YOU ASKED FOR IT SERIES

QUESTION: What is the right way to pray? – part #2

Aug 3, 2008, Mike Barnett

 

QUESTION: WHAT IS THE RIGHT WAY TO PRAY?

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 midnight and says, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, 6because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.'

 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.

2 Kings 4:1-7 (pg. 261) says:

 

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.

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