“The miracle working power of Jesus
Christ is being released in my financial affairs for the good of all concerned.
All financial obligations are met and are satisfied. All debt has been paid in
full. It is finished in Jesus name.”
“God you are good all the time and I
receive your goodness and give it back to you by giving to others in need”.
“The one who started the good work in me
is faithful to sanctify me through and through and bring it to completion.
“I can do all things through Christ who
gives me strength.
·
THROUGH OUT
THE AGES, THIS SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINE HAS BEEN CALLED “_________________
______________(AFFIRMATION PRAYER) WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY THE SAME AND
________________(PRAISING) GOD FOR ________________(ANSWERED) PRAYER
________________(BEFORE) THE ASNWER IS SEEN IN THE _________________PHYSICAL)
REALM!
TRUTH: EFFECTIVE PRAYER
HAS AND ALWAYS WILL REQUIRE _____________(FAITH) AND _____________(ACTION) ON
THE PART OF THE PERSON SEEKING MIRACLE AND BLESSING FROM GOD.
1 The wife of a man from the company of the prophets
cried out to Elisha, "Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that
he revered the LORD. But now his creditor is coming to take my two boys as his
slaves."
2 Elisha
replied to her, "How can I help you? Tell me, what do you have in your
house?"
"Your servant has nothing there at
all," she said, "except a little oil."
3 Elisha
said, "Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don't ask for
just a few. 4 Then go inside and shut the door behind
you and your sons. Pour oil into all the jars, and as each is filled, put it to
one side."
5 She left
him and afterward shut the door behind her and her sons. They brought the jars
to her and she kept pouring. 6 When all the jars were
full, she said to her son, "Bring me another one."
But he replied, "There is not a jar
left." Then the oil stopped flowing.
7 She went
and told the man of God, and he said, "Go, sell the oil and pay your debts.
You and your sons can live on what is left."
OBSERVATIONS
FROM 2 KINGS 4:1-7
·
The wife of a
man who was traveling with Elisha and the other prophets cried out to Elisha,
“My husband is dead. But now his creditor is coming to take my two boys as his slaves.
·
In those days
if you had unpaid debt, your children could be claimed as “servant slaves” to
work off the past due debt.
·
Elisha asked
her: “How can I help you?”
·
Often times,
Jesus also asked people similar questions like: “What do you want me to do for
you?
·
Note: Again
and again God ask us to be specific in our prayers in asking Him for what we
need, want and desire.
·
Before the
widow could answer the question, Elisha asked her: “What do you have in your
house?”
·
Like God,
Elisha already knew her hearts desire and saved her a step in the process.
·
Sometimes God
does that too because he is for us and not against us!
·
She
responded: “I just have a little oil”.
·
Elisha, then
responded by saying, “Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars…and
don’t ask for just a few either”.
·
He then tells
her to go inside and shut the door behind her and pour the oil into the jars.
·
The impending
miracle was not intended to be a public sensation for the masses, but to
demonstrate privately God’s mercy and grace to this widow.
·
Jesus too
shut the door behind him when he raised the little girl from the dead.
·
There is a
good reason for this.
·
Sometimes the
doubt and unbelief of family, friends and neighbors will hinder our faith when
they tell us how impossible our situation is and that nothing will
change.
·
The widow did
not hesitate to respond to the instructions of the Lord’s prophet in faith and
obedience.