Foundations of the Faith

Lesson 9 – Prayer

• "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." Philippians 4:6

Introduction

• Prayer is . . .

an offering up of our desires unto God,

for things agreeable to His will,

in the name of Jesus Christ,

with confession of our sins,

and thankful acknowledgement of His mercies.

Introduction

• Prayer is talking to God; it is asking and receiving, seeking and finding, and knocking and opening (Matthew 7:8), for those things which will advance His kingdom, please Him, and be in His will.

• The goal of prayer is not so much getting answers as deepening our dependence on Him and being a part of what He is doing.

Provision for Prayer

Commanded to Pray

• Jeremiah 33:3 states:

"Call to me, and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.“

• The language is similar to Ephesians 3:20, where Paul is closing his prayer for the church at Ephesus:

"Now to Him who is able to do all exceedingly abundantly above that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us."

Jesus Opened the Way to God

• Hebrews 10:14, 19-20 and 7:25--

"For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified….since therefore, brethren, we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh."

"…He is able to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them."

• Jesus also gave us the authority to pray "in His name." Asking in Jesus' name means to ask for what He would ask for, consistent with His will.

Jesus said, "If you ask me anything in My name, I will do it" (John 14:14), to the end that "the Father may be glorified in the Son" (John 14:13), and that our "joy may be made full" (John 16:24).

The Holy Spirit Helps Us

• After sealing our salvation, He also intercedes for us and helps us pray when we just don't know how to pray. At those times we need to simply "call upon God," for He has provided for just this situation as described in Romans 8:26-27–

"And in the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groaning too deep for words; and he who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God."

Preparation for Prayer

Right Attitudes

• God's Word gives certain attitudes necessary for us to have a vital prayer life.

Heb 10:22

…draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

A Sincere or Pure Heart

• "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9)

• "If I regard sin in my heart, the Lord will not hear." (Psalm 66:18)

Full Assurance of Faith

• James 1:6 says: "But let him ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea driven and tossed by the wind."

Abiding in Christ

• "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you" (John 15:7)

A Spirit of Humility

• 2 Chronicles 7:14

"(If) My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray, and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."

• Jesus illustrated this in His parable of the Pharisee and the publican (Luke 18:9-14).

• The Pharisee was prideful, telling God how good he was by listing his good works: "I fast," and "I pay tithes."

• The publican, however, approached God in great humility, conscious of his unworthiness, confessing himself as a sinner and begging for mercy.

• Jesus said the publican was the one who left justified.

Sober of Spirit/Forgiving

• We should "be of sound judgment and sober of spirit for the purpose of prayer" (1 Peter 4:7).

• We should not harbor unforgiveness. "And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone; so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you for your transgressions" (Mark 11:25).

The Precepts of Prayer

Adoration - Reverential Praise

• …blessed art Thou, O Lord God of Israel our Father, forever and ever. Thine, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, indeed everything that is in the heavens and the earth; Thine is the dominion, O Lord, and Thou dost exalt Thyself as head over all. Both riches and honor come from Thee, and Thou dost rule over all, and in Thy hand is power and might; and it lies in Thy hand to make great, and to strengthen everyone. Now therefore, our God, we thank Thee, and praise Thy glorious name (1 Chronicles 29:11-13).

Thanksgiving

• Expressing Our Gratitude

"In everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus"

(1 Thessalonians 5:18).

"…in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." Philippians 4:6

Confession

• Agreeing with God About Our Sin, Viewing It the Way He Does

"When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long, …I acknowledged my sin to Thee, and my iniquity I did not hide; I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord’: and Thou didst forgive the guilt of my sin" (Psalm 32:3,5)

Intercession

• Prayer Offered in Behalf of Others

"First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions, and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men" (1 Timothy 2:1).

• Examples: For the sick, James 5:14-20; Paul’s intercession, Ephesians 1:16-19, Colossians 1:9-13, and 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12

Petition

• Request for Something Needed or Desired

"Let us therefore draw near with confidence to the throne of grace that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help in time of need" (Hebrews 4:16).

• What things does the scripture indicate we can ask for? Wisdom (James 1:5), physical healing (James 5:15), spiritual healing (James 5:16), etc.

The Practice of Prayer

Lord’s Prayer

• "Pray, then, in this way: Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed by Thy name. thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen." (Matthew 6:9-13).

"Our Father, Who art in heaven"

• Jesus introduced a new basis of prayer, the relationship of children to their father.

• At our new birth we became children of God. We can approach God as Paul shares in Romans 8:15, saying "Abba," "Father," ("Daddy," "Father").

• We can approach our heavenly Father with the confidence that He will meet our needs (Matthew 6:25-33).

• Our Father is in heaven. He has a broader perspective. He is omniscient and omnipotent. We pray to a Father who not only wants to meet our needs but has all wisdom and power to do so.

"Hallowed be Thy Name"

• The first thing we ask is for the name of God to be glorified. Let His name be hallowed in our prayers and our lives.

• Biblical prayers reflect deep concern for God’s name, signifying His reputation.

• We should seek to see His name and character extolled through our prayers.

“Thy kingdom come, . . . ”

• Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven

• We ask God’s reign be present throughout all the earth like it is in heaven.

• Please reveal and accomplish your will here on earth, Father, so your name can be glorified here as it always is in heaven.

• We seek His will for our lives.

God’s Will

• It is the will of God for us to be:

– saved and come to the knowledge of truth (1 Timothy 2:4)

– filled with the Holy Spirit (Eph. 5:18)

– sanctified; abstaining from sexual sin (1 Thess. 4:3)

– obedient to authorities (1 Pet 2:13-15)

– giving thanks in everything (1 Thess. 5:18)

Priority

• We see here the priorities outlined in the model prayer. Before we ask for our needs to be met, we ask that God receive glory, that His kingdom come, and that His will be done.

• If we pray for the first three things, we will probably know God's will and be able to recognize His provision for our needs. "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you" (Matthew 6:33).

"Give us this day our daily bread"

• We should recognize God as provider of all our needs and thank Him for that provision. We also should ask God's provision for other's needs. (Petition, Thanksgiving, and Intercession).

"Forgive us our debts"

• We should come confessing our sin and asking forgiveness.

• “ . . . as we also have forgiven our debtors.”

– We must forgive others. Immediately after the Lord’s prayer Jesus said, “For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.” Matthew 6:14-15

“Lead us not into temptation”

• “but deliver us from evil”

This petition faces the stark reality of our situation.

Father, guide me in the paths of righteousness. Help me, Father, in my spiritual battles. Deliver me.

“For Thine is the kingdom, . . . ”

• “the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.”

As we encounter God in our prayer, we respond with praise, honoring Him for who He is.

How Often Should We Pray?

• We should pray "without ceasing" (1 Thessalonians 5:17), "at all times" (Luke 18:1).

• We should be persistent in prayer (Luke 11:5-10, 18:1-7). Jesus said, "Now shall not God bring about justice for His elect, who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them?" (18:7)

Conclusion

• We should thank God for the privilege of prayer. We rejoice that through Jesus we have been made children of God who can approach our Heavenly Father with the confidence that we will be heard and our prayers answered.

• May our eyes and hearts be opened to see the primary importance of prayer as it brings us into close fellowship and intimate communication with our Savior and our God.

Prepared

We should carefully prepare our petitions, so we will not "be hasty in word or impulsive in thought to bring up a matter in the presence of God. For God is in heaven and you are on the earth; therefore let your words be few." (Ecclesiastes 5:2)